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2d (edited) • Tips
How to Set Up Skool Referrals: Turn Your Members Into a Growth Engine
Want your Skool community to grow on autopilot?
The Skool referral system pays your members up to 50% commission for bringing in new paying members - turning your community into a self-sustaining growth engine.
Why Use Skool's Built-In Referral System?
Most community owners struggle with member acquisition. But what if your existing members did the marketing for you?
Skool's affiliate program incentivizes members to share your community with their network. They earn lifetime recurring commissions (not one-time payments), it's built directly into Skool (no third-party tools), and you only pay when it converts.
The best part? Members promote authentically because they're already experiencing value. They're not just sharing a link—they're vouching for you.
Important: Skool Pro Plan Required
This feature is only available on Skool Pro, not the Hobby plan. If you're serious about scaling your paid community, you'll need to upgrade.
How to Enable Skool Referrals (Step-by-Step)
1. Access Skool Settings Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in your community dashboard.
2. Navigate to Affiliates Select Affiliates from the left sidebar. By default, this feature is turned OFF.
3. Set Your Commission Percentage You can choose rates from 10% to 50%. Most successful communities use 40% commission because it balances member motivation with profitability. That's what I use in my communities.
4. Preview the Member Experience Click the eye icon to see what members will see. Navigate to
Community, then Invite People. Members will see their unique referral link and commission rate.
5. How Members Use Their Referral Links Members copy their unique link and share it via posts, DMs, emails, or social media. When someone joins through that link and pays, the member earns their commission - for life.
What Do Members Earn Commission On?
Your members earn their commission percentage on:
- Paid community memberships (recurring revenue)
- Membership tier upgrades (Standard to Premium to VIP)
- Classroom product purchases (courses, templates, etc.)
The commission is lifetime recurring. If you set 40%, members earn 40% of every monthly payment
from their referrals. Skool handles all tracking and payouts automatically.
Real Example: 40% Commission on a $79/Month Community
Let's say you run a paid community at $79/month with 40% referral commissions:
- Member refers 1 new paying member = $31.60/month recurring
- Member refers 5 new paying members = $158/month recurring
- Member refers 10 new paying members = $316/month recurring
Your math: You keep 60% ($47.40 per member), they get 40% ($31.60 per member). Win-win. You grow without ad spend, they earn passive income.
When Should You Enable This?
Enable referrals when you have 20-50 engaged members who love your community, your pricing is clear, and members see strong ROI.
Wait if you have fewer than 10 active members or your community value isn't proven yet. You need advocates first.
One Critical Step Most People Miss
Don't just enable it and expect members to notice. Create a post announcing the program. Explain how much they can earn, where to find their link, and what qualifies as a referral.
I've seen this work in my own communities. When members have skin in the game financially, they refer better-quality people. They're not just sharing—they're building alongside you.
Want more monetization strategies?
🆓 Free Community: Join 300+ community owners in Content Revenue Lab
💰 Paid Community: Turn 25-50 members into $1K-$5K/month → Skool Monetization Lab
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How to Set Up Skool Referrals: Turn Your Members Into a Growth Engine
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