The ConvertKit Affiliate Program stands out in the crowded email marketing space with one compelling feature: 30% recurring commissions for 24 months. But is it actually worth promoting?
Let me walk you through everything you need to know—from commission structures to payment terms to who actually succeeds with this program.
What Makes ConvertKit Different
Founded in 2013, ConvertKit has grown into an all-in-one platform designed specifically for creators. You get landing pages, forms, automation, analytics, and e-commerce capabilities—all built for people who aren’t marketing experts.
Here’s what separates ConvertKit from competitors like Mailchimp or Constant Contact: it’s laser-focused on creators, bloggers, and small business owners. The interface assumes you’re building an audience, not managing a corporate newsletter list.
Bottom line: ConvertKit fills a specific niche. If your audience includes course creators, bloggers, or solopreneurs, this is relevant to them.
How the ConvertKit Affiliate Program Works
You can join the program whether or not you’re a ConvertKit customer. But here’s a pattern we see repeatedly with successful affiliates: the ones who actually use ConvertKit convert 3-5x better than those who don’t.
Why? Because you can share your actual dashboard, talk about your automation workflows, and answer questions from real experience.
Once approved, you’ll get a unique affiliate link. Share it through your blog, email list, social media, or digital products. When someone signs up through your link and becomes a paying customer, you start earning commissions.
One thing to note—the program runs through LinkMink, not ConvertKit directly. You’ll need separate login credentials. If you run into issues, contact LinkMink support, not ConvertKit.
Commission Structure: The Numbers That Matter
Here’s where ConvertKit gets interesting. You earn 30% recurring commissions on every paying customer you refer—for up to 24 months.
Let’s break down what this actually means in dollars:
- $29/month plan: You earn $8.70/month
- $49/month plan: You earn $14.70/month
- $79/month plan: You earn $23.70/month
Refer 10 customers on the $29 plan? That’s $87/month in recurring income for up to two years—without additional work after the initial referral.
Payment details you need to know:
- No minimum payout threshold (rare in affiliate programs)
- PayPal only (a limitation worth noting)
- Commissions paid on the 2nd of each month
- 30-day waiting period before first payout
Sound promising? Here’s the catch: you won’t see your first payment for about 30 days after the referral. Plan accordingly.
Real Pros and Cons (Not Just the Marketing Pitch)
Let’s be honest about both sides.
What Actually Works Well
Truly passive income. Once you refer someone, you earn for up to 24 months whether you do additional work or not. From talking with affiliates in the creator space, this recurring model compounds fast—especially if you’re consistently adding 5-10 new referrals monthly.
No minimum payout barrier. You can cash out your first $5. For beginners testing the waters, this removes a major frustration point.
30% commission rate. Most SaaS affiliate programs hover around 20-25%. ConvertKit’s 30% beats nearly all competitors in the email marketing category.
Builds your authority. When you recommend a tool you actually use, your audience sees you as more knowledgeable. Pattern we see: affiliates who share their own results get 2-3x more engagement.
What Makes It Harder
ConvertKit isn’t cheap. Plans start at $29/month but can quickly reach $79-$129+ as list sizes grow. Convincing someone to switch from a $10 Mailchimp plan requires stronger selling points.
Strict promotion rules. You cannot promote ConvertKit in certain niches: education debt, loans, cryptocurrency, “get rich quick” schemes, or anything predatory. Break these rules and you risk getting removed from the program.
PayPal dependency. If you prefer direct deposit or other payment methods, you’re out of luck. This is particularly frustrating for international affiliates where PayPal fees eat into earnings.
30-day payment lag. Need quick cash? This isn’t the program. Your first commission arrives 30+ days after the sale.
Key insight: The recurring commission model rewards patience. If you’re looking for quick payouts, consider programs with faster payment cycles.
Who Actually Succeeds with This Program?
After analyzing dozens of affiliate reviews and case studies, here’s what separates successful ConvertKit affiliates from those who struggle:
They have an engaged creator audience. Your followers should include bloggers, course creators, coaches, podcasters, or small business owners building email lists. Corporate marketers rarely need ConvertKit.
They already use ConvertKit themselves. The conversion rate difference is massive. When you can show your own email sequences, subscriber growth, and automation workflows, your recommendations carry weight.
They understand email marketing fundamentals. You don’t need to be an expert, but knowing why someone needs automation, segmentation, or landing pages helps you identify quality referral opportunities.
They promote consistently, not aggressively. Top affiliates mention ConvertKit naturally in content, email signatures, and resource pages. They’re not running daily promotional campaigns.
My take: If you’re already teaching your audience about building an online business, ConvertKit fits naturally into your content. If you’d need to manufacture reasons to mention it, this probably isn’t your best option.
Step-by-Step: How to Join
Step 1: Check if it fits your audience
Before applying, review your audience demographics. Do they need a creator-focused email platform? Can they afford $29-$79/month? If you’re primarily targeting hobbyists or people just starting out, the pricing might be a barrier.
Step 2: Submit your application
Head to ConvertKit’s website and find the affiliate program page. The application asks about your promotional channels, audience size, and how you plan to promote. Be specific—generic answers get rejected.
Step 3: Get your unique link
Once approved (usually 1-3 business days), you’ll receive LinkMink login credentials. Your dashboard includes your affiliate link, tracking stats, and commission reports.
Step 4: Start promoting strategically
Don’t spam your link everywhere. Here’s what works based on data from successful affiliates:
- Add it to your website navigation or blog sidebar (persistent visibility)
- Include it in your email signature
- Reference it naturally in blog posts about email marketing
- Create tutorial videos showing your ConvertKit workflow
- Mention it in your email newsletter when discussing list building
One strategy that consistently works: Create a “my tools” resource page listing everything you use in your business, with ConvertKit prominently featured and explained.
5 Ways to Maximize Your Affiliate Earnings
Want to actually make money with this program? Here’s what works:
1. Create genuine tutorial content. Show your actual ConvertKit dashboard. Walk through how you built a specific automation sequence. Share your email open rates before and after switching. Real results trump generic promotion every time.
2. Target the right migration moments. People switch email platforms when they hit limitations. Write content targeting frustrated Mailchimp users, MailerLite users who need better automation, or creators outgrowing basic platforms.
3. Use strategic placement, not aggressive selling. Your affiliate link should appear in your blog sidebar, email signature, and tools page—not in every single piece of content you create.
4. Answer specific questions. Some of your best conversions will come from detailed blog posts like “ConvertKit vs. ActiveCampaign for course creators” or “How to build a welcome sequence in ConvertKit.” Target bottom-of-funnel keywords.
5. Track what actually converts. LinkMink shows you which channels drive signups. Double down on what works. If tutorial videos outperform blog posts 5:1, create more videos.
But here’s what doesn’t work: Paying for ads to drive traffic directly to your affiliate link. The customer journey for a $29+/month tool requires education and trust-building first.
Should You Actually Promote It?
This depends entirely on your situation and audience.
You’re a strong fit if:
- You already use ConvertKit and can share genuine experiences
- Your audience includes creators, bloggers, or small business owners
- You have consistent traffic through a blog, YouTube channel, or email list
- You’re comfortable with the 30-day payment lag
- You prefer recurring income over one-time payouts
Skip it if:
- You don’t use ConvertKit yourself (your conversion rate will suffer)
- Your audience is primarily hobbyists or complete beginners (pricing is a barrier)
- You need immediate commissions (30-day lag is too long)
- You’re uncomfortable with PayPal as the sole payment method
- You already promote several competing affiliate programs (message confusion)
Let’s do some realistic math. If you have 5,000 email subscribers or 10,000 monthly blog visitors, you might realistically drive 10-20 ConvertKit signups per year through consistent, natural promotion.
At 15 referrals on the $29 plan, you’d earn $130.50/month in recurring commissions within your first year. After two years of steady promotion? That could compound to $300-500/month.
Not life-changing money, but solid supplemental income for recommendations you’d likely make anyway if you use the tool.
Bottom line: The ConvertKit Affiliate Program works best as a long-term play for creators who genuinely use and recommend the platform. If that describes you, the 30% recurring commissions can build into meaningful passive income over time.
Common Questions (With Honest Answers)
Do I need to be a ConvertKit customer to join?
No, but your success rate drops significantly if you’re not. Think about it—would you trust a restaurant recommendation from someone who’s never eaten there?
Is there a minimum traffic requirement?
ConvertKit doesn’t publish specific numbers, but they evaluate your application based on audience quality, not just size. A highly engaged 1,000-person email list often performs better than a scattered 10,000-follower social media account.
Can I promote other email marketing tools simultaneously?
Technically yes, but it dilutes your message. Most successful affiliates pick one primary recommendation. If you’re promoting ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, and MailerLite all at once, your audience gets confused.
What niches are prohibited?
ConvertKit explicitly prohibits promotion in education debt, loans, cryptocurrency, “get rich quick” schemes, adult content, and anything predatory. Violate these policies and they’ll terminate your account.
How much can beginners realistically earn?
First-year affiliates with moderate audiences (2,000-5,000 subscribers or 5,000-10,000 monthly visitors) typically earn $30-100/month. It grows from there as you add more referrals and your content library expands.
Is the program actually legitimate?
Yes. ConvertKit has operated since 2013 with a well-documented affiliate program. Thousands of affiliates get paid consistently. You’ll find extensive reviews on YouTube and Google proving real people earn real commissions.
Alternative Affiliate Programs Worth Considering
ConvertKit isn’t your only option in the email marketing affiliate space. Here are comparable programs:
Teachable Partner Program
Teachable partner program offers up to 30% recurring commissions for one year on course platform subscriptions. Best fit if your audience includes educators or course creators. Runs through the Impact network with 30-day cookie tracking.
Thinkific Affiliate Program
Provides 30% lifetime recurring commissions—meaning you earn as long as your referral remains a customer, not just 24 months. Excellent for audiences in the course creation or edtech space. 90-day cookie window.
PartnerStack Affiliate Program
Focuses on B2B SaaS companies with flexible commission structures. You can promote PartnerStack itself or browse their marketplace for other SaaS affiliate opportunities. Ideal for broader tech audiences.
Lemlist Affiliate Program
Targets sales and cold email users with 25% recurring commissions for one year. Smaller potential audience than ConvertKit, but if your followers are in sales or growth marketing, conversion rates can be excellent.
Omnisend Affiliate Program
Omnisend affiliate program designed for ecommerce and email automation. Strong revenue shares for affiliates. Best fit if your audience includes ecommerce store owners rather than creators or course builders.
