RefRef vs ReferralCandy
Your referred orders, without a success fee on top.
ReferralCandy is a long-running referral app for Shopify and WooCommerce stores, and RefRef runs on both with an open-source engine. ReferralCandy adds a 0.25% to 10.5% success fee on each referred customer's first three orders; RefRef prices by active participants, is free up to 1,000 of them, and never takes a share of revenue.
Open sourceFree up to 1,000 active participantsNo share of your revenue
Updated October 20, 2026, checked against the official pages of ReferralCandy.
Feature scorecard
RefRef
12/12
ReferralCandy
3/12
+5 partly
- YesOpen sourceReferralCandy: Proprietary; its terms bar copying, modifying, or reselling the service.
- YesNo vendor lock-inReferralCandy: Report exports and a v2.2 API; no webhooks in its API docs.
- YesPricing that doesn't tax your growthReferralCandy: 0.25% to 10.5% success fee on referred customers' first three orders.
- YesReferral, affiliate, and loyaltyReferralCandy: Referral and affiliate; loyalty store credit on Shopify only.
RefRef vs ReferralCandy: feature comparison
| Feature | RefRef | ReferralCandy |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | YesAGPLv3 on GitHub. Use RefRef Cloud or run it yourself. | NoProprietary; its terms bar copying, modifying, or reselling the service. |
| No vendor lock-in | YesFull data export, REST API, and webhooks. | PartlyReport exports and a v2.2 API; no webhooks in its API docs. |
| Pricing that doesn't tax your growth | YesPriced by active participants. No share of referred revenue, no fee on your own payout rail. | No0.25% to 10.5% success fee on referred customers' first three orders. |
| Referral, affiliate, and loyalty | YesAll three program types on one integration. | PartlyReferral and affiliate; loyalty store credit on Shopify only. |
| AI assistant and MCP | YesSet up and run programs from the in-app assistant, Claude, Cursor, or Codex. | Not listedNot listed on its pricing page. |
| Cash payouts with tax forms | YesPayPal payouts in 98 countries. W-9 and W-8BEN collected. | PartlyPayPal payouts in USD; W-9 or W-8BEN collection not listed. |
| Rewards inside your billing | YesAccount credit, discounts, and plan upgrades in Stripe, Paddle, Polar, Dodo Payments, and RevenueCat. | PartlyStore coupons and Shopify store credit; no SaaS billing connector listed. |
| Shopify and WooCommerce | YesNative Shopify app and WooCommerce plugin. | YesShopify app and WooCommerce plugin. |
| Signup attribution for your auth stack | YesBetter Auth plugin and recipes for Clerk, Supabase, Auth0, WorkOS, and Auth.js. | PartlyBuilt for store checkouts; no auth-provider integrations listed. |
| Embeddable widget and join pages | YesBranded referral widget and public partner join pages. | YesJoin pages, share pages, and advocate and affiliate portals. |
| Custom link domains | YesShare links on your own domain. | YesCustom domain for referral links and portal pages. |
| Free plan | YesFree up to 1,000 active participants. | NoNo free plan; 7-day trial, then from $9/month plus 10.5%. |
ReferralCandy facts checked on October 20, 2026 against its official pages. See sources
Switch from ReferralCandy to an open-source platform, free to start.
Start freeWhy teams choose RefRef over ReferralCandy
No success fee on referred orders
ReferralCandy charges 0.25% to 10.5% of the subtotal of each new referred customer's first three orders, on top of the monthly fee. RefRef prices by active participants, so a strong referral month does not raise your bill.
Built for stores and subscriptions
RefRef has a native Shopify app and WooCommerce plugin, and it also rewards subscribers with account credit, discounts, and plan upgrades in Stripe, Paddle, Polar, Dodo Payments, and RevenueCat.
Webhooks, open code, and MCP
RefRef is AGPLv3 with a full data export, REST API, and webhooks. Set up and run programs from the in-app assistant, or from Claude, Cursor, and Codex over MCP.
Everything you need, from the first click to the payout.
Referral, affiliate, and loyalty in one place
Run customer referrals, a partner program, and a loyalty program side by side, each with its own rewards and results.
Rewards inside your billing
Give account credit, discounts, or plan upgrades straight in Stripe, Paddle, Polar, Dodo Payments, or RevenueCat.
Partners, invitations, and applications
Invite partners, approve applications, and give each one a branded join page and link.
Cash payouts, done for you
RefRef pays partners through PayPal in 98 countries, collects W-9 and W-8BEN forms, and shows every statement.
ReferralCandy pricing vs RefRef pricing
Your software bill at the same program size.
Example: $10,000 referred revenue and $2,000 commissions per month. Software and platform fees shown below; reward delivery costs are extra.
RefRef
Free · own payout rail
$0/mo
ReferralCandy
Subscription + 1.5% success fee on referred orders
$399/mo
Within the 1,000 active-participant allowance.
Higher customer value alone does not change the RefRef bill.
Known monthly subtotal including $2,000 commissions: RefRef $2,000 vs ReferralCandy $2,399. Add operating costs to both.
ReferralCandy Scale · monthly: $10,000 referred revenue × 1.5% = $150, if all of it comes from referred customers' first three orders. Scale is the lowest total at this volume; Grow costs $79 + $350. The $2,000 of commissions is the same in both.
RefRef
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 1,000 active participants |
| Starter | $49/month | 5,000 active participants ($29 billed annually) |
| Pro | From $119/month | 10,000 to 50,000 active participants, custom domains |
No overage, no share of referred revenue. Managed PayPal payouts cost 2%.
ReferralCandy
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $9/month + 10.5% success fee | All features, unlimited campaigns, full API access |
| Grow | $79/month + 3.5% success fee | Same features at a lower success fee |
| Scale | $249/month + 1.5% success fee | Same features at a lower success fee |
| Enterprise | $799/month + 0.25% success fee | Dedicated onboarding and account manager |
Plugs into the stack you already run.
Native billing, commerce, and auth integrations, plus an open API, webhooks, and MCP for AI agents. The ecosystem grows every month.
- Billing
- StripePaddlePolarDodo PaymentsRevenueCat
- Commerce
- ShopifyWooCommerce
- Auth
- Better AuthClerkSupabaseAuth0WorkOSAuth.js
- Payouts
- PayPalW-9 and W-8BEN forms
- Automation and AI
- REST APIWebhooksMCPZapierMakeActivepiecesClaudeCursorCodex
Switch from ReferralCandy in three steps.
Your partners and customers keep what they earned. We help you move.
Export contacts, advocates, and referred purchases from ReferralCandy's reports, and list any rewards still in review.
Install the RefRef Shopify app or WooCommerce plugin, and import advocates into a RefRef referral program so their history carries over.
Send advocates their new RefRef links, then run one test order and one refund before you uninstall ReferralCandy.
01Is RefRef a good ReferralCandy alternative?
02What is ReferralCandy's success fee?
03Does ReferralCandy have webhooks?
04Does ReferralCandy work for SaaS subscriptions?
When ReferralCandy fits
Choose ReferralCandy if you run a Shopify store, want coupon rewards, Shopify store credit, and PayPal payouts handled in one app, and the success fee fits your margins.
Sources, checked October 20, 2026
- ReferralCandy pricing and success fees
- ReferralCandy success fee calculation
- ReferralCandy integration overview
- ReferralCandy WooCommerce plugin
- ReferralCandy loyalty store credit (Shopify)
- ReferralCandy 1099s and tax reporting
- ReferralCandy advocate and affiliate portals
- ReferralCandy custom domain
- ReferralCandy API
- ReferralCandy terms of service
Written by the RefRef team. ReferralCandy is a trademark of its owner; RefRef is not affiliated with it. Plans change, so check the official pages before you buy. Spot an error? Tell us and we correct it.
Ready to switch from ReferralCandy?
Start free. Your first 1,000 active participants cost nothing.