Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Easily reach millions of new consumers and grow your business with Microsoft Advertising.
| Microsoft Channel | Referral Candy & Affiliate | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | ||
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | images | images |
| Languages | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Developer | ||
| Listed | ||
| Last updated | — | — |
Your all-in-one affiliate & referral marketing solution.
| Metric | Microsoft Channel | Referral Candy & Affiliate |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.0 ★ | ★ 4.9 ★ |
| Total reviews | 348 | ★ 1.5k |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free to install | Free trial available |
| Built for Shopify | — | ★ Yes |
| Pricing tiers | 1 tier | ★ 4 tiers |
| Listed features | 3 | ★ 5 |
| Featured placements | 1 | 1 |
| Languages | 1 supported | 1 supported |
| Listed since | Sep 2019 | Sep 2010 |
Based on the data on this page, Referral Candy & Affiliate is the stronger choice for most Shopify App Store merchants — 4.9★ vs Microsoft Channel's 3.0★ is a meaningful gap that usually reflects real product or support quality differences across the user base.
Pricing entry tiers: Microsoft Channel at Free to install, Referral Candy & Affiliate at Free trial available. Check each app's tier structure for the capacity limits you actually need before deciding — the headline number is the same shape, but the gating shape per tier (seats, usage volume, integrations) varies.
Referral Candy & Affiliate has the larger user base (1,487 reviews vs 348), which usually maps to broader integration coverage, faster bug-fix cadence, and a deeper bench of community workflow patterns. Microsoft Channel's smaller cohort can be an advantage for niche workflows where the bigger app has accumulated bloat.
Recommended by size: small/early-stage merchants who need fast install and low risk should default to Referral Candy & Affiliate; mid-market and enterprise merchants with specific feature requirements should evaluate both — Microsoft Channel's 348-review base may include the workflow context that matches your specific use case better than Referral Candy & Affiliate's broader-but-shallower coverage.
This verdict is generated from the live marketplace data on this page — rating, review count, pricing tier, and category position all refresh from the canonical Shopify App Store listing every 24 hours. AppRanks does not accept payment to influence comparison outcomes; the methodology is documented on the About page and applies identically to every pair on the site.
Read each app's audit: Microsoft Channel audit • Referral Candy & Affiliate audit
| Keyword | Microsoft Channel | Referral Candy & Affiliate |
|---|---|---|
| multi-channel marketplace listing | #3 | Not ranked |
| network | #4 | Not ranked |
| chat channels | #5 | Not ranked |
| affiliate | Not ranked | #6 |
| affiliate program | Not ranked | #7 |
No tracked changes.
Both Microsoft Channel and Referral Candy & Affiliate offer paid plans only. Microsoft Channel starts at Free to install; Referral Candy & Affiliate starts at Free trial available. Compare the per-tier features in the Pricing section above before committing.
Referral Candy & Affiliate has the higher average rating (4.9★ from 1,487 reviews) compared to Microsoft Channel (3.0★ from 348 reviews). Both are tracked daily by AppRanks, so the figures here update each refresh cycle.
Referral Candy & Affiliate holds the higher average rating (4.9★ vs 3.0★). That is the one dimension AppRanks can separate them on here — read both apps' detail pages for the feature breakdown and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the Shopify App Store. Referral Candy & Affiliate has the deeper published review base (1,487 vs 348), which often — though not always — accompanies better-tested setup docs. AppRanks doesn't measure setup time directly: read the recent reviews on each app's detail page for user-reported install experience.
Microsoft Channel typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (348 reviews). Referral Candy & Affiliate typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (1,487 reviews). A larger review base generally means the app has been exercised at scale — relevant if you are processing high volume or handling enterprise compliance requirements.
Migration support varies by app and category. Microsoft Channel and Referral Candy & Affiliate both publish their export options on their marketplace listing pages (or in their support docs); some apps offer one-click import from competitors, others require CSV. The fastest check: search "import from Microsoft Channel" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.
