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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

Rakuten Advertising vs Simpplr

Rakuten Advertising logo

Rakuten Advertising

Affiliate Marketing

Performance marketing solutions with global reach

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Simpplr logo

Simpplr

Employee Engagement

AI-powered employee experience intranet

From
$8/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Rakuten Advertising account terminations without clear explanation; Simpplr no price, plan tier or per-employee rate is published; the pricing page is a quote request form
  • They diverge on capability: Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Simpplr covers AI-powered search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Rakuten Advertising and Simpplr differ
AttributeRakuten AdvertisingSimpplr
Starting priceOn request$8/month
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
CategoryAffiliate MarketingEmployee Engagement
Founded19972014

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Simpplr

  • AI-powered search
  • Personalized content
  • News and updates
  • Employee directory
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • Surveys
  • Integrations

What people use each for

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

Rakuten Advertising

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Simpplr
  • Workflow automationnot Simpplr
  • Reportingnot Simpplr

Simpplr

  • AI-powered employee intranet and digital HQnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Internal communications and newsletters targeted by audiencenot Rakuten Advertising
  • Employee recognition, surveys and onboarding journeysnot 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

Simpplr

  • No price, plan tier or per-employee rate is published; the pricing page is a quote request form
  • The vendor states quotes are tailored to organisation size, complexity and level of ongoing support
  • Volume discounts are only offered to organisations with 500 employees or more
  • Migration services are charged at different levels depending on organisation size and complexity
  • Enhanced customer success and global support are described as value-add options rather than included
  • Getting any figure requires submitting name, company, business email, phone number and country

Pricing, plan by plan

Rakuten Advertising

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

Simpplr

$8/month
  • Essentials$8/month
    • Intranet pages
    • News feed
    • Search
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • AI recommendations
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose Rakuten Advertising if

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

Choose Simpplr if

  • You need ai-powered search.
  • You also want personalized content.
Simpplr review

Questions people ask

Is Rakuten Advertising or Simpplr better?
Neither clearly leads. Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Simpplr at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rakuten Advertising or Simpplr?
Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Simpplr at $8/month.
Does Rakuten Advertising or Simpplr 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 Simpplr is typically brought in for.
What can Rakuten Advertising do that Simpplr cannot?
Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Influencer marketplace, Cross-device attribution, AI-powered insights. Simpplr covers AI-powered search, Personalized content, News and updates, Employee directory.

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
Simpplr: How much does Simpplr cost?

Simpplr does not publish standard pricing. The vendor uses volume-based, customized pricing tailored to organizational factors such as employee count and size. Customers must complete a form with company details to receive a personalized quote.

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
Simpplr: What is Simpplr's pricing model?

Simpplr offers volume-based pricing with discounted intranet pricing available for organizations with 500 or more employees. The platform is scalable and allows customers to purchase additional licenses as their organization grows.

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
Simpplr: Does Simpplr offer a free trial?

Simpplr provides limited 14-day trials where space is available, but a free tier is not available. The subscription includes 4 releases annually, technical support, customer success oversight, training, and global support access.

Source
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