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Amazon Associates vs Referral Rock

Amazon Associates logo

Amazon Associates

Software

The world's largest affiliate marketing program

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Referral Rock logo

Referral Rock

Software

Referral marketing software for any business

From
$200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amazon Associates has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Amazon Associates commission rates are among the lowest in affiliate marketing at 4-20% by category; Referral Rock there is one paid tier at $250 a month and no free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon Associates covers Product linking tools, Referral Rock covers Multi-program support.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Associates and Referral Rock actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Associates and Referral Rock differ
AttributeAmazon AssociatesReferral Rock
Starting priceFree$200/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Browser plugin, Mobile browserWeb
Founded19962014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amazon Associates

  • Product linking tools
  • Native shopping ads
  • SiteStripe toolbar
  • Commission tracking
  • Real-time reporting
  • WordPress
  • Blogger
  • YouTube

Only in Referral Rock

  • Multi-program support
  • Customizable rewards
  • Automated workflows
  • Engagement widgets
  • Detailed analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amazon Associates

  • affiliate marketing management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

Referral Rock

  • affiliate marketing management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

Both are used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amazon Associates

  • Commission rates are among the lowest in affiliate marketing at 4-20% by category
  • Requires $100 minimum earnings threshold before payment is issued
  • Cookie duration limited to 24 hours for click tracking, compared to 60-90 days at competitors

Referral Rock

  • There is one paid tier at $250 a month and no free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • The plan includes 10,000 base members and a further 10,000 costs $125 a month
  • Each additional referral program is $100 a month
  • Extra users and extra recruiters are sold in blocks of 10 at $50 a month each
  • Rewards are limited to coupons, pay-as-you-go gift cards or custom rewards

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon Associates

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Amazon Associates review.

Referral Rock

$200/month
  • Starter$200/month
    • 500 members
    • Unlimited programs
    • Basic integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon Associates if

  • You need product linking tools.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Browser plugin, Mobile browser.
  • You also want native shopping ads.
Amazon Associates review

Choose Referral Rock if

  • You need multi-program support.
  • You also want customizable rewards.
Referral Rock review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Associates or Referral Rock better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Associates starts at Free and Referral Rock at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Associates or Referral Rock?
Amazon Associates has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amazon Associates and $200/month for Referral Rock.
Does Amazon Associates or Referral Rock run on more platforms?
Amazon Associates runs on Web, Browser plugin, Mobile browser. Referral Rock runs on Web.
Can I use Amazon Associates for free?
Yes. Amazon Associates has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Referral Rock starts at $200/month.
What is Amazon Associates best used for?
Amazon Associates is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting.
What can Amazon Associates do that Referral Rock cannot?
Amazon Associates covers Product linking tools, Native shopping ads, SiteStripe toolbar, Commission tracking. Referral Rock covers Multi-program support, Customizable rewards, Automated workflows, Engagement widgets. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon Associates: Is it free to join Amazon Associates?

Yes. There are no signup fees, monthly costs, or commissions paid to Amazon. Joining and participation are completely free.

Source
Amazon Associates: How long does a click cookie last?

Amazon gives you 24 hours to earn a commission once a visitor clicks an affiliate link. You also earn a commission if a person adds a product to their cart within 24 hours and purchases it within 90 days.

Source
Amazon Associates: What are the commission rates?

Commission rates vary by product category. Amazon Games earns 20%, Luxury Beauty at 10%, Kitchen at 4.5%, and All Other Categories at 4%. Commission rates change frequently.

Source
Amazon Associates: How often does Amazon pay affiliates?

Amazon Associates provides reports updated hourly for most orders. Earnings can be tracked in real-time through the Associates Central dashboard. Payments are issued monthly if earnings exceed $100.

Source
Amazon Associates: Can I earn commissions internationally?

Yes. Amazon Associates operates in multiple countries. OneLink allows US Associates to earn commissions internationally by automatically directing customers to their local Amazon store.

Source
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Related pages

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