About Mailchimp
Mailchimp is a leading all-in-one marketing platform, primarily known for its email marketing services. It is designed to help small to large businesses, online stores, and enterprises engage with their customers and audience effectively.
Its platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including:
- Email Campaigns and Newsletters: Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor and customizable templates for creating professional-looking emails.
- Marketing Automation: Tools like the Customer Journey Builder to set up triggered emails (e.g., welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase follow-ups).
- Audience Management: Features for managing mailing lists, segmenting audiences based on behavior and preferences, and providing valuable analytics.
- Additional Features: Landing page builder, website builder, social media posting tools, and integration with over 300 apps and web services.
Mailchimp aims to provide an intuitive and user-friendly experience, making it accessible even for users with limited technical expertise.
Mailchimp Affiliate Program Overview
Mailchimp operates a couple of different referral/affiliate structures, which can be somewhat confusing. The most common and widely known program for customers is MonkeyRewards, which provides account credit. However, the more traditional commission-based program for agencies and professionals is often through Mailchimp & Co.
| Characteristic | Details |
| Industry | Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Marketing Technology, Email Marketing, CRM |
| Product Type | Digital Subscription/Software Service |
| Affiliate Program Type | Referral Program (MonkeyRewards: Credit-based) and Partner/Agency Program (Mailchimp & Co: Commission-based) |
Mailchimp Affiliate Program Offers
The details of the program’s offers depend heavily on whether you are participating in the MonkeyRewards (customer referral) or the Mailchimp & Co (partner/agency) program. The table below represents general principles and details found across their various programs.
| Factor | Details |
| Promotional Materials | Unique referral link, MonkeyRewards badge (customizable), approved banners, logos, and messaging assets. |
| Affiliate Cookie Duration | Generally 30 days is common for affiliate networks, but Mailchimp & Co tracks via direct account connection, making the ‘cookie’ concept less relevant. |
| Accepted Traffic Source | Websites, blogs, social media (YouTube, TikTok, etc.), email signatures, online communities (must adhere to terms and clear disclosure). |
| Accepted Countries | Most regions are allowed, but availability and tax status compliance can vary. |
| Explicit Content | Prohibited (must follow general program policies regarding prohibited and brand-safe content). |
| Religious or political content | Prohibited (must follow general program policies regarding prohibited and brand-safe content). |
Mailchimp Affiliate Commissions & Payments
The structure varies significantly between the two programs. MonkeyRewards gives account credit, while Mailchimp & Co pays out cash commissions. The details below are primarily focused on the financial-earning programs, where applicable.
| Factor | MonkeyRewards (Customer Referral Program) | Mailchimp & Co (Partner/Agency Program) |
|---|---|---|
| MLM | No — single-tier referral model | No — single-tier referral model |
| Commission Rate | ~$30 in Mailchimp account credit per eligible referral |
|
| Commission Structure | Flat credit applied to account (non-cash) | Percentage-based recurring cash commission, tiered by partner level |
| Payout Frequency | Credit applies after the referred customer stays active for 60 days | Quarterly |
| Payout Methods | Mailchimp billing credit only (deducts from invoice) | Payoneer (direct cash payout) |
| Minimum Payout | None (credit is automatically applied) | None (no minimum required for Mailchimp & Co payouts) |
Suitable Affiliates for Mailchimp Affiliate
The Mailchimp affiliate program is most suitable for those who directly serve small businesses, marketers, and entrepreneurs who need an email and marketing platform.
- Bloggers & YouTubers: Highly suitable, especially those focusing on email marketing tutorials, SaaS reviews, small business growth strategies, and digital marketing guides. They can use in-depth content and comparisons to drive high-intent sign-ups.
- KOL (Key Opinion Leaders) & Influencers: Suitable if their audience is primarily small business owners, e-commerce brands, or aspiring entrepreneurs.
- KOC (Key Opinion Consumers) & Livestreamers: Less suitable, as their reach is often less targeted toward B2B software decisions compared to educators or content creators.
- Video editors: Not directly suitable, unless they also operate a content platform focused on marketing or business advice.
The program is especially well-suited for Agencies, Consultants, and Freelancers (under the Mailchimp & Co program) who actively manage marketing for multiple clients and can connect their paid client accounts to earn recurring commissions.
Mailchimp Affiliate Software
Mailchimp uses an in-house affiliate management software to manage the main Mailchimp & Co and MonkeyRewards programs.
- MonkeyRewards is directly integrated into the existing user’s Mailchimp account settings.
- Mailchimp & Co is managed through its own partner portal, which integrates with their payment processor (Payoneer).
While they have been known to use third-party affiliate networks like CJ Affiliate in the past, their primary and most active programs are managed directly by Mailchimp.
3 Alternatives for Mailchimp Affiliate Program
Three strong alternatives in the email marketing and marketing automation space are MailerLite, ActiveCampaign, and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue). These programs often offer recurring commissions, making them highly attractive.
| Comparison Factor | Mailchimp (Mailchimp & Co) | MailerLite | ActiveCampaign | Brevo (Sendinblue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Bill | Varies by plan & list size; can be high for large audiences | Considered one of the most affordable email tools | Higher cost, especially for CRM + automation | Very competitive pricing; based on email volume not contact count |
| Entry Fees | Free to join; paid account required to earn via MonkeyRewards | No fee to join | No fee to join | No fee to join |
| Withdrawal Threshold | None (no minimum payout) | Low (often ~$50) | Low (often ~$25–$100) | Low |
| Payment Frequency | Quarterly (Mailchimp & Co) or rolling credit (MonkeyRewards) | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
| Commission | 25% for new customer referrals + 5% on ongoing customer revenue (recurring) | 30% recurring for lifetime of customer | 20–30% recurring (tiered by referral volume) | ~$5 per free signup + ~$100 per paid customer |
| Conversion Model | Free signup → paid plan upgrade | Free trial → paid subscription | Free trial → advanced CRM features → paid plan | Free account → paid upgrade based on volume needs |
| Marketing Materials | Badges, logos, unique links, banners, messaging templates | Affiliate dashboard, banners, marketing docs, partner support | Banners, text links, partner manager, resource library | Banners, partner manager, real-time tracking dashboard |
