Top-tier Solutions in Affiliate Program Software

Linc Wonham — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:00:00 GMT

Most businesses on the Web will go only as far as their software takes them, and affiliate programs are no exception to the rule. It’s been a while since we examined some of the top providers in the space, which has become more competitive and crowded with qualified vendors.

Below are some of the most popular solutions available today:

HasOffers
Popular for its ease of use and affordability, HasOffers has become one of the leading providers of affiliate tracking software since launching two years ago. More than 8,000 businesses now use the platform to track their affiliate programs, including Groupon, Tapjoy and Tippr. HasOffers provides its customers with one month of free service on any of their editions, which include the Basic ($99 per month) package for novices, the Pro ($279/mo.) package for growing advertisers and new networks, and the Enterprise ($799/mo.) package for established networks and large brands.

LinkTrust
LinkTrust is recognized by merchants and affiliates as one of the most reliable tracking and lead management software platforms available to the performance marketing industry. Exceptional customer service, world-class technology and hardware are some of the most notable features. LinkTrust customers use the white-labeled system to manage affiliates, access real-time reporting, enjoy first-class fraud prevention tools and optimize their programs as well as any other solution out there, but the pricing is steep. The Lite package starts at $200 per month after a$300 setup fee, and the next available edition is $500 per month with a $600 setup fee. Three more packages are available under a customized pricing structure.

iDevDirect
One of the affiliate industry’s first management and tracking software providers, iDevAffiliate has been around almost as long as the Web. Administrative features include two control panels for affiliates to sign up and manage their individual accounts while you manage the entire program, and security features include built-in commission fraud controls and an API for external code integration. Editions include the Standard for $99.99 per month, the Gold for $199.99 and the Platinum edition for $299.99 per month.

Post Affiliate Pro
Version 4 of the Post Affiliate Pro program software provides high-scope tracking reliability and limitless extendibility with plugins and search engine-friendly linking for higher rankings. The already flexible system is designed for elaborate customization and the folks behind it urge their customers to suggest new functionalities and solutions if they believe something is missing. Pricing starts at $199 per month for the Xpress service and runs all the way to $1,899 per month for the Network package.

DirectTrack
A product of the Digital River companies, DirectTrack’s affiliate program software includes cookie-based and cookie-less hybrid tracking, mobile ad delivery and next-generation APIs. Last year the company introduced post-impression view-through conversion tracking and the affiliate industry’s largest proprietary performance-based advertising/campaign distribution marketplace. Widely considered the most comprehensive performance marketing software provider, DirectTrack’s solutions also come with a higher price tag.

Comparison of Affiliate Software

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:49:00 GMT

:: DirectTrack vs iDevAffiliate vs. PostAffiliatePro vs HasOffer ::

Affiliate programs are the most cost effective way for merchants to generate more sales and traffic. But the investment in various solutions can be cost prohibitive, which is why looking at the various vendors in the market, their features and cost at the outset is so valuable. Let's do that by comparing some popular affiliate software solutions now. Read more...

There are clearly many other affiliate software solutions on the market. You are encouraged to let us know about any others you are familiar with and your impressions of their offerings.

DirectTrack
One of the top-tier of affiliate program software vendors, DirectTrack offers the most comprehensive solution on the market. The most popular features are the private label interface (fully customizable), powerful ad serving (day parting, geo-targeting, and access to the Speedera CDN for image hosting), a wide range of creative possibilities (including email), helpful management tools like automated notifications, custom payout structures), perhaps the best accounting tools (plus a check-cutting service through an escrow account), affiliate tracking and reporting that rivals the best independent networks (real-time tracking, blended tracking, cookie or API tracking) and other important campaign management tools like threshold notifications, suppression lists. You'll need to pay extra for the power of all those additional features, but for many the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Post Affiliate Pro
Affiliate system written in PHP which contains well thought out functionality. Based on PHP-Affiliate, the system accommodates unlimited affiliates and various commission structures (CPM, CPL and CPM), offers recurring commissions, supports multiple merchants and currencies and even one of those fancy Page Peel banners. Cost ranges from $219 for a leased license to $299 for an owned license.

iDevAffiliate
One of the most popular for start-up merchants interested in starting an affiliate program, iDevAffiliate is a robust solution. Appealing to many, it works with nearly all merchants accounts (also includes a cart integration wizard), shopping carts and billing systems. Additional features include several payout options (CPA - flat rate of percentage - CPC and CPL), and well designed reporting and statistics. Pricing ranges from $99 for the standard edition to $299 for the premium edition, which includes the ability for users to create custom file names and export data to Quickbooks.

hasoffers
The newbie among affiliate software vendors, hasoffers has one thing going for it in that it is completely free for networks with a click volume of less than one million per month. A white label affiliate offering, hasoffers users can choose among a variety of layouts and customize them through CSS, leverage their own URL and the solution's 3rd-party masking capabilities, access some decent network management and affiliate management tools, and employ good accounting tools (including advertiser invoicing, Quickbooks file export, and PayPal payments).

'Net Features : affiliate software, hasoffers

Top-tier Solutions in Affiliate Program Software

Comparison of Affiliate Software