People always trusted recommendations from other people more than any kind of advertisement. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools brands can use to acquire new customers. According to Nielsen, in its global Trust in Advertising study in 2021, 88% of consumers take the recommendations from people they know as granted, above all other forms of marketing messaging.
That explains the ongoing success of referral programs. In this article, we’ll explore the topic of referral programs, from how they work to how to promote them. And, as a treat, we’ll give our own list of the best referral programs in marketing at the end. Without further prolonging, let’s dive in.
Referral Program Explained
Let’s say you have an app you genuinely enjoy using. The app offers you the opportunity to recommend it to your friends in exchange for a bonus. The bonus can be anything—monetary rewards, discounts, complimentary goods/services, credits, or various other benefits. Once your friend joins the app using your link or code, you get your bonus—that is the very essence of a referral program.
However, be careful—if participation requires you to pay in order to earn from subsequent participants, it’s a Ponzi scheme. Such a model is inherently unsustainable and eventually collapses, causing losses to the vast majority of its participants.
Referral Program: How It’s Made
The most effective referral marketing campaigns typically include these key elements:
- Creating a referral link. In order to get referrals, a platform needs to generate unique referral links or codes for affiliates to share with others.
- Sharing the referral link. Affiliates send their links or codes to those who might be interested in affiliate marketing.
- Referral tracking. When a new client clicks the referral link or enters the code to buy or register for the service, the system identifies this as a successful referral.
- Reward system. After a successful referral, the affiliate, whose link or code was used, qualifies for a reward.
In general, referral programs benefit all parties: the platform acquires new partners, affiliates receive rewards, and new affiliates join a reliable network. Numerous highly successful ones function as high-commission referral networks, providing affiliates with even more earning opportunities for every partner they recruit.
Affiliate VS Referral Programs
Affiliate and referral programs might sound similar, but they’re different at their fundamentals. For starters, an affiliate program involves one advertiser, who encourages professional marketers to promote their brand and attract more users in exchange for some payment. Basically, partnering with an affiliate program is full-scale work aimed at long-term cooperation.
Conversely, a referral program usually serves as an addition to the primary source of income or hobby. While you can earn some funds with it, you should be wary of the companies that prioritize revenue from referrals over everything else. Chances are, we’re talking about a Ponzi scheme here. So, a referral program should be a nice addition to something more fundamental.
In this regard, the affiliate program is more B2B oriented, where marketers can earn commissions. The referral program, on the other hand, tends to be B2C, where new clients are attracted via a specific marketing channel. Of course, there are B2B referral programs, like in the case of RollerAds, where you can refer new publishers and get paid.
Pro tip: You don’t have to necessarily choose only one program—it is possible to run several at the same time.
Promoting Referral Links
There are several ways to promote a referral link, and now we will explore the most popular ones.
Social Networking
If you have social media accounts, you can use them to subtly promote a referral program. Simply mention the program you like here and there. When posting your link, add an engaging text as well. This way, it is less likely to be pursued as spam or a blatant attempt to scam. And if you have a YouTube channel and post your videos there regularly, add your link in the description.
Blogs
If you haven’t got your own website yet, it’s high time to create one. You see, there is nothing wrong with using third-party websites and blogging platforms, however, having a site where everything is under your control saves a lot of time and effort. Building a site is a no-brainer now—go to any website creation tool like Wix.com. You won’t need to know how to code yourself or hire a professional who knows, as they offer an extensive selection of templates and an intuitive editor.
Don’t forget to check out our dedicated article, where you can find 25+ services for your work, including website-building tools.
Having a website enables you to design a personalized page that showcases your favored businesses and incorporates your referral code or link.
Email promotion of referral links mostly depends on your audience. There are two main options.
When your priority is people from your friend group, a simple email service will make the cut. Dealing with a huge database of total strangers is a different story, though. In this scenario, you need to make sure that your email promotion is not only engaging enough, but also that you don’t violate email marketing regulations and anti-spam laws.
What is true for both situations is that your letter has to be convincing yet delicate, to attract attention but not overwhelm.
Forums
Forums are also a great place to promote a referral link, as they’re usually considered a more closed community. Therefore, you need to be especially careful with your wording—if people there sense insincerity, they tend to chase away the “untrustworthy advertisers”. This might sound funny, right until the moment when the “witch-hunt” results in a blacklist. So, spending some time on creating a genuine and heartfelt message is definitely worth it.
Top Referral Programs in Marketing 2025
Now, when you know everything you need, we will, as promised, present you with the top referral programs of the services you probably use or that could be valuable for your affiliate marketing efforts in 2025.
RollerAds
RollerAds, a high-performance ad network, has been in the industry for many years and focuses on top-quality traffic and effective monetization of websites. No matter whether you are an affiliate or a website owner, RollerAds offers industry-defining features and tools, diverse payment options, in-depth statistics, and all-around support.
RollerAds’ referral program targets webmasters and doesn’t require you to have a website yourself. It works like this: if you bring a website owner to the platform, you automatically start earning a 5% commission based on the referred user’s income: for life and with no earning limit.
CpaRoll
CpaRoll is a global performance affiliate network. With CpaRoll, you gain access to over 400 unique offers from direct advertisers in niches such as antivirus, sweepstakes, VPN, utilities, and more. The platform is designed with users in mind and offers dedicated managers who assist both new and experienced affiliates in discovering top-performing offers and optimizing their campaigns.
Each affiliate is given a unique referral link to share with other marketers. When a new affiliate registers using your link and begins driving traffic, they become part of your team, and you earn a commission based on their performance and earnings.
Fiverr
Fiverr offers services to freelancers and works with many different fields, including web development, graphic design, and content creation.
The referral program provides 10% of the first purchase for each referral, with a cap of $100 in Fiverr credits. Participants can earn a maximum of $500 in credits via the program, corresponding to a cap of five referrals. Furthermore, new clients brought in by the program get a 10% discount on their initial purchase, with a limit of $100.
WordPress
WordPress is a free, open-source platform that lets anyone create and manage a website without coding. With its intuitive dashboard, customizable themes, and powerful plugins, users can easily build everything from personal blogs to full-scale online stores.
When you refer WordPress.com to others, you can earn a $25 credit toward an annual WordPress.com plan for each new customer who signs up.
WordPress.com provides a unique referral link. When someone uses your link to purchase an annual plan, you receive a $25 account credit to apply to your own annual plan. Note: monthly plans do not qualify for referral credits. The person you refer also receives a $25 credit toward their first annual plan purchase.
In our latest posts we wrote about how to set up a WordPress website and how to monetize it successfully. Take a look!
GetResponse
GetResponse is a platform providing features like website creation tools, landing pages, eCommerce marketing solutions, conversion funnels, webinars, live chat assistance, and other resources. You can use GetResponse to draw in leads, boost sales, and acquire new clients.
GetResponse partners have various ways to bring in referrals. This program can be accessed via the GetResponse mobile app and offers a $30 credit to a customer and their referral.
GetResponse provides affiliate programs for greater incentives. These initiatives are intended for current clients and potential customers who want to generate a regular income by backing the platform. Members have the option of selecting a 33% ongoing program or a single commission of $100 for new sales.
Hostinger
Hostinger is a global web hosting provider offering cost-effective solutions for websites, online stores, and applications. Its services include shared, cloud, VPS, and WordPress hosting, along with domain registration, a website builder, email hosting, and managed WordPress options.
Hostinger’s referral program rewards you for bringing in new users. When your friend buys a hosting plan and stays active for at least 45 days, you can earn up to $450, and they get 20% off their purchase. Payouts are sent via PayPal, wire transfer, or your Hostinger balance.
SimilarWeb
SimilarWeb is an AI-powered tool that shows how websites and apps are performing. It helps businesses and marketers see where traffic comes from, how users behave, and what competitors are doing. You can also track audience demographics, engagement, and market trends to make smarter decisions.
Its referral program lets you earn commissions by bringing in new customers who buy self-serve products. You can earn a percentage of sales (10%), receive payments per lead ($10-$50), or a mix of both, with payouts typically sent via bank transfer or PayPal.
Closing words
Based on our examples, you might have noticed that referral programs can be very different—and yes, various companies from all spheres have them. Similar to how you pick an offer to promote, referral programs are very different, and you’re bound to find your best pick.
As long as people prefer personal recommendations rather than random ads on the Internet, referral programs will thrive. Starting is as easy as it could be—choose the referral program to your liking, sign up, get the link, and start sharing.
At RollerAds, we understand how important it is to foster a genuine connection with your audience. That’s why we create an individual strategy for each of our partners. Join us today and open the door to new income paths.
