Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Referral Marketing Software

ReferralCandy vs ViralSweep

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score ReferralCandy #1 in Referral Marketing Software 8.9/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit ReferralCandy
ViralSweep #10 in Referral Marketing Software 7.8/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit ViralSweep

ReferralCandy leads on 1 check, ViralSweep on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreReferralCandy · 8.9/10
  • Lowest starting priceReferralCandy · $39/mo
  • Free trialboth

ReferralCandy scores higher on our rubric for referral marketing software: 8.9 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #10.

ReferralCandy is cheaper to start at $39/mo against $41/mo.

ReferralCandy is the better fit for ecommerce brands needing mature referral campaigns. ViralSweep is the better fit for brands combining referrals with promotional contests.

  • ReferralCandy fits best

    Ecommerce brands needing mature referral campaigns

  • ViralSweep fits best

    Brands combining referrals with promotional contests

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature ReferralCandy 8.9/10 Visit ↗ ViralSweep 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 7.8
Ranking #1 in Referral Marketing Software #10 in Referral Marketing Software
Best for Ecommerce brands needing mature referral campaigns Brands combining referrals with promotional contests
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price $39/mo (best) $41/mo
Free plan — —
Free trial 7 days 7 days
Free trial length 7 days 7 days · card required
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Integrations 17 integrations 20 integrations
Features ReferralCandy 3/3 · ViralSweep 3/3
Referral links ✓ ✓
Referral codes ✓ ✓
Fraud controls ✓ ✓
Specs
Reward payouts PayPal, Tremendous, store credit, coupons, custom rewards, and self-managed payouts for eligible affiliate campaigns prizes, bonus entries
Attribution window Not checked yet Not checked yet
Participant limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Referral links, coupon codes, attribution, rewards, and fraud controls
  • Integrations with major ecommerce, marketing, analytics, and payout tools
  • API access for purchases, advocates, referrals, and rewards
  • Referral links, milestones, bonus entries, and configurable prizes
  • Sweepstakes, contests, giveaways, and instant-win campaign support
  • Spam filtering, bot detection, IP controls, and verification codes
Cons
  • No free plan; paid plans start at $39 per month
  • Every plan includes a success fee
  • Dedicated onboarding and account management are Enterprise features
  • No permanent free plan; listed plans include a 7-day trial
  • Referral attribution duration and participant caps are not specified
  • Referral-by-email appears among higher-tier features
Our verdict

ReferralCandy is referral and affiliate marketing software for ecommerce brands. It creates unique referral links and coupon codes, tracks referred purchases and attribution, applies reward rules, and supports cash, coupon, store-credit,…

Read the review →

ViralSweep is a web-based promotion platform for brands, marketers, and agencies running referral campaigns alongside sweepstakes, contests, giveaways, waitlists, and instant-win promotions. It supports referral links with configurable…

Read the review →
  1. ReferralCandyReferral Marketing Software 8.97-day trial
  2. ViralSweepReferral Marketing Software 7.87-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • ReferralCandy — where it wins

    • Referral links, coupon codes, attribution, rewards, and fraud controls
    • Integrations with major ecommerce, marketing, analytics, and payout tools
    • API access for purchases, advocates, referrals, and rewards

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan; paid plans start at $39 per month
    • Every plan includes a success fee
    • Dedicated onboarding and account management are Enterprise features

  • ViralSweep — where it wins

    • Referral links, milestones, bonus entries, and configurable prizes
    • Sweepstakes, contests, giveaways, and instant-win campaign support
    • Spam filtering, bot detection, IP controls, and verification codes

    Where it doesn't

    • No permanent free plan; listed plans include a 7-day trial
    • Referral attribution duration and participant caps are not specified
    • Referral-by-email appears among higher-tier features

More comparisons

All referral marketing software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update