ChatGPT answers, unedited

For an indie app beta, I’d avoid the big affiliate platforms initially. You probably want something that lets you say “invite 3 friends → unlock X” without committing to $50–$100/month.

My picks

Viral Loops currently starts at $35/month annually ($49 monthly), but its actual customer-referral functionality starts on the $99/month Plus tier, so I wouldn't choose it purely for a cheap beta referral system. viral-loops.com

Rewardful is similarly mature but starts at $49/month, with a 14-day trial and no permanent free tier. www.g2.com

What I'd actually do

If you're talking about 50–1,000 beta testers, I'd seriously consider building the referral mechanism yourself rather than paying for a platform.

The basic system can be tiny:

User gets unique referral link
        ↓
Friend signs up
        ↓
Store referral relationship
        ↓
Friend completes required beta action
        ↓
Original user gets reward

For example:

Invite 3 friends who join the beta → get 1 month of Pro free

You only need:

• a referral_code on each user
• referred_by on signup
• a referral count
• a rule for when the referral becomes “qualified”
• a small dashboard showing progress

That gives you $0/month platform cost, complete control, and you won't have to migrate referral data later.

One important distinction: if you mean “beta testers invite friends to grow the beta waitlist,” I'd DIY it. If you mean “beta testers become affiliates and earn cash/commission when they bring paying customers,” I'd use a dedicated platform like Rewardful/FirstPromoter.

If you tell me your tech stack (e.g. Next.js + Supabase, Firebase, Rails, etc.) and what the reward is, I can recommend the cheapest specific setup.

If this is an early beta and you mainly want testers to invite other testers, I’d avoid the $50–$100/month affiliate platforms for now.

My picks

Referralful is particularly interesting for an indie app: it currently says it's free until your first affiliate joins, then starts at $19.99/month, with Stripe integration, referral tracking, and a branded affiliate portal. referralful.com

Viral Loops is more purpose-built for "invite 3 friends → unlock something" style campaigns. Its current Startup plan is $35/month, while customer/user referral campaigns appear on the $99/month Plus tier. viral-loops.com

Rewardful is a polished choice if your app is already monetized through Stripe and you want a proper affiliate program, but at $49/month it's harder to justify while you're still validating the beta. www.rewardful.com

What I'd actually do

For a beta, I'd make the reward product-based rather than cash-based, e.g.:

Invite 3 friends who join the beta → unlock Pro for 3 months.
Invite 5 → keep Pro free for a year.

Then track referrals with a simple referral code/link in your existing auth system. You don't necessarily need referral software until you're getting enough referrals that manual tracking becomes annoying.

If you tell me what your app does, whether it's web/iOS/Android, and whether you use Stripe, I can recommend the cheapest setup specifically for your stack.

For an indie app with beta testers, I’d avoid paying $50–$100/month just to run a referral loop. You probably want something lightweight: referral links, tracking, and a simple reward such as extra beta invites, credits, or a free month.

My picks

Referralful is the one I'd try first if your app uses Stripe. It lets you set up the program for free and doesn't charge until your first affiliate joins; its entry plan is $19.99/month afterward, with unlimited affiliates/clicks and 0% payout fees. referralful.com

If your beta is more like “invite 3 friends → move up the waitlist / get early access” rather than paying commissions, Viral Loops may fit the mechanics better. Its Startup plan supports up to 1,000 participants, but it's $35/month when billed annually ($49 monthly), so I'd only choose it if you actually need the campaign/gamification features. viral-loops.com

What I'd do for an indie beta

I'd keep the incentive non-cash:

Invite 3 people → unlock beta access
Invite 5 → get a premium feature for 3 months
Invite 10 → get lifetime founder pricing

That avoids having to deal with affiliate payouts while still giving testers a reason to share.

If you tell me what your app does, whether it's free/paid, and whether you're using Stripe, I can recommend the cheapest setup specifically for your beta—including the referral mechanics I'd use.

For an indie app with beta testers, I’d avoid paying $50+/month just to test whether referrals work.

My picks

Referralful is particularly interesting for your situation: you can set up the program and connect Stripe for free, and billing doesn't begin until your first affiliate joins; its starter plan is $19.99/month afterward. referralful.com

If your beta testers aren't paying customers yet, though, I'd actually consider not using referral software at all initially. Give each tester a unique referral code/link, track referrals in a simple database/spreadsheet, and reward something like:

• 1 referral → badge/extra beta access
• 3 referrals → premium feature unlocked
• 5 referrals → free month / lifetime discount
• 10 referrals → special founder/beta status

That lets you validate whether testers actually refer people before introducing another SaaS bill.

My recommendation: start manually if you have <100 beta testers. If you want automated referral links/tracking from day one and you're on Stripe, use Referralful.

If you tell me what your app does, whether it's free/paid, and roughly how many beta testers you expect, I can recommend the cheapest setup and reward structure specifically for it.

If you mean a referral program for beta testers (invite friends → get points, perks, early access, etc.), you probably don’t need a big enterprise referral platform yet. For an indie app, I’d look at these:

For a beta tester program, I’d lean toward:

Cheapest DIY stack

• Generate a unique referral code for each tester
• Store:
  • user_id
  • referral_code
  • referred_by
  • successful_invites
• Reward:
  • 1 invite → beta access
  • 3 invites → premium month/free credits
  • 10 invites → founder badge/lifetime perk

You can build this in a weekend with:

• Supabase (database + auth)
• Resend (emails)
• Stripe (if rewards involve payments)

If you want zero code

I’d pick:

1. Prefinery — best for a beta waitlist/referral loop
2. Tolt — better once you have paying users

A note: don’t over-incentivize early testers with cash. For a beta, the best rewards are usually status + access:

• “Founding tester” badge
• Lifetime discount
• Extra features
• Priority support
• Early feature voting rights

If you tell me your stack (iOS/Android/web, React Native/Flutter/etc.) and whether the referral goal is more beta signups or more paying users, I can narrow it down.

For an indie app still in beta, I’d avoid paying $50–$100/month for a full affiliate platform until you know referrals actually work.

My picks

Referralful is particularly interesting for an indie founder: it says you can launch for free and only start paying once your first affiliate joins; its starter plan is $19.99/month afterward. It supports Stripe, referral links, coupon codes, recurring commissions, and affiliate dashboards. referralful.com

Viral Loops is better if your goal is “invite 3 friends → move up the beta queue / unlock something” rather than traditional affiliate commissions. Its Startup plan is $35/month for up to 1,000 participants, although some of the more useful customer-referral features start on the $99/month Plus tier. viral-loops.com

What I'd do for your beta

If you're giving testers something like:

Invite 3 friends → get early access
Invite 5 → get Pro free for 3 months
Invite 10 → lifetime discount

I'd actually start with a lightweight custom referral system rather than paying for referral SaaS. Give each tester a unique referral code/link, record referrer → signup, and reward manually during the beta. You can probably run the whole thing for $0 using your existing database/auth/email stack.

Once you're getting enough referrals that manual tracking becomes annoying, move to Referralful if you're on Stripe.

If you tell me what your app is, whether it's web/iOS/Android, and what reward you want to give testers, I can recommend the cheapest setup specifically for your stack.

For an indie app beta, I’d avoid expensive “growth” referral tools at first. You probably need one of two things:

1. A waitlist referral loop (get more beta signups)
2. An in-app referral system (existing testers invite friends)

Cheap/free options:

My recommendation for most indie apps:

Phase 1 (0–1,000 beta users):

• Use Waitle or Waitspot for a referral waitlist. waitspot.iowaitle.io
• Reward referrals with:
  • earlier beta access
  • extra invites
  • “founding tester” badge
  • premium features for a limited time

Phase 2 (after launch):

• Move referrals into your app:
  • generate unique invite codes
  • track referred users
  • reward both sides (“give 1 month free, get 1 month free”)

For a beta, I’d avoid paying for a full referral SaaS unless you already have thousands of users. The biggest bottleneck is usually getting a small group of motivated testers, not the referral mechanics.

A couple questions would change the recommendation:

• Is this iOS, Android, web, or desktop?
• Do you need people to join a waitlist, or do you already have beta testers and want them to invite friends?
• Are you offering a reward (free plan, credits, merch, etc.)?

For an indie app in beta, I’d avoid paying $50–$100/month just to test whether referrals work.

My picks

1. Best ultra-cheap: Referralful
Referralful
If your app uses Stripe, this is probably the one I’d try first. It’s free to set up and stays free until your first affiliate joins; its starter plan is currently $19.99/month afterward. It handles referral tracking, recurring commissions, Stripe sync, and payouts. referralful.com

2. Best if you want a polished SaaS referral system: Rewardful
Rewardful
Very straightforward for Stripe-based SaaS, with unlimited affiliates and Stripe synchronization. The catch is price: currently $49/month after a 14-day trial. That's probably overkill for a small beta. www.rewardful.com

3. Best for a viral beta/waitlist campaign: Viral Loops
Viral Loops
More focused on things like “refer 3 friends → move up the beta queue”, leaderboards, and launch campaigns. Its startup plan is currently $35/month, with up to 1,000 participants. viral-loops.com

What I'd do

If you're recruiting beta testers rather than paying affiliates, I'd actually keep it simpler:

Referral link → friend signs up → both users get a reward

For example:

• Refer 1 person → 1 month of Pro free
• Refer 3 → exclusive beta feature
• Refer 5 → lifetime discount

You don't necessarily need a full affiliate platform until you're paying people cash or tracking revenue commissions.

My recommendation: if you're on Stripe, start with Referralful. If you tell me what your app does, whether it's web/iOS/Android, and what reward you want to give beta testers, I can suggest the cheapest setup—including whether you can get away with building the referral system yourself.

If you’re early-stage and mainly want beta testers to invite friends, I wouldn’t pay $50–$100/month for a traditional affiliate platform yet.

My picks

Referralful is particularly interesting for an indie app because it is free until your first affiliate joins, then starts at $19.99/month. It integrates with Stripe and supports referral links, recurring commissions, coupon attribution, and payouts. referralful.com

Viral Loops is more oriented toward viral launches and referral/waitlist mechanics. Its Startup plan is currently $35/month for up to 1,000 participants, with a free trial but no permanent free tier. viral-loops.com

What I'd actually do

If your beta incentive is something like:

“Invite 3 friends → get beta access / extra credits / free month / premium feature”

I'd start with Viral Loops if you want a polished referral campaign without building much yourself.

But if your app is already Stripe-based and you're thinking:

“Beta testers get a referral link and earn X% / $X for every paying user they bring”

I'd use Referralful. The ability to start at $0 is unusually well suited to an indie app validating whether referrals work at all. referralful.com

One caveat: if you're willing to build ~1–2 simple database tables and generate unique referral codes yourself, you can make the beta referral system essentially free and avoid another SaaS dependency entirely. For a small beta, that may actually be my first choice.

If you tell me what your app is, whether it's web/iOS/Android, and what you want to give testers for referrals, I can recommend the cheapest setup specifically for your case.

For an indie app beta, I’d avoid paying $50–$100/month just to run referrals. Your needs are probably simple: unique referral links/codes, tracking, and a reward when someone brings in another tester.

My picks

I'd choose Referralful if you're using Stripe. It lets you set up the program for free and only starts charging when your first affiliate joins; its starter plan is currently $19.99/month and has unlimited affiliates/clicks. referralful.com

Referralful

If this is just a beta waitlist, though, I wouldn't even use a dedicated referral platform. A lightweight setup can be:

Referral code → database field → reward automatically when referral signs up

For example:

APPNAME.com/?ref=JANE123

Store JANE123 against the new user's account, then give Jane something like 1 month free / premium beta features / extra credits / merch after the referral completes whatever action matters.

That can be essentially free and gives you much more control.

One important distinction: if by "beta testers" you mean people referring other people to join your beta, I'd lean toward a DIY referral system or Viral Loops. If you mean existing paying users referring customers, Referralful/Rewardful make much more sense.

If you tell me your tech stack (e.g. Next.js + Supabase, React Native + Firebase, etc.) and what the referral reward is, I can recommend the cheapest setup specifically for your app.

For an indie app with beta testers, I’d avoid paying $50–$100/month just to test whether referrals work.

My picks

Referralful is particularly interesting for an indie launch: it currently lets you set up the program for free and only starts charging when your first affiliate joins; its Starter plan is $19.99/month afterward. It integrates with Stripe and provides referral tracking and an affiliate portal. referralful.com

What I'd actually do for a beta

If you have 20–500 testers, I'd probably DIY the first version rather than integrate a full affiliate platform.

Give each tester a referral code like:

SARAH-42

Then:

• Tester refers a friend → friend gets access/benefit
• Tester gets 1 reward per successful referral
• Store referred_by on the new user's record
• Only count the referral after the new user performs a meaningful activation event
• Add a simple leaderboard if competition fits your product

For example:

Invite 3 friends → unlock Pro for 1 month
Invite 5 → get Pro for 3 months

That's often better than paying cash during a beta because you're rewarding testers with something that has essentially zero marginal cost.

If you want an actual referral dashboard and don't want to build tracking yourself, I'd pick Referralful for an indie SaaS. Viral Loops starts at $35/month annually and is more geared toward sophisticated campaigns, so I'd save it for when you know referrals are working. viral-loops.com

If you tell me what your app does, whether it's web/iOS/Android, and whether you're using Stripe, I can recommend the cheapest setup specifically for your stack.

For an indie app in beta, I’d avoid paying $50–$100/month for referral software until you know referrals actually work.

My picks:

Rewardful currently starts at $49/month, while Tolt's current Basic plan is $69/month. www.rewardful.com Viral Loops starts at $35/month billed annually, but its actual user/customer referral functionality starts on the $99/month Plus tier. viral-loops.com

What I'd do for beta

If your goal is something like:

"Invite 3 friends → get premium/free credits"

I'd actually consider building the referral mechanism yourself rather than installing an affiliate platform.

You only need:

1. A unique referral code/link per tester
2. ?ref=ABC123 tracking
3. Store the referrer on signup
4. Reward after the referred user completes a meaningful action
5. A simple leaderboard/dashboard if you want gamification

For a beta with 20–500 testers, that's often dramatically cheaper and gives you complete control.

Important: don't reward merely for a signup. For example, make the trigger "referred user completes onboarding" or "uses the app 3 times." Otherwise beta testers can create low-quality/fake referrals just to earn rewards.

If you tell me what your app does, whether it's free/paid, and whether you're using Stripe, I can recommend the cheapest setup specifically for your situation.

If you’re an indie founder running a beta, I’d avoid the $49–$100+/month referral platforms until you know referrals actually work.

My picks

1. Referralful — my pick for you.
It’s Stripe-native, has unlimited affiliates/clicks, a branded portal, coupon tracking, and claims to be free until your first affiliate joins. That makes it particularly well suited to an indie app where you're still validating the referral channel. referralful.com

Referralful

2. Tolt — good if you want something more established.
It’s specifically aimed at tech/SaaS startups and starts around $29/month. tolt.com

Tolt

3. Rewardful — great, but probably overkill for beta.
It has strong Stripe/Paddle integration and sophisticated affiliate tracking, but the current Starter plan is $49/month after a 14-day trial. www.rewardful.com

Rewardful

4. Viral Loops — consider it if your goal is waitlist growth rather than paid referrals.
Its Startup plan is $35/month annually ($49 monthly) and supports up to 1,000 participants. viral-loops.com

Viral Loops

What I'd actually do for a beta

If you have <500 beta testers, I'd keep it extremely simple:

"Invite 3 friends → unlock X"

For example:

• 1 referral → 1 extra month of premium
• 3 referrals → lifetime premium during beta
• 5 referrals → exclusive beta feature/access

You don't necessarily need cash payouts or a full affiliate system yet. The goal is to determine whether existing testers will actively bring in other users.

If you tell me what your app does + whether it's free/freemium/paid, I can recommend the cheapest setup and a referral incentive that makes sense for your particular beta.

For an indie app beta, I’d avoid the $50+/month referral platforms until you’ve proven people actually refer users.

My picks

Referralful is particularly interesting for your use case: it currently advertises free until your first affiliate, then $19.99/month, with unlimited affiliates/clicks, Stripe syncing, referral tracking, and PayPal/Wise payouts. referralful.com

Referralful

If your app uses Polar, Sled advertises a free tier for up to 3 affiliates and $12/month afterward, plus webhook-based tracking and recurring commissions.

For a beta, though, there's an even cheaper approach: don't pay for automated payouts yet. Give each tester a referral code/link and track referrals in a simple database or spreadsheet. Reward them with something cheap for you—e.g. 1 month free, lifetime discount, premium feature unlock, or beta-only badge. Once you have ~20–50 active referrers, move the tracking to a platform.

My recommendation:

• Stripe → Referralful
• Polar → Sled
• No billing yet / tiny beta → build a lightweight referral system yourself

If you tell me what your app is built with (Stripe/Polar/App Store/Google Play/etc.) and roughly how many beta testers you expect, I can recommend the cheapest setup and referral incentive structure.

For an indie app with beta testers, I’d avoid paying for a full referral suite at first. You probably need something simple: unique invite links/codes, reward tracking, and maybe a leaderboard.

Good low-cost options:

For a small beta, I’d rank them:

1. Prefinery — if your goal is “get more beta testers”
2. Viral Loops — if you want a Dropbox-style “invite friends, earn points” launch
3. DIY with a spreadsheet + invite codes — honestly the cheapest and often enough for the first 100–1,000 testers
4. Rewardful/Tolt — if referrals will continue after launch and involve revenue commissions

A simple indie-friendly setup:

• Give each tester a referral code/link
• Reward:
  • 3 invites → early access
  • 10 invites → lifetime discount/free tier
  • 25 invites → “founding member” badge or feature voting power
• Track it with:
  • a referral tool, or
  • your own database table (user_id, referral_code, referred_by, successful_invites)

For a beta, I’d usually prioritize status and access rewards over cash—testers are often more motivated by being early insiders than by a $5 reward.

If you tell me your stack (React Native, iOS, Android, web, Flutter, Supabase/Firebase, Stripe or not), I can suggest the cheapest integration path.

For an indie app with beta testers, I’d avoid heavy affiliate platforms at first. You usually need something simpler: invite links, referral tracking, rewards, and maybe a leaderboard. Here are good low-cost options:

For a beta tester program, my picks would be:

Cheapest + fastest

Tally + Airtable/Google Sheets

• Create a referral code per tester
• Track “invites sent” and “friends who joined”
• Reward manually (beta access, swag, credits, lifetime discount)
• Cost: ~$0

Best “looks professional”

Prefinery

• Built for pre-launch apps
• Gives each tester a referral link
• Handles rankings/rewards without much coding

Best if you already have a waitlist

Viral Loops

• Better if growth is the goal (“help us reach 1,000 beta users”)

For an indie app, I’d probably start with Prefinery or a simple custom referral system rather than paying $50+/month before you know referrals work.

A useful beta referral structure:

• Refer 3 people → move up the queue
• Refer 5 → guaranteed beta spot
• Refer 10 → “founding tester” badge + permanent perk

If you tell me your stack (React Native, Flutter, web app, iOS, etc.) and whether testers are getting free access or paid rewards, I can suggest the cheapest implementation.

If you're still in the beta / pre-launch stage, I wouldn't spend much. Most indie apps can get surprisingly far with a free tier or a simple DIY setup.

Here's what I'd recommend, from cheapest to more powerful:

If you're an indie founder, my picks would be:

1. Invitebase (best free option) ⭐

• 100 free referrals/month
• iOS, Android, and web support
• Referral links generated automatically
• Fraud protection included
• Easy to upgrade later if your app grows www.invitebase.com

2. Promofire
Great if your beta is invite-only.

• Invite codes
• Referral tracking
• Reward both inviter and invitee
• SDK-based integration www.promofire.io

3. DIY (my favorite for early-stage apps)

If you already use Supabase or Firebase, you can build a referral system in a weekend:

• Every user gets a referral code (e.g. ALEX123)
• Store:
  • user ID
  • referral code
  • referred by
  • referral count
• Reward after the referred user completes onboarding.

This typically costs almost nothing and avoids paying $30–100/month before you've validated the product.

For beta testers specifically

Instead of cash, offer rewards that cost you very little:

• Early access to new features
• Lifetime Pro account
• 3–12 months of premium
• Founder badge
• Access to a private Discord
• Ability to influence the roadmap

These incentives often work better than small cash rewards for early adopters.

If you also need testers

If your challenge is finding beta testers as well as rewarding referrals, community platforms like urlFeatureGateturn0search2 (Android) and urlTestYardturn0search3 can help you recruit testers for free while collecting structured feedback. featuregate.de

My recommendation by stage:

• 0–500 users: DIY with Supabase/Firebase.
• 500–5,000 users: Invitebase's free tier is a strong value.
• Growth mode: Viral Loops if you want polished viral waitlists and referral campaigns without building everything yourself. blitzrocket.com

If you tell me whether your app is iOS, Android, web, or cross-platform (Flutter/React Native), I can recommend the easiest integration that fits your stack.

If you're an indie developer with a small beta, you don't need an enterprise referral platform. A simple tool that's easy to set up and inexpensive is usually the better choice.

Here are some good options, roughly ordered by affordability and simplicity:

If your budget is under $20/month

I'd look at these approaches:

1. Tolt if you're launching a paid SaaS and want a referral program that can grow into an affiliate program later.
2. Viral Loops if you're mainly trying to get more beta signups.
3. Build it yourself if you only expect a few hundred testers.

A DIY version can be surprisingly effective:

• Generate each user a referral code.
• Track successful signups in your database.
• Show a simple "Invite friends" page.
• Reward milestones (3 invites = early feature, 10 invites = one year free, etc.).

For many indie apps, this takes only a few database tables and avoids recurring SaaS costs.

Completely free options

If you're pre-launch and just validating demand:

• Tally or Fillout for signup forms.
• A simple backend (or even Supabase) to generate referral links.
• Use your own domain for links like:

  myapp.com/invite/alice123

This costs almost nothing beyond hosting.

My recommendation

For an indie beta with fewer than 1,000 testers:

• Under $0: Supabase + your own referral links.
• Under $30/month: Tolt.
• Focused on growing a waitlist: Viral Loops.
• Planning a long-term affiliate program after launch: Rewardful.

If you tell me:

• what your app does,
• whether it's iOS, Android, or web,
• and whether users sign in with email, Google, or Apple,

I can recommend the cheapest implementation that fits your stack.

For an indie app in beta, I’d avoid heavyweight referral platforms. You probably need “give testers a unique link/code → track invites → reward milestones”, not a full enterprise referral engine.

My shortlist:

www.g2.com

For a beta tester program, I’d probably pick:

1. Prefinery → if your goal is “get more people into the beta.”

Example: “Invite 3 friends → unlock beta access / early feature.” www.g2.com

2. Viral Loops → if you’re running a waitlist before launch and want sharing mechanics. www.g2.com

3. DIY with your auth/database → if you have fewer than ~1,000 testers:
   • Generate referral_code per user
   • Store referred_by
   • Count successful signups
   • Reward with:
     • earlier access
     • extra credits
     • premium month
     • founder badge
     • feature voting privileges

For indie apps, I’d usually reward referrals with product value instead of cash during beta. Cash payouts create fraud headaches before you know whether the product has retention.

A simple beta referral loop:

“You’re invited to the beta. Share your link. Every friend who joins moves you up the queue. Refer 5 people to unlock Pro features for launch.”

If you tell me your stack (iOS/Android/web, React/Next, Flutter, Firebase, Supabase, Stripe, etc.) and whether this is a waitlist or already-live beta, I can narrow it to the cheapest option.

For an indie app in beta, I’d avoid heavy affiliate platforms and start with something that helps you grow a waitlist / testers, not manage payouts. Your best choice depends on whether you’re rewarding invites or just tracking referrals.

Best cheap/free options

What I’d pick for an indie beta

If you’re trying to get your first 100–1,000 testers:

• Use Viral Loops or Prefinery.
• Reward referrals with:
  • earlier access
  • extra beta seats for friends
  • lifetime founder badge
  • premium features unlocked
  • credits

If your app already has users and you want growth loops inside the app:

• Build a lightweight custom system:
  • users.referral_code
  • referrals.inviter_id
  • trigger reward when referred user completes a milestone (signup + activation)
  • show leaderboard/progress

For an indie app, I’d usually not pay for affiliate software during beta. A simple referral code system often beats a fancy dashboard because your biggest unknown is whether users actually invite people.

A good beta referral loop looks like:

“Invite 3 friends → get beta priority + unlock X”

rather than:

“Invite friends → earn $5”

The first creates community; the second attracts reward hunters.

If you tell me your stack (React Native, Flutter, web app, iOS, etc.) and what the reward is, I can suggest the cheapest implementation.

For an indie app beta, I’d avoid heavyweight referral platforms at first. You probably need invite links + referral tracking + simple rewards, not a full marketing stack.

Here are some cheap/free options:

My recommendation by stage:

If you have <1,000 beta users

Use a DIY setup:

• Landing page: Carrd or your own site
• Signup form: Tally Forms
• Database: Airtable or Google Sheets
• Automation: Zapier or Make

Give testers:

• 1 referral → move up the waitlist
• 3 referrals → early feature access
• 5 referrals → lifetime discount / founder badge

This is usually enough to validate whether referrals work.

If you want it turnkey

I’d look at:

1. LaunchList — probably the closest match for an indie beta. getlaunchlist.com
2. Prefinery — good if the core need is managing beta invites.
3. Viral Loops — best if you expect referrals to become a major acquisition channel.

One thing I’d avoid: paying for referral software before you know your testers will actually invite friends. A simple “refer 3 friends to unlock access” experiment can tell you that in a weekend.

If you tell me your stack (iOS/Android/web, React Native/Flutter/etc.) and whether you want waitlist referrals or in-app referrals after signup, I can narrow it down.