A recurring affiliate program pays you again each month a customer stays subscribed.
That’s the whole appeal. It’s also why one detail decides everything: how long the payments last.
Several big programs changed their terms in 2026, and most “best of” lists still show the old numbers. This one shows what each program pays, how long, and how confident I am in the figures.
Affiliate disclosure: I’m an affiliate for Systeme.io and HighLevel. Links labeled “affiliate link” can earn me a commission at no extra cost to you. I rank Systeme.io first below, so the reasoning is shown in the open. See the disclosure page.
💰 Systeme.io: free to try, 60% lifetime recurring commission reported
Create a free account to use the product, then find the affiliate program in your dashboard. Confirm current terms on the official program page.👉 Create your free Systeme.io account (affiliate link)
Last reviewed: October 2026.
How I Checked This (and What the Labels Mean)
I compared official program pages where I could reach them with independent directories and reviews. Many directories disagree with each other, so each program carries a label:
- ✔ Consistent: several independent sources agree.
- ⚠ Disputed: sources conflict on rate, duration, or eligibility. Verify before you build content around it.
Some sources are themselves affiliates or competitors, so I treated single-source claims cautiously.
Terms That Changed (and Why Older Lists Are Wrong)
- GetResponse moved to a new program on PartnerStack paying 40%, 50%, or 60% for the first 12 months by volume. The old “33% lifetime” now applies only to affiliates who joined earlier and kept the legacy terms.
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) pays 50% for 12 months, then adds a tiered 10–20% recurring only if you reach a status tier.
- Kajabi shows conflicting terms. Older pages say 30% for life, while more recent ones describe a tiered structure up to about 20%, a requirement to be an active customer, and a 60-day hold.
- Teachable, Podia, and HubSpot pay for a limited period (about 12 months in the sources I found).
The lesson: read the duration before the percentage, and re-check terms each quarter.
The 24-Month Lens: What One Referral Is Worth
Headline rates aren’t comparable until you factor in how long they last. This table gives every program the same imaginary $100/month plan and counts 24 months with no cancellations or refunds. It isolates the terms, not the product.
| Program | Terms used | Value over 24 months |
|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io | 60% lifetime | $1,440 |
| HighLevel | 40% recurring while subscribed | $960 |
| AWeber | 30–50% lifetime (tiered) | $720–$1,200 |
| ClickFunnels | 20–40% lifetime (tiered) | $480–$960 |
| MailerLite | 30% lifetime | $720 |
| Kit | 50% for 12 months, then 0–20% by tier | $600–$840 |
| GetResponse (new program) | 40–60% for 12 months | $480–$720 |
| Thinkific | 30% (lifetime or 12 months, disputed) | $360–$720 |
| Teachable | 30% for 12 months | $360 |
| HubSpot | 30% for up to 12 months | $360 |
| Podia | 20% for 12 months | $240 |
Kajabi and ActiveCampaign are left out of this table because their terms are disputed.
What It Pays on a Real Entry Plan
Actual plan prices differ, and that changes the picture. These use monthly list prices (annual billing lowers them) and the commission rate you’d start at.
| Program | Entry plan | You’d earn per month | For how long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io | Startup $17 | $10.20 | Lifetime |
| HighLevel | Starter $97 | $38.80 | While subscribed |
| Kit | Creator $39 (at about 1,000 subscribers) | $19.50 | First 12 months |
| GetResponse | Starter $19 | $7.60 | 12 months |
| Thinkific | Basic $54 | $16.20 | Disputed |
| Teachable | Starter $39 | $11.70 | 12 months |
| Podia | Mover $49 | $9.80 | 12 months |
Notice the trade-off: a cheaper product with a higher rate (Systeme.io) pays less per referral per month than a pricier one with a lower rate (HighLevel), but it may be far easier for your audience to say yes to.
The Programs, One by One
1. Systeme.io
Terms (reported): 60% lifetime recurring on paid plans; free to join; $30 minimum payout; paid monthly via PayPal or wire, after a holding period.
Evidence: ✔ on rate and duration. ⚠ on cookie length, exact payout date, and how attribution works.
Catch: the free plan is generous, so many referrals take a while to upgrade, and some never do. Per-plan amounts are modest ($10.20 / $28.20 / $58.20 a month on monthly Startup / Webinar / Unlimited plans).
Fits: audiences in online business, courses, and email, who benefit from a free start.
Why it’s first: it has the highest lifetime rate on this list, in the 24-month lens. That’s about terms, not about whether it’s right for every audience. See our program guide and review.
🛠️ Use the product before you promote it. The free plan lets you build a funnel and email list and write about it from experience.
👉 Start free on Systeme.io (affiliate link)
2. HighLevel
Terms (reported): 40% recurring while the customer stays subscribed; an optional 5% second tier if approved; last-click attribution around 90 days; commissions count after about 45 days in good standing; $50 minimum, paid around the 15th.
Evidence: ✔ on the 40%. ⚠ on cookie length and some payout details.
Catch: it’s a complex agency platform, and reviewers describe strict compliance enforcement. Convert it only with an audience of agencies and consultants.
Fits: agency and B2B audiences where $97–$497 plans are normal.
I’m also an affiliate for HighLevel. HighLevel’s bootcamp page (affiliate link). For how it compares, see Systeme.io vs GoHighLevel.
3. AWeber
Terms (reported): up to 50% lifetime recurring, tiered by volume; about a 90-day cookie.
Evidence: ✔ across independent sources.
Catch: the 50% is a ceiling reached with volume, so assume the lower tier when planning.
Fits: practical, results-focused small-business audiences.
4. ClickFunnels
Terms (reported): up to 40% lifetime recurring, tiered; about a 45-day cookie; a higher payout minimum.
Evidence: ✔ on the range. Check the tier structure on its current terms.
Catch: new affiliates start at the lower end of the range.
Fits: funnel builders and info-product marketers. See Systeme.io vs ClickFunnels.
5. MailerLite
Terms (reported): 30% lifetime recurring; about a 45-day cookie.
Evidence: ✔ in the sources I found.
Catch: MailerLite restructured its plans and pricing in June 2026, so per-referral amounts may differ from older figures.
Fits: budget-conscious beginners choosing an email tool.
6. Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Terms (reported): 50% for the first 12 months of each referred customer, then +10% (Bronze), +15% (Silver), or +20% (Gold) recurring after month 12, depending on how many paying customers you refer per year. Runs on PartnerStack with a low $5 payout minimum. Bidding on its brand name in paid search is prohibited.
Evidence: ✔ on the structure (see the official program page). ⚠ on cookie length.
Catch: after year one you earn nothing unless you reach a status tier.
Fits: newsletter writers, course creators, and solo creators.
7. GetResponse
Terms (new program): 40% for the first 12 months, rising to 50% (50+ customers in 12 months) and 60% (100+). Existing affiliates may keep legacy lifetime terms. About a 90-day cookie via PartnerStack.
Evidence: ✔ confirmed by GetResponse’s own announcement of the change. ⚠ some of its help pages still show the older model.
Catch: capped at 12 months per customer. A one-time bounty option exists as a legacy track.
Fits: audiences of marketers and small businesses who need email plus webinars.
8. Thinkific
Terms (reported): about 30% recurring; about a 90-day cookie.
Evidence: ⚠ one source calls it lifetime, another says 12 months. Check before promising readers anything.
Catch: its pricing and fee structure changed in 2026, which affects what your referrals pay.
Fits: educators and course creators. See our course platform comparison.
9. Teachable
Terms (reported): 30% recurring for 12 months per referral; a short (about 30-day) cookie.
Evidence: ✔ on the 12-month cap.
Catch: the short cookie means readers who decide later may not credit you.
Fits: the same course-creator audience as Thinkific.
10. Kajabi
Terms (reported, conflicting): older sources say 30% lifetime. More recent ones describe a tiered structure up to about 20% recurring, a requirement that you’re an active paying customer, a 60-day commission hold, and a 30-day cookie.
Evidence: ⚠ disputed. This is the program where old lists are most likely wrong.
Catch: eligibility rules may exclude you if you aren’t a Kajabi customer.
Fits: established coaches and creators with premium offers. See Systeme.io vs Kajabi.
11. ActiveCampaign
Terms (reported): about 20–30% recurring; one source says up to 12 months, others say lifetime.
Evidence: ⚠ disputed on duration.
Catch: don’t build content around it until you confirm the duration with the program.
Fits: audiences running real marketing automation.
12. HubSpot
Terms (reported): 30% recurring for up to 12 months; a long (about 180-day) cookie.
Evidence: ✔ across sources.
Catch: higher tiers are enterprise-priced, so it rewards B2B and agency audiences more than solo creators.
Fits: B2B audiences with slow buying cycles.
On the radar, but not ranked: Podia (20% for 12 months, about a 31-day cookie), Moosend (up to 40% lifetime), Leadpages (30% lifetime), and Webflow (50% for 12 months). All figures reported, so verify them before using them.
Five Checks Before You Join Any Program
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Duration | Lifetime and 12-month programs are different products at the same percentage |
| Retention of the product | Recurring income only recurs while customers stay |
| Plan price vs your audience | A high-ticket tool pays more per sale but converts fewer people |
| Attribution and cookie | Short windows and last-click rules can cost you sales |
| Eligibility and rules | Customer-only access, inactivity rules, holding periods, and bans on brand-keyword ads can end your earnings |
Building a Portfolio (Without Spreading Thin)
- Lead with the program your audience will actually use. A fit beats a headline rate.
- Add one or two others in adjacent categories, so a single terms change doesn’t wipe you out (as it did for GetResponse’s older model).
- Mix durations: one lifetime program for compounding and one capped program with a higher rate for faster cash.
- Review terms every quarter. Three of the programs above changed or became disputed this year.
On disclosure: label affiliate links near the link, add rel="sponsored", and follow each program’s rules. Our affiliate marketing starter guide covers the basics.
What I Left Out, and Why
- Unbounce, LiveChat/Text, SE Ranking, and Kinsta appeared on older versions of this list. I couldn’t verify their current terms in this review, so I removed them rather than guess.
- Popular tools that pay one-time bounties, not recurring commissions, such as Semrush and Brevo (according to the sources I found), aren’t included because they don’t compound.
FAQ
What’s the best recurring affiliate program in 2026?
It depends on your audience, but on terms alone Systeme.io pays the highest lifetime rate on this list (60%). HighLevel leads for high-ticket plans (40% on $97–$497 plans), and Kit and GetResponse pay high rates for 12 months.
Is lifetime recurring always better than 12-month recurring?
Usually, if customers stay. A 60% rate for 12 months can be worth less than a 30% lifetime rate once customers stay past year two. Check both rate and duration.
Did GetResponse change its affiliate program?
Yes. The new program pays 40–60% for 12 months, and the older 33% lifetime structure remains for existing affiliates. Confirm on its current program page.
Can I join Kajabi’s affiliate program without being a customer?
Reports conflict, and some recent ones say you must be an active paying customer. Check the current terms.
Do recurring commissions really last forever?
Only as long as the customer keeps paying, and only if the program’s terms say lifetime. Churn and refunds reduce what you earn.
How much can I earn?
It depends on your traffic, audience fit, conversion, and customer retention, and I can’t promise a number. The tables above show what each referral is worth under the terms, not what you’ll earn.
How often do these terms change?
Often. GetResponse, Kit, and Kajabi all changed or became disputed within roughly the past two years, so re-check before relying on any figure.
The Verdict
If you’re starting out, choose the program your audience will use, not just the one with the biggest percentage, and read the duration first. For online-business, course, and email audiences, Systeme.io combines a free product to try with the highest lifetime rate in this list, which is why it leads here. Add a second program once you have traffic, and review terms every quarter.
✅ Try the product, then decide. A free account lets you test the tool you’d be recommending.
👉 Create your free Systeme.io account (affiliate link)
Keep reading: best affiliate programs for beginners, how to make money with Systeme.io, and how to promote Systeme.io.
Affiliate disclosure: links labeled “affiliate link” are affiliate links for Systeme.io and HighLevel. If you sign up through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Program terms were checked against official pages and independent sources in October 2026 and may have changed since. Example figures are illustrations of the terms, not income claims.
