Affiliate Program
Earn recurring commission by referring SEOs and agencies to TraceLinker Pro and Agency plans through Polar.sh.
TraceLinker runs its affiliate program through Polar.sh, our billing provider. Polar handles attribution, dashboards, and payouts, so there is no separate affiliate SaaS to configure.
The program is open to all Pro and Agency users automatically. Free plan users can apply by upgrading to Pro or Agency first.
Commission structure
Commission rates are set per product in the Polar dashboard. We recommend 20–30% recurring for SaaS referrals:
| Tier | Typical commission |
|---|---|
| Standard rate | 20% of every payment |
| Top tier (if configured) | 25–30% of every payment |
| Lifetime | Commission recurs every month/year your referral renews |
Examples at 20%:
- Refer 10 Pro accounts → 10 × $9 × 20% = $18/month recurring.
- Refer 10 Agency accounts → 10 × $29 × 20% = $58/month recurring.
Annual subscriptions earn the same rate on the annual amount. If your referral pays $290/yr Agency, you earn 20% once a year, recurring on each renewal.
Getting your link
Open Affiliate settings
Click your account avatar → Settings → Affiliate.
📸 Affiliate settings page linking to the Polar affiliate portal
Sign up in Polar
The page links to the Polar affiliate portal for our organization. Create your affiliate account with the same email you use on TraceLinker (or any email you prefer).
Copy your referral link
Once approved, Polar gives you a unique referral link such as https://polar.sh/<org>/products/<product>?affiliate=<your-handle>.
How attribution works
Attribution is handled by Polar:
- Cookie window is configured in Polar (typically 30–90 days).
- First-touch attribution — if a visitor clicks two affiliates' links, the first one wins.
- Self-referrals not allowed — you cannot earn on your own subscription.
- Refunded subscriptions clawback — if a referral refunds within Polar's refund window, the commission is reversed.
Tracking your referrals
Log in to the Polar affiliate dashboard to see:
- Clicks - lifetime click-throughs on your link.
- Signups - how many of those clicks created an account.
- Paid conversions - how many upgraded to Pro/Agency.
- Active subscriptions - how many are currently paying.
- Lifetime earnings - sum of commissions paid out.
- Pending earnings - earned but not yet paid out.
Getting paid
Polar pays affiliates according to its payout schedule (typically monthly once a minimum threshold is crossed). Add your payout method (bank, PayPal, or Wise, depending on Polar's supported options) in the Polar affiliate dashboard. We can't pay until this is set.
Promotional materials
We provide starter assets you can adapt:
- Logo files in
/public(SVG + PNG). - Demo screencast — a short video showing audit + monitoring you can embed.
- Comparison pages — "vs Ahrefs", "vs Semrush", "vs Linkody" — link directly to these.
If you need custom banners or swipe copy, email [email protected].
Allowed promotion channels
- ✅ Your blog - product reviews, comparison posts, list articles.
- ✅ Your newsletter - mention in newsletters with affiliate disclosure.
- ✅ YouTube videos - tutorials, reviews, comparisons.
- ✅ Social media - LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit (in subreddits where promotion is allowed).
- ✅ Direct outreach to your network - mention in client pitches, conference talks, podcast episodes.
Disallowed channels
- ❌ Paid ads on TraceLinker brand keywords - Google/Bing ads on "TraceLinker" exact match cannibalize our own SEO and direct traffic. Generic keyword bids are fine.
- ❌ Spam - email blasts to lists you don't own, comment spam, forum spam.
- ❌ Coupon sites - we don't run coupon promotions and don't want our brand on coupon-aggregator sites.
- ❌ Misleading promotion - making false claims about features, prices, or comparisons.
- ❌ Cookie stuffing - dropping cookies on visitors who didn't intentionally click your link.
Violations result in deactivation and forfeiture of pending balance. We rarely have to enforce - the program is built around honest, content-driven promotion.
Disclosure requirement
If you promote TraceLinker in any channel that requires disclosure (FTC, ASA, EU rules), include a disclosure. A simple footnote like "I earn a commission if you sign up via this link" is enough. We do not police your disclosures, but you are responsible for legal compliance in your jurisdiction.
Custom partnership / co-marketing
If you have a large audience (100K+ subscribers, large agency network, popular SEO podcast) and want a custom commission structure, co-branded landing page, or featured partnership - email [email protected] with audience details.
FAQ
How long until I see my first commission? It depends on the cookie window and Polar's payout schedule. Realistically 30-120 days from sharing your link to first payout if conversions are normal.
Do I get commission on annual subscriptions? Yes - commission is calculated as a percentage of the actual payment, so you get 20-30% of $90 (Pro annual) or $290 (Agency annual) every year.
What happens if my referral downgrades from Agency to Pro? Your commission rate stays the same, but the dollar amount drops since their payment dropped. You earn 20% × $9 = $1.80/month from that point.
What happens if my referral upgrades from Pro to Agency? Same logic but in your favor - you start earning the higher amount.
Are taxes my responsibility? Yes. Polar issues the appropriate tax forms or statements based on your jurisdiction and earnings. Tax handling is your responsibility.
Can I refer myself? No - self-referrals are detected and reversed by Polar.
Can I run paid ads to my affiliate link? Generic keyword ads (e.g. "backlink audit tool") are allowed. Brand-keyword ads on "TraceLinker" or near-variations are not.
Next
- Plans & Pricing - what your referrals will be subscribing to.
- Quick Start - good content to share alongside your referral link.