# SamCart vs ThriveCart for your affiliates · Vendor Runbook

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

Head-to-head

## SamCart or ThriveCart for affiliates you recruit

ThriveCart Pro+ is the cheaper monthly plan if you recruit your own affiliates. SamCart Pro adds Subscription Saver and A/B testing on that same kind of subscription.

By the Vendor Runbook Editorial Desk. Updated 2026-10-21\. 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 SamCart if you want the Affiliate Center on the same Pro plan as one-click upsells, order bumps, A/B testing and Subscription Saver, and the $199 monthly plan fits that stack; pick ThriveCart if you want a 0% platform fee on the sale, bumps and upsells on Standard, and the affiliate program on Pro+ at $87 a month on the monthly checkout.

[Read the ThriveCart review](/reviews/thrivecart)

### Affiliate plans side by side

|                   | SamCart                                                         | ThriveCart                       |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Affiliate plan    | Pro, $199 a month                                               | Pro+, $87 a month                |
| Trial             | 7 days                                                          | 30 days                          |
| Fee on a sale     | SamPay 2.9% + 30¢. Tax collection 50 bps on Core, 35 bps on Pro | 0% platform fee                  |
| Order bumps       | On Pro                                                          | One on Standard, several on Pro+ |
| One-click upsells | On Pro                                                          | On Standard, with downsells      |
| A/B tests         | On Pro                                                          | On Standard                      |
| Affiliate tools   | Affiliate Center on Pro                                         | Pro+ for a new account           |
| Paying partners   | A CSV you export and pay                                        | You pay from your processor      |

[ ](/reviews/samcart) 

SamCart's homepage, with the headline about conversions and a tablet that shows an order bump.

[ ](/reviews/thrivecart) 

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

You already decided a network should not be the company on the charge. The partners are people you bring, and the checkout still has to record which link they used, offer a bump, and run an upsell. SamCart and ThriveCart both sell that checkout. What separates them is which monthly plan tracks your affiliates, and which card fees you still pay after that subscription.

A comment on [r/marketing](https://www.reddit.com/r/marketing/comments/1umrsfh/is%5Fthere%5Fbetter%5Fsoftware%5Fthan%5Fthrivecart/) calls ThriveCart and SamCart direct competitors. The dollars above are from each company's own pricing page or monthly checkout. The [research page](/methodology) states how prices and help articles are handled.

### ThriveCart vs SamCart, on the plan that tracks partners

Comparing Core with Standard leaves out affiliate tracking, which is the reason you are here. [SamCart's pricing page](https://www.samcart.com/pricing) lists Core at $79 a month. The Affiliate Center, one-click upsells, order bumps, A/B testing and Subscription Saver are on Pro. [ThriveCart's affiliate walkthrough](https://support.thrivecart.com/help/the-complete-affiliate-setup-walkthrough/) says affiliate functionality is not available on the Standard plan. A new account moves to Pro+. The article names older Pro and Client plans as the legacy path, which is for accounts that already have them.

The [Standard monthly checkout](https://checkout.thrivecart.com/thrivecart-standard-monthly-plan/) is the $47 bill after a 30-day trial. It can run a checkout. It cannot run the partner program the walkthrough describes. SamCart's trial, on the pricing page, is 7 days, and it is the trial on the plan you actually buy. Those trial lengths are listed above, beside the subscription that includes affiliates.

### How SamCart credits a partner and pays them

[The Affiliate Center article](https://help.samcart.com/support/solutions/articles/60000648176-the-affiliate-center) says the last referrer gets the credit when two partners send the same buyer. The most recent link is the one that earns the commission. An earlier partner does not keep a share of that order because they were first.

The same article says affiliates earn 0% until you set a rate on each product. A new partner does not start with a default commission rate. The percentage is the one you enter for that product, and a product you leave untouched stays at zero.

Payout is a file. The article says that clicking Payout produces a CSV with a line for each affiliate being paid. You pay that list by PayPal MassPay or by any manual method you choose. The help article does not require PayPal. SamCart does not send the commission itself. The sale still runs through the processor on the account. The CSV is the list you use to pay the partners.

SamPay, on the pricing page, is 2.9% + 30¢ on Core and on Pro. The page lists tax collection at 50 bps on Core and 35 bps on Pro, which is the unit that page uses, on top of the SamPay rate. SamCart describes the SamPay rate as the processor fee. It is a separate bill from the monthly subscription above.

### How ThriveCart limits affiliate tracking

The walkthrough is specific about the plan. Affiliate functionality is not on Standard. Pro+ is the upgrade it names for a new account. The same page says ThriveCart is not a marketplace, not the merchant of record, and not a payment processor. The charge hits the processor you connected. You pay partners from that money. There is no pool of promoters waiting inside the product the way there is on [ClickBank](/reviews/clickbank) or [JVZoo](/reviews/jvzoo).

The walkthrough shows the link those partners use. It is the affiliate id, two hyphens, your account name, then the product slug: https://affiliateid--vendor.thrivecart.com/product-name/. A normal subdomain, or a single hyphen between the id and the account, is a different URL from the one that article shows.

[The homepage](https://thrivecart.com/) lists one bump offer on Standard, plus one-click upsells and downsells, A/B split testing and abandoned cart recovery. Several order bumps are on the Pro+ side of that plan table, beside the homepage's line that they can raise average order value by 30%. That 30% is the figure ThriveCart prints. It is not a result from this comparison. The homepage also states 0% fees on sales for those plans, and it still links to a lifetime option for a Standard account. The lifetime link is a second way to buy Standard. It is not the affiliate plan, and it is not the only way the homepage sells the product.

### What a 2025 thread said about the plan limit

A thread on [r/digital\_marketing](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1l8jeoj/thoughts%5Fon%5Fthrivecart/) says the writer found affiliate management on Pro+ at $295 a year, after a sales conversation had implied it was included. That yearly number is what the thread reported. It is not the monthly Pro+ checkout above. The part that matches the walkthrough is the plan limit: partner tracking was on the higher plan, and Standard did not include it.

If the offer needs a marketplace that pays the partner for you, this pair is the wrong shortlist. Read [network checkout or your own cart](/compare/affiliate-network-checkout-vs-own-checkout) for the choice between a network order form and a cart you run.

### SamCart: strengths and drawbacks

##### What works

* The subscription includes sales pages, a hosted checkout, subscriptions, courses and reporting.
* SamPay's published rate is the processor fee, separate from the monthly plan.
* Pro adds one-click upsells, order bumps, A/B tests, Subscription Saver and a private affiliate program you manage.
* Affiliates earn nothing until you set a rate, and the last link the buyer clicks gets the credit.

##### What to watch

* The affiliate program, bumps, upsells and third-party processors are on Pro
* You export a CSV and send affiliate payments by PayPal MassPay, check or another method you choose
* The terms make the vendor responsible for tax, and SamPay runs on Stripe Connect
* Operators say the monthly software subscription no longer pays off for a single business
* A Trustpilot post describes a renewal charge after a low-priced course

[Read the full SamCart review](/reviews/samcart) or see [SamCart fees](/reviews/samcart/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).

### A year of the affiliate-capable plan

A year of SamCart Pro, at the monthly price above, comes to $2,388\. A year of ThriveCart Pro+ on the monthly checkout comes to $1,044\. The gap over that year is $1,344, before the processor takes its cut of each sale. Core at $79 a month, and Standard at $47 a month, are cheaper subscriptions and they leave out partner tracking. Those two plans cover the checkout and stop there.

SamCart's pricing page lists yearly billing at 25% off on the Core line. That discount does not move the Affiliate Center onto Core. Pro stays at the monthly price shown above when the subscription has to include partner tracking. ThriveCart's lifetime link, on the homepage, points at a Standard account. It does not replace the Pro+ monthly checkout when the job is tracking partners.

### What still comes out of the sale

Neither subscription replaces the card processor. The 0% figure above is ThriveCart's platform fee on the sale. The SamPay line is the processor rate SamCart prints, with tax collection listed beside it in basis points. A Stripe or PayPal account you connect bills on its own. These checkouts do not hold the funds and file the tax the way a merchant-of-record network does.

The [fee calculator](/compare/affiliate-network-fee-calculator-what-a-vendor-keeps-per-sale) shows what you keep after a network's cut, at a price you enter. The [payout timeline](/compare/when-does-a-vendor-get-paid-payout-hold-and-reserve-timeline-by-affiliate-networ) shows when that network sends the money. An offer that needs a marketplace of partners belongs on the [ranked list of networks](/best). Head-to-heads between those networks are on the [compare hub](/compare).

### My take

I would start on ThriveCart Pro+. It is the cheaper monthly plan that tracks partners you recruit, and Standard already has the bump and the upsells if you later decide you do not need partners. I would pay for SamCart Pro when Subscription Saver and A/B testing have to sit on the same subscription as the Affiliate Center. I would skip Core and ThriveCart Standard for a partner program.

The plan when you recruit affiliates

### ThriveCart

Choose Pro+ if you recruit your own partners and you want the lower monthly plan that includes them.

### Frequently asked questions

Can I run affiliates on ThriveCart Standard? 

The walkthrough says Standard does not include affiliate functionality. A new account uses Pro+ for that.

Can I run affiliates on SamCart Core? 

The pricing page places the Affiliate Center on Pro, together with the upsells and the bumps.

Who sends the commission? 

You do. ThriveCart's walkthrough says it does not hold the funds. SamCart's payout step is a CSV you pay outside the cart.

How is this different from ClickBank or JVZoo? 

Those networks can pay the partner and keep a cut of the sale. The fee calculator and the two reviews show that split. Here the monthly plan is the software bill, and you pay the partner.

Does swapping the names change which plan to buy? 

Either order of the names is the same choice. Compare Pro with Pro+.

### Changes to this page

* 2026-10-17 First published. Affiliate-plan prices from samcart.com/pricing and the ThriveCart monthly checkouts. Affiliate rules from each help center.

### What we read

#### From ThriveCart

* <https://thrivecart.com/>
* <https://thrivecart.com/company/processorfees/> Tax calculation fee
* <https://support.thrivecart.com/help/the-complete-affiliate-setup-walkthrough/> Affiliate link host pattern

#### Other sources

We read 22 discussions and reviews. Quotes are excerpts; open a link to read the original in context. 

1. \[r1\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
2. \[r2\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
3. \[r3\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
4. \[r4\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
5. \[r5\] [Order Upgrades (Thrivecart Alternative?) ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1ex2vmu/order%5Fupgrades%5Fthrivecart%5Falternative/) Reddit
6. \[r6\] [Is there better software than Thrivecart? ](https://www.reddit.com/r/marketing/comments/1umrsfh/is%5Fthere%5Fbetter%5Fsoftware%5Fthan%5Fthrivecart/) Reddit
7. \[r7\] [Samcart anyone? ](https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/nstyit/samcart%5Fanyone/) Reddit
8. \[r8\] [SamCart Trustpilot reviews ](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/samcart.com) Trustpilot
9. \[r9\] [Good Idea with slow customer support ](https://www.capterra.com/p/204117/SamCart/reviews/) Capterra
10. \[r10\] [Order Upgrades (Thrivecart Alternative?) ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1ex2vmu/order%5Fupgrades%5Fthrivecart%5Falternative/) Reddit
11. \[r11\] [SamCart vs ThriveCart on G2 ](https://www.g2.com/compare/samcart-vs-thrivecart) G2
12. \[r1\] [Thoughts on ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1l8jeoj/thoughts%5Fon%5Fthrivecart/) Reddit
13. \[r2\] [Thoughts on ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1l8jeoj/thoughts%5Fon%5Fthrivecart/) Reddit
14. \[r3\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
15. \[r4\] [Thrivecart vs Samcart decisions ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1f64i9g/thrivecart%5Fvs%5Fsamcart%5Fdecisions/) Reddit
16. \[r5\] [ThriveCart reviews on Capterra ](https://www.capterra.com/p/234835/ThriveCart/reviews/) Capterra
17. \[r6\] [ThriveCart reviews on Capterra, page 2 ](https://www.capterra.com/p/234835/ThriveCart/reviews/?page=2) Capterra
18. \[r7\] [Thoughts on ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/digital%5Fmarketing/comments/1l8jeoj/thoughts%5Fon%5Fthrivecart/) Reddit
19. \[r8\] [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
20. \[r9\] [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
21. \[r10\] [ThriveCart alternatives ](https://www.reddit.com/r/martechstacks/comments/1au0juj/thrivecart%5Falternatives/) Reddit
22. \[r11\] [Kartra vs ThriveCart ](https://www.reddit.com/r/EcommerceWebsite/comments/1j5nemr/kartra%5Fvs%5Fthrivecartwhich%5Fone%5Fshould%5Fi%5Fgo%5Ffor/) Reddit

[Read the ThriveCart review](/reviews/thrivecart)

### Related

* [Affiliate networks for vendors, ranked](/best)
* [PayKickstart or SamCart for affiliates you recruit](/compare/paykickstart-vs-samcart)
* [PayKickstart or ThriveCart for affiliates you pay yourself](/compare/paykickstart-vs-thrivecart)
* [SamCart or Stan Store for affiliates you recruit](/compare/samcart-vs-stan-store)
* [SamCart alternatives](/alternatives/samcart)
* [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 2026-10-21

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For product owners selling through affiliate networks like ClickBank, BuyGoods, Digistore24 and JVZoo: approval, funnels, affiliates, payouts and chargebacks.

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