ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a SaaS product, you’ll want affiliate/referral software that can track the full subscription lifecycle, not just the initial signup:

• visitor clicks referral link
• web signup or in-app signup occurs
• trial → paid conversion is attributed
• monthly renewals generate commissions
• upgrades/downgrades/cancellations adjust payouts

The strongest options to evaluate:

My shortlist by architecture

If you have Stripe subscriptions

1. Rewardful
2. FirstPromoter
3. Partnero
4. Trackdesk

These can usually map referral IDs into Stripe customer metadata or webhooks so renewals can be credited.

If you have a product-led SaaS where users invite other users

• Refgrow is worth looking at because it is built around embedding referral flows inside the app rather than only external affiliate links. refgrow.com

If you have enterprise/B2B partners

• PartnerStack or Trackdesk are usually closer to a channel-management system than a simple affiliate tracker.

Architecture I would recommend

For a SaaS with both website and app signups:

1. Generate affiliate ID/link:

   yourapp.com/signup?ref=affiliate123

2. Store referral attribution at signup:
   • user ID
   • affiliate ID
   • campaign ID
   • timestamp
   • first-touch / last-touch rules

3. Pass attribution into billing:
   • Stripe customer metadata
   • Paddle customer fields
   • internal subscription table

4. Trigger commissions from billing events:
   • subscription_created
   • invoice_paid
   • subscription_updated
   • subscription_cancelled

5. Pay commissions:
   • e.g. 30% recurring for 12 months
   • lifetime recurring
   • first payment only
   • tiered partner rates

A key requirement: avoid relying only on browser cookies. Modern browsers, ad blockers, and privacy settings can break attribution. Tools that use server-side events/webhooks are generally more reliable for SaaS. rekomi.comicodrip.com

If you share your stack (Stripe vs Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy, web framework, mobile app type, and whether referrals are affiliates or customer invites), I can narrow this to the best 2–3 choices.

Yes. For a SaaS product that needs to attribute referrals across web → signup → in-app activation/payment, and then keep paying the affiliate on recurring subscription revenue, there are several good options.

My shortlist

1. Rewardful — easiest if you're on Stripe

Rewardful supports recurring or one-time commissions and can automatically track upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds through Stripe. It also has a REST API, so you aren't limited to tracking a simple website checkout. www.rewardful.com

For your architecture, you could do:

Affiliate link → web landing page → signup → referral ID attached to user/account → Stripe/customer → recurring commission

That makes it particularly attractive if your web signup and app are separate surfaces.

2. FirstPromoter — strongest alternative for flexible SaaS billing

FirstPromoter supports commissions based on billing events rather than merely the initial signup, including recurring charges, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. firstpromoter.com

I'd favor this if you have Chargebee, Recurly, Paddle, or more complicated subscription logic, rather than being purely Stripe-native.

3. Tolt — good startup-friendly option

Tolt integrates with Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee, supports recurring SaaS commissions, and specifically supports cross-subdomain tracking, which can be useful when your marketing site and application live on different domains/subdomains. tolt.com

4. PartnerStack — if this is becoming a serious partner ecosystem

PartnerStack is more of a partner-management platform than a lightweight affiliate tracker. It supports event-based commissions and recurring commissions tied to renewals and expansion revenue. partnerstack.com

I'd consider it when you're managing affiliates + agencies + resellers + referral partners, rather than just affiliates.

One important architectural point

Since you specifically said web and in-app signups, I wouldn't choose based solely on whether the vendor has an affiliate JavaScript snippet.

You want the system to preserve an attribution identifier through your own signup flow:

Affiliate link
      ↓
Marketing website
      ↓
Referral ID captured
      ↓
Signup
      ↓
User/account created
      ↓
Referral ID stored permanently on account
      ↓
Subscription/payment
      ↓
Affiliate commission
      ↓
Renewal / upgrade / downgrade
      ↓
Recurring commission

The critical part is persisting the referral relationship server-side, rather than relying exclusively on a browser cookie. This is especially important if someone clicks an affiliate link on their phone, later signs up in your app, or moves between your marketing site and application.

What I'd choose

• Stripe + relatively straightforward SaaS: Rewardful
• Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee + complicated billing: FirstPromoter
• Early-stage SaaS + simple implementation: Tolt
• Large B2B SaaS + affiliates/resellers/partners: PartnerStack
• Highly customized/developer-controlled attribution: Dub Partners / Rewardful API

If you tell me your billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.), web/app setup (e.g. example.com + iOS/Android), and whether you need first-click or last-click attribution, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 and lay out exactly how I'd implement the referral tracking.

Yes. For a SaaS that needs to attribute referrals across web signup + in-app signup and then pay recurring commissions on subscription revenue, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

For your specific requirement, FirstPromoter is probably the strongest starting point. It supports recurring commissions tied to actual billing events, including renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and reactivations. It also supports Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle, Recurly and Braintree, with an API for custom setups. firstpromoter.com

The important part for web + in-app is that you don't necessarily want to rely solely on browser cookies.

A good architecture would be:

Affiliate link → web landing page → persistent referral ID → signup/account creation → referral ID attached to user/account → server-side conversion event → billing subscription → recurring commissions

That lets you preserve attribution even if the user:

1. clicks an affiliate link on the web,
2. creates an account,
3. later opens your mobile/desktop app,
4. subscribes from inside the app,
5. renews for 12 months.

FirstPromoter specifically supports API/custom tracking and server-side postbacks, which makes this type of architecture more practical. firstpromoter.comwww.rewardful.compartnerstack.com

Rewardful is worth considering

If your billing is Stripe, I'd put Rewardful very close to FirstPromoter. It natively tracks recurring commissions as well as upgrades, downgrades and cancellations. www.rewardful.com

The deciding question is whether your app subscription events ultimately flow through Stripe. If they do, Rewardful can be considerably simpler.

PartnerStack if you're building a serious partner channel

If you're talking about hundreds/thousands of affiliates, agencies, resellers, or B2B partners rather than simply a referral program, I'd look at PartnerStack. It supports recurring and usage-based commissions, event-based triggers, S2S/CRM tracking, and recurring revenue from renewals/expansion. partnerstack.com

It's more of a partner ecosystem platform than a lightweight affiliate tracker, though, so I'd avoid the complexity if all you need is referral attribution + recurring payouts.

One thing I'd verify before buying

Don't just ask vendors "Do you support recurring commissions?" Ask:

"Can you preserve an affiliate attribution from a web click through account creation and then attribute a subscription event that occurs later inside our native app, without relying on the original browser cookie?"

That's the critical distinction for your architecture.

If you tell me (1) web + iOS/Android or desktop app, (2) Stripe/RevenueCat/Chargebee/etc., and (3) whether the subscription is purchased on the web or inside the app, I can narrow this to the 2–3 platforms that will actually work end-to-end and sketch the tracking architecture.

For a SaaS product where you need to track referrals across both web signups and in-app signups and pay recurring commissions, you’ll want something that can handle:

• First-touch or last-touch attribution from referral links
• Signup → trial → paid conversion tracking
• Server-side events/webhooks (more reliable than cookies alone)
• Subscription renewals, upgrades, downgrades, churn
• Recurring revenue share or lifetime commissions
• Mobile app attribution (if your app has native iOS/Android flows)

Here are strong options:

My shortlist by architecture

If you are mostly web SaaS + Stripe

• Rewardful
• FirstPromoter
• Tolt
• Icodrip

If you have web + native mobile apps
Look for a platform with:

1. API-based conversion creation
2. Server-to-server attribution
3. Ability to attach an affiliate ID to a user/customer record
4. Webhook support for subscription events

A common architecture:

Affiliate link
      ↓
Landing page captures affiliate_id
      ↓
User creates account (web or app)
      ↓
Backend stores affiliate_id on user/customer
      ↓
Billing event webhook fires
      ↓
Affiliate platform creates commission
      ↓
Renewals generate recurring payouts

For mobile apps specifically, avoid relying only on browser cookies. A better pattern is:

• capture referral parameters through deep links
• pass the referral ID into account creation
• store it server-side
• send conversion events from your backend

If you share your stack (Stripe/Paddle/App Store subscriptions, React Native/Flutter/native apps, B2B vs B2C SaaS), I can narrow this to the best 2–3 choices.

If you share your stack (Stripe/Paddle/App Store subscriptions, React Native/Flutter/native apps, B2B vs B2C SaaS), I can narrow this to the best 2–3 choices.

Yes. For a SaaS product where the same referral needs to survive from a website click → signup/trial → in-app account → paid subscription → recurring renewals, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

1. FirstPromoter — probably the strongest starting point.
It's explicitly designed around SaaS/subscription businesses and recurring commissions, with billing-aware attribution that can account for upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and cancellations. Its current integration coverage includes Stripe, Paddle, Recurly, Braintree, and Chargebee. firstpromoter.com

2. Rewardful — best if you're on Stripe and want simplicity.
Rewardful connects directly to Stripe and automatically handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. It supports both recurring and one-time commission structures. www.rewardful.com

3. Tapfiliate — best if your attribution requirements are more custom.
Tapfiliate has a particularly useful Customer concept: you can associate a referred person with your own customer/database ID and then send subsequent billing events against that ID. That makes it well suited to the web → app handoff you're describing. support.tapfiliate.comtapfiliate.com

4. PartnerStack — best if "affiliate" will grow into a broader partner program.
It supports recurring/usage-based commissions, event-based triggers, CRM-connected tracking, and integrations with billing systems such as Stripe and Chargebee. It's more of a full partner ecosystem than a lightweight affiliate tracker. partnerstack.com

The architecture I'd use

Regardless of vendor, don't rely solely on a browser cookie once the user enters your app.

Use this flow:

Affiliate link → referral ID → signup → persistent user_id/customer_id → billing events → affiliate commission

For example:

1. Affiliate sends someone to yoursite.com/?ref=abc123.
2. Tracking software records abc123.
3. On signup, your backend associates abc123 with your internal user/account ID.
4. That association persists when the user moves into your app.
5. When Stripe/Chargebee/etc. reports a payment, send the same customer/account ID to the affiliate platform.
6. The platform attributes every renewal to the original affiliate.

That's particularly important if users can click on the marketing site, sign up, finish onboarding inside a separate app domain, and only become paying customers days/weeks later.

Tapfiliate explicitly documents this customer-ID approach for recurring SaaS commissions, including passing your database ID/payment-provider customer ID and creating conversions on subsequent payments. support.tapfiliate.comtapfiliate.com

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe + Next.js + React Native, or Stripe + Firebase, etc.), I can narrow this to the 2 best options and show exactly how I'd implement web → app attribution and recurring commissions.

For a SaaS product where you need to track referrals across web signups + in-app signups and pay recurring commissions, you’ll want software that can handle:

• referral attribution from first click → signup → paid subscription
• passing referral IDs into your app/backend
• subscription lifecycle events (renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations)
• recurring commission calculations
• affiliate dashboards and payouts

Good options:

My shortlist by architecture

If you use Stripe Billing

1. Rewardful — simplest path. Connect Stripe, track affiliate links/coupons, and automatically calculate recurring commissions. www.rewardful.com
2. Referralful — similar Stripe-native approach, aimed at startups that want lighter operational overhead. trackdesk.comreferralful.com

If you have a custom app (mobile + web)
Look for platforms that support:

• server-to-server (S2S) attribution
• API/webhooks
• storing an affiliate ID on the user record
• subscription event ingestion from your billing system

A common setup:

1. Affiliate link click

→ store affiliate_id in cookie/local storage

2. User creates account (web or app)

→ pass affiliate_id into signup API

3. Backend stores:

   user_id
   affiliate_id
   signup_date
   plan
   subscription_id

4. Billing events fire:

   subscription_created
   invoice_paid
   subscription_upgraded
   subscription_cancelled

5. Affiliate platform calculates commission.

For a SaaS with both web and mobile app acquisition, I’d generally avoid tools that only track browser cookies. Choose one with API/webhook support so the referral relationship lives in your backend, not only in the browser.

If you share your stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee, React Native/iOS/Android/web, and whether you need customer referral vs affiliate partners), I can narrow this to the best 2–3 choices.

Yes. For web + in-app SaaS referrals with recurring commissions, I’d narrow the field to Cello, Trackdesk, FirstPromoter, PartnerStack, and Tapfiliate. The important distinction is whether you need a traditional affiliate platform or cross-platform, identity/server-side referral attribution.

My shortlist

1. Cello — my first choice if the referral experience is inside your app.
Cello has web and native mobile SDKs, server-side attribution, and integrations with Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle and Recurly. Its mobile flow can carry referral attribution from a web click → App Store/Google Play → app install → signup. cello.so

This is particularly attractive if your flow is:

Affiliate/referrer link → web landing page → signup or app download → in-app signup → subscription → recurring commission

It also lets the referral component live directly inside the authenticated web/mobile product rather than sending users to an external affiliate portal. cello.so

Cello

2. Trackdesk — strongest traditional affiliate option for web + mobile.
Trackdesk supports recurring commissions and multiple attribution mechanisms including S2S postbacks, server-side tracking, deep links and coupons. More importantly for your use case, its AppsFlyer integration can pass mobile installs, in-app events and revenue back to the affiliate system. trackdesk.com

So if you already use AppsFlyer (or want a conventional mobile MMP + affiliate platform architecture), I'd seriously consider this.

Trackdesk

3. FirstPromoter — good if you're willing to integrate the attribution yourself.
FirstPromoter has a server-side Tracking API that can record signups, sales, refunds and cancellations, including recurring commission scheduling. That makes it viable when your web and app authentication/billing logic is centralized on your backend. help.firstpromoter.com

FirstPromoter

4. PartnerStack — better if "affiliate" is really becoming a partner ecosystem.
It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue, plus S2S/CRM-connected attribution and billing integrations such as Stripe and Chargebee. I'd favor it if you're expecting agencies, resellers, technology partners and larger B2B partners—not just influencers/affiliates. partnerstack.com

PartnerStack

5. Tapfiliate — good general SaaS choice.
It supports lifetime, time-limited and tiered recurring commissions and can integrate with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee and custom systems through webhooks/server-side events. tapfiliate.com

Tapfiliate

What I'd choose for your architecture

If in-app signups are a first-class requirement, I'd start with:

Cello → Trackdesk → FirstPromoter

The critical requirement isn't merely "recurring commissions." You want identity-based attribution that survives the transition between web and mobile.

For example:

Affiliate link
     ↓
Web landing page
     ↓
Referral ID captured
     ↓
 ┌───┴───────────────┐
 ↓                   ↓
Web signup       App Store / Play
 ↓                   ↓
Account created ← App signup
        ↓
   User identity
        ↓
 Stripe / billing event
        ↓
Recurring commission

I'd specifically avoid choosing a platform solely because it has "affiliate cookies + recurring commissions." If someone clicks on desktop, installs your iOS app, signs up there, and then pays later, cookie-based attribution alone is not sufficient.

If you tell me (1) Stripe vs RevenueCat/Paddle/Chargebee, (2) iOS/Android/native vs React Native, and (3) whether affiliates are external partners or existing users referring friends, I can narrow this to the best 1–2 architectures and explain exactly how I'd implement the attribution.

For a SaaS product, you’ll want an affiliate platform that can do lifetime/recurring commissions, not just “pay once when someone signs up.” The key requirements are:

• Track referral clicks → trial/signup → paid conversion
• Persist attribution from web signup into the app
• Sync with billing events (renewals, upgrades, downgrades, churn)
• Support recurring commissions
• Handle coupon codes and non-cookie attribution (important for influencers)
• Provide affiliate portals and payouts

The strongest options:

My shortlist by SaaS stage

If you are a startup using Stripe:

1. Rewardful — fastest path to launch
2. FirstPromoter — more flexible if you expect complexity
3. Tolt — good lightweight option

If you have a B2B SaaS sales motion:

• PartnerStack is usually the better fit because it handles partner tiers, revenue sharing, and broader partner ecosystems. partnerstack.com

If you need web + in-app referral continuity:
Look for a platform that supports a flow like:

1. Visitor clicks affiliate link
2. Tracking ID stored in cookie/local storage
3. User creates account in your app
4. Your backend stores affiliate_id on the user/customer record
5. Billing events send revenue data back to affiliate platform
6. Commission is generated on every subscription payment

A common architecture is:

Affiliate link
      ↓
Landing page tracking
      ↓
Signup form captures referral ID
      ↓
User table stores affiliate attribution
      ↓
Stripe/Paddle billing event webhook
      ↓
Affiliate platform creates recurring commission

For most SaaS companies, I would evaluate FirstPromoter vs Rewardful first: Rewardful if you want simplicity, FirstPromoter if you need more control over billing events and commission rules. www.rewardful.comfirstpromoter.com

If you share your stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee, React/native app, free trial vs paid signup, and whether referrals happen inside the app), I can narrow this to the best architecture and vendors.

Yes. For SaaS with recurring subscriptions, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

For your specific requirement—tracking a referral that starts on the web but ultimately results in an in-app SaaS signup—I'd lean toward FirstPromoter.

It can attribute using affiliate links or coupon codes, and its server-side/postback capabilities are useful when the signup/payment event happens inside your application rather than directly on the marketing site. It also supports recurring commissions tied to actual billing events, including lifetime commissions. help.firstpromoter.com

A typical architecture would be:

Affiliate link → marketing site → signup → user/account ID → app → Stripe subscription → FirstPromoter

The important part is that you persist the affiliate/referral ID against the user's account during signup, rather than relying exclusively on a browser cookie. That makes the attribution survive the transition from web → app and is much more robust for mobile/app or cross-domain flows.

If you're on Stripe

Rewardful is probably the simplest alternative. It is specifically built around Stripe subscriptions and automatically associates referred customers with affiliates, then generates commissions on subsequent paid invoices. It also handles upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and trials. help.rewardful.com

If you need more sophisticated attribution

Tapfiliate is worth considering because it supports a customer ID that you can maintain across your own system and can create subsequent conversions through its API. That's particularly useful when your application's billing lifecycle isn't completely represented by the initial web conversion. support.tapfiliate.com

PartnerStack is the heavier-duty option if you're building a serious B2B SaaS partner ecosystem. It supports recurring/usage-based commissions, subscription renewals and expansion revenue, plus server-to-server and CRM-connected tracking. partnerstack.com

Bottom line:

• Custom web + app SaaS flow: FirstPromoter
• Stripe + simple implementation: Rewardful
• Custom attribution/API-heavy: Tapfiliate
• Enterprise B2B partner ecosystem: PartnerStack

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe + React/Next.js + native iOS/Android, etc.), I can map out exactly how I'd implement the referral ID across affiliate click → web signup → app account → subscription → recurring commission.

Yes. For web + in-app SaaS signups with recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: FirstPromoter

FirstPromoter is particularly well suited to your use case. It supports lifetime recurring commissions, time-limited recurring commissions, and commissions based on a fixed number of charges. help.firstpromoter.com

More importantly for web → app attribution, it has a server-side API for tracking signups, sales, refunds, and cancellations. That means you don't have to depend on a browser cookie once the user enters your app. docs.firstpromoter.com

A typical architecture would be:

Affiliate link → website → signup → your backend stores referral ID → user creates account in app → subscription/payment → FirstPromoter sale event → recurring renewals automatically attributed.

FirstPromoter also supports webhooks, so your backend can react to referral and commission events. help.firstpromoter.com

When I'd choose PartnerStack instead

PartnerStack is stronger if you're building a larger B2B partner/channel program, rather than simply an affiliate/referral program. It supports recurring commissions on subscriptions and expansion revenue, S2S tracking, CRM integrations, and partner lifecycle management. partnerstack.com

One important implementation detail

For an app, don't rely solely on the affiliate cookie. Capture the referral/partner identifier at the web signup and persist it against your internal user_id/customer_id. Then send the attribution server-to-server when the customer actually pays.

That gives you reliable attribution even when the customer:

• clicks on the web
• signs up
• later downloads/opens your mobile or desktop app
• upgrades from trial
• changes plans
• renews months later

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, etc.) and whether the app is iOS/Android/web, I can recommend the cleanest architecture and compare the implementation effort of FirstPromoter vs PartnerStack.

Yes. For your specific requirement—attribution that starts on the web, survives into an iOS/Android app signup, and supports recurring SaaS commissions—I’d narrow the field considerably.

Best fits

My first choice: Cello

Cello is particularly interesting for your architecture because it explicitly supports web and mobile referral components, and its attribution flow is designed for the situation where someone clicks a referral link on the web, goes through the App Store/Google Play, installs the app, and then signs up. docs.cello.so

It also supports recurring rewards and integrations with Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle and Recurly, plus a REST API for custom backend events. cello.so

That makes it a strong fit if your referral program is primarily existing users referring new users.

If you mean traditional affiliates: Trackdesk

Trackdesk is worth serious consideration if your program is more conventional affiliate marketing. It supports recurring commissions across subscription renewals and multiple tracking methods, including server-to-server tracking and deep linking. trackdesk.com

More importantly for you, Trackdesk has an AppsFlyer integration that can pass attribution through app installs and track registrations, in-app events and revenue. trackdesk.com

So a stack like:

Affiliate link → website → App Store/Play Store → app install → signup → subscription → recurring commissions

is feasible without trying to make a web cookie survive the entire journey.

PartnerStack for a larger B2B partner program

PartnerStack is probably the strongest choice if you're building a serious B2B SaaS partner ecosystem rather than just a customer referral program. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue, as well as event-based commissions and CRM/billing integrations. partnerstack.com

Its tracking is particularly good for web/server-side SaaS attribution, but I'd put Cello or Trackdesk ahead of it when native mobile-app attribution is a core requirement.

One important architectural point

I wouldn't make the affiliate platform's browser cookie the source of truth.

I'd structure attribution roughly as:

Affiliate/referral link
        ↓
Web landing page
        ↓
Referral ID captured
        ↓
App Store / Google Play
        ↓
Mobile attribution / deep link
        ↓
App signup
        ↓
Your backend attaches referral_id → user_id
        ↓
Subscription/payment events
        ↓
Affiliate platform
        ↓
Recurring commissions

That lets you reliably handle cases where the click happens on a laptop but the signup happens in the mobile app, or where the user installs the app several days after the original referral.

Bottom line:

• Customer/user referrals + native app experience: Cello
• Affiliate program + web/mobile revenue attribution: Trackdesk + AppsFlyer
• Large B2B SaaS partner ecosystem: PartnerStack
• Web-only/mostly Stripe SaaS: Rewardful or FirstPromoter

If you tell me your billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.), iOS/Android setup, and whether the referrer is an existing customer or an external affiliate, I can narrow this to the best 2 and map the exact tracking architecture.

Yes. For a SaaS product where a referral can start on the website and convert later inside your app, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

FirstPromoter looks like the strongest fit if your key requirement is one referral identity that survives the transition from marketing site → app → subscription billing. It ties commissions to actual billing events rather than merely the signup, supports recurring/one-time/lifetime commission models, and supports server-side/postback tracking and APIs for custom implementations. It also supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree. firstpromoter.com

FirstPromoter

Tolt is particularly attractive if you want something SaaS-native and straightforward. It explicitly supports cross-subdomain tracking, so a setup such as www.yoursite.com → app.yoursite.com can remain attributable, and it syncs subscription, cancellation and refund events from Stripe, Paddle or Chargebee. tolt.com

Tolt

Rewardful is worth considering if you're heavily invested in Stripe. Its positioning is specifically around SaaS subscription affiliate programs and recurring commissions. www.rewardful.com

Rewardful

One architectural point I'd prioritize

Don't treat "signup" as the conversion event. For your use case, I'd implement:

Affiliate link → referral ID → web signup → referral ID persisted to user/account → app signup/login → billing customer ID → recurring commission events

That way, if someone clicks an affiliate link on Monday, creates an account on the website, finishes onboarding in the app three days later, and subscribes a month later, the affiliate still gets attributed.

I'd also require the platform to handle upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, refunds, failed payments and cross-device/app transitions, rather than relying exclusively on browser cookies.

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe + React/Next.js + mobile iOS/Android) and whether the app signup is web app, native mobile, or both, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and show exactly how I'd implement the referral ID flow.

Yes. For SaaS referrals spanning web + mobile app signups, I’d narrow the field to these:

My recommendation

If mobile-app signup attribution is a hard requirement, start with impact.com. It explicitly supports tracking partners across web and app properties, across devices, and can track events such as app installs and subscription upgrades. It also integrates with mobile measurement platforms. impact.com

If most signups happen on the web and the app is essentially another client of the same SaaS account, I'd look at PartnerStack. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus server-to-server/CRM-integrated attribution. partnerstack.com

If you're Stripe-based and want something much simpler/cheaper, FirstPromoter or Rewardful are compelling. FirstPromoter supports recurring and one-time charges, upgrades, cancellations and refunds, while Rewardful is tightly integrated with Stripe subscription events. firstpromoter.com

One architectural point I'd prioritize

Don't make the app install the conversion. Make the user/account ID the durable attribution key:

Affiliate link → web landing page → referral ID → signup → account/user ID → app login → subscription → recurring commission

That lets someone click an affiliate link on their laptop, sign up on the web, install your iOS/Android app later, and still have subsequent subscriptions/upgrades attributed to the affiliate.

For your specific requirement, I'd rank them:

1. impact.com — best if genuinely cross-web/app
2. PartnerStack — best for a larger B2B SaaS partner program
3. FirstPromoter — best straightforward SaaS/Stripe implementation
4. Rewardful — excellent if Stripe-centric and relatively simple
5. Tolt — worth considering for a lightweight SaaS program

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), whether the app is iOS/Android/both, and whether signup happens on web or inside the app, I can recommend the best architecture and compare the actual integration requirements/pricing.

Yes. For a SaaS product where you need one referral to persist from web acquisition through signup and then keep generating commissions on recurring subscription payments, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

Rewardful is probably the simplest choice if you're on Stripe. It connects directly to Stripe and tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, and cancellations rather than treating the initial signup as the end of attribution. www.rewardful.com

FirstPromoter is the one I'd look at if your requirement is specifically web + in-app + more sophisticated attribution. It supports links and coupon codes, first- or last-click attribution, configurable billing events, recurring/lifetime commissions, and server-to-server postbacks. It also supports Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle, Recurly and Braintree. firstpromoter.com

PartnerStack makes more sense if you're building a substantial B2B partner ecosystem rather than simply an affiliate program. It supports recurring commissions tied to renewals/expansion and event-based commission rules, with integrations into systems such as Stripe and Chargebee. partnerstack.com

The architecture I'd use

For your specific requirement, I'd make the affiliate ID/referral token the durable identity, rather than relying solely on a browser cookie:

Affiliate link → website → signup → app account/user ID → billing customer → recurring commission

For example:

1. Affiliate sends yoursite.com/?ref=abc123
2. Your web app captures abc123.
3. On signup, persist it against the user/account ID in your database.
4. When the user moves into the app, carry that attribution with the account—not just the browser.
5. Send/associate the customer with the affiliate platform.
6. Stripe/billing events then drive commissions for subscription payments, upgrades, refunds and cancellations.

That approach is particularly important if users discover you on the web but complete signup in a native app, separate domain, or authenticated application.

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.) and whether the app is web, iOS, Android, or all three, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and show exactly how I'd implement the attribution flow.

Yes. For a SaaS product where referrals can originate on the web and then convert through an app signup, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

FirstPromoter is probably the best fit if web → app attribution is a hard requirement.

It supports recurring commissions on a customer-lifetime basis, for a specified number of months, or for a specified number of charges. It also supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree natively, with an API for custom billing setups. help.firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.com

Importantly, FirstPromoter supports server-side/postback tracking, so you don't have to rely exclusively on a browser cookie surviving the transition from your marketing website into your application. help.firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.com

A typical architecture would be:

Affiliate link → marketing website → signup → app account → subscription → recurring commission

You'd pass an affiliate/referral identifier from the web session into the signup/account creation flow, persist it against the user/account, and then send the conversion/billing events to the affiliate platform.

Rewardful is a strong alternative

Rewardful is particularly attractive if you're using Stripe. It tracks recurring commissions and automatically adjusts them for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, refunds and free trials. It also has a custom Stripe integration for setups where you aren't using the standard Stripe Checkout flow. help.rewardful.com

PartnerStack if you're building a serious partner channel

PartnerStack is the one I'd investigate if this is more than a simple affiliate program. It supports event-based commissions, recurring commissions tied to subscriptions/renewals/expansion, and full-funnel tracking. partnerstack.com

It's generally more appropriate when you're going to have partners, affiliates, resellers and larger B2B relationships, rather than simply paying creators/referrers for SaaS subscriptions.

The key thing to verify

Don't just ask vendors whether they support "affiliate tracking." Ask them to demonstrate this exact scenario:

A user clicks an affiliate link on our website → leaves the website → creates an account in our web app → later subscribes → upgrades → renews monthly → eventually cancels. Can the same referral ID remain attached to that account and automatically generate/adjust recurring commissions throughout the subscription lifecycle?

That's the requirement that separates ordinary web affiliate tracking from what you actually need.

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe/Paddle, React/Next.js, native iOS/Android, auth provider, and whether the app signup happens in a browser or native app), I can recommend the best architecture and which of these tools handles the web-to-app handoff cleanest.

Yes. The important distinction is SaaS recurring commissions vs. true cross-platform attribution. If referrals can start on the web but the signup/payment happens inside iOS/Android, a basic Stripe affiliate tool may not be enough.

Best fits

Everflow is the one I'd investigate first for your requirements. It supports affiliate/referral tracking, ongoing revenue, and server-to-server conversion tracking. Its documentation specifically describes S2S tracking for mobile apps and in-app events via mobile measurement partners (MMPs). www.everflow.iohelpdesk.everflow.io

Everflow

Trackdesk is interesting if you want something more SaaS-oriented and easier to operate. It explicitly supports recurring commissions, S2S tracking, deep linking, and signup attribution. trackdesk.com

Trackdesk

For a web-only Stripe SaaS, I'd shortlist Rewardful and FirstPromoter. Rewardful automatically tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations through Stripe. www.rewardful.com FirstPromoter similarly ties referrals to Stripe billing events and supports recurring/lifetime reward structures. firstpromoter.com

Rewardful
FirstPromoter

The architecture I'd recommend

If you have:

Affiliate link → website → signup → mobile app → subscription → renewals

I'd avoid relying on a browser cookie alone.

Instead:

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Use a persistent affiliate/referral ID that follows the user:

Affiliate click → referral ID → web account → user ID → app login → subscription event → affiliate commission

For mobile, an MMP/deep-link layer or server-side event integration is important because the browser session can disappear when someone goes from the website to the App Store/Google Play. Everflow's S2S model is designed to associate later conversions with the original transaction ID without depending on browser cookies. www.everflow.iohelpdesk.everflow.io

My shortlist for your use case

1. Everflow — best if web + native app + recurring revenue are all important.
2. Trackdesk — best if you want a simpler SaaS-focused affiliate platform.
3. FirstPromoter — best if most purchases ultimately run through Stripe.
4. Rewardful — very good Stripe/SaaS option, but I'd validate your mobile attribution flow before choosing it.
5. PartnerStack — worth considering if you're building a substantial B2B partner channel rather than simply an affiliate program. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue. partnerstack.com

PartnerStack

One key question will determine the winner: are your in-app subscriptions processed through Stripe, or through Apple App Store / Google Play billing? If you tell me that plus whether you need affiliate links, customer referrals, or both, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 architectures and explain exactly how I'd implement the attribution.

Yes. For a SaaS product where you need one referral to persist from web acquisition → signup → in-app usage → recurring subscription payments, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: Rewardful or FirstPromoter

Rewardful is particularly attractive if you're already using Stripe. It connects referral attribution to Stripe billing and automatically handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. It also supports both referral links and coupon codes. www.rewardful.com

FirstPromoter is the stronger choice if your commission logic is more complicated. It supports recurring commissions for the customer's lifetime, a specified number of months, or a specified number of charges, and can vary the commission rate over time. It integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree, with an API option for other billing systems. help.firstpromoter.com

The important part for your web + app architecture

I wouldn't rely solely on a browser cookie. I'd structure attribution like:

Affiliate link → landing page → persistent referral ID → account creation → user ID → subscription → recurring commission

For example:

Affiliate link
   ↓
yourapp.com/?via=affiliate123
   ↓
Store affiliate123 against signup/session
   ↓
User creates account
   ↓
affiliate123 ↔ internal user_id
   ↓
User subscribes
   ↓
Billing event sent to affiliate platform
   ↓
Affiliate gets recurring commission

That user/account-level association is particularly important if someone clicks an affiliate link on the web, doesn't subscribe immediately, and later logs into your mobile/desktop app to become a paying customer.

If your app uses Apple/Google in-app subscriptions, however, the decision gets more complicated because the billing event may not flow through Stripe. In that case I'd evaluate the platforms specifically against your App Store/Google Play setup rather than assuming a Stripe-native solution will cover it.

If you tell me your stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc., web framework, and whether the app is iOS/Android/web), I can recommend the best architecture and compare Rewardful vs FirstPromoter vs PartnerStack for your exact flow.

If you need to track referrals across both your marketing website and your SaaS application while paying recurring commissions on subscription renewals, you should prioritize platforms that support:

• First-party or server-side attribution (more reliable than third-party cookies)
• Cross-domain tracking (e.g. www.example.com → app.example.com → Stripe/Paddle checkout)
• Mobile deep links or SDK/API support if users can sign up in-app
• Subscription lifecycle events (renewals, upgrades, downgrades, refunds, churn)
• Native integration with your billing platform (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, etc.)

Here's how the leading options compare:

1. Referralful

Best if you're on Stripe and want a straightforward setup.

Strengths:

• Recurring commissions on subscription renewals
• First-party cookie tracking
• Stripe-native attribution
• Automatic refund handling
• Affiliate portal and payouts built in

Good fit if your signup flow is:

Landing page → Signup → Stripe Checkout → SaaS

referralful.com

2. Trackdesk

A more enterprise-ready option.

Highlights:

• Server-to-server tracking
• Coupon attribution
• Deep linking
• Multi-touch attribution options
• Recurring commissions throughout the subscription lifecycle

This is a strong choice if you're expecting hundreds or thousands of affiliates. trackdesk.com

3. Refgrow

Excellent for product-led growth (PLG).

Instead of sending customers to a separate affiliate portal, it embeds referral functionality directly into your SaaS dashboard.

It supports:

• recurring subscriptions
• upgrades
• downgrades
• Stripe/Paddle/Lemon Squeezy integrations
• users becoming affiliates from inside your app

This works particularly well if existing customers become advocates. refgrow.com

4. Icodrip

One of the more modern approaches.

Instead of relying primarily on browser cookies, it attributes conversions using payment-provider webhooks.

Advantages:

• survives Safari tracking restrictions
• resilient against ad blockers
• recurring subscription tracking
• Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and PayPal integrations

If accurate attribution is your biggest concern, this approach is compelling. icodrip.com

5. TrackRev

Interesting if you want affiliate tracking and broader revenue attribution in one platform.

Features include:

• recurring commissions
• branded links
• first-party attribution
• Stripe/Paddle integrations
• MRR attribution by acquisition channel

It's useful when you also want to understand which marketing channels generate the highest lifetime value. www.trackrev.io

Tracking across web and in-app signups

A common architecture looks like this:

Affiliate Link
      ↓
Marketing website
      ↓
Referral ID stored
      ↓
User account created
      ↓
App login
      ↓
Subscription purchase
      ↓
Billing webhook
      ↓
Commission created
      ↓
Renewals generate recurring commissions

The key is that the affiliate ID becomes associated with the user account, not just the browser session. Once the referral is attached to the account, renewals made later—from another device or inside the app—can still be credited correctly.

Recommendation by company stage

• Early-stage SaaS (Stripe): Referralful or Refgrow.
• PLG SaaS with in-app referrals: Refgrow.
• Need robust server-side attribution: Icodrip or Trackdesk.
• Larger partner program with advanced reporting: Trackdesk or TrackRev.

If you can share:

• your billing provider (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Chargebee, etc.),
• whether your app is web-only or includes iOS/Android,
• and whether affiliates promote a public website or invite directly into the app,

I can recommend the best architecture and platform for your specific signup flow.

If you need to track referrals across both web signups and mobile app signups while paying recurring commissions on SaaS subscriptions, I'd split the problem into two layers:

1. Attribution (who referred the user?)
2. Commission management (how much should they earn over the subscription lifecycle?)

For SaaS, the strongest options are:

Trackdesk, for example, supports recurring commissions, server-to-server tracking, deep linking, coupon attribution, and multiple tracking methods that work well for subscription businesses. trackdesk.com

If your app has native iOS/Android signups

A traditional affiliate platform usually isn't enough.

A common architecture is:

Affiliate Link
        ↓
Landing Page
        ↓
Branch / AppsFlyer deep link
        ↓
Install App
        ↓
Signup
        ↓
Subscription Created
        ↓
Stripe / Paddle webhook
        ↓
Affiliate platform calculates recurring commissions

This lets you preserve attribution from:

• web → web signup
• web → app install → signup
• app referral → subscription
• renewals

Recommended stack

If you're using Stripe:

• Branch or AppsFlyer for deep linking and mobile attribution
• Trackdesk, Rewardful, or FirstPromoter for affiliate management
• Stripe webhooks to trigger recurring commission calculations

If subscriptions happen through the App Store or Google Play, make sure the affiliate platform can ingest those renewal events via API or webhooks. Many web-only affiliate tools don't automatically handle in-app purchase attribution, so pairing them with a mobile attribution platform is often necessary. Community discussions consistently point to this as the biggest implementation challenge. www.reddit.com

My recommendation by company stage

• Startup (<$1M ARR): Trackdesk or Rewardful
• Growth ($1–10M ARR): Trackdesk + Branch
• Enterprise: PartnerStack + AppsFlyer

One question will narrow the recommendation considerably:

Where do your paid subscriptions actually occur?

• Stripe web checkout
• Paddle
• Apple App Store / Google Play in-app purchases
• A mix of web and in-app subscriptions

For a SaaS referral program that needs to track both web signups and in-app signups and pay recurring commissions, you’ll want an affiliate platform that supports:

• Persistent referral attribution (cookie + server-side tracking)
• API/webhook integrations with your app
• Subscription lifecycle events (trial → paid → upgrade → churn)
• Recurring commission rules (e.g., 20% monthly forever or for 12 months)
• Stripe/payment processor integrations (if applicable)
• Fraud controls and affiliate dashboards

Here are the strongest options:

Recommended architecture for web + app signup tracking

A typical SaaS setup looks like:

1. Affiliate link click
   • User clicks:

yourapp.com/?via=affiliate123

• Tracking platform stores affiliate attribution.

2. Web signup
   • Signup event sends:
     • affiliate ID
     • customer ID
     • email/user ID
     • subscription plan

3. In-app signup
   • Mobile/web app passes referral metadata during account creation.
   • Backend calls affiliate platform API to attach the customer to the affiliate.

4. Subscription events
   • Your billing system sends:
     • subscription started
     • renewal paid
     • upgrade
     • downgrade
     • cancellation

5. Commission engine
   • Platform automatically calculates recurring payouts.

My shortlist by scenario

Stripe-based SaaS startup

• Start with Rewardful or Tolt.

Need mobile app attribution + custom backend logic

• Look at FirstPromoter or Everflow because their APIs give more control.

Enterprise partner ecosystem

• PartnerStack is designed for larger B2B SaaS programs.

One design choice to make early: decide whether the affiliate relationship belongs to the customer account (recommended for SaaS) rather than the individual signup session. That way, if someone signs up on the web and later upgrades inside the app, the recurring commission remains correctly attributed.

If you need to track referrals across both web signups and in-app subscriptions, the biggest requirement isn't just affiliate software—it's how attribution survives the transition from web → App Store/Google Play → app signup → recurring billing.

Here's how the leading SaaS-focused platforms compare:

For your use case

If your flow looks like:

1. Affiliate sends visitor to website
2. Visitor installs mobile app (or signs up on web)
3. User purchases a subscription
4. Affiliate earns recurring commissions

then I'd shortlist these:

• Trackdesk if you want the most flexible attribution methods (server-side events, postbacks, coupon codes, APIs) and expect multiple signup paths. It supports recurring commissions across subscription renewals. trackdesk.com
• AffRef if mobile apps are a major channel. It integrates with RevenueCat alongside Stripe and is designed for both SaaS and mobile subscriptions. affref.com
• Partnero if your subscriptions are primarily Stripe-based and you want referral + affiliate programs in one platform. marketplace.stripe.com
• Refgrow if you want the referral program embedded inside your product and primarily customer-to-customer referrals. refgrow.com

What actually matters for in-app attribution

Many affiliate tools track only the web session using cookies. That breaks when a user goes through an app store. Look for software that supports:

• Server-side conversion tracking
• Mobile attribution (or integration with a mobile attribution provider)
• RevenueCat integration (if you use RevenueCat)
• Stripe/Paddle webhook tracking
• API for creating conversions
• Recurring commission rules tied to subscription renewals
• Coupon/referral code attribution as a fallback

Architecture I'd recommend

Affiliate Link
      │
      ▼
Landing Page
      │
      ├── Web signup → Billing (Stripe/Paddle)
      │                 │
      │                 ▼
      │        Affiliate platform
      │
      └── Install App
             │
     Mobile Attribution
 (Branch / AppsFlyer / Adjust)
             │
             ▼
      RevenueCat or Stripe
             │
             ▼
     Affiliate platform via API/webhook

This approach lets you attribute both:

• direct web purchases, and
• subscriptions that begin inside the app after installation.

My recommendation by company stage

• Startup (<$1M ARR): Trackdesk or Partnero.
• Mobile-first SaaS: AffRef (especially if using RevenueCat).
• Product-led SaaS with customer referrals: Refgrow.
• Enterprise partner ecosystem: PartnerStack.

If you can share:

• your billing platform (Stripe, Paddle, RevenueCat, Apple/Google IAP),
• whether users sign up on the web, in the app, or both,
• and whether you need affiliate marketing, customer referrals, or both,

I can recommend the architecture that's likely to require the least custom development while preserving attribution across every signup path.

If you need to track referrals across both web signups and in-app registrations while paying recurring SaaS commissions, you'll want a platform that supports:

• Cross-platform attribution (web + app)
• Subscription lifecycle tracking (renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations)
• Recurring commissions (monthly or lifetime)
• Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, or RevenueCat integration
• Server-side/webhook tracking (rather than cookies alone)
• API or SDK for passing referral IDs into your app

Here's how the leading options compare:

For your use case

If users can:

1. Click an affiliate link on the web
2. Install your app
3. Create an account inside the app
4. Subscribe later

then cookie-based attribution alone won't be sufficient.

A robust flow looks like this:

Affiliate Link
      ↓
Landing page
      ↓
Capture affiliate ID
      ↓
Create install/session token
      ↓
Pass token into mobile app
      ↓
User signs up
      ↓
Store affiliate ID on customer record
      ↓
Subscription created
      ↓
Billing webhook fires
      ↓
Recurring commissions calculated

The key is persisting the referral identifier from the web experience into the authenticated user record, so future subscription renewals remain attributable even if the user changes devices or returns weeks later.

My recommendations

For most B2B SaaS using Stripe

• Rewardful
• FirstPromoter

These are mature, subscription-focused, and widely used for recurring commission programs. www.reddit.comwww.reddit.com

For product-led SaaS with an embedded referral experience

• Refgrow

It allows users to access referral tools directly inside your application and tracks recurring subscription revenue. refgrow.com

For enterprise-scale affiliate programs

• Trackdesk

It offers multiple attribution methods (including server-to-server tracking), recurring commissions, coupon attribution, and deep linking, making it well suited for larger partner ecosystems. trackdesk.com

If you're also tracking mobile installs

If your app is native iOS/Android, pair your affiliate platform with a mobile attribution provider such as AppsFlyer, Branch, or Adjust. The attribution provider handles deferred deep linking and install attribution, while the affiliate platform manages partner relationships, recurring commissions, and payouts. This combination typically provides more reliable attribution than relying on affiliate software alone.

If you can share:

• your billing platform (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, etc.),
• whether your app is web-only, native iOS/Android, or both,
• and whether you're using Firebase/Auth0/Supabase/another authentication system,

I can recommend the architecture that preserves attribution across web visits, app installs, signups, and recurring subscription renewals.