Too many spreadsheets, coupon leaks, and missed payouts? A dedicated affiliate tracking app can turn that chaos into an automated growth engine.

How affiliate tracking works on Shopify

Affiliate apps are the best way to track purchases that come to your Shopify store through someone actively promoting your product. They:

• Generate trackable links or codes
• Record order data
• Trigger payouts

This way, you and your partners can finally see who drove what revenue in real time.

Quick facts

• Tracking happens via discount codes, UTM links, or Shopify’s Order API.
• Payouts can be flat fees, revenue shares, store credit, or cash.
• Most apps now tag orders automatically, so refunds and partial shipments don’t break your numbers.

TL;DR - At-a-Glance Comparison

ReferralCandy
– Best for: All-in-one referrals + affiliates
– Starts at: $59/mo
– Review score: ★ 4.9 (2.1K reviews)

Refersion
– Best for: Large influencer programs
– Starts at: $99/mo
– Review score: ★ 4.7 (1K reviews)

UpPromote
– Best for: Budget-friendly scaling
– Starts at: $29.99/mo
– Review score: ★ 4.9 (4.2K reviews)

Social Snowball
– Best for: Viral TikTok / UGC brands
– Starts at: $99/mo
– Review score: ★ 4.8 (200 reviews)

BixGrow
– Best for: Super-lean startups
– Starts at: $7.99/mo
– Review score: ★ 5.0 (1.4K reviews)

GoAffPro
– Best for: DIY coupon + link tracking
– Starts at: Free
– Review score: ★ 4.8 (3.7K reviews)

These apps were selected based on their Shopify App Store ratings, merchant reviews, and how well they integrate with Shopify and other key tools like Klaviyo and Recharge.

1 · ReferralCandy: All-in-One Referrals + Affiliates

Stand-out features

• Automatic affiliate activation post-checkout (customers turn into partners in one click).
• Cash, coupon, or custom rewards plus multi-currency payouts.
• Fraud detection that flags leaked codes before they cost you.
• Affiliate Plus dashboard: branded portal with performance charts your partners actually understand.

A good fit if you want referrals and affiliates in one dashboard without needing a developer. Their commission-based pricing is ideal for brands that want to pay for results; not for things like how many affiliates you have or how many orders you get each month.

"As a team, we’re proud that our growth is primarily driven by word of mouth, and we didn’t have to rely on paid ads." Ena Quitain - ‍COO, DMD Skin Sciences

2 · Refersion: Built for Influencer & Creator Programs

• Flexible commission rules (SKU, new-customer only, tiered rates).
• Self-serve portal + application workflow for 1,000+ partners.
• Deep Shopify Plus integration and REST API for custom stacks.

Best for scaling programs that need granular tracking and enterprise reporting.

3 · UpPromote: Fast Start, Friendly Price

• Free plan covers 50 referrals; pay only when you scale.
• Affiliate marketplace to recruit creators out of the box.
• A/B test landing pages and coupon copy.

Best for early-stage brands who want quick proof of concept without high fixed fees.

4 · Social Snowball: Turn Every Buyer into an Influencer

• Auto-creates personal codes at checkout and displays them in a post-purchase popup.
• Instant PayPal or gift-card payouts keep affiliates engaged.
• Klaviyo & Postscript sync for SMS/email nurture flows.

Best for brands growing on TikTok, Reels, and UGC-driven channels.

5 · BixGrow: Lean, Affordable, Effective

• Starts at under $10/month but still offers fraud filters & branded portals.
• One-click migration wizard for GoAffPro spreadsheets.

Best for side-hustle stores and niche hobby brands watching every dollar.

6 · GoAffPro: DIY Option with a Generous Free Tier

• Unlimited affiliate sign-ups on free plan (basic reporting).
• Coupon & link tracking, Zapier hooks.

Best for developers comfortable piecing together custom workflows.

Answers to questions you might be asking yourself.

Can I automate coupon-code creation for TikTok influencers?

Yes, three apps handle this out of the box:

• ReferralCandy (with Affiliate Plus addon) generates a personal referral link immediately after checkout with a coupon code that automatically applies to the checkout.
• Social Snowball drops the code in a post-purchase popup and emails it.
• UpPromote mass-creates SKU-level codes you can export to TikTok Spark Ads.

Which apps support multi-currency payouts?

ReferralCandy
– Multi-currency cash payouts: Yes
– Store credit support: Yes

Refersion
– Multi-currency cash payouts: Yes
– Store credit support: Not supported

UpPromote
– Multi-currency cash payouts: Yes
– Store credit support: Yes

Others (e.g., GoAffPro, BixGrow, Social Snowball)
– Multi-currency cash payouts: Via PayPal auto-convert
– Store credit support: Not supported

How do I prevent coupon abuse & self-referrals?

Look for:

• IP-address self-referral checks (ReferralCandy, BixGrow)
• Coupon site detection and blocking (ReferralCandy)
• Limited-time use coupon code generation (ReferralCandy, Social Snowball)
• “New-customer only” commission rules (ReferralCandy, Refersion, UpPromote).
• Limit one code redemption per customer ID (ReferralCandy, Social Snowball)

Do any of these apps integrate with Klaviyo & Recharge?

ReferralCandy: Fully integrates with Klaviyo, Recharge, Loop, Seal, and MailChimp.

‍Refersion: Works with Klaviyo, Recharge, and MailChimp (no Loop or Seal).

‍UpPromote: Integrates with Klaviyo, Recharge, and Loop (no MailChimp).

‍Social Snowball: Covers Klaviyo, Recharge, and Loop (no Seal or MailChimp).

FAQ

Q: Can I migrate existing affiliates from a spreadsheet?
A: All six apps let you bulk-import via CSV. ReferralCandy and UpPromote also email credentials automatically so partners can log in immediately.

Q: Do I need Shopify Plus?
A: No. Every app here works on Basic, though ReferralCandy and Refersion are Shopify Plus Certified Apps.

Q: What’s a “Built for Shopify” badge?
A: It’s Shopify’s quality mark for fast, secure, 100% API-compliant apps. ReferralCandy, Refersion, and UpPromote have earned it as of April 2025.

How to Migrate to a Dedicated Affiliate App (10-Minute Setup)

1. Choose your app and start the free trial.
2. Import partners via CSV or let the app auto-generate codes at checkout.
3. Set commission rules (e.g., 10% on first 3 orders only).
4. Embed signup widget on site or enable post-purchase popup.
5. Send onboarding email through Klaviyo with code + dashboard link.
6. Monitor fraud dashboard and tweak limits if needed.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

• ReferralCandy: best all-in-one, set-and-forget referrals + affiliates.
• Refersion: granular control for big influencer teams.
• UpPromote: budget starter that scales.
• Social Snowball: viral growth for TikTok-first brands.
• BixGrow: lean and affordable.
• GoAffPro: free DIY option.

Ready to ditch spreadsheets and pay affiliates on autopilot? Start a free trial (most apps give you 14 days) and see which dashboard feels right for your team.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at raul [at] referralcandy [dot] com.