Mailchimp is a popular email marketing platform used by millions of businesses and individuals worldwide. Founded in 2001, Mailchimp provides an intuitive way for anyone to create professional-looking email campaigns, manage contacts, automate messages, integrate with e-commerce platforms, and track performance.
With Mailchimp, you can quickly design responsive email templates, send drip campaigns, conduct A/B tests, and glean insights with detailed analytics. The platform is known for its straightforward pricing, excellent deliverability, and comprehensive features.
Businesses of all sizes use Mailchimp for email marketing, from solopreneurs to Fortune 500 companies. It’s an all-in-one solution for engaging your audience, driving sales, and growing your business.
Overview of Mailchimp Affiliate Program
The Mailchimp affiliate program allows existing Mailchimp users to earn credits by referring new customers.
This program is a referral program, not a traditional affiliate program. There are no commissions paid out. Instead, for each referral that becomes a paid Mailchimp customer, the referrer receives a credit applied to their Mailchimp account.
The program is designed for existing Mailchimp users. To join, you need an active, paid Mailchimp account. Free users can still refer friends, but they won’t get credits for it.
When someone clicks your link or badge and signs up for a paid Mailchimp plan without leaving the site, you’ll receive a $30 credit. Credits can be redeemed after your referred customer has been a paying member for at least 60 days.
Mailchimp Affiliate Program: Commissions and Payment Details
The Mailchimp Affiliate Program does not pay commissions. The only compensation is a $30 credit added to your Mailchimp account per referral.
To earn and redeem credits, there are a few important requirements:
- You must have an active paid Mailchimp account
- Referred customers must sign up for a paid plan, not a free account
- Referred customers must stay a paying member for 60 days before you can redeem credits
- Credits can only be applied towards your Mailchimp subscription
Note that the $30 credit is fixed for all plan types the referral signs up for. You cannot combine or withdraw credits – they must be redeemed towards your Mailchimp subscription payments.
Mailchimp Affiliate Program: Pros & Cons
Here’s the takeaway for advantages and disadvantages of promoting the Mailchimp affiliate program.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to join via MonkeyRewards | No cash commissions, only credits |
| No minimum referral requirements | Credits can’t be withdrawn, only applied |
| Ongoing credits for active referrals | Must wait 60 days to redeem credits |
| Loyalty rewards keep you invested | Excess credits do not rollover |
The Mailchimp affiliate program has some clear advantages. It’s super easy to join via MonkeyRewards, and there’s no need for a minimum number of referrals, making it accessible to newcomers in affiliate marketing. It also rewards ongoing credits for active referrals, which fosters long-lasting relationships and encourages consistent use of the platform.
On the flip side, this program has its limitations. It offers credits, not cash, and these credits can only be used for Mailchimp services, which restricts their flexibility. Moreover, there’s a 60-day waiting period before you can redeem your credits. Additionally, if your credits exceed your monthly bill, the surplus doesn’t roll over to the next month, potentially resulting in a loss of your hard-earned rewards.
How to Join Mailchimp Affiliate Program in 5 Steps
Follow these 5 steps to become a Mailchimp affiliate.
Step 1: Sign up for a paid Mailchimp account
If you don’t already have one, sign up for a paid Mailchimp account. The affiliate program is only available for paid users, not free accounts. Choose the plan that fits your needs.
Step 2: Locate your account settings
Log into your Mailchimp account and locate “Account” in the top navigation. Click on Account Settings.
Step 3: Enable MonkeyRewards
In Account Settings, find “MonkeyRewards” and toggle the switch to enable it. This activates your unique referral link and badge.
Step 4: Access your referral link and badge
Once enabled, click “Show my Referral Link and Badge”. This is the unique link and shareable badge you’ll use to refer others.
Step 5: Promote your link and badge
Add the badge to your website, emails, etc. Share your referral link when the opportunity arises. For each referral that becomes a paid customer, you’ll earn a $30 account credit.
Best Tips to Promote The Mailchimp Affiliate Program
Promoting the Mailchimp affiliate program can be straightforward with these practical steps:
- Email signature: Add your Mailchimp affiliate badge to your email signature. This way, everyone you correspond with will see it, increasing the passive promotion.
- Website presence: Put your Mailchimp badge on your website, where it’s visible. This will passively encourage your site visitors to check out Mailchimp and sign up using your referral link.
- Social media posts: Share your Mailchimp experiences on social media through posts and short videos. Include your referral link, making it easy for your followers to join.
- Recommendation in conversations: When someone asks for software recommendations, suggest Mailchimp and provide your referral link. This works well in contexts related to email marketing and online business.
- Online communities: Participate in online forums or communities where you can discuss Mailchimp. Include your affiliate link in your forum profile to attract potential referrals.
- Content marketing: Create helpful guides, checklists, or templates that focus on Mailchimp’s benefits. Offer this content behind your referral link to entice people to sign up.
- Targeted email campaigns: If you have an email list, segment it and promote Mailchimp to subscribers interested in email marketing. Tailor your messages to show how Mailchimp can help them achieve their goals.
Is the Mailchimp Affiliate Program Worth Joining?
Whether the Mailchimp Affiliate Program is worthwhile depends primarily on your use case.
For casual Mailchimp users, occasional $30 credits likely won’t motivate focused efforts to generate referrals. Earning enough to cover your subscription costs requires regular referrals.
For established Mailchimp users, credits can meaningfully offset subscription fees. If you already mention Mailchimp regularly, it takes little extra effort to include your link and earn rewards.
For context, if you referred 5 customers per month who remained active for 60 days, you would earn $150 in credits – enough to cover the costs for many individual plans. But this requires continuously promoting Mailchimp and shepherding referrals month after month.
Ultimately, the Mailchimp Affiliate Program is best suited for loyal users who actively recommend Mailchimp as part of their regular business activities. More strategic affiliate marketers may be better off focusing their efforts on traditional commission-based programs.
FAQs
Who should join the Mailchimp affiliate program?
The Mailchimp affiliate program is best suited for existing, active Mailchimp users who want to earn account credits to offset their subscription costs. It’s less beneficial for casual users compared to established users who regularly recommend Mailchimp.
What’s the commission rate for Mailchimp referral program?
The Mailchimp affiliate program pays a commission rate of $30 per referral (credit).
Is there a fee to join the Mailchimp affiliate program?
No, there is no fee to join the Mailchimp affiliate program. You simply need an active paid Mailchimp account to participate.
Are there any minimum requirements to become a Mailchimp affiliate?
There are no minimum referral or earnings requirements to participate. As long as you have a paid Mailchimp account, you can share your unique referral link and earn credits for each new customer.
Can the Mailchimp program be combined with other affiliate programs?
Yes, you can promote other affiliate programs in addition to Mailchimp’s own program. However, you cannot use Mailchimp’s platform and tools for traditional affiliate marketing of other products – only their referral program.
What are the best Mailchimp affiliate program alternatives?
Some popular alternatives for earning higher affiliate commissions include programs like Constant Contact, Sendinblue, Convertkit, ActiveCampaign, MailerLite, Hubspot, Sendgrid, and more.
