Affiliate vs Referral: Which Should Your Shopify Brand Use?
One of the most common questions I get from D2C founders: "Should I start with referrals or affiliates?"
The answer depends on where you are in your growth journey.
Referral Programs: Customer-Powered Growth
Best for: Brands with happy customers who naturally recommend products.
Referrals work when:
- Your NPS is high
- Customers already share organically
- You want to reduce CAC from existing customers
Typical results: 5-10% of referred clicks convert.
Affiliate Programs: Partner-Powered Distribution
Best for: Brands looking to scale through creators and partners.
Affiliates work when:
- You have budget for commissions
- There are relevant creators in your space
- You need to reach new audiences
Typical results: 2-5% of affiliate traffic converts.
The Right Answer: Both
Most successful brands run both. Start with referrals (lower cost, simpler setup), then add affiliates as you scale.
With Referbro, you can run both from the same dashboard with shared attribution and fraud controls.