While we always consider affiliate marketing as one of the best ways to make money online, we often neglect referral marketing.

But it can be an excellent way to make money if you do it right.

Referral marketing is almost similar to affiliate marketing, except affiliate marketing is driven solely by financial reward.

In affiliate marketing, you have to sell products/services to earn money. But it’s not necessary for referral marketing. You can get rewards by referring people to a particular site once they take some actions.

Sometimes it’s easier to make money through referral marketing than affiliate marketing. Because referral marketing doesn’t require selling all the time. You can make money without selling anything.

But the problem is, there are only few referral programs that work. To make things easier, I am going to share a list of high paying referral programs. These programs are especially suitable for bloggers.

Now let’s see some details of these programs.

1. Google G Suite

2. Payoneer

If you are from one of the Paypal unsupported countries, you can use Payoneer as an PayPal Alternative. It offers a Prepaid Card that can be used in everywhere, where MasterCard is accepted. You can get paid from freelancing sites and affiliate networks via Payoneer. You can get an activation bonus of $50 by signing up for Payoneer.  

Payoneer has both referral and affiliate program. The affiliate program has more potential than the referral program. But if you are planning to promote Payoneer occasionally, referral program is good enough for you. However, I prefer affiliate program because of the better management system.

3. Grammarly

Grammarly is the best grammar checking tool. It will make your writing better and easier. If you are a blogger, I’d suggest you to start using Grammarly right now. I bet you will thank me later.

Now the awesome thing is that you can make money by promoting Grammarly. It offers $25 activation bonus just for placing a banner on your site. You can earn $0.20 for every free registration through your link. If one of your referred users purchase the premium plan, you will get $20 more.

4. GetResponse

GetResponse Refer-a-Friend program allows you earn $30 by referring your friend who will also receive $30 credit to get started with GetResponse. It’s a win-win deal.

I’ve been using GetResponse as my email marketing tool for a while. I am really happy with their services. You can give a test drive on GetResponse by using this link. You will also get $30 credit if you decide to use GetResponse as your email marketing tool.

5. Bidvertiser

Bidvertiser is a Pay Per Click advertising network like Google Adsense. You can make money with Bidvertiser by joining their affiliate program. You can refer both advertisers and publishers.

When a user signs as an advertiser and spends $10, you will get $5. When the same advertiser spends $50 more, you will get additional $50. When a user signs as a publisher and earns $10, you will get $10. When the same publisher earns $50 more, you will get additional $40. You will get paid through Paypal as soon as you make $10.

6. Infolinks

Infolinks is an online advertising network which is popular for its innovative ads. It has a referral program for publishers. When someone joins Infolinks through your referral link and start using Infolinks, you will earn 10% of his/her revenue for first 12 months.

7. Media.net

Media.net is a contextual advertising program by Yahoo and Bing. It is one of the best Adsense alternatives. You can earn money by referring new publishers to Media.net. It offers you to earn 10% of your referral’s earnings up till 18 months from the date of sign-up. Your referred publisher will earn bonus 10% earnings.

8. Chitika

Chitika is one of the oldest advertising networks. You can earn money by referring people to Chitika. It offers 10% of your referrals’ revenue for 10 months. You can get paid as soon as you make $50 via Payoneer.

9. VigLink

VigLink monetizes blog/site by converting outgoing links into affiliate links. It is very helpful for those who can’t figure out which affiliate products to promote. However, you can make money by promoting VigLink. VigLink referral program offers you to earn 35% of their commission for the first year from your referred user.

10. Skimlinks

Skimlinks is an alternative of VigLink. It also has a referral program. Whenever you refer someone to Skimlinks, you will get 35% of the commission Skimlinks earns with that publisher during his/her first year. The commissions will automatically be credited to your account.

11. ShareASale

ShareASale is an affiliate network that provides pay-per-click, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-sale programs for bloggers and marketers. It has a merchant program that you can use to refer new affiliate and merchant. It offers $150 for each merchant and $1 for each affiliate that signs up through your links.

12. ClickBank

ClickBank is one of the best online marketplaces for digital information products. It has a referral program for referring new product vendors. But it is not available for referring new affiliates.

When a new vendor registers via your referral link, you’ll earn a 22% of commission of the $49.95 activation charge. In addition, you’ll earn 5% of ClickBank’s markup on every sale made by that vendor for a full year.

13. SponsoredReviews

SponsoredReviews connects bloggers with advertisers. It helps advertisers to promote their services/products on right blogs and helps bloggers to earn cash. It also offers bloggers to earn more money by joining their affiliate program. You can earn up to $175 per advertiser and $90 per blogger referred.

14. HostGator

HostGator is one of the best web hosting companies which has an awesome affiliate program. I’ve been a HostGator affiliate for a while. It works great for me. BTW, you can try HostGator hosting for just $0.01.

HostGator also offers “Refer a Friend” program. For every qualifying friend that you refer you will get a $35 Gift Card and your friend gets 25% off their order! However, I always prefer HostGator affiliate program as it offers more profitability.

15. MediaTemple

MediaTemple referral program offers you to get free hosting by referring your friends to it. If your friends follow your referral link, they will get 20% off the first month of their plan. After 60 days, you’ll get hosting credit equal to first month of your friend’s new plan.

16. DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean is a cloud-based web hosting which is built for developers. It has a referral program that offers its referrals to earn $25 for each sign-up.

It’s easy to use. Just sign up to DigitalOcean and get your referral link. Start promoting your referral link. When someone signs up through your referral link, s/he will receive $10 in DO credit and you’ll earn $25 when your referral reaches $25 in billings.

17. iPage

iPage web hosting offers a referral program to its user to earn a $35 credit for each referral. Whenever your referral enters your domain or username in the “Friend or website who referred you” field during sign up, you’ll receive $35 credit if s/he stays with iPage for 30 days.

18. FatCow

FatCow provides affordable web hosting for individuals and small businesses. You can earn money by referring your friends to FatCow. When someone joins FatCow and enters your domain or username in the “Friend or website who referred you” field, you will get $35 credit.

19. Dropbox

Dropbox is a file hosting service where you can keep your photos, docs, videos and other files. It is safe and easy to use. Dropbox offers 2 GB of space for free to its basic plan. Now the good news is, you can get up to 16 GB free space by referring your friends to Dropbox.

Yes, it has an awesome referral program. It’s a win-win deal. Whenever someone joins via your referral link and installs Dropbox, both of you will get 500 MB of bonus space.

20. Evernote

Evernote is a platform designed for notetaking, organizing, and archiving. It has both free and premium plan. You can get the premium plan by inviting your friends to Evernote. You can get 10 points for each referral which is enough for 1 month of premium. Whenever your referral buys Premium for the first time, you will earn 5 more points.

21. Trello

Trello is an awesome project management application which is free and easy to use. It offers users to get its premium plan “Trello Gold” for free by referring new user. For every person you refer to Trello, it will give a free month of Trello Gold, up to 12 months.