impact.com vs LinkConnector (2026): which should you pick?

Pick impact.com if

• Fits if you run a larger brand with partners across affiliate, creators and referrals
• Makes sense if you can commit to a 12-month contract

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you outgrow Starter: Essentials is $500 a month and Pro $2,500
• Watch out: every plan needs a 12-month contract, and a tier change needs a new 12-month addendum
• Not for you if you're off the listed store platforms, as Starter works only with them
• Tight if you want add-ons or setup help: add-ons cost extra and onboarding on upper tiers is $250 an hour

Pick LinkConnector if

• Fits if you are a merchant who wants a US affiliate network with payment handling
• Works for brands that want fraud and coupon controls

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if your commissions are large, since 20% to 25% is taken on top of the fee
• Watch out: both priced tiers have a monthly minimum, 'as low as' $200 and $500
• Skip it if you want managed service, because Fully Managed is by invitation and unpriced
• Tight if you want its own tools, which sit under Co-Managed

impact.com

• The page says every plan needs a 12-month contract, and a tier change needs a new 12-month addendum.
• Starter is limited to Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce, Squarespace, Ecwid, Shoplazza, nopCommerce and Zoho Commerce.
• Essentials, Pro and Enterprise setup and onboarding is billed at $250 an hour.
• Add-ons (Creator Premium, Advocate Premium, Optimize, AI Search Visibility, Brand Safety) cost extra and are not on Starter.

LinkConnector

• Merchants pay a share of affiliate commissions on top of the access fee: 20% on Self-Managed, 25% on Co-Managed.
• Both priced tiers carry a monthly minimum, stated as 'as low as' $200 and $500.
• Fully Managed accounts are by invitation only and the page gives no price.
• The proprietary tools, such as Naked Link Technology and Adaptive Attribution, are listed under Co-Managed.

impact.com

Affiliate program management

Recruitment, tracking, payouts and fraud protection for an affiliate program, with a partner marketplace on Essentials and above.

Creator and influencer management

Creator and influencer partnerships are managed in the same account, with a paid Creator Premium add-on for dedicated support.

Customer referral

The Advocate product runs customer referral programs next to affiliate and creator ones. It is included from Essentials up.

Reporting and attribution

Basic tracking and reporting on Starter, a Data Lab analytics tool on Pro and multi-touch attribution on Enterprise.

Partner payouts

Each paid tier includes a monthly amount of partner payouts; beyond that, payouts are paid a la carte with no overage fees, per the FAQ.

Add-ons

Optional paid add-ons on Essentials and above include Optimize, AI Search Visibility and Brand Safety tools.

LinkConnector

Affiliate network access

Merchants reach LinkConnector's vetted affiliates and can email them directly or recruit through the in-network tools.

Fraud and brand controls

A FraudFREE Promise and a SourceChecker tool restrict which sites may display a merchant's brand.

Coupon attribution

Commission can be attributed by private coupon codes alone, with no click or cookie tracking, and unapproved codes can be blocked.

Cross platform tracking

Attributes affiliate influence across several devices for the same shopper.

Reporting

KPI reports break conversions down by device type, browser and coupon code.

Affiliate payment processing

Payment of affiliates is handled through the network on the Self-Managed account and above.

impact.com

• Starter$30

  per month, plus 2.5% of revenue

  Basic tracking and reporting, Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy integration, partner recommendations and chat support. Only for listed store platforms.

• Essentials$500

  per month

  For brands with up to $2m a year in ecommerce revenue. Includes up to $2,500 a month in partner payouts. Sold through sales.

• Pro$2,500

  per month

  For $2m to $15m a year in revenue. Includes up to $14,300 a month in payouts, API-based tracking and custom commission rates. Sold through sales.

• EnterpriseCustom

  For $15m+ a year or multi-channel programs: white-labeled partner portal, fraud and risk scoring and multi-touch attribution.

LinkConnector

• Self-Managed$500

  network access fee, plus 20% of affiliate commission

  For merchants with an in-house or outsourced affiliate manager. Monthly minimum as low as $200, no annual renewal fee.

• Co-Managed$2,000

  network access fee, plus 25% of affiliate commission

  Adds a designated account manager and all proprietary tools. Monthly minimum as low as $500.

• Fully ManagedCustom

  Available by invitation only, with LinkConnector managing the program. No price published.