Affiliate or reseller: which suits someone who builds sites for clients

The short answer: if you build sites, shops or e-mail for other people, you have two ways to earn from hosting: recommend us as an affiliate, or resell. As an affiliate, the client is ours and pays us directly; you receive a commission. In reselling, the client is yours, and you invoice them and give first-line support. The choice is between less work and more control.

Side by side

Affiliate Reseller
Who the client is The client has their own account with us and pays us. The client is yours: their account sits inside yours.
Who invoices We do. You do not have to issue invoices for hosting. You do.
Who gives first-line support We do, directly to the client. You, usually; we support you.
What you earn A percentage of what the client pays, on renewals too. The amount is on the Affiliates screen. The difference between what you charge and what you pay, at the price you decide.
What you risk Little: you do not run servers or payments. More: you answer to the client and manage accounts and billing.
When it suits A few clients, or you only want to recommend and carry no burden. Many clients, or you want a brand and prices of your own.

How to decide

1 Count the clients you have today and those you expect in a year. Two or three do not justify the work of reselling; dozens, maybe.
2 Ask yourself whether you want to be the first contact when a client’s site fails at eleven at night. In reselling, it is you.
3 Ask yourself whether you want to bill and manage renewals. If not, affiliate is simpler.
4 Read both sides: The affiliate programme and Reseller hosting or one plan per client.
5 Start small. You can recommend to your first clients now and move to reselling when the portfolio grows; that path does not stop you.
Do not promise your client what you do not control. In either case the hosting service is ours: speak truthfully to them about timings and what the plans include.
The client you build the site for needs an account and a domain in their own name. See Handing a website over to a client.

Want help deciding between affiliate and reselling? Tell us how many clients you have and what you do for them.

Open a support ticket

SEE ALSO

The affiliate programme

Reseller hosting or one plan per client: what suits a freelancer or agency

Becoming a reseller: the plans, what is included and how to start

Handing a website over to a client or another company: what to move and what to change

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