Viral Loops vs ReferralCandy
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Referral Marketing Software Tools (2026). Last verified June 18, 2026.
The short answer
ReferralCandy ranks higher on Top 11 (#1 vs #10) for Growth teams building referral and word-of-mouth programs. The top 'set and forget' referral tool for e-commerce, especially Shopify stores.
At a glance
| Viral Loops | ReferralCandy | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #10 / The 11 Best Referral Marketing Software Tools (2026) | #1 / The 11 Best Referral Marketing Software Tools (2026) |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 7.4 | 9.2 |
| Best for | Viral contests and giveaways | Simple e-commerce referral programs |
| Pricing | $ ($49 to $299/mo) | $ ($59 to $299/mo + commission) |
| HQ | London, UK | Singapore |
| Founded | 2016 | 2009 |
Viral Loops
A template-driven platform for running short-term viral marketing campaigns.
viralloops.comSee full entry in The 11 Best Referral Marketing Software Tools (2026)
ReferralCandy
The top 'set and forget' referral tool for e-commerce, especially Shopify stores.
www.referralcandy.comSee full entry in The 11 Best Referral Marketing Software Tools (2026)
Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.