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.
Affiliate and referral tracking for subscription businesses
Referral and affiliate program software for SaaS and tech startups
| Pricing | Paid · $49 | Freemium · $179 |
| Starting price | $49/mo | $179/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Built for | Small businesses | Small businesses, Developers |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | RO · 2017 | US |
| 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.