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Influencer Marketing · head to head

Dovetale vs Refersion

Dovetale logo

Dovetale

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing made simple for Shopify

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
R

Refersion

Influencer Marketing

Affiliate and influencer marketing for e-commerce

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dovetale has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Dovetale before its acquisition by Shopify (now sold as Shopify Collabs), Dovetale's Starter plan was $99 USD per month for only 3 users, and jumping to 10 users required the Pro plan at $499 USD per month, a five-fold price increase for roughly triple the seats (archived pricing page, 7 August 2020); Refersion no influencer discovery tools; requires using separate platforms to identify creators
  • They diverge on capability: Dovetale covers Creator discovery, Refersion covers Affiliate recruitment.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dovetale and Refersion actually diverge.

Attributes where Dovetale and Refersion differ
AttributeDovetaleRefersion
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20062014

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Influencer Marketing).

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 Dovetale

  • Creator discovery
  • Application management
  • Gift tracking
  • Affiliate links
  • Commission tracking
  • Direct messaging
  • Shopify integration
  • Instagram

Only in Refersion

  • Affiliate recruitment
  • Coupon tracking
  • Commission automation
  • Influencer management
  • BigCommerce
  • WooCommerce
  • Magento
  • Stripe

Both cover

  • Performance analytics
  • Shopify
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Dovetale

  • Creator partnershipsnot Refersion
  • Product giftingnot Refersion
  • Affiliate programsnot Refersion
  • Ambassador programsnot Refersion

Refersion

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Dovetale
  • Workflow automationnot Dovetale
  • Reportingnot Dovetale

Where each one falls short

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

Dovetale

  • Before its acquisition by Shopify (now sold as Shopify Collabs), Dovetale's Starter plan was $99 USD per month for only 3 users, and jumping to 10 users required the Pro plan at $499 USD per month, a five-fold price increase for roughly triple the seats (archived pricing page, 7 August 2020)

Refersion

  • No influencer discovery tools; requires using separate platforms to identify creators
  • Limited audience analysis and insights compared to competitors
  • Minimal customization options for reports and analytics
  • Higher starting price (39-99 USD/month) may be prohibitive for small businesses

Pricing, plan by plan

Dovetale

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Creator discovery
    • Application forms
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$99/month
    • Advanced search
    • Affiliate management
    • Commission tracking

Refersion

$99/month
  • Professional$99/month
    • 130 monthly order conversions
    • Unlimited affiliates
    • Shopify integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Dovetale if

  • You need creator discovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want application management.
Dovetale review

Choose Refersion if

  • You need affiliate recruitment.
  • You also want coupon tracking.
Refersion review

Questions people ask

Is Dovetale or Refersion better?
Neither clearly leads. Dovetale starts at Free and Refersion at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dovetale or Refersion?
Dovetale has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Dovetale and $99/month for Refersion.
Does Dovetale or Refersion run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Dovetale for free?
Yes. Dovetale has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Refersion starts at $99/month.
What is Dovetale best used for?
Dovetale is most often used for creator partnerships, product gifting, affiliate programs, ambassador programs. Of those, creator partnerships and product gifting are not what Refersion is typically brought in for.
What can Dovetale do that Refersion cannot?
Dovetale covers Creator discovery, Application management, Gift tracking, Affiliate links. Refersion covers Affiliate recruitment, Coupon tracking, Commission automation, Influencer management. Both handle Performance analytics, Shopify, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dovetale: What is Shopify Collabs and what does it cost?

Shopify Collabs is described as 'an influencer application for collaborating with brands' that offers 'affiliate app that can keep up.' No pricing tiers, costs, trial details, or feature-based limitations are detailed on the landing page.

Source
Refersion: How much does Refersion cost?

Refersion offers tiered pricing starting at 39 USD per month for the base plan, with Growth tier at 129 USD/month and Scale tier at 599 USD/month. Professional plans start at 99 USD/month with a 14-day free trial, and Business plans cost 249 USD/month. Pricing scales with advanced features at 599 USD/month.

Source
Dovetale: How do I access Shopify Collabs pricing information?

Visitors are directed to log in at collabs.shopify.com or contact Shopify directly for details about available options and costs.

Source
Refersion: How fast can I set up Refersion?

Refersion integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce stores in as little as 10-15 minutes with no developer required. This is significantly faster than competitors like Impact.com which typically requires 2-4 weeks and developer resources for implementation.

Source
Dovetale: Who is Shopify Collabs designed for?

Shopify Collabs is an affiliate tool for influencers and content creators collaborating with brands. The landing page emphasizes helping content business owners earn more money through affiliate partnerships, though specific payment structures and commission rates are not published.

Source
Refersion: What integrations does Refersion support?

Refersion integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, and Stripe. The platform also connects with Klaviyo for email marketing and Postscript for SMS campaigns, enabling seamless affiliate program management across ecommerce platforms.

Source
Refersion: Does Refersion include influencer discovery?

No. Refersion does not include tools for discovering influencers, which requires brands to use additional platforms or manually identify creators. The platform focuses on tracking and managing existing affiliate and influencer relationships rather than discovery.

Source
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