Ready to monetize your influence while sharing brands you already love? Then you’re in the right place. In this guide, we highlight the best referral programs for creators to make money quickly and easily.
Referral programs are the perfect way to earn a passive income by simply recommending your favorite products or services to friends and followers.
Read on to learn how you can turn your network into a revenue stream.
What is a referral program?
To put it simply, referral programs reward you for sharing a brand you love with your friends or audience. By sharing a unique link or code, you and your referrals can earn perks like cash, discounts, or exclusive bonuses — it’s an easy way to monetize your influence while connecting others to something valuable.
Keep in mind that it’s important to note the distinction between referral and affiliate programs.
Both referral and affiliate programs aim to grow a company’s customer base, but they cater to two distinct marketing strategies. Referral programs focus on personal, one-on-one recommendations, while affiliate programs generate affiliate links for creators or influencers who then actively promote the brand to their audience using content, ads, or other marketing strategies.
There are so many affiliate programs to choose from, however, we love a referral program because it’s a great way to earn passive income while keeping your marketing efforts authentic to what’s most important to you and your brand.
9 Best creator referral programs
Let’s dive into the top 9 referral marketing programs on the market today:
Creator referral programs comparison
| Referral Program | Features |
| Fiverr | Best for: Diverse services Reward type: Credit Referral reward: Up to $500 in Fiverr credits (up to $100 each referral) Referral limit: Up to about five referrals |
| AG1 | Best for: Health and wellness creators Reward type: Credit Referral reward: $15 in AG1 credits/referral Referral limit: Unlimited referrals |
| Venmo | Best for: Peer-to-peer referrals Reward type: Cash Referral reward: $5/referral Referral limit: Up to 10 referrals |
| Surfshark | Best for: VPN referrals Reward type: Credit Referral reward: Up to 3 months free to your Surfshark subscription/referral Referral limit: Unlimited referrals |
| Outdoor Voices | Best for: Fitness and active lifestyle creators Reward type: Discount code Referral reward: $20 discount off $100 purchase/referral Referral limit: Unlimited referrals |
| American Express | Best for: Credit card referral programs Reward type: Statement credits or membership rewards points Referral reward: Up to $1K in statement credits or up to 100K in membership rewards points Referral limit: Yes |
| Leesa | Best for: Mattress referral program Reward type: Amazon gift card Referral reward: $50 Amazon gift card/referral Referral limit: Unlimited referrals |
| PayPal | Best for: Versatile rewards Reward type: Credit Referral reward: $10 off PayPal purchases/referral Referral limit: Up to 10 referrals |
| Wealthsimple | Best for: High-value referral bonus Reward type: Cash Referral reward: Base reward: $25 for both referrer and referee; Additional bonus: $225 for funding $100-$500K; $975 for funding $500K+ Referral limit: Unlimited referrals |
1. Fiverr
Best diverse service referral program: Fiverr’s referral program stands out as a simple and rewarding way to monetize your network. The platform offers a commission-based structure that lets you earn up to $500 in Fiverr credits through the program.
It’s easy to participate in Fiverr’s referral program — when someone signs up through your link and makes their first purchase, you earn 10% of the transaction amount. Not only is the process straightforward, but it has high potential thanks to Fiverr’s popularity and massive range of services.
Whether you’re recommending Fiverr’s graphic design gigs or its marketing services, the platform does the heavy lifting to help you drive conversions. Fiverr’s referral program is a great opportunity for creators who already use Fiverr and can benefit from earning recurring Fiverr credits.
Key features
- Up to $500 in Fiverr credits (up to $100 from each referral)
- Custom links for referrals and shareable banners
- Automated tracking and reporting
Referral reward
The Fiverr referral program is free to join, with no hidden fees. You earn up to $500 Fiverr credits directly from successful referrals.
2. AG1
Best for health and wellness creators: AG1’s referral program is ideal for health and wellness content creators who want to spread the benefits of daily nutrition while earning rewards.
With AG1, you can earn $15 in credits for every successful referral. Plus, your referrals get a free year’s supply of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 free AG1 Travel packs — it’s a win-win referral scenario.
The program is designed for simplicity and ease. All you have to do is share your unique link or banner, and when someone makes their first purchase, you’ll automatically get $15 off your next order.
AG1’s trusted reputation in the wellness community means it’s a product that has the potential to practically sell itself, making it a referral program with high potential.
Key features
- Earn $15 in AG1 credits per referral
- Share a unique link
- Referrals receive free products on their first order
- Recurring rewards for ongoing referrals
Referral reward
AG1’s referral program is free to join. Sign up for the referral program with your email and receive $15 in AG1 credits for each successful referral.
3. Venmo
Best for easy peer-to-peer referral earnings: Venmo’s referral program is designed for creators who want to earn cash effortlessly while sharing a platform they already use. With Venmo’s program, you can earn $5 for every successful referral — and the referral process is as simple as inviting others to sign up and use the service. Your referrals also get a reward when they join.
Venmo’s referral program is straightforward and effective. You share your unique link or code with your audience, and once they sign up and make their first qualifying transaction, you both earn cash rewards.
The Venmo referral reward is cold hard cash, rather than credits for a product, which may make it particularly appealing to content creators looking to make a bit extra on the side.
Key features
- Earn $5 for every successful referral
- Your friends get a bonus when they join
- Share your link or code via text, email, or social media
Referral reward
Venmo’s referral program is free to join, and you’ll earn $5 for each referral who successfully signs up and completes a transaction.
4. Surfshark
Best VPN referral program: Surfshark is one of the top VPN services in the market with a pretty sweet referral program if you already use the platform. This referral program suggestion may seem out of left field for some content creators, but hear us out: Every creator has an online audience, and if you’re online, you should be thinking about securing your presence online, too.
That means a VPN referral is relevant to almost everyone, increasing your earning potential. With Surfshark, you can earn up to three months free on your subscription for every successful referral to a friend.
For a successful referral, your referral must be a brand-new subscriber and must keep their subscription for 30 days.
To join Surfshark’s referral program, you’ll first share your unique link. When someone subscribes to Surfshark using your link, you earn credits on your subscription. If your referral signs up for a month, you’ll both earn one free month to your subscription. If your referral signs up for a longer plan (for example, 24 months), you’ll both get an extra 3 months free.
The best part about Surfshark’s referral program is that there are plenty of recommendation strategies including enhanced online privacy, faster streaming, or secure browsing.
Key features
- Earn up to 3 months free to your Surfshark subscription per referral
- Share your unique link across your social media, blog, or channels
- Easily track your referrals with automated reporting
Referral reward
Surfshark’s referral program is free to join. You earn free months to your Surfshark subscription directly from successful sign-ups, with no hidden fees.
5. Outdoor Voices
Best for fitness and active lifestyle creators: Outdoor Voices’ referral program is a great fit for content creators who want to share their passion for fitness and the outdoors while earning rewards. With a focus on activewear that encourages movement, Outdoor Voices has built a strong following — and its referral program lets you tap into that community while making money.
You can send an Outdoor Voices refer-a-friend code to an unlimited amount of people. Your code will give your referrals $20 off their first purchase for an order of $100 or more. Once your referrals make their first purchase, you’ll also receive an email with a $20 discount code for a future order above $100.
You can only use one Outdoor Voices discount code per purchase, and discount codes have a two-week expiration date.
Referring your audience to Outdoor Voices can be as simple as sharing your favorite OV gear on your socials. Whether you’re helping your audience find the perfect workout outfit or introducing them to a brand with a focus on inclusivity and fun, this referral program is a great option for athleisure enthusiasts.
Key features
- Earn a $20 discount on the referred first-time purchase
- Share your unique link across your platforms
- Promote a brand with a loyal, active community
Referral reward
Outdoor Voices’ referral program is free to join. Once someone uses your link to make their first-time purchase, you’ll receive a $20 discount code to be used on a future order of $100 or more.
6. American Express
Best credit card referral program: American Express’s “Refer a Friend” program is a great way for creators to earn cash rewards. When you refer someone who applies and is approved for an eligible American Express card, you can earn bonus Membership Rewards points or cashback, depending on the specific card and offer.
The rewards offered vary based on the card being referred. For example, referring someone to the Platinum Card can earn you up to 50,000 Membership Rewards points per calendar year. Getting involved in the referral process is easy — all you have to do is share your unique link via email, text, or social media. Your referral applies through this link and, upon approval, voilà! You both receive rewards.
To participate in the American Express rewards program, you must be an eligible American Express cardholder. Eligibility is determined by factors like credit and account history.
Key features
- Earn Membership Rewards points or cashback, depending on the card and offer
- Share your link via email, text, or social media
- Free participation for eligible cardholders
Referral reward
There are no fees to participate in the “Refer a Friend” program. Rewards vary depending on the card being referred, and are earned when your referral is approved and meets the necessary criteria.
7. Leesa
Best mattress referral program: What’s a more universal shared experience than sleep? Everyone loves it, everyone wants more of it. That’s why Leesa’s referral program is a great opportunity to earn rewards.
With Leesa’s referral program, you can earn credit towards future purchases or receive cash rewards when someone buys a mattress through your link. Share your unique link and if someone buys a mattress through your link, you’ll automatically earn a $50 Amazon gift card and your referral gets $75 off their order.
Conditions do apply for the Leesa referral program. The referral is only valid for new customers, and they must make a minimum purchase of $598. To participate in the Leesa referral program, you also have to be a registered Leesa customer, and you’re only eligible to start referring once you’ve made your own purchase.
Key features
- Earn $50 Amazon gift card per referral
- Referred person gets $75 off purchase (minimum order of $598)
- Share your link through email or social media platforms
- No limit on referrals — the more you refer, the more you can earn
Referral reward
You’ll need to sign up for Leesa’s referral program with your email and phone number. Earn a $50 Amazon gift card per referral and the referred person gets $75 off their purchase. Rewards are credited after your referral completes a purchase.
8. PayPal
Best for versatile purchase reward: PayPal’s referral program can be a lucrative opportunity for creators who use PayPal for purchases and want to share their referral code with a small handful of friends and family or followers. The rules behind PayPal’s referral program are fairly basic. First, you must be a PayPal user yourself, and referrals must be new to PayPal.
When someone clicks your unique link, they must sign up and link a bank account, credit card, or debit card to their account, and send $5 within 30 days of initial account registration.
If all the boxes are ticked, then both you and your referral earn a $10 reward to use when you checkout with PayPal. Since you can use PayPal for any number of purchases online, you have a pretty versatile pot of reward options to choose from.
PayPal allows you to refer up to 10 people, and you must use your reward points within 90 days from receipt of the reward, otherwise they expire. Overall, PayPal is an easy referral program to get started with to make a bit of extra cash.
Key features
- Earn reward points to use at any PayPal checkout
- Use your link to easily spread the word via social media, email, etc.
- Refer up to 10 friends
- Both you and your referrals earn rewards
Referral reward
Earn up to $100 in rewards. Your reward is credited to your PayPal account once the referral registers for an account and sends $5 within 30 days of initial registration.
9. Wealthsimple
Best for high-value referral bonuses in personal finance: As of December 2024, Wealthsimple introduced an enhanced reward structure, making it especially attractive for those with connections interested in making substantial investments.
How does it work? You’ll earn a $25 Base Bonus for both you and your friend when they sign up and fund an eligible account with a minimum of $1 within 30 days. Wealthsimple’s bonus of up to $975 is based on your referral’s net funding amount (e.g. $100,000+).
Wealthsimple distributes its rewards within 24 hours for the Base Bonus, and 10 business days for the Additional Bonus (if qualified). You can use your bonus across various Wealthsimple accounts, including Self-Directed Investing, Crypto, Managed Investing, and Cash accounts.
Key features
- Base reward: $25 for both you and your referral
- Additional bonus: $225 for funding $100,000-$499,999; $975 for funding $500,000+
- Shareable link with automated tracking
- No account minimums for users
- No-fee options for certain services
Referral reward
For each new user who signs up and deposits the required amount, you’ll earn up to $50 in cash. The more people you refer, the more you can earn.
What’s the difference between referral and affiliate programs?
Both referral and affiliate marketing are influencer programs that incentivize referees to promote a company’s products or services, but they differ in their structure, goals, and target participants. Here’s how to distinguish between the two:
Referral programs
Referral programs are designed to reward existing customers for recommending a company to their friends, family, or audience. While some referral programs offer a recurring commission, these programs typically offer one-time rewards, such as discounts, credits, or cash bonuses, to both the referrer and the new customer.
The focus of a referral program is on leveraging word-of-mouth marketing to acquire loyal customers. Referrals are personal, based on trust, and usually involve smaller-scale promotions through social media posts or direct communication.
A referral program usually asks that a customer share a unique referral link or code with friends, who then sign up for a service or purchase a product.
Affiliate programs
Affiliate programs, on the other hand, are geared toward individuals or businesses with a broader audience, such as creators, influencers, or websites. Affiliates earn commissions based on performance metrics, like sales or leads, driven through tracked affiliate links.
Unlike referral programs, affiliates often receive recurring or scalable commissions. The relationship is more business-like, with affiliates acting as partners who actively promote the brand to their audience using content, ads, or other marketing strategies. There are several free affiliate programs. For example, the TikTok Shop’s affiliate marketing program could be considered one of the top affiliate programs.
Share your referral links using The Leap!
If you’re looking for a win-win opportunity for both you and your audience to get some extra, then a Referral programs allow you to earn rewards while sharing value. Whether you’re after recurring commissions, discounts, or cash bonuses, the programs on this list offer something for tons of creator niches.
And if you’re looking for a link-in-bio tool to host your referral links, look no further than The Leap.
In addition to a link-in-bio storefront, The Leap provides you with other essential creator tools, including an AI-powered digital product builder, an email list builder, and built-in email marketing. Basically everything you need to create, market, and sell your products and offers.
Want to start earning now? The Leap’s easy-to-use page builder allows you to set up your link-in-bio storefront in minutes, so you can start sharing unlimited links with your audience and selling your digital products ASAP.
The best part? The Leap is 100% free to use. Try The Leap for free today!
Start monetizing your audience with The Leap, your free link-in-bio store.
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Further reading
- 13 of the Best Ways To Make Money Online as a Creator
- How To Create a Business Plan as an Influencer (+ Free Template)
- How To Make Money on Instagram: 6 Ways To Start Earning
- How To Make Money on TikTok: 8 Effective Ways
- YouTube Monetization: How to Make More From Your Videos
This article was originally published in March 31, 2025, and updated in July 2025 with additional information.
