Affiliate marketing has evolved significantly over the years, and for many marketers, earning recurring commissions is a major attraction. Recurring commissions enable affiliates to earn revenue for as long as referred customers continue to pay for a product or service, creating a sustainable income stream. In this guide, we’ll explore what recurring commission affiliate programs are, why they are valuable, and highlight some of the top affiliate programs that offer them.
What Are Recurring Commission Affiliate Programs?
In traditional affiliate marketing, affiliates earn a one-time commission on the initial sale they refer. However, in a recurring commission structure, affiliates earn a percentage of each recurring payment that a customer makes. This could be a monthly subscription, renewal fee, or any other form of periodic payment. Recurring commissions are particularly popular in industries like software-as-a-service (SaaS), online education, and membership-based services.
Why Choose Recurring Commissions?
- Stable Income Stream: Unlike one-time payouts, recurring commissions provide consistent income. Once you refer a customer, you can continue earning as long as they remain subscribed.
- Compound Effect: With recurring commissions, earnings can compound over time. As you attract more customers, your income grows without needing continuous new sales.
- Higher Lifetime Earnings: Many products and services with recurring payments tend to have high customer retention rates. This means that a single referral could generate revenue for months or even years.
- Lower Effort, Higher Reward: Once you’ve successfully referred a customer, you benefit from repeat payments with little additional effort, allowing you to focus on attracting new clients.
Top Affiliate Programs Offering Recurring Commissions
The following are some of the top affiliate programs in various industries that offer recurring commissions:
ClickFunnels
Overview: ClickFunnels is a popular tool that helps businesses build sales funnels. The program is highly respected in the affiliate space due to its consistent payout structure and high customer retention rate.
Commission Rate: Up to 40% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly for each subscription renewal
Payout Terms: Monthly
ClickFunnels is ideal for affiliates who target entrepreneurs, online marketers, and small business owners, as these groups benefit directly from the platform’s features.
ConvertKit
Overview: ConvertKit is an email marketing platform focused on creators like bloggers, YouTubers, and small businesses. Its affiliate program is known for generous recurring commissions, especially given the platform’s high retention rate.
Commission Rate: 30% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly as long as the customer remains subscribed
Payout Terms: Monthly
With its emphasis on content creators, ConvertKit’s affiliate program is suitable for affiliates who have an audience of entrepreneurs and online creators.
Teachable
Overview: Teachable is a popular platform that enables creators to create, market, and sell online courses. The platform’s affiliate program offers lucrative commissions, which makes it attractive to affiliates targeting the e-learning niche.
Commission Rate: 30% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly for each subscription renewal
Payout Terms: Monthly
Teachable’s program is ideal for affiliates who target educators, coaches, and entrepreneurs looking to monetize their expertise through online courses.
AWeber
Overview: AWeber is an established email marketing service provider with a high customer retention rate. Its affiliate program allows affiliates to earn a commission on each monthly payment from referred clients.
Commission Rate: 30% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly as long as the referred customer remains subscribed
Payout Terms: Monthly
AWeber’s program suits affiliates in the digital marketing niche, especially those who focus on small businesses and email marketing.
Thinkific
Overview: Similar to Teachable, Thinkific is an online course platform that enables creators to host and sell their courses. Affiliates earn recurring commissions on referred clients, benefiting from Thinkific’s large customer base and reliable retention rate.
Commission Rate: 20% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly
Payout Terms: Monthly
Thinkific is ideal for affiliates with audiences in the online education, coaching, and consulting industries.
ActiveCampaign
Overview: ActiveCampaign offers marketing automation and CRM tools that are essential for businesses looking to streamline their customer interactions. The platform’s affiliate program is lucrative due to its competitive recurring commission structure.
Commission Rate: 20-30% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly, based on the subscription plan
Payout Terms: Monthly
This program is suitable for affiliates targeting businesses and entrepreneurs who need comprehensive marketing automation solutions.
SamCart
Overview: SamCart is a shopping cart platform designed for digital marketers, helping them streamline their sales process. With high conversion rates and a reliable product, SamCart provides a solid recurring commission structure.
Commission Rate: 40% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly
Payout Terms: Monthly
SamCart’s program is ideal for affiliates with an audience of e-commerce marketers, digital entrepreneurs, and course creators.
Kajabi
Overview: Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for course creators and membership site owners. Affiliates can earn recurring commissions, which makes it a top choice for marketers targeting online course creators.
Commission Rate: 30% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly
Payout Terms: Monthly
Kajabi’s affiliate program appeals to those with audiences in online learning, coaching, and digital entrepreneurship.
GetResponse
Overview: GetResponse is an all-in-one online marketing platform offering email marketing, landing pages, and CRM services. The program provides a consistent recurring commission model that suits affiliates promoting digital marketing tools.
Commission Rate: 33% recurring commission
Recurring Frequency: Monthly, as long as the customer remains subscribed
Payout Terms: Monthly
This program is well-suited for affiliates focusing on small business owners, marketers, and content creators.
Key Considerations When Choosing a Recurring Commission Affiliate Program
- Product Quality: Promoting a product with low retention rates can reduce potential earnings. Select programs with reliable products and strong customer support.
- Audience Relevance: Choose programs that align with your audience’s needs. The better the fit, the more likely your audience will remain subscribed, ensuring consistent earnings.
- Commission Rate: While higher rates are attractive, a modest commission for a high-retention product can be more profitable than a high commission on a low-retention product.
- Payout Frequency and Terms: Consider the payment cycle to ensure it fits your cash flow needs. Monthly payouts are common in recurring programs.
Work From Home And Earn Money For Students
Recurring commission affiliate programs offer a unique opportunity for affiliates to earn sustainable, compounding income. By carefully choosing the right programs, affiliates can generate passive income from referred customers for months or even years. Whether you’re targeting digital marketers, small businesses, or online educators, there are multiple affiliate programs across different niches that provide lucrative, recurring commissions.