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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

ShareASale vs Viral Loops

ShareASale logo

ShareASale

Affiliate Marketing

Leading affiliate network connecting merchants with publishers

From
$550/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Viral Loops logo

Viral Loops

Affiliate Marketing

Viral and referral marketing made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Viral Loops has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ShareASale platform shutting down at end of 2025 with mandatory migration to Awin; Viral Loops pricing is relatively high for small startups and bootstrapped businesses ($35/mo minimum)
  • They diverge on capability: ShareASale covers Real-time tracking, Viral Loops covers Campaign templates.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ShareASale and Viral Loops differ
AttributeShareASaleViral Loops
Starting price$550/one-timeFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
Founded20002016

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 ShareASale

  • Real-time tracking
  • Affiliate recruitment
  • Commission management
  • Payment processing
  • Fraud detection
  • WooCommerce
  • Magento
  • BigCommerce

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.

ShareASale

  • 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.

ShareASale

  • Platform shutting down at end of 2025 with mandatory migration to Awin
  • High merchant entry cost at $550 sign-up fee plus $35 monthly
  • $50 minimum payout for publishers creates cash flow delay
  • Consolidation into Awin creates uncertainty for existing workflows and features

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

ShareASale

$550/one-time
  • Merchant Setup$550/one-time
    • One-time network sign-up fee
  • Merchant Monthly$35/month
    • Platform access
    • Affiliate management

Viral Loops

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

Which should you pick?

Choose ShareASale if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You also want affiliate recruitment.
ShareASale 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 ShareASale or Viral Loops better?
Neither clearly leads. ShareASale starts at $550/one-time and Viral Loops at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ShareASale or Viral Loops?
Viral Loops has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $550/one-time for ShareASale and Free for Viral Loops.
Does ShareASale or Viral Loops run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Viral Loops for free?
Yes. Viral Loops has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ShareASale starts at $550/one-time.
What is ShareASale best used for?
ShareASale is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting.
What can ShareASale do that Viral Loops cannot?
ShareASale covers Real-time tracking, Affiliate recruitment, Commission management, Payment processing. Viral Loops covers Campaign templates, Milestone rewards, Leaderboards, Referral widgets. Both handle Shopify, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ShareASale: What is ShareASale's current status?

ShareASale is closing at the end of 2025. The platform was acquired by Awin in 2017, and all users are transitioning to Awin as the parent company consolidates services.

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
ShareASale: What are the pricing fees for merchants on ShareASale?

Merchants pay a one-time network sign-up fee of $550 plus a recurring $35 monthly platform fee. Merchants must also maintain a minimum deposit in their account to cover affiliate commissions.

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
ShareASale: How much do publishers earn on ShareASale?

Publishers join ShareASale for free. Minimum payout is $50, with monthly payments made on the 20th via ACH direct deposit, check, or Payoneer.

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
ShareASale: How large is the ShareASale network?

ShareASale has over 25,000 merchants, 270,000 active publishers, and generated $200 million in sales in 2022, making it one of the fastest-growing affiliate platforms in North America.

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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