Is Rodan + Fields Still an MLM?

Oleksandr Honcharov, CEO at FlawlessMLM 

Updated: October 2026

The answer to is Rodan + Fields still an MLM changed on July 15, 2024, when the company announced that it would retire the model effective September 1, 2024.

In short: no, Rodan + Fields dropped its multi-level structure and replaced it with a single-level affiliate-style program. Consultants who stayed kept earning on their own customer sales, and commissions on recruited consultants were phased out.

Rodan + Fields began operating as an MLM in 2007 and was led by founders Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields. In July 2024 it told consultants that recruitment and downline commissions would end. Staying consultants were promised higher commissions on customer sales, and BehindMLM reported an annual participation fee of $9.99.

The company said the change would help it reach new customers and compete with online platforms such as TikTok Shop and Amazon. It also cut about 100 corporate roles, and WWD reported that it had agreed with minority investors to provide up to $75 million to strengthen its finances.

The case is useful for any MLM founder. A single-level program has no downline to pay, so the commission engine becomes much simpler, while the e-commerce store, subscriptions and customer data carry more weight. Clients often ask us whether they can move part of their network to a direct-to-consumer model without losing their top leaders. The answer depends on how the plan transitions rank and retention. Our list of best MLM makeup and beauty companies shows how crowded the category still is, and the US MLM regulation guide explains why recruitment pay draws scrutiny.

How the model changed in 2024:

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Old reviews describe a retired plan. Articles from before 2024 cover a downline model that no longer exists.
2. The name stayed, the pay changed. Consultants still use the Rodan + Fields brand, but commissions on recruits are gone.
3. The legal history is not closed. A consultant class action over employee status was stayed pending arbitration in 2024, and our sources did not confirm the outcome.
4. Leaving a downline model is not an admission of fraud. The company framed it as a response to online competition.
5. Leaders need a landing spot. Move a network off override income without a rank plan and the top earners leave.

Conclusion: if you are a consultant, read the current program terms before relying on old reviews. If you run an MLM, treat the Rodan + Fields exit as a stress test for your own plan. Ask what your network would earn if downline pay disappeared tomorrow.

Is Rodan and Fields an MLM now?

Not under the model it announced in 2024. It describes a simplified model and pays commissions on customer sales.

When did Rodan + Fields stop being an MLM?

The company announced it on July 15, 2024, and the change took effect on September 1, 2024.

Why did Rodan + Fields leave the MLM model?

It said it wanted to reach new customers and compete with platforms such as TikTok Shop and Amazon.

Did Rodan + Fields lay off staff?

It said it eliminated about 100 corporate roles as part of the change.