# PayKickstart vs ThriveCart for your affiliates · Vendor Runbook

> Source: https://vendorrunbook.com/compare/paykickstart-vs-thrivecart

Head-to-head

## PayKickstart or ThriveCart for affiliates you pay yourself

PayKickstart is the pick when you want Partner Contracts, second-tier commissions, and the affiliate center on the entry plan, and monthly revenue stays within the cap. ThriveCart Pro+ is the pick when you want zero platform fees and integrated PayPal payouts on the affiliate plan.

By the Vendor Runbook Editorial Desk. Updated 2026-10-23\. Prices taken from each company's own pages.

**Disclosure:**We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects our rankings. [How we research](/methodology). 

Quick answer

Pick PayKickstart if you want the affiliate center, Partner Contracts, and second-tier commissions on the $79 subscription while monthly revenue stays inside the $3,000 cap; pick ThriveCart if you want 0% platform fees on every sale and the affiliate center on Pro+ at $87 a month, paying partners through integrated PayPal.

[Read the PayKickstart review](/reviews/paykickstart)

### Affiliate plans side by side

|                | PayKickstart                                      | ThriveCart                      |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Affiliate plan | $79 a month, tools included                       | Pro+, $87 a month               |
| Trial          | 14 days                                           | 30 days                         |
| Fee on a sale  | None inside the cap. Connect from 2.3% + $0.20    | 0% to ThriveCart                |
| Overage        | 5.27% for overage revenue past $3,000             | Stays at 0%                     |
| Launch option  | 6% of revenue, no subscription                    | Subscription only               |
| Second tier    | First and second tier                             | Joint Venture Contracts on Pro+ |
| Marketplace    | Marketplace exposure                              | Not a marketplace               |
| Partner payout | PayPal auto on Growth and Scale. Stripe is manual | PayPal, automatic or manual     |
| Partner link   | Affiliate center                                  | id--account.thrivecart.com      |

[ ](/reviews/paykickstart) 

PayKickstart home page, where the seller fees and rules are published.

[ ](/reviews/thrivecart) 

ThriveCart homepage, with the logo and the free-trial button at the top of the page.

You are down to two carts, and you pay the affiliates yourself. Checkout still has to credit the referring partner, include an order bump, and run an upsell. PayKickstart and ThriveCart both run that checkout on a processor you connect. The difference is which plan includes partner tools, and which fees apply once monthly revenue goes past the cap in the table.

[ThriveCart's affiliate setup article](https://support.thrivecart.com/help/the-complete-affiliate-setup-walkthrough/) says the product is not a marketplace, not the merchant of record, and not a payment processor, and that it does not hold the customer's funds. The buyer's payment lands in the Stripe or PayPal account you connected. You send the partner their share from that money. If you want the network to process the payment and pay the affiliate, read [how tax, refunds, and chargebacks are handled](/guides/merchant-of-record-vs-payment-processor), and then [whether to use network checkout or your own cart](/compare/affiliate-network-checkout-vs-own-checkout).

### Which plan includes affiliate tracking

[PayKickstart's pricing page](https://app.paykickstart.com/pricing) puts recruiting, tracking, and paying on the same feature table as the checkout. First-tier and second-tier commissions, instant or delayed payouts, marketplace exposure, Partner Contracts, and Wallet are listed there. The first paid plan includes every feature. The trial length is in the table. After the trial, that plan covers you until monthly revenue reaches the cap, where the overage rate begins.

[ThriveCart's homepage](https://thrivecart.com/) lists one bump, one-click upsells and downsells, and A/B split testing on Standard. The same grid places the Affiliate Center, automated payouts, and Joint Venture Contracts on Pro+. That help page says a new account turns affiliate promotions on by moving to Pro+. Legacy Pro and Client accounts are the exception, and only for accounts that already have them.

Standard, set beside PayKickstart's entry row, has the bump and the upsell and leaves affiliate promotions for Pro+. The two affiliate rows above are the subscriptions that can credit a partner. Standard remains a fit when you only need checkout and have nobody to pay a commission.

### The link a ThriveCart affiliate has to share

That help page shows the URL affiliates have to use. It starts with the affiliate id, then two hyphens, then your account name, on thrivecart.com, then the product slug: https://affiliateid--vendor.thrivecart.com/product-name/. A single hyphen or an ordinary subdomain produces a different URL from the one on that page.

After the cart redirects, the address in the browser can include a query parameter named affiliate. The same page says that post-redirect URL fails to credit the partner. People lose the commission when they copy the URL from the browser address bar after the redirect. Share the URL shown on that page before the redirect, because that is the address the cart credits.

PayKickstart's price list describes tracking from its affiliate center, and marketplace exposure is on that same table. A partner can find the offer there. Partner Contracts are listed too, next to the first tier and the second tier. You choose who promotes the offer, and the affiliate center tracks what they earn.

### Who sends the commission

[PayKickstart's affiliate page](https://paykickstart.com/affiliate-management/) says instant commission payouts go through PayPal only. The [payout article](https://support.paykickstart.com/articles/9851273-how-to-handle-affiliate-commission-payouts) limits instant and automated PayPal payouts to Growth and Scale vendors. The public price list does not label Growth or Scale with a dollar figure. Automated PayPal payouts are limited to those two tiers. The entry row is the one that includes the partner tools.

When the buyer pays through Stripe, or through another gateway, the payout article says you send each commission yourself. The sale can clear on Stripe. You pay that commission outside PayKickstart.

On ThriveCart, integrated PayPal can send commission from your PayPal account to the affiliate's PayPal account, by hand or on a schedule. The homepage lists automated payouts on Pro+, together with Joint Venture Contracts. Joint Venture Contracts are ThriveCart's name for a partner share on that plan. PayKickstart's second tier is a separate line, on the entry subscription.

Wallet appears in the same feature list as PayKickstart's affiliate tools. Automated PayPal is documented for Growth and Scale vendors.

### A marketplace listing, or partners you already know

PayKickstart lists marketplace exposure with the affiliate tools, so the offer can appear where other PayKickstart affiliates browse. On ThriveCart, you recruit the affiliates yourself. Each partner uses the id-and-two-hyphens link.

See [PayKickstart compared with SamCart](/compare/paykickstart-vs-samcart). SamCart's Affiliate Center is on Pro, while PayKickstart's entry plan already includes the partner tools. See [SamCart compared with ThriveCart](/compare/samcart-vs-thrivecart). That page weighs ThriveCart Pro+ against SamCart Pro. Read those if SamCart is still on your list, then weigh the cap and the PayPal path here.

### Bumps and upsells before you add affiliates

Standard already includes one bump, one-click upsells and downsells, and A/B split testing. A vendor who only needs the order form can stay on that plan. A new ThriveCart account has to move to Pro+ before a partner can earn a commission. PayKickstart lists the checkout tools and the affiliate center together, so the entry subscription carries both until revenue reaches the cap.

Launch is PayKickstart's other route onto that same feature list. The price list sets Launch as a share of revenue, with no subscription, and with every feature included. The percentage is shown in the Launch row above. Stripe or PayPal still charges its own rate on the transaction. ThriveCart sells Standard and Pro+ as subscriptions, and partner tracking on a new account stays on Pro+.

### What you still pay once the cart is connected

You still pay your affiliates on both carts, except for the PayPal methods described above. PayKickstart documents PayPal payouts for Growth and Scale vendors, and a commission from a Stripe sale is one you pay yourself. ThriveCart can send PayPal payouts from the account you connected, on Pro+. A refund or a chargeback hits the processor that took the buyer's money, because those funds sit in that account.

[ThriveCart's processor fees page](https://thrivecart.com/company/processorfees/) says the platform's cut is 0%, and that you pay processor fees only, naming Stripe, PayPal, and buy-now-pay-later where that option applies. On a flat PayKickstart plan, inside the cap, the price list adds no PayKickstart percentage to the sale. Connect is optional processing. The page says it can start as low as 2.3% plus $0.20 per transaction, depending on sales volume and plan. You pay that processing rate in addition to the software subscription, or in addition to Launch's share of revenue.

### PayKickstart: strengths and drawbacks

##### What works

* Order bumps, one-click upsells, coupons and cart recovery sit on the same plans as the affiliate center.
* Partner Contracts let you split launch earnings with a JV partner inside the platform.
* Commissions can be instant or delayed, on the first tier and a second tier, and checkout can show the affiliate code.
* Customers can update a payment card and manage a subscription in the billing portal.
* You can process the sale through Connect, or link Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Braintree, or Easy Pay Direct.

##### What to watch

* Seller reviews describe a long setup before the cart is ready for a launch.
* G2 reviewers say the sales reports need an overhaul.
* Refunds, tax, fulfillment and affiliate compliance stay with the vendor.
* Software fees are non-refundable after a trial converts, and you must cancel at least three days before renewal.
* Most Trustpilot posts come from buyers disputing a product charge, and the terms keep that dispute with the vendor.

[Read the full PayKickstart review](/reviews/paykickstart) or see [PayKickstart fees](/reviews/paykickstart/pricing).

### ThriveCart: strengths and drawbacks

##### What works

* ThriveCart adds no platform percentage per sale. You pay the processing fee that Stripe or PayPal already charges.
* Standard includes one bump, one-click upsells and downsells, sales tax automation, and unlimited products and funnels.
* New subscriptions include a 30-day trial. The one-time Standard license is sold on a separate checkout page.
* Tax calculation and collection are available, with a lower rate on Pro+ than on Standard.
* The homepage lists extra bumps, custom domains, subscription dunning, and JV contracts on Pro+, along with the affiliate center.

##### What to watch

* A new account does not get the affiliate center on Standard. Legacy Pro and Client accounts are the exception named in the setup article.
* Commissions go out through your PayPal account. Stripe and Authorize.net cannot send affiliate commissions from inside ThriveCart.
* You are the merchant of record, and the customer's money goes to your processor.
* Buyers report slow refunds for ThriveCart subscriptions.
* Sellers describe checkout downtime that blocked payment, and a Capterra review describes a refund that posted twice.

[Read the full ThriveCart review](/reviews/thrivecart) or see [ThriveCart fees](/reviews/thrivecart/pricing).

### PayKickstart vs ThriveCart pricing across a year

Twelve monthly bills for PayKickstart's entry plan total $948\. Twelve monthly bills for ThriveCart Pro+ total $1,044\. The gap across that year is $96, before any processor fee on either cart. Past the cap, PayKickstart bills a 5.27% fee for overage revenue. At that rate, overage fees can exceed the $96 difference once monthly revenue goes above the cap.

Billed annually, ThriveCart's catalog lists Standard at $37 a month and Pro+ at $67 a month. The same catalog records a one-time Standard license at $495\. That license is Standard. A new account needs Pro+ before affiliate promotions turn on.

On the processor fees page, tax calculation and collection cost 0.5% per eligible transaction on Standard and 0.35% on Pro+. That charge is ThriveCart's tax line, separate from the card or PayPal fee.

The Standard column above already includes the bump, the upsell, and the split test. A new account turns affiliate promotions on with Pro+. Affiliate promotions are included on the two rows in the table.

### My take

I would start on PayKickstart's entry subscription when the launch needs Partner Contracts, a second tier, and marketplace exposure, and monthly revenue stays within the cap. Partner tracking is included on that subscription. The flat-rate plans charge no PayKickstart fee on a sale while revenue stays under the cap.

I would choose ThriveCart Pro+ if monthly revenue is already past that cap often enough that a 0% platform fee matters more than the overage, or if most affiliate sales go through PayPal and you want integrated payouts on Pro+. Pro+ is the plan that lists automated payouts on the homepage. Growth and Scale stay unnamed on the public price list, as the payout section above describes.

If you need a network to pay affiliates and to be the seller on the charge, use the network checkout comparison above. If your expected monthly revenue stays within the cap, read the [PayKickstart review](/reviews/paykickstart) next.

When monthly revenue stays within the cap

### PayKickstart

Start on the entry plan when you need Partner Contracts on that subscription and monthly revenue stays within the cap.

### Frequently asked questions

Can a new account run affiliates on ThriveCart Standard? 

ThriveCart's help page keeps affiliate promotions off Standard. Pro+ is the plan it names for a new account. Older Pro and Client plans are the exception, and only when the account already has them.

Does PayKickstart add a percentage on each sale? 

Flat subscriptions add no PayKickstart percentage while revenue stays inside the cap. Launch swaps that subscription for a share of revenue. The overage line is the charge after the cap.

Who sends the affiliate their commission? 

You do, on both carts. ThriveCart can move it from your PayPal account on a schedule or when you pay by hand. On PayKickstart, automated PayPal is limited to Growth and Scale, and a Stripe sale is a payment you send yourself.

Does a 2026 search for ThriveCart vs PayKickstart pick a different cart? 

The order of the names is the same choice. The address with ThriveCart first redirects to this page.

How is this different from selling on ClickBank? 

ClickBank is the company on the charge and pays the partner from the sale. Here you connect a processor and you pay the partner. The guide on tax and chargebacks, linked above, maps that split for a network and for a cart you connect.

### Changes to this page

* 2026-10-23 First published. Plan prices from each company's pricing page. Payout rules from each help center.

### What we read

#### From PayKickstart

* <https://paykickstart.com/>
* <https://app.paykickstart.com/pricing> Entry plan at $79 a month
* <https://paykickstart.com/affiliate-management/> Affiliate management
* <https://app.paykickstart.com/pricing> One-click upsells and order bumps
* <https://app.paykickstart.com/pricing> Revenue sharing contracts

#### Other sources

We read 25 discussions and reviews. Quotes are excerpts; open a link to read the original in context. 

1. \[pk-terms-refund\] [Terms of Use ](https://paykickstart.com/terms-of-use/) Blog
2. \[pk-terms-renewal\] [Terms of Use ](https://paykickstart.com/terms-of-use/) Blog
3. \[g2-upsells\] [PayKickstart Reviews ](https://www.g2.com/products/paykickstart/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) G2
4. \[reddit-not-funnel\] [How good is PayKickstart 2.0? ](https://www.reddit.com/r/ShareAiPrompts/comments/1p2z6ug/how%5Fgood%5Fis%5Fpaykickstart%5F20/) Reddit
5. \[capterra-configure\] [PayKickstart Reviews ](https://www.capterra.com/p/163329/Paykickstart/reviews/?page=5) Capterra
6. \[g2-setup\] [PayKickstart Reviews ](https://www.g2.com/products/paykickstart/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) G2
7. \[g2-reports\] [PayKickstart Reviews ](https://www.g2.com/products/paykickstart/reviews) G2
8. \[reddit-ui\] [So what is PayKickstart really? ](https://www.reddit.com/r/cryptozonehub/comments/1qkpfdb/so%5Fwhat%5Fis%5Fpaykickstart%5Freally/) Reddit
9. \[g2-affiliate-upsells\] [PayKickstart Pros and Cons ](https://www.g2.com/products/paykickstart/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) G2
10. \[capterra-funnel\] [PayKickstart Reviews ](https://www.capterra.com/p/163329/Paykickstart/reviews/?page=2) Capterra
11. \[pk-support-aid\] [Affiliate credit on checkout ](https://support.paykickstart.com/articles/9026280-how-to-confirm-correct-affiliate-is-being-credited-for-a) Blog
12. \[pk-terms-mor\] [Terms of Use ](https://paykickstart.com/terms-of-use/) Blog
13. \[trustpilot-buyers\] [PayKickstart Reviews ](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/paykickstart.com) Trustpilot
14. \[capterra-support\] [PayKickstart Reviews ](https://www.capterra.com/p/163329/Paykickstart/reviews/?page=2) Capterra
15. \[r1\] [Thoughts on ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1l8jeoj/thoughts%5Fon%5Fthrivecart/) Reddit
16. \[r2\] [Thoughts on ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1l8jeoj/thoughts%5Fon%5Fthrivecart/) Reddit
17. \[r3\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
18. \[r4\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
19. \[r5\] [ThriveCart reviews on Capterra ](https://www.capterra.com/p/234835/ThriveCart/reviews/) Capterra
20. \[r6\] [ThriveCart reviews on Capterra, page 2 ](https://www.capterra.com/p/234835/ThriveCart/reviews/?page=2) Capterra
21. \[r7\] [Thoughts on ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1l8jeoj/thoughts%5Fon%5Fthrivecart/) Reddit
22. \[r8\] [Do any of you really use thrivecart? ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/13n9fw0/do%5Fany%5Fof%5Fyou%5Freally%5Fuse%5Fthrivecart%5Fif%5Fso%5Fare%5Fyou/) Reddit
23. \[r9\] [Do any of you really use thrivecart? ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/13n9fw0/do%5Fany%5Fof%5Fyou%5Freally%5Fuse%5Fthrivecart%5Fif%5Fso%5Fare%5Fyou/) Reddit
24. \[r10\] [ThriveCart alternatives ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1au0juj/thrivecart%5Falternatives/) Reddit
25. \[r11\] [Kartra vs ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/EcommerceWebsite/comments/1j5nemr/kartra%5Fvs%5Fthrivecartwhich%5Fone%5Fshould%5Fi%5Fgo%5Ffor/) Reddit

[Read the PayKickstart review](/reviews/paykickstart)

### Related

* [Affiliate networks for vendors, ranked](/best)
* [PayKickstart or SamCart for affiliates you recruit](/compare/paykickstart-vs-samcart)
* [SamCart or ThriveCart for affiliates you recruit](/compare/samcart-vs-thrivecart)
* [Who is the merchant of record for the charge](/guides/merchant-of-record-vs-payment-processor)
* [PayKickstart alternatives](/alternatives/paykickstart)
* [ThriveCart alternatives](/alternatives/thrivecart)
* [Which affiliate network fits your offer](/compare/which-affiliate-network-fits-your-offer-a-picker-for-vendors)
* [Fee calculator for any other price](/compare/affiliate-network-fee-calculator-what-a-vendor-keeps-per-sale)
* [When a vendor gets paid](/compare/when-does-a-vendor-get-paid-payout-hold-and-reserve-timeline-by-affiliate-networ)
* [Network checkout or your own cart](/compare/affiliate-network-checkout-vs-own-checkout)
* [Refund windows and chargeback fees by network](/compare/affiliate-network-chargeback-fees-and-refund-rules-for-vendors)
* [All head-to-heads](/compare)

Written by

Vendor Runbook Editorial Desk

Editorial desk

The editorial desk at Vendor Runbook. It sets the testing standard the reviews are held to, signs the pages no single writer owns, and publishes the notes and dates behind every ranking. Corrections go to the contact page and are logged on the page they change.

Last checked 2026-10-23

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