Simple Kuma

Simple Kuma is a self-hosted affiliate tracker for buyers who need to follow campaign performance while keeping data on infrastructure they control. It is best for people able to run and maintain a PHP-and-database server, not those seeking a managed service.

Its standout case is uncapped campaign tracking without a subscription; the trade-off is responsibility for hosting, upkeep and working within a per-key API rate limit.

Overview

Campaigns bring traffic sources, offers, landing pages and tracking links together, with real-time statistics. Conversion tracking and fraud detection are supported. Keeping the application and data on your own server gives you direct control, but also makes server administration part of the product decision.

A guided installer covers system checks, database connection and administrator setup. It helps with initial configuration, but the server still needs PHP 8.2 or later, MySQL 8 or later or MariaDB 10.3 or later, and Apache or Nginx. The code is published under AGPL-3.0. Maker Josh, known as QuintyFresh, describes Simple Kuma as a one-developer project and invites users to email questions, bug reports and feature requests; that is a leaner support arrangement than a larger vendor operation.

Key features

Campaign tracking and reporting

The dashboard covers clicks, conversions, revenue, ROI, visitor logs and campaign statistics, with mobile-friendly layouts. Server-side JavaScript and PHP capture provide redirectless tracking intended to preserve tracking tokens. For media buyers, this combination supports both campaign monitoring and token capture without requiring a redirect-based approach.

Integrations and API

The project describes Meta/Facebook and Google Ads cost syncing, as well as Google conversion delivery. Its REST API v1 supports campaign, offer and statistics management with Bearer API keys. A limit of 120 requests per minute per key is ample for many ordinary workflows, but buyers with heavier automated polling or synchronization should account for it.

Pricing

The Free forever plan costs free and is billed Free forever. It includes unlimited campaigns, clicks, domains, offers and traffic sources, and is self-hosted. There is no free trial because the plan is free. The absence of click and campaign caps is compelling for users whose traffic volume would make usage-based limits costly; it does not cover the cost or work of running a server.

Simple Kuma has no paid plan described here, so there is no tier that trades a fee for more capacity or a different hosting arrangement. Its practical cost is the infrastructure and maintenance the user supplies.

Platforms

Simple Kuma is available as a web application with an API and self-hosted deployment. The listed system requirements make it a fit for users able to provision and maintain a compatible PHP and MySQL or MariaDB environment, rather than those who need a turnkey hosted tracker.

Who it's for

Choose Simple Kuma if you are a media buyer who wants campaign-level click, cost and conversion tracking, values control over stored data, and can administer your own server. Its no-cap free plan is particularly attractive when traffic is substantial or unpredictable.

Look elsewhere if your priority is managed hosting, a larger support organization, or an API workload that exceeds 120 requests per minute per key. Self-hosting is a meaningful operational commitment, not merely a deployment preference.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free-forever plan has no caps on clicks, campaigns, domains, offers or traffic sources, so growth does not trigger a stated usage ceiling.
• Pros: Self-hosting keeps data on the user's server, and the AGPL-3.0 code is published for users who want control over the software as well as the data.
• Pros: Real-time campaign statistics, mobile-friendly reporting, redirectless capture and named advertising integrations address practical media-buying workflows.
• Cons: PHP, database and web-server requirements—and ongoing upkeep—put server responsibility on the user.
• Cons: The API's 120-requests-per-minute-per-key limit may constrain intensive automation.
• Cons: A one-developer project and email contact may not suit organizations that require a broad support operation.

Alternatives

Compare affiliate analytics software if you want to consider the wider category.

• OpenPartner is worth considering if a freemium option with a free trial and a 3% of GMV Revshare plan—with no monthly fee—is a better fit than Simple Kuma's self-hosted free plan.
• Refersion may suit buyers who want a freemium affiliate platform available on web and API, with a public Marketplace listing plan and a Launch plan.
• Numok is another self-hosted, web-based freemium option, with an Open Source plan that has unlimited affiliates and no per-seat fees.
• Refferq offers self-hosted and API access; consider it if its self-hosted plan's stated referral, conversion and API allowances or its managed-cloud option better match your needs.
• UpPromote may fit users seeking a freemium API option with a free plan for one affiliate program and $3,000 referral review per month.
• CAKE is a paid alternative available on Android, iOS, web and API.
• SliceWP is a freemium, self-hosted option with Pro plans billed yearly; consider it if a paid yearly plan is preferable to Simple Kuma's server-managed free model.
• Affilimate is a paid web and API option with plans for creators and brands or agencies.

Verdict

Simple Kuma is a strong choice for technically capable media buyers who want uncapped affiliate campaign tracking, control of their data and no subscription charge. Its main reason to choose it is the combination of self-hosting and unlimited stated tracking on a free-forever plan. Choose another product if you need managed hosting, more extensive support, or API capacity beyond its per-key rate limit.