Did you know you can make money simply by referring the things you love to other people?

It’s true. Having a social circle pays.

You can earn money simply by referring your friends. And, you can start earning today.

Many popular companies, websites, and apps offer what’s known as refer-a-friend or referral programs.

Referral programs pay you money, provide discounts on their products, or rewards points that redeem for gifts when your friend(s) sign up, or purchase something through your unique referral link.

Besides friends, referral programs let you refer family, co-workers, acquaintances, blog and book readers, or anyone else you think may benefit.

Since I found out about these refer-a-friend programs, they’ve quickly become one of my favorite ways to earn passive income, and have even allowed me to quit my job!

For the following list of referral programs, I’ve decided to focus on referrals that only pay real money, cash cards or prepaid cards that are just as versatile as money.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read the terms of use for more info.

How to make money with referral programs (a quick rundown)

Wondering how much money you can earn with referral programs?

A lot!

You can make $100s, $1000s, and even $10,000s per month!

Let’s take an app like Ibotta that pays you $10 for every friend you get to download their cash back app. If you get 10 of your friends to download the app, you get $100. Refer 100 friends and you make $1000! Combine Ibotta with other companies that pay you money to refer friends and now you have a lucrative side hustle on your hands.

Also, consider the fact the highest paying referral program on the list below pays you $10000 for each friend you refer. Imagine getting some friends to sign up for that one?

Some referral programs even pay you on a recurring basis. So that means if you sign up a friend to a service one time, the company will pay you money for each month they stay signed up!

This makes referral programs an easy source of passive income. If you’ve never made passive income before, referral programs are the perfect way to get started.

Now that you’re ready, here is an easy step-by-step guide for making money with referral programs:

1. Most referral programs first require you to sign up for them. Others you must apply separately to become an affiliate.
2. Each website and app is different, but usually, they have a link titled “refer-a-friend” “invite,” or “become an affiliate/ambassador,” where you will find your unique referral link or refer-a-friend code.
3. This next point is really important. To get paid, your friend MUST sign up through your unique referral link or by putting in your unique refer-a-friend code during sign up. The referral programs on this list will pay you via Paypal, direct deposit, Payoneer, or prepaid cash cards.

Now on to the list of best referral programs to make money!

List of 70 Popular Apps and Websites that Pay You Money to Refer Friends 

After spending countless amounts of time researching and vetting, I’ve compiled this list of popular apps and websites that pay you money to refer friends.

As an added bonus, many of these refer and earn websites also pay you money just for signing up!

*Be sure to bookmark this post or share it on social media as this post will continue to receive updates with more companies and apps that pay money to refer friends.

Survey and Simple Task Referral Programs (Make Money Online Fast)

SurveyJunkie. Make easy money filling out simple and fun surveys that pay up to $45 dollars. SurveyJunkie will pay you $2 when you sign up and complete your profile and $1 when your friend signs up for SurveyJunkie. Earn $1 by signing up for SurveyJunkie here.

• After signing up, you can then apply to become an affiliate to get your unique referral link.

Vindale Research. Give your opinion on popular products, services, and brands. Get paid up to $50 per survey that you complete. Vindale Research will pay you $5 for every friend you sign up, and they will earn $1 for signing up!

• If you’re currently using a computer: Click here to sign up for Vindale Research and earn $1 for completing sign up.
• If you’re currently using a phone or tablet: Click here to sign up for Vindale Research and earn $1 for completing sign up.
• Your referral code will be in the “referrals” tab on the header menu.

InboxDollars. Make easy money completing short and simple tasks such as taking surveys and watching videos. InboxDollars will pay you $1 for every friend you refer that signs up plus 30% of their earnings. Earn $5 just for signing up for InboxDollars through our special link here.

Swagbucks. Make easy money watching videos, playing mobile games, taking surveys, redeem offers, buying products online, and more. Earn 300 Swagbucks ($3) when your friend signs up and they will earn 500 Swagbucks ($50). Earn $5 by signing up for Swagbucks here.

• There will be a “refer and earn” tab on the top header menu.

Respondent. Get paid to participate in online focus groups and market research studies. You can earn $50-$1000 per research study or focus group you participate in. They typically last anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour. Click here to sign up for a free Respondent.io account.

• After you have signed up for a Respondent.io account, there will be a tab called “My Referrals.” Click on that tab. On the bottom of the My Referrals page, you will see your special referral link. You will earn $20 per referral when your referral particiaptes in a study.

Qmee. Earn PayPal cash for filling out simple, legit surveys. Qmee has instant cashout with PayPal, making this one of my favorite survey sites! You will receive $0.50 for signing up for a free account, but you must do it through my referral link to get it. Click here to sign up for a free Qmee account and earn an easy $0.50.

• Once you’ve used your Qmee account for a while, a “Referrals” tab will appear on the top header. You will find your referral link there. This survey app pays you $0.50 per referral that signs up and withdraws to their PayPal account one time. Your friend will also earn $0.50 for signing up through your referral link. Sign up through my referral link

TaskRabbit. A free mobile app for making fast money when you need it by completing oddjobs also known as tasks around your local area. TaskRabbit is legit. I used it to help me get out of my financial struggle last year. Earn $10 for every friend you refer that completes their first task.

• After downloading TaskRabbit and completing your profile, click the “Profile” icon on the bottom of your screen. Then, select “Help your friends, Get $10” to find your unique referral link.

Merchandiser. A legit secret shopper app that pays you to do simple and quick shopping jobs on your own schedule. You will earn 10% of the earnings your referral generates up to $100 dollars. For example, your referred friend does a quick store job that pays $20 dollars and lasts 1 hour. Your friend makes $20 dollars you and Merchandier pays you $2.00. Click here to sign up for a free account on Merchandiser.

• Now that you’ve downloaded Merchandiser and signed up for a free account, go to the dashboard and tap the menu bar on the top left. Tap “Refer a Friend,” and here you will find your referral code or referral link.

Our Related Article: 50 Legit Beer Money Apps and Sites that Cash Out Fast.

Referral Programs for Writers and Bloggers

Grammarly. A free online grammar checker that works across different internet browsers, and programs like Microsoft Word. You will earn $0.20 for each friend you sign up and $20 if they upgrade to premium. Sign up for Grammarly here and then apply to become an affiliate.

ProWritingAid. A comprehensive web editor for your writing, grammar, and prose. ProWritingAid will pay you 50% of the price of the plan your referred friend(s) chooses. There is a two-week free trial. Plans range from $79 for 1-year to $399 lifetime use. Click here to sign up for ProWritingAid and start referring.

Payhip. An easy-to-use e-commerce platform for selling digital downloads such as ebooks. Payhip will pay you the cash equivalent of 50% of your referred friends’ lifetime earnings.  Click here to sign up for Payhip.

• Another great aspect about Payhip is that they let you create your own referral program for your digital downloads for free. Click here to sign up to be an affiliate for Luster Lexicon books written by Gregory Venvonis and earn 55% of all sales you make!

HubPages. A website that pays you money based on the ad revenue your articles earn. Get 10% of your friend’s lifetime earnings if they sign up through your link. HubPages pays the 10% and not your friend. Click here to sign up for HubPages.

Hostgator. One of the most popular website hosting companies online. Hostgator will give you a $40 Visa prepaid card and your referred friend 60% off on their order. Click here to start referring Hostgator. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click refer-a-friend.

Bluehost is a web hosting company known for its quality service and affordability. They pay a $65 referral fee for every friend that gets a hosting plan. Click here to sign up as an affiliate for Bluehost.

Scribe. A company that helps you write, publish, and market your book. Plans start at $1000 per month.  Scribe will pay you $1,500 for every friend you sign up to be a published Scribe Author and $10,000 for every friend that signs up for their elite plan. Click here to learn more about Scribe’s ambassador program.

Related: Are you a writer who’s looking for more ways to make money now? Check out our article that gives you 30 ways to make money as a writer.

Referral Programs for Shopping and Retail

Rakuten. Get cash back from your store purchases made online. When your friend joins and spends $25 or more, you get paid $25 and they get paid $10. Click here to sign up for Rakuten.

Ibotta. Get cash back from your in-store purchases by scanning receipts. When your friend scans their first receipt with the app you get paid $5 and they get $10 when they sign up. Click here to earn $10 by signing up for Ibotta.

Shopkick is a fun app that pays you to walk into stores and scan barcodes. Literally. You can make extra money if you decide to shop at the stores you walk into. They pay you money to refer friends by giving you 250 points, redeeming roughly for $2 in PayPal cash. Click here to download Shopkick.

• How to find your invite code for Shopkick: Download Shopkick. Go to the home screen for the Shopkick app. On the bottom, you will see an icon that says “invite” underneath. Tap that and you will find your invite code!

Raise. Make money buying gift cards at a discount or selling your unwanted gift cards. Raise will give you $5 when you sign up and pay you $5 for every friend you refer that makes a purchase within 30 days. Click here to sign up for Raise and earn $5.

• Go to My Account -> My Raise Cash -> Invite Friends to find your unique referral link.

GiftCardGranny. Another website where you can buy and sell gift cards at a discount. GiftCardGranny will pay you $1.25 for every friend you refer. Click here to sign up for GiftCardGranny and earn $1.25 for each friend.

Sam’s Club. A retail warehouse club that gives wholesale prices on merchandise to its members. Earn a $10 gift card for each friend you sign up for a Sam’s Club membership. They will get a $20 gift card for signing up. Click here to sign up for Sam’s Club and get your $20 gift card.

Dosh. A card-linked cash back app that gives you up to 10% back on purchases. When you sign up for Dosh you get $5 added to your account. Dosh pays you $10 for every friend you refer that signs up, links their debit or credit card to the app, and gets cash back from a retailer listed on Dosh. Click here to earn $10 by signing up for dosh and getting cash back.

Drop. A card-linked cash back app that gives you cash rewards on your everyday purchases. Drop pays you 1000 drop points or $1 for each person you refer that signs up and links their debit or credit card to the app. Click here to sign up for Drop and start referring.

Honey is a free browser extension that finds, tests, and applies coupon codes on your online checkouts. You will be paid in 1000 coins which can be redeemed for $10 gift cards for every friend you refer. Click here to create your Honey account and add it to your browser.

• How to find your invite code for Honey: Click the icon on the top right of the Honey homepage screen. Select “Free Gift Cards” from the drop down menu. You will be taken to the page with your invite code.

BeFrugal. Another cash back app similar to Ebates and Ibotta. BeFrugal will add $10 to your account for signing up and pay you $10 for every friend you sign up that earns $10 in rebates. Click here to sign up for BeFrugal and earn $10.

Amazon is an international e-commerce and technology company. When you refer a friend to Amazon Prime they will give you a $5 Amazon gift card which is almost as good as cash these days.  Join Amazon Prime here.

Referral Programs for Personal Finance and Investing

Chase Banking Freedom Card. Chase is one of the most popular multinational banks. If you are a Chase customer you can get paid $100 for every person you get to sign up for the card (up to 5 people). Click here to start referring the Chase Freedom Credit Card.

Personal Capital. An online financial advisor and free online financial tools. You and each friend you sign up will receive a $20 Amazon gift card. You and your friend must link an investment account (brokerage, 401k, IRA, etc.) to receive the gift card. Click here to sign up for Personal Capital and receive your $20 Amazon gift card.

Worthybonds. A financial services company that supports small businesses with investment capital. Earn %5 interest on every $10 bond you buy. Your bonds can be cashed out without fees or penalties of any kind. When you refer a friend that buys their first $10 bond, you will both get a $10 bond that can be cashed out at any time! Click here to sign up for Worthybonds.

TurboTax. The #1 bestselling tax preparation service online. For every person you refer TurboTax will give you a $25 Amazon gift card and 25% off their order when they complete their taxes. Click here to start referring TurboTax.

Acorns. Automatically invest your spare change from purchases into stocks. You get paid $5 for every friend you sign up. Click here to sign up for Acorns and earn your $5. After signing up, you can then make an affiliate account here.

Robinhood. Invest in stocks, cryptocurrencies like bitcoins, options, and more without paying commission fees on trades. You and your friend get 1 free share of stock (worth up to $500) when your friend joins Robinhood. Sign up for Robinhood and get your free share of stock here.

Interactive Brokers. Am online investment brokerage known for its low cost and fast execution. Interactive Brokers will pay you up to $200 for every friend you sign up who maintains a balance of $10,000 or more in their account. Click here to sign up for Interactive Brokers.

Questrade. An online investment brokerage with low trading fees. Questrade will pay you up to $50 per friend that you sign up. You will also receive $50 in free trades by signing up for your account through this link: Click here to sign up for Questrade and start referring.

• After signing up for an account, Log in to Questrade and get your unique referral code under Account Management > Refer a friend.

TD Ameritrade. One of the most popular online brokerages. TD Ameritrade pays $50 for every friend that opens an account and makes a qualifying deposit. Click here to sign up for TD Ameritrade.

HSBC. A premier multinational financial services company and bank. Earn up to $2000 for each friend you get to sign up for a qualifying HSBC bank account. Click here to start referring for HSBC Bank.

Payoneer. A financial company that provides currency online money transfer and digital payment services. Payoneer will pay you $25 for every friend you refer that signs up and receives or loads a total of $1,000 to their account. Click here to sign up for Payoneer and start referring.

Credible. A financial company that lets you compare personalized loan offers from multiple vetted lenders. Earn $100 for each referred friend that refinances their student loans with Credible. You can refer up to 10 friends. If you’re interested in saving easy money, learn more about how you can refinance your student loans (and others) with Credible by clicking here.

• Once you have created your account with Credible, you will find your referral link in the header menu.

SoFi. A financial company that provides student loans refinancing, refinancing for loans, and mortgages. SoFi will pay you $300 for every friend that refinances or gets a loan. Your friend will also get $100. Earn up to $10,000 in total! Click here to start referring friends for SoFi.

Cash App. This app lets you quickly and easily exchange money between friends and family. Cash App will pay you $10 for every friend you refer that sends $5 or more from the app within 14 days of sign up. Click here to download Cash App and start referring.

• Once you have downloaded Cash App, your referral link can be accessed by tapping the icon on the top left. Then, click the link that says ‘Invite Friends, Get $10.” You and your referral will be paid $10 once they send money through Cash App for the first time.

Earnin. An awesome app that lets you borrow up to $100 of your next paycheck whenever you want for free. Once you’ve used Earnin for a while, you can get up to $500. Earnin is 100% free to use with no catch at all. There are no hidden costs, fees, or interest! Earnin is completely supported by donations and contributions from its community of engaged users! You will need to download the Earnin mobile app to get your referral link. Click here to download Earnin mobile app.

• Earnin pays you between $6 to $14 dollars per referral that connects their bank account to the app and pays back what they’ve borrowed once.

Qapital. An app that uses artificial intelligence to analyze your spending and automatically save you a safe amount of money. Qapital will give you $5 for every person you sign up through your link. Sometimes, Qapital will run special promotions where they will pay as much as $50 per friend! Click here to sign up for Qapital and earn $5

• After signing up, you will find your unique referral link by tapping the menu bar and going to referral. Alternatively, you can sign up as an affiliate for Qapital through Flexoffers.

FatLlama. Rent out your stuff and get paid. Earn $20 in cash for signing up your friend. Your friend also gets $20 off their first rented item. Sign up for Fat Llama here and start referring friends for $20.

• To find your referral link, click the “Credit $20” box located on the top header. You will be taken to the invite page, and your unique referral link will be right there.

Arcadia Power. This free service will negotiate lower rates for your utility bill by automatically connecting you to clean energy usage. Earn $5 in cash per referral or $20 in cash per referral depending on which type of service your referral chooses. Click here to sign up for Arcadia Power. 

Referral Programs for Cryptocurrency

Coinbase. A secure platform that lets you buy, sell, and store cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Coinbase will give you $10 for every friend you refer that buys or sells $100 USD equivalent on Coinbase with 180 days of opening an account. Click here to start referring Coinbase.

BlockFi. Borrow, purchase, and trade cryptocurrencies. Also earn up to 8.6% APY in interest on cryptocurrency you lend out! For every person that signs up using your referral code and deposits $100 or more into their BlockFi Interest Account (BIA), you and that friend will each earn $10 in BTC (Bitcoin). After 5 referrals, you will start earning $20 in Bitcoin! Click here to sign up for BlockFi.

Ledger. This company sells one of the most popular hardware wallets for optimal storage of your cryptocurrency. Get paid 10% commissions in Bitcoin for any sales that you refer. Click here to get your referral code for Ledger.

Cryptotrader.tax. Excellent software that gives you an accurate way to calculate your crypto-related taxes. Get paid 25% recurring commissions in Bitcoin for any sales that you refer. Click here to get your referral code for Cryptotrader.tax.

SparkEarn.io. Earn cryptocurrency for doing simple online tasks and bounties. Earn 10k+ SRK tokens when you refer-a-friend. Click here to create a free account for SparkEarn.io.

• After signing up, you will find your unique referral link by going to the “rewards section on the left menu of your account’s homepage.

Referral Programs for Travel and Entertainment

Hulu. A digital content streaming service for TV and movies.  Get a $10 Visa gift card for every person you sign up that gets a subscription. Click here to sign up for Hulu. Update: As of now, Hulu is not offering referral bonuses at this time.

• After signing up: How to find your unique referral link.

Instacart. Get paid to shop for groceries or deliver them to people in your neighborhood. Instacart is a fun and easy way to make extra money on your own time. The referral bonus you will make depends on the area you’re in. Typically, Instacart will pay around $25 per referral that completes a delivery. Click here to download the Instacart app and sign up for a free account.

DoorDash. An app that lets you make money in your spare time by delivering foods to people and businesses in your local area. Referral bonuses for DoorDash range from $300-$750 depending on your area and how many deliveries your referral completes. Click here to sign up as a DoorDash driver and start making money on your own schedule.

Lyft. A ridesharing app that pays you to take passengers from one location to their destination. Lyft will give you a $250 bonus after your first 100 rides and pay you $28 for every friend you refer that becomes an activated driver. To be able to refer friends, you must already be a Lyft driver in good standing. Click here to sign up to be a Lyft driver and claim your $250 bonus!

GetUpside. A free app that pays you when you put gas in your car. GetUpside pairs excellently with driving jobs or side hustles that require a car. All you have to do is scan your gas station receipt into the app, and you will earn up to $0.25 cents per gallon of gas. Click here to download GetUpside for free and start making money at the pump.

• After downloading GetUpside and creating your account, tap the menu bar on the upper-left corner. Now tap “Invite Friends” to get your unique referral code. Your referral will get an additional $0.15 cents per gallon of gas the first time they use the app, and you will get paid $0.01 cent per gallon they get indefinitely.

Uber. Another ridesharing app that pays you to take passengers from one location to their destination.  Uber will pay you for every friend you sign up to become an Uber Driver and also give your friend a cash sign up bonus. The amount Uber pays as well as their sign up bonus fluctuates based on your location and other factors. 

Sweatcoin. Get paid for every step you take outdoors. 1000 steps convert to 1 sweatcoin. Sweatcoins can be redeemed for cash or prizes of your choice. Get 5 Sweatcoins for each friend you get to download the app. Click here to download Sweatcoin and start getting paid to walk.

• On the Sweatcoin app, there will be a tab called “Invite” where you will find your unique referral link.

Pavlus Travel. A travel planning company that provides discounts on tour and cruise vacations. You get paid $250 for every friend that signs up for their first tour, cruise, river cruise, or an all-inclusive vacation through Pavlus Travel. Click here to start referring for Pavlus Travel.

Princess Cruises. A popular cruise line that is known for its island destinations such as Hawaii and the Caribbean. For past guests, Princess Cruises will pay you $25 for each person you refer that’s never booked with them before. Click here to start referring for Princess Cruises.

Drivester. An anonymous and simple marketplace to sell your car without the hassle of selling a car. They have a great way to refer your friends and earn. For each of your referrals that sells their car with Drivester, they will earn a $50 bonus and you will earn $50! Click here to sign up for a Drivester account.

• To find your referral link for Drivester, click the “Get $50” tab on the top header. You will find your official referral link there.

Referral Programs for Affiliate Networks

Shareasale. A highly popular affiliate network that has over 4,000 affiliate programs. They will pay you $1 for every friend that signs up as an affiliate and $150 if they sign up as a merchant. Click here to sign up for Shareasale.

Maxbounty. A rising affiliate network that has over 20,000 affiliate programs. They will pay you 5% of your friend’s revenue for one year. Click here to sign up for Maxbounty.

• Once approved, there will be a “Refer an Affiliate” tab on the left side of the dashboard.

Flexoffers. An affiliate network that has over 12,000 affiliate programs. You can earn up to 50% of your friend’s earnings if they sign up through their link. Sign up through this link below to get your unique link.

Amazon Associates.  Amazon is the world’s largest e-commerce marketplace offers an affiliate program. When someone buys products from your Amazon affiliate link, you earn up to 10% in referral fees. Click here to sign up for Amazon Associates.

Target Affiliate. Target is the 8th largest retailer in the United States. Earn up to 8%  on the net sales from items your referred friend purchased! Click here to sign up for Target Affiliates.

eBay Partner Network. eBay is one of the world’s largest online marketplaces.  Partners earn between 50-70% of the revenue eBay generates from any listing you refer. Click here to sign up for the eBay Partner Network.

Referral Programs for Communication Services

Google G Suite. A collection of productivity and collaboration apps such as Gmail for business, cloud storage, secure team messaging and more. Earn up to $8 (for the Business Starter plan), USD $15 (for the Business Standard plan), or USD $23 (for the Business Plus plan). Click here to start referring G Suite.

T-Mobile. America’s fastest unlimited network. T-Mobile will give you a $50 prepaid MasterCard for every friend who opens a qualifying account (up to 100 friends per year). Click here to start referring for T-Mobile.

CenturyLink. An American telecommunications company that offers phone, high-speed internet, and TV services for home and business. CenturyLink will give you up to $75 Visa prepaid card for every person you refer that signs up for their services. Click here to start referring CenturyLink services.

Xfinity (Comcast). A provider of digital cable TV, home phone, and high-speed internet services. Get a $100 Visa prepaid card for your first friend and a $200 Visa prepaid card for your second and third friend for a total of $500 per year. Click here to start referring Xfinity services.

Christian Care Ministry. A not-for-profit organization that provides what it calls biblical healthcare solutions.  Earn $100 – $300 for every referred friend or household that becomes a member of their medical bill sharing program called Medi-Share.  Click here to start referring for Christian Care Ministry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are referral programs?

Referral programs, also known as refer-a-friend programs, are a way for companies to grow their business by paying you money to refer friends or anyone else. You may have seen “invite,” “refer and earn,” or “refer-a-friend” on the footer of some websites. This is commonly where companies list their referral programs.

It can be tedious to find these opportunities, that’s why we at Luster Lexicon have put together an up-to-date list of refer and earn websites for your convenience.

Why do companies pay you money to refer friends?

They do this as a way to get new customers for their business. At large, this is known as referral marketing. It’s a win for everyone involved. The company wins by getting brand new customers to their business. The person referring makes money and can establish a lucrative source of passive income. Lastly, the friend who was referred is introduced to a great new product or service that they may not have otherwise tried.

Where can I find a list of refer and earn websites?

You can find a list of refer and earn websites above. They are organized in sections by category. If you are looking for apps with referral programs, they are in the same sections.

What is the highest paying referral program that pays cash?

As of 2021, the highest-paying referral program that pays cash would be Scribe which pays you $10, 000 per referral that signs up for an elite account.

What are the best referral programs to make money and passive income?

The simple answer would be the referral programs you believe would provide tremendous value to your friends, family, or anyone else you’re referring to. Never recommend a referral program just to make a commission or referral bonus. Your earnings will follow by staying true to the aforementioned simple answer.

How can I make the most money with referral programs?

You have to apply one of three strategies and stick to it.

The first strategy would be to ask your friends, family and other people in your social network to sign up for a referral program that suits their needs.

The second strategy would be to become an influencer and recommend products and services to your following. You can become an influencer by growing your social media following or tapping into your already existing following assuming it’s large enough.

The last strategy to make money with referral programs would be to start a niche blog and create high-value content that incorporates your referral link.


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