40+ of the Best SaaS Partner Programs (and Why They Are So Good)

The Allbound team handpicked each partner program example in this list based on their recent growth, strategic prowess, and unique perspectives from which we can all learn. Not all of the best-of-the-best reflected in this list are huge resellers with far-reaching brand visibility; we chose to include SaaS partner program examples of varying sizes and origins, representing a broad range of industries.

1. Shipmonk

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Distribution
Partner program types: Solution, Marketplace

Shipping and logistics is a fascinating world not unlike a spider web; it has many touch points woven together and, if one spindle snaps, the entire system can be compromised. Third-party logistics companies (3PL) like Shipmonk automate much of the inventory tracking and digitize communication between various touch points’ inventory systems.

Their partner program has made waves as of late, even being named Partner of the Year by one of their top OMS partners.

Key Takeaways: When asked for tips for how other SaaS partner programs could find similar successs, Senior Director Matt Carpentieri gave this advice:

• Assess your partners’ ideal customer profile (ICP) in order to confirm whether they’re compatible with your SaaS products and program goals. Considerations include their verticals and whether they’re primarily B2B or B2C Find solutions to gaps in your product through your partnerships
• Partner with your customer success in mind – if your customers are successful, you’ll be successful. What does this mean? Your program should prioritize recruiting SaaS partners whose B2B clients are happy and see great results, as this will ultimately lead to strong retention rates
• Ask your partners what they’re incentivized by and how do you maximize output together?
• Be able to capture SaaS partner program data. If you’re not reporting on successes and failures, then you won’t know how to evolve your strategies to become an industry-best partner program

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2. Acquia’s Open Source Content Management System

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Content Management Software
Partner program types: Agencies, SI, Consultant

Acquia is one of the leading web content management tools, allowing users to build, deploy, manage, and massively scale content experiences. Acquia is the platform behind some of the biggest sites on the web, with customers ranging from Princess Cruises to the Australian Government.

By joining Acquia’s partner program, partners can leverage the following:

• A public directory of over 1,000 Acquia partners
• Referral commissions
• Access to a partner portal and sales enablement tools
• Co-marketing materials
• A dedicated partner manager for higher tiers

To further attract potential partners, the Acquia website includes testimonials and case studies from existing partners on their site. They even have an eBook individuals can download to learn more about their partner program, specifically.

Key Takeaway: Not every call-to-action on your partner program page has to be to sign-up to join. By having a gated white paper visitors can download, Acquia strategically gathers contact information for potential prospects that they can later retarget with catered messaging and materials.

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3. WP Engine’s Managed WordPress Hosting Service

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Information Technology and Services
Partner program types: Agency, Affiliate, Reseller, Tech

WP Engine is one of the most popular  managed WordPress hosting providers on the market today, trusted by companies of all sizes. They’ve earned their reputation due to equipping sites with fast performance and strong security. Plus, since they specialize only in WordPress, they provide a more-focused solution to their customers and are viewed as an authority.

They put the same level of thought into offering the best B2B partner experience possible as they put into their hosting services. Their dedication is evident in details such as dedicated portals for agency partners, affiliate partners, and tech partners.

WP Engine partners are eligible for access to the following:

• A dedicated partner portal
• Advanced developer tools
• Co-branded landing pages
• A listing in their partner directory
• Free staging accounts

Higher-tier partners receive bonus amenities. For example:  

• Dedicated sales support
• Lead sharing
• Co-marketing resources
• Customer training

WP Engine provides separate public directories of consultants and agencies, making it easy for businesses both large and small to find the right partner.

Key Takeaway: A partner portal gives your partners and customers with self-help tools, marketing content, and training where and when they need it. For the best program engagement metrics, invest in a strategy that customizes the experience to individuals’ needs. This, however, doesn’t necessarily mean creating entirely separate portals for each SaaS partner type. With PRM technology, you can automatically customize the platform view, content accessibility, and feature usage for different groups.

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4. Ryder’s Transportation Services

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Transportation and Supply Chain Management
Partner program types: OEM

Since their inception, Ryder has boasted being on the leading edge of transportation and logistics. And, that continues today through RyderVentures. With this fund, they’re investing in innovative companies creating the technology and applications that will drive the industry forward.

RyderVentures is forming strategic alliances with companies to pilot new innovations in real use cases for quicker adoption.

Benefits of being a Ryder partner include:

• Opportunities to participate in Ryder bid events.
• Access to major shippers located in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
• Recognition for our top performing partners at our annual Carrier Awards event.

Key Takeaways: Marco de Paulis, Director of eCommerce Partnerships at Ryder stopped by the Partner Channel Podcast and offered the following insights on succeeding in partnerships:

• To be successful in partnerships you have to be empathetic and curious and want to do well together with your partners
• Understand that partnerships aren’t immediate revenue – it’s a long term game
• In the early stages of a SaaS partnership, the focus should be on listening to what your new partner really needs from you to be able to succeed (i.e. do they need introductions, pieces of content, data insights, etc.)
• Internal marketing should be even more frequent then external; share your program’s success andstories anywhere you can. After all, there’s something about stories that stick in people’s brains in a way that metrics do not.

You should really think about various metrics and data points that you can track to best show the value of your SaaS partner program.

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5. HubSpot’s Sales and Marketing Growth Stack

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software
Partner program types: Affiliate, Startups, Education, Strategic

As HubSpot offers diverse capabilities geared to different B2B audiences, they have divided their SaaS partner program into three distinct parts:

• Marketing Agency Partners: HubSpot provides assistance for agencies offering inbound marketing services to their clients
• Sales Partners: HubSpot provides assistance for CRM service providers and sales consultants who want to sell HubSpot services and earn commissions
• Integration Partners: HubSpot’s Connect Program helps companies integrate their own technology with HubSpot’s software

HubSpot’s partner program offers a strong referral commission of 20% monthly for a customer’s first year as well as a dedicated partner manager, a partner toolkit to manage referral leads, online training, and a public listing in HubSpot’s partner directory. The one downside is that HubSpot’s partner program costs $50 per month to join.

Key Takeaway: HubSpot is a prime example of how splitting your partner program by purpose makes it easier for both you and your partners to manage. This strategy enables you to cast a wide net for prospectives while serving experiences and expectations that best fit the partners and SaaS product end users.

6. Shopify’s eCommerce Expert Program

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: eCommerce
Partner program types: Referral, Affiliate, Agency, Consulting, Tech

Shopify’s partner program is one of the most thorough offerings when compared to most SaaS companies. Both freelancers and agencies can take advantage of perks including:

• Discounts on products and services from leading software companies
• The Partner Academy which supplies in-depth courses, study guides, and exams
• A user-friendly dashboard in which they can manage referrals, view commision payments, find resources, and submit Shopify Plus leads.
• Promotion through a public directory on the main site.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that Shopify also offers generous referral commissions, paying out 20% of the referred customer’s monthly subscription fees for the life of their subscription. App and theme developers also earn between 50-80% of one-time sales or subscription fees from sales of their products.

Key Takeaway: Comprehensive documentation on your product takes effort, but helps your partners integrate easily with your product. In turn, you near-eliminate a potential early hurdle that would otherwise discourage program participants from further engaging.

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7. MailChimp’s Email Automation Platform

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Email Marketing
Partner program types: Integration, Agency

MailChimp’s offers partners a premium partner experience through priority email and live chat support, educational resources, and a dedicated newsletter, along with a partner listing in their Experts Directory.  

MailChimp makes it easy for a prospect to connect to their partners through a comprehensive and easy to navigate partner directory. On this page, they allow the user to browse through partner services, all partners, or filter by location and language. They also have partner case studies visible on their directory page showcasing the success customers have seen when workingw ith partners. Bonus: there’s also a section that leads you to resources about what to expect when working with a MailChimp partner.

Key Takeaway: Offering a public directory of partners can help customers find the help they’re looking for and increase business for your partner. (The definition of a win-win scenario.)

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8. Atlassian’s Solutions Partner Program

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Solution, Integration, Alliance, Platform

Atlassian makes collaboration tools for teams of all sizes, including the popular issue management tool Jira and knowledge base tool Confluence. The goal of their SaaS solutions is to help larger teams successfully coordinate on complex iniatives through enhanced organization and communications.

Atlassian offers a tiered Solution Partner Program. Examples of benefits accessible to all tiers of the partner program include:

• Partner portal access
• Certification and training programs
• Listing on Atlassian’s partner directory
• Free use of Atlassian products for internal use

Higher tiers reap the additional rewards of:

• Referral bonuses
• Product discounts
• Dedicated channel manager to guide growth

Partners can graduate to higher tiers by meeting sales goals and completing Atlassian’s training programs.

Key Takeaway: Creating tiers based on performance enables you to strategically reward SaaS partners’ success while motivating them to achieve greater heights. What’s more, multi-level programs systemize how you distribute your team’s time and budget, leading to you naturally giving more to top-performing partners for improved ROI.

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9. PayPal’s End-To-End Payment Solution

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Financial Technology
Partner program types: Tech, Channel

PayPal provides end-to-end payment management for online businesses of all sizes. While almost everyone is familiar with their digital payment services, they also provide invoicing and reporting to help businesses have a greater grasp of their finances.

Highlights of PayPal’s partner program include:

• Co-marketing opportunities,
• Live support for customers
• Reporting with performance insights
• Revenue share for referrals
• Access to an online partner directory

They also offer a robust “partner with us” page with various talking points that could inspire your own partner program recruitment strategy. Highlights include detailed explanations of how Paypal technology can benefit businesses, their preparedness to collaborate in 17 different languages, and case studies from partners.  

Key Takeaway: PayPal provides many excellent examples of successful SaaS partner program strategies. However, we want to draw your attention specifically to their use of partner case studies on their website. While many such pages only feature quick testimonials, the detailed information provided in PayPal’s linked case studies makes the potential benefits of the program more tangible and memorable for readers.

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10. Marketo’s Premier Partner Program

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software
Partner program types: Agency, SI, Tech, ISV

Like HubSpot, Marketo is one of the big players in marketing automation, and they have a comprehensive partner program to match the varied needs of their customers.

Their Premier Partner program makes available the following:

• Expert training
• Co-marketing and co-sales materials
• Partner-only webinars
• Participation in Partner Days
• Access to Marketing Nation, Marketo’s community of marketing professionals in which partners can share best practices and connect with others.

Additionally, higher-tier partners receive:

• Free sandbox access
• Joint collateral
• A dedicated Partner Success Manager

Key Takeaway: Building a community of like-minded partners and customers fosters relationships and inspires new ideas, all of which strategically contribute to the program’s engagement levels and stickiness. For example, if a partner is active in Marketing Nation’s ongoing threads, they are consistently reminded by others of what they can achieve while receiving non-monetary value from the program. Bonus, they can even apply learned strategies to their efforts to promote your SaaS products.

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11. Slack’s Communication Platform Partner Program

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software
Partner program types: Consultant, Reseller

Slack provides a well-run integration program for partners, working with over 1,000 SaaS products to help users be more efficient and productive in their communications. Their partner list includes some big names, like Salesforce and Google, so partners can be sure the program is well run.

Slack’s partner program isn’t open to just anyone – to join the program, potential partners must submit a complete application and be accepted into the partner program. However, the benefits for integration partners are huge:

• Access to 9 million weekly active users and a listing in the public Slack apps directory to help users find the needed functionality
• A referral program in which partners receive a reduction on their first year’s contract
• Detailed documentation of their API and platform to support app developers

Key Takeaway: It is crucial to be strategic about who you allow to join your SaaS partner program. Working with partners who are appropriately aligned with your business goals not only increases their likelihood of success but also helps safeguard your brand. Making prospective partners complete steps to join, such as submitting an application, helps weed out uncommitted candidates. Your team is also equipped with essential information to determine whether or not to accept applicants as partners.

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12. Klaviyo’s Data-Driven Email Marketing Tool

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Marketing Services
Partner program types: Agency, SI, Referral, Affiliate, Tech

When it comes to data-driven ecommerce email marketing, Klaviyo is one of the best tools on the market. They fill the gaps left by the big ecommerce providers, providing data-driven email marketing and Facebook Ads management tools that are both easy for clients to use and easy for agency partners to support.

Klaviyo’s partner program is strong, offering commissions on all referrals, a dedicated partner newsletter, and access to a Slack community filled with other marketing agencies.

Higher tiers also benefit from co-marketing materials and activities and a listing in Klaviyo’s partner directory.

Key Takeaway: Peer-to-peer communities in tools like Slack give SaaS partners the opportunity to ask questions and share opinions with other like-minded B2B individuals.

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13. SproutSocial’s Social Media Management Platform

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software Development – Social Media
Partner program types:  Agency, Affiliate, Referral

If you’ve done anything in the social media management space, you probably come across Sprout Social at some point. They’re one of the leading social media management tools, providing publishing, reporting, and management across all the major social platforms.

Sprout Social partners with agencies of all sizes, providing marketing, sales, and support services including co-marketing resources, sales support, partner certifications, and listings in their Agency Directory. Their pricing is also customized based on the size of the partner agency, making them an affordable option for smaller agencies – something unique in the industry. Sprout offers a generous 20% lifetime commission for referrals.

Key Takeaway: Scaling your pricing based on partner agency size can help make your product an affordable option for smaller agencies.

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14. Pipedrives Sales-Focused CRM Tool

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Referral, Solution, Tech Partners, Affiliate

Pipedrive is a sales CRM built for ease-of-use. Where Pipedrive excels is in its integrations with the ability to connect directly with over 100 other software tools.

Pipedrive’s partner program is free to join and offers a generous referral commission of 33% for the first year.

In addition to the basic Affiliate program, Pipedrive also offers an Expert program for partners that want to make Pipedrive a core offering in their business. Expert partners must pass a certification test and hit quarterly retention goals, but in return, they are rewarded with a public directory listing on Pipedrive’s site, 20% referral commissions for life, and a free Pipedrive demo account.

Key Takeaway: Separating your affiliate and reseller programs makes it easy for partners to join the best program for them.

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15. Amplitude’s Product Analytics Platform

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Solution, Tech, Referral

Amplitude is a product analytics company, helping SaaS providers understand user behavior, reduce churn, and ship the right features quickly.

To join Amplitude’s partner program, potential partners must pass the Amplitude Certification tests and meet certain business collaboration requirements. In exchange, partners are provided with best-in-class B2B partner program benefits, such as:

• A dedicated sales support for pitches and early customer conversations
• Opportunities to join in on marketing events
• Training and certification
• A listing in Amplitude’s public partner directory

The one downside is that Amplitude does not offer commissions on referrals.

Key Takeaway: Testing partners’ knowledge of your products confirms that you only work with individuals who are committed to excelling. This not only provides partners with extra motivation to absorb your onboarding but also ensures that your products are accurately represented, contributing to higher win rates, customer retention, and overall program success.

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16. Zendesk’s Customer Service and Engagement Platform

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: SaaS
Partner program types: Reseller, Referral, SI, Tech

Zendesk helps companies turn interactions into lasting relationships through their integrated platform of customer support, knowledge base, and live chat tools.

Zendesk’s partner program ticks a lot of boxes offering advantages across three different tiers: Referral Partner, Solution Provider, and Business Service Provider, each fulfilling different sales needs while providing prospects with a greater variety of opportunities to join. Technology partners can build apps to integrate with Zendesk as well. Available channel program attributes available to SaaS partners include:

• Access to online sales training
• Commissions for referrals
• A dedicated partner manager

Higher tiers are eligible for the following:

• Instructor-led product training
• Marketing funds
• Joint business planning

Another program advantage offered to participants is inclusion in Zendesk’s public directory of client services and partners.This is particularly valuable due to Zendesk’s brand authority and site traffic.

Key Takeaway: Clear documentation about your partner programs can help prospective participants  understand how they will benefit, especially when you offer multiple different programs.

17. Dassault Systèmes Design Platforms

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software
Partner program types: Reseller, Consulting, SI, Integration Partners

This French company develops platforms which advance product innovation and collaboration. Capabilities include 3D modeling, data analysis, and digital communication. Dassault Systèmes’ technologies are utilized within aerospace, industrial development, energy, construction, healthcare, and other diverse industries.

Key Takeaway: It’s never too early to share your program’s highlights with prospective partners. Their site explicitly states examples of software, hardware, and communities which is complementary solely to partners, further whetting visitors’ appetites.

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18. Xero’s Partner Program for Accounting Practices

Xero provides simple online accounting software for small businesses with popular features that include invoicing, inventory management, payroll, and more. Given how central accounting is to a company’s workflow, Xero integrates with over 700 other business applications, ranging from time-tracking to eCommerce and point-of-sale management.

Xero is a leading example of a user-friendly SaaS partner program. The more points you earn, the higher your partner status level and the more benefits you receive. Points are earned through referrals, being added on a client’s account as an advisor, or using Xero in your own accounting practice.

Example program benefits SaaS partners receive include:

• A free subscription to Xero for their own practice
• A dedicated account manager and 24/7 priority support
• Access to co-marketing resources
• Online training opportunities on the SaaS partner portal

Higher-tier partners receive:

• Up to a 30% discount on subscriptions that can be passed onto the client
• A listing in the Xero advisor directory
• Assistance with client migrations and implementation
• Marketing funding (MDF).

Partners can also become “Xero Champions” by hitting certain criteria, unlocking a special champion designation in the partner directory, lead sharing, and content co-development opportunities.

Key Takeaway: Make it easy for your B2B partners to understand the criteria for reaching certain program tiers, as well as the benefits they’ll receive at each level.

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19. Optimizely’s Conversion Rate Optimization Software

Company size: Enterprise
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Strategic Alliance, Tech, Solution, Channel

Optimizely’s A/B testing software allows SaaS companies to take the guesswork out of product development and marketing, making it easy to manage A/B and multivariant tests in order to optimize conversions and product experience. Companies are able to view real-time data about user response rates to site changes and swiftly modify strategies in response.

Partnering with Optimizely entails:

• Comprehensive developer support and enablement
• A custom sandbox for experimentation
• Access to Optimizely’s partner community
• Certifications through Optimizely Academy
• Co-marketing resources
• A dedicated partner manager
• Joint sales collateral to help with sales enablement
• Listing within a public directory of Optimizely partners

What’s more, Optimizely will pay partner program participants a 10-20% commission on the first year of customer revenue.

Key Takeaway: Optimizely’s strategy of granting certification badges demonstrates how a SaaS partner program can simultaneously enhance its partners’ credibility with customers while elevating its own profile (think of the certification badge as a mini-billboard).

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20. LiveChat’s Customer Service Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Technology
Partner program types: Affiliate, Solutions

If you’re looking to truly personalize conversations with your customer service team, no one does it better than LiveChat. With an outstanding product that integrates with hundreds of platforms, it’s hard not to see your next partnership roadmap in the making.

Not only is the LiveChat platform easy to use and implement, but LiveChat offers a free marketplace where partners can learn the ins and outs of the tool and become a “LiveChat Expert”. Once the expert status is achieved, partners get recognized by the Marketplace and promoted to over 600,000 visitors per month. Sounds like a win-win!

Key Takeaway: Give your SaaS partners a reason to want to learn. If they can see gains beyond familiarity with the platform and ease-of-sale, they are more likely to invest their time.

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21. Pickering Interfaces Simulation Tools

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Switching product
Partner program types: Affiliate, Distributor, Channel Partner

Though based out of the UK, Pickering Interfaces has offices across five continents. They create switching and simulation software and equipment or PXI, LXI, PCI, and USB usage.

Pickering caters to prospective partners within its website by building pages like Becoming a Partner and Program FAQs, as well as making the portal accessible from the main site. They anticipate prospects’ questions, highlight participants in the Partner Search function, and link to example sales materials like success stories and product videos. This reassures potential partners that their program has a robust system in place prior to even speaking to one another.

Key Takeaway: It’s never too early to address prospective partners’ concerns about your program. An onsite FAQ is an easy-to-digest format in which you can address questions related to fees, expectations, perks, and more. Your answers may encourage increased sign-ups from qualifying candidates, as well as steer unqualified candidates away.

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22. Databox’s KPI Reporting Software

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Technology, Information, Internet
Partner program types: Affiliate

Databox lets you track your company’s performance in one place. By connecting all your data sources, including Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce, AdWords, and more, companies can choose from a library of pre-made dashboard templates or build their own, tracking performance and discovering insights in minutes.

Examples of Databox partner program perks are:

• Partnering with Databox to collect and report on metrics for up to 10 clients for free
• Co-marketing resources
• Lead sharing
• Online training
• Inclusion in a public directory of Databox partners
• Utilization of a template gallery

Utilizing the partner portal, agencies can also contribute report templates to the Databox directory and receive lead data when others utilize those templates.

Key Takeaway: Offering a free program tier for SaaS partners can open the door for additional revenue opportunities in the future. This strategy grants newcomers the chance to experience your partner program at no risk or cost, easing any hesitations they may previously have.

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23. Unbounce’s Landing Page Builder

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Advertising Services
Partner program types: Agency, Referral

Unbounce makes it easy for all users to build, launch, and optimize custom landing pages using their drag-and-drop page builder. This frees up marketers to create and modify website experiences without the aid of a developer, speeding up timelines and lowering costs.

Unbounce’s B2B partner program offers partnership opportunities for agencies and also integration partnerships for app developers. Their website publishes  a list of Unbounce app integration partners but not agency partners. They do, however, offer an Agency Success team for agency partners.

Visit their partner program page, and you see messaging geared toward referrers. They explicitly state the simple steps for getting set up and the rewards. Their message? Unbounce can help you make easy money.

Key Takeaway: Referral partner programs is arguably the best strategy for generating more leads without requiring partners to undergo extensive onboarding that may discourage participation. As a bonus, partners that start off as low-commitment referrers may later choose to play a more active role in the sales process.

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24. Uberflip’s Content Experience Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Tech, SI, MSP, Agency

Uberflip lets SaaS companies build compelling content for their audiences. By consolidating the clients’ materials into one dynamic Content Hub, users can get better results from the content they already have, increasing lead generation and engagement. The platform also lets companies use AI-powered content recommendations to recommend personalized content for their audience.

Uberflip’s partner program, while small, is powerful. For example, they provide a public directory of certified partners and a free sandbox account for all tiers, as well as 10% revenue share on referrals. Higher-tier partners receive more perks, including:

• Custom pricing for partners
• Co-branded marketing
• Strategic materials to help grow sales
• A dedicated channel manager
• Priority partner support
• Even free tickets to their annual Conex conference

Key Takeaway: Offering a free sandbox account to partners can help partners both to grow their own business, and to better learn and understand your product.

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25. Wistia’s Video Hosting Service

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Internet Publishing
Partner program types: Referral

When it comes to video hosting, Wistia is the best tool on the market. Wistia helps agencies run video marketing campaigns for their clients and provides video analytics to help agencies prove the ROI of their services. Customers and agencies can track who’s watching which videos and for how long—invaluable data for a sales team.

Like most examples we chose, Wistia’s B2B partner program is tiered and free to join. Advantages include:

• Access to sales training
• Comparative data and case studies
• An internal agency community and directory

Higher program tiers require SaaS partners to bring in increasing monthly revenue from referrals. This unlocks added benefits, such as:

• Public directory listings
• Dedicated sales coaches
• The option to guest post on Wistia’s blog
• An invitation to speak at partner events

While there’s no cost to join the program, Wistia doesn’t offer commissions on referrals.

Key Takeaway: Focus your partner program page on benefits, not features, to best sell the program to potential SaaS partners.

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26. Vidyard’s Online Video Marketing Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Online Audio and Video Media
Partner program types: Tech, Agency

Vidyard helps turn video viewers into customers with advanced video tools for sales, marketing, and customer support teams. Partner agencies can deliver personalized video strategy and marketing services to their clients as well as help them measure their campaign success through Vidyard’s integrated reporting system.

Vidyard partners receive the following benefits:

• Paring with a dedicated Partner Success Manager
• A channel program manager to assist with co-marketing activities
• Free versions of their video sales tools
• Specialized training in personalized video creation
• Video marketing automation
• Sales enablement
• Access to a directory of Vidyard experts sorted by specialty

Key Takeaway: Equipping partners with free versions of your tool allows them to understand how it works, the benefits, and be able to communicate those points to their prospects from first-hand experience.

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27. Auth0’s Universal Authentication Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: IT Services and IT Consulting
Partner program types: Strategic Alliance, MSP, Ecosystem Partners, Solution Providers

Auth0 makes it easy for SaaS providers to authenticate their users across web and mobile applications. Auth0 Technology Partners can utilize the Auth0 platform in their own B2B SaaS tools, and Solution Partners can consult, refer, and help customers build new apps or integrate the Auth0 platform into their existing apps.

Auth0’s partner program doesn’t provide a public directory of partners, but they do provide a lead form to inquire about partners that can help with specific issues. They also provide generous resale and referral commissions as well as strong pre- and post-sale support to ensure the success of their partners.

Key Takeaway: Offering generous referral commissions are important, especially when first starting your partner program.

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28. Copper’s Productivity-Focused CRM Tool

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Tech, Reseller

Copper embeds your CRM right into Gmail, making it easy for agencies to update opportunities and manage their pipeline.

Joining Copper’s partner program unlocks strategic benefits, including:

• Exclusive discounts
• Partner rewards
• Early access to new products and features

The Reseller Program offers additional benefits for high-volume partners. They earn a one-time commission of a one-month licensing cost, once that customer has maintained their account for three months.

Key Takeaway: Often, your partners are also your best users – be sure to tap them for their feedback when developing new product features. By granting their program participants early access to upcoming SaaS updates, Copper simultaneously conducts a pilot test while granting partners a valuable perk. If you apply this strategy to your own SaaS partner program, why not take it one step further to collect ideas on what features to develop next?

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29. Leanplum’s Mobile Marketing Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Information Technology
Partner program types: Tech, Solution

Leanplum makes it easy for SaaS companies to increase user engagement through in-app messages, automated emails, and text messages, helping to increase lifetime value and create lasting customer relationships. They provide a full suite of mobile marketing tools, including push notifications, automated email marketing, and in-app messages.

Leanplum’s partner program includes access to dedicated marketing, sales, and technical support for the product. Leanplum also provides a public directory of Leanplum partners.

Why we chose to list Leanplum among the best partner programs is that they frequently team up with partners to co-produce content or host events. In turn, they’re able to broaden their brand’s reach, reward star SaaS partners, and indirectly promote their program.

Key Takeaway: Co-marketing efforts like joint webinars with partners help drive results for both you and your partners. Not only can promotional strategies move the needle for program success metrics like revenue, but they also play a role in partner satisfaction.

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30. Pantheon’s Hosting and DevOps Tools

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: WebOps, Technology, Information, and Internet
Partner program types: Reseller

Pantheon allows marketers and developers to build, host, and manage high-performance websites without the hassle of hiring full-time operational staff to manage the site. Pantheon partners can publish new campaigns and fresh content without IT support. This empowers agencies to speed up their developer productivity and centrally manage client sites. Additional examples of SaaS partner program perks include:

• Free hosting for development sites along with their own agency website
• Access to a developer dashboard and site management tools
• Additional monitoring tools like New Relic, priority support, assisted migrations, custom training workshops, and more
• A directory of trusted agencies and help choosing the best match for their partners’ needs.
• Promotion on Pantheon’s social media channels

Plus, higher-tier partners can receive up to 10% commissions for referrals, joint business planning, and access to special strategic partner events.

Key Takeaway: Value-added services for partners, like assisted migrations, are easy strategies for creating value without increasing development costs.

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31. JustCall’s Software Development Partner Program

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Tech, Affiliate, Reseller, Referral

JustCall is a mid-market software development company specializing in cloud-based phone systems geared primarily for customer support teams. SaaS features include access to localized phone numbers from over 58 countries, CRM integration, and comprehensive reporting dashboards.

Impressively, JustCall’s SaaS partner program has increased its number of participants by over 500 in less than three years. Such successes earned their program an Allbound Award and an invite onto the Partner Channel podcast.

Benefits of partnering with JustCall include 20% recurring sales commission for reverie referees business as long as the client is with JustCall. Another program advantage is that partners receive early access to their B2B products.

Key Takeaway: JustCall encourages other companies to have a pre-existing partner knowledge base in place alongside strong partner onboarding and support. Also important? A clearly defined payout timeline and structure.

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32. Starburst

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Data Access and Analytics
Partner program types: Consulting, MSP, Cloud, Consultant, SI, Tech, Reseller

Starburst AI is a rising star in the competitive Analytics and BI technology space. Perhaps their success is due to their use of open-source technology or the broad deployment options and tool capabilities. However, there’s no doubt that their partners play a role in their wins. To quote their own site, “Starburst believes the partner ecosystem is central to driving our Go-To-Market strategy, product journey and overall business success.”

Their hard work toward building a stellar SaaS partner program led them to win the International Channel of the Year title during the 2022 Allbound Awards. They also received Data Wire Reader’s Choice award for the top three data and AI startups.

Key takeaways: When asked about their partner program’s success, CEO of Starburst AI, Justin Borgman, noted the importance of being mindful of the economic realities of the various partners’ home countries. By responding with flexibility and compassion to partners struggles with issues like inflation, you can dramatically strengthen the relationship.

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33. Vena Solutions’ Excel Complete Planning Solution

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software
Partner program types: Referral, Implementation, Tech

Vena Solutions is like Excel, but better. Oh-so-much better. While it enables an interface similar to Excel for intuitive use, it further pushes the boundaries of what’s possible within spreadsheets with advanced audit trails, workflow, data drill-down, and security capabilities. Its diverse application has earned Vena Solutions a generous range of big-name users, from the Kansas City Chiefs to Coca-Cola.

Vena Solutions’ partner program experienced swift growth, expanding its contribution toward the company’s total revenue from 5% to 20% within a single year. While a number of factors led to such powerhouse results, Aleksi Mattlar, Manager of Partner Success, noted the importance of focusing on SaaS partners who contribute revenue or show above-average promise rather than showing equal attention to all partners. By automating certain portions of the partner lifecycle with PRM technology, partners that aren’t receiving 1:1 attention can still grow and register deals.

Key takeaways: When observing this top SaaS partner program example, there are two primary lessons we would want you to glean. The first is the value of specializing roles within your own team. While there are multiple approaches you can take toward this initiative, Vena Solutions had their managers take ownership of different parts of the partner journey. In turn, they were intimately familiar with the ins and outs of that particular program aspect, better serving partner needs.

The second key takeaway SaaS channel programs can learn from Vena Solutions is the power of a thoughtful partner page. Not only does the content highlight the available partner types and the quality support they receive, but they also incorporate video footage of current program participants to help their messages resonate.

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34. First Orion

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Telecommunications
Partner program types: Reseller, Tech, Referral

A telecommunications company that focuses on reseller, tech, and referral partners, First Orion aims to provide partners with solution and technology providers dedicated to providing a better communication experience and growing their revenue streams. Dubbed the Partner Prime Program, First Orion’s partners can enjoy program benefits like:

• Innovative branded communication solutions
• New revenue streams
• Expanded partner ecosystem
• Improved customer satisfaction

Key Takeaway: Mike Coleman, Channel Chief at First Orion and Mike Otting, Senior Vice President of Platform and Wholesale at First Orion both emphasize that it is crucial to get internal buy-in and access to necessary tools. The first step over at First Orion included getting a SaaS partner portal and ensuring that their billing/compensation timeline was accurate and always on time. Some best practices from both players include:

• Automation is key
• “You only get one chance to make a first impression” – Mike Coleman, Channel Chief at First Orion
• A/B test items in your portal with early adopters – For example: does tagline A work better than tagline B?
• Early adopters helped them see the value of the PRM investment and communicate that upstream to the C-suite, so executives can see that they’re investing in solid processes, procedures, and tools

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35. Incorta

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Data Analytics
Partner program types: Cloud Services, Tech, Channel, SI

Incorta, a mid-market data analytics company, is described as being the modern platform for ERP analytics. Organizationally, they are of the mindset that partnerships should fill a gap and that companies will be less successful with just a go-to-market play. Incorta as a company has seen growth after implementing a requirement for partners to receive certifications for the technology, citing that partners need to fall in love with the technology and understand the unique value of the your company for a partnership to truly succeed.

Incorta does a great job with clear calls to action on their partner page with an “access partner portal” button immediately on the page with a “become a partner” button next to it.

On the partner page, they highlight:

• Three benefits to being in their partner program immediately
• Featured partners
• Which partner types they work with
• A marketplace

Incorta also hosts an annual partner bootcamp, inviting SaaS partners to their Newport Beach office with a typical turnout of around 20 people across two days. The goals for this bootcamp include:

• The goal is for partners to understand the real sales process
• What do customers and prospects think about how different messages are delivered to them?
• What is it about their technology that is able to solve unique problems for these customers?
• This bootcamp also helped strengthen the relationship between Incorta and their partners
• They used their partner portal, Allbound, as a key pillar in this. They pulled up learning tracks they created within Allbound and other content so partners knew where to find it and learned the value of the portal.

Key Takeaway: Face-to-face time can create immense value when it comes to deepening trust and strengthening relationships. Although it isn’t a money-saving strategy, it can create immeasurable value between your team and your highest value partners.

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36. Powell Software

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: SI, Reseller, Tech, Referral, Distribution

Powell Software is a global Software Development company that focuses on Western Europe, the Nordics, NA, APAC, and Australia. It’s no surprise they walked away from the Allbound Awards with the accolade for EMEA Partner of the Year, as they built a company and product with a partner-centric focus. Powell typically partners with SI, Reseller, Technology, Referral, or Distribution companies.

In order to provide autonomy and independence for their partners, they utilize the Allbound portal as it enables them to scale rapidly in multiple countries with limited resources. Powell believes in long-term partnerships – not just contracts and commissions.

Key Takeaway: We spoke directly to Edouard Payenneville, Powell Software CSO, about how his SaaS partner program found such levels of success. He noted that partnerships should be a strategic decision in the company. He also highlighted the importance of being transparent as a way to build trust, especially when expanding your program to global B2B partners.

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37. Caspio

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Solutions, Technology, Affiliate, Marketplace (Data/Apps)

Joining Caspio’s partner program is free and comes with great benefits such as a free developer plan, free training and certifications, referral commissions of 20% or more for three years, visibility in their partner directory and app marketplace, and much more.

What makes them standout from our examples of SaaS partner programs is that they strive to deliver the friendliest, best-in-class experiences for partners. This means greater accesssiblity to account managers via portal, phone, or email.

Caspio partner program benefits:

• Build a new revenue stream for your business by creating services built around Caspio’s no-code platform
• Co-marketing and co-selling support from Caspio
• Free demo instance, training and certifications
• Referral commissions through deal registration
• Listing in our Partner Directory
• Additional benefits for Advanced Partners

Best of all, this partner program has no cap on referral commissions.

Key takeaway: You need to give in order to get can mean multiple things – typically it refers to sending leads to a partner, but you can also drive value through training, visibility, and access to free tools.

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38. Ruler Analytics’ Marketing Attribution Platform

Company size: SMB
Industry: Information tTechnology
Partner program types: Agency Partners

Ruler Analytics helps marketing agencies collect the data they need to show ROI on their campaigns. Agencies can monitor not just call performance, but all channel, campaign, and keyword data in one location.

Ruler Analytics partners enjoy special monthly incentives to help introduce new clients to the platform as well as ongoing revenue share. The program provides strong training and custom marketing materials to help partner agencies market their SaaS services. Also available are a white label version of Ruler with support for custom subdomains that agencies can utilize for their client reporting. In a unique twist, Ruler also offers additional revenue share for recruiting other partners, something from which many other SaaS platforms could benefit.

Key Takeaway: Offering revenue share for recruiting additional partners is an easy way for your partner program to stand out.

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39. Podia’s Refer-a-Creator Program

Company size: SMB
Industry: E-learning Provider
Partner program types: Referral, Affiliates

Podia is a website and digital experience builder aimed at small businesses that may not have access to a robust development team. While users can build landing pages, they can also leverage Podia to create webinars, marketing emails, and other B2B digital assets.

As the name suggests, Podia’s  Refer-a-Creator Program focuses on referrals. Their friendly platform offers SaaS partners everything they need to start hosting and selling online courses, memberships, and digital downloads minus the headache of setting up things like billing and hosting themselves.

Noteworthy partner program perks include:

• Podia offers a 30% referral commission for the lifetime of referred customers
• They strategically leverage content to help their partners. For instance, they provide detailed instructions on how to add links to their website, as well as new ideas for blog posts and newsletters
• They work alongside their partners to promote their relationship through activities like joint webinars sent to both their mailing lists.
• It’s easy for potential partners to join with minimal barriers or waiting period

Key Takeaway: Make it easy for partners to join your program, and they’ll be more likely to refer customers in return.

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40. Seventh Sense’s Email Send Time Optimization Tools

Company size: SMB
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Agency Partners

Seventh Sense helps agencies increase their email open rate and engagement for their clients by optimizing email send time and frequency. Seventh Sense integrates with HubSpot and Marketo to find the best days and times to send email campaigns, making sure to send them when they’ve got the best chance of being read. Additionally, they can also help time phone call scheduling within HubSpot.

Seventh Sense partners enjoy access to following:

• Training and sales resources, including an Agency Playbook full of proven processes and strategies to help increase sales
• Listing in a public directory of Seventh Sense partners

Additionally, Seventh Sense is part of HubSpot’s Apps for Agency Services Program, offering their software for free to Platinum and Diamond HubSpot agencies.

Key Takeaway: Partner community programs like HubSpot’s Apps for Agency Services provide a low-risk strategy for expanding your program’s offerings while increasing the reach of your own SaaS product.

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The most obvious reason to observe the best partner program examples in your software niche is to gleam ideas you can apply to your own. However, competitive research serves additional purposes, including:

• Competing programs’ strategies and resource investment set the benchmark you need to achieve – Let’s face it, there isn’t an infinite number of resellers and partners that your program can enroll to reach your ideal customers. The pool of prospective candidates is even smaller when considering those who you would classify as “priority” or “top tier.” With this in mind, you are competing against other SaaS partner programs to attract and retain participants of the highest caliber. If your niche doesn’t provide the best partner program experience, expect to face an uphill battle when it comes to recruitment, engagement, and growth.

• Shifting industry standards influence SaaS partners’ expectations from your program – A few years ago, a program could get away with manually managing B2B partners with the aid of spreadsheets and shared drives. However, since then, an increasing number of programs have adopted PRM software to automate key functions for the benefit of partners and account managers alike. Partner programs that fail to meet participants’ evolving expectations and dynamic priorities will see diminishing returns.

• Other SaaS partner programs’ successes and strategies can strengthen your business case when talking with leadership – Did a company of a similar size to your own see 20% revenue growth thanks to B2B partners and resellers? Did they successfully establish connections in a market your company hopes to enter? Highlighting their efforts and outcomes can help prove the feasibility of your strategies and nurture the fear of missing out (FOMO) that lives within everyone, including your leadership.

• Understanding B2B and channel trends helps you stay ahead of the curve to be the best SaaS partner program possible – In an ideal world, your goal isn’t just to be ‘good enough,’ but to rise above the increasingly crowded arena of partner programs and enter the echelon of the best of the best. For example, if you see others adopting the same ‘partner with us’ layout with the exact same talking points, challenge yourself to veer in a different (but equally effective) direction.

New or Looking to Learn more About SaaS Partner Programs?

Diving deep into what makes the best partner programs so successful may generate new questions for those still learning the ins and outs of the industry. Key terms you may encounter in your research include:

Examples of Different Types of Partners

• Referral partners – A referral partner program trains and incentivizes partners to send you new prospects for your team to convert.
• Resellers – A reseller program consists of partners who sell on your company’s behalf, meaning that they handle the majority of communication with perspectives.
• Value Added Resellers – Value-added resellers (VARs) operate similarly to your program’s resellers except that they bundle your products with their own to create a more comprehensive package.
• System Integrators – As the name implies, SI partners coordinate interactions between multiple software systems. This can include infrastructure integration, application integration, or consulting.
• Managed Service Providers – MSP partners manage underlying IT needs for customers. This grants prospective software users the peace of mind of reduced outages and technical issues, as well as a clear point person to handle related issues.  
  
  It’s fairly common for successful SaaS companies to offer multiple partnership types.

Common Abbreviations Related to B2B Partner Programs

• PRM – Partner relationship management (PRM) software combines a partner-facing portal experience with admin-managed automation capabilities to create a one-stop shop.
• MDF – Short for “marketing development funds,” MDF is money a SaaS program awards to its best partners to help finance promotional efforts such as co-hosted conference booths, PPC landing pages, etc.
• SPIFF – SPIFFs refer to temporary sales competitions or incentive campaigns intended to spur additional partner program engagement and sales.

Additional Reading to Help You Start a Partner Program or Build Success

Allbound offers expert insights and resources to both mature partner programs and those in earlier stages of development. Teams looking to establish early footholds and evolve past the beginner phase will benefit from:

• How to Build a Channel Partner Program – The initial decisions you make when first forming your SaaS partnership program will directly impact future success. Check all the boxes with this comprehensive guide and lay the groundwork for forward-thinking strategies.
• Channel Data Management: Setting Your PRM for Success – The partner program data you collect today will inform tomorrow’s strategies. Learn which KPIs you should track and how to effectively analyze the results
• Repeatable Processes Are the Secret to Partner Operations Success – The key to partner program growth is strategic procedures that you can replicate, scale, and partially automate. Read this article to find specific examples and learn how to effectively implement structured processes across your partner program.

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