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Last updated: December 1, 2024
Hey, I’m Joe Kevens, Director of Demand Gen at PartnerStack. Here’s my overview of what I believe makes PartnerStack a top choice for B2B SaaS companies looking to boost their partner programs (and grow revenue).
PartnerStack is not just a tool; think of it more as a platform and a network to manage and grow multiple types of partner programs. PartnerStack has covered everything from recruiting and activating new partners to tracking their performance and dishing out rewards.
Plus, with a network of over 100,000 active partners and a network success team that matches vendors with the highest-value, best-fit partners, PartnerStack can continue fueling the growth of its vendor customers program.
It’s similar to a CRM system, but for managing partnership relationships, and imagine if the CRM provider could also generate new leads for you to work in your system.
That’s PartnerStack in a nutshell.
PartnerStack is built for B2B SaaS companies — and SaaS companies only, really — aiming to scale their partner programs.
Whether you’re looking to beef up your partnerships or have a hefty budget to propel these initiatives, PartnerStack is tailored for you.
The platform and network is crafted to support your expansion, engagement, and management of affiliate, referral, and reseller (co-sell, really) partnerships.
In short:
Here’s the scoop on how PartnerStack helps:
What sets PartnerStack apart?
Arguably the biggest differentiator is that PartnerStack is that it’s built to handle partner management across multiple channels — be it affiliate, referral, technology, or reseller programs — all from one intuitive platform.
This means you don’t have to pick one partner type, or be limited to it, because your partner platform’s functionality constrains you to it.
Key features include:
And let’s not forget the PartnerStack network perks:
Here’s a deeper look at its core features and benefits:
What truly sets PartnerStack apart is its ability to unify partner management across multiple channels, including affiliate, referral, technology, and reseller programs, all within a single, intuitive platform.
Pros:
In my experience, the top 3 capabilities that PartnerStack customers value most tend to be:
Cons:
In my experience, the top capabilities customers tend to want more from PartnerStack are:
PartnerStack offers a range of pricing plans, starting at $6k, designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses at different stages of growth. Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, PartnerStack has a plan that can scale with your partner programs.
Additionally, PartnerStack offers POCs (Proof Of Concept) and free trial periods to select prospects, allowing businesses to explore the platform’s capabilities and see firsthand how it can enhance their partner programs before making a commitment.
PartnerStack has a proven track record of helping B2B software businesses achieve remarkable success with their partner programs.
Here are a few software companies growing their partner programs with PartnerStack:
PandaDoc
Unbounce
Moosend
These success stories highlight how PartnerStack can help SaaS businesses of all sizes achieve their partner program goals and drive substantial growth, especially those with some initial traction in their partner program.
Read the best PartnerStack reviews by verified users here:
Note: review counts as of November 17th, 2024.
Users who have reviewed PartnerStack have generally provided positive feedback for its intuitive interface and robust capabilities in managing multiple partner programs, including affiliate, referral, and reseller channels. Users appreciate the platform’s ability to streamline complex partnership ecosystems, allowing for efficient tracking and rewarding of diverse partner types.
However, some users have noted that the onboarding process can be lengthy, potentially delaying the time to value. Additionally, while PartnerStack offers comprehensive features for affiliate and referral programs, certain users have expressed a desire for more advanced functionalities specifically tailored to reseller program management.
More specifically, here’s what users generally had to say for each of the three main use cases for PartnerStack:
Affiliate Management: PartnerStack is a robust platform for affiliate management, featuring an intuitive interface that simplifies the creation, tracking, and management of affiliate programs. Users praise its reliable tracking capabilities and powerful tools but note that the initial setup can be complex. They suggest more payment options for greater flexibility. They also appreciate the payout automation capabilities.
Partner Relationship Management (PRM): PartnerStack excels in PRM, offering comprehensive solutions for managing business relationships and omnichannel strategies. Users appreciate its ability to streamline onboarding, payouts, and compliance processes, despite occasional frustrations with slow onboarding and customer support response times.
Referral Management: In referral management, PartnerStack stands out with efficient tracking and payment features, enabling businesses to manage and scale referral programs effectively. Although users find the initial implementation challenging, the platform’s clean and professional referral tracking enhance its credibility and usability.
Overall, PartnerStack is recognized as a valuable tool for businesses aiming to enhance their partner program management, with particular strengths in handling multiple partnership types, though there is room for improvement in onboarding efficiency and reseller-specific features.
Note: this is an AI-driven section, with human-in-the-loop oversight (me), to capture the overall user sentiment from user reviews of PartnerStack across the web and based on my first-hand experience working at PartnerStack for almost 5 years.
In my 5 years of experience working at PartnerStack, I’ve seen who does and doesn’t succeed with PartnerStack.
In general, the companies that succeed the most with PartnerStack are:
In contrast, the companies that generally struggle to benefit from PartnerStack are
Implementing a partner program can come with its own set of challenges, but PartnerStack is designed to address these common concerns effectively:
By providing solutions to these concerns, PartnerStack ensures businesses can focus on growing their partner programs without worrying about operational hurdles. The platform’s user-friendly design and comprehensive features make it an ideal choice for managing and optimizing partner programs.
At PartnerStack, security and compliance are top priorities. The platform employs robust measures to ensure that all data and transactions are secure and adhere to industry standards.
Moreover, PartnerStack’s secure payment processing system allows businesses to handle transactions efficiently and safely, providing peace of mind for both you and your partners.
PartnerStack’s integration capabilities are designed to seamlessly connect with your existing business tools, streamlining partner program management through robust API connections and Workato “recipes.” These integrations enhance efficiency by allowing data from your existing tools to sync effortlessly with PartnerStack.
PartnerStack’s fraud monitoring suite, powered by industry leader Sift, provides comprehensive protection for partner programs, ensuring both security and compliance. Trusted by brands like Twitter, Box, and Yelp, Sift’s fraud detection technology is integrated within PartnerStack to monitor suspicious activity across partner and customer interactions.
Key Features of PartnerStack’s Fraud Monitoring:
User Insights from PartnerStack Reviews: Online user reviews highlight the reliability and effectiveness of PartnerStack’s fraud detection suite in preventing fraudulent activities that could harm their programs. Users appreciate the automatic fraud alerts, which provide peace of mind and ensure that only legitimate transactions proceed. However, some users have noted that legitimate partners occasionally get flagged, suggesting a need for slightly more flexibility or options for whitelisting trusted partners. Despite this, the dispute resolution process is generally regarded as responsive and effective, reinforcing PartnerStack’s commitment to maintaining secure, trustworthy partnerships.
This robust fraud monitoring solution supports businesses in mitigating risks associated with partner transactions and rewards, helping protect their reputation and revenue through advanced fraud prevention.
Simply put, it’s the leading solution for managing and scaling B2B SaaS partnerships, with a robust network of over 100,000 active partners. Think of it as a CRM but for Partners (Hence, Partner Relationship Management (PRM) software). The PartnerStack network helps you recruit the right partners into your program.
PartnerStack's solution focuses on five main areas: partner recruitment, activation, performance tracking, reward management, and program optimization. Recruitment: Access thousands of B2B-ready partners through the PartnerStack Marketplace and Partner Discovery tools, which streamline partner applications and approvals. Activation: The Partner Portal houses resources, announcements, and customizable onboarding, while in-app referral widgets and challenges motivate partners to drive sales. Performance Tracking: Track partner impact with detailed reports on leads, deals, and revenue, and ensure transparent deal management with Deal Registration and Lead Sharing features. Reward Management: Automated partner payments and customizable commission triggers save time and secure fair rewards, while built-in fraud protection prevents payout abuse. Optimization: PartnerStack’s LMS and co-marketing tools equip partners with training and brand-compliant materials, and integrations sync data across CRM systems for a holistic view. This suite empowers businesses to attract, enable, and grow high-performing partners seamlessly.
Yes, lots of SMBs use PartnerStack. And with the recent release of a lower-priced entry point, starting at $6k/year, PartnerStack has made it's solution accessible to more SaaS startups and SMBs. Now, PartnerStack has options for businesses of any size, from startups and SMBs to large enterprises. The key for success with PartnerStack is coming into it with a partner program foundation in place so you'll be ready to make the most of the solution. Partnerships success doesn't happen over night, so you need to put the work in up front.
Yes, through integrations with tools like Workato, PartnerStack is highly configurable. Thanks to Workato, PartnerStack can integrate with over 1,500 apps, including CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive, and payment platforms like Stripe and Chargebee. Through Workato and custom APIs, PartnerStack enables seamless data syncing, automated workflows, and flexible reward tracking—making it easy to centralize partner data and streamline program management across platforms.
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Want to learn about PartnerStack?
Learn more on their site.
