Best Recurring Affiliate Programs for Steady Passive Income

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Why Recurring Affiliate Programs Are the Key to Sustainable Passive Income

In the world of affiliate marketing, not all programs are created equal. While many offer one-time commissions, recurring affiliate programs provide ongoing payments for as long as your referred customers remain subscribed – creating a more stable, predictable income stream.

This type of affiliate arrangement is especially valuable for content creators, bloggers, and marketers looking to build sustainable passive income. Rather than constantly chasing new customers, you can build a foundation of recurring revenue that grows month after month.

Key Benefit:

With recurring affiliate programs, a single customer referral can generate income for months or years, not just once at the initial purchase.

Top 7 Recurring Affiliate Programs in 2025

We've researched and evaluated dozens of recurring affiliate programs to identify those offering the best combination of commission rates, product quality, conversion rates, and affiliate support.

Top Pick

1. Systeme.io Affiliate Program

40% Recurring Commission Lifetime Cookies

Systeme.io offers one of the most generous affiliate programs in the funnel builder space. Their 40% recurring commission applies to all plans, including renewals and upgrades.

Why we love it:

  • High 40% recurring commission rate on all plans
  • Lifetime cookies – you earn commission even if customers convert years later
  • Commission on all product upgrades and additional purchases
  • Free plan makes it easy to get your first referrals
  • Excellent conversion rates due to free-to-paid model
  • Ready-made marketing materials including articles, banners, and email swipes

Commission structure:

  • Free plan: $0 (but you're credited with the referral)
  • Startup plan ($27/month): $10.80/month recurring
  • Webinar plan ($47/month): $18.80/month recurring
  • Enterprise plan ($97/month): $38.80/month recurring
  • Annual plans: 40% of the annual fee

Earning potential:

With just 20 customers on the Startup plan, you could earn $216/month in passive income. Scale to 100 customers and that becomes $1,080/month.

Join Systeme.io's Affiliate Program

2. ClickFunnels Affiliate Program

30-40% Recurring Commission Sticky Cookies

ClickFunnels offers generous commissions on their higher-priced products, making it potentially lucrative for affiliates targeting business owners.

Key details:

  • 30-40% recurring commissions (based on affiliate tier)
  • Higher priced products mean larger commission checks
  • Strong brand recognition helps conversion
  • Additional commissions for Dream Car and Dream Home contests

Limitations:

  • Higher price point can make initial conversions more challenging
  • Highly competitive affiliate space
  • No free plan to use as an entry point

3. ConvertKit Affiliate Program

30% Recurring Commission 120-Day Cookies

ConvertKit is a popular email marketing platform especially favored by bloggers and content creators.

Key details:

  • 30% recurring commission for the life of the customer
  • Average customer lifetime value is high
  • Free plan makes it easy to get initial sign-ups
  • 120-day cookie period
  • Excellent support and marketing materials

4. Kartra Affiliate Program

40% Recurring Commission 30-Day Cookies

Kartra offers high commissions on their all-in-one marketing platform, which includes funnel building, email marketing, and more.

Key details:

  • 40% recurring commission on all plans
  • Higher-priced product means larger commission checks
  • Commission on all product tiers
  • 30-day cookie duration
  • Strong conversion rates

5. GetResponse Affiliate Program

33% Recurring Commission 120-Day Cookies

GetResponse offers a solid recurring affiliate program for their email marketing and funnel building platform.

Key details:

  • 33% recurring commission
  • Option for 100% commission on the first payment
  • 120-day cookie duration
  • Free trial offer helps with conversions
  • Well-established brand with good reputation

6. SEMrush Affiliate Program

40% Recurring Commission BeRush Program

SEMrush offers high commissions for their popular SEO and marketing platform through their BeRush affiliate program.

Key details:

  • 40% recurring commission on all plans
  • Higher-priced product (starts at $119.95/month)
  • Well-known brand with strong conversion rates
  • Professional marketing materials and dedicated support

7. Shopify Affiliate Program

200% Commission (2 months) 30-Day Cookies

Shopify offers a unique commission structure that pays 200% of a customer's first payment.

Key details:

  • 200% commission on first payment (equivalent to 2 months of subscription)
  • Average payout of $58 per referral
  • Well-known brand with high conversion rates
  • 30-day cookie window
  • Note: Not technically recurring, but included due to high initial payout

Comparison: Earning Potential After 1 Year

To illustrate the power of recurring commissions, let's look at the potential earnings from referring just 2 customers per month to different programs over a year, assuming the customers stay subscribed:

Program Monthly Referrals Month 1 Earnings Month 6 Earnings Month 12 Earnings 12-Month Total
Systeme.io 2 $21.60 $129.60 $259.20 $1,684.80
ClickFunnels 2 $88.20 $529.20 $1,058.40 $6,879.60
ConvertKit 2 $17.70 $106.20 $212.40 $1,380.60
Kartra 2 $79.20 $475.20 $950.40 $6,177.60

Calculations based on average customer value. ClickFunnels at $147/month with 30% commission, Systeme.io at $27/month with 40% commission, ConvertKit at $29.50/month with 30% commission, and Kartra at $99/month with 40% commission.

As you can see, while programs with higher-priced products generate more revenue per customer, Systeme.io offers an excellent balance of good commission rates with a product that's easier to sell due to its free plan and lower price points.

5 Strategies to Maximize Your Affiliate Income

  1. Create in-depth product reviews and comparisons

    Detailed, honest reviews and comparison posts addressing common questions convert much better than generic promotional content. Show real examples of the product in use and discuss both pros and cons.

  2. Use the product yourself and share results

    Nothing builds trust like showing your own results with the product. Create case studies or behind-the-scenes content demonstrating how you personally use the product in your business.

  3. Create tutorial content

    Tutorial videos, step-by-step guides, and how-to content that helps potential customers see how to use the product can significantly increase conversion rates. This type of content also tends to rank well in search engines.

  4. Offer exclusive bonuses

    Create valuable bonuses that complement the affiliate product and offer them free to anyone who purchases through your link. This can dramatically increase your conversion rates.

  5. Focus on email marketing

    Build an email list in your niche and nurture relationships before promoting affiliate products. Email typically converts much better than cold traffic to affiliate links.

Conclusion: The Best Recurring Affiliate Programs for 2025

After analyzing commission rates, product quality, conversion rates, and affiliate support, Systeme.io stands out as our top recommendation for beginners looking to earn recurring affiliate income in 2025.

Its combination of high commission rates (40%), lifetime cookies, and a free-to-paid business model makes it easier to get conversions compared to more expensive alternatives.

For those focusing on specific niches, other programs like ConvertKit (for content creators) or SEMrush (for marketing professionals) might be better aligned with your audience.

The key to success with recurring affiliate programs is choosing products you personally use and believe in, creating genuinely helpful content around them, and focusing on the long-term value of each customer relationship rather than quick, one-time commissions.

Ready to start earning recurring commissions?

Sign up for Systeme.io's affiliate program today. You don't even need a paid account to start promoting and earning!

Join Systeme.io's Affiliate Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay to join affiliate programs?

No, legitimate affiliate programs are always free to join. Companies pay you for bringing them customers, not the other way around. Be wary of any "affiliate program" that requires payment.

How soon do affiliate programs pay out?

Payment schedules vary by program. Most recurring affiliate programs pay monthly, usually with a 30-60 day delay from when the commission was earned to allow for refunds or cancellations.

What's the difference between one-time and recurring commissions?

One-time commissions pay you once when a customer makes a purchase. Recurring commissions pay you repeatedly for as long as the customer continues their subscription, creating passive income.

How do I track my affiliate earnings?

Each affiliate program provides a dashboard where you can track clicks, conversions, and earnings. Some programs also offer real-time reporting and analytics to help you optimize your promotions.

Ready to start building your sales funnels?

Try Systeme.io for free and launch your online business without any technical skills.

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