impact.com vs Perform[cb] (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, impact.com grades higher than Perform[cb]: 2.0 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
impact.com grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. Perform[cb] grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
impact.com
Partnership platform for affiliate, creator and referral programs
Perform[cb]
Pay-for-results customer acquisition run as a managed service
Which one is for you
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 Perform[cb] if
- Fits if you want a vendor to run acquisition for you and pay only on results
- Works for agencies that want a partner side as well as an advertiser side
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want self-serve software, as this is a managed service
- Not for you if you need a price first, as none is published
- Watch out: figures like 52.4% average ROAS growth are the company's own claims
- Too light on detail for anyone comparing tools, with no integrations or plans listed
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAimpact.comFair | 1.6GPAPerform[cb]Weak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DStarter is $30 a month plus 2.5% of revenue, but only for listed stores. Essentials is $500 a month and Pro $2,500, at or above the dearest tenth ($499). | CNo pricing is published and visitors are sent to a sales conversation, so value sits in the middle by default. |
| Free plan and trial | D30-day free trial on Starter only, and no word on a card. | FNo free plan or trial is mentioned. You start by talking to sales. |
| Features | BAffiliate, creator and referral programs, reporting, attribution, payouts and add-ons. The listing names no gap in the core work, only paid add-ons. | COutcome-based buying, an agency programme, compliance checks and reporting exist, but it is a managed service and not a tool for running your own program. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Larger plans are sold through sales and billed onboarding. | CSet-up is through sales and the vendor's team, not a product you start using. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with 8 integrations and API-based tracking on Pro. | CWeb only, with no integrations or apps listed. |
| Best for | partnerships across affiliate, creator and referral programs | pay-for-results customer acquisition, managed |
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: impact.com and Perform[cb]. How we grade
Where they differ
- Perform[cb] also covers call tracking.
At a glance
| impact.com | Perform[cb] | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $30 per month, plus 2.5% of revenue (Starter) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial on the Starter tier only | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | impact.com | Perform[cb], LLC |
| Price read from | impact.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Perform[cb]
- No pricing is published; the site points visitors to Get Started and a sales conversation.
- It is a managed service, not self-serve affiliate software you configure and run yourself.
- Performance figures on the site, such as 52.4% average ROAS growth, are the company's own claims.
Key features
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.
Perform[cb]
- Outcome-based buying
- Campaigns run on a cost-per-lead, cost-per-sale, cost-per-install, cost-per-engagement or pay-per-call basis, as listed under the Web, Mobile Apps and Calls tabs.
- Works beside existing channels
- The Outcome Engine is described as adding new acquisition alongside the agencies and partners a brand already uses, rather than replacing them.
- Agency program
- Agencies can use it to run performance campaigns for several client brands at once, with campaign management handled by Perform[cb].
- Partner side for publishers
- Affiliates, publishers and media buyers can join to run campaigns for brands. The site lists no activation fees, expedited payments and dedicated partner managers.
- Compliance and brand safety
- The site describes 24/7 compliance monitoring on its patented system and brand-safety controls over where traffic comes from.
- Analytics and reporting
- Built-in dynamic reporting shows campaign performance in one place, and down-funnel quality data is used to tune traffic.
Plans
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.
Perform[cb]
Pricing could not be confirmed. See performcb.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, impact.com or Perform[cb]?
As of Nov 13, 2026, impact.com starts at $30 per month, plus 2.5% of revenue (Starter), and Perform[cb] has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, impact.com or Perform[cb]?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither impact.com nor Perform[cb] has a free plan. impact.com has a free trial.
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.