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Software · head to head

UpPromote vs Friendbuy

UpPromote logo

UpPromote

Software

Top-rated Shopify affiliate marketing app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Friendbuy logo

Friendbuy

Software

Referral and loyalty platform for DTC brands

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only UpPromote has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: UpPromote shopify-exclusive platform with no support for WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or other e-commerce platforms; Friendbuy no public pricing; requires sales call which makes it difficult to compare costs
  • They diverge on capability: UpPromote covers Affiliate recruitment, Friendbuy covers Referral programs.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which UpPromote and Friendbuy actually diverge.

Attributes where UpPromote and Friendbuy differ
AttributeUpPromoteFriendbuy
Starting priceFree$249/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ShopifyWeb
Founded20192010

Identical on both: 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 UpPromote

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

Only in Friendbuy

  • Referral programs
  • Loyalty programs
  • A/B testing
  • Fraud detection
  • Attribution tracking
  • Attentive
  • Yotpo
  • Gorgias

Both cover

  • Shopify
  • Klaviyo
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

UpPromote

  • affiliate marketing management
  • Workflow automation
  • Reporting

Friendbuy

  • 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.

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

Friendbuy

  • No public pricing; requires sales call which makes it difficult to compare costs
  • Custom pricing can be expensive, especially for additional currencies or features
  • Low level of customization makes it difficult to implement seamlessly and maintain brand consistency
  • Customer support only available via email with slow response times
  • Rewards require manual processing and approval rather than automatic distribution
  • Tracking accuracy issues where referred customers sometimes marked as existing customers

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Friendbuy

$249/month
  • Starter$249/month
    • Referral program
    • Basic analytics
    • Email support

Which should you pick?

Choose UpPromote if

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

Choose Friendbuy if

  • You need referral programs.
  • You also want loyalty programs.
Friendbuy review

Questions people ask

Is UpPromote or Friendbuy better?
Neither clearly leads. UpPromote starts at Free and Friendbuy at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, UpPromote or Friendbuy?
UpPromote has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for UpPromote and $249/month for Friendbuy.
Does UpPromote or Friendbuy run on more platforms?
UpPromote runs on Web, Shopify. Friendbuy runs on Web.
Can I use UpPromote for free?
Yes. UpPromote has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Friendbuy starts at $249/month.
What is UpPromote best used for?
UpPromote is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting.
What can UpPromote do that Friendbuy cannot?
UpPromote covers Affiliate recruitment, Multi-level marketing, Custom commission structures, Auto-tier commission. Friendbuy covers Referral programs, Loyalty programs, A/B testing, Fraud detection. Both handle Shopify, Klaviyo, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Friendbuy: What is Friendbuy's pricing model?

Friendbuy uses custom quote-based pricing with no publicly listed rates. Starting point is approximately $3,000 annually, with costs varying based on traffic volume, features needed, and onboarding requirements. Annual contracts are required.

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
Friendbuy: Does Friendbuy offer a free trial?

Friendbuy does not offer a free trial. Prospective customers must contact sales for a demo and quote. There is no self-serve signup or trial period available.

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
Friendbuy: Does Friendbuy offer referral and loyalty programs?

Yes. Friendbuy bundles both referral and loyalty program features together. You cannot purchase referral features alone and must pay for the complete suite.

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
Friendbuy: What integrations does Friendbuy support?

Friendbuy integrates with major e-commerce platforms including Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, plus marketing tools like Klaviyo, Braze, and Segment.

Source
Friendbuy: Are rewards processed automatically in Friendbuy?

Activity is tracked automatically, but rewards are processed manually, requiring administrator action to approve and distribute rewards to referrers.

Source
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Related pages

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