GrowSurf vs ReferralHero (2026): which should you pick?

Pick GrowSurf if

• Fits if you want both referral and affiliate programs from one tool
• Works for developers who'll use the SDKs

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if your program grows: referral pricing follows participants and steps up from $125 to $314 a month
• Watch out: there's no free referral plan, and the free affiliate plan takes 3% of referral revenue with no cap stated
• Skip it if you file 1099 tax forms, which are charged separately
• Tight if you use Marketo or Salesforce, as some integrations need an annual plan

Pick ReferralHero if

• Fits if you run a waitlist or launch campaign and want it built from templates
• Works for a local service business that wants a hosted referral program

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you are small: Basic is $249 a month for 1,000 subscribers and one campaign
• Tight if you want free: there is no free plan and the trial lasts 7 days
• Watch out: emails past 25,000 a month are $1.50 per 1,000, and reward payouts carry fees from 2.5% + $0.50
• Not for you if you need the API or unlimited campaigns without paying $399 a month
• Watch out: mobile SDK access and mobile attribution need an annual plan

GrowSurf

• Referral pricing follows participants, meaning people who get or use a referral link; the price steps up as the program grows.
• There is no free referral plan, and Business starts at 10,000 participants.
• 1099 tax filings are charged separately, and some integrations such as Marketo and Salesforce need an annual plan.
• The affiliate Free plan takes 3% of the referral revenue you earn, with no cap stated on the page.

ReferralHero

• Subscriber count is capped at 1,000 on Basic, which also allows only one self-serve campaign.
• Emails over 25,000 a month cost $1.50 per 1,000; SMS is pay-as-you-go by country.
• Reward payouts carry processing fees from 2.5% + $0.50 per payout.
• Mobile SDK access and 10,000 mobile attribution subscribers require an annual plan.

GrowSurf

Referral programs

Reward users with gift cards, credits, cash and other one-time rewards when they refer leads or customers, with dynamic rewards and upfront discounts.

Affiliate programs

Pay partners a fixed commission for a lead, or one-time or recurring commissions on sales, tracked through payment integrations.

Fraud protection

Automatic blocking of fraudulent referrals using server-side and client-side detection, data center IP checks and IP thresholds.

Developer tools

REST API with libraries for TypeScript, Python, PHP, Ruby and Java, SDKs for JavaScript, iOS, Android and React Native, webhooks and an MCP server.

Tax forms and payouts

1099 tax form filing for payouts (filings are charged separately), and reward delivery through PayPal, Wise, Tango Card and Tremendous.

Wide integrations

Connects to email, CRM, analytics and ad tools such as HubSpot, Salesforce, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Segment and Google Ads.

ReferralHero

Campaign builder

A drag-and-drop widget builder with embeddable widgets, a hosted landing page and campaign templates.

Referral, waitlist and contest templates

Templates for referral programs, waitlists and contests, with a smart leaderboard.

Rewards

Payouts by gift card, Visa or Mastercard, ACH, bank transfer or charity donation.

Automation

25,000 automation emails a month on both plans, plus SMS automation and OTP verification.

Anti-fraud

An anti-fraud algorithm on every plan.

Developer access

JavaScript and REST API on Pro, and mobile SDKs with an annual plan.

GrowSurf

• Free (affiliate programs)$0

  No subscription; 3% of the referral revenue you earn. Stripe, Chargebee, Recurly, PayPal and Wise integrations.

• Startup (referral)$125

  per month for up to 2,500 participants, billed yearly ($179 monthly)

  2 referral programs, 2 team members, fraud protection and API. Tiers reach 5,000 participants.

• Business (referral)$314

  per month for up to 10,000 participants, billed yearly ($449 monthly)

  5 programs, 5 team members, custom domain, multi-language. $649 a month at 25,000 participants, billed monthly.

• CustomCustom

  Above 150,000 participants: onboarding program, volume discounts and priority support.

ReferralHero

• Basic$249

  per month for up to 1,000 subscribers

  1 self-serve campaign, 25,000 automation emails a month, anti-fraud algorithm and email support.

• Pro$399

  per month

  Unlimited subscribers and campaigns, 500+ integrations, your branding, multiple admins, JavaScript and REST API, and chat support.

• Pro + Done For YouCustom

  Pro plus strategy, design, setup and ongoing optimization by the vendor's team.

GrowSurf

• Annual discount

  Save 30% with yearly billing

  The pricing page shows yearly billing as a 30% saving, for example Startup at $125 a month instead of $179.

ReferralHero

No public discounts listed.