Comparison · 2026
Best affiliate software and networks for SaaS in 2026
We run our own partner program, so this is not a scraped top-10. It is how the leading affiliate platforms actually compare for SaaS and AI companies in 2026: what inventory each holds, how they pay, the one thing each is best at, and where each falls down.
The short version: PartnerStack and Dub.co are neck and neck for AI and SaaS. Dub.co has bounties (pay-per-action), PartnerStack has the marketplace and a content track. FirstPromoter carries some of the highest-paying programs but has no directory, so discovery is on you. Rewardful and Tolt are the fastest way to launch your own program.
1. PartnerStack
Best for SaaS marketplaces- Inventory type:
- Managed marketplace + software
- Payout:
- Revshare, mostly recurring
- Best for:
- B2B SaaS and AI companies that want a ready-made partner marketplace
Strong suit. A real marketplace: partners discover your program, and there is a content/creator track. Payouts are handled for you.
Watch out. Pricier, and approval into top programs can be gated. Overkill for a tiny early-stage app.
Visit PartnerStack →2. Dub.co
Best modern platform- Inventory type:
- Modern link + partner platform
- Payout:
- Revshare and bounties (pay-per-action)
- Best for:
- AI and SaaS teams that want modern tooling and dev-friendly links
Strong suit. Bounties are the standout: pay a fixed amount per action, not just revshare. Fast, clean, developer-first, open-source roots.
Watch out. Newer partner side, so the partner directory is smaller than PartnerStack today.
Visit Dub.co →3. FirstPromoter
Highest-paying, no directory- Inventory type:
- Self-hosted tracking (no directory)
- Payout:
- Whatever the merchant sets, often high
- Best for:
- Affiliates who already know the offer, and SaaS running a lean in-house program
Strong suit. Hosts some of the highest-paying SaaS programs. Tight Stripe/Paddle integration and reliable postbacks.
Watch out. No marketplace or directory: you have to find the merchants yourself. Discovery is on you.
Visit FirstPromoter →4. Rewardful
Simplest Stripe setup- Inventory type:
- Stripe-native tracking
- Payout:
- Revshare, recurring
- Best for:
- Early-stage SaaS already on Stripe that wants a program live in an afternoon
Strong suit. The simplest path from zero to a working affiliate program if you bill on Stripe. Very little setup.
Watch out. Stripe-centric, and lighter on partner-discovery and advanced tiers than PartnerStack or Dub.
Visit Rewardful →5. Tolt
Best newcomer- Inventory type:
- Modern self-hosted tracking
- Payout:
- Revshare, recurring
- Best for:
- SaaS founders who want a slick, fast setup and a modern dashboard
Strong suit. Clean UX, quick setup, and fast-growing. A strong newer alternative to Rewardful and FirstPromoter.
Watch out. Younger product with a smaller track record and fewer integrations than the incumbents.
Visit Tolt →6. Tapfiliate
Most flexible- Inventory type:
- Flexible self-hosted tracking
- Payout:
- Revshare or flat, one-off or recurring
- Best for:
- Teams spanning SaaS and e-commerce that need flexible rules and integrations
Strong suit. Very configurable across both SaaS and e-commerce, with a wide integration list.
Watch out. More knobs means more setup, and the UI feels less modern than Dub or Tolt.
Visit Tapfiliate →7. Impact.com
Enterprise scale- Inventory type:
- Enterprise partnership network
- Payout:
- Every model, negotiated
- Best for:
- Larger brands running many partner types (affiliate, influencer, B2B) at scale
Strong suit. Enterprise-grade automation and a huge partner inventory across retail and SaaS.
Watch out. Heavy and expensive. Too much platform for a startup or a solo affiliate.
Visit Impact.com →8. Awin
Biggest network- Inventory type:
- Global affiliate network
- Payout:
- Mostly CPA / revshare, retail-heavy
- Best for:
- Affiliates who want breadth across thousands of mostly-retail brands worldwide
Strong suit. One of the largest, most established networks, strong in Europe and retail.
Watch out. Retail-skewed and less SaaS-native. Approval and a small deposit are required to join.
Visit Awin →At a glance
| Platform | Type | Payout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PartnerStack | Managed marketplace + software | Revshare, mostly recurring | B2B SaaS and AI companies that want a ready-made partner marketplace |
| Dub.co | Modern link + partner platform | Revshare and bounties (pay-per-action) | AI and SaaS teams that want modern tooling and dev-friendly links |
| FirstPromoter | Self-hosted tracking (no directory) | Whatever the merchant sets, often high | Affiliates who already know the offer, and SaaS running a lean in-house program |
| Rewardful | Stripe-native tracking | Revshare, recurring | Early-stage SaaS already on Stripe that wants a program live in an afternoon |
| Tolt | Modern self-hosted tracking | Revshare, recurring | SaaS founders who want a slick, fast setup and a modern dashboard |
| Tapfiliate | Flexible self-hosted tracking | Revshare or flat, one-off or recurring | Teams spanning SaaS and e-commerce that need flexible rules and integrations |
| Impact.com | Enterprise partnership network | Every model, negotiated | Larger brands running many partner types (affiliate, influencer, B2B) at scale |
| Awin | Global affiliate network | Mostly CPA / revshare, retail-heavy | Affiliates who want breadth across thousands of mostly-retail brands worldwide |
Which should you pick?
- Running a SaaS and want reach: PartnerStack for the marketplace, or Dub.co if you want bounties and modern tooling. Genuinely a coin flip; pick on payout model.
- Just launching on Stripe: Rewardful today, or Tolt for a more modern dashboard.
- You are the affiliate chasing high payouts: FirstPromoter merchants pay best, but you find them yourself.
- Enterprise or retail at scale: Impact.com; broad retail inventory worldwide, Awin.
FAQ
- What is the best affiliate software for a SaaS company?
- For most SaaS and AI companies it comes down to PartnerStack versus Dub.co, and they are genuinely neck and neck. Pick PartnerStack if you want a ready-made marketplace where partners discover you plus a content track. Pick Dub.co if you want modern, developer-first tooling and bounties (pay-per-action, not just revshare). If you just want a program live today on Stripe, Rewardful is the fastest.
- PartnerStack vs Dub.co: which should I choose?
- PartnerStack is the managed marketplace: partners find your program, and payouts are handled for you, which is great once you want reach. Dub.co is the modern platform: cleaner tooling, dev-friendly links, open-source roots, and bounties that pay a fixed amount per action. PartnerStack wins on partner discovery today; Dub.co wins on flexibility and payout models.
- What makes FirstPromoter different?
- FirstPromoter hosts some of the highest-paying SaaS programs, but it has no marketplace or directory, so you have to find the merchants yourself. It is a tracking layer for merchants, not a discovery network for affiliates. Great payouts, zero hand-holding on where to find them.
- Are these affiliate networks or affiliate software?
- Both. PartnerStack, Impact and Awin are networks or marketplaces (a directory of programs you can join). Dub.co, FirstPromoter, Rewardful, Tolt and Tapfiliate are primarily software a merchant runs to power its own program. Dub.co and PartnerStack straddle both.
Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through one we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change our rankings, we run our own partner program on several of these platforms and rate them on experience.