AffiliateBase vs PromoteKit (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PromoteKit grades higher than AffiliateBase: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PromoteKit grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
AffiliateBase
Affiliate program software for SaaS companies that use Stripe
PromoteKit
Affiliate marketing software built for Stripe businesses
Which one is for you
Pick AffiliateBase if
- Fits if you sell SaaS through Stripe and want recurring affiliate commissions
- Works for tiny programs that start on 5 referrals a month
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you do not use Stripe, as attribution is built around it
- Tight if you stay free: 5 referrals a month, no team members and no payout export files
- Pricey if affiliate revenue passes $15,000 a month, where Pro is $119
- Watch out: a branded affiliate portal needs Growth, and affiliates outside Stripe's countries are paid by PayPal or Wise files
Pick PromoteKit if
- Fits if you take payments through Stripe and want affiliates cheaply
- Works for a small SaaS testing an affiliate program
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't use Stripe, as it doesn't work without a Stripe account
- Tight if you stay free: 3 referrals and 1 campaign
- Watch out: one-click global payouts add a 5% or 8% fee on the payout total
- Skip it if you're over $10,000 a month from affiliates, as that needs a custom Enterprise deal
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAAffiliateBaseFair | 2.4GPAPromoteKitFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$39 a month for Starter, up to $7,500 of affiliate revenue, is above the cheapest quarter's start of $31 and well under the dearer quarter. Growth is $69 and Pro $119. | BPro is $29 a month billed yearly, inside the cheaper quarter ($39). The monthly price wasn't readable. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free plan with 5 referrals a month, unlimited affiliates and the REST API, no card. Five referrals is a cap you will reach fast. | CFree plan covers 3 referrals and 1 campaign, with unlimited affiliates. You'll hit that on the first few sales. |
| Features | CStripe attribution, recurring commissions, a partner portal and payout runs exist, but attribution works only if checkout passes referral data to Stripe. | CLinks and promo codes, commission types, payouts, an affiliate portal, API and webhooks. It needs Stripe, and one-click payouts, API and fraud detection are Pro. |
| Ease of use | CA web app where checkout, campaigns and payouts are for you to set up. No store rating is on record. | CNo store rating on record. You connect Stripe and set up campaigns and a portal. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with a REST API and 7 integrations. | BWeb only, with 7 integrations and an API. |
| Best for | affiliate programs for SaaS that bills through Stripe | affiliate marketing for Stripe businesses |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: AffiliateBase and PromoteKit. How we grade
Price against what you get
AffiliateBase starts at $39 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. PromoteKit starts at $29 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and PromoteKit starts $10 a month lower. Of the other affiliate and referral tools on the chart, 5 score higher than AffiliateBase for less, and 3 score higher than PromoteKit for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- AffiliateBase also covers dashboards.
At a glance
| AffiliateBase | PromoteKit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $39 per month (Starter), up to $7,500/mo of affiliate revenue | $29 per month, billed yearly (monthly-billed price not read) |
| Free plan | 5 referrals per month, unlimited affiliates and the REST API. No card required. | Up to 3 referrals and 1 affiliate campaign, with unlimited affiliates and team members and no transaction fees. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Relay Capital, LLC | PromoteKit |
| Price read from | affiliatebase.io | promotekit.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
AffiliateBase
- Built around Stripe; the homepage says checkout must pass referral data correctly for attribution to work.
- Free is capped at 5 referrals a month and has no team members or payout export files.
- Paid tiers are set by monthly affiliate revenue: $39 up to $7,500, $69 up to $15,000, then $119.
- Stripe transfers need affiliates in countries Stripe supports; others are paid with PayPal or Wise exports.
PromoteKit
- A Stripe account is required; the vendor says it does not work without one.
- The Free plan stops at 3 referrals and 1 campaign, and one-click payouts, API and fraud detection need Pro.
- One-click global payouts are for organizations using USD and add a 5% or 8% processing fee on the payout total.
- The pricing page shows $29 with the yearly toggle on (25% saving); the monthly-billed price was not readable.
Key features
AffiliateBase
- Stripe-based attribution
- Referral links, coupons and tokens are matched to Stripe payments by webhook, with first-click or last-click attribution and a window set per campaign.
- Recurring commissions
- Commission rules cover one-time payments and subscriptions, so a renewal can earn the partner another commission.
- Partner portal
- Affiliates see their referral links, promotional materials, performance and earnings. A branded version needs the Growth plan or higher.
- Payout runs
- Pay affiliates by Stripe transfer from your own Stripe balance, or export PayPal and Wise files and mark the payouts as paid afterwards.
- Fraud review
- Self-referral detection signals and a manual review step let you hold, approve or deactivate suspicious referrals before paying.
- REST API
- The REST API is included on every plan, including Free, for custom integrations and tracking.
PromoteKit
- Links and promo codes
- Affiliates get unique links or Stripe-backed promo codes. Code tracking needs no script on your site; link tracking needs one script tag. The cookie lasts 60 days by default.
- Commission types
- A percentage or fixed amount, on every payment or a limited number or period. Paid plans add per-product commissions and tiers for top affiliates.
- One-click global payouts
- Pay many affiliates at once to bank accounts in 100+ countries through Stripe, with 1099 forms for US affiliates. Adds a 5% (bank) or 8% (card) processing fee.
- Affiliate portal
- Each affiliate sees links, codes, referrals, earnings and payout details. A custom domain and removal of PromoteKit branding are on paid plans.
- Fraud and refund handling
- Self-referral fraud detection is on Pro. Refunds seen in Stripe adjust the affiliate's commission automatically.
- API and webhooks
- API access and webhooks on Pro, and dedicated integrations for Webflow, Memberstack, Outseta and MemberSpace.
Plans
AffiliateBase
Free$0
per month for up to 5 referrals
Unlimited affiliates and the REST API; no team members, extra campaigns or payout export files.
Starter$39
per month for up to $7,500 of affiliate revenue
Adds unlimited team members and campaigns, plus PayPal and Wise export files.
Growth$69
per month for up to $15,000 of affiliate revenue
Adds a branded affiliate portal and invite-only campaigns.
Pro$119
per month for over $15,000 of affiliate revenue
No revenue cap above $15,000 a month, and priority support.
PromoteKit
Free$0
Up to 3 referrals, 1 campaign, coupon-code tracking, affiliate portal, PayPal and Wise payouts.
Pro$29
per month, billed yearly (monthly price not read)
For programs under $10,000/month from affiliates: unlimited referrals and campaigns, API, webhooks, fraud detection, one-click payouts.
EnterpriseCustom
For over $10,000/month from affiliates: Pro features plus custom implementation; contact the vendor.
Ways to pay less
AffiliateBase
- Annual discount
Annual billing saves 2 months
The pricing page offers annual billing that saves two months a year, shown as $78 a year on Starter, $138 on Growth and $238 on Pro.
PromoteKit
- Annual discount
Save 25% with yearly billing
The pricing page marks its yearly option as saving 25% compared with monthly billing.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, AffiliateBase or PromoteKit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PromoteKit is cheaper to start with: $29 a month, against $39 a month for AffiliateBase. AffiliateBase starts at $39 per month (Starter), up to $7,500/mo of affiliate revenue, and PromoteKit starts at $29 per month, billed yearly (monthly-billed price not read).
Which has a free plan, AffiliateBase or PromoteKit?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both AffiliateBase and PromoteKit have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.