Happy Valley

FirstPromoter vs GrowSurf

FirstPromoter and GrowSurf are both affiliate & referral programs tools. FirstPromoter is aimed at small businesses, while GrowSurf is aimed at small businesses and developers. FirstPromoter costs less, from $49/mo versus $179/mo for GrowSurf. Only GrowSurf has a free plan.

FirstPromoter

Affiliate and referral tracking for subscription businesses

GrowSurf

Referral and affiliate program software for SaaS and tech startups

PricingPaid · $49Freemium · $179
Starting price$49/mo$179/mo
Free planNoYes
Free trial14 days14 days
Built forSmall businessesSmall businesses, Developers
Platformswebweb
CountryRO · 2017US
Rating——

Choose FirstPromoter if

Subscription businesses with varied billing systems.

  • Wide billing support
  • Mature features
  • Fraud tools

Look elsewhere if: Enterprise partnerships.

Choose GrowSurf if

SaaS and tech startups that want an in-product customer referral program with fraud checks and automated rewards.

  • Fast to launch inside a SaaS product without custom code
  • Free affiliate plan charges only when referrals generate revenue
  • Handles tax forms and payouts, not just tracking

Look elsewhere if: Shopify stores (ReferralCandy), viral pre-launch campaigns on a small budget (Viral Loops) or cheap Stripe-only affiliate tracking (Rewardful).

FirstPromoter vs GrowSurf pricing

FirstPromoter

  • Starter$49/mo$490/yr billed annually; up to $5k/mo affiliate revenue
  • Business$99/mo$990/yr billed annually; up to $15k/mo affiliate revenue
  • Enterprise$149/mo$1,490/yr billed annually; above $15k/mo revenue

GrowSurf

  • Affiliate Free$0Affiliate programs only; 3% success fee on referral revenue
  • Startup$179/mo$125/mo billed yearly; up to 2,500 participants, 2 programs
  • Business$449/mo$314/mo billed yearly; up to 10,000 participants, 5 programs
  • CustomCustom150,000+ participants, onboarding and volume discounts

FirstPromoter · Key features

  • Recurring commission tracking
  • Broad billing integrations
  • Fraud detection
  • Custom portals
  • Multiple campaigns
  • Payout management

Cons

  • Revenue tiers
  • UI less modern
  • Limited discovery

GrowSurf · Key features

  • Automatic referral link for every user via one code snippet
  • White-labeled referral portal with custom domain on Business
  • Qualification rules on signup, first purchase or custom events
  • Automatic rewards as gift cards, cash payouts or account credits
  • Fraud protection with manual reward approval options
  • Affiliate programs with Stripe, PayPal and Wise payouts

Cons

  • Referral plans start at $179 a month, steep for early startups
  • Pricing scales with participants, so large user bases get expensive
  • Startup plan limits you to two team members and two programs

FirstPromoter vs GrowSurf: FAQ

Which is cheaper, FirstPromoter or GrowSurf?

FirstPromoter starts at $49/mo and GrowSurf at $179/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do FirstPromoter and GrowSurf have a free plan?

FirstPromoter has no free plan, a 14-day free trial. GrowSurf has a free plan.

Not sure yet?