5 Affiliate Tracking Platforms We Tested This Quarter
Selecting the right affiliate tracking platform for an iGaming brand is a high-stakes decision. The industry is extremely crowded, offering a wide range of options. Our experts at Gaffg spent time looking for and testing the top five platforms. On this page, you will get a clear picture of what each affiliate tracking platform offers, its core capabilities, and the best use case. We considered the most important factors, including tracking accuracy, integration, reporting, and user support when users need help. Below, we explain how the testing was done and later review each platform to help you make informed decisions.
We are now expanding into B2C, publishing player-facing casino reviews and category pages for players across international markets.
The two sides feed each other. We know exactly how these bonus terms are drafted before they are published on the bonus page. We know why a withdrawal request which should take ‘1–3 days’ to process can remain in the ‘manual review’ stage for a whole week. We are aware of what goes on behind the scenes when you receive a KYC alert.
That is why, when we review a casino, we don’t just look at its homepage. We also scrutinise the small print. We read through the entire terms and conditions and the cashier section, as we know the summary rarely tells the whole story.
On every page, you will notice we hold ourselves to the same standard. We answer your questions directly. We state findings, not opinions. And we don’t sugarcoat anything just to make a casino look good. We call out limitations that could catch you off guard.
Whichever side of the industry you are on, we hold every page to the same standard and we don't sugarcoat anything to make a casino or a programme look better than it is.
The 5 Platforms at a Glance
The following table provides a quick-scan summary comparing the top 5 affiliate tracking platforms evaluated by our team based on the recommended use case, commission models, key strengths, and deployment method. For more information about each platform, check our in-depth reviews in the following sections.
|
Platform |
Best for |
Comission models |
Standout strength |
Deployment |
|
Income Access |
Well-established casino, poker, sportsbook, and lottery brands |
CPA, CPI, CPL, and revenue share |
Years of experience with regulated iGaming brands |
SaaS/Network |
|
Affilka |
iGaming brands seeking flexible commission plans |
CPA, CPL, RevShare, hybrid, and custom |
Custom-built reward plans |
SaaS |
|
Cellxpert |
Growing brands expecting to scale |
CPA, RevShare, multi-level commissions, custom, hybrid |
Advanced NGR calculations |
SaaS |
|
NetRefer |
Big and growing iGaming brands that require complex affiliate programs |
CPA, RevShare, and hybrid models |
AI-powered affiliate tracking software |
SaaS/Cloud |
|
PartnerMatrix |
iGaming operators managing multiple brands |
CPA, RevShare, hybrid, and FTD models |
Multi-brand management and anti-fraud tools |
SaaS |
How We Tested These Platforms
We primarily used a qualitative approach to pick the five affiliate tracking platforms reviewed in this article. The Gaffg team evaluated each platform against five important criteria. Below is an overview of the most important considerations during our testing process.
- Tracking accuracy and attribution reliability: We assessed how reliably the platform identifies an affiliate’s referrals and the attribution model used.
- Integration options: Our considerations included APIs for automatic data exchange, postbacks for reliable tracking, and compatibility with sportsbook and casino sites.
- Reporting and analytics depth: We checked the platform’s ability to analyze affiliate data and create reliable reports on clicks, registrations, FTDs, earnings, and other metrics.
- Commission model flexibility: Our team checked for a variety of popular commission models used to compensate affiliate marketers, including revenue share (RevShare), CPA, custom, and hybrid structures.
- Payment and payout handling: Key factors to consider include the supported payment methods, currencies, minimum withdrawal thresholds, and payout schedules.
- Fraud prevention and compliance features: Gaffg evaluated how well a particular platform protects against fraud and the measures the provider has taken to ensure compliance.
- Onboarding and quality of support: We assessed how easy it is to start using the platform and the quality of support offered, including documentation, API guides, and access to dedicated account managers.
The platforms featured here cater to different iGaming affiliate programs, business sizes, and user needs, so the most suitable choice depends on your situation.
Income Access
Acquired by Paysafe Group in 2019, Income Access is a long-standing company that has been operating in the digital marketing space since 2002. It stands out for offering an affiliate network besides its tracking software. The company’s affiliate marketing solutions have helped more than 300 brands in online casino, sportsbook, bingo, poker, forex, lottery, sweepstakes, and other iGaming verticals to drive traffic.
Key Features & What Stood Out
One aspect that makes Income Access stand out is that the company caters to brands seeking affiliate software, digital marketing services, and an affiliate network under one roof. Here is a summary of what impressed us during our review of its offerings.
- Customer acquisitions tracked both offline and online
- Flexible commission engine with CPA, CPI, CPL, and revenue share options
- Rightlander Intel integration for risk assessment and compliance
- Customizable settings to meet specific market needs
- Multi-channel tracking helps capture the full customer journey
- Precision with player-level reporting
Pros & Cons and Who It's Best For
Here are the pros and cons we identified when evaluating Income Access.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Over two decades of experience in digital marketing |
Steep learning curve for new users |
|
300+ brands in over 50 markets worldwide |
Mainly targets established enterprise clients |
|
Trusted by reputable brands in regulated markets |
Best for: Established iGaming brands in highly regulated markets.
Affilka by SOFTSWISS
Created by the same team responsible for SOFTSWISS, Affilka is a B2B affiliate management platform that mainly caters to online casino and sports betting brands. While the company started with only one casino brand in 2018, it has since partnered with more than 450 brands. Its software positions itself as a performance marketing tool that iGaming brands can use to track their ad campaigns, analyze players, and optimize their marketing costs.
Key Features & What Stood Out
While Affilka is best known for its custom commission plans, we identified other features that make it ideal for modern iGaming brands. The following features stood out during our assessment of the platform and its offerings for casino and betting operators.
- Custom-built reward plans to meet the user’s specific needs
- Financial API for extracting payments via non-listed payment service providers
- Commission Constructor for operators to create their own payment programs
- Multiple subaffiliate tiers for affiliates to earn by inviting other affiliates
- Comprehensive reporting that helps analyze the performance of multiple brands
Pros & Cons and Who It's Best For
If you are considering partnering with Affilka, start by assessing its benefits and downsides. It’s also important to know the platform’s best use case to establish if it meets your needs.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Affiliate management software developed by experts with 15+ years of experience |
Limited public developer documentation |
|
With client cooperation, it is possible to launch an affiliate program in less than a month |
Statistics are not real-time, as they refresh every 15 minutes |
|
Affilka users can promote multiple brands using a single affiliate program |
Best for: Casino and sportsbook operators looking for highly configurable commission structures and robust integrations.
Cellxpert
Operating since 2008, Cellxpert is an affiliate and partner management platform trusted by more than 800 brands in iGaming, finance, and e-commerce. Created by operators for operators, this platform focuses on serving brands in regulated markets, ensuring compliance with laws in different markets, and transparency when reporting to affiliates and iGaming businesses. As with other platforms, brands interested in Cellxpert can book a demo before committing their money.
Key Features & What Stood Out
As an operator-focused platform, Cellxpert gives operators in the iGaming scene the power to track, manage, and gain control over their partnerships with publishers who drive traffic to casino and betting platforms. The company’s affiliate program for gambling operators is built for scaling across every brand and optimizing the user’s everyday operations. We identified the following key features during our review.
- An advanced NGR engine that ensures transparency and helps calculate revenue by product and per brand
- A flexible CPA model with custom baselines plus customisable revenue share by tier
- Compliance checks and risk controls to detect fraud before releasing commissions
Pros & Cons and Who It's Best For
Before choosing Cellxpert over other affiliate tracking platforms, here is an overview of the advantages and disadvantages noted during our evaluation.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
It only takes 4 to 6 weeks for an affiliate program to go live |
A relatively complex platform for new users |
|
Built-in compliance tools and operations in regulated markets ensure the user is always on the right side of the law |
Cellxpert has not published its pricing |
|
A reliable support team that answers your questions quickly |
Best for: Fast-growing iGaming and finance brands expecting to scale.
NetRefer
Designed for the iGaming industry, NetRefer is an AI-powered affiliate management platform that has been operating since 2005. The company’s key offerings are categorized into team, business, and tech solutions that meet different business needs. It has collaborated with Microsoft and Databricks to offer high-quality software and ensure maximum data protection.
Key Features & What Stood Out
In a world with many affiliate tracking platforms, NetRefer offers a wide range of features that set it apart and appeal to operators handling high-volume affiliate traffic. Below are some of the impressive features our team noticed during our assessment of the platform.
- NetRefer Copilot AI offers instant access to data analysis
- Operator-focused GraphQL APIs offer complete access and flexibility
- System functionality and platform add-ons that help businesses scale in a competitive online gambling industry
Pros & Cons and Who It's Best For
Below are the benefits and drawbacks of choosing NetRefer over other affiliate tracking platforms and the recommended use case below the list.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Suitable for operators needing extremely high-volume affiliate programs |
Custom enterprise agreements can be costly |
|
A subscription-based pricing model that allows operators to pay only for what they use |
Limited flexibility for small iGaming brands |
|
An experienced migration team helps to assess your situation before migrating |
Best for: Enterprise and growing brands that need sophisticated, high-volume sports betting and casino affiliate programs.
PartnerMatrix
With innovation, transparency, growth, and support as its core principles, PartnerMatrix was designed to give users complete control over all affiliate operations. The company offers three main products: affiliate tracking and management software, a competitive intelligence platform, and an agent management software system. Powered by EveryMatrix, PartnerMatrix is trusted by 500 iGaming brands and has won several awards since 2020.
Key Features & What Stood Out
The features offered by PartnerMatrix revolve around the three products mentioned above. Here are some of the features that make this platform a worthwhile choice for casino and sportsbook brands.
- An intuitive back-office that delivers data in real-time
- Data-driven affiliate optimization with PartnerMatrix Intelligence
- Multi-brand campaign creation and tracking with flexible commission tiers
- Real-time custom reporting with APIs that deliver data to affiliates automatically
- The PartnerMatrix Agent System helps operators acquire offline players
Pros & Cons and Who It's Best For
Before using PartnerMatrix for affiliate tracking, it is important to assess the platform’s benefits and downsides. While any casino or sportsbook operator can use the platform, we have suggested who it’s best suited for below.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
A positive reputation for increasing iGaming revenues within months |
Limited pricing transparency |
|
An easy-to-use platform designed to ease affiliate management operations |
Heavily tailored for the EveryMatrix ecosystem |
|
Advanced anti-fraud tools ensure maximum security |
Best for: Online casino and sportsbook operators that need multi-brand management affiliate software.
How to Choose the Right Affiliate Tracking Platform
iGaming operators looking for the best affiliate tracking platform have several options, and the right one typically depends on the user’s specific business needs. The key decision factors include your business stage, the type of solution you want, the provider’s pricing structures and your budget, your verticals in iGaming, and integration needs. With these factors in mind, you must answer these critical questions before you commit:
- What is your budget, or how much are you willing to spend on an affiliate tracking platform?
- Are you a startup or an existing operator looking to scale your business?
- Do you need an in-house/SaaS solution or a managed affiliate network?
- Are you running an online casino, sports betting site, or both?
- Do you need to integrate the affiliate tracking software with your existing platform?
Once you pick your preferred platform, Gaffg can offer the necessary SEO guidance and provide easy access to reliable affiliate managers in the iGaming world.
Final Verdict
After our extensive assessment of the five affiliate tracking platforms featured in this guide, our team has concluded that there is no single winner. To choose the right platform for your brand, you must consider the stage and type of your business, verticals (casino, sportsbook, poker, etc.), and your objectives.
If you are a growing brand looking to scale, consider Cellxpert and NetRefer. Choose Income Access if you are a casino, sportsbook, lottery, or poker brand operating in strictly regulated markets and Affilka for custom affiliate rewards. If you are managing multiple brands, PartnerMatrix may be the right choice for you.