Go Back Up
fintel-grasshopper-colour

Case Study

Grasshopper Bank

How a Digital-First Business Bank Scaled New Account Approvals 250% Through Strategic Affiliate Expansion
Grasshopper-CaseStudy-Mockup-arrow
Unpack how a digital-first business bank leveraged affiliate marketing to drive record acquisition cost-effectively, diversify their partner mix, and establish themselves as a as a resilient acquisition engine.
fintel-grasshopper-colour

Get instant access to Grasshopper's case study 👇

Grasshopper is a digital-first bank built for founders, startups, and small businesses. Known for its flagship Innovator Checking and Innovator Savings accounts, Grasshopper delivers tech-forward financial solutions and a modern user experience, which has quickly made it a trusted name for growth-minded entrepreneurs.

The Challenge

As a fully digital bank, Grasshopper relies heavily on digital marketing to drive growth. Early experiments with a select group of affiliate marketing partners revealed the channel’s potential - but with a lean marketing team balancing product growth and user experience optimization, expanding this channel at scale required additional expertise and support.

The Goal

Grasshopper turned to Fintel Connect to leverage their expertise, and their objective was clear: Partner with Fintel Connect to grow new account approvals in a cost-effective, scalable way - without compromising partner quality or compliance standards.

The affiliate channel has evolved from a side strategy to a core driver of new customer acquisition making Grasshopper a stronger, more resilient acquisition engine and  positioning Grasshopper as a leader in digital-first business banking.

Get the full case study!

The Results?

250% increase in approved accounts via the affiliate channel

A balanced, diversified partner mix reduced reliance on any single partnership, and maximized ROI through a CPA-only structure

Grasshopper scaled rapidly across checking, savings, and SBA loan products, validating strong demand for high-yield business accounts

87% of approvals were driven by top-tier publishers, with micro-affiliates driving the remaining 13%

Why download this case study?

sparkles

If you’re a digital-first bank or fintech looking to scale customer acquisition efficiently, see how Grasshopper leveraged affiliate marketing to grow new account approvals by 250% while maintaining partner quality and compliance.

target-recruitment

Are you aiming to diversify your acquisition channels without overloading a lean marketing team? Learn how Grasshopper built a balanced mix of large and micro affiliates to maximize ROI and reduce reliance on any single partnership.

scaleable-tracking

Looking for a cost-effective, performance-driven growth strategy? Discover how affiliate marketing became a core driver of acquisition for Grasshopper, turning a side channel into a resilient engine for scalable, long-term growth.

Get the full case study!

Hear From Our Partners

"The Fintel Connect team provide a top-notch customer experience and are highly responsive. Most importantly, they deliver on what they promise. Their professionalism and reliability make them a valuable partner in our marketing efforts."

bruce-face

Bruce Gemmill
Chief Marketing Officer, FVC Bank

"We saw our conversions through affiliate marketing increase MoM by 68% and 95% in the two months following the launch. The team at Fintel acts as an extension of our marketing team, providing creative solutions and a consultative approach."

micah-face

Micah Davis
Chief Marketing Officer, Live Oak Bank

"Fintel Connect provides white glove service to publishers and brands which is combined with their best in class modern affiliate dashboard for reporting, accounting, and seamlessly tracking conversions."

stephen-face

Stephen Wyman
Founder and Co-CEO, Weymedia

These brands trust Fintel Connect. You should too.

  • FVC Bank
  • Live Oak Bank
  • Wester Alliance Bank
  • CIBC
  • Believe Savings Bank

Trusted as the Go-To Platform in Our Category

Trusted as the Go-To Platform in Our Category

  • Badge02
  • Badge03
  • Badge04