UpPromote vs FirstPromoter
Use UpPromote for a Shopify store’s affiliate program; use FirstPromoter for a SaaS or subscription business that needs commissions tied to its billing provider. Both offer affiliate tracking and program management, but their integrations make the choice clearer than their feature lists: UpPromote centers on Shopify orders, while FirstPromoter connects to subscription billing platforms.
Last updated November 1, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | UpPromote | FirstPromoter |
|---|---|---|
| Primary platform | Shopify affiliate app | Subscription billing integrations and web tracking |
| Billing and subscription integrations | Recharge, Appstle, Bold, Seal and Recurpay | Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree |
| Starting price | Free; Growth $29.99/month | Starter $49/month or $490/year |
| Revenue-based charges | Paid plans: 1%–2% of approved referral sales | No commission transaction fee; revenue-based plan tiers |
| Higher paid plans | Professional $89.99/month; Enterprise $199.99/month | Business $99/month; Enterprise $149/month |
| Program limits | Free: 1 program; Growth and higher: unlimited programs | Starter: 3 campaigns; Business and Enterprise: unlimited |
| Affiliate and referral limits | Growth: 300 referral reviews/month; Professional: 600; Enterprise: unlimited | Starter: 1,000 affiliates and up to $5,000/month affiliate-driven revenue |
| Affiliate recruitment | Marketplace listing on Growth; creator discovery add-on from $39/month | Not published |
| Commission options | Product, subscription-order and lifetime commission settings | Recurring, lifetime, per-plan and multi-tier commissions |
| Affiliate payouts | Store credit; PayPal auto-pay on Professional | PayPal, Wise, Stripe, crypto and bank-transfer options |
| Other integrations | Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Omnisend and API | Zapier, Make, Albato, APIs and webhooks |
| Trial and support | Free plan; 14-day paid-plan trials; 24/7 live support | 14-day trial without a credit card; customer-success support |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose UpPromote if
- Shopify merchants tracking affiliate orders and coupon codes
- Stores wanting a free plan to launch one affiliate program
- Teams offering customer referrals or store-credit rewards
- Brands seeking an optional creator-discovery add-on
Choose FirstPromoter if
- SaaS teams using supported subscription billing providers
- Programs paying recurring or lifetime commissions
- Teams needing an affiliate dashboard embedded in their app
- Businesses wanting plans without a commission transaction fee
The verdict
Pick UpPromote if your affiliate sales happen in Shopify and you want store-focused tools such as customer referrals, store-credit rewards and an optional creator-discovery add-on. Pick FirstPromoter if your program depends on Stripe, Paddle or another supported billing provider and needs recurring commission rules. Compare total cost as well as the starting price: UpPromote has a free plan but adds a percentage of approved referral sales on paid plans; FirstPromoter prices its tiers by monthly affiliate-driven revenue.
UpPromote vs FirstPromoter: common questions
- Is this comparison worth considering?
- Yes. UpPromote and FirstPromoter are both available affiliate-program tools, but they serve different sales setups: UpPromote focuses on Shopify stores, while FirstPromoter focuses on businesses using subscription billing providers.
- Which should a Shopify merchant choose?
- UpPromote is the more direct fit for a Shopify merchant because it is a Shopify affiliate app with order tracking, coupon tracking and store-focused rewards. FirstPromoter does not publish a native Shopify storefront integration.
- Which is better suited to a SaaS subscription program?
- FirstPromoter is the more direct fit when a SaaS business bills through Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly or Braintree and wants commissions tied to recurring payments. UpPromote supports subscription-order commissions through listed Shopify subscription-app integrations.
- Does either product have a free plan?
- UpPromote publishes a free plan with one affiliate program. FirstPromoter publishes a 14-day free trial without a credit card, but not a free plan.
- How do their paid prices work?
- UpPromote’s paid plans start at $29.99 per month and add a 1%–2% fee on approved referral sales, depending on the plan. FirstPromoter starts at $49 per month, with tiers determined by monthly affiliate-driven revenue and no commission transaction fee.
- Can both pay recurring affiliate commissions?
- Yes. UpPromote publishes subscription-order commission settings and integrations with Shopify subscription apps. FirstPromoter publishes recurring and lifetime commission rules connected to supported billing providers.
- Which has tools for finding affiliates?
- UpPromote lists a marketplace listing on its Growth plan and a Creator Discovery add-on starting at $39 per month. FirstPromoter does not publish a built-in affiliate marketplace or creator-discovery tool.
- What limits should buyers check before subscribing?
- UpPromote lists monthly referral-review limits of 300 on Growth and 600 on Professional, with unlimited reviews on Enterprise. FirstPromoter limits Starter to 1,000 affiliates, three campaigns and $5,000 per month in affiliate-driven revenue.
