Pick a replacement by where your referrals happen and what you reward. Online stores want referrals wired into checkout, startups want a waitlist that grows itself before launch, and larger brands want referral, loyalty and influencer offers run from one place. The tracking and reward rules matter more than the sharing widget.
Word of mouth only scales when someone keeps score: who referred whom, whether the friend bought, and when the reward goes out. That bookkeeping is what referral software is for, and it's what you'll be rebuilding if you leave Referral Rock. Here are seven referral and viral marketing tools, in no particular order, grouped by the kind of business they suit.
Tracking, rewards and the checkout connection
The tool you're leaving describes its job as giving a business everything it needs for an automated referral programme: referral links, reward rules and payout tracking. Every tool here makes a similar promise, so judge them on three things instead: how referrers are tracked, how they're rewarded, and how the programme connects to your checkout or sign-up.
Tracking breaks in quiet ways, and you won't always notice. A friend clicks a link on their phone, then buys on a laptop a week later, and the referrer never gets credit. Rewards go wrong when the rules are vague, such as paying out before a refund window closes. And the connection to checkout or sign-up decides whether a referral counts at all. Run the same real task through each tool: refer a test customer, complete a purchase or sign-up, and see whether the reward fires correctly.
Seven referral tools at a glance
| Tool | Kind of tool | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Extole | Enterprise offer management | Big consumer brands running referral and loyalty offers |
| Friendbuy | Referral, loyalty and influencer | Combining referral, loyalty and influencer programmes |
| Prefinery | Viral waitlist | Startups building a launch waitlist |
| ReferralCandy | Ecommerce referral and affiliate | Shopify stores running referral and affiliate programmes |
| ReferralHero | Referral programme software | Tracking referrals that happen online and offline |
| UpViral | Referral campaign builder | Lead generation through referral campaigns |
| Viral Loops | All-in-one referral platform | Referral programmes for stores, newsletters and apps |
Stores, launches and loyalty programmes
Online stores
ReferralCandy is built for Shopify and ecommerce brands, and Viral Loops covers ecommerce alongside newsletters and apps. These are the obvious starting points if your referrals end in a cart.
Launches and lead generation
Prefinery turns a pre-launch waitlist into a referral engine, and UpViral is pitched at referral campaigns that collect leads. They suit startups, course creators and anyone growing a list before they sell.
Wider loyalty and enterprise programmes
Friendbuy runs referral, loyalty and influencer programmes together, and Extole aims at large brands in sectors such as retail and banking. ReferralHero sits between the two, tracking referrals that happen both online and offline, which helps businesses where some recommendations end in a phone call or a shop visit.
Each referral tool, in no particular order
Alphabetical, not ranked. Each line reflects how the vendor describes its own product.
Extole
Best for: Large consumer brands in retail, banking or telecoms running referral, loyalty, influencer and ambassador offers from one enterprise platform, per the vendor.
Friendbuy
Best for: Brands that want referral, loyalty and influencer programmes managed and measured together, aimed at new customers and repeat purchases, says the vendor.
Prefinery
Best for: Startups preparing a launch, where every waitlist sign-up becomes a referrer; the vendor focuses on word-of-mouth growth before the product goes live.
ReferralCandy
Best for: Shopify and ecommerce stores; the vendor says its built-in AI agent sets up and runs customer referral and affiliate programmes for you.
ReferralHero
Best for: Businesses rewarding referrals made both online and offline, with automatic rewards and plenty of integrations, according to the vendor; a free plan is named.
UpViral
Best for: Marketers running referral campaigns mainly to collect leads, which is the angle the vendor takes throughout its own homepage.
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Viral Loops
Best for: Ecommerce shops, newsletter publishers and app makers creating and tracking a referral programme, which the vendor says is built for growth.
Advice before you rebuild a referral programme
Don't pick a referral tool on the look of its sharing widget. The widget is the easiest part to change, and the hardest parts to fix later are tracking and reward rules. Write your reward rules down in plain English first, including when a reward is earned and when it isn't, then check that each shortlisted tool can follow them without workarounds.
Referral programmes also work best when customers already like you, so look after loyalty first. My guide on increasing customer loyalty covers the groundwork, and my piece on boosting loyalty with email shows how to remind happy customers that your programme exists. Rules on rewards, promotions and data vary by country, so check with your regulator or an adviser before you launch.
Think about misuse before it happens, too. Some people will try to refer themselves with a second email address, so decide when a reward is safe to release, for example once a friend's order can't be returned any more. Ask each vendor how it spots self-referrals and duplicate accounts, and don't launch a generous reward until you're happy with the answer. It's far easier to start small and raise a reward than to take one away.
What to export before you leave
- Your full list of referrers, including their unique referral links or codes.
- Referral history showing who referred whom and when, so you can honour earned rewards.
- Any rewards that are earned but not yet delivered, with dates and amounts owed.
- Your current reward rules and terms, word for word, so the new programme matches them.
- Email templates and landing page copy, so referrers see familiar wording after the move.
Do you make referral marketing software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What does referral software do?
It gives each customer a unique link or code, tracks who they refer, checks whether the referral turned into a sale or sign-up, and delivers the reward automatically.
What's the difference between a referral programme and an affiliate programme?
A referral programme rewards existing customers for recommending you to friends. An affiliate programme usually rewards partners or publishers who promote you to their own audience.
Will my existing referral links stop working if I switch?
Usually, yes, because each tool creates its own links. Tell your referrers about the move and send their new links, and honour any rewards already earned.
What rewards work best for referral programmes?
It depends on your customers. Discounts, store credit, free months or a gift for both sides are common. Test one reward at a time so you can see what works.
How do I get customers to use a referral programme?
Tell them about it at the moments they're happiest, such as just after a purchase or a good support conversation. Put the link in your emails, receipts and account pages so it's always easy to find.
Can referral tools track offline referrals?
Some can, using codes customers mention or enter later. If referrals in your business often happen by phone or in person, check this before you choose.
