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Software · head to head

ReferralCandy vs Viral Loops

ReferralCandy logo

ReferralCandy

Software

Customer referral program for e-commerce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Viral Loops logo

Viral Loops

Software

Viral and referral marketing made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ReferralCandy limited transparency on pricing tiers without account registration; Viral Loops pricing is relatively high for small startups and bootstrapped businesses ($35/mo minimum)
  • They diverge on capability: ReferralCandy covers Automated referral tracking, Viral Loops covers Campaign templates.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ReferralCandy and Viral Loops actually diverge.

Attributes where ReferralCandy and Viral Loops differ
AttributeReferralCandyViral Loops
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, ShopifyWeb
Founded20092016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 ReferralCandy

  • Automated referral tracking
  • Customizable rewards
  • Email campaigns
  • Fraud detection
  • A/B testing
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce
  • Magento

Only in Viral Loops

  • Campaign templates
  • Milestone rewards
  • Leaderboards
  • Referral widgets
  • Viral analytics
  • Mailchimp
  • Klaviyo
  • HubSpot

Both cover

  • Shopify
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ReferralCandy

  • affiliate marketing management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

Viral Loops

  • 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.

ReferralCandy

  • Limited transparency on pricing tiers without account registration
  • Primary focus on Shopify integration limits effectiveness for non-Shopify platforms
  • Email CC/BCC limitations for looping in stakeholders

Viral Loops

  • Pricing is relatively high for small startups and bootstrapped businesses ($35/mo minimum)
  • Advanced features are only available on higher-tier plans, limiting smaller businesses
  • Limited customization without technical development for highly branded campaigns
  • Customer support response times may vary by region and time zone

Pricing, plan by plan

ReferralCandy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ReferralCandy review.

Viral Loops

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 participants
    • All templates
    • Basic features

Which should you pick?

Choose ReferralCandy if

  • You need automated referral tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Shopify.
  • You also want customizable rewards.
ReferralCandy review

Choose Viral Loops if

  • You need campaign templates.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want milestone rewards.
Viral Loops review

Questions people ask

Is ReferralCandy or Viral Loops better?
Neither clearly leads. ReferralCandy starts at Free and Viral Loops at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ReferralCandy or Viral Loops?
ReferralCandy starts at Free and Viral Loops at Free.
Does ReferralCandy or Viral Loops run on more platforms?
ReferralCandy runs on Web, Shopify. Viral Loops runs on Web.
Can I use ReferralCandy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ReferralCandy best used for?
ReferralCandy is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting.
What can ReferralCandy do that Viral Loops cannot?
ReferralCandy covers Automated referral tracking, Customizable rewards, Email campaigns, Fraud detection. Viral Loops covers Campaign templates, Milestone rewards, Leaderboards, Referral widgets. Both handle Shopify, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ReferralCandy: Does ReferralCandy work with Shopify?

Yes, ReferralCandy integrates natively with Shopify with one-click installation, making it easy to set up referral programs on Shopify stores.

Source
Viral Loops: What does Viral Loops pricing start at?

Viral Loops pricing starts at $35/month and ranges up to $208/month depending on the plan. The platform offers a 14-day free trial, flat-rate pricing (no per-campaign charges), and 30% discount for annual billing.

Source
ReferralCandy: What types of rewards can I offer?

ReferralCandy supports multiple reward types including store credit, discount coupons, PayPal cash transfers, gift cards, and free products.

Source
Viral Loops: What types of campaigns can Viral Loops create?

Viral Loops allows creation of referral programs, giveaways, waiting lists, and sweepstakes/competitions. Campaigns can be integrated into websites or mobile apps within minutes using pre-built templates.

Source
ReferralCandy: Does ReferralCandy include fraud detection?

Yes, ReferralCandy includes built-in fraud detection to catch self-referrals and leaked coupon codes before payouts are processed.

Source
Viral Loops: Does Viral Loops offer custom pricing?

Yes. Beyond the standard $35-208/month plans, Viral Loops offers custom pricing for larger teams and enterprises with specific feature requirements.

Source
Viral Loops: What happens to campaigns after I cancel Viral Loops?

Users can export large files of mailing lists in several data formats, allowing campaign data to be migrated to another platform if needed after cancellation.

Source
Viral Loops: How quickly can I launch a campaign with Viral Loops?

Campaigns can be launched within minutes using Viral Loops' template-based, intuitive interface that requires no technical expertise or coding knowledge.

Source
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Related pages

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