Overview

The product follows partner activity from clicks and identity through revenue and payouts. SaaS and ecommerce businesses can use its partner portal, attribution tools and optional network, while creators can browse and apply to programs published there. Network access is included in the hosted Revshare and Flex plans, and can also be added to self-hosted software.

Multi-touch attribution and a 90-day cookie window give programs a defined basis for assigning credit. Brands pay partners directly through Stripe Connect; OpenPartner does not hold the money. That keeps payment custody with the brand and payment provider, but means this is not a merchant-of-record service.

Key features

Partner management and attribution: A partner portal, links and campaigns sit alongside multi-touch attribution. The 90-day cookie window is useful for programs where a referral may take time to convert, though teams needing a different attribution approach should check whether the supported model fits.
Billing and CRM workflows: API access is available, with documented Stripe Billing webhooks and CRM event workflows for HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Close, Copper, Zapier and Make. These connections can help bring billing and sales events into partner workflows without treating OpenPartner as the CRM itself.
Browser SDK: Installed as @openpartner/sdk, it ships ESM and CJS bundles, has no runtime dependencies and is about 4 KB gzipped. That small footprint is appealing for teams adding browser-side tracking to an existing application.
Deployment choice: Hosted plans avoid operating the core software. Self-hosting uses Docker Compose to run Postgres, the API, click router and portal on one machine, requiring Docker 24+ and at least 2GB RAM. This offers deployment control, but puts infrastructure operations on the customer.
Security and compliance: OpenPartner states that it uses TLS in transit, encrypts sensitive credentials at rest, supports magic-link authentication and scoped sessions, and maintains an immutable audit trail. Hosted data residency is US today; DPA support is available on request, while SOC 2 Type II is planned. Organizations that require completed SOC 2 Type II certification or non-US hosted residency may need another fit.

Pricing

OpenPartner has a free self-hosted core, a free trial, and hosted plans starting from $29/mo. The pricing note gives a 14-day trial. The plans differ materially in how fees scale and which deployment they support, so compare the billing basis as well as the headline amount.

Revshare — 3.00 USD per month (billed 3% of GMV, no monthly fee): Includes unlimited partners, links and campaigns, core attribution and payout features, direct Stripe payouts, network access and standard support. With no monthly fee, it suits programs willing to pay in proportion to GMV; the percentage-based charge may be less attractive as volume grows.
Flex — 491.50 USD per month (billed $49 per month + 1.5% of GMV): Includes unlimited partners, links and campaigns, affiliate and referral attribution tied to revenue, direct Stripe payouts, network access, standard support and full data export. Its lower GMV percentage and export make it a better fit for programs that value data portability and expect enough volume to justify the monthly fee.
Enterprise — custom pricing: Dedicated infrastructure, priority support, custom payout flows and SLA-backed uptime suit organizations that need operational commitments or tailored payments beyond the standard plans.
Self-hosted software — free: Runs on your infrastructure and includes the open-source core. It avoids a hosted subscription but requires the Docker-based setup and customer-managed operations.
Self-hosted + Network access — 293.00 USD per month (billed $29 per month + 3%): Combines the self-hosted core with marketplace-driven partner discovery. It is for teams that want control of their deployment without giving up network access, at a fixed fee plus GMV share.

Hosted Revshare and Flex include standard support; Enterprise adds priority support and SLA-backed uptime. Seat quotas and renewal terms are not part of the plan terms above, so the clearest distinctions are deployment, fee structure, data export and support level.

Platforms

OpenPartner is available as a web product, API and self-hosted deployment. That combination accommodates teams integrating through software workflows as well as those prepared to operate the service themselves; self-hosting has the stated Docker and memory requirements.

Who it's for

OpenPartner is a sensible shortlist choice for SaaS and ecommerce businesses, and creators, that need partner attribution linked to revenue plus a portal and direct Stripe Connect payouts. It is particularly relevant when CRM or billing events need to feed partner workflows, or when deployment control matters enough to justify self-hosting.

It is less suitable for buyers seeking a single platform that also handles CRM, link shortening, machine-learning fraud detection or merchant-of-record duties. Teams with strict non-US hosting or a requirement for completed SOC 2 Type II certification should also weigh the stated compliance position before choosing it.

Pros and cons

Pro: Multi-touch attribution, a 90-day cookie window, partner portal and automated payouts cover core program needs in one focused product.
Pro: Brands pay partners directly through Stripe Connect, while API access and documented billing and CRM workflows support integration with existing systems.
Pro: The lightweight browser SDK and self-hosting option give technical teams implementation and deployment choices.
Con: Revshare and self-hosted Network access both add a GMV percentage, which can make costs rise with program volume.
Con: Self-hosting requires Docker 24+, at least 2GB RAM and ongoing infrastructure ownership.
Con: OpenPartner explicitly does not cover link shortening, CRM, ML-based fraud detection or merchant-of-record services, so those needs require separate solutions.
Con: Hosted data residency is US today and SOC 2 Type II is planned rather than completed, which may rule it out for some compliance requirements.

Alternatives

Refport is worth comparing if a capped free tier matters: its free plan includes 100 links, 5,000 clicks per month and one seat, while OpenPartner's free option is self-hosted software rather than a hosted plan.

UpPromote is another freemium alternative for buyers comparing affiliate-program options.

Affberry offers a free plan for up to 25 active affiliates, making it a useful comparison for smaller programs focused on an active-affiliate cap.

Endorsely is an alternative for buyers evaluating affiliate-revenue plans and affiliate-finder credits.

Sprout Affiliate may suit a small program that wants to start free with one program and up to 200 referral orders per month.

Partnero is a paid alternative with a free trial, for readers comparing against a product without a free plan.

Sentalong offers a free starter tier capped at 10 active affiliates and $2,000/month tracked revenue, useful for evaluating a smaller capped starting plan.

Siren is another freemium affiliate-platform alternative to compare.

For broader category browsing, see Affiliate Marketing Software and Affiliate Analytics Software.

Verdict

OpenPartner is best for SaaS, ecommerce and creator programs that want multi-touch attribution, partner workflows and direct Stripe payouts, with the option to self-host or use network discovery. Its strongest case is that combination of attribution, integrations and deployment flexibility. Look elsewhere if your program needs CRM, fraud detection, link shortening or merchant-of-record functionality in the same product, or if its stated hosting and compliance position does not meet your requirements.

	OpenPartner	Rakuten LinkShare
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes
Paid from	$3/mo	Free
Platforms	api, self-hosted, Web	Android, api, iOS, Web
Free plan	Yes
Paid from	$29/mo
Partner portal	Yes	Yes
Automated payouts	Yes
Attribution models	multi_touch	multi_touch
Cookie window	90 days
API access	Yes	Yes
Fraud prevention		Yes

OpenPartner vs Rakuten LinkShare

OpenPartner

Rakuten LinkShare