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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

ClickBank vs GrowSurf

ClickBank logo

ClickBank

Affiliate Marketing

Digital product affiliate marketplace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GrowSurf logo

GrowSurf

Affiliate Marketing

Referral software for tech companies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickBank and GrowSurf actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickBank and GrowSurf differ
AttributeClickBankGrowSurf
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
Founded19982017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Affiliate 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 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
  • Startup$179/month
    • 2,500 participants
    • 2 referral programs
    • 2 team members
  • Startup$279/month
    • 5,000 participants
    • 2 referral programs
    • 2 team members
  • Business$449/month
    • 10,000 participants
    • 5 referral programs
    • 5 team members
  • Business$1429/month
    • 150,000 participants
    • 5 referral programs
    • 5 team members

Which should you pick?

Choose ClickBank if

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

Choose GrowSurf if

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

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.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ClickBank: Is there a cost to sign up for ClickBank?

No. ClickBank account creation is free for both affiliates and sellers. There is no upfront fee to access the marketplace.

Source
GrowSurf: Is there a free trial for GrowSurf?

Yes, all paid plans include a 14-day free trial with access to paid features and integrations. No credit card required.

Source
ClickBank: How does ClickBank pay affiliates and sellers?

ClickBank uses two commission models: RevShare (revenue sharing) and CPA (cost-per-action). Payments are made twice weekly to your account.

Source
GrowSurf: How does GrowSurf pricing scale with participants?

GrowSurf pricing is based on the number of participants (people who refer or are referred). Startup plans range from $179-$279/month for 2,500-5,000 participants. Business plans range from $449-$1,429/month for 10,000-150,000 participants. Plans auto-scale on a prorated basis.

Source
ClickBank: What commission percentages does ClickBank charge?

The homepage does not specify exact commission percentages. You would need to contact ClickBank or review their Help Center to find detailed commission tier information.

Source
GrowSurf: Do higher GrowSurf tiers include more integrations?

Yes. Startup includes Stripe, HubSpot, Zapier, Slack, and Tango Card. Business adds PayPal, Salesforce, Chargebee, Recurly, Marketo, and CDP integrations.

Source
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