10 Extole Competitors: The Most Popular Refer-a-Friend Platforms

In this guide, we take a closer look at how Extole stacks up against some of the leading platforms in the space, including Mention Me, Referral Factory, UpViral, Viral Loops, and others. Each has its own strengths, and understanding those differences—in pricing, features, and use cases—can help you decide which platform fits best with your marketing strategy and growth goals.

Need a quick answer? Mention Me is the best overall Extole competitor, with impressive AI tools and the ability to identify and activate micro-influencers from within your own customer base. So, why not book yourself a free, no-obligation demo today?

For everyone else, let's explore the other Extole competitors.

Extole vs. Mention Me

Trusted by over 500 global names—including PUMA, Charlotte Tilbury, and Huel—Mention Me is the market’s most complete referral platform, generating more than $3 billion in revenue and adding nine million new customers.

Its mission? Help marketers unlock higher-quality acquisition, maximise lifetime value, and scale trusted recommendations—all via a suite of AI-enhanced tools designed for today’s privacy-first world.

Pricing

Mention Me doesn’t list standard pricing publicly. Instead, they tailor plans around the size, scope, and complexity of your referral needs: Essentials, Advanced, or Ultimate packages.

Features

• Effortless, link-free referrals: With Name Share®, advocates can recommend your brand just by sharing their name—perfect for offline moments and in-store experiences. Brands using this feature report over 37% higher conversion rates compared to traditional link-based referrals.
• Predictive personalisation, stronger results: Predictive segmentation ensures the customer sees the right incentive at the right time—whether it’s a referral offer, a discount, or a loyalty nudge. This intelligent targeting has helped brands see lifts in shares and conversions alike.
• See the full picture of your referral ecosystem: Network tracking shows exactly how word-of-mouth spreads through your customer base, spotting top performers, ripple effects, and high-value clusters. Focus your efforts on what (and who) really drives growth.
• Built-in testing for continuous optimisation:  Don’t settle for guessing. A/B testing comes standard, helping you fine-tune creative, timing, and targeting across every step of the referral experience. In fact, A/B testing by cohort typically increases referral marketing performance by 4x within six months.

Strengths

• Unlock micro-influencers in your base: Why invest in costly creator campaigns when your best advocates are already in your CRM? Mention Me uses AI and first-party data to identify loyal customers with strong networks, instantly, so you can activate authentic micro-influencers from day one and tap into valuable, niche audiences.
• Supercharge paid media performance: Audience Builder lets you convert referral data into high-converting lookalike audiences on platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok. The results speak volumes—like a 90% uplift in ROAS for brands swapping broad targeting for referral-powered segments.

Weaknesses

• Unclear pricing: Lack of transparency may be a barrier for smaller teams.

Who Uses Mention Me?

Mention Me is popular with mid-sized to enterprise consumer brands, particularly in retail, beauty, and financial services. It’s built for companies that want to weave referrals and micro-influencer marketing into a broader, data-driven growth strategy—not just run short-term campaigns, and it's the perfect Extole competitor to choose when you’re ready to scale up your strategy and drive authentic revenue in a world dominated by AI and ad-fatigue.

Extole vs. Viral Loops

Viral Loops is a flexible, campaign-focused referral platform built for startups, content creators, SaaS products, and ecommerce brands. Since launching in 2016, it’s helped run over 50,000 campaigns and generate tens of millions of leads.

While Extole serves enterprise teams running large-scale, multi-channel programs, Viral Loops is ideal for marketers looking to quickly spin up campaigns—whether for prelaunch waitlists, milestone giveaways, or newsletter growth. With a no-code builder and templates inspired by iconic viral campaigns (like Dropbox and Robinhood), it’s a fast, creative way to build momentum.

Pricing

Viral Loops offers four pricing tiers:

• Start-up ($35/month): Great for smaller lists (up to 1,000 users), with basic features.
  
  
• Plus ($99/month): referral templates, themes, APIs, and reCAPTCHA.
  
  
• Growing ($159/month): Includes Stripe/Tremendous rewards, deeper automation, and branding removal.
  
  
• Power ($279/month): Offers concierge onboarding, early access to AI tools, and larger team collaboration.

All tiers are offered as annual plans with discounts, and there’s a free trial. If you’re a smaller company, Viral Loops is more affordable than Extole, though it may not suit larger businesses.

Features

• 15+ Templates: From waitlists to contests and newsletter growth.
• No-Code Builder: Easily design flows, rewards, and triggers.
• Gamification: Leaderboards, countdowns, and unlockable incentives.
• Custom Branding: Embed widgets and fully brand the user experience.
• Real-Time Analytics: See referral progress, virality scores, and top contributors.

Strengths

• Highly customizable: Flexible enough for many campaign types.
• Low lift for marketing teams: No developers required, but still dev-friendly with APIs.
• Affordable: Great for testing referral as a growth channel.
• Engaging campaigns: Built-in mechanics for virality and gamification.

Weaknesses

• Limited enterprise support: Doesn’t offer the same enterprise-level capabilities as Extole.
• Fewer compliance features: Not suited to industries with strict data requirements.
• Basic analytics: Useful but not as robust as higher-end platforms.
• Light-touch support: More self-serve than consultative.

Who Uses Viral Loops?

Of our Extole competitors, Viral Loops is the one the most suited to startups, growth marketers, content creators, and B2C brands that want to move fast. Viral Loops is especially well-suited to campaign-style referrals—like contests or waitlists—rather than evergreen programs embedded into the product.

Extole vs. Referral Factory

Referral Factory is a fast, no-code platform built for startups, small businesses, and agencies that want to launch sleek, branded referral campaigns without relying on developers. Known for its ease of use, it allows teams to go live in minutes with either customer or affiliate programs.

As an Extole competitor, it’s aimed more at enterprise teams running sophisticated, multi-audience programs. Referral Factory shines with its speed, simplicity, and plug-and-play campaign builder — perfect for brands that want to move quickly and affordably.

Pricing

Referral Factory offers four tiers:

• Starter ($76/month): 1 live program, up to 500 users, basic rewards, standard integrations, ReCaptcha, and fraud alerts.
• Basic ($160/month): Adds team access, referral analytics, webhooks, and unlimited programs (up to 20,000 users).
• Pro ($320/month): Unlocks white labeling, SSO, secure login, and branded domains (up to 40,000 users).
• Enterprise ($800+/month): Custom for larger deployments with HTML uploads, self-hosting, and invoiced billing.

Free trials are available for all plans.

Features

• No-Code Campaign Builder: Launch referral, ambassador, or influencer campaigns with a drag-and-drop interface.
• Prebuilt Templates: with single and double-sided and affiliate journeys.
• Automated Rewards: Gift cards, cash, discounts, and more — handled automatically.
• Multi-Language Support: Build campaigns in 20+ languages.
• Built-in CRM: Tracks referrals, sends emails, and surfaces user insights.
• Wide Integration Support: Works with Salesforce, HubSpot, Intercom, Stripe, Zapier, and more.

Strengths

• Extremely fast setup: No coding required — great for lean teams.
  
• Accessible for non-technical users: Easy visual tools.
  
• Predictable pricing: No commissions or hidden fees.
• Robust documentation and support: 24/7 help and walkthroughs.
• Versatile campaign types: Covers both customer and affiliate use cases.

Weaknesses

• Basic segmentation and automation: Not ideal for advanced personalization.
• Limited gamification: Lacks leaderboards or milestone features.
• Simplified analytics: Suitable for high-level insights, but lacks deep performance modeling.
• Enterprise features gated: Advanced tools like SSO require higher-tier plans.

Who Uses Referral Factory?

Referral Factory is a great solution for small teams and growing companies in SaaS, finance, and more. Brands like Reeves Independent and Push Media use Referral Factory to quickly and easily launch referral programs.

Extole vs Buyapowa

Buyapowa is an enterprise-grade referral and advocacy platform built for organizations operating in highly regulated industries. Think of sectors like energy, telecom, finance, or insurance — the kinds of businesses where compliance, security, and multi-market scale aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re essential.

Unlike lighter tools designed for simple peer-to-peer sharing, Buyapowa supports complex program types — including employee, partner, and broker referrals — all within a robust, secure infrastructure. With clients like HSBC, Vodafone, and AXA, it's designed to serve companies with global footprints and strict operational demands.

Pricing

Buyapowa doesn’t list pricing publicly, which is typical for enterprise platforms. The amount you pay depends on things like the complexity of your program and the region you’re based in. Packages generally include onboarding support, campaign setup, and international reward fulfillment, suggesting a higher price point — but one that aligns with its extensive capabilities.

Features

• Multi-Program Support: Run multiple programs for different audiences from a single admin view.
• Omnichannel Attribution: Tracks referrals across web, app, SMS, call center, and even QR codes.
• Automated Rewards Engine: issue rapid global payouts in various currencies
• Integrations: Connects with a variety of tools like Salesforce and HubSpot.
• Regulatory Compliance: ISO27001 certified, with GDPR/CCPA alignment and fraud detection.
• Branded UX: Offers white-label portals and multilingual, region-specific experiences.
• Built-In Optimization Tools: Includes A/B testing, cohort analytics, and real-time dashboards.

Strengths

• Built for regulated industries: Perfect fit for finance, telecom, energy, and insurance.
• Supports a wide range of referral types: From customers to brokers and agents.
• Global reach: with over 40 currencies, more than 20 languages, and localized experiences.
• Compliance-first architecture: Complete audit trails, security certifications, and fraud controls.
• Managed service approach: Includes hands-on help for onboarding and optimization.

Weaknesses

• Not ideal for smaller teams: Enterprise pricing and complexity may be overkill for simple use cases.
• Longer implementation: Full setup and integration can take time compared to no-code tools.
• High barrier to entry: Requires budget, internal alignment, and long-term commitment.

Who Uses Buyapowa?

This Extole alternative is used by large enterprises that need highly secure, scalable, and flexible referral infrastructure. Common users include global telecom brands, financial institutions, and energy providers — teams that often juggle compliance, localization, and cross-channel attribution. It’s not built for fast experimentation — it’s built to perform at scale.

Extole vs UpViral

UpViral is a referral marketing platform made for speed and excitement. Instead of ongoing, loyalty-style programs, UpViral helps brands run high-impact, time-sensitive campaigns like giveaways, contests, waitlists, and product launches. It's a favorite among creators, solo marketers, and SaaS teams who want to build buzz and grow email lists fast.

Where Extole focuses on evergreen customer advocacy, UpViral thrives on momentum — it claims to have generated over 86 million leads for 42,000+ campaigns to date.

Pricing

UpViral offers three pricing tiers, all of which come with a $1 trial:

• Starter ($79/month): Unlimited campaigns, 10,000 leads, smart leaderboards, fraud detection.
• Business ($119/month): Adds support for 25,000 leads, API access, entry gating, and multi-brand support.
• Premium ($319/month): Supports up to 100,000 leads, includes Referral AI credits and a dedicated success manager.

Plans are billed annually.

Features

• Campaign Templates: Prebuilt flows for contests, viral waitlists, and seasonal promos.
• Gamification Tools: Leaderboards, bonus entries, and milestone unlocks.
• Customizable Forms & Pages: Drag-and-drop builder with full visual control.
• Flexible Elements: that you can add to landing pages, pop-ups, and more microsites.
• Referral & Share Tracking: Measure shares, conversions, and referral sources in real time.
• Marketing Integrations: Works with Mailchimp, HubSpot, ConvertKit, Zapier, and more.

Strengths

• Perfect for one-off campaigns: Ideal for launches, events, and giveaways.
• Easy to use: No-code customization makes it marketer-friendly.
• Engaging mechanics: Gamified incentives increase social sharing and participation.
• Affordable: Strong value for money with full access at all tiers.
  

Weaknesses

• Not built for ongoing referrals: Better suited to campaigns than loyalty or repeat purchase behavior.
• Limited automation: Doesn’t offer deep behavioral triggers or customer journey mapping.
• Not enterprise-ready: Missing compliance certifications like SOC2 or ISO.
• Some branding limitations: Full white labeling is restricted to higher plans.

Who Uses UpViral?

UpViral is used by marketers, creators, and early-stage businesses looking for an Extole competitor that can build email lists, create social buzz, or launch new products. Think solopreneurs, course creators, newsletters, or bootstrapped SaaS teams.

Extole vs Referrizer

Referrizer is a marketing automation platform tailored for local businesses — think gyms, med spas, salons, and wellness studios. It blends referral marketing with SMS/email automation, CRM tools, and review generation into a single, easy-to-use platform.

If Extole is designed for enterprise growth and digital-first brands, Referrizer is built for busy business owners who want to grow without hiring a full marketing team.

Pricing

Referrizer has four tiers, including a free plan:

• Free ($0/month): Basic review management, email campaigns, and CRM tools.
• Reputation LITE ($79/month): Adds AI support, integration options, and review-boosting campaigns.
• Reputation MAX ($119/month): Includes SMS reviews, check-in automation, and ROI dashboards.
• Premium (Custom): Unlocks full features like loyalty programs, Smart Line, and personalized onboarding.
  

Free trials are available for all paid plans.

Features

• Referral & Loyalty Campaigns: Launch customer offers, landing pages, and in-store referral flows.
• AI Booking Assistant: Automates customer responses and scheduling 24/7.
• Reputation Management: Automates Google/Yelp review requests and protects against negative reviews.
• CRM: Tracks your leads and customer conversations.
• Text & Email Campaigns: Set up automated SMS/email sequences triggered by check-ins or behaviors.
• Multi-Location Support: Centralized management for businesses with multiple locations.

Strengths

• Built for service-based businesses: especially local service providers.
• Everything in one place: Combines CRM, SMS, referrals, reviews, and email tools.
• Low effort setup: Drag-and-drop interfaces make it easy to get started.
• Strong review tools: Great for improving local search visibility and online reputation.
• Scalable for franchises: Manages multiple locations under one dashboard.
  

Weaknesses

• Not designed for enterprise use: Lacks the segmentation, security, and campaign depth of platforms like Extole.
• Basic referral flows: No influencer, milestone, or gamified mechanics.
• Limited analytics: Good for top-line metrics, but not advanced attribution or cohort modeling.
• Limited Customizability: Referrizer doesn’t have much in the way of white-label or custom design options.

Who Uses Referrizer?

Referrizer is a fantastic Extole competitor for small to mid-sized local businesses looking to scale. Clients include fitness studios, wellness brands, and local franchises like I Love Kickboxing and Pinecrest Wellness. It’s a great option for owners who want to grow faster — without becoming full-time marketers.

Extole vs Post Affiliate Pro

Post Affiliate Pro is an established player in the affiliate marketing space. It’s built to support complex affiliate ecosystems, from solo affiliate programs to full-scale networks. With trusted customers like ProtonVPN and AirHelp, the platform offers advanced tracking, commission flexibility, and powerful automation tools that appeal to both emerging and established performance marketers.

This Extole competitor is all about turning happy customers into advocates, and is better suited for teams building structured affiliate partnerships, especially those focused on revenue sharing over viral growth.

Pricing

Post Affiliate Pro offers three main plans with volume-based pricing and annual discounts:

• Pro ($129/month or $99/month annually): includes tracking requests, unlimited affiliates, and over 220 integrations.
• Ultimate ($249/month or $199/month annually): Adds multi-admin access, site replication, and lifetime referral tracking.
• Network ($599/month or $499/month annually): Designed for affiliate networks; includes 20M tracking requests, multiple merchant accounts, and audit logs.

All plans include full support and setup assistance, with a 30-day free trial.

Features

• Affiliate & Network Program Support: Manage single or multi-merchant programs.
• Robust Tracking Tools: Track clicks, sales, and leads using SubIDs and direct links.
• Commission Flexibility: Set up multi-tiered, recurring, or performance-based payouts.
• Custom Promotion Assets: Provide affiliates with banners, coupons, and branded PDFs.
• Workflow Automation: Trigger actions like auto-registrations and reward payouts.
• Massive Integration Library: Connect with 200+ tools including Shopify, Stripe, and WooCommerce.
• Mobile Access: Manage campaigns through Android/iOS apps.
• Security & Compliance: Built-in GDPR compliance and fraud prevention tools.

Strengths

• Highly customizable: Great for intricate affiliate structures and commission models.
• Supports large affiliate networks: Can run multiple merchant programs from one platform.
• Extensive integrations: Compatible with a wide range of ecommerce and payment systems.
• Detailed analytics: Deep reporting on campaign and affiliate performance.
• No setup fees or contracts: Try it risk-free.

Weaknesses

• Referral use cases aren’t its focus: Lacks tools for peer referrals or influencer campaigns.
• Interface feels dated: Functional but not the most modern user experience.
• Learning curve: So many features can feel overwhelming to newcomers.
• Extra charges for advanced features: Some premium tools may require add-ons.

Who Uses Post Affiliate Pro?

The platform is widely used by SaaS brands, ecommerce businesses, and performance marketing teams that need flexible commission logic and scalable affiliate management. It’s ideal for companies building long-term partner ecosystems, not necessarily those looking for viral sharing or advocacy loops.

Extole vs EmployeeReferrals

EmployeeReferrals.com is built for one thing: helping companies tap into their workforce to hire great candidates. It’s used by large employers across healthcare, retail, and logistics who want to reduce recruitment costs and improve time-to-fill by turning employees into recruiters.

While Extole handles customer referrals and brand advocacy externally, EmployeeReferrals.com focuses inward — delivering tools that make internal referrals more engaging, efficient, and scalable.

Pricing

EmployeeReferrals customizes its pricing based on the size of your company and its hiring requirements. Packages typically include both desktop and mobile access, gamified referral tools, and full onboarding support. You’ll need to speak to sales for a quote.

Features

• ATS Integration: Works with major applicant tracking systems to keep referrals synced.
• Customizable Campaigns: Tailor flows, eligibility rules, and incentives to match your process.
• Easy Sharing: Employees can share job openings via social or email with automatic tracking.
• Reward Automation: Incentivize referrals with gift cards, raffles, or bonus points.
• Gamification: Leaderboards and micro-rewards encourage ongoing participation.
• Internal Marketing Tools: Templates for flyers, posters, and internal comms.
• Mobile App: Allows you to submit and track referrals on the go.

Strengths

• Focused on recruiting: All features are designed specifically for internal referrals.
• Reduces manual admin: Automates tracking, rewards, and candidate updates.
• Strong adoption and ROI: Proven to cut costs and fill roles faster.
• Gamified engagement: Keeps employees motivated to participate.

Weaknesses

• Only for internal use: Doesn’t support customer or influencer referrals.
• Limited brand reach: No tools for external sharing or public campaigns.
• Reporting is HR-centric: Lacks broader marketing metrics.
• Opaque pricing: No public pricing can make early evaluation harder.

Who Uses EmployeeReferrals?

Large companies and enterprise HR teams use this platform to power internal hiring programs — especially in healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. It’s for talent acquisition pros who want to reduce reliance on job boards and staffing agencies by activating the talent networks they already have.

Extole vs Cello

Cello is a slick, product-first referral tool made with SaaS companies in mind. It’s lightweight, easy to embed in-app, and handles both user-led and affiliate-driven referrals with minimal engineering input. Think of it as the referral engine that runs quietly in the background while you focus on building your product.

Where Extole focuses on cross-channel advocacy at scale, Cello is purpose-built for SaaS growth teams looking for in-product referrals with a quick setup.

Pricing

Cello uses a flat-rate pricing model based on referral-driven ARR:

• Free (€0/month): Covers up to €5k ARR, with unlimited referrals and core features.
• Grow (€250/month): For companies up to €50k referral ARR.
• Scale (€750/month): Supports up to €100k referral ARR.
• Enterprise (Custom): For companies above that threshold, with full access and compliance tools.

There are no transaction or payout fees, and every tier includes full integrations.

Features

• Embedded In-App Referrals: Plug referral flows directly into your product.
• Unified for Users & Affiliates: Manage both channels in one dashboard.
• Automated Payouts: Integrated with Stripe and other tools for hands-free rewards.
• Real-Time Analytics: Dashboards for ROI tracking and optimization.
• Privacy Compliance: GDPR, CCPA, and KYC-ready (SOC-II in progress).
• Multi-Channel Sharing: Supports social, email, and link-based sharing.

Strengths

• Built for SaaS: Designed for embedded use within the product experience.
• Quick to launch: Takes ~4 hours of dev time to go live.
• No variable costs: Transparent, flat-rate pricing.
• Unified management: Supports both referrals and affiliates in one place.
• Privacy-forward: Fully compliant with key data laws.

Weaknesses

• Not made for large-scale orchestration: Doesn’t support multi-program segmentation.
• Limited use outside SaaS: Not suited for retail or traditional B2C brands.
• No loyalty or influencer features: Lacks support for advanced advocacy programs.
• SOC-II not yet live: In-progress certification may matter to security-conscious teams.
  

Who Uses Cello?

Cello is ideal for SaaS founders and product teams who want to add referral functionality directly into their product — quickly and without fuss. If you’re focused on ARR growth, have a self-serve funnel, and don’t want to mess with third-party widgets, this platform fits right in.

Extole vs Kangaroo

Kangaroo brings together loyalty, referrals, and customer engagement into one easy-to-use platform designed for small to mid-sized businesses. It's especially popular with local retailers and ecommerce brands looking to reward repeat purchases and encourage word-of-mouth through gamified rewards.

Extole, by contrast, is built for large-scale, multi-channel programs. Kangaroo is more about simplicity, affordability, and helping SMBs connect with their customers in fun, effective ways.

Pricing

All plans include referral functionality as part of broader loyalty packages:

• Attract ($59/month): Referrals, offers, app access, and segmentation tools.
• Keep ($99/month): Adds gamified rewards like raffles and spin-to-win.
• Connect ($199/month): Includes email/SMS automation, surveys, and POS integration.
• Grow ($299/month): Unlocks API access, white-label apps, and premium support.

Each plan includes a 30-day free trial.

Features

• All-in-One Dashboard: Manage loyalty, referrals, promotions, and reviews.
• Customer Segmentation: Target offers based on customer behavior.
• Gamified Rewards: Tools like raffles and contests drive engagement.
• Multichannel Communication: Email, SMS, and app-based messaging.
• POS & Ecommerce Integrations: Works with Shopify, BigCommerce, and others.
• Partner Referrals: Users can refer businesses and earn rewards.

Strengths

• Loyalty-first design: Referrals are fully integrated with reward programs.
• Engaging gamification tools: Makes promotions feel fun and interactive.
• Great for SMBs: Affordable, simple, and built with small businesses in mind.
• Mobile-ready: Includes branded customer apps for repeat engagement.
• Business referral incentives: Built-in partner/referral monetization options.

Weaknesses

• Referral features are basic: Doesn’t support milestones, tiers, or influencers.
• Not designed for enterprise: Missing segmentation depth and compliance tooling.
• API access gated: Full customization only available on higher tiers.
• Better fit for B2C: Not ideal for SaaS, B2B, or complex digital products.

Who Uses Kangaroo?

Kangaroo is great for local retailers, ecommerce stores, and service businesses that want to blend loyalty and referral marketing. It’s best suited for growing SMBs that value ease of use and customer engagement tools — and who want a single platform for keeping customers coming.

Choosing the Right Referral Software for Your Business

There’s no one-size-fits-all “best” referral tool — only the best fit for your business model, resources, and goals. As with anything in marketing tech, what works for a global telecom enterprise probably isn't what a 10-person SaaS startup needs (or can afford).

That said, when it comes to building a customer-led growth engine rooted in trust, Mention Me consistently delivers the most long-term value.

We’ve compared the pros and cons of leading Extole competitors — including Buyapowa, Referral Factory, Cello, and Viral Loops — and the takeaway is clear:

If you're serious about acquiring high-quality customers through referral and, or, micro-influencer marketing, and want a platform that scales with your ambition, Mention Me sits in the sweet spot between power, strategic impact, and usability.

Challenges, Pitfalls, and Ethical Considerations

Referral programs can be powerful—but they can also get messy if you’re not careful, whichever of these Extole competitors you end up using. Here are a few pitfalls that come up often (and how to avoid them):

• Fraud is a real thing. People will try to game your program with fake accounts or self-referrals. Choose a platform that actively prevents abuse and don’t be afraid to set limits in your terms.
• Automation isn’t a substitute for judgment. Yes, automating rewards and notifications saves time. But make sure what you're sending still feels personal. A cold, generic message can kill engagement.
• Don’t mess around with data privacy. If you're collecting user info—and you almost certainly are—make sure you're compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and any other regulations that apply to your customers. It's not just about avoiding fines—people care about how their data is used.
• Incentives can backfire. Too small, and nobody’s motivated. Too generous, and you attract people who are only there for the reward. You want to incentivize behavior—not create an incentive loop.
• Be transparent. Always disclose that there's a reward involved. If someone refers a friend, they shouldn't feel like they were tricked into it. Honesty builds trust.

The best programs aren’t just well-built—they’re well thought out. That means thinking through how people will actually experience them, not just how they look in a dashboard.

Final Thoughts

At its best, referral marketing turns customers into advocates—and lets your biggest fans help grow your business. The right software makes that process smoother, more scalable, and easier to manage.

Extole is a strong choice for companies with complex needs and multi-channel programs, but as we’ve discovered, there are many brilliant competitors. If you want something fast and flexible, Viral Loops or Referral Factory might be the better bet. Running a SaaS product? Cello offers a clean, in-product approach. Need bulletproof compliance? Buyapowa is built for that.

But if you’re looking for the strongest overall alternative to Extole—something that balances data-driven performance with user-friendly design—Mention Me stands out. It combines the world's most complete referral tools with AI-powered personalization and micro-influencer discovery, plus heaps of handy integrations across your marketing stack.

Whether you're a growing brand or an established enterprise, Mention Me gives you the flexibility to scale, the intelligence to optimize, and the strategy to turn referrals into a long-term growth engine.

Sound good? Book a no-obligation demo with Mention Me today.