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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

Rakuten Advertising vs Staffbase

Rakuten Advertising logo

Rakuten Advertising

Affiliate Marketing

Performance marketing solutions with global reach

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Staffbase logo

Staffbase

Employee Engagement

Employee communications platform for all workers

From
€3/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Rakuten Advertising account terminations without clear explanation; Staffbase staffbase publishes no price list at all and states directly that it does not publish prices
  • They diverge on capability: Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Staffbase covers Employee app.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Rakuten Advertising and Staffbase differ
AttributeRakuten AdvertisingStaffbase
Starting priceOn request€3/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 Staffbase

  • Employee app
  • Intranet
  • Email campaigns
  • Digital signage
  • News channels
  • Chat
  • Surveys
  • Analytics

What people use each for

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

Rakuten Advertising

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Staffbase
  • Workflow automationnot Staffbase
  • Reportingnot Staffbase

Staffbase

  • Employee communication and engagement for frontline workersnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Internal communications for dispersed teamsnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Mobile-first employee experience platformnot Rakuten Advertising
  • Multi-channel employee messagingnot 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

Staffbase

  • Staffbase publishes no price list at all and states directly that it does not publish prices
  • Every route to a number is a sales conversation; the vendor says most customers receive a tailored proposal 3 to 5 business days after a first call
  • Pricing is shaped by workforce composition, so the desk-worker to frontline mix determines the rate rather than a published per-seat figure
  • Frontline employees are licensed on a separate reduced tier with a narrower capability set than desk workers
  • Multi-brand and multi-region enterprise configurations are scoped and priced individually
  • The vendor cites a typical 90 days from signed contract to a fully branded launch
  • Intranet, email and digital signage are separate channels added on top of the employee app rather than one bundled product

Pricing, plan by plan

Rakuten Advertising

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

Staffbase

€3/month
  • Starter$3/month
    • Employee app
    • News channels
    • Chat
  • Business$undefined/month
    • Intranet
    • Multi-channel
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Rakuten Advertising if

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

Choose Staffbase if

  • You need employee app.
  • You also want intranet.
Staffbase review

Questions people ask

Is Rakuten Advertising or Staffbase better?
Neither clearly leads. Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Staffbase at €3/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rakuten Advertising or Staffbase?
Rakuten Advertising starts at On request and Staffbase at €3/month.
Does Rakuten Advertising or Staffbase 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 Staffbase is typically brought in for.
What can Rakuten Advertising do that Staffbase cannot?
Rakuten Advertising covers Global publisher network, Influencer marketplace, Cross-device attribution, AI-powered insights. Staffbase covers Employee app, Intranet, Email campaigns, Digital signage.

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
Staffbase: How much does Staffbase cost?

Staffbase does not publish standard pricing. The company uses a custom quote-based model with tailored proposals because 'no two workforces look alike.' Pricing structures vary for frontline workers, mixed desk and frontline environments, and enterprise configurations.

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
Staffbase: How quickly can I get a Staffbase quote?

Staffbase provides tailored proposals within 3-5 business days after an initial consultation. Most teams connect with sales within 48 hours of requesting a quote.

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
Staffbase: Does Staffbase pricing differ for frontline versus desk workers?

Yes, Staffbase offers frontline-specific pricing for workers without desk access, and flexible mixed pricing for organizations combining both types of employees. This approach allows organizations to extend reach without increasing enterprise licensing costs.

Source
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