Mobile apps are getting more and more popular. How do I know?
Well… just look at your smartphone and see for yourself. I bet we all have some extra apps installed, not only the system ones. Maybe except for my mum, but there’s always an exception to the rule.
For most people, desktop versions of the platforms (that they can enter from their laptops or PCs) are not enough. They’re looking for mobile options that can be used while traveling abroad, commuting to work, and that can basically be accessed from anywhere.
Why mobile app affiliate programs?
The answer is pretty simple: there’s definitely a market need when it comes to mobile apps. If you take advantage of it, use an opportunity and optimize your campaigns well, you can earn by promoting such apps.
However, to promote the popular ones even more, some of app creators and owners introduced affiliate programs. With these you can get paid when a new user registers or buys a product after visiting the app via your affiliate link.
If you’re interested in affiliate programs in general you may want to take a look at this guide on our blog. In this article, I’ll cover the mobile app affiliate programs and give you some tips on promoting them and tracking their performance. Bear with me, as you already know that mobile apps are getting more popular not without reason…
Which one should you choose? Top 10 mobile app affiliate programs
I could not start the list with anything else than app stores. We all know them, we all have them – regardless of the fact if we like them or not, the smartphone producents decided for us 😉
There are a lot of other affiliate programs out there. Sometimes it may be hard to decide which one to choose. However, I gathered some that are worth checking out, so let’s go through the top mobile app affiliate programs you can participate in:
- Apple App Store
Who does not like apples? What if you could make some money on them? Well, actually, you can!
Even though Apple does not pay for promoting all the apps listed in AppStore, you can earn by advertising Apple online products: Apple TV, Apple Books, Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, and Apple News.
Apple offers two types of programs: Standard – which gathers most of the partners – and Premier one – which you can only join by invite and has different requirements. So if you recently decided that you would like to earn by promoting mobile apps through affiliate programs – the first option will be the one to start with.
More info: Apple Services Performance Partners Program
Commission/Earnings: 7% commissions on sales revenue or one-time 50-400% membership commission (depends on which app you promote)
Minimum withdrawal: $30
Payment cycle: 60-90 days
Cookie duration: 30 days
- Google Play Store (Partnerize program)
Yes, I know. There are also Android users in this world. So there has to be an affiliate program that gives you an option to earn money by promoting apps also for them, right?
The Google Play Store is the other one of the two most popular app stores.
You can become a Google Play Affiliate and get commissions by linking directly to Google Play Store’s products or content (this also includes Movies & TV).
The other option is the PlayBook Affiliates program, which allows you to earn a commission by promoting Google Play Books. However, this one is at the moment available only for active Play Books partners. If you’re eligible to participate in that app affiliate program, you should see the sign-up option on your Play Books Partner Center account homepage.
Important is the fact that you can manage both from the Partnerize platform level. Its dashboard allows you to view a number of clicks, conversions as well as Order value, and eCPC to name a few. Partnerize also allows you to set up S2S postback, so you can easily pass the information about conversions to your tracking platform.
More info: Google and Play Books Affiliates
Commission/Earnings: 7% commissions for Play Books Affiliates, for Google Affiliates, depends on the brand’s commission rates
Minimum withdrawal: $30 (or local currency equivalent)
Payment cycle: 1-3 business days
Cookie duration: 1 year (Partnerize cookie)
- Groupon
In case you don’t know this one (I’m a fan of it, even though I’m not using the app, but the desktop version) it’s a platform where you can find discounts and special offers related to recreation activities, restaurants, and other goods.
With this app, you can get a commission for every new user that registers and starts using the platform. You’re not getting the money to withdraw per se, but you earn Groupon Bucks which can be used for Groupon transactions later on.
More info: Groupon Referral Program
Commission/Earnings: $10 Groupon Bucks
Minimum withdrawal: Does not apply
Payment cycle: Immediate on your Groupon balance
Cookie duration: 72h
- Microsoft 365
You may be surprised if you were not using it, but yes: there is also an app offered by Microsoft 365. It’s accessible from mobiles, tablets, and gives the possibility to open documents, spreadsheets, and presentations from portable devices (not only laptops/desktops).
As this is a well-known product, it should be quite easy to make the audience interested in downloading it. However, you have to keep in mind that in this case, Microsoft 365 provides a commission based on the sales (not downloads), so if users that download the app already have a Microsoft plan, you won’t get any commission for them just using the mobile app version.
More info: Microsoft 365 for business Affiliate Program
Commission/Earnings: from $5 to $20 per seat (depending on the Microsoft 365 plan)
Minimum withdrawal: No info
Payment cycle: 90 days after the order
Cookie duration: 30 days
- Rakuten
Are there some cashback fans? If so, welcome to the club, as this one’s for us!
You probably know this popular cashback app called Rakuten (its old name was Ebates) – it also has a mobile app affiliate program in which you can participate.
With Rakuten, you can earn cashback for each new user that signs up via the link that was generated for you in Rakuten’s mobile app affiliate program and completes a transaction that qualifies for cashback within 90 days from registration.
If you generate more than 10 sign-ups within a calendar quarter, Rakuten will classify you as an “Influencer” and you may get special offers and receive extra bonuses. To become a “Special Influencer” you can apply under this link – the Rakuten team will verify the data that you provided and decide if you can promote the platform under special conditions.
I’m trying to be objective, regardless of the fact that I’m a cashback freak – I promise! But…
What is literally COOL about Rakuten’s app affiliate program is the fact that not only do you get $30 on your balance for every qualified user that you brought to the platform but $30 also goes to the person that registered. Why is that significant? Because you can definitely use this as a selling point to attract visitors while promoting the referral link on your website.
More info: Rakuten Referral Program
Commission/Earnings: $30 for every qualified referral
Minimum withdrawal: $5
Payment cycle: every 3 months (according to Rakuten’s schedule)
Cookie duration: 1 year
- Google G Suite
I know I mentioned Google in this article already, but well, aside from the external apps from Play Store, you can also earn by promoting the ones owned by Google.
Here I’m referring specifically to the G Suite: so for example services like Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Drive. If you’re not using these products on your own, I’m sure you have already heard about them somewhere as Google is undeniably an internet giant.
The G Suite mobile app affiliate program focuses on the business version of these products and gives you an opportunity to earn by advertising these products.
To start promoting G Suite you have to participate in a Referral Program. Once you start generating more than 99 new users per year, you can enter the Affiliate Program, which has even more attractive commissions available.
More info: Google Workspace Referral Program
Commission/Earnings for Referral Program: $8, $15, or $23 per new user (depending on the G Suite plan)
Commission/Earnings for Affiliate Program: $9, $18, or $27 per new user (depending on the G Suite plan)
Minimum withdrawal: Unknown
Payment cycle: customer pay period has to be at least 90 days (Referral Program) or 60 days (Affiliate Program) for a commission to be eligible
Cookie duration: Your promotion code can be applied by referral up to 14 days after trial registration
- Inbox Dollars
InboxDollars is a money-making app that pays commission for online activities. With this app, you can earn by playing games, watching videos, reading, participating in surveys, or shopping.
When it comes to the referral program available in InboxDollars, this app allows you to see how many users that you referred are earning, and what is your commission from that.
What distinguishes the InboxDollars mobile app affiliate program from other referral programs is the fact that if you refer more than 6 people you are qualified to earn a 30% commission from all activities these users made for life. You can cash out funds that you earned by promoting Inbox Dollars via PayPal, prepaid Visa, gift card, or check.
More info: Inbox Dollars Refer Friends Program
Commission/Earnings: $1; if you refer more than 5 users then 30% of referrals earnings
Minimum withdrawal: $30
Payment cycle: On request, processing can take 3-5 business days
Cookie duration: Unknown
- Express VPN
According to the SurfShark statistics published by DataProd, 31% of internet users worldwide used a VPN service in their lives.
VPN abbreviation stands for “Virtual Private Network”. In simple words, it’s a type of service that encrypts the internet connection between your computer and the internet network to which it’s connected. It can help you to stay safe on public Wi-Fi, make sure your online banking info is protected, and/or avoid disclosing your true location to advertisers.
But…
Enough with the definitions. Let’s move to the essence!
VPN solutions are getting more and more popular, so I had to include at least one on that list. Express VPN (similar to Microsoft 365) offers two types of referral programs.
The first one is dedicated to people that want to get a 30-day VPN subscription for free by referring a friend.
The second one – called the Express VPN Affiliate Program – is more for actual affiliates, so if you would like to promote the platform and app on a bigger scale to earn some cash, this is the right one for you to choose. To participate in this program, you have to fill out an application and be approved by Express VPN.
The commission is eligible for monthly and annual purchases, and naturally, its value may differ depending on which plan is purchased by your referral.
More info: Express VPN Affiliate
Commission/Earnings: Up to $36 per referral
Minimum withdrawal: $50
Payment cycle: each month (processed up to 15 days after the close of a calendar month)
Cookie duration: 30 days
- Dosh
Yes, it’s another cashback app. But as Taylor was singing in her song please “Don’t blame me, love made me crazy” (it’s actually love for cashback apps 😆)
With Dosh, users can earn commission by linking their credit or debit card and making online purchases.
If you decide to become a Dosh affiliate and participate in their mobile app affiliate program, you’re allowed to promote your referral link, for example, via direct messages, social media, or take advantage of email marketing. You then get a commission for each user that registers and connects a credit or debit card to the Dosh account.
Commission/Earnings: $10
Minimum withdrawal: $25
Payment cycle: commission added automatically to your Dosh wallet
Cookie duration: 48h
- Chime
Chime is an online banking app that allows you to monitor your expenses and helps you save money (with the use of an automatic savings feature). As we all know, it’s not always that easy to do that on your own…
With Chime mobile app affiliate program you can get a commission when your referral registers to the platform and completes a single deposit of $200 within 45 days from opening an account. You can share your referral link either directly with a friend/user or use social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook to promote it.
Commission/Earnings: Up to $50
Minimum withdrawal: Does not apply
Payment cycle: Commission is automatically added to your balance once conditions are met
Cookie duration: 45 days
That’s it for the top mobile app affiliate programs, but… I’ve got some recommendations for you to make sure you’re making the most out of promoting mobile apps!
How to advertise mobile app affiliate programs and track conversions?
Make sure you’re compliant with the advertising policy
When participating in a mobile app affiliate program, it is important to learn about all the requirements defined by a specific platform.
Some of them may not allow you to use the referral links on pages that are not owned by you (for example promote the link directly under the ad on the traffic source’s side), but for others it may be perfectly fine.
While Groupon allows you to promote your referral link via emails, text messages or social media, Rakuten does not allow you to use email campaigns for advertising it.
Depending on the platform you can also directly receive the full documentation about the app affiliate program terms and conditions, but if you did not get it on your email after signing up for the referral program, you should definitely look for it on the platform’s website or in the app.
Why? It would be a pity to lose the commission you earned (by having it blocked) due to not being compliant with the specific referral program’s regulations. Wouldn’t it?
Decide on traffic type
All right. Let’s say you already learned about the requirements and read the specific program’s terms and conditions from cover to cover. It’s time for you to decide on a specific way of advertising.
You may wonder: which source should I choose if I’m not limited by the specific app affiliate program policy?
You can choose from various traffic sources like Facebook, Google, Zeropark, Outbrain, and more, as well as traffic types: pop, search, push, banner, native and more.
Set integrations with traffic sources
If you use Voluum for gathering info from multiple ad platforms, make sure you set up traffic integrations for selected sources in the API tool, Automizer. That will allow you to have cost data passed regardless of the fact that the source does not support a dynamic cost token. What’s more, you will be able to pass back information about the conversion for Facebook or Google Ads traffic sources with the use of a cookie-less solution – that is not available when you promote the ads without using the Voluum platform.
It’s always good to do some research on affiliate forums such as Afflift or STM, and look for the information on which traffic type was performing best with the affiliate program in which you participate. Naturally, trends may change over time, but it’s always easier to start with some knowledge, instead of testing everything from scratch.
You can also look for some courses to master digital marketing – it will help you not only for mobile app affiliate programs, but also in promoting affiliate network or direct partner offers from various categories. Be sure to check Voluum’s Affiliate Academy, because you can enroll here for free!
If you decide to use native, banner, or push ads to promote links from mobile app affiliate programs, you have to also…
When it comes to banners and creatives – analogically as in the previous point – the specific recommendations will depend on the source and traffic type that you’re using, as well as on the audience that you plan to target.
However, it’s always worth learning about some general best practices before searching for more detailed information related to specific ads. For creating banners and creatives you can use tools like Canva, Abbysale, Adobe, and more. That should make the process more convenient, as these tools offer some predefined templates that should speed up preparing the graphics.
You can also try to look for the creatives and promotional materials provided by the specific platform that you’re planning to advertise. Some of them (for example Microsoft 365) allow you to choose from a variety of content and banners. As predefined creatives are usually made by designers that know the targeted audience well, it’s highly probable that such graphics will be engaging for the people that might be interested in registering to the platform or buying a subscription.
Test campaigns with landing pages
Sure, you can promote referral links by placing them directly under your ads. However, if you prepare a landing page that will display the most important information about the platform that you’re promoting, visitors that clicked on the ad will be more engaged and willing to buy a subscription or register, than if you would redirect straight to the signup page. That transition can be quite abrupt for users and usually does not contain a lot of information for those who are unsure.
For creating pre-sell pages (also called landers) you can use builders like for example Instapage or Unbounce. With these, you don’t need to have coding knowledge to prepare a landing page that you will use to promote the mobile app.
Perform A/B testing
Do you have a few ideas for your landing page that you think might be interesting for users? Don’t worry you don’t have to limit yourself only to one landing page version.
With a use of marketing tools that give you on option to rotate different landers you can perform an A/B testing within your campaign. That will allow you to easily verify which landing page works best with the mobile app that you’re promoting, and help you make the most out of your marketing efforts.
In case you promote similar apps at the same time and they will be linked to one lander, you can also define different referral links depending on which CTA is clicked for example if you create comparison pages or rotate several referral links under one button.
If you use a tracker you should also make sure that you correctly set up the page to contain a tracking link. That will allow your visitors to be redirected to the final destination, which is your referral link. This leads me to the last, but extremely important recommendation…
Use tracker for detailed reporting
Why? The reason is simple.
If you don’t gather the data and all the necessary information, how can you optimize and make the most of the mobile app affiliate programs?
Well, I bet you figured out the answer on your own.
Once you have a few main sources to start with you can set them in your tracker, then add a landing page with an offer, and select them both in your campaign.
When you use a tracking and optimizing solution you can also A/B test your landing pages, rotate the offers, and set rules that will re-distribute your traffic based on the conditions you set.
It also gives you a more transparent view of the audience specification and helps observe trends to see which geo, device, or publisher performs best with a specific landing page or offer.
Don’t have a tracker yet?
It’s essential to gather data about visitors in one place, to be able to optimize and make the most of promoting referral links, when you’re participating in a mobile app affiliate program.
If you don’t have any tracker yet, be sure to check out the best tracking and optimizing solutions that Voluum offers. Learn about A/B testing, traffic distribution AI, integrations with sources, and more.
Don’t wait and sign up here!
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