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Software · head to head

CAKE vs FirstPromoter

CAKE logo

CAKE

Software

Performance marketing software by Accelerize

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FirstPromoter logo

FirstPromoter

Software

Referral tracking for SaaS and subscription businesses

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CAKE pricing is not published and requires a demo; FirstPromoter plans are capped by affiliate-driven revenue, so Starter at $49 a month stops at $5,000 a month and Business at $99 stops at $15,000
  • They diverge on capability: CAKE covers Real-time tracking, FirstPromoter covers Recurring commission tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CAKE and FirstPromoter actually diverge.

Attributes where CAKE and FirstPromoter differ
AttributeCAKEFirstPromoter
Starting priceOn request$49/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb (SaaS)
Founded20072017

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 CAKE

  • Real-time tracking
  • Advanced fraud detection
  • Multi-channel attribution
  • Pixel management
  • API access
  • Salesforce
  • Major ad networks
  • Payment processors

Only in FirstPromoter

  • Recurring commission tracking
  • Multi-tier rewards
  • Coupon attribution
  • Public leaderboards
  • Custom signup pages
  • Stripe
  • Braintree
  • Paddle

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

CAKE

  • Affiliate and partner performance trackingnot FirstPromoter
  • Lead distribution to buyers in real timenot FirstPromoter
  • Attribution across performance marketing channelsnot FirstPromoter
  • Managing an affiliate network's publishers and advertisersnot FirstPromoter

FirstPromoter

  • Running an affiliate or referral programme for a SaaS productnot CAKE
  • Tracking referral revenue through Stripenot CAKE
  • Paying affiliates and issuing invoicesnot CAKE
  • Multi-tier commission structures on the higher plansnot CAKE

Where each one falls short

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

CAKE

  • Pricing is not published and requires a demo
  • Ownership is not stated on the site, which matters for a platform holding performance marketing data

FirstPromoter

  • Plans are capped by affiliate-driven revenue, so Starter at $49 a month stops at $5,000 a month and Business at $99 stops at $15,000
  • Starter is limited to 1,000 affiliates, 3 campaigns and 2 websites
  • Multi-tiered commissions, invoicing and Stripe payouts require the Business tier
  • Fraud and refund protection, automated payouts, SSO and custom roles are Enterprise only, from $149 a month
  • There is no free tier, only a 14 day trial

Pricing, plan by plan

CAKE

On request
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Full platform
    • Dedicated support

FirstPromoter

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • Up to $5,000/month affiliate revenue
    • 2 campaigns maximum
    • 1,000 affiliates maximum
  • Business$99/month
    • Up to $15,000/month affiliate revenue
    • Unlimited campaigns
    • Unlimited affiliates
  • Enterprise$149/month
    • $30,000+/month affiliate revenue
    • Unlimited campaigns
    • Unlimited affiliates

Which should you pick?

Choose CAKE if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You also want advanced fraud detection.
CAKE review

Choose FirstPromoter if

  • You need recurring commission tracking.
  • You work on Web (SaaS).
  • You also want multi-tier rewards.
FirstPromoter review

Questions people ask

Is CAKE or FirstPromoter better?
Neither clearly leads. CAKE starts at On request and FirstPromoter at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CAKE or FirstPromoter?
CAKE starts at On request and FirstPromoter at $49/month.
Does CAKE or FirstPromoter run on more platforms?
CAKE runs on Web. FirstPromoter runs on Web (SaaS).
What is CAKE best used for?
CAKE is most often used for affiliate and partner performance tracking, lead distribution to buyers in real time, attribution across performance marketing channels, managing an affiliate network's publishers and advertisers. Of those, affiliate and partner performance tracking and lead distribution to buyers in real time are not what FirstPromoter is typically brought in for.
What can CAKE do that FirstPromoter cannot?
CAKE covers Real-time tracking, Advanced fraud detection, Multi-channel attribution, Pixel management. FirstPromoter covers Recurring commission tracking, Multi-tier rewards, Coupon attribution, Public leaderboards. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FirstPromoter: Does FirstPromoter offer a free trial?

Yes, FirstPromoter offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. After the trial, subscription pricing starts at $49/month for the Starter plan.

Source
FirstPromoter: What are FirstPromoter's pricing tiers based on?

FirstPromoter pricing is based on monthly tracked revenue from your affiliate program. The Starter plan ($49/month) supports up to $5,000/month affiliate revenue with 2 campaigns, the Business plan ($99/month) supports up to $15,000/month, and the Enterprise plan ($149+/month) supports $30,000+/month.

Source
FirstPromoter: Which billing platforms does FirstPromoter integrate with?

FirstPromoter integrates with Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle, Recurly, and Braintree. The platform ties commissions to subscription billing events like renewals, upgrades, and cancellations.

Source
FirstPromoter: Does FirstPromoter support multi-level affiliate commissions?

Yes, FirstPromoter supports multi-level commissions tracking up to 3 levels deep, allowing affiliates to earn from their own referrals and referrals they bring in.

Source
FirstPromoter: Can I customize the affiliate portal branding in FirstPromoter?

Yes, FirstPromoter provides a white-label partner portal that you can customize with your domain and branding. However, FirstPromoter's logo appears on portal pages unless you upgrade to higher tiers.

Source
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