Companies that Pay for Referrals

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  Please read my affiliate disclosure here.

According to the Financial Post, more than 9 out of 10 Canadians are enrolled in a loyalty program.  That’s a whole lot of people!  The loyalty program industry is multi-billion dollar enterprise as consumers will chose where to shop based on the rewards offered.  These programs also offer companies the ability to access consumers’ shopping data to see where and how they spend their money.

Of course, non-shopping rewards programs are out there too.  These programs pay their members to complete tasks such as watching videos, answering surveys and polls, searching for terms and completing offers.  They earn a commission from their advertising partners when members complete such tasks and then off part of that commission to the members as an incentive.

Whether a company offers a loyalty program or rewards for completing offers, they are always looking for more people to join.  The reason why is simple: more money!

When someone is rewarded for shopping at a particular store, they are more likely to come back and earn more points and spend more when they redeem.

When someone completes a survey on a get-paid-to network, that network gets paid.

It really all comes down to dollars and cents.

As a result, many companies are willing to provide incentives to their members to invite their friends and family to join.

Think of social media and brand influencers.  Are you more likely to join something that you see a random commercial for, or something that a friend recommends and shares their experience of?  Someone is more likely to join a program if they have been referred by someone they trust, and companies are willing to pay for the trust you offer.

So you may be thinking, Elena, this is all well and good, but how do I get people to actually sign up for these programs?

There are a few ways:

This is simply talking to people and sharing the opportunity in person.  I do this all the time.  Since I literally blog about these types of programs, as soon as I find a good one, I start telling my friends and family.  They know I spend hours using these programs and know how to navigate them.

Much the same as word of mouth, but this is simply sharing programs on social media.  If you follow me on Twitter and Facebook, you will get notifications of my new blog posts.  I also share payment proofs and tips on both of these networks.  Now, you don’t need a blog to do this, you can simply share your proofs and links on social media too!  Add a little write up about the program and more people will be likely to check it out.

If you are already a member of money saving forums, sharing your link there is a great way to get noticed.  Many forums will let you add links in your signature, so other members will see them when you post.  If you have a compelling message explaining the link, others are more likely to click on it and check it out.

If you have a blog, you can share your referral links on it!  The referrals I get from this blog help cover its expenses and help me keep on sharing money saving tips and tricks.  Not sure how to get started or how to get traffic?  Click here to check out Paul Scriven’s who is a blogging mastermind!

So now that you have an idea of why companies are willing to pay for referrals and how to get them, here are companies that pay Canadians for referrals:

These companies reward members with a fixed amount as soon as someone signs up.  Some pay just for the signup, while others have a minimum that must be met by the new member.

Caddle – An app that pays users for completing surveys and when they upload proof of purchases for listed items.  Available in Canada.  Earn $1 when someone signs up and completes an offer in the app.  Sign up here using code ELENA33070 for a $1 bonus.

Checkout 51 – An app that pays users when they upload proof of purchase of listed items.  Available in Canada and the USA.  Earn $10 when your referral redeems their first offer.  Join here.

Chef’s Plate – A meal kit subscription site that sends out recipes with ingredients each week.  Available in Canada.  Earn 4 free meals when someone uses your referral link to get 4 free meals of their own.  Join here.

Coinout – An app that pays users when they upload receipts.  Available in Canada and the US Canadian referrals currently paused.  Earn $0.75 per referral.  Sign up here.

Drop – An app that offers cashback each time you use a connected card at specific stores, or through their links.  Available in Canada.  Earn $5 when you referral links their first card.  Join here and use code 9efqb to get $5 when you link your first card.

Ebates.ca – Site that gives cashback when shopping at select Canadian stores.  Available when shopping at Canadian online stores.  Earn $10 when someone signs up and spends $25.  Sign up here.

Ebates.com – Site that gives cashback when shopping at select American stores.  Available when shopping at American online stores.  Earn $25 when someone signs up and completes their first shop.  Sign up here to get a $10 bonus after your first purchase.

Flash Food – App from Loblaws banner stores where you can buy clearance items and pick up in store.  Available in Canada.  Earn $7 when your referral makes their first purchase of 50 cents or more.  Join here and get $5 off your next purchase after you spend 50 cents or more.

Groupon – A group buying discount site, where members can save money on various events, services, vacations and items.  Available in Canada and the USA.  Earn $10 in Groupon credit after your referral purchases their first deal.  Sign up here.

LegerOpinion – A Canadian survey site that pays Canadians for completing surveys.  Available in Canada.  Earn 1000 LEO points (about $1) for each person who validates their registration, completes their profile and completes their first survey.  Join here.

Instacart – Grocery delivery service.  Available in Canada and the USA.  Earn $10 for each referral after they place their first order (they get $10 for signing up with your link).  Sign up here and to a $10 credit.

Mobee – Mystery shopping app that rewards users for completing brief surveys while shopping.  Available in Canada and USA.  Earn 300 points ($3) when your referral completes their first mission.  Sign up here with invite code 1QX9.

Moka – An Investment app that rounds up purchases from a linked card and invests the spare change.  Available in Canada.  Earn $5 when your referral signs up and funds their account.  Join here.

Questrade – $25 for every referral.  $50 bonus for every third referral.  When they sign up using your QPass key, they get their first month managed for free with a deposit of $1000 or more, and then bonuses based on the amount they deposit in their first 90 days.  If in the first 90 days they deposit $1000, they get $25; $10,000 they get $50; $25,000 they get $75; $50,000 they get $100 and $100,000 they get $250.  Join with my Qpass key for your bonuses: 456426490418502

Royal Draw –  Website that rewards users for completing offers and surveys and offers daily draws for gift cards.  Available in most countries.  Earn 40 points (5 cents) for each referral.  Join here.

Skip The Dishes – A meal delivery service.  Available in Canada and the United States.  Earn $7 when referrals sign up through your link.  Join here.

Uber Eats – A meal delivery service.  Available in Canada and the USA.  Earn $20 when your referral places their first order (they also get $7 off using your code).  Sign up here using code eats-elenaf1414ue to save $7 off your first order.

Wish – A discount shopping site.  Available in many countries.  Earn $3 in store credit after your first referral’s order ships (up to $30).  Join here with code qjycnmp to save 50% off your first order.

These companies do not pay one time referral bonus, but instead rewards you for the ongoing work that your referral does.  Some offer a percentage of the referrals’ earnings, while others offer a fixed amount for tasks.

Daily Rewards – A get paid to site that rewards users for completing offers, searches and surveys, watching videos and playing games.  Available in many countries.  Earn 10% of your referrals’ qualified earnings.  Join here.

My Points – Get 25 points when your friend accepts their invitation.  Get 75 points (they get 1750) when they make their first purchase of $20 or more.  Get 10% of all their eligible point earnings.  Sign up here.

Swagbucks – Most people’s default get paid to site, that pays members to complete offers, searches and surveys, watch videos and play games.  Available in many countries.  Earn 10% of the Swagbucks your referral earns for life.  Join here.

SurveySavvy – A survey site that rewards users for their opinions.  Available in most countries.  Earn an unspecified amount when referrals and their referrals earn.  Join here.

Treasure Trooper – My favourite get-paid to site.  Like Swagbucks, it pays members to watch videos, complete offers, searches and surveys, and play games – but it also has a really nice online community with many bonus ways to earn.  Available in most countries.  Earnings are paid based on the amount of active referrals, starting at 20% of referrals’ earnings.  Sign up here.

GoCashBack – Earn $5 when someone signs up, plus 5% of their cashback for a year!  Learn more about GoCashBack here.

TimeBucks – Another awesome Swagbucks alternative where you get paid to complete tasks, watch videos, play games and answer surveys. Get 15% of whatever your referral makes. Sign up here.