Best Partner Management Software Shortlist
These are the 12 best partner management software that made it onto my shortlist:
- PartnerStack - Best for affiliate partnerships management
- Reveal - Best for prioritizing new partnership opportunities
- PartnerTap - Best for identifying partner and customer overlap
- StructuredWeb - Best with customizable partner portals
- Allbound PRM - Best for automating partner relations
- Kiflo PRM - Best for SMBs with scaling partner programs
- Channeltivity - Best with partner recruitment tools
- LeadMethod - Best to equip partners with marketing collateral
- Everflow - Best advanced tracking and analytics
- OneAffiniti - Best for software and services
- Zift Solutions - Best for partner learning and engagement
- Crossbeam - Best partnerships network with a free plan
Whether you’re a well-established enterprise or a scrappy startup, building partnerships can help you expand your reach and generate more leads. But developing partner channel programs and managing your partner relationships takes dedicated time and personnel. And that’s where partner management software can make a big difference.
Partner relationship management (PRM) software can bring your partner communications, enablement tools, and performance tracking into a single platform. It provides a real-time picture of your partnerships and helps you keep your partner management efforts efficient and organized.
To help you find the best PRM software for your needs, I’ve researched various options and compiled this list, with overviews of each platform below.
What Is Partner Management Software?
Partner management software is a platform that helps businesses effectively manage their external relationships and collaborations. It’s sometimes also called partner relationship management (PRM) software, and is most often used by sales teams, business development teams, marketing teams, and partner or channel management teams. The software provides a centralized system to manage various partner-related processes, including communications, rewards distribution, and collaborative marketing and selling activities.
Overviews of the 12 Best Partner Management Software
Here you can find my detailed overviews of the best PRM software to make my list. I’ve included their standout features, integrations, pros and cons of each, and a screenshot to give you a feel for the user interface.
1. PartnerStack - Best for affiliate partnerships management
PartnerStack is a partnerships management software that helps you recruit, track, and reward your affiliate and referral partners.
Why I picked PartnerStack: The software pulls partner data from your CRM, emails, and spreadsheets together in one place. It also has partner portals where your partners can access resources, rewards, and other important assets that come with your partner program. I chose to add it to my list as an option that can be used to manage affiliate partners, referral partners, and reseller partners.
In addition to keeping track of your partners’ information, you can also manage email campaigns and co-marketing initiatives through the software. It has analytics capabilities that can help you optimize your existing partnerships and overall partnerships strategy.
PartnerStack Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features I spotted while testing this software were its rewards management capabilities. You’re able to easily pay your partners through the software and set reward triggers based on partner events. The software also scans for fraudulent activity, which gives you peace of mind when you're automating partner rewards.
Integrations include Salesforce, Stripe, HubSpot, Slack, Recurly, Chargebee, Pipedrive, and Google Sheets.
Pricing One-Liner: Pricing available upon request
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Intuitive and straightforward interface
- Marketplace to find new partnerships
- Responsive and knowledgeable support team
Cons
- Limited customization for analytics tools
- Lacks offline tracking capabilities
2. Reveal - Best for prioritizing new partnership opportunities
Reveal is an account mapping and partnerships directory platform that companies can use to keep track of their partners and track their partnership activities.
Why I picked Reveal: This software made my list because it creates a centralized partner database with data from your CRM and other sources. By doing this, it helps you eliminate duplicate records and spot missed opportunities. It also tracks your partners’ activities, helping you know when to take action and what action to take.
You can also discover new partnership opportunities through the software’s directory. Once you team up with a new partner, you can exchange lead lists and then track leads through your pipeline. You’ll get updates based on your partners’ activity, and the software can help you track the ROI of your partnerships and prioritize the most impactful opportunities.
Reveal Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s exceptional security measures. It’s both GDPR and SOC II compliant, and has specialized features like one-way sharing to ensure your partner data stays secure. It’s nice to feel assured that the system handling sensitive contact data and financial information takes security seriously and protects both your business and your partners.
Integrations include Salesforce, Slack, HubSpot, Zoho, Pipedrive, Freshsales, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Upsales, and Stripe. The software’s REST API can also be used to build custom integrations.
Pricing One-Liner: From $1000/month
Free Trial One-Liner: Free plan available
Pros
- Good for finding B2B partner opportunities
- Dedicated onboarding with paid plans
- Discounted startup program available
Cons
- Integrations are limited in some plans
- Analytics tools don’t come with free plan
3. PartnerTap - Best for identifying partner and customer overlap
PartnerTap is a partner ecosystem platform that can be used for account mapping, co-selling, pipeline sharing, and to track channel insights.
Why I picked PartnerTap: You can both manage your existing partnerships and find new partner opportunities with the platform. When you sign up, you start by connecting your CRM or importing your partner records from a spreadsheet. From there, you’ll be able to invite your partners into the platform so you can stay connected with them all from the same system.
You can also use the software to see overlap with your partners and customers, which can be opportunities for growth. It can produce opportunity reports that show you where you have an existing relationship that could lead to a partnership or support new deals. This provides your SDRs with valuable information for pursuing prospects.
PartnerTap Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include its CRM enrichment feature, which pushes partnership data back into your CRM. This is a good way to bring insights from your PRM into your CRM, and enable your sales reps, marketers, and support agents when they’re connecting with prospects and existing customers. I thought this was an impressive tool that really added value and took the software’s capabilities to the next level.
Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Close.io, Impartner, Zift, Magentrix, Okta, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Tableau, among others.
Pricing One-Liner: Pricing available upon request
Free Trial One-Liner: Free plan available
Pros
- Reduces manual workload looking for opportunities
- Friendly and intuitive interface
- Two-way integration with CRMs
Cons
- Requires onboarding partners to the platform
- Some features and support have additional costs
4. StructuredWeb - Best with customizable partner portals
StructuredWeb is a channel marketing automation software that helps businesses manage their partnerships and partner engagement strategies.
Why I picked StructuredWeb: I chose to include this platform on my list because both its partner portals and admin portals have a good bundle of tools. The partner portals are fully customizable, from their design to their content organization and workflows. You can provide partners with pre-made marketing collateral and they can connect their Google Ad account to manage your collaborations right in the platform.
As for admin portals, you’ll have full control over the partner portal configuration from your end. You can also create content using the built-in templates, and you’ll have a master repository for all of your assets. You can assign specific roles and access permissions to manage different partnership types and levels.
StructuredWeb Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s localization tools, which help you manage multilingual partnerships. There are 19 different languages supported for the partner portals’ UI, and over 50 languages supported for content assets. I thought this was a cool feature for companies that want to expand their partnerships strategy internationally.
Integrations can be configured using the software’s API.
Pricing One-Liner: Pricing available upon request
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Localization for multilingual partners
- Highly customizable partner experience
- Friendly user interface
Cons
- Lacking some email tracking capabilities
- Pricing is not transparent
5. Allbound PRM - Best for automating partner relations
Allbound PRM is a feature-rich partner relationship management software that helps companies automate their partner onboarding and co-marketing efforts.
Why I picked Allbound PRM: The platform helps you automate various parts of your partner experience, from onboarding through engagement. I decided to include it in my list because its automation features help you get partners up and running quickly and efficiently. You can craft learning experiences that partners can work through at their own pace to become familiar with your brand and their role.
Once partners are onboarded, they can access your content assets and pursue certifications to level up. You can craft custom plans to help partners take on their work, with clear steps they can follow and definitions of success. Partner portals also contain an incentives dashboard where they can track their progress.
Allbound PRM Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the system’s gamification for partners. Partners are encouraged to collect points and certifications, and admins can control what various tasks are worth. This encourages your partners to engage with your content and upskill as collaborators. I like that it’s a way of making partner engagement a bit more fun, and even adding a bit of healthy competition.
Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho, and Sugar CRM. Premium accounts include integrations with Netsuite, Microsoft Dynamics 360, and Freshworks.
Pricing One-Liner: Pricing available upon request
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Automate partner onboarding flows
- Gamification to improve partner engagement
- Friendly interface, easy to navigate
Cons
- Somewhat limited reporting tools
- Lacking some customizability
6. Kiflo PRM - Best for SMBs with scaling partner programs
Kiflo PRM is a partner success platform designed specifically for the needs of small- to medium-sized businesses that want to scale their partnerships operations.
Why I picked Kiflo PRM: You can map out and optimize your partner journey using this software, and recruit new partners to scale your partnerships strategy. I included it on the list because of its comprehensive feature set that helps SMBs maximize their partnerships. This includes designing partner programs, engaging partners, distributing rewards, and tracking the impact of your efforts.
The software’s partner portals are customizable, and you can create different ones for different partner segments (it’s geared towards affiliate, reseller, and referral partners). It connects to your website to easily collect any incoming partner applications via web forms. New partners can complete their onboarding through self-serve resources, and once successful, they can collect their rewards through their portal.
Kiflo PRM Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s payout capabilities. You can create unique reward models for different partner types and levels, and ensure partners have an overview of your commission model. Partners can submit their invoices directly through the software, helping you keep everything in one place. I found it handy that you can connect payment tools like Stripe to facilitate paying your partners through the platform.
Integrations include WordPress, HubSpot, Stripe, Intercom, Freshchat, and Crisp.chat. Zapier can also be connected to build custom integrations, or you can create custom integrations with the software’s API.
Pricing One-Liner: From $249/month
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Ability to add a custom domain (extra cost)
- Unlimited users with all plans
- Plenty of self-serve support documentation
Cons
- Limited number of partners
- Limited reporting capabilities
7. Channeltivity - Best with partner recruitment tools
Channeltivity is a channel management software that provides partner enablement, channel marketing, and channel sales tools in one platform.
Why I picked Channeltivity: The software offers a comprehensive feature set for overall partner management, but I picked it specifically for its partner recruitment tools. You can define an ideal partner profile (IPP), capture prospective partner data, and design your partner onboarding workflow through the system. It also has pipeline forecasting for new partners to help you evaluate the lead generation potential each partner brings.
In addition to its robust partner onboarding capabilities, the platform provides a complete suite of marketing tools. Email, resource, and marketing development fund (MDF) management are all covered. Deal registration, lead distribution, and commission payouts are all also included.
Channeltivity Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s joint business planning module. It’s helpful for establishing deeper partnerships, because you can set objectives, develop strategies and tactics, create go-to-market plans, and run SWOT analyses with your collaborators. Plus, you can measure the success of all these initiatives. I thought this was a great value-add for close collaborations.
Integrations include HubSpot and Salesforce. Additional integrations can be configured using Zapier.
Pricing One-Liner: From $1599/month (billed annually)
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Comprehensive system with broad feature set
- Separate HubSpot and Salesforce configurations
- Robust reporting and analytics tools
Cons
- Many features come as paid add-ons
- Comes with a learning curve
8. LeadMethod - Best to equip partners with marketing collateral
LeadMethod is a comprehensive channel management software that supports your distributor partner program management.
Why I picked LeadMethod: I picked this software provider for my list because of its straightforward methodology for enabling your distributor partners. Because marketing and sales collateral frequently goes unused by partners, the platform seeks to make it easier for partners to find and apply your marketing material in their efforts.
You can add product value propositions, a sales pitch script, product datasheets, images and videos, competitor battle cards, and more to the platform. Your partners will be able to access this collateral easily and leverage it towards greater success.
LeadMethod Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include its automatic data importing capabilities. You can easily upload your existing data or fresh data from trade shows, sales, and events. I thought this was particularly useful for on-the-go sales partners or distributors who do field sales. It also has a built-in feedback tool to collect insights from your reps and distributors so you can help them succeed.
Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Oracle Marketing Cloud, Oracle Sales Cloud, SugarCRM, HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Insightly, Pipedrive, and more.
Pricing One-Liner: Pricing available upon request
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Responsive and knowledgeable support team
- Easy to pinpoint priorities at a glance
- Friendly interface, quick to learn
Cons
- Some limitations in the reporting dashboard
- Lacking certain advanced features
9. Everflow - Best advanced tracking and analytics
Everflow is a partner marketing platform with relationship management, tracking, attribution, and analytics tools to help manage your partnerships program.
Why I picked Everflow: When it comes to tracking and analytics, this platform really stood out, which is why I decided to include it on my list. Its first touch attribution helps you see where customers are really coming from, rather than their last touchpoint before purchase. You can also track in-app purchases through redirect links and unique transaction IDs. QR codes allow you to track offline purchases as well.
As for tracking your metrics beyond attribution, the software also helps you measure partner engagement and campaign performance. You can see how your campaigns compare to your other marketing channels, and even track offline marketing efforts like billboards and business cards. You can also push your performance data into your ad platforms to automatically optimize your ad campaigns.
Everflow Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the platform’s DocuSign integration, which speeds up onboarding new partners and stores contracts securely. I also thought the competitor data feature was interesting. You can see the payouts offered by your competitors and use that to create a more attractive offer for affiliate partners.
Integrations include DocuSign, Tipalti, PayPal, Stripe, Shopify, BigCommerce, HubSpot, Salesforce, Segment, and ActiveProspect, among others.
Pricing One-Liner: From $750/month
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Dedicated onboarding with all plans
- Suitable for enterprise businesses
- Complete migration provided
Cons
- Minimum 6-month contract
- Robust system, comes with a learning curve
10. OneAffiniti - Best for software and services
OneAffiniti is a channel management software and service provider that helps you manage your partnership programs and outsource some marketing efforts.
Why I picked OneAffiniti: This is a good option for teams with limited internal resources for building a partnership strategy and managing partner relationships. I picked it for my list because of its hybrid approach, which offers a complete solution for partner management. The services provided cover partner onboarding, program customization, and lead acquisition and management.
The software allows you to build microsites and landing pages and schedule social media posts. You can also send campaigns out to partners for review and collect feedback from partners with surveys.
OneAffiniti Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the data and analytics capabilities, which help you understand and optimize your partnerships strategy. I appreciated the fact that you can not just track your performance using the software, but understand your metrics with the support of the consultants. They help you interpret your data and apply it towards improved outcomes.
Integrations are not listed by the provider.
Pricing One-Liner: Pricing available upon request
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Comes with consulting services
- Simple software with friendly user interface
- Hands-off partner program management
Cons
- No software-only option
- Marketing efforts may lack user input
11. Zift Solutions - Best for partner learning and engagement
Zift Solutions is a complete channel marketing platform that covers partner management and enablement features as well as channel marketing and sales tools.
Why I picked Zift Solutions: This software made it onto my list because beyond its standard feature set, it also allows you to build a robust partner enablement and learning hub. You can also track how partners are making their way through your content and understand which modules are most effective. This is all in addition to partner portals, channel marketing tools, and channel sales features.
The software’s learning management system (LMS) comes with a course builder you can use to put together training courses for partners. You can also manage specific certifications, encouraging partners to pursue additional learning modules. All the data you collect from your LMS can then be used to fuel your partner engagement strategy and drive success.
Zift Solutions Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the software’s lead distribution capabilities. What’s unique about this feature is that it sends warm leads to the most suitable partners automatically. This not only helps partners succeed, but it also helps you take a more tailored approach to your lead conversion efforts. Leads will have a more personalized experience, helping to build credibility for your partners and your brand alike.
Integrations can be configured by the company’s service team.
Pricing One-Liner: Pricing available upon request
Free Trial One-Liner: Free demo available
Pros
- Services are also available
- Robust knowledge base
- Robust partner enablement capabilities
Cons
- Chat and email support only
- Additional services come at additional cost
12. Crossbeam - Best partnerships network with a free plan
Crossbeam is a partnerships network and platform that can be used to find new partnership opportunities and manage your partnerships.
Why I picked Crossbeam: As a partnerships ecosystem that connects you with potential partners, this software stood out. I included it on my list because of its unique functionality, which lets you not just find new partners but also manage existing ones. You can discover and connect with your partners, then manage the entire partner relationship through the platform.
Once you’re set up in the system, you can map your data against other partners in the network. You can uncover opportunities through overlap in your data and build connections that make sense. The software also allows for data exchange through your CRM, data warehouse, Google Sheets, or a CSV file.
Crossbeam Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features include the platform’s free plan, which allows for up to 3 users and provides account mapping, segmentation, single partner reports, and CSV exports up to 100 records. Free trials are rare among partner management solutions, let alone freemium plans. So the ability to join the network and find opportunities for free really stood out to me.
Integrations include HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Sheets, RollWorks, Marketo, Snowflake, Slack, and a Chrome Extension. You can also connect to Zapier to configure other integrations or build custom integrations with the software’s REST API.
Pricing One-Liner: From $750/month
Free Trial One-Liner: Free plan available
Pros
- Unlimited data sources with all plans
- Custom enterprise plans available
- Intuitive and friendly user interface
Cons
- All integrations not included with all plans
- Additional fee per additional user with paid plans
Other Partner Management Software Options
If you didn’t find anything on my short list that caught your eye — or you’re just curious what else is out there — here are a few other options I looked at:
- Affise - Best for agency partnership marketing
- Trackier - Best for iGaming partnership management
- Kademi - Best flexibility to suit many use cases
- impact.com - Best for influencer marketing partnerships
- ZINFI - Best for a comprehensive, all-in-one platform
- Impartner PRM - Best partner collaboration features
- Channel Mechanics PRM - Best to manage SPIFF programs
- Magentrix PRM - Best with AI-powered deal registration
Selection Criteria For Partner Management Software
To curate this list, I started with a long list of partnership management software that had positive user ratings. From there, I applied my evaluation criteria to each platform, to be sure I was measuring them in a fair and unbiased way. Finally, I took note of any standout features that brought extra value to each software. Having worked with business development teams in a number of industries, I have a sense of what will be a true value-add.
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best partner management software for this article:
Key Features
Here are some of the top features I kept my eyes peeled for in these PRM solutions:
- Partner networks: Databases to find new partner prospects and drive partner recruitment.
- Marketing automation: Manage form referrals, advertising, and other partner marketing initiatives.
- Partner portals: A self-service platform where partners can access information, rewards, communications, etc.
- Partner onboarding: Ways to get new partners up and running quickly and set up for success.
- Partner program management: The ability to outline different types and tiers of partner programs.
- Rewards and incentives: Payout options and reward and incentive management for specific activities or tasks.
- Partner engagement features: Learning tools, certifications, and gamification to keep partners engaged.
- Analytics and reporting: Dashboards to track partner performance metrics and other KPIs.
Usability
It’s important to have a user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate, and for partner management software this is two-fold. I looked at the usability of each platform in terms of its user interface for your team, but also for partner portals. You want both your internal backend and the partner ecosystem to be intuitive and straightforward.
Integrations
As with any new SaaS tool, you’ll want a PRM solution that connects with your other apps and software. Many of the software listed connect with payment processing tools like Stripe and CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot. You can also sometimes upload partner data from a spreadsheet or build custom integrations with an API. I’ve added notes about the native integrations available for each platform in my overviews.
Pricing
The price points of these platforms can vary pretty significantly, and many of them don’t have transparent pricing tiers publicly available. Pricing may be custom based on your use case or might be based on the number of partners or users you’ll be managing. Be sure to learn about the price of the platform, any additional charges or setup fees, and the cost of any add-ons before purchasing. Usually, you can get all of this information by booking a demo with the provider.
People Also Ask: Common Questions About Partner Relationship Management
If you’ve got more questions about the best partner relationship management tools — or partner management in general — you’re in the right place!
What is partner relationship management?
Who uses partner management software?
What are the types of partner programs?
What’s the difference between CRM software and PRM software?
Other Revenue Operations Software
Looking to build your RevOps tech stack? Here are some other software reviews we’ve put together:
- Sales Training Software
- Lead Management Software
- Sales Tracking Software
- Lead Routing Software
- Sales Engagement Software
Launch or Level-Up Your Partner Management
Partner management software plays a vital role in helping businesses effectively manage their partner relationships and collaborations. These tools help to streamline your partner management efforts and improve your partnerships strategy. And finding one that best caters to the needs of your growth team is essential to their success. With the information I’ve provided, you can find a software that meets your needs — or at least know what you’re looking for and evaluate other options effectively.
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