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RefRef

refref.ai

Free plan WebAPISelf-hosted
Visit refref.ai
Spec score 7.5 #9 of 20 in Customer-to-Customer (C2C) Community Marketing Software

What it is

RefRef is an open-source platform for running referral programs, affiliate networks, and partner programs. It can be hosted in RefRef’s cloud or self-hosted on your infrastructure. Referral credit can use first-touch, last-touch, or multi-touch attribution, and reward rules can cover fixed amounts, percentages, cash, credits, discounts, and other types. Participants can use an embeddable widget to view referral links, share them by social media or email, and follow performance and rewards. Documented integrations include Stripe, Paddle, LemonSqueezy, Chargebee, PayPal, and Tango Card. The platform also provides a REST API, webhooks, JWT authentication, organization-scoped data isolation, and custom qualifying events and reward rules. Cloud and Open Source plans are each free and include unlimited programs and participants; Cloud includes email support, while Open Source includes community support. The project is in alpha and may have bugs or breaking changes. Self-hosting has specified infrastructure requirements, including PostgreSQL, Redis, and Node.js.

Spec sheet

Deployment
RefRef supports self-hosting on your own infrastructure and managed cloud hosting.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Integrations
Documented integrations include Stripe, Paddle, LemonSqueezy, Chargebee, PayPal, and Tango Card.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Support
Support varies by plan from community support or email support to priority chat and Zoom support for Enterprise.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
License
The RefRef repository is released under the AGPLv3 license.Read 1 Oct 2026 · github.com
Architecture
RefRef provides a REST API, webhook events, JWT authentication, organization-scoped data isolation, and custom qualifying events and reward rules.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Attribution
The platform supports first-touch, last-touch, and multi-touch referral attribution models.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Attribution cookie
The attribution script stores a referral code in a refref-refcode cookie for 90 days.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Product purpose
RefRef is an open source referral marketing platform for building referral programs, affiliate networks, and partner programs.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Project maturity
The project repository warns that RefRef is still in alpha and may have bugs and breaking changes.Read 1 Oct 2026 · github.com
Referral widget
The embeddable widget lets participants view referral links, share through social media or email, and track referral performance and rewards.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Rewards
RefRef supports fixed amounts, percentages, cash, credits, discounts, and other reward types.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Security guidance
The self-hosting guide recommends SSL/TLS behind a reverse proxy, network segmentation, strong database credentials, security updates, backups, and considering a web application firewall.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Self-hosting requirements
The documented minimum self-hosting requirements are 2 CPU cores, 4GB RAM, 20GB SSD, PostgreSQL 13 or newer, Redis, Node.js 16 or newer, and Docker 20.10 or newer when containerized.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Supported industries
RefRef documents use cases for B2B SaaS, ecommerce, B2C subscriptions, financial services, and education.Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai

Plans and prices

Cloud Free Cloud-hosted · Unlimited Programs · Unlimited Participants · Reward automation · Affiliate management · Email Support Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Open Source Free Self-hosted · Unlimited Programs · Unlimited Participants · Reward automation · Affiliate management · Community Support Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai
Enterprise Priced on request Cloud-hosted or Self-hosted · Managed infrastructure · We do the integration · Custom development · Custom branding · Priority chat and Zoom support Read 1 Oct 2026 · refref.ai

Every RefRef plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • First-touch, last-touch, and multi-touch attribution
  • Supports varied reward types and custom rules
  • Embeddable participant widget
  • REST API and webhook events
  • Free cloud and self-hosted plans

Limits

  • Project is in alpha and may change
  • Self-hosting requires specified infrastructure
  • Cloud plan support is email-based

Who it suits

RefRef suits organizations that want to manage referrals, affiliates, or partners and choose between hosted and self-hosted deployment. Self-hosters should be prepared to meet its listed infrastructure requirements.

Verdict

RefRef offers referral program management with flexible attribution, rewards, integrations, and deployment options. Its alpha status and self-hosting requirements are important considerations.

Where Specifiction places it

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