Creem vs PromoteKit (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Creem if

• Fits if you sell software and want payments, tax and affiliates from one provider
• Works for solo developers who prefer a fee per sale over a monthly bill

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you already take payments elsewhere, as affiliates need Creem checkout
• Pricey if you sell a lot, as 3.9% plus $0.40 is a fee on every sale and lower rates need the Partner plan
• Watch out: only cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay work, with PayPal listed as coming soon
• Tight if you want per-sale payouts, as affiliates are paid twice a month

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

Creem

• The affiliate features are part of a payments platform; you must sell through Creem checkout to use them.
• Fee is 3.9% + $0.40 per successful transaction; lower rates need the custom Partner plan.
• Supported payment methods are cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay; PayPal is listed as coming soon.
• Payouts happen twice a month, not per sale.

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.

Creem

Merchant of record

Creem is the seller of record, so it calculates, collects and remits VAT, GST and sales tax, issues invoices and takes on chargeback liability.

Affiliates and revenue splits

Set a commission per product and per affiliate, track clicks and pay partners from the same balance; splits also work for co-founders and contractors.

Short links with tracking

Short links track clicks and conversions, with QR codes and password, geo and device targeting.

Usage-based billing and credit wallets

Custom meters, per-unit pricing with free allowances, seat-based billing and prepaid credit packs with auto-refill.

API, CLI and MCP

Everything in the dashboard can be scripted through an API, SDKs, a CLI, webhooks and an MCP server.

Payouts

Payouts run on the 1st and 15th of each month to a bank account or a USDC wallet.

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.

Creem

• Pay as you go$0

  No monthly or setup fees. 3.9% + $0.40 per successful transaction, with taxes, fraud and chargebacks handled by Creem.

• Partner planCustom

  For higher-volume businesses: lower transaction fees, a payments concierge, weekly meetings and card issuing. Booked by call.

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.

Creem

No public discounts listed.

PromoteKit

• Annual discount

  Save 25% with yearly billing

  The pricing page marks its yearly option as saving 25% compared with monthly billing.