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Shopify Collabs vs Viral Loops

Shopify Collabs logo

Shopify Collabs

Software

Connect with creators to grow your Shopify store

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: Shopify Collabs a 2.9% processing fee is applied to every automatic commission payment and charged to the merchant's Shopify bill; Viral Loops pricing is relatively high for small startups and bootstrapped businesses ($35/mo minimum)
  • They diverge on capability: Shopify Collabs covers Creator marketplace, Viral Loops covers Campaign templates.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shopify Collabs and Viral Loops actually diverge.

Attributes where Shopify Collabs and Viral Loops differ
AttributeShopify CollabsViral Loops
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Founded20212016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 Shopify Collabs

  • Creator marketplace
  • Affiliate management
  • Gift tracking
  • Commission payments
  • Performance analytics
  • Application management
  • Direct messaging
  • Shopify integration

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.

Shopify Collabs

  • Recruiting affiliates and creators for a Shopify storenot Viral Loops
  • Issuing creator discount codes and affiliate linksnot Viral Loops
  • Paying creator commissions automatically through the Shopify billnot Viral Loops

Viral Loops

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Shopify Collabs
  • Workflow automationnot Shopify Collabs
  • Reportingnot Shopify Collabs

Where each one falls short

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

Shopify Collabs

  • A 2.9% processing fee is applied to every automatic commission payment and charged to the merchant's Shopify bill
  • Requires a Shopify store, so it is unusable by brands not selling on Shopify
  • Commissions are handled in USD and merchants billed in another currency pay local conversion fees
  • Creators who do not submit a W9 have their annual payouts capped at $599.99 USD
  • Collabs is not accepting new creator signups, so brands can only work with creators already on the platform or invited directly

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

Shopify Collabs

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Creator discovery
    • Gift tracking
    • Basic affiliate links
  • Pro$99/month
    • Advanced search
    • Commission management
    • Bulk messaging

Viral Loops

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Shopify Collabs if

  • You need creator marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want affiliate management.
Shopify Collabs 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 Shopify Collabs or Viral Loops better?
Neither clearly leads. Shopify Collabs 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, Shopify Collabs or Viral Loops?
Shopify Collabs starts at Free and Viral Loops at Free.
Does Shopify Collabs or Viral Loops run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Shopify Collabs for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Shopify Collabs best used for?
Shopify Collabs is most often used for recruiting affiliates and creators for a shopify store, issuing creator discount codes and affiliate links, paying creator commissions automatically through the shopify bill. Of those, recruiting affiliates and creators for a shopify store and issuing creator discount codes and affiliate links are not what Viral Loops is typically brought in for.
What can Shopify Collabs do that Viral Loops cannot?
Shopify Collabs covers Creator marketplace, Affiliate management, Gift tracking, Commission payments. Viral Loops covers Campaign templates, Milestone rewards, Leaderboards, Referral widgets. Both handle Shopify, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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