Referral template · Inspired by Dropbox
Refer a Friend
Refer a Friend is a two-sided referral program template: when a friend signs up with a customer’s referral link, both of them get a reward, the way Dropbox gave both sides free space.
- Best for
- More sign-ups, with a reward for both sides
- Who gets rewarded
- The referrer and the friend
- A referral counts when
- The friend signs up
- Plan
- Plus and up
Invite friends
Give 1 month free, get 1 month free
3 friends joined with your link
Jay joined. 1 month free for you, 1 month free for Jay
Campaigns run on Refer a Friend
How does Refer a Friend work?
The all-time classic. Every friend who signs up means a reward for two people.
- 1
Customers get referral links
Everyone gets a link automatically, or opts in to the program.
- 2
They refer their friends
They share the link with friends by email, social or chat.
- 3
Both sides get a reward
When a friend accepts the invite and signs up, the friend and the referrer are both rewarded.
Who is Refer a Friend for?
Apps that need sign-ups
When the hardest part is getting people to try your product, a reward on both sides lowers the bar, like four weeks free.
Run by
Marketplaces that recruit
Reward the people who bring the next sitter, partner or specialist to your marketplace.
Run by
Money apps
Both people get something when a friend joins: a prize-draw ticket, credit or a fee waived.
Run by
What rewards can you offer with Refer a Friend?
Pick one reward for the friend and one for the referrer. Dropbox used its own product: extra storage for both.
| Who | Example reward | When |
|---|---|---|
| The friend | 1 month free, or a discount | When they sign up |
| The referrer | 1 month free, or account credit | For every friend who signs up |
Rewards can be your product (like Dropbox’s storage), merchandise, credit or an offer. Most teams approve rewards from the dashboard; you can also redeem them through the API.
Results from Viral Loops customers
Customer story · Milestone Referral
Growth Tribe went from idea to an online growth marketing summit in one month, with an ambassador program.A third of all registrations came from referrals
Customer story · Milestone Referral
JoeyWears built the email list for its Kickstarter launch with a milestone referral prelaunch.Every sign‑up brought 1.4 sign‑ups
Customer story · Tempting Giveaway
Mustard built a new audience for Camp Bestival Shropshire with a referral giveaway before the ticket pre-sale.30% more sign‑ups from referrals
Customer story · Milestone Referral
Prentus, a career platform, launched with a waiting list that unlocked rewards as people referred friends.20% referral rate
Customer story · Newsletter Referral
the DONUT, a daily news newsletter, was one of the first to run the Newsletter Referral, rewarding its readers.From zero to tens of thousands of subscribers
Customer story · Startup Prelaunchultimate.money, a DeFi wallet, opened its private beta with a referral waitlist people climbed by inviting friends.200,000 people in the first four weeks
What’s included in Refer a Friend?
No code, with guides for WordPress, Squarespace, Unbounce and HTML. Zapier, webhooks and the API connect anything not listed.
All integrationsWidgets
- Form
- In-app referral widget
- Reward stats
- Progress tracking
Pages
- Hosted Viral Loops Page
Works with
StripePayments
HubSpotCRM
MailchimpEmail
TremendousRewards
Zapier500+ more apps- Webhooks & APIDevelopers
FAQ
Refer a Friend FAQ
When do the rewards go out?
When the friend signs up with the referral link, a reward is created for both people. Approve them from your dashboard, or redeem them through the API.
What should we give?
Something both people want that costs you little: your product (Dropbox gave extra storage), credit, merchandise or an offer.
How is it different from the Universal Referral?
Refer a Friend rewards both sides on sign-up, with nothing else to set up. The Universal Referral can count purchases or any other event, add milestones and mix reward rules.
Where can it run?
On your website or web app with the no-code widgets, or on a hosted Viral Loops page. There are guides for WordPress, Squarespace, Unbounce, Leadpages, Instapage, Shopify and plain HTML. Templates run on every web platform except Wix.
Start with Refer a Friend.
Plans start at $35 a month, billed annually. Try it free for 14 days, or talk to our team.