Referral and partner programs
Asked as “referral program software”, and as “partner ecosystem and referral tracking tool”, on behalf of a mid-market B2B software company. 54 first choices recorded across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, six models each.
Standing · first-choice share
22%
Contested · Referral Rock 13%
22PartnerStack13Referral Rock13Smile.io52others
22% of first choices, contested.
Since September 2026▲+3Since September 2026: 19% → 22%, +3 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.PartnerStack held the lead, +3 points on 19%, inside the 12-point floor.
The standing
Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, over all six models, for a mid-market B2B software company. Ordered by share.
ProductFirst-choice shareNegative rateLabelsQuadrantSince September 2026
01
PartnerStack22%0%30accepted challenger▲+3Since September 2026: 19% → 22%, +3 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.19% → 22%
PartnerStack22%0%30accepted challenger▲+3Since September 2026: 19% → 22%, +3 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.19% → 22%02
Referral Rock13%17%36accepted challenger▲+1Since September 2026: 15% → 15%, +1 point. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.15% → 15%
Referral Rock13%17%36accepted challenger▲+1Since September 2026: 15% → 15%, +1 point. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.15% → 15%03
Smile.io13%0%10accepted challenger▲+7Since September 2026: 6% → 13%, +7 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.6% → 13%
Smile.io13%0%10accepted challenger▲+7Since September 2026: 6% → 13%, +7 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.6% → 13%04
GrowSurf6%17%23accepted challenger▲+7Since September 2026: 0% → 7%, +7 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 7%
GrowSurf6%17%23accepted challenger▲+7Since September 2026: 0% → 7%, +7 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 7%05
ReferralCandy6%31%39criticized challenger▼−6Since September 2026: 10% → 4%, −6 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.10% → 4%
ReferralCandy6%31%39criticized challenger▼−6Since September 2026: 10% → 4%, −6 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.10% → 4%06
Cello6%0%13accepted challenger▲+2Since September 2026: 4% → 7%, +2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.4% → 7%
Cello6%0%13accepted challenger▲+2Since September 2026: 4% → 7%, +2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.4% → 7%07
Friendbuy4%9%23accepted challenger▲+4Since September 2026: 0% → 4%, +4 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 4%
Friendbuy4%9%23accepted challenger▲+4Since September 2026: 0% → 4%, +4 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 4%08
Ambassador4%6%16accepted challenger▼−6Since September 2026: 8% → 2%, −6 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.8% → 2%
Ambassador4%6%16accepted challenger▼−6Since September 2026: 8% → 2%, −6 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.8% → 2%09
Referral Factory4%12%17accepted challenger=heldSince September 2026: 2% → 2%, ±0 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.2% → 2%
Referral Factory4%12%17accepted challenger=heldSince September 2026: 2% → 2%, ±0 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.2% → 2%10
FirstPromoter2%9%11accepted challenger=heldSince September 2026: 2% → 2%, ±0 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.2% → 2%
FirstPromoter2%9%11accepted challenger=heldSince September 2026: 2% → 2%, ±0 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.2% → 2%11
Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals2%9%11accepted challenger▲+2Since September 2026: 0% → 2%, +2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 2%
Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals2%9%11accepted challenger▲+2Since September 2026: 0% → 2%, +2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 2%12
Talkable2%17%12accepted challenger▲+2Since September 2026: 0% → 2%, +2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 2%
Talkable2%17%12accepted challenger▲+2Since September 2026: 0% → 2%, +2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 2%Show the three products at 0%, ordered by negative rate
15
Viral Loops0%40%20criticized challenger▼−4Since September 2026: 4% → 0%, −4 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.4% → 0%
Viral Loops0%40%20criticized challenger▼−4Since September 2026: 4% → 0%, −4 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.4% → 0%13
impact.com0%14%14accepted challenger▼−2Since September 2026: 2% → 0%, −2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.2% → 0%
impact.com0%14%14accepted challenger▼−2Since September 2026: 2% → 0%, −2 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.2% → 0%14
Extole0%8%13accepted challenger=heldSince September 2026: 0% → 0%, ±0 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 0%
Extole0%8%13accepted challenger=heldSince September 2026: 0% → 0%, ±0 points. Inside the 12-point floor: within noise. Read over the models both editions asked.0% → 0%The floor is 12 points of share, measured: how far the models move a leader on their own when the same questions are asked twice with nothing changed. A larger change is movement; a smaller one is noise, and both are shown. How the floor is measured
Bars are the share of first choices, 0 to 100Every product with at least 10 labels here. Every product name links to its product page.
Head to head
All six head-to-head pages: the top four products, each against each
Recommended versus criticized
Every product with at least 10 labels here, on both axes. The 30% line names a quadrant, not the verdict above: that one needs more than 40%.
Criticized challengerCriticized default
Negative label rate →
010203040506070809101112131415Accepted challengerEndorsed leader
0%First-choice share → · lines at 30% share and 25% negative40%
Key
01PartnerStack22%
PartnerStack22%02Referral Rock13%
Referral Rock13%03Smile.io13%
Smile.io13%04GrowSurf6%
GrowSurf6%05ReferralCandy6%
ReferralCandy6%06Cello6%
Cello6%07Friendbuy4%
Friendbuy4%08Ambassador4%
Ambassador4%09Referral Factory4%
Referral Factory4%10FirstPromoter2%
FirstPromoter2%11Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals2%
Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals2%12Talkable2%
Talkable2%13impact.com0%
impact.com0%14Extole0%
Extole0%15Viral Loops0%
Viral Loops0%What they warned about
A high negative share on a product with few labels is a warning. A low share on a product with many labels is salience, not sentiment.
ReferralCandy31%
12 of 39 labels negative · 11 of 6 models · 2 hard negative
“"Consumer-first tools like ReferralCandy and Viral Loops fail B2B programs because they track by user ID, not org, and have no CRM integration for sales-led funnels."” Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt
Viral Loops40%
8 of 20 labels negative · 8 of 6 models · 2 hard negative
“"Consumer-first tools like ReferralCandy and Viral Loops fail B2B programs because they track by user ID, not org, and have no CRM integration"” Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt
Referral Rock17%
6 of 36 labels negative · 5 of 6 models
“"starts at $175/month flat rate. There is a mandatory onboarding fee on top of that... The interface has been consistently described by users as dated."” Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt
GrowSurf17%
4 of 23 labels negative · 4 of 6 models
“Examples: Viral Loops, GrowSurf ... Avoid highly technical, developer-centric platforms (like GrowSurf) unless you have dedicated in-house engineers” Gemini 3.5 Flash, negative prompt
What they cite
Citations exist only for the models that return a source list: fourteen of the six in this edition.
Sites the answers cite
79 of 84 answers in this category came back with a source list, from 14 of 6 models: citations where the model returns them, or the search results it consulted. 1126 links across 222 sites, every framing counted. Ranked by the number of answers carrying the site or page. None of the 36 answers across every segment cited this index's own page for the category.
vendor site · GrowSurf31 answers · 50 citations · 12 models
vendor site · Cello30 answers · 55 citations · 12 models
vendor site · Open Loyalty29 answers · 29 citations · 12 models
vendor site · Tremendous28 answers · 29 citations · 11 models
vendor site · Moosend24 answers · 24 citations · 11 models
vendor site · ReferralCandy21 answers · 29 citations · 11 models
vendor site · Referral Rock21 answers · 27 citations · 10 models
vendor site · Prefinery21 answers · 25 citations · 8 models
19 answers · 37 citations · 10 models
vendor site · Extole19 answers · 25 citations · 10 models
vendor site · Refgrow17 answers · 17 citations · 8 models
vendor site · FirstPromoter16 answers · 23 citations · 9 models
Pages the answers cite
The ten pages named in the most answers, by full address. A page here is one the models returned with a recommendation, not one the index endorses.
28 answers · 11 models
28 answers · 12 models
26 answers · 10 models
24 answers · 11 models
19 answers · 10 models
18 answers · 8 models
15 answers · 10 models
14 answers · 9 models
13 answers · 8 models
13 answers · 9 models
Search against answers
Each company's standing in the answers beside its site's footprint in Google search, one row a site: the products the models named on it with their shares, and the share they add up to; monthly searches on Google, and DataForSEO's estimate of AI search demand (modeled from search signals, directional, not a count of queries to any assistant), for the most-searched of the company's and its products' names (the name is in each row's hover text); estimated monthly organic visits to the site; and its best position in Google's top ten for “best referral program software”, “referral program software”. US estimates from DataForSEO and Google's Ads Transparency Center. A small company's site, or a mid-sized company's site for its flagship, is marked company; a product on a large parent's site (Google, Microsoft) has no site figures. A column with no figures for this category is left out, and an empty cell means none were seen, not none exist. Two measurements side by side: neither is read as the cause of the other.
| Company and products | Share | Own site cited | Name searches, Google | AI search demand, est. | Organic visits | Paid search a month, est. | Google ads, last 30 days | Best Google position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PartnerStack partnerstack.com | 22% | 395 | 4,400 | 68 | 27,495 | 16 | ||
| Referral Rock referralrock.com | 13% | 191 | 720 | 10 | 18,599 | 1 | 2 | |
| Smile.io smile.io | 13% | 119 | 260 | 26 | 8,962 | $1,468 | 12 | |
| GrowSurf growsurf.com | 6% | 90 | 260 | 0 | 2,078 | 0 | ||
| ReferralCandy referralcandy.com | 6% | 171 | 590 | 3 | 18,870 | 28 | 6 | |
| Cello cello.so | 6% | 37 | 165,000 | 28,081 | 3,191 | 3 | ||
| Friendbuy friendbuy.com | 4% | 125 | 480 | 1 | 1,138 | 9 | ||
| Ambassador getambassador.com | 4% | 98 | 74,000 | 40,688 | 572 | 0 | ||
| Referral Factory referral-factory.com | 4% | 137 | 480 | 2 | 5,115 | 3 | 1 | |
| FirstPromoter firstpromoter.com | 2% | 66 | 590 | 9 | 797 | 12 |
Google's top ten for the two searches hold 10 sites; 4 of them are among the sites the models cited here (extole.com, referralcandy.com, referralrock.com, tremendous.com). The first result for “best referral program software” is referral-factory.com.
How they answered
Six framings of the same buying question, each sent to every model in a fresh session with search on. One row per model, so a row shows whether it held its answer under rewording, what it named when cost was the constraint, and what it argued against. Computed from the raw judge labels.ShowHide
How they answered
Six framings of the same buying question, each sent to every model in a fresh session with search on. One row per model, so a row shows whether it held its answer under rewording, what it named when cost was the constraint, and what it argued against. Computed from the raw judge labels.
ShowHideModelDirect“What is the best referral program software for a mid-market B2B company?”Paraphrase“Which partner ecosystem and referral tracking tool would you recommend to a mid-sized B2B company?”Comparative“What are the top referral program tools and how do they differ?”Budget-constrained“What is the best referral program software for a company with a limited budget?”Scale-constrained“We are a 500 person company evaluating a referral program software. What should we look at?”Negative“Which referral program tools should I avoid or be cautious about?”
Claude Opus 5no first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choicenothing named
Claude Opus 4.8no first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choicenothing named
GPT-6 Astrano first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choicenothing named
GPT-5.6 Solno first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choicenothing named
Gemini 3.1 Prono first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choicenothing named
Perplexity Sonar Prono first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choiceno first choicenothing named
Bold is the first choiceAlternatives are counted; the count opens them.What the answer argued against
The record
One row per call: the version string exactly as returned, whether the model searched, sources cited, and latency. Full answer text is in the free responses file. Download the record
Zero rows: every prompt, every model, every answer.
| Prompt | Model | Version string | Time (UTC) | Searched | Sources | Latency |
|---|
Normalization in this category
Every judgment call made between the raw labels and the numbers above, listed so it is visible and reversible.
ShowHide
Category-scoped readings
Impartner read as Impartner PRM
Kiflo read as Kiflo PRM
Yotpo read as Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals
ZINFI read as ZINFI Unified Partner Management
Unresolved, counted raw
Avature
BWZ
Bonusly
Factorial
Gleam.io
HireVue Referral
Incentro
Jobvite
Jumpstart
Keka
Kickoff Labs
Partnac
Recruiter.com
Referral Candy
ReferralExchange
ReferralMagic
Referrals.com
Referri
Rivo Loyalty & Referrals
SC Conjured Referrals
Salesforce AppExchange partner ecosystem tools
Talentech
Team Engine
Workable
Zao
Zuora for partnerships
refer.me
Discontinued, still offered
No shut-down product was recommended here.