Referral Gem ‑ Refer a Friend vs Referral Program ‑ Shopjar
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 13, 2026 for Referral Gem, Nov 8, 2026 for Referral Program.
The short answer
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $19/month for Referral Gem and $7/month for Referral Program.
- Referral Program lists 29 features Referral Gem’s listing doesn’t mention, including Achievement tracking, Affiliate programs, Auto-payments.
Head to head
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
Momentum
New reviews each month
Review pace is the clearest public read on how fast an app is winning new merchants.
FREE
- · Basic referral analytics
- · Post-purchase share widget
- · Up to 50 referral links
- · WhatsApp, SMS and copy link sharing
Growth
- · 14-day free trial
- · Automatic Shopify discount code rewards
- · CSV export
- · Fraud detection and self-referral block
- · Klaviyo integration
- · Real-time revenue attribution dashboard
Pro
- · 14-day free trial
- · Advanced fraud detection
- · Everything in Growth
- · Priority support
- · Weekly email digest reports
- · Welcome discounts for referred customers
Free
- · Email Notifications
- · Floating referral widget
- · Referral Program
- · Unique referral coupons via Safe Links
- · Unique referral links & coupon codes
- · Unlimited members / orders / rewards
Essential
- · Email Notifications
- · Landing pages & post purchase popups
- · Referral program
- · Reports & Analytics
- · Self-referral fraud protection
- · Unique referral coupons via Safe Links
Starter
- · Affiliate Program
- · All Essential features +
- · Discount & store credit rewards
- · Member portal to track sales & payouts
- · Recruit with signup forms, landing pages
- · Track referral sales automatically
Growth
- · 700+ reward types via Tremendous
- · Advanced Fraud Protection
- · All features in Starter +
- · Branded Emails & Sending domain
- · Cash payouts via ACH, Venmo & more
- · Klaviyo & PayPal Integration
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureReferral Gem adds a word-of-mouth programme to your Shopify store in minutes. After every purchase, customers get a unique share link they can send via WhatsApp, SMS, or copy. When a friend orders using that link, Shopify discount codes are issued automatically - no manual work.
Boost sales with Shopjar – the all-in-one Shopify referral, refer-a-friend & affiliate program app. Let customers and influencers share unique referral links or coupon codes on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook & YouTube. Track every referral, reward them with discounts, cash or store credit, and turn word-of-mouth into repeat sales.
- Automatic referral links after every purchase — WhatsApp, SMS, and copy
- Shopify discount codes issued instantly when a referred order is placed
- Fraud detection blocks self-referrals, duplicate IPs, and velocity abuse
- Setup a referral program with unique referral links & reward coupons in minutes
- Publish a landing page + post purchase popups to promote your referral program
- Launch an affiliate program & manage affiliates, commissions & payouts easily
- Ready made, customisable affiliate signup forms & affiliate portal
All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
A green dot marks the app ahead on a measured figure. Estimates, gaps and apps that leave no storefront trace never take the lead.
Adoption
| Measure |  Referral Gem |  Referral Program |
|---|---|---|
| Detected stores | Not published | 593 |
| Net store change, 28 days | 0 | +7 |
| Stores added, 28 days | Not enough data | 12 |
| Big-brand share | Not enough data | 14% |
| Top store categories | Not published | Health & Beauty, Apparel & Accessories, Food, Beverages & Tobacco |
| Top store countries | Not published | United States, United Kingdom, Canada |
Reviews
| Measure | Referral Gem | Referral Program |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | Not published | 4.9 ★ |
| App Store reviews | Not published | 160 |
| New reviews, 28 days | Not enough data | 10 |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | 8% |
Pricing
| Measure | Referral Gem | Referral Program |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $19/month | $7/month(ahead) |
| Longest free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Plans listed | 3 | 4 |
Listing
| Measure | Referral Gem | Referral Program |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #124 | #4(ahead) |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | #24 in Affiliate programs |
| Built for Shopify | No | Yes |
| Launched | May 20, 2026 | Jun 27, 2022 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | Valar Digital | Shopjar |
FAQ
Referral Gem and Referral Program: common questions
- Is Referral Gem or Referral Program cheaper?
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $19/month for Referral Gem and $7/month for Referral Program. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- What features does each app list that the other doesn’t?
- Referral Gem lists 2 the others don’t mention, such as Custom links and discounts, Royalties. Referral Program lists 29 the others don’t mention, such as Achievement tracking, Affiliate programs, Auto-payments, Automated rules. A feature missing from a listing may still be supported; this compares what each App Store listing says.
- Where does this comparison’s data come from?
- Shoplist crawls Shopify storefronts to detect which apps each store runs, and reads each app’s Shopify App Store listing for reviews, pricing, features and integrations. Store counts are as of Oct 13, 2026 for Referral Gem, Nov 8, 2026 for Referral Program; estimated figures are labeled.
How Shoplist compares apps
Store counts come from Shoplist’s crawl of Shopify storefronts, which detects the apps each store runs; they are as of Oct 13, 2026 for Referral Gem, Nov 8, 2026 for Referral Program. Reviews, ratings, plans, features and integrations come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing. 28-day figures are labeled when estimated, and a figure that is missing or estimated never decides who leads. Read the methodology.