15 Best Referral Programs To Generate Money (2025)
15 Best Referral Programs To Generate Money – Joining the best referral programs is a great way to make money online from products or services you already use and enjoy.
Also read: 20 Ad Networks For Publishers
There are numerous referral marketing programs to choose from, each with its own set of incentives such as subscription discounts, cashback, and freebies.
15 Best Referral Programs To Generate Money
This article will provide a list of 15 successful referral programs from various businesses. We examined the following aspects of the best referral programs to compile this list:
- Program time. Even if a company advertises that it has a referral marketing program, it may no longer accept new members. As a result, we’ve made certain that the programs on this list are active.
- Referral bonus We examined which of these referral programs’ bonuses are worthwhile, allowing you to earn more money or receive discounts on products and services.
- Terms and conditions are explicit. Each company’s eligibility requirements, referral rewards, and link-sharing policies are unique. We made certain that the referral program examples on this page have clear terms and conditions.
- The application procedure. If you’re already a customer, joining a referral program shouldn’t be difficult. Referrals usually only need to take a few extra steps to make the referral program work.
These 15 initiatives are a great source of referral program ideas for those looking to start their own, in addition to assisting you in deciding which one to join.
Even if they don’t know the person recommending the product or service, 90% of people base their purchase decision on recommendations. Creating your own referral program is thus an excellent way to increase sales and customer trust.
We’ll also go over the differences between a referral and an affiliate program so you can choose the best approach for you.
What Exactly Is a Referral Program?
A referral program is a word-of-mouth marketing strategy in which customers are rewarded for recommending a brand’s products or services to their network.
Companies use this type of program to drive more traffic as part of their customer retention and acquisition strategy. Customers are encouraged to continue doing business with the company and to refer others.
Also read: 23 Most Profitable Website Ideas
Most businesses will also provide discounts or freebies to encourage referrals to complete their purchases.
Affiliate Program vs. Referral Program
Aside from customer referral programs, many businesses choose to implement affiliate marketing programs.
Both strategies aim to increase brand awareness, sales, and client acquisition. The program participants and the rewards are the primary distinctions between a referral program and an affiliate marketing program.
Examples of the Best Referral Programs
We’ve compiled a list of the top customer referral program ideas for 2025. This list is also useful for people looking for examples of successful referral programs before starting their own.
- Dropbox – 500 MB to 1 GB per referral
- Hostinger – 20% commission from the referral’s purchase
- Fiverr – 10% of the referral’s first order
- Swagbucks – 10% of the referral’s earnings
- SoFi – $20 in reward points per referral
- Google Workspace – $8 to $23 per user
- T-Mobile – $50 per referral
- SugarSync – 10 GB storage space
- FreeAgent – 10% discount on subscription plan per referral
- Quip – $5 per referral
- Zoho – 15% commission based on the referral’s subscription fee
- Ibotta – $10 per referral
- Hubstaff – 10% subscription discount per referral
- GetResponse – $30 credit per referral
- Tesla – $300 or $500 reward per referral
1. Dropbox
Extra storage space ranging from 500 MB to 32 GB as a reward.
Dropbox is a cloud storage service that allows users to store, share, and collaborate on files. It provides several storage space plans, starting with 2 GB for the Dropbox Basic free account.
Customers who refer others to Dropbox are rewarded with additional storage space. After an existing customer has signed up for a Dropbox account and plan, they can refer friends by sending an invitation link to them.
Dropbox’s referral program offers rewards based on the plan of the referral account (once they accept the invitation and verify their email address).
Participants will receive 500 MB of extra storage – up to 16 GB – for each referral who signs up for a Dropbox Basic account. For Dropbox Plus accounts, the bonus is 1 GB per referral, with a maximum limit of 32 GB.
2. Hostinger
20% commission on each successful referral.
Hostinger users are eligible for the referral program, which is accessible via the hPanel. If the referral purchases a web hosting plan for at least 12 months, you can earn a 20% commission on their first purchase.
Also read: Affiliate Marketing for Beginners
Furthermore, by using a unique referral link, your referrals will receive a 20% discount at checkout. The referring customer will receive their reward if the referred friends do not request a refund within the first 45 days.
Please keep in mind that Hostinger’s referral program does not currently apply to email services.
3. Fiverr
10% of the referral’s first order (up to $100) as a reward.
Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where freelancers can offer their services in areas such as programming and digital marketing. Joining Fiverr is free, and you can begin referring right away.
When you refer a friend, you will receive a reward in Fiverr Credits equal to 10% of their first purchase, up to a maximum of $100 per purchase. The referral, on the other hand, will receive a 10% discount (up to $100) on their first purchase.
In a successful rewards program, you can earn up to $500 in Fiverr Credits for qualified purchases. A qualified purchase is defined as a successfully delivered and completed service paid for with an external payment method.
Fiverr Business accounts are not eligible for the referral program.
4. Swagbucks
10% of the referral’s earnings as a reward.
Swagbucks is a platform that connects companies looking for consumer insights with people looking to fill out surveys or review products.
Users are rewarded with SB points, which can be redeemed for gift cards and PayPal coupons.
Also read: 68 Ideas On What Can I Sell To Make Money
Users can earn 10% of the referral’s SB points by inviting friends to Swagbucks. This referral process has no cap, so the more people you refer who use Swagbucks, the more money you earn.
Another way to earn SB points through this referral program. If your referral earns 300 SB in their first 30 days on the platform, both you and the referral will receive a bonus of 300 SB.
5. SoFi
Reward: $20 in reward points for each referral (up to five referrals).
SoFi is a personal finance app that assists users in managing their money, whether for savings or investment purposes, and offers student, home, and personal loans.
SoFi has six different referral programs, the most basic of which is the app referral.
This program awards 2,000 reward points worth $20 when redeemed against SoFi Money, Checking and Savings, Invest, or Load products. The referral, on the other hand, will receive 1,000 reward points worth $10 for product redemption.
For the referral to be successful, your friend must download the SoFi app and register at SoFi.com within 24 hours of clicking the unique referral link. You will be rewarded for up to five successful referrals.
SoFi also provides the following referral programs:
- Loan Referral Scheme
- Referral Program for Investing
- Referral Program for Credit Cards
- Money Referral Scheme
- Referral Program for Banks
6. Google Workspace
The reward ranges from $8 to $23 per user.
Google Workspace is a well-known online work collaboration platform that includes Gmail, Google Meet, and a number of online document sharing services such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
To participate in the program, you must complete a sign-up form. Depending on the referral’s Google Workspace plan, Google will pay you the following cash rewards:
- $8 per user for Business Starter
- Standard Business – $15 per user
- $23 per user for Business Plus
Because a Google Workspace account can have multiple users, the reward is user-based. For example, if one referral enrolls in a Business Starter plan with 20 users, you will receive $160.
This referral campaign caps earnings at 100 users per referred account, with a total annual limit of 200 users. Choose their affiliate marketing program to avoid these restrictions and to refer more people.
It should be noted that the Google Workspace referral program is only available in 24 countries, and participants from countries other than the United States will receive a different monetary reward based on their location.
7. T-Mobile
$50 per referral, up to $500 per year.
T-Mobile is a German telecommunications service provider with a sizable US customer base.
Also read: 35 Creative Ways on How To Make Money Online
To participate in T-refer-a-friend Mobile’s program, you must have a T-Mobile or Sprint postpaid smartphone plan. The referrals must not have been T-Mobile, Sprint, or Metro by T-Mobile customers within the last 90 days.
T-Mobile will credit your Virtual Express Prepaid MasterCard account with $50 for each referral, and you can earn up to $500 in rewards per year.
8. SugarSync
10 GB of storage space as a reward.
SugarSync is a file cloud storage service that supports cross-platform collaboration and secure online backups.
You can send an email with a referral invitation or share the referral URL on your social media profiles, personal blog, and other platforms.
If a friend uses your referral link to open an account with more than 60 GB of storage, you will receive an additional 10 GB of storage. You can continue referring new customers until you have earned 40 GB in bonuses.
SugarSync’s referral program offers a 500 MB bonus when a new referred customer opens an account. Following their trial period, you will receive the remaining 9.5 GB after qualified installation and payment.
9. FreeAgent
Per referral, you will receive a 10% discount on your subscription plan.
FreeAgent is accounting software designed for individuals and small businesses. It is beneficial to maintain and view the financial condition overview of the business in a centralized dashboard.
Also read: 16 Best Freelance Websites In 2025
The customer referral program of the company is only available to direct subscribers. You are not eligible for this program if you obtained your FreeAgent account from your bank or accountant.
You can refer a friend by sending your referral code to them. Find the code in the software’s desktop version or the Android mobile app and send it to your referrals.
Alternatively, you can include the referral code in your social media content or on a referral sharing platform such as referralcodes.com.
Both the referrer and the referred will receive a 10% subscription discount from FreeAgent. Unlike most referral programs, there are no limits, so if you get 10 successful referrals, you can use FreeAgent for free.
The discount is valid only while the referred friend is using the software. If they cancel their subscription, your discount will also be terminated.
10. quip
$5 for each referral, plus free items.
Electric toothbrushes, refillable dental floss, and smart mouthwash dispensers are among the high-tech oral health products available from quip. In addition, their products include a mobile app that connects to smart toothbrushes to assist users in developing better oral health.
Sign up for a quip account to receive a customer referral code and link to share with friends. If someone uses your link or code, both the referrer and the referral will receive a $5 credit toward their next purchase.
It should be noted that quip’s referral program policy prohibits participants from publicly posting the referral code and link. If the referring customers violate this condition, they will be removed from the program.
11. Zoho
15% commission on the subscription fee of your referral.
Zoho is a business productivity tool that provides a variety of management platforms such as CRM, financial, and workspace collaboration tools.
Also read: How To Earn Money From Instagram
Zoho’s referral program pays you 15% of the referral’s subscription fee. After the referrals sign up for Zoho and use the product for 90 days, you will receive the reward.
It should be noted that the bonus cannot be redeemed for cash. You will instead receive Zoho Wallet credits (valid for one year). Furthermore, the referral incentives are only valid for the first purchase. You will not be rewarded for any additional Zoho products they add to their accounts.
You can use your Zoho Wallet credits to buy a new Zoho app, renew your subscription, or get add-ons. Customers are encouraged to recommend the platform to as many friends as possible through this referral program, which has no earning limits.
In addition to the bonus for participants, this referral program provides referred customers with $100 in promotional credits to use toward the purchase of a new Zoho app.
12. Ibotta
$10 for each referral.
Ibotta is a shopping cashback platform that allows users to shop at thousands of stores and earn cashback. To receive it, shoppers must simply submit a shopping receipt.
You can invite friends to use this platform by sending a referral code to them via email, text, or social media post. Get a $10 referral bonus when they make their first purchase with the referral code within seven days of signing up.
Referred new customers will receive a $5 bonus upon registration and a $10 reward after redeeming a qualifying offer. There is no limit to the number of referrals you can invite.
13. Hubstaff
Reward: 10% off per referral.
Hubstaff is a web-based productivity tool that allows users to track their time and tasks in order to improve workflow.
Also read: Side Hustles From Home
Hubstaff’s generous referral program gives you a 10% monthly plan discount for every friend you refer using a referral link or code. To earn the discount, the referral must sign up for a paid plan within 90 days of the end of their free trial period.
The 10% off is good for one year. If you receive more than ten referrals during that time period, the additional discount coupons will be applied to your account only after the expiration of another coupon.
Hubstaff’s referral program has no referral limits, so you can get a 100% discount and use the platform for free. You will, however, lose the discount if one of them cancels their subscription.
14. GetResponse
$30 credit for each referral.
GetResponse is a digital marketing platform that assists in the automation of email marketing campaigns and the optimization of your conversion funnel.
A customer refers a friend to this program by sending them a referral link or posting it on social media. The referral marketing program provides a $30 credit for future payments to both the referred and the referrer.
There is no limit to the number of referrals you can invite, but you can only accumulate up to $480 in credits per year.
15. Tesla
Tesla Solar Panels are worth $300, while Tesla Solar Roofs are worth $500.
Tesla is well-known for its electric vehicles, but the company also sells solar panels and solar roofs. Only solar products are currently eligible for Tesla’s referral program.
Share your referral link with friends and family to receive $300 off each solar panel purchase and $500 off each solar roof purchase. The referral will receive the rewards after activating the product and receiving permission to use it.
Happy customers can share referral links on their YouTube channels, social media posts, and personal websites as part of Tesla’s referral program. Consider providing positive feedback on the company’s products to strengthen your recommendation.
However, the link’s mass distribution and spam advertising are not permitted, and Tesla will not reward purchases made through such links.
Conclusion
This article contains a list of 15 successful referral programs that are currently available. These programs are an excellent way for customers to earn and save money, as well as a popular business marketing strategy.
Referral programs encourage customers to refer friends and family to use a product or service, and these loyal customers are rewarded with incentives.
While joining them is a great option for customers looking for discounts, as some only offer credits that can be redeemed through new purchases, others offer monetary rewards that you can cash out.
Thus, joining both programs is an excellent way to increase your earnings. For example, if you join the Hostinger and Dropbox programs, the first will pay you a referral commission and the second will increase the capacity of your account.
Referral marketing strategies benefit businesses by increasing customer loyalty and attracting new customers. Analyzing the 15 initiatives we listed is a great place to start if you’re looking for referral marketing ideas for your own business.
Leave a comment below if you have any other successful referral program examples or referral marketing experience.
