What's the Difference Between Referrals and Affiliates on Teachable?

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Quick answer: Teachable referrals let existing students invite friends - the friend gets a discount and the student earns a credit. Affiliate programs bring in external partners (bloggers, influencers, marketers) who earn a cash commission on every sale they drive. Referrals are available on all Teachable plans; the affiliate program requires the Pro plan or higher.

What are referrals on Teachable?

A referral program allows your existing students to refer your courses to their friends and community using a unique referral link.

When a student refers a friend, both the student and the friend receive a reward. The friend gets a discount on their purchase, while the student gets a discount they can redeem against future purchases on your school.

Benefits of setting up a referral system

• Word-of-mouth marketing - Referrals rely on the trust and existing relationships your students have with their friends and community.
• Higher conversion rates - Referred friends are more likely to buy because they trust the recommendation. The “persuasion legwork” has been done for you.
• A “win win win” situation - All parties benefit (you get more sales, the student gets a reward, and the friend gets a discount).

Example of a Teachable referral program

Imagine you offer a gardening course on Teachable. Your student, Jane, refers her friend, Mark, using her referral link. Mark gets a 10% discount on the course, and Jane receives a 20% credit towards her next purchase.

What are affiliates on Teachable?

Affiliate marketing involves partnering with individuals or businesses (affiliates) who promote your courses in exchange for a commission on sales they generate.

On the Teachable Pro plan or higher, you can set up an affiliate program where affiliates receive a percentage of revenue from sales they generate for your school.

Benefits of setting up an affiliate program

• Extended reach - Affiliates can promote your courses to audiences you might not otherwise have access to.
• Performance-based incentives - Affiliates are motivated to promote effectively because they earn commissions based on sales.
• Cost-effective strategy - You only pay affiliates when they make sales, making it a guaranteed cost-effective approach provided you set the right commission rates.

Example of a Teachable affiliate program

Consider your gardening course again. You partner with a gardening blogger, Sarah, who promotes your course on her blog. Each time someone buys the course through Sarah’s affiliate link, she earns a 15% commission.

Key Differences: Referrals vs. Affiliates on Teachable

When to Use Referrals vs. Affiliates on Teachable

Referral programs work best when you want to engage current students and encourage organic growth.

By rewarding students for bringing in new members, you leverage their personal connections. This approach builds community and loyalty among your students. If you have an active student community, referrals can be a great way to encourage growth.

Affiliate programs are ideal for reaching new audiences and scaling your marketing efforts.

Affiliates (who are often external marketers or influencers) promote your courses to their network. This helps you reach people you might not reach on your own. If you’re looking to grow your school quickly and you’re comfortable building relationships with external partners, an affiliate program can be a great way to build momentum fast.

Pro tip: You don’t need to choose between referrals and affiliates on Teachable - you can run both programmes at the same time to maximise their combined impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between referrals and affiliates on Teachable?

Referrals are for your existing students: they share a link, their friend gets a discount, and they earn a credit for a future purchase on your school. Affiliates are external marketers or partners who promote your school to new audiences and earn a cash commission on every sale they drive.

Which Teachable plan do I need for affiliate marketing?

The Teachable affiliate program is available on the Pro plan or higher. Referral programs are available on all plans, including the free plan, so you can start there regardless of your subscription.

Can I use both referrals and affiliates on Teachable at the same time?

Yes. Teachable lets you run a referral program and an affiliate program simultaneously. They target different audiences - referrals tap your existing student base, while affiliates reach entirely new ones - so the two strategies complement each other well.

How are affiliate commissions paid out on Teachable?

Affiliates receive their commissions via PayPal. Teachable processes payouts once the standard refund window has passed on a sale, so there is a short delay between a sale and the commission hitting your affiliate’s account.

Do referral credits expire on Teachable?

Teachable referral credits are applied as a discount on a future purchase within your school. The expiry policy depends on your school settings, so it is worth checking your referral program configuration in your Teachable admin panel.

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Additional Resources

• Upgrade to a Pro Teachable plan [10% off]
  You'll need to upgrade to at least a Pro Teachable plan to use the features mentioned in this post. Use the link above for 10% off if you're a new customer.
• How to offer discounts on online courses (without devaluing your content) Article
  If you offer a discount for referrals or affiliates on Teachable, you'll want to make sure you're not devaluing your course content. This article will help you understand how to offer discounts effectively.
• The 14 Best Influencer Marketing Courses Article
  If you're considering setting up an affiliate program on Teachable, you might want to learn more about influencer marketing. This article lists the best courses to help you get started.

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Conclusion

Referrals leverage your existing student community, while affiliates open up entirely new audiences. You don't have to choose - Teachable lets you run both at the same time.

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