Softwr

Affiliate Marketing · head to head

Rakuten Advertising vs Reachdesk

Rakuten Advertising logo

Rakuten Advertising

Affiliate Marketing

Performance marketing solutions with global reach

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Reachdesk logo

Reachdesk

Affiliate Marketing

B2B gifting and direct mail platform

From
$20000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Rakuten Advertising account terminations without clear explanation; Reachdesk plans start at $20,000 per year, and the Core tier caps at roughly 50 gifts per month with only 5 users and 1 warehouse
  • They diverge on capability: Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Reachdesk covers Global fulfillment.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rakuten Advertising and Reachdesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Rakuten Advertising and Reachdesk differ
AttributeRakuten AdvertisingReachdesk
Starting priceOn request$20000/year
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
Founded19972018

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Rakuten Advertising

  • Global publisher network
  • Influencer marketplace
  • Cross-device attribution
  • AI-powered insights
  • Brand protection
  • Google Analytics
  • Adobe Analytics
  • Shopify

Only in Reachdesk

  • Global fulfillment
  • Gift marketplace
  • Handwritten notes
  • eGifts
  • Campaign analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Outreach

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Rakuten Advertising

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Reachdesk
  • Workflow automationnot Reachdesk
  • Reportingnot Reachdesk

Reachdesk

  • B2B corporate gifting and direct mail campaigns for sales and marketing teamsnot Rakuten Advertising

Where each one falls short

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

Rakuten Advertising

  • Account terminations without clear explanation
  • Commission payment delays of 60-90 days before payment settlement
  • Support response times are slow and often unhelpful
  • Limited transparency on advertiser approval reasons when applications get rejected
  • Less user-friendly interface compared to CJ Affiliate and ShareASale

Reachdesk

  • Plans start at $20,000 per year, and the Core tier caps at roughly 50 gifts per month with only 5 users and 1 warehouse
  • Swag sourcing carries a $2,500 minimum order

Pricing, plan by plan

Rakuten Advertising

On request
  • NetworkFree
    • Performance-based pricing
    • Global publisher access
    • Advanced reporting

Reachdesk

$20000/year
  • Core Plan$undefined/mo
    • Approximately 50 gifts per month
    • 5 users, 1 team
    • 1 warehouse access
  • Plus Plan$undefined/mo
    • Approximately 100 gifts per month
    • Up to 10 users, 2 teams
    • 2 warehouses access
  • Premium Plan$undefined/mo
    • 100+ gifts per month
    • 15 users, multiple teams
    • 3+ warehouses access

Which should you pick?

Choose Rakuten Advertising if

  • You need global publisher network.
  • You also want influencer marketplace.
Rakuten Advertising review

Choose Reachdesk if

  • You need global fulfillment.
  • You also want gift marketplace.
Reachdesk review

Questions people ask

Is Rakuten Advertising or Reachdesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Reachdesk at $20000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rakuten Advertising or Reachdesk?
Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Reachdesk at $20000/year.
Does Rakuten Advertising or Reachdesk run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Rakuten Advertising best used for?
Rakuten Advertising is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting. Of those, affiliate marketing management and workflow automation are not what Reachdesk is typically brought in for.
What can Rakuten Advertising do that Reachdesk cannot?
Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Influencer marketplace, Cross-device attribution, AI-powered insights. Reachdesk covers Global fulfillment, Gift marketplace, Handwritten notes, eGifts. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rakuten Advertising: How does Rakuten Advertising pay commissions?

Rakuten Advertising follows a 60-to-90 day commission payment cycle tied to advertiser invoice settlement, which is industry-standard but can result in delayed payments.

Source
Reachdesk: How much does Reachdesk cost?

Reachdesk operates on annual subscription with Core Plan starting at $20,000/year. Plus and Premium plans require custom quotes based on team size and requirements.

Source
Rakuten Advertising: What integrations does Rakuten Advertising support?

Rakuten Advertising integrates with third-party platforms including Improvado, Strackr, Wecantrack, and Kochava for data tracking and reporting across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, and Meta Ads.

Source
Reachdesk: Is there a free version of Reachdesk?

No. Reachdesk does not offer a free tier or trial. Pricing starts at $20,000/year for the Core Plan.

Source
Rakuten Advertising: How are commission rates determined on Rakuten Advertising?

Each advertiser sets its own commission rates, cookie durations, and approval requirements. Commission structures vary by individual brand and product category.

Source
Reachdesk: What is included in Reachdesk's Core Plan?

Core Plan at $20,000/year includes approximately 50 gifts per month, 5 users, 1 team, 1 warehouse access, and access to 1 region eGift marketplace.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Rakuten Advertising

More on Reachdesk

Keep looking

Other head to heads