ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a SaaS product, you’ll generally want subscription-aware affiliate tracking rather than a basic referral tool. The important capabilities are:

• Attribution across website signup → trial → paid conversion → renewals
• Support for in-app referrals (usually via API/webhooks or passing referral IDs into your app)
• Recurring commissions tied to billing events
• Handling upgrades, downgrades, churn, refunds
• Coupon-code attribution for influencers who don’t use links

Here are the main platforms to evaluate:

Rewardful## My shortlist by architecture

If you use Stripe subscriptions

Start with:

1. Rewardful — simplest SaaS affiliate setup; good if you want affiliates quickly. Rewardful
2. FirstPromoter — stronger if you need more sophisticated commission rules or multiple billing systems. FirstPromoter

If you have a mobile app + web app

Look for platforms that support server-side attribution:

Typical architecture:

1. User clicks affiliate link:

• example.com/signup?ref=affiliate123
• Store referral ID:

• browser cookie
• signup database record
• user account metadata
• When the user creates an account:

• attach affiliate_id to the user
• When the user subscribes:

• send the affiliate ID to Stripe/payment system
• affiliate platform receives the conversion event
• On renewals:

• billing events trigger recurring commissions

For a web + native app setup, I would prioritize:

• API support
• webhook support
• server-side conversion tracking
• ability to attribute without relying only on cookies

Questions that determine the right choice

1. What billing system do you use?

• Stripe?
• Chargebee?
• Paddle?
• App Store / Google Play subscriptions?
• Are your “in-app signups”:

• mobile app installs?
• users creating accounts inside the app?
• purchases/subscriptions inside the app?
• Do you need:

• customer referral rewards (give users credits)?
• external affiliates/influencers?
• B2B partners/resellers?

If you’re a typical SaaS using Stripe with both a web app and mobile app, I’d likely narrow the evaluation to Rewardful vs FirstPromoter vs PartnerStack depending on whether you need a lightweight affiliate program or a full partner ecosystem. Rewardful PartnerStack

Yes. For a SaaS product that needs referral attribution across web + in-app signup and recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation for your architecture

Rewardful is particularly attractive if you're on Stripe. It tracks the referral through signup and then ties commissions to actual Stripe billing events, including renewals, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations. Rewardful Rewardful

rewardful.com

FirstPromoter is worth serious consideration if your application needs more flexibility. It explicitly supports recurring commissions based on billing events and integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

firstpromoter.com

PartnerStack becomes more compelling when you're running a substantial B2B partner ecosystem rather than simply an affiliate program. It supports event-based commissions and recurring payouts tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue. PartnerStack PartnerStack

partnerstack.com

The key technical requirement

For web + app, don't rely solely on a browser cookie. I'd structure attribution roughly like:

Affiliate link
     ↓
Landing page
     ↓
Referral ID stored server-side
     ↓
Web signup / App signup
     ↓
User account gets referral_id
     ↓
Billing customer/subscription linked to user
     ↓
Recurring billing events
     ↓
Affiliate commission

That lets you handle a flow such as:

Affiliate link → website → signup → user installs app → logs in → subscribes in app → monthly renewal

without losing the affiliate attribution when the customer crosses from web to mobile.

The important question is therefore whether the platform can accept your referral ID as a server-side/user-level attribution value and then connect it to your billing events. That's more important than simply asking whether it supports "affiliate links."

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe + React/Next.js + iOS/Android, RevenueCat, etc.), I can map out the exact implementation and compare Rewardful vs FirstPromoter vs PartnerStack for that architecture.

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

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

For your specific requirement, FirstPromoter looks particularly well aligned. It supports recurring, one-time, lifetime and tiered commissions, and its attribution can be tied to actual billing events rather than merely the initial signup. It supports Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle, Recurly and Braintree, plus API integration for custom setups. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

The important part for web + in-app is that you can have the referral captured on the website, persist the referral/affiliate ID with the user account, and then send the eventual subscription/billing event back through the API/webhooks. FirstPromoter explicitly supports custom websites/apps through its API and webhooks. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

A typical architecture would be:

Affiliate link
     ↓
Your website
     ↓
Capture affiliate_id / referral_id
     ↓
User creates account
     ↓
Persist referral_id on user/account
     ↓
User later signs up / upgrades in your app
     ↓
Your backend → affiliate platform
     ↓
Subscription/payment event
     ↓
Recurring commission
     ↓
Affiliate payout

That is preferable to relying solely on browser cookies, because the user identity becomes the bridge between the web referral and the in-app conversion.

Rewardful is the other one I'd seriously consider

If you're using Stripe, Rewardful is very compelling. It automatically tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations from Stripe, and supports both no-code and custom-code integrations. Rewardful

So I'd narrow it down to:

• FirstPromoter → best if you want more sophisticated attribution, billing-provider flexibility, embedded/in-product partner experience, and API/webhook control.
• Rewardful → best if you're primarily Stripe + SaaS and want the simplest implementation.
• Tolt → worth evaluating if you want a SaaS-focused alternative with a relatively simple operating model.
• PartnerStack → consider when you're building a serious B2B partner ecosystem rather than just an affiliate/referral program.
• impact.com → consider when you expect a much broader, enterprise partnership strategy.

One particularly important question before choosing is how your in-app signup works. If you tell me whether you're using Stripe/Chargebee/etc., web + iOS/Android, and whether the referral happens before or after account creation, I can map out the exact tracking architecture and compare FirstPromoter vs Rewardful vs Tolt for it.

For your specific requirement, FirstPromoter looks particularly well aligned. It supports recurring, one-time, lifetime and tiered commissions, and its attribution can be tied to actual billing events rather than merely the initial signup. It supports Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle, Recurly and Braintree, plus API integration for custom setups. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

The important part for web + in-app is that you can have the referral captured on the website, persist the referral/affiliate ID with the user account, and then send the eventual subscription/billing event back through the API/webhooks. FirstPromoter explicitly supports custom websites/apps through its API and webhooks. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

A typical architecture would be:

Affiliate link
     ↓
Your website
     ↓
Capture affiliate_id / referral_id
     ↓
User creates account
     ↓
Persist referral_id on user/account
     ↓
User later signs up / upgrades in your app
     ↓
Your backend → affiliate platform
     ↓
Subscription/payment event
     ↓
Recurring commission
     ↓
Affiliate payout

That is preferable to relying solely on browser cookies, because the user identity becomes the bridge between the web referral and the in-app conversion.

Rewardful is the other one I'd seriously consider

If you're using Stripe, Rewardful is very compelling. It automatically tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations from Stripe, and supports both no-code and custom-code integrations.

So I'd narrow it down to:

Yes. For a SaaS where a customer can discover you on the web, sign up in the web app or mobile app, and generate recurring subscription revenue, I’d shortlist these:

What I'd recommend for your use case

1. FirstPromoter — probably the best balance

It supports recurring commissions tied to actual billing events, rather than simply paying when somebody signs up. It supports Stripe, Chargebee, Braintree, Recurly and Paddle, and also provides an API for custom setups. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter Docs

This is particularly useful if your flow is:

affiliate link → marketing website → signup → web/app account → subscription → renewals

You can capture the referral on the website and associate it with your internal user/customer ID when the account is created. That lets subsequent billing events generate commissions even if the customer later returns directly or uses the native app.

2. Rewardful — best if you're Stripe/Paddle-centric

Rewardful automatically handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations through its billing integration. Rewardful Rewardful

It's attractive if you want something relatively lightweight rather than a full partner-management platform.

3. PartnerStack — best if this is becoming a serious partner channel

PartnerStack supports recurring commissions on subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue. Its tracking can use first-party cookies on the website, while its server-side integration can send signup events from your backend. PartnerStack PartnerStack

I'd choose it if you're going to have affiliates + referral partners + agencies/resellers, rather than just an affiliate program.

4. Tolt — worth considering for a startup

Tolt supports recurring SaaS commissions and has two-way synchronization with Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee. It also explicitly supports cross-subdomain tracking, which can be useful when your marketing site and application live on different domains/subdomains. Spiral

The important architectural point

For web + in-app signups, I wouldn't rely solely on a browser cookie.

I'd design the attribution like this:

Affiliate link
     ↓
Marketing website
     ↓
First-party referral ID
     ↓
Signup
     ↓
Your user/account ID ←→ affiliate/referral ID
     ↓
Backend / billing events
     ↓
Recurring commissions

The critical step is persisting something like:

user_id
affiliate_id
referral_id
attributed_at

in your own backend when the user creates an account.

Then when that same user subscribes through the web app, iOS/Android app, or another checkout path, you can send the affiliate platform the authoritative conversion/customer event. This avoids losing attribution when the user switches devices or moves from browser → app.

PartnerStack explicitly supports both front-end signup tracking and server-to-server signup events, while FirstPromoter supports API-based referral tracking for custom signup flows. PartnerStack FirstPromoter Docs

My ranking

If you tell me your billing provider (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), whether the app is iOS/Android/web, and whether affiliates should earn for the lifetime of the customer or only X months, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and map out the exact tracking architecture.

For a SaaS product where referrals can happen both on the web and inside the app, you’ll want more than basic affiliate links. Look for:

• Cross-platform attribution (web signup → app account → paid subscription)
• First-party/server-side tracking (less dependence on cookies)
• Subscription lifecycle tracking (renewals, upgrades, downgrades, churn)
• Recurring commission rules (e.g., 20% of MRR for 12 months or lifetime)
• API/webhooks to connect your signup flow and billing system

Some strong options:

Trackdesk Partnero Track360## My shortlist by architecture

If you have Stripe subscriptions

Start with:

1. Rewardful
2. Partnero
3. Trackdesk

These are built around connecting affiliate attribution to subscription revenue rather than just tracking clicks. Trackdesk Partnero

If you have a web app + native mobile app

Look for SDK/API-based attribution. AffRef specifically positions itself around SaaS plus mobile app referral tracking, including subscription attribution. Affref

If you have B2B SaaS with trials and sales cycles

Consider:

• Track360 — supports trial-to-paid attribution, MRR tracking, churn-aware commissions. Track360
• PartnerStack — better when you need agencies, resellers, and a larger partner ecosystem.

Recommended implementation pattern

A robust setup usually looks like:

1. Affiliate link click

↓

2. Store affiliate ID in first-party storage/session

↓

3. User creates account (web or app)

↓

4. Attach affiliate ID to the user record

↓

5. Billing event fires (Stripe/Paddle/etc.)

↓

6. Affiliate platform receives subscription events

↓

7. Commission engine pays recurring revenue share

Avoid relying only on browser cookies because app installs, privacy settings, and device changes can break attribution.

If you share your stack (Stripe vs Paddle vs Chargebee, web framework, iOS/Android app, and whether you have free trials), I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and the integration approach.

Yes. For a SaaS where a referral can start on the web but the actual signup/payment happens in your app, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

If you're on Stripe, I'd start with Rewardful or FirstPromoter.

rewardful.com has native Stripe integration and supports recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and coupon/link-based attribution. Its API also gives you a way to connect the referral identity to your own app signup flow. Rewardful Rewardful

firstpromoter.com is particularly interesting if you need more sophisticated rules: commissions can be triggered by the first charge, a defined number of charges, or lifetime billing, and it tracks renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and reactivations. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

For a larger B2B SaaS operation, partnerstack.com is the heavier-duty option. It supports event-based commissions, recurring commissions tied to renewals/expansion, S2S attribution, CRM integration, and Stripe/Chargebee billing connections. PartnerStack

tapfiliate.com is another strong candidate if you need custom/server-side tracking. It explicitly supports recurring, lifetime, and tiered commissions and can connect through webhooks or server-side events. Tapfiliate

The architecture I'd use

The important part is not just choosing software that supports recurring commissions. You need to make sure the referral survives the transition:

Affiliate link → marketing website → app signup → account creation → subscription → recurring billing

For example:

Affiliate link
    ↓
yourdomain.com/?ref=ABC123
    ↓
Store referral ID
(cookie + first-party/session storage)
    ↓
"Start Free Trial"
    ↓
app.yourdomain.com/signup
    ↓
Create user/account
    ↓
Persist affiliate ID on account
    ↓
Stripe customer/subscription
    ↓
Send affiliate ID to tracking platform
    ↓
Platform attributes initial + recurring payments

I'd strongly prefer server-side/account-level attribution rather than relying exclusively on browser cookies. That way, if someone clicks an affiliate link on their laptop, later installs your app, and signs up there, you can still associate the eventual paid account with the affiliate.

One key question

If by "in-app signup" you mean a native iOS/Android app, rather than a web app behind login, the recommendation changes somewhat. You'd want to evaluate deep linking + deferred deep linking + server-side attribution in addition to affiliate tracking.

If you tell me your stack — e.g. Stripe + React/Next.js + iOS/Android, and whether signup happens before or after app installation — I can map out the exact referral-tracking architecture and tell you which of these platforms I'd choose.

Yes. For a SaaS that needs to attribute referrals across web → signup → in-app activation/payment and then pay recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

For your particular requirement, FirstPromoter looks like the strongest fit. It can capture a referral on the marketing site and then associate the referral with a user's email or UID when they sign up. It also provides universal scripts/API for custom websites or apps. FirstPromoter Docs FirstPromoter Docs

That means you can implement a flow like:

Affiliate link
      ↓
yourdomain.com/?ref=partner123
      ↓
User visits marketing site
      ↓
FirstPromoter records referral
      ↓
User creates account
      ↓
Your app sends email / user ID to FirstPromoter
      ↓
User starts subscription
      ↓
Stripe billing event
      ↓
FirstPromoter attributes revenue
      ↓
Affiliate receives recurring commission

FirstPromoter supports commissions that continue for the customer lifetime, a specified number of months, or a specified number of charges. It also handles upgrades, downgrades, refunds and cancellations. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

Rewardful is the simpler alternative

If you're using Stripe, I'd seriously consider Rewardful. It automatically connects referrals to Stripe customers and generates commissions on subsequent subscription invoices. You can make commissions recurring until cancellation or cap them by months/payments. Rewardful Help Center Rewardful Help Center

It also supports both affiliate links and coupon-based attribution, which is useful when partners promote you through podcasts, social media, etc. Rewardful

One important architectural point

Don't make "signup" the conversion event if you're paying affiliates on SaaS revenue.

I'd structure attribution around:

Click → account creation → paid customer → recurring billing events

The affiliate platform should receive your internal user/customer ID at signup, then connect that identity to the billing customer. That prevents problems when someone clicks on the web, signs up later in the app, and eventually pays.

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe + React/Next.js + mobile iOS/Android, or Stripe + another billing provider), I can recommend the best option and lay out the exact tracking architecture/API events I'd implement.

Yes. For a SaaS that needs referral attribution across web + in-app signups and recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

If your flow looks like:

Affiliate link → website → signup → user opens mobile/web app → subscribes → recurring renewals

I'd favor FirstPromoter or Trackdesk over a basic cookie-only affiliate tool.

FirstPromoter can tie commissions to actual billing events rather than merely signup, and supports recurring charges, cancellations, refunds, upgrades and downgrades. It also supports multiple tracking methods, including direct URLs and coupon codes. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

Trackdesk is particularly interesting if you need to build a more robust web-to-app attribution architecture: it supports S2S postbacks, server-side fallback, deep linking, signup tracking, APIs, and recurring commissions tied to Stripe subscriptions. Trackdesk

Rewardful is probably the easiest choice if you're heavily invested in Stripe. It automatically tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations, with link and coupon tracking. Rewardful Rewardful

PartnerStack is the one I'd look at if this is becoming a serious B2B partner channel rather than just an affiliate program. It explicitly supports recurring commissions on renewals/expansion and event-based/S2S/CRM-connected attribution. PartnerStack

One important architectural point

For web + in-app, I wouldn't rely solely on browser cookies.

I'd design it as:

affiliate link → referral ID → signup/user ID → app account → billing customer ID → recurring commission

The critical piece is persisting the affiliate/referral ID on the user's account, then associating that account with Stripe/Chargebee/etc. That way the affiliate relationship survives the user switching browsers, devices, or moving from your marketing site into the app.

If you tell me (1) Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc., (2) web app vs iOS/Android, and (3) whether you need affiliate links to survive a web → mobile-app handoff, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 platforms and show exactly how I'd implement the attribution flow.

Yes. For a SaaS product that needs web + in-app signup attribution and recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My top 3

1. FirstPromoter — probably the closest match

It tracks both recurring and one-time charges and can tie commissions to actual billing events rather than simply a signup. It supports first- or last-click attribution, coupon tracking, upgrades/downgrades, cancellations and refunds. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

The important part for your use case is that you can capture the referral on your marketing site, associate it with the user/account created in your app, and then have subsequent subscription billing generate commissions.

firstpromoter.com

2. Rewardful — best if you're on Stripe

Rewardful natively handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds through Stripe. Rewardful Rewardful

This makes the architecture relatively simple:

affiliate link → website → signup → Stripe customer/subscription → recurring commissions

The caveat is that I'd specifically validate how you want to handle web-to-mobile/in-app journeys if the same customer can start on the web and subsequently subscribe inside an iOS/Android app.

rewardful.com

3. PartnerStack — best if this is becoming a serious partner channel

PartnerStack supports recurring and usage-based commissions and is designed around SaaS renewals, expansions and subscription growth. It also supports server-to-server and CRM-integrated attribution. PartnerStack

I'd lean toward it if you're expecting hundreds/thousands of affiliates, agencies, resellers, or other partner types—not merely a creator/affiliate referral program.

partnerstack.com

One architectural point I'd make

If by "web and in-app signups" you mean:

Affiliate link → user visits website → creates account → later opens iOS/Android app → subscribes in-app

then don't choose purely based on whether a vendor says "recurring commissions."

You want persistent first-party referral identity, ideally something like:

affiliate click
      ↓
referral_id
      ↓
web signup / user_id
      ↓
your backend
      ↓
mobile app login
      ↓
subscription/payment event
      ↓
affiliate_id
      ↓
recurring commission

That is considerably more robust than relying exclusively on a browser cookie. The distinction becomes particularly important when the referral click and eventual purchase happen on different devices.

For a Stripe-based SaaS, I'd start by testing FirstPromoter vs. Rewardful. For a larger B2B partner ecosystem, I'd evaluate PartnerStack. Current SaaS comparisons similarly put Rewardful/Tolt in the lightweight Stripe-native category, FirstPromoter in the more configurable recurring-commission category, and PartnerStack in the larger B2B ecosystem category. Rewardful track360.io

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/RevenueCat/etc.) and whether "in-app" means iOS/Android subscriptions or just users signing up inside your logged-in web app, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 and sketch the exact tracking architecture.

Yes. For a SaaS that needs referral attribution across web + app signups and recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

If the mobile/in-app signup is a core requirement, I'd lean toward PartnerStack. It supports referral links and can connect the referred user to a customer record, while its commissioning system is explicitly designed around SaaS subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue. PartnerStack Support PartnerStack

The architecture I'd use is:

Affiliate link → web landing page → referral ID persisted → signup → app account/user ID → affiliate platform → subscription/billing events → recurring commissions

The important part is not relying solely on cookies. If someone clicks an affiliate link on their phone, installs your app, and creates an account later, you want your backend to carry the affiliate/referral ID into the user record. Then every subsequent subscription/renewal can be attributed to that original referrer.

If you're Stripe-based

Rewardful is probably the simplest option. It natively handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds through Stripe. Rewardful Rewardful

FirstPromoter is another strong choice if you need more sophisticated commission rules—it supports recurring charges, refunds, cancellations, tiered commissions and attribution based on first/last click. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

The caveat with all of these is that “supports mobile/in-app” doesn't necessarily mean native app attribution is automatic. For an app, I'd specifically verify that the platform's API lets you create/update the referral relationship using your own user/customer ID.

If you tell me (1) Stripe/Paddle/etc., (2) iOS/Android/both, and (3) whether signup happens before or after payment, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and show exactly how I'd implement the web → app attribution flow.

Yes. For a SaaS product where you need to attribute a referral on the website and then carry that attribution into an in-app signup/subscription, I’d shortlist these:

My top 3

1. Rewardful — easiest if you're on Stripe

rewardful.com supports recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations through Stripe. It also supports affiliate links and coupon codes. Rewardful Rewardful

A typical flow would be:

affiliate link → website → signup → app account → Stripe customer/subscription → recurring commissions

This is probably my first choice if your billing is primarily Stripe and you don't need a sophisticated enterprise partner ecosystem.

2. FirstPromoter — strongest for flexible SaaS commission rules

firstpromoter.com tracks recurring and one-time charges, cancellations and refunds, and lets you define commissions around billing events or lifetime revenue. It also supports coupon-based attribution. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

I'd favor this if you need rules such as:

• 30% of the first 12 months
• lifetime recurring commission
• commission only after a trial converts
• different rates by plan
• clawbacks when customers cancel/refund

3. Tapfiliate — best if web + app requires more integration flexibility

tapfiliate.com explicitly supports SaaS subscription tracking, recurring commissions, and integrations through tracking scripts, webhooks or server-side events. It supports Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee. Tapfiliate

That makes it particularly interesting if your signup journey isn't simply "landing page → Stripe checkout."

The important architectural question

I'd not make the browser cookie the source of truth for your app.

Instead, I'd design it like:

Affiliate link
     ↓
Website
     ↓
capture affiliate_id / referral_id
     ↓
Signup
     ↓
persist referral_id against user/account
     ↓
App / backend
     ↓
subscription/payment event
     ↓
affiliate platform
     ↓
recurring commission

That way, the referral survives:

• web → app transitions
• different subdomains
• login/signup delays
• trial → paid conversion
• subscription renewals
• upgrades/downgrades
• multiple devices

Tolt, for example, specifically advertises cross-subdomain tracking, while Tapfiliate supports server-side/webhook approaches. Redreach Tapfiliate

What I'd choose

If you tell me your stack, I can narrow this down considerably. For example:

• Stripe vs Paddle vs Chargebee
• React/Next.js/etc. website
• iOS/Android app vs web app
• whether signup happens on the website or inside the app
• whether commissions are lifetime recurring or e.g. first 12 months
• whether you need Apple/Google in-app purchases

The last point is particularly important: if by "in-app signup" you mean App Store / Google Play subscription purchases, rather than an app that uses your own web/Stripe billing, the recommendation changes significantly.

Instead, I'd design it like:

2. FirstPromoter — strongest for flexible SaaS commission rules

For a SaaS product, you’ll want more than basic affiliate link tracking. The key capabilities are:

• Cross-platform attribution: referral captured on the website, then preserved through app signup, trial conversion, and paid subscription.
• Subscription lifecycle tracking: commissions update for renewals, upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and churn.
• Server-side attribution: avoids losing referrals because of ad blockers, cookie restrictions, or mobile app privacy controls.
• Flexible commissions: recurring % revenue share, fixed monthly commissions, lifetime commissions, or capped periods.

Here are the main options I’d evaluate:

My shortlist based on your requirements

If you have Stripe + a typical SaaS funnel

Start with:

1. Rewardful — simplest SaaS-native option; good if you need affiliates to send traffic → signup → paid conversion. Stripe App Marketplace
2. Partnero — better if you want both affiliates and customer referral programs in one system. Stripe App Marketplace Partnero

If you have a mobile app and need reliable attribution

I would prioritize platforms that support server-side events, because app installs and mobile privacy restrictions make cookie-only attribution fragile:

• Trackdesk
• Icodrip
• Partnero (with backend/payment integration) Trackdesk Icodrip

Recommended architecture

A common SaaS setup looks like:

1. Affiliate link click:

• affiliate_id=abc123 captured on landing page
• Website signup:

• Store affiliate ID in your user/account database
• App onboarding:

• Pass affiliate ID into the mobile signup API
• Payment:

• Attach affiliate metadata to Stripe customer/subscription
• Affiliate platform:

• Receives subscription events
• Calculates recurring commission automatically

Example commission rules:

• 30% of MRR for first 12 months
• 20% lifetime revenue share
• $100 bounty after first paid invoice
• Tiered rates for high-performing partners

Before choosing, I’d verify one specific point: does it support passing attribution from web → mobile app signup → subscription purchase? Many “SaaS affiliate” tools handle web-to-Stripe well but require custom integration for native apps.

If you share your stack (Stripe/Paddle/Lemon Squeezy, React Native/iOS/Android/web app, and whether you need customer referrals or only affiliates), I can narrow this to 2–3 best fits.

Yes. For SaaS, I’d shortlist platforms that can persist the referral attribution through signup → subscription → renewals, rather than tools that only track the initial click.

Best options

FirstPromoter explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to billing events, including renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and reactivations, and provides both a tracking script and API. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

Rewardful is particularly attractive if you're using Stripe: it syncs recurring payments, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations and supports recurring or one-time commission structures. Rewardful Rewardful

Tolt supports Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee and can track across your root domain and app subdomains. YourMove

The important part for your web + in-app requirement

I'd favor FirstPromoter or an API/S2S-capable platform if your signup flow looks something like:

Affiliate link → marketing website → signup → account created → mobile/web app → subscription

The architecture I'd want is:

1. Affiliate link creates a persistent affiliate_id / referral ID.
2. Your website stores that ID against the new user/account.
3. When the user enters the app, your backend carries the same account identity forward.
4. When that account subscribes, your billing event tells the affiliate platform which customer generated the revenue.
5. Renewals continue paying the original referring affiliate, regardless of whether subsequent activity happens on web or in-app.

That is much safer than relying exclusively on a browser cookie, particularly if the user discovers you on web but completes onboarding or payment in an app.

My recommendation: If you have a custom web + app product rather than a simple Stripe-only website, I'd start with FirstPromoter. Its combination of billing-event-based recurring commissions, tracking script, and API gives you more room to model the actual customer journey. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

If you tell me (1) Stripe/Paddle/RevenueCat/etc., (2) iOS/Android/web, and (3) whether payment happens in-app or on the web, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and show you exactly how I'd implement the referral attribution.

The important part for your web + in-app requirement

I'd favor FirstPromoter or an API/S2S-capable platform if your signup flow looks something like:

Affiliate link → marketing website → signup → account created → mobile/web app → subscription

The architecture I'd want is:

1. Affiliate link creates a persistent affiliate_id / referral ID.
2. Your website stores that ID against the new user/account.
3. When the user enters the app, your backend carries the same account identity forward.
4. When that account subscribes, your billing event tells the affiliate platform which customer generated the revenue.
5. Renewals continue paying the original referring affiliate, regardless of whether subsequent activity happens on web or in-app.

That is much safer than relying exclusively on a browser cookie, particularly if the user discovers you on web but completes onboarding or payment in an app.

Yes. For SaaS with recurring commissions + referrals that can start on the web and finish in-app, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

For your particular requirement, FirstPromoter looks especially well suited because it isn't limited to browser-cookie attribution. It supports tracking links and coupons, server-side/postback tracking, and API integrations. More importantly, its commission engine is tied to actual billing events: commissions can continue across renewals and can automatically adjust for upgrades, downgrades, refunds and cancellations. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

That makes a web → app flow something like:

Affiliate link → website → signup → app/account creation → subscription → recurring commissions

You'd want to persist the affiliate/referral ID against the user's account during signup, then send the conversion/billing events server-to-server. This is considerably more reliable than trying to maintain attribution solely through cookies.

Rewardful is another strong choice if you're using Stripe. It specifically tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations through Stripe, and supports both no-code and custom-code integrations. Rewardful Rewardful

Tapfiliate is worth considering if you need more varied commission structures; it supports recurring, lifetime, time-limited and tiered commissions and can connect SaaS subscription activity through webhooks/server-side events. Tapfiliate

PartnerStack becomes more compelling if you're building a substantial B2B partner ecosystem rather than simply an affiliate program. It supports event-based commissions and recurring payouts tied to renewals and expansion revenue. PartnerStack

One important architectural requirement

Because you specifically need web + in-app signups, I'd prioritize server-side identity-based attribution over cookie-only tracking.

For example:

Affiliate link
      ↓
Website
      ↓
Capture affiliate_id
      ↓
Create user/account
      ↓
Persist affiliate_id on account
      ↓
User opens mobile/desktop app
      ↓
Same account identity
      ↓
Subscription/payment event
      ↓
Affiliate platform
      ↓
Recurring commission

That way, the referral survives the transition from browser → app, different devices, and potentially delayed conversion.

If you tell me your stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee, web framework, iOS/Android, and whether signup happens before or after app installation), I can recommend the best platform and lay out the exact tracking architecture/API flow.

Yes. For a SaaS product where you need one referral attribution system spanning website signup + in-app signup, with commissions continuing on subscription renewals, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

firstpromoter.com is probably the strongest starting point if the same customer can be acquired on the web and then convert/use the product inside your app.

It supports recurring commissions tied to billing events, including renewals, upgrades, downgrades, refunds and cancellations. It also supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree, plus APIs for custom setups. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

The important architectural point is that you shouldn't rely solely on a browser cookie. I'd implement it roughly like this:

Affiliate link
      ↓
Landing page
      ↓
Referral ID stored against signup
      ↓
Web signup OR App signup
      ↓
Your backend associates referral → user/account
      ↓
Subscription/payment event
      ↓
Affiliate platform
      ↓
Recurring commission

That means if someone clicks an affiliate link on Monday, installs your app Tuesday, and subscribes two weeks later, your backend retains the affiliate attribution rather than depending on the user's browser still having the tracking cookie.

Other strong options

PartnerStack is particularly compelling if you're building a serious B2B SaaS partner channel rather than just an affiliate program. It supports event-based commission models and recurring commissions on subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue. PartnerStack

partnerstack.com

Tapfiliate is another good option if you want flexibility around integrations. It explicitly supports recurring commissions and subscription lifecycle tracking, including webhooks/server-side events and integrations with Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee. Tapfiliate

tapfiliate.com

Rewardful is excellent if you're heavily invested in Stripe. It supports recurring commissions and automatically adjusts commissions for renewals, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations. Rewardful Rewardful

rewardful.com

The key question for your architecture

If by "web and in-app signups" you mean:

Affiliate sends someone to our website → they sign up → later they download/open our iOS/Android app → subscribe in the app

then don't choose based merely on whether a platform says "mobile tracking." You need to verify that it supports server-side attribution / passing an affiliate ID through your own signup and account system, and—if purchases happen through Apple/Google—how it handles those subscription events.

If you tell me (1) Stripe vs Apple/Google IAP, (2) web + iOS + Android, and (3) whether you want lifetime recurring commissions or e.g. first 12 months, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 architectures and show exactly how I'd implement the referral ID flow.

Yes. For your use case, I’d shortlist Rewardful, FirstPromoter, Tolt, and PartnerStack—but the key issue is that you need cross-platform attribution, not merely web affiliate tracking.

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

firstpromoter.com supports recurring commissions tied directly to billing events, including renewals, upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and cancellations. It can track referrals via links/coupons and also provides an API for sending referral/lead information from your own application. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter Docs

That makes it particularly interesting for a flow like:

Affiliate link → website → signup → mobile/web app → subscription → recurring commission

I'd architect it so the affiliate/referral ID is captured at the initial web touchpoint and persisted against the user's account/user ID, rather than relying on a browser cookie once the user moves into the app.

Rewardful is the simpler option

rewardful.com is excellent if you're Stripe-based. It supports recurring or one-time commissions and automatically handles subscription changes, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, etc. Rewardful

The caveat is that web → native mobile app attribution needs an integration strategy. I wouldn't choose it solely because it says "affiliate tracking"—you need to verify how you'll transfer the referral identity from the web signup into iOS/Android.

PartnerStack if you're building a serious partner channel

partnerstack.com is considerably more enterprise-oriented. It supports recurring commissions on subscriptions/renewals/expansion revenue and full-funnel tracking with server-side/CRM integrations. PartnerStack

I'd consider it if you're expecting hundreds/thousands of affiliates, B2B partners, agencies, resellers, or multiple partner programs. It's probably overkill for an early affiliate program.

The important part: don't make cookies your source of truth

For web + app, I'd want the system to work roughly like this:

Affiliate link
      ↓
Landing page
      ↓
referral_id captured
      ↓
Signup / account creation
      ↓
referral_id permanently attached to user/account
      ↓
User opens web app OR iOS/Android app
      ↓
Backend knows affiliate attribution
      ↓
Subscription created
      ↓
Affiliate platform receives server-side conversion
      ↓
Renewals → recurring commissions

This is much more robust than:

affiliate click → browser cookie → hope cookie survives → signup

If you tell me your stack—e.g. Stripe + React/Next.js + iOS/Android, or Paddle + web + mobile—I can narrow this down to the 2–3 platforms that can actually handle your exact web-to-app referral flow, including how I'd implement the attribution.

Yes. For a SaaS that needs referral attribution across web + in-app signups and recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

For your particular requirement, FirstPromoter is probably the strongest starting point. It ties commissions to actual billing events rather than merely a signup, and supports recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. It also supports both links and coupon codes. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

The architecture I'd aim for is:

Affiliate link → web landing page → persistent referral ID → app signup → user/account ID → billing customer → recurring commission

That distinction is important. You don't want the affiliate platform to merely know that someone clicked a referral link; you want the referral attribution attached to the user/account record so it survives the transition from your marketing site into the app.

If you're using Stripe

I'd also seriously consider Rewardful. It has a native Stripe integration and automatically handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. Rewardful Rewardful

For example:

affiliate link
      ↓
yourwebsite.com/signup?ref=ABC123
      ↓
signup stores ref=ABC123
      ↓
user creates account
      ↓
your backend associates ABC123 → user_id
      ↓
Stripe customer/subscription
      ↓
affiliate platform
      ↓
20% commission on initial payment
      ↓
20% commission on every renewal

One thing I'd verify before choosing

If by "web and in-app signups" you mean that a user might:

• click an affiliate link on your website,
• install your mobile app,
• create their account in the app,
• and then subscribe later,

then don't evaluate these tools solely on their website tracking.

You need to verify their server-side/API attribution capabilities and mobile-app attribution. That's a different requirement from ordinary web affiliate tracking. PartnerStack, for example, explicitly supports full-funnel/S2S tracking and recurring subscription revenue, while FirstPromoter exposes API/integration capabilities for more customized flows. partnerstack.com FirstPromoter

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe + React/Next.js + iOS/Android, Firebase/Auth0, etc.), I can recommend the best architecture and tell you exactly how I'd persist the referral through web → app → subscription.

That distinction is important. You don't want the affiliate platform to merely know that someone clicked a referral link; you want the referral attribution attached to the user/account record so it survives the transition from your marketing site into the app.

If you're using Stripe

I'd also seriously consider Rewardful. It has a native Stripe integration and automatically handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. rewardful.com rewardful.com

For example:

affiliate link
      ↓
yourwebsite.com/signup?ref=ABC123
      ↓
signup stores ref=ABC123
      ↓
user creates account
      ↓
your backend associates ABC123 → user_id
      ↓
Stripe customer/subscription
      ↓
affiliate platform
      ↓
20% commission on initial payment
      ↓
20% commission on every renewal

One thing I'd verify before choosing

If by "web and in-app signups" you mean that a user might:

Yes. For a SaaS product where you need referral attribution + recurring commissions, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

If your core requirement is web + in-app signup attribution, I'd look hardest at FirstPromoter and PartnerStack.

FirstPromoter is particularly attractive if you're building a conventional subscription SaaS. It can trigger commissions based on actual billing events rather than merely signup, and supports recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, refunds and cancellations. It also supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

firstpromoter.com

PartnerStack is the better choice if you're building a substantial partner ecosystem rather than just an affiliate program. It explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue, plus S2S/CRM-integrated attribution. PartnerStack

partnerstack.com

Rewardful is probably the easiest/cheapest option if your SaaS is primarily Stripe-based. It supports recurring commissions and automatically adjusts commissions for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. Rewardful

rewardful.com

The important architecture issue

For your use case, I wouldn't design the system around just affiliate cookies.

You want something like:

Affiliate link → referral ID → web signup OR app signup → user/account ID → subscription → recurring billing events → affiliate commission

For example:

1. Affiliate sends yourapp.com/signup?ref=abc123.
2. Your backend stores abc123 against the newly created user/account ID.
3. If that person subsequently downloads the app and signs in, the referral remains associated with the account.
4. When they subscribe, your billing system sends the affiliate platform the customer/subscription identifier.
5. Every renewal, upgrade, downgrade, refund or cancellation can then be attributed back to abc123.

That is much more robust than trying to preserve a browser cookie across web → App Store/Play Store → mobile app → login → subscription.

If mobile app signups are a major acquisition channel, I'd therefore make server-side/API attribution a hard requirement when evaluating vendors—not merely "does it have an affiliate tracking pixel?" FirstPromoter exposes API/webhook capabilities, while PartnerStack emphasizes S2S tracking. PartnerStack FirstPromoter

If you tell me your stack (e.g. Stripe + React web + iOS/Android + RevenueCat, or Stripe + native app), I can narrow this down to the 2–3 architectures I'd actually consider, including how I'd persist the referral ID across web and app.

PartnerStack is the better choice if you're building a substantial partner ecosystem rather than just an affiliate program. It explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue, plus S2S/CRM-integrated attribution. PartnerStack

partnerstack.com

Rewardful is probably the easiest/cheapest option if your SaaS is primarily Stripe-based. It supports recurring commissions and automatically adjusts commissions for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. rewardful.com

rewardful.com

The important architecture issue

For your use case, I wouldn't design the system around just affiliate cookies.

You want something like:

Yes. For your use case—one referral attribution system spanning web + in-app signup, with recurring commissions tied to SaaS subscriptions—I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

FirstPromoter is probably the best starting point if your signup experience spans both web and an app. It supports recurring commissions based on actual billing events, Stripe/Chargebee/Paddle/Recurly/Braintree integrations, and an API for custom setups. That makes it easier to preserve the referral ID when a user starts on the web but completes signup or payment through your app. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

Rewardful is the simpler choice if your SaaS is essentially Stripe-centric. It natively tracks recurring payments, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. Rewardful

Tapfiliate is worth considering if you need more sophisticated affiliate-program management. It explicitly supports recurring/lifetime commissions and server-side events/webhooks, including Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee. Tapfiliate

PartnerStack becomes more compelling if you're building a substantial B2B partner ecosystem rather than just an affiliate program. It supports recurring commissions, expansion revenue, S2S tracking and CRM-connected attribution. PartnerStack

The architecture I'd use

The important part is not letting the affiliate platform rely exclusively on a browser cookie:

Affiliate link → referral ID → web/app signup → persistent user ID → billing customer → recurring commission

For example:

1. Affiliate link lands on your website.
2. You capture affiliate_id / referral ID.
3. Store it against the user's account when they register.
4. Pass that association into your backend/app—not just localStorage/cookies.
5. When the user eventually subscribes, associate the billing customer/subscription with that referral.
6. Send subscription/payment events server-to-server to the affiliate platform.
7. Let the platform generate commissions on renewals, upgrades, cancellations and refunds.

That approach is much safer for web → mobile app → subscription journeys than relying on conventional browser-based affiliate tracking.

If you tell me (1) your billing provider (Stripe, RevenueCat, Paddle, etc.), (2) iOS/Android/web, and (3) whether the affiliate link can initiate the app install, I can narrow this to the 2–3 platforms that actually fit your architecture and lay out the integration flow.

Tapfiliate is worth considering if you need more sophisticated affiliate-program management. It explicitly supports recurring/lifetime commissions and server-side events/webhooks, including Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee.

PartnerStack becomes more compelling if you're building a substantial B2B partner ecosystem rather than just an affiliate program. It supports recurring commissions, expansion revenue, S2S tracking and CRM-connected attribution.

The architecture I'd use

The important part is not letting the affiliate platform rely exclusively on a browser cookie:

Yes. For SaaS, I’d narrow the field to FirstPromoter, Rewardful, Tolt, and PartnerStack. All support recurring commissions, but the right choice depends heavily on how your web and app signup flows work.

My recommendation: FirstPromoter

firstpromoter.com is probably the strongest fit if you specifically need one referral to survive the transition from website → app → paid subscription.

It supports:

• Recurring/lifetime commissions
• First-click or last-click attribution
• Referral links and coupon codes
• Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree
• API/custom integrations
• Server-to-server/postback tracking
• Commission triggers based on billing events
• Renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and reactivations FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

That makes it easier to implement something like:

Affiliate link → website → signup → mobile/web app → subscription → renewal

while keeping the affiliate ID attached to the customer rather than relying exclusively on a browser cookie.

If you're on Stripe: Rewardful

rewardful.com is particularly attractive if your billing is entirely through Stripe. It natively tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations, and supports both referral links and coupons. Rewardful

I'd choose Rewardful over FirstPromoter if simplicity and Stripe integration matter more than sophisticated attribution logic.

If you're a larger B2B SaaS: PartnerStack

partnerstack.com is the more enterprise-oriented option. It supports recurring commissions on subscriptions and expansion revenue, event-based commissions, S2S/CRM-integrated attribution, and global partner payouts. PartnerStack

It's probably overkill if you're just launching an affiliate program, though.

The important architectural question

For your use case, I wouldn't evaluate these primarily on "does it support recurring commissions?" Most of the serious SaaS platforms do.

I'd evaluate whether it can maintain a persistent referral identity across web and app.

Ideally, your implementation looks like:

affiliate link
     ↓
website
     ↓
capture affiliate_id
     ↓
signup
     ↓
create user/customer with affiliate_id
     ↓
web app / mobile app
     ↓
subscription event
     ↓
affiliate platform API / webhook
     ↓
recurring commission

The key is that the referral gets associated with the user/customer record on your backend, rather than expecting the app to preserve a browser cookie.

If you tell me (1) Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc., (2) iOS/Android/web, and (3) whether the referral can start on web and finish in the app, I can recommend the best architecture and compare FirstPromoter vs Rewardful vs Tolt specifically for that flow.

Yes. For SaaS, I’d narrow the field to platforms that can persist referral attribution from signup → subscription → renewals, rather than tools that only track a click or initial conversion.

Best fits

Rewardful explicitly supports recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations through its billing integration. Rewardful Rewardful FirstPromoter is particularly interesting if you need commissions triggered by specific billing events, lifetime commissions, or server-to-server tracking. FirstPromoter

PartnerStack is the strongest choice if you're building a serious B2B partner ecosystem: it supports recurring commissions on renewals/expansion, event-based commissions, CRM-connected attribution, and payment-system integrations. PartnerStack PartnerStack

The important part for your web + in-app requirement

I'd not choose solely based on whether a vendor says "web tracking." Your architecture should look roughly like:

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

For example, if someone clicks:

yoursite.com/?ref=partner123

and then creates an account in your web app or native mobile app, you want the partner123 attribution attached to the user/account record, not merely stored in a browser cookie. Your backend can then send subscription/renewal events to the affiliate platform.

This is where FirstPromoter, PartnerStack, and Everflow become more attractive than a very lightweight affiliate tool because server-side/API attribution gives you more control over the web-to-app handoff. FirstPromoter specifically supports postback/server-side tracking and custom API integrations. FirstPromoter

My recommendation

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.), whether the app is iOS/Android/web, and whether signup happens before or after payment, I can recommend the best 2–3 options and sketch the exact referral-tracking architecture.

For a SaaS product where you need to track referrals from both web signups and in-app signups and pay recurring commissions on subscriptions, you’ll want a platform that can:

• attribute the initial referral (cookie, link, coupon, UTM, or server-side event)
• connect the referral to the user account/customer ID
• receive subscription lifecycle events (trial → paid → renewal → upgrade/downgrade/cancel)
• calculate recurring commissions automatically
• handle payouts and affiliate reporting

The strongest options are:

My shortlist by architecture

If your SaaS uses Stripe Billing

Start with:

1. Rewardful — simplest path for a typical SaaS affiliate program. It is built around Stripe subscriptions and handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, and cancellations. Rewardful
2. FirstPromoter — better if you need more flexibility (multiple billing providers, custom commission rules, creator programs, customer referrals). FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

If you have a mobile app or logged-in product experience

Look for server-side attribution, not just browser cookies.

A common setup:

1. Affiliate link → landing page
2. Store affiliate ID in first-party cookie/local storage
3. User creates account → save affiliate ID on user record
4. User subscribes in app → send affiliate ID/customer ID to billing system
5. Affiliate platform receives payment events → generates recurring commissions

Example data model:

User
 ├── id: 12345
 ├── affiliate_id: abc789
 ├── signup_source: partner_x

Subscription
 ├── customer_id: stripe_123
 ├── plan: pro
 ├── affiliate_id: abc789

Commission
 ├── affiliate: partner_x
 ├── event: renewal
 ├── amount: 20%

What I would avoid

Generic affiliate platforms designed for ecommerce can struggle with SaaS because they often track only the first conversion and do not understand:

• monthly renewals
• churn
• upgrades
• seat expansions
• annual renewals

Recommended decision

• Small SaaS, Stripe, launching affiliates: Rewardful or FirstPromoter
• Need creators + affiliates + customer referral program: FirstPromoter
• B2B SaaS with channel partners/resellers: PartnerStack
• Complex in-app attribution: choose a platform with API/webhook support and store attribution internally

The key technical question is: where does the signup happen? If your in-app signup is iOS/Android, a web app, or both, the ideal integration pattern changes.

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:

genui{"data_networks_databases":{"type_id":"NETWORK_FAULT_TOLERANCE"}}

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.