How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- ReferralCandy is the best starting point for Shopify and WooCommerce stores, from $39 per month plus a success fee.
- Referral Factory suits businesses that want fast, self-serve campaign setup without developer help, from $200 per month in recent listings.
- Friendbuy and Yotpo suit larger consumer brands that need loyalty, fraud controls, and testing beside referrals.
- Viral Loops suits launches, waitlists, and contests, while Referral Rock suits B2B and service businesses with referrals from staff and customers.
- Cello suits B2B SaaS teams that want referrals inside the product, from $65 per month in recent listings.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 ReferralCandy | ecommerce referral programs | $39 per month plus success fee | No, free trial |
 Referral Factory | fast self-serve referral campaigns | $200 per month | No, free trial |
 Friendbuy | enterprise referral and loyalty | See website | No |
 Viral Loops | launches, waitlists, and contests | $35 per month billed yearly | No, free trial |
 Referral Rock | B2B and service referrals | $250 per month | No, free trial |
 Cello | in-product B2B SaaS referrals | $65 per month | Yes, start free |
 InviteReferrals (NVECTA) | ecommerce and app referrals | See website | No, free trial |
 Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals | loyalty plus referrals for Shopify | Free; Pro $199 per month | Yes, limited |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best Growsurf alternatives
Starting price$39 per month plus success fee
Free planNo, free trial
ReferralCandy is the easiest switch from GrowSurf for an online store. Connect Shopify or WooCommerce, set a reward for the referrer and the friend, and the tool tracks referrals, sends emails, and issues rewards automatically. A store can often launch in an afternoon without developer help.
The platform also supports affiliate-style rewards, fraud checks, and analytics that show which referrers drive sales. That data helps a store decide whether to raise a reward, change a landing page, or promote the program more widely. Integrations cover email tools and store apps, so referral emails fit existing marketing.
Pricing needs modelling. Recent listings show $39 per month plus a success fee, with some plans at 10.5 percent on referred sales in older guides. A low monthly fee can still cost more than a flat-fee tool once referral volume grows, so forecast total cost at your expected referral revenue before you commit.
What we like- Fast setup for Shopify and WooCommerce
- Automated referral tracking and rewards
- API and many store integrations
Watch out for- Success fee grows with referral revenue
- Free trial is short at seven days in some listings
- B2B features are lighter than Referral Rock
Starting price$200 per month
Free planNo, free trial
Referral Factory suits teams that want to launch without a developer. Templates cover customer referrals, partner referrals, and employee referrals, and campaigns can run online, by email, or offline with QR codes and printed cards. That range helps service businesses and local companies as well as online stores.
The platform connects with CRMs and payment systems, tracks referrals at scale, and automates rewards. Teams can build a branded referral page, add a widget to a site, and share a link by email or social channels. Setup is self-serve, which keeps launch time short compared with enterprise tools that need implementation help.
Pricing starts at $200 per month in recent listings, with a 15-day trial in some guides and $95 per month on older flat-fee listings. Confirm the current plan, because Referral Factory pricing has changed over time. For a mid-size business that needs a fast, flexible campaign, it is a strong GrowSurf replacement.
What we like- Hundreds of templates for fast launch
- Works online and offline with QR codes
- CRM and payment integrations
Watch out for- Entry price is higher than ReferralCandy
- Branding limits on lower plans in some reviews
- Enterprise features need higher tiers
#3Friendbuy
Best for: enterprise referral and loyalty4.3/5 on
G2 (58 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit friendbuy.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Friendbuy is built for larger consumer brands that treat referrals as a growth channel, not a side project. The platform offers referral widgets, landing pages, email flows, fraud detection, and A/B testing, so teams can test reward levels and messages and keep the winning version. Loyalty features sit beside referrals, which helps subscription brands reward repeat buyers as well as referrers.
Integrations cover Shopify, Segment, and major email tools, and Friendbuy supports referral tracking across web and mobile. That depth matters when referral volume is high and fraud, duplicate accounts, or discount abuse could eat margin. Enterprise teams also get analytics that link referrals to lifetime value, not just first orders.
The barrier is price and process. Friendbuy pricing is usually a custom quote, with recent listings showing about $249 per month as an entry estimate. Small stores will find ReferralCandy or Viral Loops cheaper. Larger DTC and subscription brands that need testing and fraud controls will find Friendbuy worth the quote.
What we like- Strong fraud controls and A/B testing
- Referral plus loyalty in one platform
- Good fit for subscription and DTC brands
Watch out for- Pricing is quote only for most teams
- Entry cost is high for small stores
- Setup benefits from a dedicated owner
#4Viral Loops
Best for: launches, waitlists, and contests4.0/5 on
G2 (42 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit viral-loops.com
Starting price$35 per month billed yearly
Free planNo, free trial
Viral Loops suits a different job from a standard refer-a-friend program. It is built for launches, waitlists, and contests, where people join a list, refer friends to move up, and earn rewards. That game-like structure can drive fast signups before a product launch or a sale.
Templates cover the most common campaign types, and embeds work on landing pages without heavy development. Teams can run a referral contest, a milestone reward program, or a simple waitlist, then export participants to an email tool. Pricing starts at $35 per month billed yearly in recent listings, with a 14-day trial.
Viral Loops is less suited to an always-on B2B referral program with complex rewards. Participant overages can also add cost on larger campaigns, so check limits before a big launch. For startups, newsletters, and stores running a launch, it is a low-cost, fast option.
What we like- Templates for waitlists, giveaways, and referral contests
- Low entry price
- Easy embeds for landing pages
Watch out for- Less suited to ongoing B2B referral programs
- Participant overages can add cost
- Analytics are lighter than Friendbuy
Starting price$250 per month
Free planNo, free trial
Referral Rock is built for businesses that get referrals from people, not just online checkouts. Service companies, agencies, and B2B firms can run customer referral programs, partner programs, and employee referral programs in one account. That range matters when referrals come by phone, email, or in person as well as through a website.
The platform offers referral tracking, reward automation, and integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce. Flat pricing with unlimited referrals on some plans helps budgeting, since cost does not rise with every referral. Recent listings show $250 per month as a starting point, with a 14-day trial.
Referral Rock is pricier than ReferralCandy for a small store, and setup needs more thought about reward rules and referral sources. For a B2B or service business that wants a serious referral channel, that extra structure pays off. It is one of the closest GrowSurf replacements for non-ecommerce teams.
What we like- Flat pricing with unlimited referrals on higher plans
- Strong fit for B2B and services
- Staff and customer referral programs
Watch out for- Entry price is high for small businesses
- Setup takes more care than ReferralCandy
- Design options are less flashy than some rivals
#6Cello
Best for: in-product B2B SaaS referrals4.9/5 on
G2 (32 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit cello.so
Starting price$65 per month
Free planYes, start free
Cello targets B2B SaaS companies that want users to refer colleagues from inside the app. Instead of sending users to a separate referral page, Cello adds referral widgets and flows inside the product, where users already work. That placement often lifts referral rates compared with an email-only program.
Pricing starts at $65 per month in recent listings, with a free start option. That low entry price makes Cello easy to test for a SaaS team that is unsure whether referrals will work. The platform tracks referrals, automates rewards, and integrates with common SaaS billing and CRM tools.
Cello is newer than Referral Rock or Friendbuy, so its template and integration library is smaller. Ecommerce stores will find ReferralCandy a better fit. For a SaaS team that wants in-product referrals without a large budget, Cello is a strong GrowSurf alternative.
What we like- Referrals inside the product, not just on a landing page
- Low entry price
- Built for B2B SaaS user referrals
Watch out for- Newer and smaller ecosystem than Friendbuy
- Ecommerce features are lighter
- Advanced features need higher plans
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo, free trial
InviteReferrals, now NVECTA Referral and Loyalty, covers referral programs for stores, SaaS, and mobile apps. Teams can run refer-a-friend campaigns, contests, and gamified rewards, with tracking across web and app. That range helps companies that sell through both a website and an app and want one referral system.
The platform offers referral widgets, email templates, social sharing, and analytics, plus integrations with Shopify, Salesforce, and other tools. Campaigns can be customised by reward type, including discounts, cash, and points, which suits different business models.
Pricing is the main question, since InviteReferrals does not publish a single starting rate in recent listings. Request a quote for your volume and channels, and compare total cost with ReferralCandy for stores or Referral Rock for B2B. InviteReferrals suits teams that need app referrals beside web referrals.
What we like- Referral campaigns for web and mobile apps
- Gamification and contest features
- Integrations with Shopify and major CRMs
Watch out for- Pricing is not published as a simple starting rate
- Interface feels older than newer rivals
- Enterprise support varies by plan
#8
Yotpo Loyalty and Referrals
Best for: loyalty plus referrals for Shopify
Visit yotpo.com
Starting priceFree; Pro $199 per month
Free planYes, limited
Yotpo suits Shopify brands that want loyalty and referrals together. Customers earn points for purchases, referrals, reviews, and other actions, then redeem them for discounts or perks. VIP tiers add another layer, rewarding top customers with early access or bonus points.
Referrals sit inside that loyalty system, so a referred friend can join the program and start earning at once. That link between loyalty and referrals often lifts repeat purchase rates, since referrers keep earning after the first referral. Yotpo also offers reviews, which can sit beside loyalty in the same account for brands that want one vendor.
The free plan does not include referrals in some listings, and Pro starts at $199 per month. That makes Yotpo pricier than ReferralCandy for a referrals-only need. Choose Yotpo when loyalty, VIP tiers, and referrals together matter more than a standalone referral tool.
What we like- Loyalty points, VIP tiers, and referrals in one Shopify app
- Reviews can sit beside loyalty
- Strong Shopify integration
Watch out for- Referrals are not available on the free plan in some listings
- Pro price is high for small stores
- Non-Shopify use is limited
How we chose
We compared tools that do the same job as GrowSurf: track referrals, automate rewards, and help customers or users bring in new buyers. We used pricing and feature details from vendor pages and recent comparison guides found in web search, and we kept only tools active in 2026. We favoured a mix of ecommerce, SaaS, B2B, launch, and loyalty options so readers can match a tool to their business model.
What to check before you buy
Start with your business model. A Shopify store needs ReferralCandy or Yotpo, a SaaS team needs Cello or Referral Rock, and a launch needs Viral Loops. Next, model total cost at real volume, including success fees, participant overages, and reward payouts. A $39 tool with a percentage fee can cost more than a $250 flat-fee tool once referrals scale.
Then test fraud controls and reward rules. Set limits on self-referrals, duplicate accounts, and discount stacking, and run a small pilot with real customers before a full launch. Finally, confirm integrations with your store, CRM, and email tool, since a referral program that cannot send emails or track orders automatically will need manual work every week.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest GrowSurf alternative?
Viral Loops from $35 per month billed yearly and ReferralCandy from $39 per month plus a success fee are the lowest paid entry points here. Cello from $65 per month is also low for SaaS, and Yotpo offers a limited free plan without referrals.
Is ReferralCandy better than GrowSurf for Shopify?
For most Shopify stores, yes. ReferralCandy is built for stores, installs fast, and tracks orders automatically. GrowSurf suits SaaS and service businesses more, while ReferralCandy suits ecommerce checkouts and store rewards.
How do success fees work?
A success fee is a percentage of referred sales paid on top of the monthly fee. ReferralCandy uses this model on some plans, so total cost rises with referral revenue. Flat-fee tools such as Referral Rock charge the same monthly fee regardless of referral volume, which can be cheaper at scale.
Can I run referrals offline as well as online?
Yes, with Referral Factory and Referral Rock. Both support QR codes, printed cards, and manual referral entry for service businesses, events, and local companies. Pure online tools are less suited to offline referrals.
Do I need loyalty as well as referrals?
Not always. Referrals alone work well for SaaS and B2B, where one new customer is worth a large reward. Loyalty helps consumer brands with repeat purchases, since points and VIP tiers keep referrers buying after the first referral.
How long does it take to launch a referral program?
A simple store program with ReferralCandy or Viral Loops can launch in a day or two. A B2B program with Referral Rock or an enterprise program with Friendbuy may take one to three weeks, depending on reward rules, integrations, and approval flows.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.referralcandy.com
- https://referral-factory.com
- https://www.friendbuy.com
- https://viral-loops.com
- https://referralrock.com
- https://www.cello.so
- https://www.invitereferrals.com
- https://www.yotpo.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.