ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, and especially if you want tiered commissions + recurring payouts, I’d shortlist FirstPromoter first.

My ranking

🥇 FirstPromoter — my pick

FirstPromoter is unusually well aligned with what you're describing. It supports percentage, flat, one-time, lifetime, and tiered commission models, with rates that can increase automatically as partners hit volume thresholds. It also supports recurring commissions tied to subscription billing. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

For example, you could structure your program as:

• Tier 1: 20% recurring commission up to 10 customers
• Tier 2: 25% recurring at 11–50 customers
• Tier 3: 30% recurring at 51+ customers
• Annual-plan customers → commission calculated on the annual payment
• Monthly-plan customers → commission paid on each renewal
• Optional second-tier/sub-affiliate override if you want partners recruiting other partners

FirstPromoter specifically supports multi-tier programs and says overrides can recur on subsequent subscription payments. FirstPromoter

It also supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree, which makes it a safer choice if you expect your billing infrastructure to evolve. FirstPromoter

🥈 Rewardful — if you want simplicity

If you're Stripe-based and don't need sophisticated partner hierarchies, Rewardful is probably the easiest option. It supports recurring or one-time commissions, percentage or fixed amounts, and minimum payout thresholds. Rewardful

I'd choose it when your model is basically:

"Affiliate gets 20% of every subscription payment from customers they refer."

I'd lean FirstPromoter instead if tiered partner rates are a core part of your growth strategy.

🥉 PartnerStack — if "affiliate" will become a broader partner channel

PartnerStack becomes interesting when you're moving beyond conventional affiliates into agencies, resellers, referral partners, technology partners, and larger B2B partnerships. It's considerably more enterprise-oriented, though, and current pricing starts around $1,000/month according to recent 2026 comparisons. Affitor Affitor Docs

I wouldn't pay for that complexity merely because you're growing.

One important distinction

Make sure "tiered commissions" means what you actually want.

There are two very different models:

A. Volume-based tiers

Partner gets 20% → 25% → 30% as their own sales volume increases.

B. Multi-level affiliate commissions

Partner A recruits Partner B → A receives an override on B's sales.

FirstPromoter supports both, including three levels of sub-affiliate overrides. FirstPromoter

If you're building a serious SaaS partner program, I'd generally start with A. It's much easier to explain, forecast, and control economically.

What I'd choose for you

FirstPromoter if you want a flexible program you'll grow into.

Rewardful if you want the fastest, simplest Stripe implementation.

PartnerStack only if you're already thinking of a substantial B2B partner/reseller ecosystem.

One other thing I'd pay close attention to is how annual-plan commissions are handled—whether a partner gets commission on the full annual invoice immediately versus commissions being recognized over the customer's subscription lifetime. That can materially change your CAC and cash-flow economics.

If you tell me your monthly price, annual price, target affiliate commission %, and approximate current MRR, I can recommend the exact commission structure and which of these three makes the most financial sense.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual plans, and specifically your need for tiered partner commissions + recurring payouts, I’d put FirstPromoter at the top of the shortlist.

My ranking

🥇 FirstPromoter — my pick

firstpromoter.com is particularly well aligned with what you're describing.

It supports:

• Recurring commissions — including lifetime, fixed-month, or fixed-number-of-charge arrangements. FirstPromoter
• Performance-based tiers — you can increase a partner's commission rate as they hit customer/revenue thresholds. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• Multi-tier/sub-affiliate commissions — up to three levels, with an override paid to the recruiting partner. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• Different commission structures by campaign, which is useful if you want, say, affiliates at 20%, strategic partners at 30%, and high-volume partners at 35%. FirstPromoter
• Native integrations with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree, so you're not locked into Stripe. FirstPromoter
• Tracking of renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. FirstPromoter

For example, you could structure your program like:

Partner commission

• 20% recurring → 0–9 referred customers
• 25% recurring → 10–24 customers
• 30% recurring → 25+ customers

Partner recruitment

• Partner gets an additional 10% override on commissions generated by partners they recruit.

That is very close to a "real" partner program rather than just a basic affiliate program.

🥈 Rewardful — if you want maximum simplicity

rewardful.com is excellent if you're Stripe-first and don't need a sophisticated partner hierarchy.

It handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds automatically. Rewardful You can also make commissions recurring indefinitely or limit them to a certain number of invoices. Rewardful Help Center

The downside for your particular use case is that FirstPromoter is substantially stronger once "tiered partners" becomes a core requirement.

🥉 PartnerStack — if you're building a larger B2B channel

partnerstack.com makes more sense when you're moving beyond affiliates into resellers, agencies, referral partners, technology partners, and a larger managed channel.

I'd avoid starting there if your immediate need is simply SaaS affiliates + recurring commissions. It's more infrastructure than you probably need at an earlier stage.

One important distinction

"Tiers" can mean two different things:

1. Performance tiers:

Partner earns 20% until they refer 10 customers, then 25%, then 30%.

2. Multi-level commissions:

Partner A recruits Partner B, and A gets an override on B's sales.

If you mean both, FirstPromoter is particularly compelling: it supports performance-level rate increases and multi-tier/sub-affiliate commissions. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

What I'd do for your SaaS

I'd start with FirstPromoter unless you have a strong reason to stay extremely Stripe-native.

A sensible initial structure would be:

• 20–25% recurring affiliate commission
• Recurring for 12 months initially rather than lifetime, unless your margins comfortably support lifetime payouts
• Higher commission tier based on number of paying customers or referred ARR
• Separate commission rules for monthly vs. annual plans if your economics differ
• A higher rate for manually approved strategic partners
• Avoid multi-level/sub-affiliate commissions initially unless partner recruitment is actually part of your growth strategy

The annual-plan question is especially important: don't blindly pay 25% of an annual contract every year. I'd model the CAC/payback economics separately for monthly and annual customers before choosing lifetime vs. 12-month recurring commissions.

If you tell me your monthly/annual prices, gross margin, target affiliate commission %, and roughly how many partners you expect, I can recommend the exact commission/tier structure and tell you whether FirstPromoter, Rewardful, or PartnerStack is likely to be cheapest at your scale.

🥉 PartnerStack — if you're building a larger B2B channel

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, and specifically wanting tiered partner commissions + recurring payouts, I’d shortlist FirstPromoter, PartnerStack, and Rewardful—with FirstPromoter as my default pick.

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

firstpromoter.com is particularly well matched to what you're describing.

It supports:

• Recurring commissions on subscription renewals.
• Tiered/level-up commissions, where a partner's rate increases after hitting revenue or customer thresholds.
• Multi-tier partner programs, if you eventually want partners to recruit sub-affiliates.
• Different commission rates by campaign/partner.
• Subscription-aware handling of upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds.
• Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree integrations. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

That gives you a structure such as:

Standard: 20% recurring
Silver: 25% after $5k referred MRR
Gold: 30% after $15k referred MRR
Platinum: 35% after $50k referred MRR

And importantly, you can decide whether those percentages apply to monthly recurring revenue, annual payments, or specific campaigns rather than having to build the commission logic yourself.

When I'd choose PartnerStack instead

partnerstack.com becomes more compelling if "affiliate program" is really evolving into a partner ecosystem—agencies, consultants, resellers, referral partners, affiliates, etc.

It's substantially more enterprise-oriented and expensive, but its strength is managing multiple partner motions rather than just tracking affiliate links. Current comparisons put it around the $1,000+/month level, versus roughly $49/month starting points for FirstPromoter/Rewardful. Affitor Affitor

I'd avoid paying for PartnerStack too early unless you already know you'll need its broader partner infrastructure.

When Rewardful makes more sense

rewardful.com is excellent if you're primarily Stripe-native and want something extremely easy to launch. It handles recurring SaaS commissions and is a particularly clean choice for a relatively straightforward affiliate program. Rewardful

But your explicit requirement for tiered partner commissions pushes me toward FirstPromoter. Recent comparisons characterize Rewardful as having a feature ceiling around more sophisticated multi-tier programs, while FirstPromoter is specifically built around those capabilities. Track360

What I'd do in your position

If you're currently growing but not yet running a huge partner organization:

1. FirstPromoter → best overall choice
2. Rewardful → best if simplicity is more important than sophisticated tiers
3. PartnerStack → upgrade path once you become a serious multi-channel partner operation
4. Tolt → good alternative if you prioritize lots of affiliates and straightforward Stripe SaaS mechanics

One important distinction: if by "tiered commissions" you mean "partners earn 20%, then 25%, then 30% based on their own performance," FirstPromoter is especially attractive. If you mean "Partner A recruits Partner B, and A gets an override on B's sales," that's a multi-tier/sub-affiliate program, and FirstPromoter supports that too, including recurring overrides. FirstPromoter

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), approximate MRR, and the commission structure you're considering, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 options and show you what the economics would look like.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d shortlist FirstPromoter, Rewardful, and PartnerStack—with FirstPromoter as my default recommendation if your partner program is becoming a meaningful growth channel.

My ranking

FirstPromoter is particularly compelling because it is designed around subscription billing: commissions can continue through renewals and adjust when customers upgrade, downgrade, refund, or cancel. It also supports different commission rules at the campaign level. firstpromoter.comtrack360.io

Why I'd choose FirstPromoter

Suppose your program looks like:

• Partner tier 1: 20% recurring
• Partner tier 2: 25% recurring after $5k referred MRR
• Partner tier 3: 30% recurring after $15k referred MRR
• Monthly customers → commission every month
• Annual customers → commission on the annual payment, or according to whatever annual commission policy you establish
• Upgrades → commission adjusts
• Refunds/cancellations → commission gets reversed appropriately

That's the kind of billing-aware behavior I'd prioritize over simply having a pretty affiliate dashboard.

FirstPromoter also supports multiple billing providers, including Stripe, Paddle, Recurly, Braintree and Chargebee, which gives you more flexibility if your billing stack evolves. firstpromoter.com

When I'd pick Rewardful instead

If you're 100% Stripe and want the lowest operational complexity, I'd seriously consider Rewardful.

It is very SaaS/Stripe-oriented, supports recurring commissions, and has a relatively straightforward setup. Current comparisons put its entry pricing around $49/month, with no transaction fee, although its plans have affiliate-revenue caps. www.rewardful.comaffitor.com

I'd choose Rewardful over FirstPromoter if your requirements are basically:

Stripe + affiliates + recurring commissions + straightforward commission tiers

and you don't need elaborate partner-program machinery.

When PartnerStack becomes worth it

PartnerStack is the one I'd look at if by "partners" you mean more than traditional affiliates—for example:

• affiliates
• agencies
• consultants
• referral partners
• resellers
• technology partners
• co-selling relationships

That's a fundamentally different problem from "give people an affiliate link and pay them 25%."

PartnerStack is much more oriented toward a B2B partner ecosystem, but it comes with substantially more cost and operational complexity. Current comparisons put it around $1,000+/month, versus roughly $49–$99/month for the lightweight SaaS tools. www.rewardful.comaffitor.com

One important distinction: "tiered" can mean two things

I'd clarify this before buying anything.

A. Commission-rate tiers

Bronze = 20%
Silver = 25%
Gold = 30%

This is relatively common.

B. Multi-level/downline commissions

Partner A recruits Partner B, and A earns 5% of B's referred revenue.

That's much less common and can change which platform is appropriate. One 2026 comparison, for example, lists Rewardful and Tolt as lacking true multi-tier sub-affiliate functionality while PartnerStack and some more specialized platforms support more sophisticated partner hierarchies. firstpromoter.comtrack360.io

If by tiered partner commissions you mean A/B/C commission rates rather than a downline structure, FirstPromoter or Rewardful is probably where I'd start.

My practical recommendation:
FirstPromoter if you want the most capable growth-stage setup; Rewardful if you want maximum simplicity with Stripe; PartnerStack once you're building a genuine B2B partner channel rather than just an affiliate program.

If you tell me your billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), current MRR, average monthly vs annual plan mix, and the exact commission tiers you have in mind, I can narrow this to one platform and show you what the economics would look like.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d shortlist FirstPromoter, Tolt, and PartnerStack—with FirstPromoter as my default choice for your requirements.

My ranking

Why FirstPromoter: it has unusually flexible commission logic. You can pay recurring commissions for the customer's lifetime, a fixed number of months/charges, or a defined period; it also supports different commission rates over time. help.firstpromoter.com

More importantly for you, FirstPromoter now supports multi-tier commissions, with up to three levels. You can structure something like:

• Partner directly refers customer → 30% recurring
• Partner recruits another partner → 10% override
• Top-level partner → another override if desired

It also lets you run separate campaigns with different reward structures, which is useful if you eventually have affiliates, agencies, influencers, and strategic partners under different economics. help.firstpromoter.com

Its current pricing starts at $49/month, with higher tiers based on affiliate-generated revenue. firstpromoter.com

Tolt is particularly interesting

If you're Stripe-first, I'd seriously consider Tolt. Its "Flows" system lets you create commission rules based on:

• monthly vs. annual billing
• specific products/plans
• number of customers referred
• time since referral
• custom partner rules

For example, you could do 20% recurring on monthly plans and $X on annual plans, while automatically increasing the commission rate once a partner reaches a certain customer count. help.tolt.io

That's a very good match if by "tiered" you mean volume-based partner tiers, e.g.:

1–9 customers → 20%
10–24 → 25%
25+ → 30%

Where Rewardful fits

I'd choose Rewardful if your priority is simplicity rather than sophisticated partner economics. It's deeply integrated with Stripe and handles recurring billing, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, refunds, and recurring commissions well. www.rewardful.com

But for a program where tiered partner economics are central to the design, I'd pick FirstPromoter or Tolt instead.

When I'd move to PartnerStack

If "partner" means more than affiliates—e.g. agencies, consultants, resellers, technology partners, referral partners and affiliates—then PartnerStack becomes more compelling. It's designed for broader B2B SaaS partner ecosystems rather than just an affiliate program. thedigitalmerchant.com

My recommendation

For your situation: FirstPromoter.

I'd choose Tolt instead if you're heavily invested in Stripe and want highly configurable rules around plans, billing intervals, and partner performance.

A good initial structure could be:

Direct referral

• Monthly: 25% recurring for 12 months
• Annual: 20% of first annual payment
• Higher-volume partners: 30% / 25%

Partner recruitment

• 5–10% override on the recruited partner's commissions

Payout

• Monthly
• 30-day hold for refunds/chargebacks
• Automatic payouts

FirstPromoter can support much of that commission architecture natively, including recurring duration, multi-tier commissions, and billing-linked adjustments. help.firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.comhelp.tolt.iothedigitalmerchant.comhelp.firstpromoter.com

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.), approximate MRR, average monthly/annual plan price, and how you want the partner tiers to work, I can narrow this to the best 2 options and show exactly how I'd structure the commission rules in each.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, where you specifically need tiered partner commissions + recurring payouts, I’d shortlist FirstPromoter, PartnerStack, and Rewardful—with FirstPromoter as my default choice.

🥇 My pick: FirstPromoter

FirstPromoter

It maps particularly well to what you're describing. It supports:

• Tiered commission rates that increase when partners hit volume thresholds.
• Recurring commissions tied to subscription billing.
• Different rules for first payment, a fixed number of payments, or lifetime recurring commissions.
• Billing-event handling for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, refunds and reactivations.
• Stripe, Paddle, Recurly, Chargebee and Braintree integrations.
• Automated payouts and payout thresholds.
• Coupon-code attribution in addition to referral links. firstpromoter.com

That's important for your annual plan: you can make your commission logic billing-aware rather than treating an annual customer as simply one giant one-time transaction.

For example, you could structure:

Starter: 20% recurring
Growth: 25% recurring after 10 active referred customers
Pro: 30% recurring after 25 active referred customers

And separately define how long commissions last—for example, lifetime, 12 months, or first 3 payments.

🥈 PartnerStack if you're building a serious partner channel

PartnerStack

I'd choose PartnerStack instead if you're moving beyond traditional affiliates into B2B partners, agencies, consultants, resellers and referral partners.

It supports event-based commission models, automated global payouts, partner tiers, and recurring commissions around subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue. partnerstack.com

The tradeoff is complexity and cost. Current comparisons put PartnerStack substantially above the ~$49–$149/month class of SaaS affiliate tools, so I'd generally wait until your partner operation warrants a dedicated platform. affitor.com

🥉 Rewardful if you want simplicity

Rewardful

Rewardful is attractive if you're primarily on Stripe and want to get a program running quickly. It supports recurring/one-time commissions and percentage/fixed commissions, and is known for relatively low operational overhead. www.rewardful.com

But if tiered partner rates are a core requirement, I'd lean FirstPromoter. Recent comparisons specifically identify FirstPromoter as stronger on recurring-commission depth and flexible commission rules. track360.io

What I'd do in your position

If you're currently growing from, say, dozens to hundreds of partners:
→ FirstPromoter

If partners will eventually include agencies/resellers/referral partners and you want a full partner ecosystem:
→ PartnerStack

If you mainly want a lightweight affiliate program attached to Stripe:
→ Rewardful

One thing I'd decide before picking software is your commission model. For monthly + annual SaaS, I would avoid simply saying "30% recurring." You want explicit rules for annual-plan commissions, upgrades, downgrades, refunds, churn, commission duration, and tier qualification. FirstPromoter is particularly well suited to encoding those rules. firstpromoter.com

If you tell me your current MRR/ARR, Stripe vs Paddle, typical monthly/annual prices, and roughly how many partners you expect, I can narrow this to the best 2 options and estimate the actual monthly cost + payout economics for each.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, I’d shortlist FirstPromoter, Rewardful, and PartnerStack—but the best choice depends heavily on what you mean by “tiered.”

My pick: FirstPromoter

If by tiered commissions you mean something like:

• Standard partner: 20% recurring
• Silver: 25% after $5k referred revenue
• Gold: 30% after $20k
• Monthly customers → commission every month
• Annual customers → commission on the annual payment
• Upgrades/downgrades/cancellations → commissions adjust appropriately

FirstPromoter is probably the best fit. Current comparisons specifically highlight its deeper recurring-commission capabilities, MRR-based commissions, and broader billing integrations. track360.io

It also makes more sense than jumping immediately to an enterprise PRM if you're still building the program.

How I'd compare the main options

Rewardful is particularly attractive if you're Stripe-first and want something extremely easy to launch; it supports recurring commissions and automated payouts without a transaction fee. www.rewardful.comaffitor.com

PartnerStack becomes interesting when “affiliate” evolves into a real partner channel—agencies, resellers, technology partners, referral partners, etc. It's considerably more enterprise-oriented and expensive, with current comparisons putting entry pricing around $1,000/month. affitor.com

One important distinction

I'd separate commission tiers from multi-level affiliates.

If you mean:

Partner A gets 20%, but once they generate $10k/month they move to 25%.

That's a commission-tier requirement.

If you mean:

Partner A recruits Partner B, and A gets 5% of B's commissions.

That's a multi-tier/sub-affiliate requirement. Those are much less consistently supported. One current comparison, for example, lists FirstPromoter as limited for sub-affiliates while PartnerStack and Track360 have stronger multi-tier capabilities. track360.io

What I'd do in your position

If you're on Stripe and are growing but not yet enterprise: start with FirstPromoter.

I'd choose Rewardful instead if your priority is “get this live extremely quickly and keep the rules relatively simple.”

I'd choose PartnerStack if you're building a serious partner ecosystem rather than primarily an affiliate program.

Before committing, I'd specifically test these five scenarios in a trial/demo:

1. Monthly → annual upgrade
2. Annual → monthly downgrade
3. Customer churn/refund
4. Partner crosses a commission tier halfway through a subscription
5. Whether annual-plan commissions are paid once on the annual invoice or monthly as revenue is recognized

That last one can materially change your economics.

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.), approximate MRR, number of partners you expect, and the exact tier structure you want, I can narrow this to one platform and the plan I'd buy.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d put FirstPromoter at the top of your shortlist.

My ranking

Why FirstPromoter: it is specifically designed around subscription billing rather than treating an affiliate sale as a one-time event. It supports recurring commissions, different commission rates by plan/product, multi-tier and multi-level rewards, and automated payouts. firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.com

That matters if, for example, you want:

• 20% recurring on your monthly Starter plan
• 25% recurring on Pro
• 30% recurring on Enterprise
• A partner to move from 20% → 25% after 10 referred customers
• Commissions to continue on annual renewals
• Commissions to adjust when a customer upgrades/downgrades
• Refunds/cancellations to reverse or modify commissions

FirstPromoter's current positioning explicitly includes flexible commissions by plan/price ID and multi-tier/multi-level rewards. firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.com

When I'd choose something else

Choose PartnerStack if "partner" means more than affiliates for you—e.g. you're building a channel with referral partners, agencies, resellers, technology partners, and affiliates. It's substantially more enterprise-oriented and expensive, but much better suited to a broader B2B partner ecosystem. Current comparisons put it around $1,000+/month, depending on contract. affitor.com

Choose Rewardful if you're primarily on Stripe and want the fastest/simple implementation. It's attractive for an early program, but comparisons identify limitations around multi-tier structures and more sophisticated partner logic. track360.io

Choose Tapfiliate if integration breadth is especially important and you expect your program to span SaaS plus other channels. It supports recurring commissions, but I'd still favor FirstPromoter for a subscription-first SaaS with sophisticated commission rules. track360.io

The architecture I'd use

For a growing SaaS, I'd actually design the commission system before choosing the software:

Partner tier
→ Bronze: 20%
→ Silver: 25%
→ Gold: 30%

Customer plan
→ Monthly: commission on every successful billing cycle
→ Annual: commission on each annual renewal

Lifecycle rules
→ Upgrade: commission follows new plan
→ Downgrade: commission follows lower plan
→ Refund: commission clawed back
→ Churn: future commissions stop
→ Failed payment: commission remains pending until payment succeeds

Then make sure the platform can represent those rules natively rather than building them around spreadsheets/webhooks.

My recommendation: start with FirstPromoter unless you already know you're building a full reseller/channel ecosystem. It's the best balance of recurring SaaS commissions + tiered partner economics + billing lifecycle + reasonable cost for a growing company. Current pricing starts at $49/month, according to its current published comparison. firstpromoter.com

FirstPromoter

If you tell me your billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.), approximate MRR, and the exact commission tiers you want, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options and show you what each would cost.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d shortlist these:

track360.iosuperframeworks.comsaassleuth.com

My recommendation by stage

If you’re under ~$1M ARR or still validating the channel
→ Pick FirstPromoter or Rewardful.

• Supports subscription attribution.
• Handles recurring commissions tied to renewals.
• Lower operational overhead.
• Easier for a small team to manage. track360.iosuperframeworks.comsaassleuth.com

If you’re building a serious partner channel (agencies, consultants, integrations, affiliates)
→ Pick PartnerStack.

It is more of a partner ecosystem platform than just affiliate tracking: partner onboarding, portals, enablement, and multiple partner motions are the focus. track360.iosuperframeworks.comsaassleuth.com

If tiered commissions are a core requirement, I’d lean toward FirstPromoter. Typical setups it can support include:

• Affiliate earns 20% recurring commission
• Top performers unlock 25–30%
• Enterprise referrals get custom rates
• Annual plans get different commission rules than monthly plans
• Bonuses for hitting customer/revenue milestones

superframeworks.com

Things I’d verify before buying

For your exact use case, make sure the platform supports:

1. Recurring commission logic
   • Commission on every renewal?
   • Does it handle upgrades/downgrades?
   • Does churn stop future payouts automatically?

2. Monthly vs annual plan rules

Example:

• Monthly: 30% recurring for 12 months
• Annual: 20% of first payment
• Enterprise: custom payout

3. Partner tiers

Example:

• Bronze: 20%
• Silver: 25% after 10 customers
• Gold: 30% after $50k ARR influenced

4. Payout automation
   • PayPal
   • Wise
   • ACH/bank payouts
   • Tax forms if needed

5. Billing integration
   • Stripe
   • Paddle
   • Chargebee
   • Recurly
   • Braintree

track360.io

My default pick

For a typical growing SaaS today:

1. FirstPromoter → best default choice
2. PartnerStack → if partnerships are becoming a revenue channel
3. Rewardful → if you want the simplest Stripe setup

If you tell me your ARR range, billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), number of expected partners, and whether partners are affiliates vs agencies/resellers, I can narrow it to one.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d shortlist these three:

🥇 My pick: FirstPromoter

I'd choose FirstPromoter if your main requirement is a sophisticated affiliate program rather than a broader reseller/PRM system.

It is particularly well suited to subscription SaaS because commissions are billing-aware: upgrades, downgrades, refunds, cancellations, and recurring subscription events can affect commissions according to your rules. It also supports campaign-level commission controls and multiple billing providers. firstpromoter.com

That's useful if, for example, you want:

• 20% recurring commission for standard partners
• 25% once they generate $5k MRR
• 30% above $10k MRR
• Different rates for monthly vs. annual plans
• Commissions to continue for every subscription renewal
• Commissions to stop/claw back when a customer refunds or churns
• Different commission rules for different partner campaigns

Current published pricing starts around $49/month, with higher tiers as your affiliate revenue grows. firstpromoter.comaffitor.com

🥈 Rewardful if you're Stripe-first and want less complexity

Rewardful is probably the easiest option if your SaaS runs primarily on Stripe.

It handles recurring commissions and subscription lifecycle events and is designed specifically around Stripe/Paddle SaaS workflows. The tradeoff is that its commission/tier architecture isn't as deep as what I'd want for a highly sophisticated partner program. www.rewardful.com

Published pricing starts at $49/month with no transaction fee on the standard plans according to current comparisons. affitor.com

🥉 PartnerStack when affiliates are becoming a partner ecosystem

PartnerStack makes more sense if "affiliate" is eventually going to mean referral partners + agencies + resellers + integrations + strategic partners.

It's substantially heavier and more expensive than FirstPromoter/Rewardful, but that's intentional: it's a broader partner-management platform rather than simply affiliate tracking and payouts. Current comparisons put entry pricing around $1,000/month, so I wouldn't buy it prematurely. firstpromoter.comaffitor.com

What I'd do at your stage

If you're growing but not yet running hundreds/thousands of partners, I'd go:

FirstPromoter → PartnerStack later if your partner motion expands.

The key thing I'd validate in a demo before committing is exactly how your tier rules work, rather than just asking whether the product supports "tiered commissions." For example, there's a big difference between:

Partner earns 20% forever

and

Partner earns 20% on the first $5k of referred MRR, 25% from $5k–$10k, and 30% above $10k, with the rate recalculated as customers upgrade/downgrade.

For a subscription SaaS, I'd also make sure the platform handles annual-plan commissions correctly—i.e. whether your 20% commission is calculated on the entire annual payment, recognized monthly, or subject to a defined commission period.

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.), approximate MRR, expected number of partners, and the exact commission tiers you have in mind, I can narrow this to the best 1–2 options and tell you what I'd implement.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, performance-based commission tiers, and recurring payouts, my first choice would be FirstPromoter.

My shortlist

Why FirstPromoter stands out: it supports tiered rates that automatically increase based on performance thresholds, as well as recurring/lifetime commissions. It also tracks renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and reactivations against actual billing events. firstpromoter.comhelp.firstpromoter.com

It can also handle multi-level commissions if by "tiered" you mean a partner can recruit sub-affiliates and earn a percentage from them; FirstPromoter currently supports up to three levels. help.firstpromoter.com

A structure I'd consider for your SaaS

For example:

• Tier 1: 20% recurring
• Tier 2: 25% recurring after $5k referred revenue
• Tier 3: 30% recurring after $15k referred revenue
• Monthly and annual plans both eligible
• Commission continues while the referred customer remains active
• Refunds/cancellations automatically claw back the corresponding commission
• Optional higher commission for strategic partners

FirstPromoter explicitly supports both performance-based tiers and recurring commissions, so this kind of structure fits its model well. firstpromoter.comhelp.firstpromoter.com

When I'd choose Rewardful instead

If you're 100% Stripe and want the simplest possible implementation, Rewardful is probably the better engineering choice. It handles recurring commissions and plan changes, and supports automated PayPal/Wise payouts. www.rewardful.com

The important distinction is that FirstPromoter gives you more sophisticated commission logic, whereas Rewardful is particularly attractive for a straightforward Stripe-native affiliate program.

When I'd jump to PartnerStack

If you're moving beyond "affiliate program" into a real partner ecosystem—agencies, resellers, referral partners, technology partners, co-selling, etc.—then PartnerStack becomes more compelling. It's considerably more heavyweight and expensive, though, so I'd avoid it simply because you're growing. firstpromoter.com

Bottom line:
FirstPromoter if tiered commission logic is a core requirement.
Rewardful if simplicity + Stripe is the priority.
PartnerStack once you're managing a broader B2B partner channel.

If you tell me your billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), current MRR, approximate affiliate count, and the exact commission tiers you want, I can narrow this down to the best option and estimate your monthly software cost.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d put FirstPromoter at the top of your shortlist.

My ranking

🥇 FirstPromoter — my pick

FirstPromoter is unusually well aligned with what you're asking for.

It supports recurring commissions for the customer's lifetime, a fixed number of months, or a fixed number of charges. It also supports changing the commission rate over time—for example, 20% on the first charge and 30% thereafter. help.firstpromoter.com

More importantly, it supports actual performance tiers. You can structure something like:

• Bronze: 20% below 10 customers
• Silver: 25% at 10–24 customers
• Gold: 30% at 25+ customers

It can also base tiers on revenue, customers, or active customers. help.firstpromoter.com

And if by "tiered" you mean multi-level partners—where Partner A recruits Partner B and gets a percentage of B's commissions—FirstPromoter supports that too, with up to three levels. help.firstpromoter.com

For your monthly/annual plans, it can also apply rewards to specific plans/products, which is useful if you eventually want different economics for, say, Pro vs. Enterprise. help.firstpromoter.comhelp.firstpromoter.comhelp.rewardful.comwww.rewardful.comwww.rewardful.com

Its current pricing starts at $49/month, with higher tiers based on affiliate-generated revenue. firstpromoter.com

FirstPromoter

🥈 PartnerStack — if you're becoming a full partner channel

I'd choose PartnerStack instead if you're not just running an affiliate program but are building a broader B2B partner ecosystem—agencies, resellers, referral partners, affiliates, co-selling, etc.

It supports recurring/drip commissions tied to subscription revenue and handles automated global partner payouts. partnerstack.compartnerstack.com

The big advantage is the ecosystem: PartnerStack says its marketplace has 80,000+ partners, so it can help with partner discovery in addition to tracking and payments. partnerstack.compartnerstack.com

The downside is that pricing is quote-based and it is substantially more platform than a typical growing SaaS needs initially. partnerstack.com

PartnerStack

🥉 Rewardful — if simplicity matters more than sophisticated tiers

Rewardful is excellent if you're primarily on Stripe and want something lightweight.

It handles recurring commissions automatically and adjusts them for things like upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and trials. help.rewardful.com It also supports monthly/annual recurring billing because commissions are calculated from paid invoices.

It now advertises tiered commission rates and variable payouts by product/plan, so it isn't limited to a single flat percentage. www.rewardful.com

Its Starter plan is currently $49/month, with a $7,500/month affiliate-revenue limit, and it supports PayPal/Wise payouts. www.rewardful.com

Rewardful

What I'd implement for your SaaS

If you're at the stage where you're growing but aren't yet running a huge enterprise partner ecosystem, I'd do:

FirstPromoter + Stripe/Paddle → 25% recurring commission → performance tiers

For example:

Then make the commission recurring for 12 months initially rather than lifetime. That gives you attractive partner economics without creating an open-ended CAC liability. FirstPromoter supports exactly this type of recurring-duration configuration. help.firstpromoter.com

I'd also keep monthly and annual plans on the same percentage, but consider a different rate if your annual-plan margins/CAC economics are substantially different.

Bottom line:
FirstPromoter is the one I'd choose for your stated requirements. PartnerStack if you're building a large B2B partner ecosystem; Rewardful if you prioritize simplicity and are heavily Stripe-centric.

If you tell me your current MRR, number of affiliates/partners, Stripe vs. Paddle, and roughly how you want the tiers to work, I can narrow this down to the best option and propose the actual commission structure.

For a growing SaaS with both monthly and annual subscriptions, I’d shortlist FirstPromoter, Rewardful, and PartnerStack. The right choice depends mostly on how sophisticated your partner program needs to become.

My pick: FirstPromoter

FirstPromoter is probably the best fit if your priority is tiered commissions + recurring payouts without jumping to enterprise software.

It supports:

• Recurring commissions on subscriptions
• Tiered commission rates based on performance
• Different commission logic by billing event/period
• Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree
• Upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, renewals and reactivations
• Automated payout operations
• Multi-tier affiliate structures where partners can earn from sub-affiliates firstpromoter.comhelp.firstpromoter.com

That makes it particularly attractive if, for example, you want:

20% recurring for partners → 25% after $10k referred revenue → 30% after $25k

while continuing to pay those commissions as customers renew.

How I'd rank them

Rewardful would be my second choice if you're heavily invested in Stripe and want the simplest implementation. It's particularly strong for Stripe-native recurring SaaS programs and automated PayPal/Wise payouts. www.rewardful.com

PartnerStack becomes more compelling when "affiliate program" evolves into a serious partner ecosystem—agencies, resellers, technology partners, co-selling, partner recruitment, etc. It supports recurring/expansion commissions, flexible event-based commission models, partner tiers, and automated global payouts. partnerstack.com

One important distinction

If by "tiered partner commissions" you mean performance tiers, e.g.:

• Partner generates <$5k → 20%
• $5k–$20k → 25%
• $20k+ → 30%

FirstPromoter is an especially strong fit.

If you mean multi-level commissions, e.g.:

• Partner A refers Partner B
• A receives 10% of B's commissions
• B receives 25% of customer revenue

FirstPromoter explicitly supports that too, with up to three tiers. firstpromoter.comhelp.firstpromoter.com

What I'd choose at your stage

Growing SaaS → FirstPromoter.
Stripe-heavy, relatively simple affiliate program → Rewardful.
Large B2B SaaS building a full partner channel → PartnerStack.

I would not overbuy PartnerStack early unless you specifically need its partner ecosystem and enterprise-level partner management. Independent comparisons similarly put FirstPromoter in the sweet spot for feature-rich SaaS programs below the enterprise tier, while PartnerStack is aimed more at later-stage partner operations. www.rewardful.com

If you tell me your approximate MRR/ARR, billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), number of partners, and the commission tiers you have in mind, I can narrow this down to the best option and estimate the monthly cost.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, I would prioritize a platform that understands recurring revenue events (renewals, upgrades, downgrades, churn, refunds) rather than a traditional e-commerce affiliate tool. help.rewardful.com

My shortlist:

For your specific requirement — tiered partner commissions + recurring payouts — I would rank them:

1. FirstPromoter — likely the best fit
   • Example setup:
     • Partners 1–10 customers: 20% recurring
     • Partners 11–50 customers: 25%
     • Partners 50+: 30%
   • Good for rewarding high-performing partners without manually renegotiating every deal. firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.com

2. Rewardful — choose this if simplicity matters more than complex partner tiers
   • Great for a founder-led affiliate program.
   • Especially attractive if your stack is Stripe-first. help.rewardful.com

3. PartnerStack — choose this when partnerships become a major growth channel and you need partner onboarding, enablement, and a larger ecosystem.

A few SaaS commission rules I’d build in from day one:

• Pay commissions on collected revenue, not signups.
• Handle annual plans differently (for example, pay commission on the annual payment but prevent future double-counting).
• Add a refund/chargeback holding period.
• Decide whether commissions last forever or for a fixed window (12–24 months is common for many SaaS programs).
• Keep separate programs for:
  • affiliates/creators
  • agencies/resellers
  • customer referrals

If you are under ~$50k MRR, I’d probably start with FirstPromoter or Rewardful rather than an enterprise partner platform. If you’re building a serious B2B partner channel, move toward PartnerStack later.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d shortlist these three:

🏆 I'd pick FirstPromoter

The big reason is that it handles the exact commission model you're describing without forcing you into an enterprise platform.

FirstPromoter supports percentage or flat commissions, recurring commissions for the customer's lifetime or a defined period, and variable commission rates over time. It also supports multi-tier partner commissions up to three tiers. help.firstpromoter.com

For example, you could structure your program as:

• Standard partner: 20% recurring
• Growth partner: 25% recurring after 10 referred customers
• Top partner: 30% recurring after 25 referred customers
• Monthly customers → commission on each monthly payment
• Annual customers → commission on the annual payment
• Optional second-level referral → partner gets, say, 5–10% of the sub-partner's commissions

That's considerably more flexible than simply saying "everyone gets 30%."

FirstPromoter also integrates directly with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree, so commissions can be tied to actual subscription billing rather than just signup events. help.firstpromoter.com

Its current pricing starts at $49/month, with a $99/month Business tier and enterprise pricing above that. firstpromoter.com

When I'd choose Rewardful instead

Choose Rewardful if your priority is "I want this running with minimal complexity."

It's particularly strong if you're Stripe-based: Rewardful is designed around recurring billing and automatically adjusts commissions when referred customers upgrade, downgrade, cancel, etc. help.rewardful.com

The tradeoff is that FirstPromoter gives you more sophisticated commission/tier mechanics, which sounds important for your use case.

When PartnerStack makes sense

I'd move to PartnerStack if you're building something more like a full partner ecosystem: affiliates + agencies + resellers + referral partners + co-selling.

It supports installment/drip commissions tied to recurring SaaS revenue and handles consolidated partner payments, including monthly payouts. partnerstack.com

It also has a partner marketplace, which can help with partner discovery. But that's a different value proposition from simply running your own affiliate program, and I'd avoid the additional complexity/cost until you actually need it. partnerstack.com

My recommendation

Start with FirstPromoter if your growth plan is:

SaaS → recruit affiliates/creators/agencies → pay recurring revenue share → progressively reward your best partners.

I'd design the program around one commission tier for the partner's referred customers, rather than making the system unnecessarily complicated. For example:

20% → 25% → 30% based on referred customer volume, with commissions recurring for 12 months or the customer's lifetime.

That gives partners a clear reason to keep referring customers while keeping your unit economics predictable.

If you tell me your monthly price, annual price, gross margin, and roughly how many affiliates/partners you expect, I can recommend the exact commission tiers and payout rules I'd use.

For a growing SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d shortlist platforms built around subscription billing rather than generic affiliate tools.

My recommendation depends on your stage:

My default choice for your situation

I’d lean toward FirstPromoter if you are a scaling SaaS that already has customers and wants sophisticated commission logic.

A common setup it can support:

• Monthly plan:
  • Affiliate gets 30% recurring for 12 months
• Annual plan:
  • Affiliate gets 25% of first-year ARR
• Partner tiers:
  • 10 referrals/month → 35% commission
  • 50 referrals/month → 40%
  • 100 referrals/month → custom VIP rate
• Enterprise partners:
  • custom commission agreements

It is designed around subscription events rather than just “someone clicked a link and bought once,” which matters when customers upgrade, downgrade, churn, or renew. firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.com

When I would choose PartnerStack instead

Pick PartnerStack if your strategy is less “affiliate marketing” and more:

• agencies referring clients
• consultants/resellers
• technology partners
• marketplace-style partner recruitment
• channel sales teams

It is more of a partner relationship management platform than a simple affiliate tracker. partnerstack.compartnerstack.comfirstpromoter.com

Things I would verify before committing

Whichever tool you pick, make sure it handles:

1. Recurring revenue attribution
   • renewals
   • upgrades
   • downgrades
   • refunds
   • failed payments

2. Multiple plans
   • monthly vs annual commission differences
   • grandfathered pricing
   • coupons/promotions

3. Commission hierarchy
   • affiliate tiers
   • partner-specific rates
   • bonuses

4. Payout operations
   • PayPal/Wise/bank payouts
   • tax forms/compliance support
   • payout approvals

5. Billing integration
   • Native Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee support is preferable over fragile webhook workarounds.

If you’re a <$10M ARR SaaS, I’d usually start with FirstPromoter or Rewardful. If you’re building a channel program with dozens/hundreds of partners, I’d move toward PartnerStack. partnerstack.compartnerstack.comfirstpromoter.com

For a SaaS with monthly and annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I'd narrow it to four serious options.

Based on your requirements

You specifically mentioned:

• Monthly + annual plans
• Tiered partner commissions
• Recurring payouts
• Growing SaaS

That pushes me toward FirstPromoter.

It supports things like:

• 20% recurring on monthly plans
• 30% first-year commission on annual plans
• Different commission rates for different affiliates
• VIP partner tiers
• Product-specific commissions
• Recurring commissions that automatically stop when customers churn or are refunded
• Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and other billing systems track360.iorefgrow.comfirstpromoter.com

If you're using Stripe

If your billing is entirely in Stripe and you don't expect highly customized commission logic, Rewardful is hard to beat for simplicity.

People often launch in under an hour because it hooks directly into subscription events, upgrades, renewals, and cancellations. www.rewardful.com

If you expect to build a serious partner ecosystem

Choose PartnerStack if you're planning to recruit:

• Agencies
• Consultants
• Integration partners
• Technology partners
• Affiliates

One advantage is access to its partner marketplace in addition to the software itself, though pricing is generally aimed at later-stage SaaS companies. partnerstack.com

Commission structure I'd recommend

For most B2B SaaS businesses, something like this performs well:

This rewards long-term customer value instead of one-time signups and encourages partners to refer customers who stay subscribed.

My recommendation

• Best overall: FirstPromoter
• Best if you're Stripe-only and want simplicity: Rewardful
• Best enterprise/B2B partner program: PartnerStack
• Best budget option: Tolt

One question that would change the recommendation: Which billing platform does your SaaS use (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Lemon Squeezy, or something else)?

For a SaaS with monthly and annual subscriptions, recurring commissions, and tiered partner levels (e.g. Silver/Gold/Platinum), I'd narrow it to these five:

Industry comparisons consistently put FirstPromoter, Rewardful, Tapfiliate, Tolt, and PartnerStack among the strongest SaaS-focused choices because they handle subscription billing, recurring commissions, upgrades/downgrades, and automated payouts. track360.io

If I were building a SaaS today

I'd choose FirstPromoter.

Why:

• Native recurring commissions
• Different commission rates by partner tier
• Automatic tracking of monthly vs annual subscriptions
• Handles upgrades and downgrades well
• Strong reporting around MRR and LTV
• Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and other billing integrations track360.iosuperframeworks.comsaassleuth.com

Example:

• Bronze: 20% recurring
• Silver: 25%
• Gold: 30%
• Enterprise agencies: custom 35%

Those rules are straightforward to configure.

If you're already on Stripe

I'd seriously consider Rewardful.

It's probably the fastest setup:

• Install
• Connect Stripe
• Invite affiliates
• Start tracking subscriptions

It's particularly attractive if you don't need highly complex commission logic on day one. track360.iosuperframeworks.comsaassleuth.com

If you want affiliates to find you

This is where PartnerStack stands apart.

It isn't just software—it also has a partner marketplace where agencies, consultants, and B2B affiliates actively look for SaaS products to promote. That can help if recruiting partners is a bigger challenge than managing commissions. It comes with significantly higher pricing, so it's usually a fit once you're generating meaningful recurring revenue. saassleuth.comsuperframeworks.comtrack360.io

Commission structure I'd recommend

For most SaaS businesses:

• Standard affiliates: 20% recurring for the lifetime of the customer
• Proven partners: 25% recurring
• Strategic partners/agencies: 30% recurring
• Annual plans: Pay the commission immediately based on the annual payment.
• Upgrades: Pay on the increased subscription value.
• Refunds: Reverse commissions automatically.
• Failed payments: Pause commissions until payment resumes.

This structure rewards customer retention rather than one-time signups.

My recommendation by ARR

• Under $500k ARR: Rewardful or Tolt
• $500k–$5M ARR: FirstPromoter (my overall pick)
• $5M+ ARR: PartnerStack or a more enterprise-oriented platform like Impact, depending on your partner ecosystem needs. saassleuth.comsuperframeworks.comtrack360.io

If you can tell me:

• your billing platform (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Lemon Squeezy, etc.),
• your current ARR or MRR,
• and roughly how many affiliates you expect in the first year,

I can recommend the option that's likely to fit your stage best.

For a growing SaaS with monthly and annual subscriptions, you want software that handles:

• ✅ Recurring commissions tied to subscription renewals
• ✅ Tiered partner commissions (performance-based or partner levels)
• ✅ Automatic payouts
• ✅ Upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and churn adjustments
• ✅ Native integration with your billing platform (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, etc.)

Here's how I'd compare the leading options.

My recommendation

If you're under roughly $1M ARR: FirstPromoter is probably the strongest overall choice.

Why:

• Built specifically for subscription SaaS
• Handles recurring commissions automatically
• Supports partner tiers and lifetime commissions
• Tracks renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and reactivations without manual work
• Integrates natively with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree firstpromoter.com

If you expect a large partner ecosystem

Choose PartnerStack if you want:

• Agencies
• Resellers
• Technology partners
• Co-marketing partners

Its biggest advantage isn't just the software—it's access to an existing B2B SaaS partner marketplace. The tradeoff is significantly higher cost. www.reddit.comwww.reddit.com

If you're bootstrapping

I'd consider Refgrow because it offers:

• Recurring commissions
• Tiered commission rules
• Automatic PayPal/Wise payouts
• Flat monthly pricing rather than taking a percentage of your revenue refgrow.com

Commission structure I'd recommend

A structure that works well for many SaaS businesses is:

You can also add:

• First customer bonus (e.g. $100)
• Quarterly performance bonuses
• Higher commission on annual plans
• Commission lock after 12–24 months if lifetime payouts aren't sustainable

That model aligns affiliate incentives with customer retention while keeping acquisition costs predictable.

If you tell me:

• your billing provider (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, etc.),
• your current ARR, and
• whether your SaaS is B2B or B2C,

I can narrow this down to the one platform that best fits your stage and growth goals.

For a SaaS with monthly + annual subscriptions, tiered partner commissions, and recurring payouts, I’d avoid generic affiliate tools and pick one built around subscription lifecycle events (upgrades, downgrades, churn, renewals). www.rewardful.compartnerstack.comfirstpromoter.com

My shortlist:

My default recommendation by stage:

• < $1M ARR / first 50–200 partners: Start with FirstPromoter or Rewardful.
• Growing SaaS with multiple partner tiers: Pick FirstPromoter if commission logic is the priority. It is closer to a “partner compensation engine.” firstpromoter.com
• Enterprise motion (agencies, channel partners, marketplaces): Move toward PartnerStack. www.rewardful.compartnerstack.comfirstpromoter.com

For your specific requirements, I’d verify these before committing:

1. Recurring commission rules
   • Does commission continue every billing cycle?
   • Does it stop on churn?
   • Are annual plans paid differently from monthly plans?

2. Tier logic

Example:

• 20% recurring commission for partners under $10k referred ARR
• 25% after $10k
• 30% after $50k

3. Billing sync
   • Stripe events
   • upgrades/downgrades
   • refunds
   • failed payments

4. Payout workflow
   • PayPal/Wise/bank payouts
   • tax forms if needed
   • payout approval controls

If I were building a SaaS today with monthly + annual plans and a serious partner channel, I’d likely start with FirstPromoter and move to PartnerStack once partner operations become a major revenue channel. www.rewardful.compartnerstack.comfirstpromoter.com

For a growing SaaS with monthly and annual subscriptions, I'd prioritize software that is built around subscription billing—not generic ecommerce affiliate tracking.

Here's how I'd rank the leading options.

My recommendation

If I were launching a SaaS today, I'd choose FirstPromoter.

It supports the capabilities you're looking for out of the box:

• recurring commissions on monthly and annual renewals
• different commission tiers (Bronze/Silver/Gold partners)
• commissions that automatically adjust for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and reactivations
• configurable payout thresholds
• Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree integrations
• coupon attribution in addition to referral links
• automated payout workflows and audit history firstpromoter.comtrack360.io

Example commission structure

A structure I've seen work well for SaaS:

This rewards partners who consistently bring in retained customers instead of one-off signups.

If you're using Stripe

If your SaaS is entirely on Stripe and you want the fastest setup possible, Rewardful is a compelling alternative. It's very polished, integrates directly with Stripe and Paddle, and many founders are live within an hour. The trade-off is that it offers less flexibility around complex commission logic than FirstPromoter. firstpromoter.comtrack360.io

If you want affiliates to discover you

One important distinction:

• FirstPromoter, Rewardful, Tolt, and Tapfiliate help you manage affiliates you recruit.
• PartnerStack also gives you access to an established B2B partner marketplace, which can make recruiting easier once you're ready to invest more heavily in partnerships. superframeworks.com

What I'd choose at different stages

• <$25k MRR: Rewardful or Tolt for simplicity.
• $25k–$500k MRR: FirstPromoter (my preferred choice).
• $500k+ ARR with channel sales and agencies: PartnerStack.

If you share:

• your billing provider (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, etc.),
• your current MRR/ARR,
• and whether you plan to recruit influencers, agencies, or integration partners,

I can recommend the commission structure and affiliate platform that best fits your growth stage.