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Affiliate program comparison

Hootsuite vs Sprout Social

Compare Hootsuite vs Sprout Social by commission, attribution, approval, audience fit, restrictions and current first-party source evidence.

Social Media Creator ToolsHootsuite
Commission
20% of first-month revenue for each new qualifying Standard-plan referral; Advanced referrals can earn…
Attribution
90 days for trials/buy-now purchases and 90 days for…
Model
Sale
VS
Social Media Creator ToolsSprout Social
Commission
Revenue share on qualifying referred subscriptions; current public page does not publish one fixed…
Attribution
Referral relationship; no public cookie window stated
Model
Referral Revenue Share
Choose Hootsuite when

Social-media marketing publishers, agencies, software reviewers and creators teaching social workflows.

First-party source checked · September 8, 2026
Choose Sprout Social when

Agencies, consultants and business-focused social-media publishers with a relevant customer base.

First-party source checked · September 8, 2026
Verify before you choose

Open the current program pages side by side.

Use the comparison to narrow the choice, then confirm the current qualifying event, attribution and promotion rules on each program before publishing a recommendation.

Hootsuite

Social-media marketing publishers, agencies, software reviewers and creators teaching social workflows.

Visit Hootsuite
Sprout Social

Agencies, consultants and business-focused social-media publishers with a relevant customer base.

Visit Sprout Social

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Decision differences

Where the two offers actually diverge.

Only material fields that differ are shown here. Equal fields are left out so the page is easier to scan.

Program status
Hootsuite

Active

Sprout Social

Active referral program

Commercial model
Hootsuite

sale

Sprout Social

referral-revenue-share

Commission
Hootsuite

20% of first-month revenue for each new qualifying Standard-plan referral; Advanced referrals can earn more

Sprout Social

Revenue share on qualifying referred subscriptions; current public page does not publish one fixed percentage

Attribution
Hootsuite

90 days for trials/buy-now purchases and 90 days for trial-to-subscription conversions

Sprout Social

Referral relationship; no public cookie window stated

Approval
Hootsuite

Application review through Hootsuite / Impact

Sprout Social

Contact/apply to the relevant Sprout partnership track

Think twice about Hootsuite when

Advanced-plan payout is not summarized as one fixed public percentage

Think twice about Sprout Social when

No single public commission percentage is stated

Full terms

Side-by-side research table.

“Not published” means the reviewed first-party source did not expose that field clearly enough to state it as fact.

FactorHootsuiteSprout Social
Current statusActiveActive referral program
CategorySocial Media Creator ToolsSocial Media Creator Tools
Commercial modelSaleReferral Revenue Share
Commission20% of first-month revenue for each new qualifying Standard-plan referral; Advanced referrals can earn moreRevenue share on qualifying referred subscriptions; current public page does not publish one fixed percentage
Attribution90 days for trials/buy-now purchases and 90 days for trial-to-subscription conversionsReferral relationship; no public cookie window stated
ApprovalApplication review through Hootsuite / ImpactContact/apply to the relevant Sprout partnership track
Source reviewed2026-09-082026-09-08
Best fitSocial-media marketing publishers, agencies, software reviewers and creators teaching social workflows.Agencies, consultants and business-focused social-media publishers with a relevant customer base.
Hootsuite

Strengths and checks

Reasons to consider it

  • 20% first-month Standard-plan commission is public
  • 90-day attribution window is public
  • Impact tracking and application path are clearly documented

Verify first

  • Advanced-plan payout is not summarized as one fixed public percentage
  • Enterprise audiences may fit Hootsuite’s separate HootPartner route
  • Brand-bidding and promotional rules still require current-term review
Read the Hootsuite profile
Sprout Social

Strengths and checks

Reasons to consider it

  • Referral revenue share is explicitly offered
  • Agency partners can also refer customers
  • Current official partner program is active

Verify first

  • No single public commission percentage is stated
  • The program is relationship-oriented
  • Reseller, agency and referral tracks have different use cases
Read the Sprout Social profile
If neither fits

Open a nearby alternative.

These suggestions come from category, audience and existing comparison relationships—not an opaque ranking.

Same-category alternative

Buffer

Creator, social-media, agency and community audiences that already use or teach Buffer-style publishing workflows.

Compare with Hootsuite