Quick list — best affiliate platforms for e‑commerce (with who they fit, short pros/cons and pricing notes)

1. Refersion — Best for DTC / Shopify-first merchants. Pros: fast Shopify/BigCommerce/WooCommerce setup, coupon + SKU tracking, affiliate marketplace and branded portals. Pricing: tiered plans (Professional ≈ $99–$119/mo; Growth ≈ $249–$299/mo; custom enterprise). Good if you want a merchant‑friendly, e‑commerce‑focused stack. (refersion.com, influencermarketinghub.com)

2. impact.com — Best for mid‑market → enterprise brands that need full partnership management (affiliates, influencers, brands). Pros: very advanced tracking/identity matching, contract/payout automation, fraud tools and a large partner marketplace. Pricing is higher and often custom (starter tiers and enterprise plans). Use if you need enterprise features and deep attribution. (impact.com, apps.shopify.com)

3. Awin — Global affiliate network with broad partner reach (coupon sites, bloggers, influencers, cashback). Pros: access to ~1M+ partners and localized markets; predictable fee model (Awin Access starts at ~$49/mo + tracking fees). Good when you want scale and lots of publisher options. (awin.com)

4. CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) — Best for scaling with premium publishers/brands. Pros: enterprise‑grade reporting, publisher discovery, global reach and strong fraud/compliance controls. Good for brands wanting high‑quality publishers and large volume. Pricing is typically program/volume‑based. (cj.com)

5. ShareASale — Best for small→mid merchants and niche programs. Pros: large directory of affiliates, affordable entry, simple merchant onboarding. Good for smaller stores and bloggers looking for straightforward network access. (popularpays.com, umatechnology.org)

6. Tapfiliate — Best for fast, self‑managed programs (SMB). Pros: easy integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Stripe), flexible commission types, white‑label and API. Pricing starts ~ $89/mo (14‑day trial) with higher tiers for more tracking. Good if you want straightforward SaaS tracking without a large network. (tapfiliate.com)

7. UpPromote (Secomapp) — Best Shopify app for low cost / quick start. Pros: deep Shopify admin integration, auto‑approve workflows, fraud protections and post‑purchase recruitment; free install + tiered app pricing. Ideal for early-stage Shopify stores that want a low friction setup. (apps.shopify.com, secomapp.com)

8. LeadDyno — Best for merchants who want simple affiliate automation + influencer onboarding. Pros: affiliate sign‑up flows, automated payouts, concierge/managed options for scale. Pricing scales into high‑tier “Unlimited” plans for larger programs. Good for stores that want hands‑off operations with paid support available. (leaddyno.com, tapfiliate.com)

Short notes on network vs. software:

• Affiliate networks (Awin, ShareASale, CJ) give you access to a large pool of publishers but charge network fees and usually take some onboarding/approval time. (awin.com, cj.com)
• SaaS platforms (Refersion, Tapfiliate, Tapfiliate, UpPromote, LeadDyno) give you full control of the program, typically integrate easily with your store, and are better for customer/referral‑driven programs. (refersion.com, tapfiliate.com)

How to pick the right one (quick checklist)

• Integrations: Does it plug directly into Shopify/WooCommerce/BigCommerce/Magento you use? (non‑negotiable). (refersion.com, tapfiliate.com)
• Recruitment: Do you need a marketplace of affiliates or will you recruit your own customers/creators? (network vs. self‑managed). (awin.com, impact.com)
• Attribution & fraud: If you run paid media or need cross‑device attribution, choose a platform with advanced identity matching/fraud controls (Impact, CJ). (impact.com, cj.com)
• Budget & billing model: Monthly SaaS fee vs. network tracking fees vs. revenue share — calculate projected affiliate payouts + platform fees. (awin.com, tapfiliate.com)
• Scale & features: Want coupons/SKU‑level tracking, lifetime/recurring commissions, custom contracts or white‑label portal? Ensure the plan supports those features (usually higher tiers). (support.refersion.com, tapfiliate.com)

Tactical next steps (fast):

1. Shortlist 2–3 platforms from the list that integrate with your store.
2. Trial the SaaS apps (many offer 14–30 day trials) and test affiliate onboarding + tracking on a real order. (tapfiliate.com, refersion.com)
3. If you need scale/publisher reach, request demos from networks (Awin, CJ, Impact) and ask about onboarding fees, tracking fees, and average time to recruit publishers. (awin.com, cj.com)

If you want, I can:

• Recommend 2–3 platforms tailored to your store platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), budget, and growth stage and explain why; or
• Draft an RFP checklist you can send to platforms when asking for pricing/demo.

Which would you prefer?