UpPromote vs. LeadDyno: Which Affiliate Marketing App Is Right for Your Shopify Store?

So, you’re diving into affiliate marketing on Shopify and wondering which app will actually make your life easier. UpPromote and LeadDyno are probably on your radar—and for good reason. They’ve both been around, promise to help you grow, and sound pretty similar at first glance.

But here’s the thing: LeadDyno has been in the game for a long time, and while experience counts, some merchants feel it’s starting to show its age. Between an interface that feels a bit outdated, surprise billing based on mysterious “visitor overages,” and a lack of smart automation, it’s not exactly the smooth ride many were hoping for.

Maybe you’ve run into some of these issues. Or maybe you’re just doing your homework before committing. Either way, this guide will walk you through how UpPromote and LeadDyno really compare, so you can skip the headaches and pick a tool that grows with your business (and doesn’t ghost you when support is needed).

UpPromote vs. LeadDyno: Overview

Here’s a quick overview of what each affiliate marketing app offers, helping you see their key strengths before we compare them side by side.

What is UpPromote?

UpPromote is the top-trusted affiliate marketing app built for Shopify, with a 4.9/5 rating and over 2,500 reviews on the Shopify App Store.
Tailored specifically for Shopify merchants, UpPromote helps you attract new customers and boost sales through affiliate marketing. From customizable sign-up forms to affiliate links and discount codes, everything is ready to use right out of the box.

You’ll have access to powerful tools to grow your program, including multi-level marketing (MLM), a built-in affiliate marketplace, and refer-a-friend features. The app also gives you full control with real-time tracking, flexible commission setups, and 24/7 support when you need it.

Trusted by over 150,000 eCommerce businesses, partners, and industry experts worldwide, UpPromote is a reliable choice for both new and scaling brands looking for long-term growth.

What is LeadDyno?

LeadDyno is affiliate marketing software designed to help businesses launch and grow their affiliate programs, with a 4.4/5 rating and over 200 reviews on the Shopify App Store.

The app equips merchants with the core tools needed to get started, form set up programs, track affiliate performance, to manage payouts from a centralized dashboard.

One of LeadDyno’s strengths lies in its wide range of integrations. The app works well with various eCommerce platforms. However, it doesn’t embed directly into Shopify, which may affect the user experience if you’re looking for a seamless solution.

Also, automation features like auto-generating affiliate links or coupons and auto-payouts are currently not supported.  If you’re not tech-savvy or prefer to minimize manual tasks, running your program with LeadDyno might take more effort.

UpPromote vs. LeadDyno: How Their Features Stack Up

Let’s compare UpPromote and LeadDyno to spot the key differences:

Optimized for Shopify Stores

When you’re running a business on Shopify, you want tools that fit naturally into your store, so you don’t waste time switching between platforms or repeating the same work across stores.

Here’s how UpPromote and LeadDyno compare when it comes to Shopify optimization:

Both apps are available on the Shopify App Store and help you run an affiliate program. However, their level of integration and scalability is clearly different. What sets UpPromote apart is this:

• With the Built for Shopify badge, UpPromote offers a fully embedded experience right inside your Shopify admin, so you don’t need to switch tabs or leave your store’s backend. LeadDyno, meanwhile, doesn’t hold the badge.

• Multi-store support, allowing you to manage several Shopify stores from one place.

💪The winner: UpPromote

If you’re looking for an affiliate solution built with Shopify in mind, UpPromote gives you a smoother, more scalable experience—right inside your store.

Flexible Commission Structure Capabilities

Both UpPromote and LeadDyno let you create different affiliate programs with their own settings and commission rules. This flexibility gives you the freedom to tailor each program to fit your campaigns, audience, or affiliate types.

UpPromote and LeadDyno support basic and recurring commissions, special product settings, and lifetime tracking. You can also reward affiliates for new customer referrals.

But UpPromote gives you more flexibility with smart commission structures, which can save time and help your program grow. For example:

• You can set rules based on order value and link affiliates to specific products or collections
• Auto-tier commissions let you reward top performers automatically—no manual updates needed
• You can track sales by coupon code, not just by link

What ties these features together? One thing: affiliate motivation.

UpPromote’s commission options are built to keep your partners engaged, loyal, and performing at their best—because they don’t just see numbers, they feel recognized. Encouraged. Valued.

That’s the power of an affiliate-centric solution: it helps you reward the right actions, build trust, and turn casual promoters into long-term brand advocates.

Nubeo Watches is a real-world example of how brands can grow together with their affiliates. Using UpPromote, they set up a tiered commission system that starts at 10% and goes up to 17% for top performers. It’s fair, motivating, and encourages long-term commitment. The result? Affiliates now drive about 30% of their total sales.

💪The winner: UpPromote

If you need more flexibility in how you reward affiliates, UpPromote offers more options for customization.

Affiliate Recruitment Approaches

You’ll find various tools on both apps to support affiliate recruitment. But if you look a little closer, there are some differences that could impact your choice.

Both platforms offer various tools to support affiliate recruitment, yet UpPromote comes with a more complete set to help you attract affiliates:

• Choose from three form templates to match your brand, rather than being limited to one layout
• Expand your MLM structure up to 20 levels, while LeadDyno caps it at 10
• Gain more exposure by listing your program in UpPromote’s built-in affiliate marketplace
• Easily turn happy customers into affiliates with refer-a-friend programs — a feature not yet available in LeadDyno

💪 The winner: UpPromote

If you’re looking for more control and better reach when recruiting affiliates, UpPromote makes the whole process easier and more flexible.

Affiliate Management and Support

Managing your affiliates doesn’t have to be complicated. Both UpPromote and LeadDyno offer tools to help you approve, support, and reward affiliates. But when you look closely, you’ll see that one platform gives you a lot more to work with.

Both apps let you approve affiliates automatically, give them access to their dashboard, assign discount codes, and block dishonest behavior.

That said, it’s surprising that a long-standing tool like LeadDyno still misses some smart automations. UpPromote goes a few steps further with features that help you save time and manage things more smoothly:

• You can auto-generate coupons for new affiliates. It’s especially helpful for stores with a big affiliate team or frequent promo campaigns, like product launches or seasonal sales. This feature makes onboarding smoother and saves you hours of manual setup.
• You can create custom links for each affiliate to track their performance more effectively and accurately.
• The app allows you to chat with affiliates directly within the app, not just 1via email.
• You can send bonuses, gifts, or store credit to keep partners motivated.

For example, Holbrook Pickleball uses UpPromote to run and manage their affiliate program. Whenever they spot someone performing exceptionally well, they surprise that top affiliate with a gift package through the app. It’s a heartfelt way to say “thank you” for the affiliate’s effort and dedication. This thoughtful approach is part of what led to their success, contributing to an 87% boost in orders from affiliates.

💪 The winner: UpPromote

If you’re serious about growing and supporting your affiliate team, UpPromote gives you more tools to work smarter, automate faster, and build stronger relationships with your partners.

Payouts and Invoicing

Paying affiliates on time and keeping your records in order is key to running a successful affiliate program. Both UpPromote and LeadDyno cover the basics, but there are some helpful extras that set one apart.

Both solutions let you process manual payouts and send payments through PayPal, so you can pay your affiliates with ease.

However, UpPromote provides more advanced payout automation and tax compliance tools:

• Set automatic PayPal payouts on a schedule—no need to handle it manually each time
• Export invoices for clear records and reporting
• Collect W-9s and generate 1099-NEC forms for U.S. affiliates—right inside the app

💪 The winner: UpPromote

If you want a smoother, more hands-free way to manage payouts and stay tax-compliant, UpPromote gives you the tools to do it all in one place.

Reporting and Analytics

Keeping an eye on how your affiliate program performs helps you make smarter decisions. Both UpPromote and LeadDyno provide core reports and analytics tools to monitor traffic, clicks, and sales, but there are a few key differences that matter.

Both platforms let you see real-time activity, spot top affiliates, and track where your affiliate traffic is coming from.

However, UpPromote gives you more tools to go deeper:

• Track which products your affiliates help sell the most
• Export reports in more formats—not just CSV, but also Excel and PDF

💪 The winner: UpPromote

If you want better insights and more flexible reporting, UpPromote helps you understand what’s working, so you can do more of it.

Why UpPromote Is a Better Alternative to LeadDyno

Choosing between UpPromote and LeadDyno? The table below gives you a quick snapshot of how the two apps compare across key features and functionality:

Built for Shopify, Not Just Compatible

UpPromote is built exclusively for Shopify merchants. That means it integrates seamlessly into the Shopify admin, offering a smoother, more native experience. The app also supports multi-store management, so you can run affiliate programs across several Shopify stores without repeating the setup.

On the other hand, LeadDyno works with Shopify but isn’t fully embedded. This limitation can lead to extra steps and a less streamlined setup, especially if you’re managing more than one Shopify store.

Start an Affiliate Program for Free

UpPromote offers a Free plan that lets you easily start your affiliate program without worrying about upfront costs. Even on this plan, you’ll get:

• Up to 200 referrals per month
• Flexible commission settings, including standard models like a percentage of the sale, a flat rate per order, or a flat rate per item, along with advanced options like order value–based commissions and product-specific rates
• Email outreach capabilities (up to 100 emails per day)

Meanwhile, LeadDyno doesn’t offer a free plan at all — you’ll need to pay just to get started, which can be a barrier if you’re testing things out or running a small business.

Greater Flexibility in Commission Structure

UpPromote offers greater flexibility in setting up commissions. You can apply various types, such as:

• Order value–based commissions
• Coupon code commissions
• Connected product/ collection commissions
• Rewards for new customers
• First-time and recurring commissions

Everything is managed within a single program, making setup simple and efficient.

In contrast, LeadDyno often requires you to create separate programs for different rules, which takes more time and adds unnecessary complexity.

More Automation Features to Save Time

Managing an affiliate program shouldn’t take up your entire day. With UpPromote, many things are handled automatically:

• Affiliates get approved and assigned links or coupons right away
• You can set scheduled auto payouts via PayPal
• Affiliates can be upgraded to higher tiers/ better programs automatically with auto-tier commission

LeadDyno still requires a lot of manual work. Features like auto-tiering or auto-payouts aren’t available, which might slow you down as your program grows.

More Ways to Enhance Affiliate Engagement

Keeping your affiliates motivated is easier when you have the right tools. UpPromote gives you more ways to keep your affiliates engaged and excited to promote your brand:

• Reward top affiliates with performance-based bonuses
• Send gifts or store credit directly through the system
• Set up commission tiers so affiliates can level up as they grow
• Stay connected through both email and in-app chat for better communication

LeadDyno just focuses on basic email communication and doesn’t support extra engagement options like sending gifts or store credit through the system. If you want to build strong, long-term relationships with your affiliates, these missing features can be a drawback.

Better Solutions to Grow and Scale Your Affiliate Network

Finding quality affiliates is one of the biggest challenges when starting an affiliate program. UpPromote helps ease that burden by offering:

• List your program on the UpPromote Marketplace to reach thousands of active affiliates
• Let affiliates invite others to join, helping you grow your network organically
• Turn your loyal customers into affiliates with a built-in refer-a-friend program

LeadDyno, on the other hand, doesn’t offer a marketplace listing or customer referral tools. Without these features, you’ll have fewer channels to recruit new affiliates

Wrapping Up

Both UpPromote and LeadDyno can help you run an affiliate program, but they serve merchants differently.

If you want a solution that’s built specifically for Shopify, easy to scale, and packed with smart automation features, UpPromote is the better choice. It gives you more control, more flexibility, and more ways to grow, no matter if you’re just getting started or ready to expand your affiliate team.

LeadDyno covers the basics well and works with multiple ecommerce platforms, but if you’re focused on Shopify and want to streamline your affiliate marketing, UpPromote will save you time and effort