The Best Affiliate Program for Shopify: A Step-by-Step Guide to Sustainable Store Growth

Running ads, posting on social media, sending emails, and applying every known e-commerce tactic can be exhausting. Still, many Shopify store owners face a usual issue: slow growth, despite following all known practices. The truth is, growing an online store doesn’t always require a larger ad budget or the newest AI tool. Sometimes, the key is in using your community and allowing other people to promote your brand. In our previous article, we discussed Shopify Custom Development Strategies. Today, we’ll shift focus and explore how affiliate marketing can fuel your store’s success and how to launch the best affiliate program for Shopify, one step at a time.

Why Affiliate Marketing Is a Game-Changer

Affiliate marketing, a strategy that has existed for many years, has turned into a key growth method for Shopify businesses because of its low-risk, high-reward nature. Unlike paying for clicks or views, which may not lead to sales, commissions are only paid when a purchase is made.

That means:

• No wasted ad spend
• Scalable growth potential
• Built-in brand ambassadors who are motivated to sell for you

It’s essentially a performance-based sales strategy where affiliates (bloggers, influencers, creators, or even your own customers) promote your products and earn a percentage of each sale they refer.

The Tools Behind the Best Affiliate Program for Shopify

When it comes to affiliate marketing on Shopify, there isn’t just one app to choose from. Several popular tools stand out, each with its own advantages depending on your budget and business needs:

Refersion– A platform suited for bigger stores and agencies. It has tools for tracking, influencer management, and works with many marketing platforms. The price starts at $99/month, so it’s a better choice for brands that already have affiliate plans.

Goaffpro – A budget-friendly option with a free plan available and paid plans starting at $24/month. It’s simple to set up, offers customizable affiliate portals, and includes multi-level marketing features for those who want to build layered programs.

UpPromote (Secomapp Affiliate Marketing) – Widely considered the best affiliate program for Shopify. It comes with a generous free plan, flexible commission structures, affiliate registration pages, and even a built-in affiliate marketplace. Paid plans start at $21.99/month, making it accessible for both startups and scaling businesses.

Affiliatly – Known for its straightforward approach and affordable pricing (starting at $16/month). It provides basic affiliate tracking, coupon code integration, and multiple commission models. While not as feature-rich as some competitors, it’s a good fit for small businesses just getting started.

While all of these tools can help you set up and run an affiliate program, UpPromote stands out for its ease of use, scalability, and built-in growth tools. In the next section, we’ll walk through exactly how to create the best affiliate program for Shopify using UpPromote as our example.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Your Shopify Affiliate Program

Let’s walk through how to build the best affiliate program for Shopify using UpPromote.

1. Install the App

Head to the Shopify App Store, find UpPromote, and install it. You’ll land on the overview screen, where you can begin creating your first program.

2. Create a Program

Click Programs → Add Program.

• Name it (e.g., “Creator Program”)
• Write a short description
• Enable the program

Here you’ll decide how affiliates earn

• Percentage of sale (e.g., 10%)
• Flat rate per order
• Flat rate per item

You can also:

• Exclude discounted products from commissions
• Offer higher commissions for specific products (great for launches)
• Exclude taxes and shipping from commissions

3. Set Up Payment Methods

Most of the affiliate apps can give you two options:

• Manual payments (e.g., via bank transfer)
• Automated payments (via PayPal, on paid plans)

Start with manual payments if your program is small, then scale up to automation later.

4. Recruit Affiliates

There are multiple ways to bring affiliates into your program:

• Registration pages
• Adding affiliates manually
• Converting customers into affiliates
• Using UpPromote’s outreach tools and marketplace

A good way to get more affiliates is to invite repeat customers to join your program. People who have bought from you more than once and enjoy your products can be great advocates. Just extract a list of these customers and ask them to join your program.

5. Motivate Affiliates

Keep your affiliates engaged by offering:

• Coupon codes
• Banners and creatives
• Tiered bonuses (e.g., a $50 bonus for 20 referrals)
• Gifts or exclusive rewards

6. Track and Pay

The Referrals dashboard provides a clear of view affiliate sales, commission values, and refunds to avoid paying commissions on returns. It also provides the tools to approve commissions and pay affiliates, which helps sales increase.

Real-World Benefits

Once your affiliate program is up and running, you’ll notice several key advantages:

• Sales generated passively by motivated partners
• Higher brand visibility through diverse marketing channels
• More trust and credibility, since affiliates recommend your products to their audiences

Instead of shouldering all the marketing work yourself, you create a community of sellers working on your behalf.

Final Thoughts

Affiliate marketing is no longer just a side tactic – it’s one of the most powerful ways to grow a Shopify store sustainably. By setting up the best affiliate program for Shopify with different apps, you can reduce ad spend, scale revenue, and build a community of loyal brand ambassadors.

And with experts like Digital Octane by your side, you can ensure your program isn’t just functional – it’s a true growth engine for your e-commerce business.