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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

Rakuten Advertising vs Reward Gateway

Rakuten Advertising logo

Rakuten Advertising

Affiliate Marketing

Performance marketing solutions with global reach

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Reward Gateway logo

Reward Gateway

Employee Engagement

Total rewards and engagement platform

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Rakuten Advertising account terminations without clear explanation; Reward Gateway the pricing URL resolves to a contact and demo request page with no plan, no per-employee rate and no minimum published
  • They diverge on capability: Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Reward Gateway covers Benefits administration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rakuten Advertising and Reward Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where Rakuten Advertising and Reward Gateway differ
AttributeRakuten AdvertisingReward Gateway
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
CategoryAffiliate MarketingEmployee Engagement

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (1997).

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 Reward Gateway

  • Benefits administration
  • Recognition programs
  • Engagement tools
  • Rewards catalog
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Mobile app
  • Reporting
  • Integrations

What people use each for

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

Rakuten Advertising

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Reward Gateway
  • Workflow automationnot Reward Gateway
  • Reportingnot Reward Gateway

Reward Gateway

  • Employee recognition and reward programs with a points based currencynot Rakuten Advertising
  • Employee discount and benefits marketplacenot Rakuten Advertising
  • Internal communications and pulse surveys for frontline workforcesnot 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

Reward Gateway

  • The pricing URL resolves to a contact and demo request page with no plan, no per-employee rate and no minimum published
  • The only routes offered are a 30-minute demo request, a broker referral or a phone call
  • The platform is split into separately named products for recognition, wellbeing, commuter benefits and discounts, none of which carries a published price
  • The company now trades as Reward Gateway | Edenred following the Edenred acquisition

Pricing, plan by plan

Rakuten Advertising

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

Reward Gateway

On request
  • Reward Gateway Suite$undefined/month
    • Benefits platform
    • Recognition
    • Engagement programs

Which should you pick?

Choose Rakuten Advertising if

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

Choose Reward Gateway if

  • You need benefits administration.
  • You also want recognition programs.
Reward Gateway review

Questions people ask

Is Rakuten Advertising or Reward Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Reward Gateway at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rakuten Advertising or Reward Gateway?
Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Reward Gateway at On request.
Does Rakuten Advertising or Reward Gateway 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 Reward Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Rakuten Advertising do that Reward Gateway cannot?
Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Influencer marketplace, Cross-device attribution, AI-powered insights. Reward Gateway covers Benefits administration, Recognition programs, Engagement tools, Rewards catalog.

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
Reward Gateway: How much does Reward Gateway cost?

Reward Gateway does not publish pricing on its website. The company uses a custom pricing model determined through direct consultation with prospects, tailored to organizational size, feature requirements, and specific needs.

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
Reward Gateway: How do I get a price quote from Reward Gateway?

Interested organizations can request a 30-minute demo at https://www.rewardgateway.com or contact the sales team directly. This indicates Reward Gateway requires direct engagement with sales representatives to discuss pricing.

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
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