TUNE vs Cello.so
Choose TUNE if you need to manage affiliate partnerships across advertisers, networks, and channels; choose Cello.so if your software business wants user referrals alongside affiliate and influencer referrals. Both support partner programs, but TUNE emphasizes configurable tracking and network management, while Cello.so offers referral experiences embedded in a logged-in product.
Last updated November 1, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | TUNE | Cello.so |
|---|---|---|
| Program focus | Affiliate programs for advertisers and networks | User and partner referral programs |
| Product requirement | Advertiser or affiliate-network program | Logged-in web or mobile software product |
| Published entry price | Advertisers $1,500/month; networks $899/month, paid annually | User Start $65/month; Partner Free $0/month |
| Other published plans | Custom advertiser and network contracts | User Grow $200/month, Scale $750/month; Partner Plus $80/month, Pro $280/month; custom Enterprise |
| Usage limits | Advertiser Scale: 2,500 conversions/month | User Start: $10K referral ARR; Partner Free: 5 transacting partners |
| Partner-program fees | Fee-based payments; additional marketplace network and processing fees | Partner transaction fees: 5% Free, 3.5% Plus and Pro, 2% Enterprise |
| Web and mobile | App, mobile web, and desktop tracking | Web SDK; iOS, Android, Flutter, and React Native SDKs |
| Integrations and API | Two-way API with 650+ endpoints; mobile measurement partners | Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle, Recurly, HubSpot, Salesforce, and REST API |
| Partner discovery | TUNE Marketplace access | Not published |
| Payouts | Partner payments available for a fee | Automated referral payouts via PayPal and Venmo |
| Support | Advertiser Scale: email, chat, phone, and customer success manager | Start: Slack; higher tiers: priority Slack and dedicated success manager |
| Security certification | SOC 2 Type II and SOC 1 Type II | SOC 2 listed as coming soon |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose TUNE if
- Advertisers managing affiliates across multiple channels
- Teams operating an affiliate network
- Programs needing marketplace access or extensive API customization
- Buyers who need published SOC 2 Type II accreditation
Choose Cello.so if
- Software businesses with logged-in web or mobile products
- Teams combining customer and partner referrals
- Buyers wanting referrals embedded in their product
- Small partner programs looking for a published free plan
The verdict
The deciding factor is how you plan to acquire referrals. Pick TUNE for a configurable partner-marketing platform, particularly if you operate an affiliate network or need marketplace access and extensive API control. Pick Cello.so if you have a logged-in web or mobile product and want customers as well as partners to refer new business. Compare total costs against your expected conversion volume or referral revenue: the vendors publish different pricing models.
TUNE vs Cello.so: common questions
- Are TUNE and Cello.so direct competitors?
- They overlap on affiliate and partner referrals. TUNE also serves affiliate networks and advertisers running broader partner programs, while Cello.so combines partner referrals with customer referrals inside logged-in software products.
- Which is a better fit for an affiliate network?
- TUNE publishes plans and features for affiliate networks, including unlimited active offers and partners on its listed Enterprise network plan. Cello.so positions its partner product around referral programs for affiliates and influencers.
- Can Cello.so run referrals for a product without user logins?
- No. Cello.so says its referral technology requires a logged-in web or mobile product with authenticated users.
- Does either product have a free plan?
- Cello.so lists a $0-per-month Partner Free plan with one partner campaign and five transacting partners, plus a 5% transaction fee. TUNE lists paid starting prices for advertiser and network plans.
- How do their starting prices compare?
- TUNE lists advertiser Scale at $1,500 per month and network Enterprise at $899 per month, both paid annually. Cello.so lists User Start at $65 per month and Partner Free at $0 per month; the plans serve different program types and have different fees and limits.
- Which supports customer referrals inside an app?
- Cello.so publishes web and mobile SDKs for in-product user referrals. TUNE publishes app, mobile-web, and desktop partner tracking, but does not present an equivalent embedded customer-referral program on its reviewed product pages.
- What limits should buyers check?
- TUNE's advertiser Scale plan includes 2,500 conversions per month. Cello.so's User Start plan allows up to $10,000 in referral ARR, while its Partner Free plan allows five transacting partners and one partner campaign.
- Is SOC 2 certification published for both?
- TUNE states that it holds SOC 2 Type II and SOC 1 Type II accreditation. Cello.so lists SOC 2 as coming soon, so buyers requiring an existing certification should verify its status before purchasing.
