For many small businesses, word of mouth is the most powerful driver of growth. Customers trust recommendations from friends, family, and even online influencers more than any traditional ad. That’s why referral and affiliate marketing programs have become such an effective way for startups and small businesses to grow.
But if you’re just starting out, you might not have the budget—or the technical team—for an enterprise-level system. The good news? There are affordable affiliate program software options that make it simple to launch and manage a referral program without breaking the bank.
In this article, we’ll break down what to look for in affiliate/referral software, and then review five affordable solutions: Rewardful, Post Affiliate Pro, Trackdesk, FirstPromoter, and Tapfiliate.
Why Start an Affiliate or Referral Program?
Before diving into the software, let’s quickly revisit why these programs are so valuable for small businesses.
- Low-risk marketing: You only pay affiliates when they generate a sale or referral, meaning your marketing budget goes directly to results.
- Scalable growth: With the right incentives, affiliates become motivated brand advocates, spreading the word far beyond your own channels.
- Trust-driven sales: Customers are more likely to buy when a trusted source recommends your product.
- Cost-effective customer acquisition: Compared to paid ads, referral programs often deliver a lower cost per acquisition.
When launching your first program, the key is simplicity: you need software that’s affordable, easy to use, and provides enough features to track and pay affiliates reliably.
What to Look for in Affordable Affiliate Program Software
Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right solution for your small business:
- Ease of setup: Can you get your program running in hours, not weeks?
- Pricing: Does the plan fit your budget as a small business, with transparent fees and no hidden charges?
- Integration: Will it connect easily with your website, eCommerce store, or subscription platform?
- Analytics: Does it provide reporting so you can measure ROI?
- Scalability: Can the tool grow with you as your business and affiliate network expand?
With these factors in mind, let’s explore five affordable affiliate and referral program platforms designed for businesses just starting out.
1. Rewardful
Best for: SaaS companies and subscription businesses
Rewardful is a lightweight but powerful affiliate and referral tracking tool built specifically for subscription-based businesses. If you’re running a SaaS company or any service with recurring billing, this platform is one of the most straightforward ways to set up and manage an affiliate program.
Key Features:
- Recurring commissions: Perfect for subscription models, where affiliates can earn a percentage for as long as their referral remains a customer.
- Stripe integration: Rewardful connects directly with Stripe, making setup seamless for businesses already using the payment platform.
- Referral links & coupons: Affiliates can promote via unique referral links or discount codes.
- Simple dashboard: Both admins and affiliates get easy-to-navigate dashboards.
Pricing:
Rewardful starts at $29/month, which makes it one of the most affordable entry points for businesses dipping their toes into affiliate marketing. Higher-tier plans add features like advanced analytics and custom branding.
Why It’s Great for Small Businesses:
Rewardful is refreshingly simple. You don’t need a developer or marketing team to set it up. If you’re a SaaS startup trying to grow users quickly with limited resources, it’s hard to beat this option.
2. Post Affiliate Pro
Best for: Small to mid-sized eCommerce and service businesses
Post Affiliate Pro has been around for years and is trusted by thousands of businesses worldwide. It’s more feature-rich than Rewardful and works across a wide variety of industries, making it a versatile option if you want advanced tools but still need affordability.
Key Features:
- Multi-level marketing support: You can create tiered commission structures if you want affiliates to recruit other affiliates.
- Wide integrations: Works with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, PayPal, and more.
- Custom commission rules: Flexible options like pay-per-sale, pay-per-click, or pay-per-lead.
- Affiliate management: Easy-to-use tools for onboarding and supporting your affiliates.
Pricing:
Plans start at $129/month. While higher than some other options here, the robust features and long-standing reputation make it a great value for businesses looking for professional-level affiliate management without enterprise-level costs.
Why It’s Great for Small Businesses:
If your business is growing and you want a solution that can handle more complex affiliate structures without the huge price tag of enterprise software, Post Affiliate Pro strikes the balance well.
3. Trackdesk
Best for: Businesses that want customer support and affiliate tools in one
Trackdesk is a lesser-known but unique solution. Unlike most affiliate programs that focus solely on referral tracking, Trackdesk integrates customer support features alongside affiliate management. That makes it especially appealing for businesses that want to streamline customer engagement and affiliate growth in one platform.
Key Features:
- Affiliate & referral tracking: Set up commissions, referral links, and monitor performance.
- Customer support integration: Built-in helpdesk functions to manage customer inquiries.
- Automation: Automates payouts, ticketing, and repetitive affiliate communications.
- Affordable scalability: Designed with small business pricing in mind.
Pricing:
Trackdesk plans begin around $49/month, making it budget-friendly while offering more than just affiliate management.
Why It’s Great for Small Businesses:
Many small businesses struggle to juggle affiliate management and customer support separately. Traskdesk helps you keep both under one roof, saving time and reducing the number of tools you have to pay for.
4. FirstPromoter
Best for: SaaS and subscription businesses with growth goals
FirstPromoter is a direct competitor to Rewardful and is another excellent option for SaaS startups or subscription-based businesses. It’s designed to help you run not just affiliate programs but also customer referral programs and influencer campaigns—all from a single platform.
Key Features:
- Recurring commissions: Like Rewardful, perfect for subscription billing.
- Automated payouts: Integrates with PayPal, saving you time managing affiliate payments.
- Customizable campaigns: Run different programs (affiliates, referrals, influencers) simultaneously.
- Detailed analytics: Provides real-time tracking and performance data.
Pricing:
FirstPromoter starts at $49/month, making it slightly more expensive than Rewardful, but it offers additional flexibility and automation.
Why It’s Great for Small Businesses:
If you’re looking to build out multiple growth channels (referrals, affiliates, and influencers) without paying for separate tools, FirstPromoter is a great all-in-one solution at an affordable price.
5. Tapfiliate
Best for: eCommerce businesses and online brands
Tapfiliate is another affordable affiliate marketing platform that’s especially popular with eCommerce businesses. It integrates easily with popular eCommerce platforms and lets you run traditional affiliate programs alongside influencer-style campaigns.
Key Features:
- Integrations: Works with Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, and more.
- Custom branding: White-label options let you create a branded affiliate portal.
- Social media sharing: Affiliates can share content directly on their social channels.
- Multiple campaign types: From affiliates to influencers and referrals, Tapfiliate is flexible.
Pricing:
Tapfiliate starts at €89/month (about $95 USD). While a little pricier than Rewardful or FirstPromoter, it’s still affordable for small businesses and offers robust features for eCommerce.
Why It’s Great for Small Businesses:
If your business relies heavily on online retail and you want to recruit affiliates and influencers to promote your products, Tapfiliate’s integrations and campaign flexibility make it worth the investment.
How These Tools Compare
| Software | Best For | Starting Price | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewardful | SaaS & subscriptions | $29/month | Simple, Stripe integration |
| Post Affiliate Pro | Growing SMBs & eCommerce | $129/month | Feature-rich, scalable |
| Trackdesk | Support + affiliates combo | $49/month | Affordable, all-in-one |
| FirstPromoter | SaaS & influencers | $49/month | Multi-campaign flexibility |
| Tapfiliate | eCommerce & online brands | ~$95/month | Strong eCommerce integrations |
Final Thoughts
Starting an affiliate or referral program doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. As a small business, the key is choosing software that fits your specific needs and budget.
- For SaaS startups on a tight budget: Rewardful is the most affordable entry point.
- For eCommerce businesses: Tapfiliate’s integrations make it an excellent choice.
- For businesses wanting a support + affiliate combo: Trackdesk provides unique value.
- For companies ready to scale: Post Affiliate Pro offers enterprise-grade tools at small-business prices.
- For flexible growth strategies: FirstPromoter lets you run affiliates, referrals, and influencer campaigns in one system.
By picking the right platform, you can launch a referral program that turns your happy customers and partners into your most effective marketing team—all without draining your budget.