Why Is Shopify a Good Choice to Promote?
Shopify powers 4.8 million active stores around the world. Here’s a powerful fact: 2% of these stores are among the top million busiest websites on the internet.
Shopify is different from other platforms because it holds the second-largest market share among all top eCommerce platforms. This is not some small, unknown tool. Your audience has probably heard of Shopify or already uses it.
When you promote a brand this popular, you are not trying to get people to trust a new company. You are showing them the best way to start using a platform they already respect.
Partner Program vs. Affiliate Program: Know the Difference
People often confuse these two programs. Understanding the difference is important.
The Shopify Affiliate Program is for people like bloggers, teachers, or social media influencers. You refer your audience to Shopify. You earn money using your unique affiliate links. It’s very simple.
The Shopify Partner Program is for people who build things for Shopify. This includes designers, developers, and marketers who create themes, build apps, or make entire online stores for clients. Partners earn money in three main ways: client referrals, selling themes in the Shopify Theme Store, and selling apps in the Shopify App Store.
My advice: If you create content or have an audience, start with the Affiliate Program. If you build Shopify solutions for clients, the Partner Program will open up more ways to make money.
How the Shopify Affiliate Program Works
The program runs on a simple idea: Refer a new merchant to Shopify, and earn money when they pay for a subscription.
You sign up for free, get your unique affiliate links, and start promoting. When someone clicks your link and signs up for a paid Shopify plan within 30 days, you earn your commission.
There are no confusing levels or changing payment rates. It’s just $150 for every successful referral.
Commission Structure: $150 Flat Rate
Most affiliate programs tie payments to the price of the plan. Shopify does not do this.
It does not matter if your referral chooses the Basic plan at $29/month or the Advanced plan at $299/month. You earn the same $150 commission. This removes the pressure to force people into buying more expensive plans. You can focus on finding the right fit for each person.
This flat-rate structure actually gets more people to sign up. You are focused on helping people succeed, not on upselling them.
Cookie Duration: 30 Days to Convert
Shopify gives you a 30-day cookie window. If someone clicks your link today and creates their account 29 days later, you still get the credit.
Here’s the catch: The cookie does not refresh if they visit your link again. If someone clicks your link, leaves, and comes back 31 days later from another source, you lose the referral.
Key insight: This means your first message must be strong. You need great content that pushes people to sign up now, not just to learn about the platform.
What Can You Actually Earn?
Let’s be honest about how much money you can make.
Since you earn $150 per referral, your income depends completely on how many people you sign up. If you get 10 qualified sign-ups each month, that’s $1,500. If you scale up to 50 referrals, you are looking at $7,500 a month.
The truth is that conversion rates change based on your audience quality and how you promote the links. We often see a pattern: Affiliates who teach people how to use the platform (instead of just promoting the link) convert 3–4 times better.
Does this sound good? The chance to earn money is real, but it takes a clear strategy.
Who Should Join This Program?
Not every affiliate program is right for every marketer. Here is who benefits the most from Shopify’s program:
- Entrepreneurs who create content about online business, side jobs, or passive income can give real value by recommending a proven eCommerce solution.
- Influencers and content creators with blogs, YouTube channels, or social media pages focused on business or marketing have audiences who are ready for this offer.
- Website designers and developers who already work on client web projects can easily recommend Shopify as an eCommerce platform and get paid for referrals they would make anyway.
- eCommerce enthusiasts who explore different platforms can turn their passion into income by sharing what they learn.
- Anyone seeking passive income will like this program. Once your content ranks high in searches or your videos become popular, they keep generating referrals months later.
My advice: The best person to join is someone who truly believes in online stores and can talk honestly about building an online business.
Requirements and Application Process
Shopify does not accept everyone who applies. They look for quality over quantity.
To qualify, you need to meet these basic rules:
- Own and run a working website that gets regular traffic.
- Have a large following (they do not publish specific numbers, but quality is more important than size).
- Create original content, such as video courses, guides, or blog posts.
- Understand eCommerce platforms, not just Shopify.
- Agree to the Shopify Partner Agreement terms.
Application Timeline: What to Expect
After you send your application, the Shopify team reviews it. This usually takes about 15 business days. Yes, this feels long compared to programs that approve you instantly. But this careful process keeps the program quality high.
Once approved, you will get an email with your affiliate link, marketing materials, and access to your affiliate dashboard. This dashboard tracks all your referrals and lets you check how well you convert sign-ups.
Check your spam folder during this time. Approval emails sometimes end up there.
7 Steps to Get Started
Want to apply? Here is your simple roadmap:
Step 1: Go to the Shopify Affiliate Program website and read the rules, commission details, and requirements carefully. Step 2: Click the “Apply Now” button. Step 3: You will go to an Impact form. Fill out the application with correct information about your platform, your audience size, and what you focus on in your content. Step 4: Give details about your marketing channels—where you will promote Shopify and how you plan to get referrals. Step 5: Read through Shopify’s terms and conditions. Read them completely. Step 6: Click “Sign Up” to send your application. Step 7: Wait for approval (remember, about 15 days), then set up your affiliate account using the instructions in your confirmation email.
Once your account is active, you can get your referral links, banners, and other marketing content to start promoting.
Payment Methods and Terms
Here is something that might be a dealbreaker for some people: Shopify pays only through PayPal.
No bank transfers. No debit cards. No cryptocurrency. No gift cards.
If you do not have a PayPal account or do not want to use it, this program will not work for you. Be honest about this limitation.
For those who are okay with PayPal, here is the payment schedule:
- Credits earned from the 1st to the 15th of the month are paid five business days after the 15th.
- Credits earned from the 16th to the month-end are paid five business days after the last day of the month.
Shopify says that commissions under $25 are held until the next payment period. However, since each referral pays $150, this rule almost never applies unless there is a partial refund.
If you have payment issues, contact your assigned affiliate manager for help.
What Works and What Doesn’t
Every affiliate program has good points and bad points. Here is the honest breakdown.
The Advantages
- Generous $150 flat commission makes your earnings steady and removes the need to push for expensive plans.
- Shopify’s trusted brand gives you credibility. You are promoting a platform used by millions of successful entrepreneurs. This makes your recommendation easy to trust.
- Wide target audience means you are not limited to a tiny niche. Anyone interested in online business, side jobs, or entrepreneurship fits this offer.
- Good marketing resources provide banners, links, and promotional content that look professional and help people sign up.
- Dedicated affiliate manager offers support when you need it. You are not totally on your own.
The Limitations
- PayPal-only payments exclude anyone who cannot or will not use PayPal for business.
- No recurring commissions means you earn money only once per referral. You get nothing as that merchant pays Shopify month after month. This limits long-term passive income compared to other programs.
- Competitive landscape includes thousands of other affiliates promoting the same program. You need to find a unique way to stand out.
- Limited control over Shopify’s product features, prices, or customer service means you have to trust their business choices.
My take: The flat $150 commission makes up for the lack of recurring revenue—but only if you consistently get new referrals. This program rewards active work more than hands-off passive income.
5 Proven Strategies to Make Money
Getting approved is one thing. Earning steady commissions requires a smart plan.
1. Content Marketing That Converts If you work in the eCommerce or online business space, you already have the perfect audience.
Create helpful content on topics like “how to start an online store,” “eCommerce platform reviews,” or “side job ideas for 2025.” Put your Shopify affiliate links naturally inside blog posts, articles, videos, or podcasts.
We often see this pattern: Content that compares several platforms (with Shopify as one choice) converts 2–3 times better than content that only talks about Shopify.
2. Email Marketing With Purpose Do you already have an email list? Use it smartly.
Send emails that show how Shopify solves specific online store problems. Do not hard sell—focus on giving real value and showing real uses.
Include your affiliate links naturally. Think about offering special deals or bonuses for your subscribers. Campaigns with case studies or success stories get 40% higher click-through rates than emails that only talk about features.
3. Influencer Collaborations Connect with influencers or bloggers who have audiences interested in business or eCommerce. They create sponsored content or reviews featuring Shopify, and you provide unique affiliate links for tracking.
This helps you reach more people without having to build a huge audience yourself.
4. Webinars and Workshops Host live videos or workshops about starting an online business, choosing a platform, or growing digital sales. Tell people that Shopify is your best solution.
Show the platform’s features live, share success stories, and provide helpful, simple tips. Include your affiliate links in the presentation and follow-up materials.
Bottom line: People who see Shopify working during a webinar sign up at much higher rates than those who just read about it.
5. Strategic Networking Build relationships with other business owners, marketers, and professionals interested in eCommerce solutions. Work together on joint projects, guest blog posts, or cross-promotions.
These partnerships help your affiliate link get seen more often without needing huge ad spending or years of audience building.
Common Questions Answered
How much do Shopify affiliates typically make? Earnings change based on how many people you refer. With $150 per successful referral, you earn what you generate. Some affiliates make $500/month with steady effort. Others scale to $5,000+ monthly by focusing on quality traffic and strong promotion plans.
Does Shopify have an affiliate program? Yes, it does. The program lets you earn $150 commissions per qualified referral who signs up for a paid plan using your unique link.
How exactly does the program work? Sign up, get approved, receive your unique affiliate link, promote Shopify through your channels, earn $150 for each successful referral who buys a paid plan, and get paid through PayPal twice a month.
Top Alternatives to Consider
BigCommerce Affiliate Program: This program is ideal for promoting a scalable, enterprise-level e-commerce platform. Affiliates can earn a high flat commission for enterprise referrals or a percentage of the referred customer’s first monthly payment on standard plans. It offers a 90-day cookie duration and provides various creative assets for promotion.
Wix Affiliate Program: This program focuses on promoting the Wix website builder and its Premium plans. It offers a competitive flat commission per successful referral who purchases a Premium plan. It is well-suited for content creators and web professionals who want to promote an accessible, user-friendly website platform.
Amazon Associates: As one of the largest affiliate programs, it offers commission on a vast range of physical and digital products across virtually every niche. Commissions are based on the product category, making it flexible for content creators who promote a wide variety of items from the Amazon marketplace.
ClickBank: This is a global affiliate marketplace focusing heavily on digital products like e-books and online courses, often with high commission rates, including recurring options. It’s a great alternative for affiliates targeting the information product or digital learning niche, providing a wide variety of offers.
HubSpot Affiliate Program: Suited for marketers and entrepreneurs who promote software solutions, this program offers a substantial recurring commission on all qualified sales for up to one year. Affiliates promote HubSpot’s suite of CRM, marketing, and sales software, which is a powerful tool for growing businesses.
Should You Join?
The Shopify Affiliate Program offers a real chance to earn money with a trusted brand and a clear payment plan.
You should join if: You have an audience interested in eCommerce or starting a business, you create regular content, you are okay with PayPal payments, and you can consistently drive good traffic to your links.
You should skip it if: You want recurring commission payments, you do not have a relevant audience, you cannot use PayPal, or you want to earn passive income without doing much active promotion.
Final take: The $150 flat commission is generous. The lack of recurring money means you need to get new referrals all the time to keep your income steady. If you can drive quality traffic and give real value to your audience, this program will deliver solid returns.
Ready to apply? Visit the Shopify Affiliate Program website and start your application today.
