99designs Affiliate Program Review (2025)

What Is the 99designs Affiliate Program?

The 99designs Affiliate Program lets content creators, bloggers, entrepreneurs, and designers earn commissions by referring new or returning customers to 99designs — a platform where you can launch design contests, hire designers, and get custom logos, branding, websites, and other design work. Affiliates promote 99designs links (via Impact or another network), and when users they refer start a contest or project, they earn money. The program rewards both new and returning customers, with different rates.

Key Features and Details

Here are the important features you need to know:

Feature	Detail	Source
Commission Rates	$40 for every new customer; $20 for returning customers.	99designs Official Affiliate Page
Renewal / Recurring Commission	No recurring commission documented — payments are per transaction/contest or project started.	99designs
Cookie Duration	60 days — new visitors have this long after clicking affiliate link to convert.	99designs Affiliate Page
Payout Methods	PayPal and Payoneer are available.	99designs Help Center
Payout Frequency / Threshold	Payouts are processed monthly. Minimum payout when you have cleared earnings of at least US$25.	99designs Help Center
Approval Process	Apply through the 99designs Affiliate (Impact) page. Short application, once accepted you receive access to affiliate dashboard and links.	99designs Affiliate Page
Marketing Tools / Support	Provides creatives in multiple languages (German, French, etc.), banners, link generation tools, and a support team for affiliate questions. Dedicated affiliate resources.	99designs Official Affiliate Page

Pros | What Makes It Attractive

Here are the strong points of promoting 99designs.

High per-sale commissions: $40 for new customers is strong, especially for design contests which tend to have higher order values.
Long cookie window: 60 days gives affiliates more time to convert their traffic. (99designs Affiliate Page)
Global brand: Well known among small businesses, startups, and design seekers — trust helps conversions.
Supports returning customers: Lower payout for returning customers ($20) but still a commission — gives room for loyalty/referrals.
Multiple payout methods: Using PayPal & Payoneer helps affiliates around the world receive payments conveniently. (Help Center)

Cons | Challenges

Here are the things you should watch out for / plan around:

No recurring revenue structure: After the contest/project is launched, affiliates do not receive further revenue from that same customer.
Competition: Many design blogs already promote 99designs, so you’ll need unique content to stand out.
Variable contest price: Some contests are low-budget, which may reduce your commission in percentage terms.
Language / asset limitations: Creative assets are available in some languages by request; may not have localized visuals for all markets initially.

Who Is This Program Best For?

The 99designs Affiliate Program is especially well suited for:

Blogger

Graphic design and branding bloggers or sites comparing design services.

Websites

Small business and startup focused content that helps people with logos, branding, and initial web design identity.

Social Media

Tutorial sites or YouTube channels showing how design contests work or comparing designer marketplaces.

Marketer

Marketing and entrepreneurship creators showing how to build brands affordably.

If your audience is visual, design oriented, or entrepreneurial, 99designs can convert well due to its broad appeal and strong trust reputation.

Tips for Success (to Maximize Earnings)

Here are 5 specific strategies to get the most out of the 99designs affiliate program:

Create comparison content: “99designs vs Fiverr vs Upwork for logo design” works well.
Showcase case studies or project examples: Real portfolios and walkthroughs help users see value, which improves conversion.
Use localized content: If you serve non-English markets, request or use localized creatives and banners.
Promote time-sensitive content or design need content: “Need a logo now?”, “New business branding tips”, etc.
Leverage returning customer tracking: Even the lower commission on returning customers adds up if you drive repeat users or users with upgrade

Affiliate Terms & How to Join

To join the 99designs Affiliate Program, go to their Affiliate Page (often via the Impact network), fill out the short application, and once approved you will receive affiliate links and access to creative assets. (99designs Official Affiliate Page)

Payouts are processed once monthly via PayPal or Payoneer (depending on location), once earnings have cleared a minimum balance (US$25). (99designs Help Center)

JOIN THE

99designs

AFFILIATE PROGRAM

Final Thoughts

The 99designs Affiliate Program is a robust opportunity for anyone in the design, branding, or small business space. With a high fixed reward for new customers, good commissions even for returning users, a generous 60-day cookie period, and trusted methods of payout, it’s well suited to quality content creators. While there’s no recurring income from customer renewals or upgrades, the value per referral and global reputation make it a strong program to include in your affiliate lineup—especially if you can produce content around branding, design comparisons, and show projected value.

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you convert through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only promote products I trust and believe in.