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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

Rakuten Advertising vs RedTrack

Rakuten Advertising logo

Rakuten Advertising

Affiliate Marketing

Performance marketing solutions with global reach

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RedTrack logo

RedTrack

Affiliate Marketing

Ad tracking and conversion attribution platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RedTrack has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Rakuten Advertising account terminations without clear explanation; RedTrack the Builder plan at $69 per month includes 1 seat and 2M events, with ad spend sync only every 6 hours
  • They diverge on capability: Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, RedTrack covers Cookieless tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Rakuten Advertising and RedTrack differ
AttributeRakuten AdvertisingRedTrack
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
Free tierNoYes
Founded19972015

Identical on both: 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
  • Mobile support

Only in RedTrack

  • Cookieless tracking
  • Multi-touch attribution
  • Auto-optimization
  • Fraud detection
  • Team collaboration
  • Google Ads
  • Facebook
  • TikTok

Both cover

  • Shopify
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Rakuten Advertising

  • affiliate marketing managementnot RedTrack
  • Workflow automationnot RedTrack
  • Reportingnot RedTrack

RedTrack

  • Tracking paid media and affiliate conversions across ad networksnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Server side conversion tracking for ecommerce storesnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Automating rules to pause or scale ad campaignsnot 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

RedTrack

  • The Builder plan at $69 per month includes 1 seat and 2M events, with ad spend sync only every 6 hours
  • Events above the plan allowance are billed as overage, at $0.04 per 1,000 on Builder and Solo
  • Data retention is 12 months on Builder and Solo and reaches 36 months only on the $833 per month Enterprise plan
  • Read and write Ads Manager access is Enterprise only at base tier
  • Scale Rules are a paid add on unless on Enterprise
  • Setup assistance requires the Team plan or Agency plan
  • The free ecommerce Relay plan covers 1 store, 1 user and basic conversion API only
  • The Brand ecommerce plan is capped at 3 stores

Pricing, plan by plan

Rakuten Advertising

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

RedTrack

Free
  • Relay (Free Forever)Free
    • Server-side Conversion API for Meta, TikTok, Snapchat
    • 1 store, 1 user
    • No dashboard or attribution included
  • Builder$69/month
    • 2M tracking events per month
    • 1 user, 5 ad accounts per platform
    • 5 custom domains with SSL
  • Solo$141/month
    • 5M tracking events per month
    • 1 user, 5 ad accounts per platform
    • 10 custom domains with SSL
  • Team$333/month
    • 20M tracking events per month
    • 5 users, unlimited ad accounts per platform
    • 50 custom domains with SSL

Which should you pick?

Choose Rakuten Advertising if

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

Choose RedTrack if

  • You need cookieless tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want multi-touch attribution.
RedTrack review

Questions people ask

Is Rakuten Advertising or RedTrack better?
Neither clearly leads. Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and RedTrack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rakuten Advertising or RedTrack?
RedTrack has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Rakuten Advertising and Free for RedTrack.
Does Rakuten Advertising or RedTrack run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use RedTrack for free?
Yes. RedTrack has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rakuten Advertising starts at On request.
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 RedTrack is typically brought in for.
What can Rakuten Advertising do that RedTrack cannot?
Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Influencer marketplace, Cross-device attribution, AI-powered insights. RedTrack covers Cookieless tracking, Multi-touch attribution, Auto-optimization, Fraud detection. Both handle Shopify, 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
RedTrack: Does RedTrack have a free plan?

Yes. RedTrack Relay is free forever and includes server-side Conversion API for Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat. It supports 1 store and 1 user, but does not include dashboard or attribution features.

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
RedTrack: What is RedTrack's most popular plan?

The Team plan at $333 per month is marked as Most Popular. It includes 20M tracking events per month, 5 users, unlimited ad accounts, 30-minute ad spend sync, 3 AI dashboards, 24-month data retention, and live chat support.

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
RedTrack: How much does RedTrack cost for small affiliate campaigns?

RedTrack Builder starts at $69 per month with 2M tracking events, 1 user, 5 ad accounts per platform, and 6-hour ad spend sync. Solo is $141 per month with 5M events and faster 60-minute sync.

Source
RedTrack: Does RedTrack offer a free trial?

Yes. A 14-day free trial is available for all RedTrack paid plans.

Source
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