Along with the rise in popularity of subscription design services, affiliate programs for these services have emerged as a lucrative opportunity for individuals seeking to monetize their following.
Whether you have a blog, newsletter, or social media following, promoting the services of design subscription companies presents a great way to earn a commission with rewarding affiliate programs.
In this article, we’ll explore 20 of the best affiliate programs for various design subscription services, highlighting the benefits of each.
But first, let’s talk a bit about affiliate programs and what they offer.
Understanding how an affiliate program works
Affiliate programs are like a symbiotic relationship between businesses and individuals. The former receives new customers, and the latter earns a commission by driving business to the company through the promotion of its products and services.
Affiliates are typically given unique tracking links, which, when placed within their blog, social media pages, or other digital realm, allow the promoted company to identify the affiliate as the source of a purchase when used by a customer.
In other words: when a user clicks your affiliate link and buys something, you earn a commission.
For those seeking passive income opportunities, the appeal of affiliate marketing lies in the ability to monetize their audience. Furthermore, there’s no product development involved: the business, service, or product being promoted already exists.
Next, let’s talk about design subscription services.
The appeal of design subscriptions
In 2024, design subscription services are more popular than ever in the design community. Offering businesses unlimited access to graphic design solutions for a flat-rate monthly fee, they’ve emerged as a competitor to the traditional methods of sourcing graphic design assets.
Instead of enlisting freelancers, building an in-house team, hiring a design agency, or (for the highly motivated and/or desperate) doing it themselves—entrepreneurs and marketers can fulfil their design needs by accessing a dedicated team of talented designers affordably, scalable to the project scope.
Here’s how they work:
- Customers pay a flat-rate monthly (or in some cases yearly) fee. Many services have different pricing tiers, and in some cases even customizable subscription packages.
- The customer is assigned a team ranging from a single designer to a design team and project manager.
- The client can request unlimited design tasks which are added to a queue and completed based on the number of concurrent tasks allowed in their subscription.
- Tasks are often completed within 48 hours. Once the task is finished, the client can request unlimited revisions until they are satisfied with the work.
- Collaboration takes place typically through an internal communication program like Trello, or through Slack or e-mail.
- Clients can pause or cancel the service at any time (in most cases – some require advance notice).
Unlimited graphic design services have proven to be a cost-effective, nimble solution for those seeking alternatives to traditional design solutions.
Rather than enduring the high up-front cost of design agencies, the hassle of wrangling multiple independent freelancers, or the amount of time and resources required to assemble an in-house design team, businesses and entrepreneurs can use subscription services to access great design seamlessly and affordably.
So what’s so great about affiliate programs for design subscription programs? Let’s get into it.
Why join a subscription design affiliates program?
One of the best features of design subscription services for the prospective affiliate partner is the high ticket prices for the unlimited design plans. Typically ranging between $2,500 and $15,000, each successful referral means more money in commissions.
In other words, when you get affiliate sales for expensive subscription services, you get paid more than you would from smaller sales.
Furthermore, subscriptions generate recurring revenue for design agencies, making them an attractive target for affiliates.
Add it all up, and you get a great opportunity to make passive income simply through effective use of your affiliate referral link. Now let’s take a look at some of the best affiliate programs for subscription design companies.
Top 20 design subscription agencies with affiliate partner programs
1. Reel Unlimited
As one of the major players in the subscription design service community, REEL UNLIMITED offers design and content for startups and agencies with a flat-rate fee.
REEL UNLIMITED’s affiliate program offers generous payouts and fair commission terms. Here are some of the features:
- 10% lifetime commission: Successful affiliates receive commission on any recurring revenue)
- 30-day cookie period: Referral links are good for 30 days
- Commissions are paid when customers complete their first month of paid service
- Large potential customer base: Trusted by over 380 brands, with 5000+ completed creative projects
2. Design Pickle
Design Pickle is a subscription service using an AI-powered platform to deliver design solutions from a global workforce, also aimed at marketers and agencies.
At a slightly lower price than REEL UNLIMITED’s subscription service, they also have an affiliate program:
- No fees: Design Pickle’s affiliate program is free to enroll.
- 90-day cookie period
- Commissions are verified and paid out the month after it is earned.
- $100 commission per signup through your referral link
3. Endless.Design
Endless is a subscription service run by its founder and his hand-picked team of designers. A premium service, plans are $8,995/month when paid monthly, or $8,495/month when paid quarterly.
- Referral program offering $250 for each new signup
