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Software · head to head

ClickBank vs GrowSurf

ClickBank logo

ClickBank

Software

Digital product affiliate marketplace

From
Free
Rated
-
GrowSurf logo

GrowSurf

Software

Referral software for tech companies

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ClickBank a one time activation fee of $49.95 is charged when a seller's first product is approved; GrowSurf startup tier limited to 1 referral program
  • They diverge on capability: ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace, GrowSurf covers Referral tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickBank and GrowSurf actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickBank and GrowSurf differ
AttributeClickBankGrowSurf
Pricing modeltransactionfreemium
Founded19982017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 ClickBank

  • Digital product marketplace
  • High commission rates
  • Recurring billing
  • Refund management
  • Affiliate tools
  • ClickFunnels
  • WordPress
  • Teachable

Only in GrowSurf

  • Referral tracking
  • Automated rewards
  • Fraud detection
  • Custom branding
  • Developer API
  • HubSpot
  • Salesforce
  • Intercom

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ClickBank

  • Selling digital products through an affiliate marketplacenot GrowSurf
  • Recruiting affiliates to promote an info product or supplementnot GrowSurf
  • Earning commission as an affiliate on third party digital productsnot GrowSurf

GrowSurf

  • Launching customer referral programs without engineering overheadnot ClickBank
  • White-label referral systems matching brand appearancenot ClickBank
  • AI-powered reward suggestions and promotional copy generationnot ClickBank
  • Integrations with Zapier, Stripe, HubSpot, Slack, PayPal, Salesforcenot ClickBank

Where each one falls short

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

ClickBank

  • A one time activation fee of $49.95 is charged when a seller's first product is approved
  • ClickBank retains 7.5% plus $1 on each sale
  • A $5.00 pay period processing fee is charged on every payment issued
  • Refunds cost the seller $0.50 or $1 depending on product price and return date
  • Dormant accounts are charged $1 per pay period after 90 days without earnings, $5 after 180 days and $50 after 365 days
  • Payment is withheld until the account reaches the payment threshold, which defaults to $100

GrowSurf

  • Startup tier limited to 1 referral program
  • Startup and Business tiers include only email support, not real-time
  • Requires upgrade to Business tier for custom referral portal domain
  • Custom tier requires 25,000+ participants and quote-based pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickBank

Free
  • AffiliateFree
    • Free to join
    • Up to 75% commissions
    • Weekly payouts

GrowSurf

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GrowSurf review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ClickBank if

  • You need digital product marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want high commission rates.

Choose GrowSurf if

  • You need referral tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want automated rewards.

Questions people ask

Is ClickBank or GrowSurf better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickBank starts at Free and GrowSurf at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickBank or GrowSurf?
ClickBank starts at Free and GrowSurf at Free.
Does ClickBank or GrowSurf run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use ClickBank for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ClickBank best used for?
ClickBank is most often used for selling digital products through an affiliate marketplace, recruiting affiliates to promote an info product or supplement, earning commission as an affiliate on third party digital products. Of those, selling digital products through an affiliate marketplace and recruiting affiliates to promote an info product or supplement are not what GrowSurf is typically brought in for.
What can ClickBank do that GrowSurf cannot?
ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace, High commission rates, Recurring billing, Refund management. GrowSurf covers Referral tracking, Automated rewards, Fraud detection, Custom branding. Both handle Web support.

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