Refersion vs Tolstoy
A side-by-side comparison for e-commerce sellers — platforms, pricing, free trials and ROI.
First-party affiliate tracking and payouts for e-commerce brands — no cookies, no redirects
The AI-native commerce platform: shoppable video, AI content creation, and an AI shopping agent.
| Category | Email & SMS | Ad Creative |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Shopify WooCommerce DTC | Shopify DTC WooCommerce |
| Pricing | From ~$39/mo; free to start | Free plan available |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate program | Direct | — |
| ROI | Track every affiliate and creator sale accurately and pay them without spreadsheets. | Combines shoppable video, AI-generated visuals, and an AI sales agent to lift on-site conversion and personalize the shopping experience. |
Which should you choose?
DTC brands running affiliate and influencer programs who need reliable tracking and payouts.
DTC and Shopify brands wanting an all-in-one AI suite for shoppable video, content generation, and an on-site sales agent.
Refersion
Pros
- Accurate tracking without third-party cookies
- Handles payouts end to end
- Established, widely used by DTC brands
Cons
- Higher tiers get expensive as GMV grows
- Recruiting affiliates is still on you
- Interface is functional rather than modern
Tolstoy
Pros
- Three integrated products (video, content, sales chat) in one platform
- Used by thousands of brands with Shopify and other-platform support
- Free entry option via 'get for free' product CTAs
Cons
- Specific plan pricing not shown on the homepage
- Broad platform may be more than single-task sellers need
- Full value depends on adopting multiple products together
Other tools to consider
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