Honest comparison · Updated May 2026

Partli vs FirstPromoter:
Two SaaS-Native Affiliate Platforms — Which Is the Better Fit?

FirstPromoter is a well-established affiliate tracking platform for SaaS. Partli is a newer alternative with lower pricing, no affiliate caps, and a public partner directory. This comparison puts the numbers side by side so you can decide which is right for your program size and stack.

Pricing Comparison

PlanPartliFirstPromoter
Entry plan (monthly)$29/mo — unlimited partners$49/mo — capped at 25 affiliates
Entry plan (annual)$23/mo$39/mo
Unlimited affiliates plan (monthly)$29/mo (Starter, already unlimited)$99/mo (Business)
Platform % on payoutsNoneNone
Stripe Connect payouts
7-day free trial14-day trial
The affiliate cap matters: FirstPromoter's Starter plan limits you to 25 affiliates. If you recruit 26 partners — which can happen quickly when your first campaign lands — you need to upgrade to the $99/month Business plan. Partli's Starter plan has no affiliate cap, ever.

Feature Comparison

FeaturePartliFirstPromoter
Affiliate program management
Stripe-native conversion tracking
Stripe Connect automated payouts
Custom commission rates
Branded affiliate apply pages
REST API + webhooks
MCP server + CLI for AI agents
Fraud detection
Unlimited affiliates (all plans)
Unlimited programs (all plans)
Public partner directory listing
No platform fee on payouts
Multi-workspace support
Braintree / Recurly / Chargebee support
Advanced referral widget
Email notifications to affiliates

Table reflects publicly available information as of May 2026.

Partli limitations

  • Stripe-only; no Braintree, Recurly, or Chargebee integration
  • Newer platform with fewer public third-party reviews than FirstPromoter
  • No advanced referral widget with hosted landing page option

FirstPromoter limitations

  • 25-affiliate cap on Starter plan — easy to hit, forces $99/mo upgrade
  • Higher pricing at every tier than Partli
  • No public partner directory for program discovery
  • Limited multi-program support on lower plans

Choose Partli if…

  • You want unlimited partners from day one without hitting a cap
  • You are on Stripe and want lower monthly pricing
  • You run multiple affiliate programs under one subscription
  • You want your program discoverable via a public directory

Choose FirstPromoter if…

  • You use Braintree, Recurly, or Chargebee as your payment processor
  • You want a longer-established platform with more third-party reviews
  • You need an advanced hosted referral widget for in-app sharing

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FirstPromoter and who uses it?

FirstPromoter is an affiliate and referral tracking platform used by hundreds of SaaS companies. It integrates with Stripe, Braintree, Recurly, and Chargebee, tracks referral conversions, calculates commissions, and provides a partner dashboard and management UI. It has been around since 2017 and has a solid public review base on G2 and Capterra.

Why is Partli cheaper than FirstPromoter?

Partli launched more recently and set out to undercut the market on price. The Starter plan at $29/month is designed to be a no-brainer for any SaaS with an affiliate program, regardless of stage. Unlimited partners from the entry tier removes the artificial cap that pushes FirstPromoter Starter users to the $99/month Business plan when they recruit their 26th affiliate.

Does Partli work with non-Stripe payment processors?

Not currently. Partli is built on Stripe Connect — it uses Stripe's webhook events to track conversions and Stripe Connect for automated payouts. If you run Braintree, Recurly, or Chargebee, FirstPromoter is a better fit until Partli adds those integrations.

How does migration from FirstPromoter to Partli work?

Partli provides a REST API for importing partner data and commission history. You export your affiliate list from FirstPromoter, import via the Partli API, update your Stripe webhook configuration to point to Partli, and update the affiliate sign-up link in your app. Most migrations complete in under a day. The Partli Growth and Scale plans include migration support.

Is the affiliate cap on FirstPromoter's Starter plan really a problem?

It depends on your growth rate. If you recruit 25 affiliates quickly — which is common after any launch campaign or ProductHunt feature — you hit the cap and need to upgrade to the $99/month Business plan. That is a $50/month jump. Partli removes this risk: unlimited affiliates on every plan, including the $29/month Starter.

Unlimited partners. No affiliate cap. $29/month.

Launch your affiliate program today. Stripe Connect payouts, branded apply pages, fraud detection, unlimited programs. 7-day free trial.

Start your free trial

This page is published by Partli (partli.app) and reflects our honest assessment of publicly available information about FirstPromoter as of May 2026. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by FirstPromoter. Verify current pricing and features at firstpromoter.com before making a decision.