So you want more people to visit your website? Well, WordPress Referral Plugins might be just what you need. These tools help you get more visitors by letting your current users bring their friends to your site.

Think of it like this – when you tell a friend about a good restaurant, they trust you and go try it. That’s how referral programs work for websites too.

What Are Referral Plugins?

Referral plugins are tools you add to your WordPress site. They help you create programs where people get rewards for bringing new visitors or customers to your website.

Here’s how it works: Someone visits your site and likes what they see. You give them a special link they can share with friends. When their friends use that link and do something on your site (like buy something or sign up), the person who shared gets a reward.

The reward could be money, discounts, free stuff, or points. It’s a win-win – you get new visitors, and your users get something nice for helping you out.

Why Use Referral Plugins?

Well, there are lots of good reasons to use these plugins:

• People trust their friends more than ads
• It costs less than paying for ads
• You only pay when you actually get new customers
• Your current users help you grow
• It can work even when you’re sleeping

Now, let’s look at the top 5 referral plugins that can help your website grow fast.

These plugins are all tested and work well for different types of websites. Some are simple and cheap, while others have more features but cost more. We picked these five because they’re reliable, have good support, and actually help websites get more visitors.

1. ReferralCandy

ReferralCandy is one of the most popular referral plugins out there. It’s easy to use and works well for most websites. This plugin has been around for years and thousands of websites use it to get more customers. It’s especially good for online stores because it connects really well with shopping cart plugins.

What makes it good:

• Simple to set up – takes about 10 minutes
• Works with WooCommerce stores
• Tracks everything for you
• Sends emails to people automatically
• Has nice-looking referral pages

How it works: When someone buys something from your site, ReferralCandy sends them an email with their special referral link. They can share this link with friends. When friends buy something using that link, the original customer gets a reward.

Pricing: It costs about $79 per month with a 14-day free trial. So, you can explore it and then purchase it. 

Best for: Online stores that sell products and want to get more customers without spending tons on ads.

2. Post Affiliate Pro

Post Affiliate Pro is a bigger tool that does more than just referrals. It’s like having a whole marketing team in one plugin. This plugin is really powerful and can handle large websites with lots of traffic. Many big companies use it because it has so many features and works really well.

What makes it good:

• Tracks lots of different things
• Works with almost any website
• Has detailed reports
• Can handle complex referral rules
• Integrates with email tools

How it works: You set up your referral program with whatever rules you want. People sign up to be your affiliates (that’s what they call people who refer others). They get their links and start sharing. The plugin tracks everything and pays people based on your rules.

Pricing: It’s more expensive, starts at about $99 per month. But it has way more features than simpler plugins.

Best for: Bigger websites that want lots of control over their referral program and don’t mind paying more for extra features.

3. WP Referral Plugin

This one is made just for WordPress, so it fits in really well with your site. Since it’s built only for WordPress, it works smoothly with your theme and other plugins. The developers know WordPress inside and out, so they made sure everything works perfectly together.

What makes it good:

• Made specifically for WordPress
• Easy to customize
• Works with most themes
• Has shortcodes for easy setup
• Good customer support

How it works: After you install it, you can add referral forms anywhere on your site using shortcodes. When people sign up through a referral link, both the referrer and the new user can get rewards. You can set different rewards for different actions.

Pricing: Much cheaper than the others for the basic version. Perfect if you’re just starting out.

Best for: Small to medium websites that want a simple referral system without breaking the bank.

4. Ultimate Affiliate Pro

Don’t let the name fool you – this plugin is great for referral programs too. It’s really flexible and can do almost anything you want. This plugin is like a Swiss Army knife for referral programs. You can set it up in many different ways, and it grows with your business as you get bigger.

What makes it good:

• Super flexible – you can set it up many different ways
• Has a mobile app
• Multi-level referrals (people can earn from their friends’ referrals too)
• Real-time tracking
• Works with membership sites

How it works: You can create different types of referral programs. Maybe you want to pay people for each new sign-up, or maybe you want to give them a percentage of sales. This plugin can handle both and more.

Pricing: It’s in the middle – around $79 for the basic version. More features are come with the addons bundle, but you get good value.

Best for: Websites that want to try different types of referral programs and see what works best.

5. AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is simple but powerful. It focuses on doing one thing really well – managing referrals and affiliates. The developers believe in keeping things simple and clean. They don’t try to add every feature possible – instead, they make sure the main features work perfectly every time

What makes it good:

• Clean, simple interface
• Works with popular plugins like WooCommerce
• Good documentation
• Regular updates
• Solid support team

How it works: People apply to become your affiliates. You approve them, and they get their referral links. When someone uses their link and makes a purchase, the affiliate earns a commission. Everything is tracked automatically.

Pricing: Starts at $299.60 per year. Not the cheapest, but the quality is really good.

Best for: Professional websites that want a reliable, no-nonsense referral system.

How to Choose the Right Plugin

Well, picking the right plugin depends on a few things:

• Your budget: If you’re just starting out, go with something cheaper like WP Referral Plugin. If you have more money to spend, Post Affiliate Pro or AffiliateWP might be better.
• Your website type: If you have an online store, ReferralCandy works great. If you have a membership site, Ultimate Affiliate Pro might be better.
• How much control you want: Some plugins are simple and do everything for you. Others let you customize every little detail. Think about what you prefer.
• Your technical skills: Some plugins are easier to set up than others. If you’re not very technical, stick with the simpler ones.

Setting Up Your Referral Program

Once you pick a plugin, here’s how to set it up:

Step 1: Install and activate the plugin
Step 2: Go to the plugin settings
Step 3: Decide what rewards you’ll give
Step 4: Set up your referral pages
Step 5: Test everything to make sure it works
Step 6: Tell your users about the program

Tips for Success

Here are some things that will help your referral program work better:

• Make the rewards good enough that people want to share
• Keep the process simple – don’t make people jump through hoops
• Send reminder emails to people who haven’t used their links yet
• Track your results and change things if they’re not working
• Thank people when they refer others

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t make these mistakes:

• Making rewards too small – people won’t bother sharing
• Making the process too complicated
• Not promoting your referral program enough
• Forgetting to test everything before launching
• Not following up with people who refer others

FAQ

So there you have it, the top 5 WordPress referral plugins that can help your website grow fast. Each one has its own strengths, so pick the one that fits your needs and budget best.

Remember, the best referral program is one that makes it easy for people to share and gives them good reasons to do it. Start simple, test things out, and improve as you go. With the right plugin and approach, you’ll have more visitors coming to your site in no time.

The key is to just get started. Pick a plugin, set it up, and see what happens. You might be surprised at how well it works!