B2B and B2C Referral Program Examples
If you're looking for inspiration for your own customer referral program, look no further. Whether your business is B2B, B2C, DTC, or media, take a look at the list of compiled companies that you can use as examples for your own referral program.
Before we dive into specific referral program examples, it's important to understand the key components that make an effective referral program. A well-designed program should:
- Offer compelling incentives for both referrers and referees
- Have a clear call-to-action and simple sharing process
- Provide tracking and attribution to properly reward participants
- Be promoted across multiple customer touchpoints
- Align with your brand voice and overall marketing strategy
With those core elements in mind, let's explore how leading brands are executing successful referral programs across various industries.
Table of Contents
- 23andMe (B2C)
- 310 Nutrition (eCommerce)
- Airbnb (B2C)
- Airtable (Self-Service B2B)
- Alpha Foods (B2C)
- Bench (B2B)
- BeFrugal (B2C)
- Billie (DTC)
- Casper (DTC)
- Coinbase (B2C Finance)
- CoinTracker (B2C)
- Daquan (B2C Media)
- DigitalOcean (Self-Service B2B)
- DoorDash (B2C)
- Drop (B2C)
- Dropbox (B2C Subscription)
- Duolingo (B2C Subscription)
- Evernote (B2C Subscription)
- EyeBuyDirect (DTC)
- Fiverr (B2B)
- Glossier (B2C)
- Google Fi (B2C)
- Groupon (B2C)
- Grubhub (B2C)
- Gusto (B2B)
- Hotjar (Self-Service B2B)
- Instacart (B2C)
- Jewish Insider (B2C Media)
- LiveChat (B2B)
- MainStreet (B2B Finance)
- Media Temple (B2B)
- Morning Brew (B2C Media)
- PayPal (Self-Service B2B)
- Privacy.com (B2C)
- Robinhood (B2C)
- Skillshare (B2C)
- SurveyMonkey (Enterprise B2B)
- The Uptick (B2C Media)
- Vistaprint (B2B)
- Vinovest (B2C)
- Walmart (B2C)
23andMe
23andMe is a B2C DNA testing company that enables its users to access their ancestry, genealogy, and inherited traits. They offer a double-sided referral.
What makes 23andMe's referral program stand out is its seamless integration with the product experience. After completing their DNA test, customers are prompted to share a unique referral link or code with friends and family. This makes it easy for satisfied customers to advocate for the brand while the experience is still top of mind.
Reward
Get an Amazon.com Gift Card valued up to $20 per referral. The person you refer will receive a minimum of 10% off their 23andMe order.
Website
23andMe has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals.
You can copy your link, or invite friends via email and Facebook:
Emails
This is the invitation email that gets sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Activate 10% Off’ button they are taken to this page:
310 Nutrition
310 Nutrition is an eCommerce company that sells nutritional products. They offer a single-sided referral.
While single-sided referral programs can be effective for acquiring new customers, 310 Nutrition's approach misses an opportunity to further incentivize and reward existing customers for their advocacy. A double-sided structure that provides a benefit to both parties tends to drive higher engagement and referral rates.
Reward
Give your friend $10 off their first purchase and when your friend makes their first purchase you get 200 Loyalty Points, good for a $10 Gift Card.
Website
310 Nutrition has a dedicated referral program page, but you need to create an account before you can start referring.
You can copy your link and send it to your friend and/or share it via Twitter and Facebook:
This is the post on Facebook:
When the referred person clicks the share link they are taken to this page:
Airbnb
Airbnb is a B2C vacation rental online marketplace that offers two referral programs to their users for getting more hosts and guests. For both programs, a double-sided reward is offered to users.
Airbnb's approach of having separate referral programs for hosts and guests is a smart strategy that allows them to tailor the incentives and messaging to each audience's unique needs and motivations. This level of audience segmentation can lead to higher conversion rates versus a one-size-fits-all referral program.
Reward
Refer a host and earn $150 when they list their space and complete their first qualifying stay. The person you refer will get $10.
Website
When you are logged into Airbnb, and navigate to the referral page, you see an invite widget:
You can copy and share your link with friends, or invite friends via email and other ways:
This is Airbnb’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
Airtable
Airtable is a B2B SaaS platform that offers a spreadsheet-database hybrid product. They offer a single-sided reward.
While Airtable's referral program can help acquire new customers at a lower cost, offering only a single-sided incentive may limit its overall effectiveness. As noted by competitors, a double-sided structure that rewards both the referrer and referee tends to drive higher engagement. Airtable could consider testing a two-sided model to potentially boost referral rates.
Reward
Get $10 in credit for every person you refer to Airtable.
Website
When you are logged into Airtable as a user, and head over to the referral page, you see the following:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Accept Invitation’ link they are taken to this page:
Alpha Foods
Alpha Foods is a B2C company that makes plant-based snacks. They offer a single-sided reward.
Similar to 310 Nutrition, Alpha Foods' single-sided referral program structure may not be as effective as a double-sided approach in driving consistent referrals. Offering an incentive to just the referrer and not the referee misses an opportunity to increase motivation and make the value proposition more compelling for both parties involved.
Reward
Share Alpha Foods and get a BOGO (Buy One Get One) Burrito offer for every person you refer that signs up! You’ll also get our monthly newsletter with special coupons and plant-based recipe inspiration.
Website
Alpha Foods has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
Bench
Bench is a B2C online bookkeeping company. They offer a double-sided reward.
Bench's $150 Visa gift card incentive is certainly attractive for referrers and the program benefits from seeing higher referral rates by implementing a double-sided structure. By offering a reciprocal benefit to referred customers, including a one-month discount increases motivation for both parties to participate.
Reward
Refer a business owner and earn a $150 Visa and free month of bookkeeping when they become a Bench client. The person you refer will get one month free of bookkeeping.
Website
Bench has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Try Bench Free’ button they are taken to this page:
BeFrugal
BeFrugal is a B2C coupon and cashback company. They offer a double-sided reward.
BeFrugal's double-sided $10 reward for both referrers and referees is a solid incentive structure that aligns with best practices from top referral programs. To further optimize, they could consider implementing milestone or tiered rewards to motivate power referrers and drive even more word-of-mouth.
Reward
Refer a friend and earn $10 when they earn $10 in cash back. The person you refer will get $10 once they earn $10 in cash back.
Website
BeFrugal has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
You can invite friends via email and share on Facebook and Twitter:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Join Now’ button they are taken to this page:
Billie
Billie is an eCommerce company that sells shaving supplies and body products. They offer milestone (tiered) rewards.
Billie's use of milestone rewards for referrals at 5, 10, and 15 successful referrals is an excellent strategy to motivate continuous advocacy from their top promoters. This gamification approach, when combined with compelling rewards, can significantly boost referral volume as customers are incentivized to hit each new tier.
Rewards
Refer 5 friends and receive a $5 rebate. Refer 10 friends and receive a $10 rebate. Refer 10 friends and receive a $20 rebate.
Website
Billie has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
You can invite friends via email and Facebook:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
Casper
Casper is a B2C company that sells mattresses directly to consumers. They offer a single-sided reward.
While Casper's $75 Amazon gift card is an attractive incentive for referrers, their program could likely see higher engagement rates by implementing a double-sided reward structure. Offering an additional incentive for referred customers, such as a discount on their first mattress purchase, can increase motivation for both parties to participate.
Reward
The referrer will get a $75 Amazon Gift Card when the person they referred purchases their first Casper mattress using their referral link.
Website
Casper has a dedicated referral program page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
When you sign up you can invite friends via email, Messenger, and Facebook:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Shop Now’ button they are taken to this page:
Coinbase
Coinbase is a popular cryptocurrency exchange platform. The B2C company allows retail traders to buy and sell cryptocurrencies on its user-friendly mobile apps and website. They offer a double-sided reward.
Coinbase's $10 double-sided referral reward is a solid incentive that aligns with best practices from industry leaders. To take it a step further, they could consider implementing variable rewards based on customer value or purchase amount, similar to how Uber adjusts referral pay.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $10 when the person you referred initiates a buy or sell of $100 USD or more . The person you refer will get $10.
Website
When you are logged into Coinbase, and navigate to the referral page, you see an invite widget:
This is Coinbase’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
CoinTracker
CoinTracker is a B2C company that offers investors a portfolio managing tool. They offer a double-sided reward.
CoinTracker's double-sided $10 referral reward for both referrers and referees is a solid foundation. However, they could consider enhancing the value proposition by offering product-based rewards instead of cash incentives. For example, providing extended premium access or bonus features can increase perceived value and drive deeper product engagement.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $10 when the person you referred buys a tax plan on CoinTracker. The friend gets $10 off her first tax plan.
Website
When you are logged into CoinTracker, and navigate to the referral page, you will see an invite widget:
This is the tweet that was posted on Twitter:
When the referred person clicks the referral link they are taken to this page:
Daquan
Daquan is a newsletter created by IMGM Media. They offer milestone (tiered) rewards.
Daquan's use of milestone rewards for referrals is a smart approach to incentivize continuous sharing and word-of-mouth promotion. However, the program could be strengthened by providing more transparency around what specific rewards are offered at each milestone. Clearly communicating the incentives upfront can increase motivation and referral rates.
Rewards
Refer a friend and earn points toward prizes.
Website
Daquan’s referral program is available to anyone that signs up for the newsletter:
DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean is a B2B SaaS company that provides a cloud platform to deploy, manage, and scale any application. an all-in-one workforce management tool. They offer a double-sided reward.
DigitalOcean's $25 credit for referrers and $100 credit for referees is a compelling double-sided incentive structure. To further amplify word-of-mouth, they could consider implementing a refer-a-friend leaderboard or adding milestone rewards for power referrers who drive a high volume of qualified leads.
Reward
Refer a friend and get a $25 credit with DigitalOcean when the person you referred spends $25 . The friend will get $100 and 60-day credit when they add a payment method to their account.
Website
DigitalOcean has a dedicated referral program page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
This is DigitalOcean’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
You can copy your link, or share via Twitter:
When the referred person clicks the referral link they are taken to this page:
DoorDash
DoorDash is an eCommerce food delivery company. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $15 in delivery credit when the person you referred makes their first order .
Website
DoorDash’s referral program is available to anyone who downloads their app:
This is DoorDash’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
Drop
Dropbox is a B2C company that lets you earn points for shopping at your favorite stores.They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and earn 5000 Drop points when t he referred person signs up using your referral link .
Website
Drop’s referral program is available to anyone who downloads their app:
Dropbox
Dropbox is a B2C and B2B SaaS company that provides secure file sharing, collaboration, and storage solutions.They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get 500 MB of bonus space. The person you refer will get 500 MB of bonus space as well.
Website
When you are logged into Dropbox, and navigate to the referral page, you see an invite widget:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Accept invite’ button they are taken to this page:
Duolingo
Groupon is a B2C SaaS company that offers free and paid language courses. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get 1 week of Duolingo Plus.
Website
When you are logged into Duolingo, and navigate to your profile page, you see the following:
This is the post on Facebook:
When the referred person clicks the post they are taken to this page:
Evernote
Evernote is a B2B/B2C company that allows users to capture, organize, and find information across multiple platforms. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get 10 points. 30 points will earn you 3 months of Premium.
Website
When you are logged into Evernote, and navigate to your referral page, you see the following:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Get Started’ button they are taken to this page:
EyeBuyDirect
EyeBuyDirect is an eCommerce company that sells eyeglasses and sunglasses. They offer a double-sided reward and milestone reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $10 in EBD Credits once a qualifying order has been made . The person you refer will get $10 off their first order. Get $50 in EBD Credits for every five friends you refer.
Website
EyeBuyDirect has a dedicated referral program page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
When you sign up you can invite friends via email and Facebook:
This is EyeBuyDirect’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘COME SEE’ button they are taken to this page:
Fiverr
Fiverr is a C2C company for creative and professional services. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get 20% off first purchase. The person you refer gets 20% off their first purchase .
Website
Fiverr has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
You can invite friends via email and other ways:
This is Fiverr’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Browse Services On Fiverr’ button they are taken to this page:
Glossier
Glossier is an eCommerce beauty company that leverages content and community to power a superior shopping experience. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $10 store credit when they make a purchase. The person you refer gets 10% off.
Website
Glossier’s referral program is located at the bottom of their homepage:
You can copy your link, or invite friends via email and other ways:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘GET YOUR 10% OFF HERE’ button they are taken to this page:
Google Fi
Google Fi is a B2C Google-owned wireless service. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and both of you get $20 in Fi credit after your referral has been active for 30 days.
Website
When you are logged into Groupon Fi, and navigate to the your account page, you see the following:
Groupon
Groupon is an eCommerce company that offers coupons, cashback on purchases payments and group deals to consumers. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and earn $10 in Groupon bucks.
Website
When you are logged into Groupon, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the link in email they are taken to this page:
Grubhub
Grubhub is an eCommerce company for food ordering and delivery. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $10 off when the person you referred places their first order. The friend gets $10 off as well.
Website
When you are logged into Grubhub, and navigate to the referral page, you will see the following:
When the referred person clicks the share link they are taken to this page:
Gusto
Grubhub is a B2B SaaS that offers cloud-based payroll, benefits, and human resource management solutions for businesses. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get a $300 gift card when they sign up and run their first paid payroll. The friend gets a $100 gift card.
Website
When you are logged into Gusto, and navigate to the referral page, you will see the following:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Accept invite’ button they are taken to this page:
Hotjar
Hotjar is a B2B SaaS company that offers behavior analytics and user feedback service. They offer a monthly leaderboard and milestone rewards.
Rewards
The top referrer every month receives a free lifetime business account. The top 5 referrers every month and receive a Hotjar hoodie. Refer 5 friends and receive a Hotjar t-shirt.
Website
When you are logged into Hotjar, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
This is the post on Facebook:
When the referred person clicks the post they are taken to this page:
Instacart
Instacart is an eCommerce company that offers same-day grocery delivery and pickup services for customers. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer 5 friends and get a $10 credit once their first delivery is complete. The friend gets a $10 credit on their first order.
Website
When you are logged into Instacart, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
This is Instacart’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Shop Now’ button they are taken to this page:
Jewish Insider
Jewish Insider is a newsletter that provides an overview of the news with a Jewish angle. They offer milestone (tiered) rewards.
Rewards
Refer friends and be rewarded with Jewish Insider swag.
Website
Jewish Insider referral program is available to anyone that signs up for the newsletter:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the referral link they are taken to this page:
LiveChat
LiveChat is a B2B SaaS company that offers an online customer service software with online chat and help desk features. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer friends and get $39 when the referred person joins LiveChat and makes their first payment. The referred person gets a 50% discount on their payment.
Website
LiveChat has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
This is LiveChart how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person accesses the referral link they are taken to this page:
MainStreet
MainStreet is a B2B SaaS company that helps startups and small businesses discover and claim tax credits and government incentives. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a startup or small business get a $200 Visa gift when they sign up and qualify for MainStreet.
Website
When you are logged into MainStreet, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
Media Temple
Media Temple is a B2B/B2C SaaS company that offers premium web and cloud hosting solutions for web designers, developers, and creative agencies. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get free hosting credit when the referred person signs up for a new hosting plan. The referred person gets 20% off their first month of service.
Website
Media Temple has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone with Media Temple account can start making referrals:
Morning Brew
Morning Brew is an email newsletter for millennial business professionals. They offer milestone (tiered) rewards.
Rewards
Refer friends and be rewarded with Morning Brew rewards:
Website
Morning Brew referral program is available to anyone that signs up for the newsletter:
PayPal
PayPal is an eCommerce company that facilitates payments between parties through online transfers. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $10 when they spend $5. The person you refer will get $10 as well.
Website
PayPal’s referral program is available to anyone that has a PayPal account:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Accept the Money’ button they are taken to this page:
Privacy.com
Privacy.com is a B2B/B2C company that provides secure payments for businesses and consumers. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and get $5 when they sign up and spend. The person you refer will get $5.
Website
When you are logged into Privacy.com, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
Robinhood
Robinhood is a B2C company that allows customers to buy and sell stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies with zero commission. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and you both get a free stock.
Website
When you are logged into Robinhood, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
This is Robinhood’s how-it-works section that explains their referral program:
Skillshare
Skillshare is a B2C company that offers online learning. customers to buy and sell stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies with zero commission. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Get a free month of Skillshare for each friend you refer. The referred person gets 14 days of Skillshare Premium.
Website
When you are logged into Skillshare, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Start Your 14 Free days Today’ button they are taken to this page:
SurveyMonkey
SurveyMonkey Apply is a B2B SaaS offering that provides Enterprises with online collection and review software. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Your organization gets $500 for every referral that signs up for a subscription.
Website
SurveyMonkey Apply has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
The Uptick
The Uptick is a finance newsletter that brings you weekly insights into the financial markets. They offer milestone (tiered) rewards.
Reward
Refer a friend and earn points toward physical swag prizes.
Website
The Uptick is available to anyone that signs up for the newsletter:
Vistaprint
Vistaprint is a B2B company that helps small businesses create marketing products with contemporary designs. They offer a single-sided reward.
Reward
Refer friends and get a $20 voucher for every friend who makes an order of $40 or more.
Website
When you are logged into Vistaprint, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Visit Vistaprint’ button they are taken to this page:
Vinovest
Vinovest is a B2C company that has a platform for wine investment. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend and both of you get 3 months of wine storage and management when the friend funds their Vinovest account.
Website
When you are logged into Vinovest, and navigate to the referral page, you see the following:
This is the post on Facebook:
When the referred person clicks the share link they are taken to this page:
Walmart
Walmart is a retail giant that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States. They offer a double-sided reward.
Reward
Refer a friend who's never purchased from Walmart Grocery. Once they complete their order, you get a $10 promo code for your next order.
Website
Walmart has a dedicated referral program signup page so anyone can sign up and start making referrals:
Emails
This is the email sent to the referred person:
When the referred person clicks the ‘Get $10 Off’ button they are taken to this page:
