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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

Referral Rock vs UpPromote

Referral Rock logo

Referral Rock

Affiliate Marketing

Referral marketing software for any business

From
Free
Rated
-
UpPromote logo

UpPromote

Affiliate Marketing

Top-rated Shopify affiliate marketing app

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Referral Rock there is one paid tier at $250 a month and no free plan, only a 14 day trial; UpPromote shopify-exclusive platform with no support for WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or other e-commerce platforms
  • They diverge on capability: Referral Rock covers Multi-program support, UpPromote covers Affiliate recruitment.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Referral Rock and UpPromote actually diverge.

Attributes where Referral Rock and UpPromote differ
AttributeReferral RockUpPromote
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Shopify
Founded20142019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Referral Rock

  • Multi-program support
  • Customizable rewards
  • Automated workflows
  • Engagement widgets
  • Detailed analytics
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

Only in UpPromote

  • Affiliate recruitment
  • Multi-level marketing
  • Custom commission structures
  • Auto-tier commission
  • PayPal mass payment
  • Shopify
  • Klaviyo
  • Shopify Flow

Both cover

  • PayPal
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Referral Rock

  • affiliate marketing management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

UpPromote

  • affiliate marketing management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

Both are used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Referral Rock

  • There is one paid tier at $250 a month and no free plan, only a 14 day trial
  • The plan includes 10,000 base members and a further 10,000 costs $125 a month
  • Each additional referral program is $100 a month
  • Extra users and extra recruiters are sold in blocks of 10 at $50 a month each
  • Rewards are limited to coupons, pay-as-you-go gift cards or custom rewards

UpPromote

  • Shopify-exclusive platform with no support for WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or other e-commerce platforms
  • Free plan limited to 200 affiliate orders per month
  • Dual pricing model combines fixed monthly fees with percentage-based performance fees on approved sales
  • Free plan lacks in-app messaging system for direct communication with affiliates

Pricing, plan by plan

Referral Rock

Free
  • Operator Plan$250/month
    • 10000 base members included
    • Unlimited referrals with no overages
    • 1000 rolling members added monthly

UpPromote

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic affiliate management
    • Limited to 200 affiliate orders/month
    • No in-app messaging
  • Growth$24.99/month
    • Unlimited programs
    • Auto-generated coupons
    • Email automation

Which should you pick?

Choose Referral Rock if

  • You need multi-program support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want customizable rewards.

Choose UpPromote if

  • You need affiliate recruitment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Shopify.
  • You also want multi-level marketing.

Questions people ask

Is Referral Rock or UpPromote better?
Neither clearly leads. Referral Rock starts at Free and UpPromote at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Referral Rock or UpPromote?
Referral Rock starts at Free and UpPromote at Free.
Does Referral Rock or UpPromote run on more platforms?
Referral Rock runs on Web. UpPromote runs on Web, Shopify.
Can I use Referral Rock for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Referral Rock best used for?
Referral Rock is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting.
What can Referral Rock do that UpPromote cannot?
Referral Rock covers Multi-program support, Customizable rewards, Automated workflows, Engagement widgets. UpPromote covers Affiliate recruitment, Multi-level marketing, Custom commission structures, Auto-tier commission. Both handle PayPal, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Referral Rock: What does Referral Rock's Operator Plan cost?

The Operator Plan costs 250 USD monthly and includes 10000 base members, unlimited referrals, a dedicated advisor, and 10 user and 10 recruiter seats. Monthly rolling growth of 1000 members is included.

Source
UpPromote: What does UpPromote cost?

UpPromote offers a free plan, Growth plan at $24.99/month, Professional plan at $74.99/month, and Enterprise plan at $166.66/month. Paid plans also charge a performance fee on approved referral sales (approximately 2% on Growth, 1.5% on Professional, 1% on Enterprise).

Source
Referral Rock: What are Referral Rock add-on costs?

Additional base members cost 125 USD per 10000 members monthly. Extra user seats cost 50 USD per 10 seats, and additional programs cost 100 USD monthly. A 10 percent discount applies for annual prepayment.

Source
UpPromote: Is UpPromote only for Shopify?

Yes. UpPromote is exclusively built for Shopify and does not support WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or other e-commerce platforms, making it limited to Shopify merchants.

Source
UpPromote: What does the free plan include?

The free plan includes basic affiliate program management, limited to 200 affiliate orders per month, and lacks advanced features like in-app affiliate messaging, approval/denial of individual referral orders, and multi-level commissions.

Source
UpPromote: What integrations does UpPromote have?

UpPromote integrates with email marketing platforms, page builders, subscription apps, payment processors (PayPal, Store Credit), and offers API/Webhook access for custom integrations.

Source
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