Last month, I watched a fellow SaaS founder nearly tear his hair out trying to track affiliate commissions using a platform designed for selling sneakers. His affiliates were promoting a $99/month project management tool, but the software could only handle one-off sales. Every time someone upgraded from a trial to paid, downgraded their plan, or churned after three months, the tracking went haywire. His affiliates couldn't see their recurring earnings, he couldn't calculate lifetime value per partner, and everyone was frustrated.

Sound familiar? Most affiliate marketing platforms were built for e-commerce stores selling physical products, not SaaS companies managing subscription revenue. They're designed around single transactions, not the complex dance of trials, upgrades, downgrades, and monthly recurring revenue that defines our industry.

This creates a perfect storm of problems. You're stuck manually calculating recurring commissions, your affiliates can't track their subscription-based earnings properly, and you're missing crucial data about which partners drive customers who stick around versus those who churn. Meanwhile, you're bleeding potential revenue because quality affiliates won't promote products they can't track effectively.

The good news? A new generation of affiliate platforms has emerged specifically for SaaS companies. After testing dozens of platforms over the past two years and implementing affiliate programs for multiple SaaS businesses, I can confidently say that the best free affiliate marketing software for SaaS in 2025 is Endorsely.

In this guide, I'll walk you through the five best free options for affiliate marketing platforms designed with SaaS companies in mind. We'll cover everything from AI-powered affiliate discovery to subscription tracking capabilities, so you can choose the platform that'll actually help you build a thriving partner program, not just add another headache to your plate.

1. Endorsely: Best Overall Free SaaS Affiliate Platform

Best For: Early-stage to mid-sized SaaS companies wanting AI-powered affiliate discovery and automated program management

Here's what stands out about Endorsely right from the start: it's the only platform I've found that uses AI to literally show you who your ideal affiliates are by analyzing your competitors. Instead of starting with an empty database and hoping quality partners will magically find you, Endorsely's Affiliate Finder crawls the web to identify bloggers, influencers, and content creators already promoting tools similar to yours.

I tested this feature with a client's email marketing SaaS, and within minutes, we had a list of 47 potential affiliates who were actively reviewing and promoting competing tools like Mailchimp and ConvertKit. These weren't random influencers; they were people already creating content in our exact niche, with audiences genuinely interested in email marketing solutions. It was like having a research team hand you a golden list of warm prospects.


But the AI discovery is just the beginning. Endorsely's Content Studio feature has become my secret weapon for affiliate management. It automatically tracks every piece of content your affiliates publish about your product. This isn't just helpful for monitoring quality and performance; it's crucial for providing feedback and helping your partners create more effective promotional content.

The real win for SaaS companies is Endorsely’s subscription tracking. Unlike traditional affiliate software that treats every sale as a one-time event, Endorsely automatically tracks trial signups, trial-to-paid conversions, plan upgrades, downgrades, and even churn attribution. You can see exactly which affiliates drive customers with high lifetime value versus those who bring in users that cancel after a month.

Key Features:

Free Plan Details: Completely free until you hit $1,000/month in affiliate-driven revenue, then just $39/month for the Pro plan. No setup fees, no per-transaction costs, and you can cancel anytime.

Pros:

Cons:

Why It's #1: Endorsely solves the two biggest challenges SaaS companies face with affiliate marketing: finding quality partners and managing subscription-based commissions, with elegant automation that just works.

And it’s the only free affiliate marketing software for SaaS that allows you time to grow before you start paying.

Check out Endorsely here

2. FirstPromoter: Best for Stripe-Heavy SaaS Companies

Best For: SaaS companies deeply integrated with Stripe who need robust subscription tracking and fraud detection

FirstPromoter feels like it was built by someone who actually understands the Stripe ecosystem inside and out. If your entire billing infrastructure runs on Stripe, this platform integrates so seamlessly it feels like a native Stripe feature. The setup process connects directly to your Stripe account, automatically importing customer data, subscription plans, and payment events.


What sets FirstPromoter apart is its sophisticated approach to subscription analytics. The platform doesn't just track when someone signs up through an affiliate link; it follows the entire customer journey. You can see trial conversion rates per affiliate, average revenue per user (ARPU) by traffic source, and even churn patterns attributed to specific partners.

The fraud detection capabilities are particularly impressive. FirstPromoter uses machine learning to identify suspicious referral patterns, duplicate accounts, and other common affiliate fraud schemes.

Key Features:

Free Plan: 14-day trial with full features, then pricing starts at $49/month. While not technically "free," many SaaS companies consider the trial period sufficient for testing.

Pros:

Cons:

Bottom Line: If you're a Stripe-powered SaaS company willing to pay for premium features, FirstPromoter delivers enterprise-level subscription tracking. However, Endorsely's free tier and AI discovery tools make it more accessible for growing companies.

3. Rewardful: Best for Marketing-Team Friendly Setup

Best For: Marketing teams who want quick setup without technical complexity and built-in affiliate discovery features

Rewardful strikes a nice balance between simplicity and functionality. The platform was clearly designed with non-technical marketing teams in mind: everything from the onboarding flow to the dashboard interface prioritizes ease of use over advanced features. You can have a basic affiliate program running in about 15 minutes, even if you've never set up tracking before.

Rewardful's strength lies in its marketing automation features. The platform includes pre-built email templates for affiliate outreach, automated onboarding sequences, and social sharing tools that make it easy for partners to promote your product across different channels.

Key Features:

Free Plan: 30-day trial with full access, then $49/month for the starter plan. Limited free features after trial period.

Pros:

Cons:

The Verdict: Rewardful works well for marketing teams who prioritize ease of use and don't need advanced features. However, the limited free tier and basic affiliate discovery make Endorsely a more compelling choice for budget-conscious SaaS companies.

4. Post Affiliate Pro: Best for Advanced SaaS Tracking

Best For: SaaS companies needing complex tracking setups, multi-tier commissions, and enterprise-level features

Post Affiliate Pro is the Swiss Army knife of affiliate marketing platforms. It's been around longer than most competitors and offers an impressive array of advanced features that can handle virtually any tracking scenario you can imagine. If you need multi-tier commissions, complex attribution models, or integration with unusual payment systems, this platform probably supports it.

The subscription tracking capabilities are robust, with detailed analytics for trial conversions, upgrade paths, and churn attribution. You can create sophisticated commission structures that account for different subscription plans, contract lengths, and customer segments.

However, all this power comes with a learning curve. Post Affiliate Pro feels like enterprise software: it can do almost anything, but you'll need to invest time learning how to configure it properly. The interface isn't as intuitive as newer platforms, and the setup process can be overwhelming for first-time users.

Key Features:

Free Plan: Limited free version available with basic features and restricted affiliate/click limits. Full features require paid plans starting around $97/month.

Pros:

Cons:

Reality Check: Post Affiliate Pro offers enterprise-level capabilities that most SaaS companies simply don't need. Unless you have complex tracking requirements that simpler platforms can't handle, Endorsely's user-friendly approach and generous free tier provide better value.

5. ReferralCandy: Best for E-commerce SaaS Hybrids

Best For: SaaS companies that also sell physical products or have hybrid business models combining subscriptions and one-time sales

ReferralCandy originally focused on e-commerce referral programs, but they've expanded to support SaaS companies with subscription tracking and recurring commission features. If you're running a SaaS business that also sells physical products, training courses, or other one-time purchases, ReferralCandy can handle both revenue streams in a single platform.

The platform's strength lies in its referral-focused approach rather than traditional affiliate marketing. It's designed to turn your existing customers into brand advocates, with automated email campaigns that encourage referrals and social sharing tools that make it easy for customers to spread the word.

The subscription features are adequate but not as sophisticated as platforms built specifically for SaaS. You can track recurring revenue and set up commission structures for monthly subscriptions, but the analytics don't dive as deep into SaaS-specific metrics like customer lifetime value attribution or churn analysis by traffic source.

Key Features:

Free Plan: Limited trial period, then pricing starts at $59/month. No true free tier for ongoing use.

Pros:

Cons:

The Bottom Line: ReferralCandy works for SaaS companies focused on customer referrals rather than affiliate partnerships.

Feature Comparison: How They Stack Up

Here's a side-by-side comparison of the key features and capabilities that matter most for SaaS affiliate programs:

Endorsely

FirstPromoter

Rewardful

Post Affiliate Pro

ReferralCandy

Best For

AI-powered affiliate discovery

Stripe-heavy SaaS companies

Marketing-friendly setup

Advanced tracking needs

E-commerce SaaS hybrids

Standout

Competitor affiliate analysis

Deep Stripe integration

User-friendly interface

Enterprise-level features

Customer referral focus

Free Plan

Until $1k/month revenue

14-day trial only

30-day trial only

Limited free tier

Trial period only

SaaS Focus

Built specifically for SaaS

Excellent subscription tracking

Good SaaS support

Advanced SaaS features

Basic SaaS capabilities

Setup Time

5-10 minutes

15-20 minutes

10-15 minutes

30-60 minutes

15-25 minutes

Looking at this comparison, Endorsely's combination of true free usage, SaaS-specific features, and AI-powered discovery creates a compelling value proposition. The AI affiliate discovery feature essentially gives you a research team's worth of work in minutes.

Professional Tips for Choosing SaaS Affiliate Software

After implementing affiliate programs for dozens of SaaS companies, here's what actually matters:

Subscription-Specific Tracking Is Non-Negotiable: Your platform must understand that SaaS revenue doesn't work like e-commerce sales. Look for trial conversion tracking, upgrade/downgrade attribution, and churn analysis by traffic source. If a platform can't tell you which affiliates drive customers who stick around versus those who cancel, you're flying blind.

Payment Processor Integration Saves Massive Headaches: Choose a platform that integrates natively with your billing system (Stripe, Paddle, etc.). Manual commission calculations are a nightmare when dealing with prorated upgrades and refunds.

Start with Discovery, Not Just Management: Finding quality partners is often the biggest challenge. Prioritize platforms that help you identify potential affiliates through AI analysis, built-in directories, or search tools.

Free Doesn't Always Mean Cheap: A 30-day trial that converts to $100/month might be more expensive than a platform that's genuinely free until you're generating affiliate revenue. Calculate total cost of ownership over 12 months.

Why Endorsely Stands Out for SaaS Companies

After testing all these platforms extensively, Endorsely consistently delivers the best experience for SaaS companies getting started with affiliate marketing. Here's why it keeps winning:

The AI Advantage Actually Works: I was skeptical about AI-powered affiliate discovery until I saw it in action. Endorsely's system doesn't just find random influencers; it analyzes your competitors' affiliate networks and identifies creators who are already promoting similar products. This targeted approach means you're reaching out to warm prospects instead of cold contacts.

SaaS-First Design Philosophy: Every feature in Endorsely was built with subscription businesses in mind. The analytics dashboard shows metrics that actually matter for SaaS companies: trial conversion rates, customer lifetime value by affiliate, and churn attribution. You're not trying to force e-commerce metrics into a subscription model.

Growth-Friendly Pricing Model: The fact that Endorsely is completely free until you hit $1,000/month in affiliate revenue removes all the risk from testing affiliate marketing. You can experiment, learn what works, and scale up without worrying about monthly software costs eating into your margins.

Time-to-Value Is Unmatched: I've set up dozens of affiliate programs, and Endorsely consistently delivers the fastest path from idea to live program. The 10-minute setup isn't marketing hype; I've timed it. Compare that to other platforms that require days of configuration and technical setup.

The Content Studio feature is also underappreciated. Being able to automatically track every piece of content your affiliates create gives you insights into what promotional strategies work best and helps you provide better guidance to your partners.

Final Thoughts

Building a successful affiliate program for your SaaS company doesn't have to be a technical nightmare or budget-breaking investment. These platforms prove you can start with sophisticated tracking and automated discovery without spending upfront.

Endorsely wins because it removes the two biggest barriers to SaaS affiliate success: finding quality partners and managing subscription-based commissions. The AI discovery gives you a massive head start, while subscription-focused tracking ensures you're optimizing for metrics that actually matter.

The key is to start somewhere. Industry data shows 81% of brands use affiliate programs with an average ROI of $15 for every dollar spent. Start with Endorsely's free tier, use the AI discovery to build your partner list, and see what traction you can generate.

FAQs

What makes SaaS affiliate software different from regular affiliate platforms?

SaaS affiliate software is designed specifically for subscription businesses and recurring revenue models, tracking metrics like trial conversions, customer lifetime value, and churn attribution instead of just one-time sales.

How does Endorsely's AI affiliate finder work?

Endorsely's AI crawls the web to analyze your competitors' affiliate networks, identifying bloggers and influencers who already promote similar products and would likely be interested in partnering with you.

Can I track trial-to-paid conversions with these platforms?

Yes, platforms built for SaaS (like Endorsely, FirstPromoter, and Rewardful) automatically track the complete customer journey from trial signup through paid conversion and ongoing subscription management.

What's the real cost of "free" affiliate marketing software?

True free tiers like Endorsely's cost nothing until you generate revenue, while "free trials" convert to monthly fees regardless of your affiliate program's success, potentially costing hundreds per year.

How long does it typically take to set up a SaaS affiliate program?

With modern SaaS-focused platforms like Endorsely, you can have a basic program running in 5-10 minutes, though finding and recruiting quality affiliates takes additional time and effort.

Should I choose a platform based on my payment processor?

Payment processor integration is crucial for automated commission tracking, so if you use Stripe or Paddle, prioritize platforms with native integration to avoid manual calculation headaches.