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If you’re deciding between Cello and FirstPromoter for referrals, this page gives a practical comparison to help you choose. You’ll find what you need to build for each option and the trade‑offs across attribution reliability, in‑app UX, notifications, campaigns, and payouts.
Cello embeds a native referral component, coordinates in‑app + email journeys, and uses server‑side attribution via Stripe and webhooks. FirstPromoter provides a tracking snippet and hosted affiliate portal; teams typically build or embed the user experience themselves.

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Overview

  • In‑product referral UI: Cello provides a native in‑app referral panel for web and mobile; users see their link, status, and rewards inside your app.
  • Affiliate portal model: FirstPromoter centers on a JavaScript tracking snippet (fpr.js) and a hosted portal; there is no pre‑built in‑app referral panel.

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Integration and UX embedding

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Example

Open Cello’s referral panel from a profile menu item; keep the experience fully in‑app and on‑brand. Referral Component Pn

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Notifications and engagement

Cello includes an in‑app and email notification system for referral programs:
  • In‑app alerts and badges: e.g., an alert under a “Rewards” tab and a badge on the launcher when a reward is earned.
  • Announcements (callouts): prompts for next actions such as adding payout details after earning a reward.
  • Email notifications: lifecycle emails at moments like welcome, first share, reward earned, and unclaimed reminders.
  • Journey logic: behavior‑based timing (e.g., alert now, then announcement after 7 days if no action).
Announcement feature examples FirstPromoter offers email notifications and webhooks for events. There is no native in‑app notification layer; teams implement journeys via external tooling, requiring additional development effort.

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Mobile SDKs

If you need native, in‑app referral UX on iOS/Android with minimal build, Cello’s SDKs provide a faster path. FirstPromoter requires custom mobile implementation or redirecting to a web portal.

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Attribution: client vs server flow

In environments with strict CSP, script blockers, mobile apps, or server‑rendered checkouts, server‑first attribution reduces reliance on client events. FirstPromoter can be configured via API but requires additional work.

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Campaigns, rewards, and payouts

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Campaign design and reward rules

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Payout management

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Summary: key differences

  1. In‑app referral UX vs portal: Cello provides a native embedded panel; FirstPromoter uses a hosted affiliate portal and snippet.
  2. Engagement: Cello offers in‑app + email journeys; FirstPromoter relies on email and webhooks with no in‑app layer.
  3. Attribution: Cello is server‑first via metadata/webhooks; FirstPromoter defaults to client cookies and email matching.
  4. Campaigns: Cello supports multi‑type and double‑sided rewards in one campaign; FirstPromoter is more single‑reward oriented.
  5. Payouts: Cello manages payouts inside your app; FirstPromoter manages payouts externally.
  6. Mobile SDKs: Cello offers native iOS/Android/React Native SDKs with a plug‑and‑play component; FirstPromoter has no native mobile SDK and is web‑first.
Select the option that fits your integration model (in‑app vs portal), attribution requirements (server‑side vs client‑side), and operational preferences (built‑in journeys vs custom tooling).