Referral, Co-Seller, Reseller
Compare referral partners, co-sellers, and resellers to build the right channel mix. Learn key differences and when to use each type.
Category: partner program•Difficulty: intermediate•3 min read
partner program
Understanding the key differences between referral partners, co-sellers, and resellers is critical for building an effective channel strategy. Each partner type plays a distinct role in your go-to-market approach.
What's the difference?
| Referral | Co-Seller | Reseller | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who promotes the product to the customer? | Referral promotes and hands over the lead | Both co-sellers | Reseller |
| Who leads the negotiation? | Referral partner does not lead the negotiation | Co-sellers may negotiate together or separately with the customer | Reseller |
| Under which brand is the product sold? | Vendor's brand | Mostly under vendor's brand, but co-branding is possible | Vendor's, co-branded or Reseller's brand |
| Who controls the sales cycle? | Referral partner does not control the sales cycle | Co-sellers may share control over the sales cycle | Reseller |
| Who owns the customer? | Vendor owns the customer and invoices the customer | Shared or separately | Reseller owns the customer and invoices the customer |
| Who provides 1st, 2nd, 3rd level support? | Vendor provides 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level support to the customer | Vendor provides support to customer | Reseller often provides 1st, 2nd and level support to the customer, Vendor 3rd level |
| What pricing model applies? | Referral partner receives a commission on the sale | Mostly commission based | Reseller typically charges a markup on the price |
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