GRIN vs Aspire
Verdict. GRIN is the better pick for most Shopify brands, because you can see the price before you talk to anyone. Plans run from $0 to $1,500 a month, month to month, and Starter at $200 is a fair entry point. Aspire is quote-only after a demo. The fee math flips for big programs. GRIN adds a management fee of 5% to 20% on money you deposit for creators, while Aspire charges a 2% handling fee plus processing. A brand moving a large creator budget could pay less on Aspire, if the subscription quote is reasonable. Creators keep 100% on both.
Pick GRIN if
you run gifting and affiliate programs from Shopify and want published month-to-month pricing, plus creator lists and emails you can export.
Pick Aspire if
you're an established brand with a big creator budget, where a 2% handling fee beats GRIN's 5% to 20%, and you can sit through a demo for the quote.
Side by side
| Compared | GRIN | Aspire |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 6.5 / 10 | 5.4 / 10 |
| Best for | Shopify brands running gifting and affiliate programs at volume | Shopify brands running ongoing ambassador and affiliate programs |
| What it costs | Brands pay $0 to $1,500 a month plus a 5% to 20% management fee on wallet deposits, and GRIN takes nothing from creator earnings. | Brand subscriptions are quote-only after a demo, brands pay a 2% handling fee on creator payment budgets plus processing fees, and creators keep 100%. |
| Plans from | See pricing | See pricing |
| Payouts | Brands fund an escrow wallet, and creator fees and affiliate commissions are paid out from it through Stripe. Paid and affiliate campaigns need at least $250 in the wallet. GRIN does not publish creator payout timing or minimums. | Aspire pays creators from its own PayPal account through PayPal Payouts, usually within 7 business days of the brand clicking Send Payment. You need a PayPal email on file. Non-USD payments are converted by PayPal, and the creator bears that conversion fee. |
| Who can join | Free for creators with no follower minimum. Brands can start on the Free plan with a card or ACH account on file. Gifting-only campaigns need no deposit. | Free for creators. Aspire's marketplace overview lists no general follower minimum, but each brand sets its own campaign rules, such as follower count, engagement rate and location. |
| Founded | 2014 | 2013 |
Scorecards
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| FeesWhat brands pay and creators lose | 3.0 | 1.80 |
| FeaturesSearch, briefs, contracts, reporting | 2.0 | 1.60 |
| EaseTime to a first live deal | 1.5 | 0.90 |
| OwnershipWho keeps the relationship | 2.0 | 1.40 |
| PayoutsHow and when creators get paid | 1.5 | 0.75 |
| Total | 10.0 | 6.5 |
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| FeesWhat brands pay and creators lose | 3.0 | 1.20 |
| FeaturesSearch, briefs, contracts, reporting | 2.0 | 1.60 |
| EaseTime to a first live deal | 1.5 | 0.60 |
| OwnershipWho keeps the relationship | 2.0 | 1.20 |
| PayoutsHow and when creators get paid | 1.5 | 0.75 |
| Total | 10.0 | 5.4 |
Where GRIN falls short
- The 20% fee on the Free plan makes it a costly way to pay creators.
- The management fee is not refunded if you withdraw unspent wallet funds.
- No annual discount yet on self-serve plans.
- Creator payout timing is not documented publicly.
Where Aspire falls short
- No public pricing. You sit through a demo to learn the cost.
- Brands pay a 2% handling fee plus processing fees on creator payments.
- Creator payouts go through PayPal only and can take 7 business days.
- Built for ongoing programs, so it is overkill for a one-off campaign.
Still deciding? See every option in creator marketplaces for brand deals.