Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy and Roster: Ambassador Marketing both aim to leverage word-of-mouth marketing on Shopify, but they cater to different segments with varying approaches. ReferrLy emphasizes a robust affiliate program, making it easier to recruit and manage affiliates using referral links and coupon codes. It positions itself as an all-in-one affiliate marketing tool with features such as automated link creation, commission rules and performance tracking, and post-purchase pop-ups. This makes it suitable for merchants seeking direct control over their affiliate network and detailed sales attribution. Roster, on the other hand, focuses on building a brand ambassador community and driving engagement through social campaigns and user-generated content (UGC). Its strength lies in ambassador recruitment, engaging ambassadors with campaigns and actions, rewarding and incentivizing them, and tracking overall program ROI. Roster appears to be geared towards merchants prioritizing brand awareness, social influence, and authentic content creation through a curated ambassador program. The difference lies in the approach to word-of-mouth marketing; ReferrLy centers on direct affiliate sales, while Roster emphasizes building a brand community and advocacy. The difference in reviews also suggests ReferrLy has been around longer, or is far more popular. The sheer difference in review count signals that Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy is the much more mature app.
786 reviews
13 reviews
Affiliate program & Referral marketing tool to drive sales via ambassadors and influencers marketing
Create a brand ambassador community. Engage your most passionate fans to drive awareness and sales.
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Rating Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy5/5 Roster: Ambassador Marketing5/5 | ||
| Reviews | 786 | 13 |
Reviews Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy786 Roster: Ambassador Marketing13 | ||
| Focus | Affiliate Programs & Sales | Brand Ambassador Community & UGC |
Focus Affiliate Marketing ReferrLyAffiliate Programs & Sales Roster: Ambassador MarketingBrand Ambassador Community & UGC | ||
| Key Feature: Sales Tracking | Referral links & Coupon Codes | Program performance reports & analytics |
Key Feature: Sales Tracking Affiliate Marketing ReferrLyReferral links & Coupon Codes Roster: Ambassador MarketingProgram performance reports & analytics | ||
| Key Feature: Onboarding | Seamless Affiliate Onboarding | Recruit. Discover & grow your ideal community |
Key Feature: Onboarding Affiliate Marketing ReferrLySeamless Affiliate Onboarding Roster: Ambassador MarketingRecruit. Discover & grow your ideal community | ||
| Target Merchant | Merchants needing detailed affiliate sales tracking | Merchants prioritizing brand awareness & social engagement |
Target Merchant Affiliate Marketing ReferrLyMerchants needing detailed affiliate sales tracking Roster: Ambassador MarketingMerchants prioritizing brand awareness & social engagement | ||
| Ease of Use | Designed for easy affiliate program setup | Ambassador marketing platform |
Ease of Use Affiliate Marketing ReferrLyDesigned for easy affiliate program setup Roster: Ambassador MarketingAmbassador marketing platform | ||
| Value Proposition | Drive revenue through a managed affiliate network | Scale word-of-mouth, brand awareness, and sales with ambassadors |
Value Proposition Affiliate Marketing ReferrLyDrive revenue through a managed affiliate network Roster: Ambassador MarketingScale word-of-mouth, brand awareness, and sales with ambassadors | ||
For merchants primarily concerned with driving direct sales through affiliate links and coupon codes, and who need a robust, established system for managing affiliates, Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy appears to be the stronger choice. The higher number of reviews (786 vs. 13) suggests greater user satisfaction and potentially a more mature product.
However, if the primary goal is to cultivate a loyal brand ambassador community and leverage user-generated content for greater brand awareness and social proof, Roster: Ambassador Marketing may be the better fit. Merchants who are willing to invest time in carefully selecting ambassadors and creating engaging campaigns would likely benefit most from Roster's platform, although they should be aware the fewer reviews suggest lower maturity.
Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy is better for tracking individual affiliate sales with its referral links and coupon codes.
Roster: Ambassador Marketing focuses on building a brand ambassador community.
Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy boasts "Seamless Affiliate Onboarding", suggesting an easier setup for tracking sales using referral links.
Roster: Ambassador Marketing promises better ROI reporting, while Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy focuses on tracking sales against specific affiliates.
Affiliate Marketing ReferrLy is more established, with significantly more customer reviews (786 vs. 13).
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