Software: Friendbuy

Category: Referral Marketing & Customer Advocacy Platform

Primary Use: Referral programs, loyalty campaigns, and customer acquisition

Developer: Friendbuy, Inc.

Starting Price: Custom pricing (enterprise quote-based)

Free Trial/Plan: Demo available upon request

Platform: Web-based (cloud)

Official Website: friendbuy.com

Friendbuy is a cloud-based referral marketing platform designed to help ecommerce brands and enterprises build and manage customer referral programs. The software enables businesses to reward customers for referring friends and track performance across campaigns.

What Is Friendbuy?

Friendbuy is a SaaS referral marketing solution focused on customer acquisition through advocacy. Founded in 2010, the platform helps brands create structured referral programs that incentivize customers to invite friends via personalized referral links.

The system supports reward distribution, campaign customization, fraud detection, and performance analytics. Friendbuy is primarily used by ecommerce and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands seeking scalable referral programs.

The platform operates entirely online and integrates with ecommerce platforms and marketing tools.

Who Uses Friendbuy?

Common User Groups

Friendbuy is used by:

  • Ecommerce brands
  • Direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies
  • Subscription-based businesses
  • Retail enterprises
  • Marketing teams
  • Loyalty program managers

The platform is generally used by mid-sized to enterprise-level organizations.

Typical Use Cases

Customer referral programs

Brands reward customers for referring friends who make purchases.

Post-purchase referral prompts

Companies encourage sharing immediately after checkout.

Loyalty program integration

Businesses combine referral campaigns with rewards systems.

Subscription growth campaigns

Subscription services incentivize customer-driven growth.

Advocacy marketing initiatives

Brands formalize word-of-mouth marketing efforts.

Core Features

Referral Program Builder

What it does:

Friendbuy enables businesses to design and launch referral campaigns.

How users typically use it:

Users configure referral incentives and embed referral widgets on their websites.

Key capabilities:

  • Custom referral widget creation
  • Unique referral link generation
  • Incentive configuration
  • Campaign rules management
  • Multi-channel referral sharing

The builder supports structured referral workflows.

Reward & Incentive Management

What it does:

The platform manages reward distribution for successful referrals.

How users typically use it:

Brands define reward types such as discounts, credits, or gift cards.

Key capabilities:

  • Double-sided rewards (referrer and referee)
  • Coupon code distribution
  • Store credit management
  • Gift card rewards
  • Automated reward delivery

Reward systems can be customized to align with business goals.

Fraud Prevention & Tracking

What it does:

Friendbuy includes fraud detection mechanisms.

How users typically use it:

The system monitors suspicious referral activity.

Key capabilities:

  • Fraud detection algorithms
  • Referral validation checks
  • Duplicate account detection
  • IP monitoring
  • Manual review tools

These features help maintain program integrity.

Analytics & Reporting

What it does:

Friendbuy provides dashboards for tracking referral performance.

How users typically use it:

Marketing teams monitor program metrics and ROI.

Key capabilities:

  • Referral conversion tracking
  • Revenue attribution
  • Campaign performance reports
  • Participant tracking
  • Exportable data

Analytics tools support performance optimization.

A/B Testing & Optimization

What it does:

The platform allows testing of referral messaging and incentives.

How users typically use it:

Teams test different reward amounts or widget placements.

Key capabilities:

  • A/B split testing
  • Incentive comparison
  • Messaging variation testing
  • Performance comparison dashboards

Testing features support program optimization.

Integrations & API

What it does:

Friendbuy integrates with ecommerce and marketing systems.

How users typically use it:

Referral data syncs with CRM and ecommerce platforms.

Key capabilities:

  • Shopify integration
  • Salesforce integration
  • Klaviyo integration
  • API access
  • Webhook support

Integrations allow seamless data synchronization.

Integrations and Compatibility

Ecommerce Integrations

Friendbuy integrates with:

  • Shopify
  • Magento
  • BigCommerce
  • Custom ecommerce platforms

These integrations enable real-time reward and referral tracking.

Marketing & CRM Integrations

The platform connects with:

  • Salesforce
  • Klaviyo
  • HubSpot
  • Marketo

API access supports custom workflows.

Platform Availability

  • Web-based SaaS platform
  • Embedded website widgets
  • Mobile-optimized referral pages
  • No desktop installation required

Pricing Structure

Friendbuy uses a custom pricing model tailored to business needs.

Pricing Model

  • Quote-based subscription
  • Pricing based on referral volume
  • Pricing based on revenue generated
  • Enterprise contract agreements
  • Custom onboarding packages

Public pricing tiers are not listed on the official website.

Billing Options

  • Annual contracts
  • Custom enterprise agreements
  • Volume-based pricing structures

Advantages and Limitations

Notable Advantages

  • Designed for ecommerce brands
  • Double-sided reward support
  • Fraud prevention tools
  • A/B testing capabilities
  • CRM and ecommerce integrations

Potential Limitations

  • No publicly listed pricing
  • Primarily targeted at mid-sized and enterprise brands
  • Implementation may require technical integration
  • Not designed for basic giveaway campaigns

Alternatives to Friendbuy

Several platforms provide similar referral marketing functionality.

ReferralCandy

Focused on ecommerce referral programs.

Yotpo Referrals

Part of a broader ecommerce marketing suite.

Talkable

Enterprise referral marketing solution.

UpViral

Viral referral and lead generation campaigns.

These platforms support comparable referral-driven growth workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Friendbuy do?

Friendbuy is a referral marketing platform that enables ecommerce brands to run customer referral programs.

Is Friendbuy cloud-based?

Yes. It operates as a web-based SaaS platform.

Does Friendbuy offer public pricing?

No. Pricing is provided through custom quotes.

Can Friendbuy integrate with ecommerce platforms?

Yes. It integrates with platforms such as Shopify and Magento.

Who typically uses Friendbuy?

Ecommerce and direct-to-consumer brands commonly use the platform.

Key Takeaways

Friendbuy is a cloud-based referral marketing platform designed for ecommerce brands seeking structured customer referral programs. The software includes referral tracking, double-sided rewards, fraud prevention, analytics, and CRM integrations. Pricing is custom and tailored to business size and referral volume, with enterprise-level capabilities available.