Explodely
Explodely is an all-in-one SaaS platform that functions as a digital retailer and affiliate marketplace, purpose-built for creators and vendors of digital products. The company positions itself as a Merchant of Record (MoR), meaning it legally acts as the seller of record for its clients’ products—handling payment processing, tax compliance, refunds, and chargebacks—so that product owners can focus on creation and marketing rather than backend logistics. On the distribution side, Explodely operates an affiliate network that connects product owners with a global base of affiliates, offering features such as lifetime cookies, weekly payouts, instant sale notifications, and two-tier commission structures. The platform also provides a seller dashboard for managing product listings, tracking analytics, and integrating with third-party tools like identity verification services. Explodely primarily serves digital product vendors (courses, software, ebooks, membership sites) who want a turnkey way to sell through affiliates without building their own infrastructure. The company has garnered over 280 reviews on Trustpilot (as of early 2025), reflecting a modest but active user base. Despite its functional presence, Explodely maintains a notably low public profile: no founding date, founder names, or executive leadership are publicly disclosed, and the company appears to operate as a small, lean organization. Its official website (explodely.com) and contact page provide only email and live chat support, with no physical address listed.
Detailed Review
Business Model
Explodely occupies a niche at the intersection of affiliate marketing and Merchant of Record (MoR) services for digital goods. While many affiliate networks simply track referrals and pay commissions, Explodely goes a step further by absorbing the legal and financial responsibilities of being the merchant of record. This means that when a customer purchases a product through an Explodely affiliate link, the transaction appears on the customer’s bank statement as “Explodely” rather than the product creator’s company name. In return, Explodely handles VAT and sales tax collection, payment gateway fees, refund administration, and chargeback disputes—a valuable service for creators who lack the capacity to manage compliance across dozens of jurisdictions.
Affiliate Features
From an affiliate’s perspective, Explodely offers standard inducements: lifetime cookies (so affiliates earn commissions on repeat purchases from the same customer indefinitely), weekly payouts via PayPal or the company’s own branded debit card, real-time sale notifications, and the ability to earn commissions from second-tier referrals (affiliates who sign up under them). The platform also includes an integration with IdentityCheck for KYC/AML compliance, which is often required when onboarding affiliates in regulated markets.
User Feedback
User feedback on Trustpilot is mixed. Positive reviewers praise the ease of joining and the weekly payout schedule, while negative reviews frequently cite delays in payments, difficulty reaching customer support, and accusations of unfair account termination. Some customers have reported chargeback issues that Explodely either resolved or complicated. The company’s support team appears to respond to most public complaints, indicating a reasonable effort at customer service given its likely small size.
Transparency Concerns
A notable gap is the complete absence of transparent company information. Explodely does not publish an “About Us” page, press releases, or financial data. No founding year, founder names, or executive team members are listed anywhere—on the company website, LinkedIn, or in news databases. This opacity may be a red flag for some potential partners, especially those accustomed to due diligence on their affiliate network operators. On the other hand, for product sellers who simply need a functional MoR and affiliate engine without negotiating complex contracts, Explodely offers a low-friction entry point.
In summary, Explodely is a functional, if somewhat opaque, platform that combines a Merchant of Record service with an affiliate marketplace. It is best suited for individual creators and small digital product businesses that want to distribute through affiliates without building their own payments and compliance infrastructure. The lack of verifiable company history and leadership, however, means that partners should approach with due diligence.
Key Products
Explodely Affiliate Marketplace
The core SaaS platform that connects merchants with affiliates. It provides tools for real-time analytics, weekly payouts, lifetime cookies, instant sale notifications, and 2nd-tier commissions.
Merchant of Record (MoR) Service
Explodely acts as the legal retailer of a merchant’s products, handling compliance, payment processing, and customer transactions, thereby simplifying international sales.
Seller Dashboard
An intuitive interface for merchants to list products, manage affiliates, and monitor performance within the Explodely ecosystem.
Zapier Integration
Enables users to connect Explodely with thousands of other apps for automated workflow creation.
Explodely (core platform)
All-in-one affiliate marketplace and Merchant of Record (MoR) SaaS. Enables merchants to list digital products, manage affiliates, process payments, and handle compliance. Affiliates can browse products, generate links, and earn commissions. Features include real-time analytics, weekly payouts, lifetime cookies, instant sale notifications, and second-tier commissions.
Explodely Merchant of Record (MoR) Platform
Acts as the legal seller for digital products, handling payments, taxes, refunds, and chargebacks so product creators don't need their own merchant infrastructure.
Explodely Seller Dashboard
Web interface for product owners to manage listings, affiliates, analytics, and integrations like IdentityCheck.
Explodely Affiliate Network
Connects product vendors with affiliates; features lifetime cookies, weekly payouts, instant sale notifications, and two-tier commission structures.
Explodely Debit Card
A branded payout card for affiliates, referenced in customer support threads as a withdrawal method.