HubSpot Affiliate Program Review: Earning 30% Recurring Commissions
The HubSpot affiliate program stands out in a crowded field of SaaS affiliate opportunities. With 30% recurring commission for up to one year and a 180-day cookie window, it’s one of the more generous programs out there. But here’s the thing – not everyone gets in, and the real money comes from understanding who actually buys HubSpot.
Think about it: HubSpot ranges from $15 per month to $3,600 per month. Land someone on their Enterprise plan, and you’re looking at over $1,000 monthly for a full year. Just from one referral.
Bottom line: This program works well for content creators with business-focused audiences. The recurring payments can build serious long-term income, but you need the right audience and approval isn’t guaranteed.
HubSpot Affiliate Program Commission Rates
Let’s get straight to what everyone wants to know – the money. Earn 30% recurring commission for every customer your refer successfully (up to $1,000+ per sale). That 30% applies to all HubSpot products for the first year of their subscription.
This isn’t one of those programs where they pay you once and forget about you. Every month your referral pays HubSpot, you get your cut. For twelve months straight.
Base Commission Structure
The commission is flat across all products – 30% recurring rate (up to 1 year). Whether someone signs up for their basic CRM at $45/month or goes all-in on Enterprise at $3,600/month, you get the same percentage. Simple math, no tiers to figure out.
For example, if someone purchases a $50 HubSpot plan, you will receive $15 each month, for up to 12 months as long as they remain a customer. That’s $180 total from one small referral.
Recurring vs One-Time Payments
Here’s where HubSpot really shines compared to most affiliate programs. When they make purchases, you’ll earn 30% recurring rate (up to 1 year). Most programs throw you a one-time payment and call it done.
Not HubSpot. They keep paying as long as your referral keeps paying them. Up to 12 months of recurring income from each successful referral.
Bonus Payments & Incentives
The program has tiered benefits, though the details get a bit murky. If you reach 100 monthly signups, you’ll move up to the Super Affiliate tier which features bonuses on top of the 30% recurring commission.
What exactly those bonuses are? It’s also unclear what exactly “additional bonuses” or “custom commission” means. We scoured the web and dug into HubSpot’s site, but we couldn’t find anything. Probably something you negotiate directly with them once you’re moving serious volume.
Realistic Earning Examples
Here’s what the numbers actually look like across their main plans:
Plan Level
Monthly Cost
Your Commission
Annual Earnings
Starter
$45
$13.50
$162
Professional
$800
$240
$2,880
Enterprise
$3,600
$1,080
$12,960
*The likelihood of referring 100 Enterprise customers in the first month is, of course, slim. However, even one Enterprise referral leads to $14,400 in commission in the first year. Not bad for sharing a link.
How to Join the HubSpot Affiliate Program
Getting accepted isn’t automatic. We will review your proposal within 2-3 business days and accept you into the program if you’re a good fit. The key phrase there is “good fit” – they’re selective about who gets in.
Step 1: Visit the Affiliate Program Page
Head to the official HubSpot affiliate page. We’d love to work with you if you’re a software reviewer, content creator, online educator, or business solution that integrates with HubSpot.
They’re pretty clear about who they want – people with business audiences who actually use or understand marketing software.
Step 2: Complete the Application Form
Get connected with the affiliate team by emailing us at affiliates@hubspot.com. In your email, share your website and plan for promoting HubSpot. This isn’t a simple form – they want to understand your audience and promotion strategy.
Don’t just list your traffic numbers. Explain how you’d actually promote HubSpot and why your audience would care.
Step 3: Wait for Approval (Timeline)
We will review your proposal within 2-3 business days and accept you into the program if you’re a good fit. Fast turnaround, which is nice when you’re eager to start earning.
HubSpot will review your application and approve you within a few days if you meet their target audience requirements. The emphasis on audience fit tells you everything about their priorities.
Step 4: Access Your Affiliate Dashboard
Once approved, you get access through Impact, their affiliate platform. Impact is our trusted third-party affiliate platform we use to manage the program. This is where we host all your affiliate links, track performance, and process commission payments.
Impact is solid – been around forever and handles payments reliably.
Step 5: Generate Your Affiliate Links
After approval, log in to Impact to access your unique HubSpot affiliate links and marketing materials to start promoting. Standard affiliate link setup, different tracking codes for different campaigns.
Nothing fancy, but it works and tracks properly.
Step 6: Start Promoting and Earning
Share your HubSpot affiliate links on your website, email lists, social channels, and other platforms to generate conversions. Earn 30% recurring commissions on sales!
The real work starts here – driving qualified traffic that actually converts to paying customers.
HubSpot Affiliate Program Requirements
Here’s where things get interesting. It would be great if you used HubSpot yourself, but you are not required to be a HubSpot customer in order to be a part of the program. So you don’t need to be a customer, but…
Website & Traffic Requirements
They don’t publish hard numbers, but You’ll need a platform, like a social media account or website, with solid traffic and an active and relevant audience. The key word is “relevant” – your audience needs to be interested in business software.
To participate in the program, affiliates must have a website that generates traffic and meets certain eligibility requirements. They’re looking for established platforms, not brand new blogs.
Content Quality Standards
You must be FTC compliant and disclose in a clear way before the affiliate link that you will receive commission if someone clicks through and purchases. Standard FTC disclosure requirements – nothing unusual there.
HubSpot’s Affiliate program is particularly interested in individuals with the following roles: Content Creators, Saas Reviewers, Digital Educators, and Product Integration. They want people who create educational content, not just affiliate spammers.
Geographic Restrictions
For a signup to count, the customer will also need to sign up via desktop and be located in one of the qualifying regions. They don’t specify which regions, but it’s probably major English-speaking markets and EU.
Desktop-only signups is interesting – suggests they’re focused on business purchases, not mobile impulse buys.
Prohibited Promotional Methods
You will not purchase ads that direct to your site(s) or through an affiliate link that could be considered as competing with HubSpot’s own advertising, including, but not limited to, our branded keywords.
Can’t bid on “HubSpot” or their brand terms. Makes sense – they don’t want to pay you to compete with their own ads.
HubSpot Affiliate Payment Terms
Payment handling is straightforward, though there are some specifics worth knowing.
Payment Methods Available
The HubSpot Affiliate Program supports payment by direct deposit (EFT) or PayPal. Two solid options that work for most people worldwide.
You can withdraw your payouts by direct deposit (EFT) or PayPal. No checks or weird payment methods – just the standards that actually work.
Payment Schedule & Timing
You’re paid out monthly once you meet the minimum payout threshold. Monthly payments once you hit the minimum, which is pretty standard for affiliate programs.
The program is hosted on Impact, so you can choose to get paid on a scheduled day of each month or when your balance reaches a minimum threshold. Flexibility in when you get paid is nice.
Minimum Payout Threshold
A minimum balance of $10 USD is required before withdrawals can be made. That’s incredibly low – most programs require $50 or $100 minimum.
With their commission rates, you’ll hit $10 pretty quickly once you start getting conversions.
Cookie Duration & Commission Processing
180-day cookie window is generous compared to most programs. Six months to convert a visitor into a customer gives you plenty of time for longer sales cycles.
Cookie window: 180 days – definitely one of the longer cookie periods you’ll find in SaaS affiliate programs.
HubSpot Affiliate Resources & Support
They actually provide decent support materials, which isn’t always a given.
Available Creative Assets
Affiliates have access to 400+ marketing assets (like an extensive copy bank, banner images, promotional tips, and more). That’s a lot of ready-made promotional material.
Access a full resource center built for your success. More than just throwing you some banner ads and hoping for the best.
Email Templates & Swipe Copy
The 400+ marketing assets include tested copy and email templates. Having professionally written promotional copy saves tons of time, especially if writing isn’t your strength.
They understand that good affiliates need good tools to be successful.
Support & Training Resources
personalized monthly progress reviews, as well as dedicated account managers for serious affiliates. Not just automated emails – actual human support.
lean on the Affiliate team for help when you need it. Responsive support team that actually responds to questions.
HubSpot Affiliate Program Pros & Cons
Let’s be honest about what works and what doesn’t with this program.
Advantages of the Program
HubSpot is one of the most popular digital softwares for managing marketing, sales, and operations. With their powerful CRM, they’ve accumulated over 200,000 customers, including household names like DoorDash, Reddit, and Eventbrite.
Brand recognition helps with conversions. People have heard of HubSpot, which makes your job easier. With a generous 30% commission on recurring high-ticket software subscriptions, HubSpot is one of the most lucrative programs available.
The 180-day cookie window and recurring payments for a full year create real passive income potential.
Potential Drawbacks
The approval process isn’t guaranteed. However, for those with a completely unrelated audience in different sectors, it may prove overly challenging to gain traction.
That said, converting 200+ people per month takes having a solid amount of traffic and a relevant audience. The higher tiers require serious volume that most affiliates won’t reach.
Who Should Join
For marketers with an audience interested in marketing tools and software, HubSpot is a prime affiliate income source. Content creators who focus on business topics, marketing automation, or CRM solutions.
We’d love to work with you if you’re a software reviewer, content creator, online educator, or business solution that integrates with HubSpot. They’re clear about their ideal partners.
Who Should Skip This Program
If your audience is consumers rather than businesses, this probably isn’t for you. The most affordable product they have to offer is the CMR system which starts at $360 a month.
That’s not impulse-buy territory. You need an audience that makes serious business software decisions.
HubSpot Affiliate Program FAQs
The usual questions people ask, with actual answers based on their policies.
We will review your proposal within 2-3 business days and accept you into the program if you’re a good fit. Fast turnaround compared to some programs that take weeks.
They’re efficient about reviewing applications, probably because they get a lot of them.
For a signup to count, the customer will also need to sign up via desktop and be located in one of the qualifying regions. They don’t specify which regions, but probably major markets where HubSpot operates.
Desktop requirement suggests they’re focused on business purchases, not mobile browsing.
You will not purchase ads that direct to your site(s) or through an affiliate link that could be considered as competing with HubSpot’s own advertising, including, but not limited to, our branded keywords.
No bidding on their brand terms in paid ads. Pretty standard restriction.
Track your performance with highly customizable reports through the Impact platform. Real-time tracking of clicks, conversions, and commissions.
Impact’s reporting is solid – you can see exactly what’s working and what isn’t.
Yes, but If running ads, you need to direct the ad to your own website (and not to hubspot.com or a standalone landing page). Send traffic to your own content first, then to HubSpot.
Makes sense – they want quality traffic, not direct ad clicks.
If a customer downgrades, you will receive the commission associated with that downgrade. Your commission adjusts if they downgrade to a cheaper plan.
If they cancel completely, your recurring commissions stop. Standard practice.
If we suspect fraud (for example, if we see that signups are all from the same city or IP address) we may require you to prove that the referrals are valid. They watch for suspicious patterns and will ask for proof if needed.
You cannot use affiliate links to refer clients you are servicing. You’ll need to join the Solutions Partner Program and register them as a lead. Don’t try to get affiliate commissions on your own clients.
