ChatGPT answers, unedited

PartnerStack is a strong fit for this. It supports recurring revenue-share commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansions, with automated commission calculation and payouts. partnerstack.com partnerstack.com

For a marketplace SaaS, also consider FirstPromoter if you want a lighter, more customizable affiliate/referral setup. firstpromoter.com

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should keep earning from the customers they refer, PartnerStack explicitly supports recurring revenue-share commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue. It also supports referral, affiliate, and reseller programs rather than just simple affiliate links. PartnerStack PartnerStack

A few relevant options:

• partnerstack.com — Strong fit if you're building a broader partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions, percentage/flat commissions, milestone and multi-step revenue-share models, and automated payouts. PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — More focused on SaaS affiliate/referral programs. You can configure commissions for the customer's lifetime, a fixed number of months, or a fixed number of charges, and it tracks billing events such as renewals, upgrades, downgrades, and refunds. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — Particularly attractive if your marketplace bills through Stripe. It automatically handles recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds based on Stripe events. Rewardful Rewardful

For your specific model: if you mean “Partner refers a marketplace customer → partner receives X% of that customer's recurring subscription revenue for as long as they remain a customer,” all three can support that general model. FirstPromoter documents an explicit customer-lifetime commission option, while PartnerStack supports unlimited recurring revenue-share models as well. FirstPromoter PartnerStack

If you tell me how your marketplace monetizes (subscription, transaction fee, both) and whether you're using Stripe/Chargebee/etc., I can narrow this down to the platforms that fit your exact commission flow.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, the main platforms I’d look at are:

For your use case

PartnerStack is particularly relevant if "partner management" means more than referral links. It supports recurring revenue share, renewals, expansions, different commission structures, partner onboarding, tracking, and automated payouts. Its documentation explicitly gives examples such as 20% on every recurring sale and different commission rates before/after the first year. PartnerStack PartnerStack

partnerstack.com

FirstPromoter is worth considering if your model is primarily affiliate/referral-driven. It supports commissions for the customer's lifetime, a fixed number of months/charges, or one-time payments, and can adjust commissions based on billing events such as renewals, upgrades, and refunds. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

firstpromoter.com

Rewardful is another option if you want something relatively straightforward, particularly around Stripe. Its own affiliate program demonstrates the recurring model: commissions on payments from referred customers for a defined period. Rewardful

rewardful.com

One important distinction for a marketplace

If your partner earns something like:

"Partner refers Vendor X → Partner receives 10% of our platform fee every month that Vendor X remains active"

I'd prioritize a platform that can attribute recurring billing events to the original referral, rather than merely paying a commission when the initial signup occurs.

If you're building the marketplace itself, PartnerStack vs. FirstPromoter is probably the comparison I'd investigate first: PartnerStack is more oriented toward a full partner ecosystem/PRM, while FirstPromoter is more focused on subscription affiliate/referral mechanics. PartnerStack FirstPromoter

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), whether partners refer buyers or sellers, and whether you want lifetime vs. 12-month commissions, I can narrow this to the platforms that fit your exact architecture.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, several platforms support recurring commissions, but they differ substantially in how much partner infrastructure you get.

My shortlist

• partnerstack.com — best for a full partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus referral, affiliate, reseller, and co-sell programs. You can configure lifetime recurring revenue share as well as time-limited models. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — best if your main need is SaaS referral/affiliate commissions. It supports recurring commissions for the customer's lifetime or for a defined number of months/charges, and automatically adjusts commissions for upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and cancellations. It natively supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — good lightweight option, especially with Stripe. It's designed around SaaS subscriptions and recurring commissions, with relatively simple implementation. Rewardful

What I'd choose for your marketplace

If the model is:

Partner refers merchant → merchant pays you every month → partner gets 20% of that revenue every month

I'd start with FirstPromoter if you primarily need referral/affiliate management, or PartnerStack if you expect the program to grow into a broader partner ecosystem.

The key distinction is that PartnerStack is much more of a PRM/partner-management platform, whereas FirstPromoter is more focused on billing-aware referral/affiliate attribution and recurring commissions. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

For example, FirstPromoter explicitly lets you configure:

• Lifetime recurring: 20% on every subscription payment
• Time-limited recurring: 20% for the first 12 months
• Charge-limited: 20% for the first 12 payments
• Different commission rates at different stages of the customer's lifecycle FirstPromoter

One important consideration for a marketplace: if your partners aren't simply affiliates but are agencies, technology partners, consultants, or resellers who may bring multiple merchants and need deal registration, tiers, partner accounts, and broader partner workflows, I'd lean PartnerStack.

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), your desired commission model (e.g. 20% lifetime), and whether partners are affiliates vs. agencies/resellers, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 platforms and compare pricing + API/integration effort.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, several platforms support recurring commissions:

• PartnerStack — strongest fit if you're building a broader partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions/renewals, including unlimited recurring structures, plus reseller and co-sell workflows. PartnerStack PartnerStack Support PartnerStack
• FirstPromoter — particularly good if your model is primarily referral/affiliate based. You can pay commissions on every billing event for the customer's lifetime, or cap them by months or number of charges. It supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• Rewardful — simpler option, especially if you're on Stripe. It can pay a commission on every invoice indefinitely or limit it to a fixed number of invoices. Rewardful Help Center Rewardful Help Center

What I'd choose for a marketplace SaaS

If your partner model is essentially:

Partner refers business → business pays you monthly → partner receives X% every month

I'd shortlist PartnerStack vs. FirstPromoter.

Choose PartnerStack if you expect partners to include agencies, resellers, affiliates, and strategic/channel partners—not just people sharing referral links. Its recurring revenue-share and broader partner-management capabilities are better suited to an ecosystem. PartnerStack

Choose FirstPromoter if you mainly need a straightforward SaaS referral program and want flexible rules such as 20% of revenue for the lifetime of the referred customer, or 20% for the first 12 months. Its billing-event-based model is particularly clean for subscription SaaS. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe, Paddle, etc.), expected number of partners, and whether partners are affiliates vs. agencies/resellers, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options and compare pricing, API/webhooks, white-labeling, and recurring-commission rules.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should keep earning from customers they refer, I’d shortlist these:

• partnerstack.com — best for a full partner ecosystem. It explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus referral, reseller, and co-sell programs. It can also automate commission calculation and payouts. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• rewardful.com — best for a lean SaaS implementation. It supports recurring or one-time commissions and automatically adjusts commissions for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds. Particularly attractive if you're using Stripe/Paddle. Rewardful Rewardful
• firstpromoter.com — strong middle ground. It supports recurring, multi-tier, and custom commissions, with integrations across Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

What I'd choose for your marketplace

If your model is something like:

Partner refers Customer → Customer subscribes → Partner gets 20% of every monthly payment for as long as that customer remains active

PartnerStack is probably the strongest fit if you're building a serious partner program. It explicitly supports unlimited recurring revenue-share models and can track renewals and upsells. PartnerStack PartnerStack

If you're an early-stage SaaS and mainly need referral links + Stripe subscription tracking + recurring payouts, I'd lean toward Rewardful or FirstPromoter because they're considerably simpler than a full PRM.

One important distinction for a marketplace: if you mean partners earn a percentage of the marketplace's ongoing transaction revenue from each referred merchant/customer, rather than simply affiliate commissions on your SaaS subscription, I'd evaluate the platforms differently. Commission rules, multi-sided attribution, marketplace transactions, and lifetime revenue sharing become important.

If you tell me whether you're billing through Stripe, Chargebee, Paddle, etc. and whether the partner refers buyers, sellers, or both, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options for your architecture.

Yes. If your marketplace SaaS wants partners to earn ongoing revenue share from customers they refer, several platforms support this, but they differ in how sophisticated the partner program needs to be.

Best fits

• partnerstack.com — best for a serious B2B SaaS partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus referral, affiliate, reseller, and co-sell programs. It also handles automated payouts and partner recruitment. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — strong for SaaS affiliate/referral programs. It supports lifetime recurring commissions and tracks billing events such as renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and reactivations. FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — good if you want a simpler SaaS-focused setup. It's designed around affiliate/referral programs and recurring SaaS commissions; its own program, for example, pays recurring commissions on referred customers. Rewardful

What I'd choose for your marketplace

If the model is:

Partner refers merchant → merchant subscribes → partner receives 20% of that merchant's subscription every month

I'd shortlist PartnerStack and FirstPromoter.

PartnerStack is the better choice if you expect a substantial partner ecosystem, multiple partner types, sophisticated commission rules, CRM integration, and automated global payouts. It explicitly supports recurring revenue share and expansion revenue. PartnerStack

FirstPromoter is attractive if you primarily need referral/affiliate tracking around a subscription product and want the commission model to follow the customer's billing lifecycle. FirstPromoter

One important distinction: “recurring commission” can mean either a fixed number of recurring payments (e.g. 20% for 12 months) or lifetime commission for as long as the referred customer remains active. PartnerStack supports recurring subscription payments and flexible/drip commission structures; FirstPromoter explicitly advertises lifetime recurring commission logic. PartnerStack FirstPromoter

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), expected number of partners, and whether you want lifetime vs. 12-month commissions, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options for your architecture.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a platform that can handle subscription attribution + recurring revenue share, not just one-time affiliate payouts. The best fit depends on whether your partners are affiliates, agencies, resellers, or strategic marketplace participants.

Here are strong options:

My shortlist for a marketplace SaaS

If you’re early-stage (first 10–100 partners):

• Rewardful or FirstPromoter - Fast setup
• Good Stripe integration
• Simple “partner gets X% of subscription revenue” model

If partners are a core growth channel:

• PartnerStack - Better for agencies, consultants, integration partners, and co-selling
• More like a full PRM (partner relationship management) system

If your marketplace has marketplace-specific complexity:
Look for:

• commission rules by partner tier
• recurring payout after customer retention
• revenue splits by transaction type
• refunds/cancellations handling
• multi-sided attribution (buyer, seller, introducer)
• API/webhooks for your billing ledger

A common model for a marketplace SaaS is:

• Partner refers merchant → partner earns 20% of platform fees for 12 months
• Partner refers buyer → partner earns a smaller recurring share
• Agency/reseller tier → custom revenue split
• Marketplace GMV growth bonus → quarterly incentive

For that model, I’d lean toward PartnerStack for a mature ecosystem or Rewardful/FirstPromoter/Rekomi for a lean SaaS launch. Rekomi Partnerships

If you tell me your stack (Stripe? Paddle? custom billing?), partner type (affiliates vs agencies vs suppliers), and whether commissions are based on subscription MRR or marketplace transactions, I can narrow it to 2–3 best choices.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a partner management platform with subscription-aware commission logic, not a basic affiliate tracker. The key features to look for are:

• Recurring revenue share (e.g., 20% of every subscription payment)
• Lifetime vs fixed-term commissions
• Attribution that survives upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds
• Partner portals showing earnings and referred accounts
• Stripe/billing integration
• Support for multiple partner types (affiliates, agencies, resellers, integrations)

Some platforms that fit this model:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d think about the partner model first:

If partners bring you buyers/sellers

Use a referral revenue-share model:

• Partner earns X% of platform fees generated by referred accounts
• Commission continues while the account remains active
• Optionally tier partners by volume

Example:

Partner refers a seller → seller generates $1,000/month in marketplace fees → partner earns 15% ($150/month) while that seller stays active.

If partners are agencies/integrators

You may need:

• Partner tiers
• Deal registration
• Co-selling workflows
• Custom commission agreements

A more enterprise partner platform may be better than a pure affiliate tool.

My shortlist for a marketplace SaaS MVP

1. Rekomi — if your billing is subscription/revenue-share driven and you want simple implementation. Rekomi
2. Partnero — if you are already deep in Stripe and want fast launch. Stripe App Marketplace
3. Track360 — if you expect complex MRR-based partner economics. Track360

A few questions would change the recommendation:

• Is your marketplace Stripe Connect-based (payments between buyers/sellers), or is it a normal SaaS subscription?
• Do partners earn from subscription revenue, transaction fees, or seller GMV?
• Do you need affiliate-style self signup, or a B2B channel partner program?

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a partner management platform that understands subscription revenue, not just one-time affiliate payouts. Look for:

• recurring revenue share (e.g., 20% of every subscription payment)
• attribution that follows the customer lifecycle
• handling of upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and churn
• partner portals with earnings visibility
• API/webhook support if your marketplace has custom billing flows

Good options to evaluate:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d narrow it like this:

• You’re pre-PMF / have <100 partners: Rewardful, Tolt, Partnero, or Rekomi are likely faster to launch.
• You’re building an ecosystem (agencies, integrations, resellers): PartnerStack is worth evaluating.
• You need complex rules (different commission rates by partner tier, marketplace category, geography, seller type, etc.): look for a platform with a flexible commission engine. Some newer platforms explicitly support MRR-based recurring rules and partner segmentation. Track360

A common SaaS partner model is:

• Partner refers customer
• Customer pays subscription
• Partner receives 20–30% monthly recurring revenue for 12 months or lifetime
• Commission stops when the customer churns

Before choosing, I’d check one key thing: how is your marketplace revenue collected? (Stripe subscriptions, Stripe Connect marketplace payments, Paddle/Lemon Squeezy, custom billing, etc.) The best platform depends heavily on that.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn recurring revenue from customers they refer, I’d shortlist these:

• partnerstack.com — best if you want a full partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus referral, reseller, co-sell, deal registration, partner tiers, and automated payouts. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — best if your primary motion is SaaS referrals/affiliates. It explicitly supports lifetime recurring commissions and billing-event tracking for renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and reactivations. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — best for a lean Stripe/Paddle-based SaaS. It automatically tracks recurring commissions, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds. Rewardful Rewardful

What I'd pick for your marketplace

If your model is something like:

Partner refers merchant → merchant subscribes → partner gets 20% of MRR every month

then FirstPromoter or Rewardful are likely the simplest choices.

If you expect the partner relationship to become more sophisticated—resellers, agencies, deal registration, multiple commission rules, partner tiers, renewals + expansion revenue—I'd lean PartnerStack. It is specifically designed around those broader partner motions. PartnerStack PartnerStack

One important distinction: “recurring commission” doesn't always mean lifetime commission. Some platforms let you specify a duration (e.g. 12 months), while others can support ongoing/lifetime revenue share. FirstPromoter, for example, advertises configurable per-period or lifetime commission logic. FirstPromoter

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, etc.), average subscription value, and whether partners are affiliates vs. agencies/resellers, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and compare pricing, API/webhooks, attribution, and payout mechanics.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, several platforms support recurring commissions:

• partnerstack.com — probably the strongest fit if you're building a serious B2B partner ecosystem. It supports recurring revenue share tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion/upsells, plus more complex partner models such as referrals, resellers, and co-selling. PartnerStack PartnerStack PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — particularly attractive for SaaS. You can configure lifetime recurring commissions, fixed periods, or a fixed number of payments, with billing-event tracking for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and reactivations. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — simpler and more startup-friendly, especially if you're on Stripe. Commissions can recur on every invoice, with the option to cap them after a specified number of payments. Rewardful Help Center Rewardful Help Center

What I'd pick for your marketplace

If your model is essentially:

Partner refers merchant/customer → customer pays you monthly → partner gets X% every month

I'd shortlist FirstPromoter vs. PartnerStack.

FirstPromoter makes more sense if you primarily need affiliate/referral management and want to get up and running quickly. Its recurring commission rules are quite granular. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

PartnerStack makes more sense if you're building a broader partner ecosystem where partners may refer deals, resell your SaaS, participate in co-selling, or earn revenue from renewals and expansion. PartnerStack

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe, Paddle, etc.), typical partner type, and whether the commission should be lifetime or capped at 6/12/24 months, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options and compare pricing/features.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a partner management platform with recurring revenue-share logic, not just an affiliate tracker. The important capabilities are:

• Recurring commissions tied to customer subscriptions or marketplace revenue
• Attribution that survives trials, upgrades, downgrades, and churn
• Partner dashboards showing earnings and referred accounts
• Automated payouts
• Support for multiple partner types (affiliates, agencies, integrations, suppliers, ambassadors)

Some platforms worth evaluating:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d choose based on your partner model:

• Partners bring buyers (affiliate/referral): look at Track360, Partnero, Rekomi, or Conduit. Track360 Stripe App Marketplace Conduit
• Partners bring sellers/suppliers and manage relationships: look more at PartnerStack or Partner.io-style PRM tools.
• Partners get a cut of marketplace GMV forever: prioritize platforms that can calculate commissions from billing events rather than only first-touch referrals.

A common marketplace structure is:

• Partner earns 20% of platform fees generated by referred customers
• Commission continues while the customer remains active
• Commission adjusts automatically for refunds, churn, upgrades, and plan changes

Before choosing, check whether the platform can answer: “If a partner refers a merchant today, can I still correctly pay them 18 months later when that merchant’s monthly volume changes?” That is the key difference between a referral tool and a true recurring partner revenue system.

If you share your marketplace model (B2B/B2C, Stripe vs other billing, and whether partners refer buyers or sellers), I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options.

Yes. For a SaaS marketplace where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, several platforms support recurring commissions:

• partnerstack.com — Best if you’re building a serious B2B partner ecosystem. It supports recurring revenue share on subscriptions, renewals, and upsells, plus more complex partner models like resellers, co-sell, tiers, and multi-step commissions. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• rewardful.com — Particularly attractive if your SaaS billing runs through Stripe. You can pay a percentage on every invoice indefinitely, or cap commissions by number of payments/months. It also handles upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds. Rewardful Help Center Rewardful Help Center
• firstpromoter.com — Strong SaaS-focused option with lifetime recurring commissions, time-limited commissions, fixed/percentage rewards, and integrations with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

What I'd choose for a marketplace SaaS

If your model is:

Partner refers a business → business subscribes → partner gets X% of that customer's subscription revenue every month

I'd shortlist Rewardful vs. FirstPromoter for a relatively lean implementation, and PartnerStack if you expect a larger ecosystem with sophisticated partner tiers and multiple partner types.

One important distinction: if you mean your marketplace has vendors/sellers, and partners should receive a percentage of the marketplace's take rate on each transaction generated by their referral, rather than recurring SaaS subscription commissions, that's a somewhat different requirement. In that case, I can recommend platforms specifically suited to marketplace transaction-level revenue sharing.

Yes. If you’re building a marketplace SaaS and want partners to earn revenue from a referred customer’s ongoing subscription, several platforms support this.

Best fits

• partnerstack.com — Probably the strongest fit if you want a full partner ecosystem, not just an affiliate program. It supports recurring commissions on subscriptions, renewals, and expansion/upsells, plus referral, reseller, and co-sell programs. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — Strong choice for a SaaS startup that wants billing-aware recurring commissions. It can update commissions when customers renew, upgrade, downgrade, cancel, or reactivate, and supports lifetime recurring commissions. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — Particularly attractive if you're Stripe-based and want something relatively simple. It supports recurring or one-time commissions and handles upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds. Rewardful

What I'd choose for your use case

If your model is something like:

Partner refers merchant → merchant joins your marketplace → merchant pays $100/month → partner gets 20% every month

I'd lean FirstPromoter for a lean startup, or PartnerStack if you expect a sophisticated partner ecosystem with agencies, resellers, referral partners, tiers, and multiple commission schemes.

The key distinction is that you want subscription-lifecycle attribution, not merely "pay commission when someone signs up." PartnerStack explicitly supports recurring subscription payments, renewals and upsells, while FirstPromoter ties commissions directly to billing events. PartnerStack FirstPromoter

If you tell me what your marketplace is built on (Stripe/Paddle/Chargebee/etc.) and whether the partner gets a percentage of GMV, your SaaS subscription, or both, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 platforms and compare their pricing/API/integration tradeoffs.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll probably want a platform that can handle subscription-based recurring revenue share, not just one-time affiliate payouts. The right choice depends on whether your “partners” are affiliates, suppliers, agencies, influencers, resellers, or marketplace participants.

Here are platforms that support recurring commissions per referral:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d shortlist like this:

• Early-stage marketplace (Stripe + simple referral economics):

• Rewardful
• Partnero
• FirstPromoter
• Marketplace with many partner types (suppliers, agencies, affiliates, integrations):

• PartnerStack
• Partner.io
• Marketplace where partners earn a cut of ongoing GMV/subscription revenue and you need complex rules:

• Track360
• Conduit

The key features I’d verify before choosing:

• Lifetime recurring commissions (not just first invoice)
• Commission attribution after upgrades/downgrades
• Refund and churn handling
• Multi-tier partner programs
• Partner portal with earnings visibility
• API/webhooks for your marketplace events
• Support for marketplace-specific revenue events (orders, transactions, subscriptions, fees)

One architecture question matters a lot: are partners earning a percentage of your SaaS subscription revenue (e.g., “20% of the customer’s monthly plan forever”), or a percentage of marketplace transactions/GMV (e.g., “5% of every sale generated by this partner”)? The best platform differs for those two models.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a partner management platform that understands subscription revenue, not just a basic affiliate tracker. Look for:

• recurring revenue share (e.g., 10–30% of MRR)
• attribution that survives renewals
• upgrades/downgrades/churn handling
• partner portals
• Stripe/billing integrations
• different commission rules for affiliates, agencies, resellers, and strategic partners

Some platforms that support this model:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d narrow it like this:

If partners are mostly affiliates/influencers

Use:

• Rewardful
• FirstPromoter
• Partnero

Example model:

Partner refers a merchant → merchant pays $299/mo → partner receives 20% ($59.80/mo) until churn.

If partners are agencies, consultants, integrations, or resellers

Use:

• PartnerStack
• Everflow
• Partner.io

These are better when partners need deal registration, co-selling, partner tiers, and sales workflows. Partner.io, for example, positions itself around referral/reseller/technology partnerships and automated commission payouts. Partner

If your marketplace has complex revenue sharing

Consider a platform that can handle:

• % of subscription revenue
• % of marketplace transaction fees
• tiered partner levels
• lifetime vs fixed-duration commissions
• clawbacks

Some SaaS-focused tools explicitly support recurring MRR commissions, plan-based rates, and churn adjustments. Track360

A few questions would change the recommendation:

1. Is your marketplace SaaS charging subscription fees, transaction fees, or both?
2. Are partners bringing buyers, sellers, or other businesses that use your SaaS?
3. Do you need affiliate links only, or a full reseller/channel partner portal?

Yes. If your marketplace SaaS wants partners to earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, the strongest options are:

• partnerstack.com — best for a full partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, expansions, and upsells. You can configure one-time, limited-recurring, or unlimited/lifetime recurring commissions. It also handles referral partners, resellers, co-sell, deal registration, tracking, and payouts. PartnerStack PartnerStack PartnerStack Support
• rewardful.com — best for a simpler SaaS affiliate/referral program. It supports recurring or one-time commissions and automatically tracks renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds, particularly with Stripe. Rewardful Rewardful
• firstpromoter.com — another good SaaS-focused option. It supports recurring commissions and more flexible affiliate commission structures, with Stripe/Paddle and other billing integrations. FirstPromoter

What I'd choose for a marketplace SaaS

If your model is something like:

Partner refers merchant → merchant pays you $100/month → partner gets 20% every month

PartnerStack is probably the better fit if you expect a substantial partner ecosystem or need partner management beyond basic affiliate links. It explicitly supports recurring revenue share and can pay partners on renewals and expansion revenue. PartnerStack PartnerStack

If you mainly need referral links + recurring commissions + automated payouts and want something lighter-weight, I'd look at Rewardful first. Rewardful

One important distinction: “recurring commission” can mean either lifetime commission or commission for a fixed period (e.g. 20% for 12 months). PartnerStack explicitly supports both models. PartnerStack

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), whether partners refer buyers or sellers, and whether you want lifetime vs. 12-month commissions, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 platforms for your architecture.

Yes. For a SaaS marketplace where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, several platforms support recurring commissions:

• partnerstack.com — Best fit if you're building a serious B2B partner ecosystem. It supports recurring revenue share tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion/upsells, plus deal registration, reseller/co-sell workflows, automated payouts, and partner recruitment. PartnerStack PartnerStack PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — Particularly attractive for SaaS. You can configure lifetime recurring commissions, time-limited recurring commissions, flat/percentage commissions, and tiered programs. It integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — A simpler option, especially if your marketplace bills through Stripe. It can pay a percentage on every invoice from a referred customer, indefinitely or for a specified number of payments/months. Rewardful Help Center Rewardful

What I'd choose for a marketplace SaaS

If your model is something like:

Partner refers Merchant → Merchant subscribes → Partner gets 20% of MRR every month → Partner also gets a share when Merchant expands

I'd lean PartnerStack if partner management is going to be a core part of your product. Its recurring revenue-share and broader partner workflows are designed for this kind of ecosystem. PartnerStack PartnerStack

If you primarily need affiliate/referral tracking + recurring SaaS commissions without the heavier partner ecosystem, FirstPromoter is probably the more straightforward choice. It even supports lifetime commissions and caps such as 12 months or a fixed number of billing events. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter Docs

One important distinction: Rewardful/FirstPromoter are primarily affiliate/referral platforms, whereas PartnerStack is more of a full partner ecosystem platform.

If you tell me your marketplace's billing model (e.g. Stripe subscriptions, transaction take-rate, usage-based, or both), I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 platforms and compare pricing, API/webhooks, multi-tier commissions, recurring revenue, and white-label partner portals.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should keep earning from the revenue generated by their referrals, I’d shortlist these:

• partnerstack.com — best for a serious B2B partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus more complex partner models such as referrals, resellers, and co-selling. It also supports “drip” commissions over time. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• rewardful.com — best if your SaaS runs on Stripe and you want simplicity. You can pay a percentage on every invoice indefinitely for a referred customer, or cap it after a set number of invoices. It automatically handles upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds. Rewardful Help Center Rewardful
• tolt.io — another SaaS-focused option, with integrations for Stripe, Paddle, and Chargebee and commission tracking based on paid subscriptions. Elephant

What I'd choose for your marketplace

If your model is something like:

Partner refers business → business subscribes → partner gets 20% of your SaaS revenue every month that business remains active

Rewardful is probably the simplest fit if you're Stripe-based. Its recurring commission model explicitly supports this indefinitely. Rewardful Help Center

If you're building a larger partner ecosystem—agencies, affiliates, technology partners, resellers, deal registration, multiple commission rules—I'd lean toward PartnerStack. PartnerStack

One important distinction: if by "marketplace" you mean your partners refer sellers/providers who then generate transaction revenue, rather than partners referring SaaS subscribers, your commission architecture may be different. In that case, I can compare the platforms specifically for recurring revenue-share on marketplace GMV/transactions.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should keep earning from the revenue generated by their referred customer, you want a platform that supports recurring/lifetime commissions tied to billing events, not just a one-time referral payout.

Best fits

• firstpromoter.com — best overall for this use case. It supports percentage or flat commissions that can recur for the customer's lifetime, or be capped by months or number of charges. It also adjusts commissions for upgrades, downgrades, refunds, cancellations, and reactivations. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter
• partnerstack.com — best if you need a full partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions on subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus referral, reseller, and co-sell programs. It's more of a full PRM/partner platform than a lightweight affiliate tool. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• rewardful.com — good for a simpler SaaS setup. It supports recurring commissions and is particularly attractive if your billing is primarily Stripe/Paddle. Rewardful Rewardful
• Tolt is another SaaS-focused option, particularly if you want a relatively lightweight affiliate/partner experience, though I'd put FirstPromoter ahead of it if complex recurring commission rules are central to your marketplace.

What I'd choose for a marketplace

If your model is something like:

Partner refers Vendor A → Vendor A pays you $500/month → Partner receives 20% every month

I'd shortlist FirstPromoter vs. PartnerStack.

FirstPromoter is probably the better starting point if you're primarily building a referral/affiliate program. It can literally configure the commission as 20% of every billing event for as long as the referred customer remains subscribed. FirstPromoter

PartnerStack becomes more compelling if you're building a larger ecosystem where partners might also resell, co-sell, register deals, have tiers, or earn on multiple types of events. PartnerStack

One important distinction for a marketplace: I'd verify whether you need the commission attached to the referred merchant's subscription, the GMV/transactions generated by that merchant, or your own SaaS subscription revenue. Those lead to somewhat different architectures.

If you tell me how your marketplace makes money (subscription, transaction fee, or both) and roughly how you want partners paid, I can narrow this to the 2–3 platforms that fit best.

Yes. If you want partners to earn ongoing revenue from a referred customer’s subscription, several platforms support this, but they differ in how much of a full partner-management system they provide.

My pick for a marketplace SaaS

PartnerStack is probably the strongest choice if by "partners" you mean agencies, consultants, resellers, integrations, or other businesses—not just affiliates. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions and can handle broader partner motions such as co-selling and reseller revenue share. PartnerStack PartnerStack

If you mainly need "Partner refers customer → partner gets X% of every subscription payment", I'd look closely at FirstPromoter. It explicitly supports customer-lifetime commissions, fixed periods, or a fixed number of charges, and integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. FirstPromoter FirstPromoter

Rewardful is particularly attractive if your marketplace billing runs through Stripe. Its default recurring model pays the affiliate on every eligible invoice until the customer cancels, with support for upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and other subscription changes. Rewardful Help Center Rewardful Help Center

So, roughly:

• Full partner ecosystem → PartnerStack
• Flexible SaaS referral/affiliate program → FirstPromoter
• Simple Stripe + recurring affiliate commissions → Rewardful

If you tell me how your marketplace charges (Stripe Connect, Stripe Billing, etc.) and what kind of partners you're recruiting, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and compare their pricing/API/white-label capabilities.

PartnerStack is probably the strongest choice if by "partners" you mean agencies, consultants, resellers, integrations, or other businesses—not just affiliates. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions and can handle broader partner motions such as co-selling and reseller revenue share. partnerstack.com partnerstack.com

If you mainly need "Partner refers customer → partner gets X% of every subscription payment", I'd look closely at FirstPromoter. It explicitly supports customer-lifetime commissions, fixed periods, or a fixed number of charges, and integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a partner management platform that understands subscription revenue, not just affiliate clicks. Look for:

• recurring revenue share (e.g., 10–30% of subscription revenue)
• commission calculations tied to invoices/subscriptions
• upgrades, downgrades, churn, and refunds handling
• partner portals
• referral attribution across long sales cycles
• Stripe/billing integrations

Some platforms that fit this model:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d narrow it down based on your model:

• Marketplace with providers/sellers as partners: choose a PRM-style tool like PartnerStack or Partner.io because you may need tiers, onboarding, partner portals, and relationship management.
• SaaS product where affiliates bring customers: Rewardful, FirstPromoter, Tolt, Partnero, or Rekomi are often simpler.
• You want partners to earn “forever” while customers stay active: prioritize tools that calculate commission from subscription events rather than just paying on signup. Rekomi PartnerPulse

For a marketplace specifically, I’d check whether you need two-sided attribution:

1. partner refers a buyer → partner earns a share of buyer subscription/revenue
2. partner refers a seller/provider → partner earns marketplace fees or recurring SaaS fees

If you tell me your stack (Stripe? Paddle? Chargebee? custom billing), partner type (affiliates vs agencies vs suppliers), and commission rule (e.g., “20% forever” vs “20% for 12 months”), I can narrow this to 2–3 best fits.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a partner management platform that understands subscription revenue, not just a basic affiliate tracker. The key features to look for are:

• recurring revenue share (e.g., 20% of every subscription payment)
• attribution that survives trials and upgrades
• commission adjustments for churn, refunds, and plan changes
• partner portals with earnings visibility
• Stripe/billing integration
• support for multiple partner types (affiliates, agencies, marketplace suppliers, integrations)

Some platforms that support recurring commissions:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d think about the partner model first:

• Marketplace supply partners (agencies, vendors, service providers): look for PRM features, deal registration, partner tiers, and revenue attribution.
• Referral partners (consultants, creators, affiliates): look for recurring affiliate commissions and simple links/codes.
• Integration partners: prioritize co-selling, account mapping, and partner portals.

A common setup:

• 20–30% recurring commission for referral partners
• lifetime or 12–24 month commission window
• higher tiers for partners who bring retained customers
• clawbacks only for refunds/fraud/early churn

If you’re early-stage and using Stripe subscriptions, I’d shortlist Rekomi, PartnerPulse, Partner.io, or Partnero. If you expect a large ecosystem with agencies/resellers, evaluate a more full PRM-style tool like PartnerStack. PartnerPulse Partner

I’d also check whether your marketplace revenue is subscription-based, transaction-fee-based, or both—that changes which platform is the best fit.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing commission on subscription revenue from each referred customer, several platforms support this.

Best fits

• partnerstack.com — probably the strongest choice if you want a full partner-management/PRM platform, rather than just affiliate tracking. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, plus referrals, resellers, co-selling, partner tiers, automated payouts, and CRM/billing integrations. PartnerStack PartnerStack
• firstpromoter.com — particularly good if your model is primarily affiliates/referrals. It supports recurring, lifetime, and tiered commissions and tracks renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and reactivations. FirstPromoter
• rewardful.com — a simpler option, especially if you're Stripe-centric. It automatically generates commissions on subsequent subscription payments and adjusts for upgrades, downgrades, and refunds. Rewardful
• Tolt — worth considering for an early-stage SaaS if you want something more lightweight than PartnerStack; it's specifically aimed at SaaS affiliate programs. Rewardful

What I'd choose for your marketplace

If "partner" means businesses that refer customers to your marketplace, I'd shortlist:

PartnerStack → best if you expect a serious partner ecosystem with agencies, resellers, referral partners, tiers, and potentially different commission rules.

FirstPromoter → best if it's primarily a referral/affiliate program and you want relatively straightforward recurring commissions.

Rewardful → best if you're building on Stripe and want the simplest implementation.

One important distinction: decide whether you want lifetime recurring commission or recurring commission for a fixed period (e.g. 12 months). PartnerStack explicitly supports models ranging from one-time to limited recurring to unlimited/lifetime recurring. PartnerStack

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe/Paddle/etc.), approximate partner count, and whether partners are affiliates vs. agencies/resellers, I can narrow this to the best 1–2 options and compare pricing/API/integration effort.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a partner management platform that understands subscription revenue, not just one-time affiliate payouts. The key features to look for are:

• recurring revenue share (e.g., 20% of MRR for the life of the customer)
• subscription event tracking (upgrades, downgrades, churn)
• partner attribution across long sales cycles
• partner portals
• automated payouts
• Stripe/billing integration

Some platforms that support recurring commissions:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d choose based on your partner model:

• Marketplace ambassadors / affiliates bringing sellers or buyers: Partnero or Rekomi-style tools.
• Agencies, integrations, channel partners, and strategic partners: Partner.io or a PRM-style platform.
• You want partners paid a percentage of ongoing marketplace fees: Track360 or PartnerPulse-style MRR/revenue attribution tools.

A common marketplace commission structure would be something like:

• Partner refers a merchant → partner earns 20–30% of your platform fee for 12–24 months (or lifetime)
• Partner refers buyers → fixed CPA or revenue share
• Strategic partners → custom tiers

Before picking a platform, check whether it can attribute the marketplace side of the transaction (GMV, take rate, subscription plan, usage fees), not just “customer signup.” Many affiliate tools are built for SaaS subscriptions and struggle when revenue comes from marketplace transactions.

If you share your model (e.g., Stripe subscriptions vs. marketplace take-rate vs. usage fees, and whether partners refer buyers, sellers, or integrations), I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing commission on the revenue generated by each referred customer, several platforms support this, but they differ quite a bit.

My pick for your use case

If you're building a marketplace SaaS and the partner program is strategically important, I'd start with PartnerStack. It explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue, as well as more sophisticated partner types such as referral, reseller and co-sell partners. partnerstack.compartnerstack.com

For example, you can structure something like:

Partner refers Marketplace Customer A → partner gets 20% of the customer's monthly subscription → customer renews → partner continues receiving 20% → customer upgrades → commission follows the expanded revenue.

PartnerStack also supports drip commissions, so you aren't limited to paying everything immediately; commissions can be paid in installments as subscription revenue is realized. partnerstack.compartnerstack.com

If you're earlier-stage

I'd seriously consider FirstPromoter. Its recurring commission model is unusually straightforward: you can pay for the customer's lifetime, a fixed number of charges, or a defined period such as 12 months. It also supports different commission rates over time. help.firstpromoter.com

So if your requirement is simply:

"Give partners 20% of every subscription payment from customers they refer."

FirstPromoter may be considerably simpler than a full PRM.

Rule of thumb:

• Early/lean SaaS → FirstPromoter or Rewardful
• Growing SaaS with a serious partner ecosystem → PartnerStack
• Complex marketplace with referrals + agencies + resellers + co-selling → PartnerStack

If you tell me how your marketplace charges customers (subscription, transaction fee, GMV %, etc.), I can narrow this down to the best platform and explain how I'd structure the recurring commission model.

If your goal is ongoing revenue sharing (e.g. "Partner refers a customer → partner earns 20% every month for as long as that customer subscribes"), you want a platform built around subscription attribution, not just one-time affiliate payouts.

Here's how the leading options compare:

For a marketplace SaaS

If your product resembles something like Shopify, Upwork, or Airbnb—where you have multiple partner types—you'll likely want more than basic affiliate tracking.

Typical partner types include:

• Referral partners (invite new customers)
• Agencies/consultants (implement your platform)
• Integration partners
• Influencers/content creators
• Resellers

In that case:

• PartnerStack is the strongest all-around choice if you're building a serious B2B partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions, multiple partner types, onboarding, automated payouts, and even a marketplace where partners can discover your program. partnerstack.com
• Rewardful is hard to beat if you're a startup on Stripe that primarily needs recurring affiliate payouts without enterprise complexity. www.rewardful.com
• Everflow is attractive if you expect high scale and sophisticated attribution across affiliates, agencies, referrals, and paid acquisition. www.everflow.io

Architecture I'd recommend

For a modern SaaS marketplace, I'd structure commissions like this:

• Partner owns the customer relationship for the life of the account.
• Every successful subscription renewal automatically triggers a commission.
• If the customer upgrades, the partner's commission increases proportionally.
• If the customer downgrades or cancels, commissions adjust automatically.
• Add optional performance tiers (e.g. 20% recurring by default, 30% after 50 active customers).

That model aligns partner incentives with long-term customer retention rather than just initial signups.

If you're still in the MVP or early growth stage (under about $1M ARR), I'd lean toward Rewardful or Tolt for simplicity. Once you have a dedicated partnerships team and multiple partner motions, PartnerStack becomes the stronger long-term platform.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should keep earning from customers they refer, I’d shortlist these:

My pick for your use case

FirstPromoter is probably the most directly aligned if your core requirement is:

“Partner refers a marketplace customer → partner receives X% of that customer's subscription revenue every month.”

It explicitly supports customer-lifetime recurring commissions, as well as capped periods such as 12 months or a fixed number of charges. It also adjusts commissions around billing events such as upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. help.firstpromoter.com

PartnerStack is the better choice if “partner management” means more than affiliate tracking—for example, you expect agencies, resellers, referral partners, deal registration, co-selling, tiers, and a larger partner ecosystem. It supports recurring revenue share, including renewals and expansion revenue, and explicitly supports unlimited/lifetime recurring models. partnerstack.com

For a marketplace SaaS, I'd pay particular attention to whether the platform can handle revenue attribution beyond the initial subscription. If your partner should earn, say, 20% of every transaction generated by the referred merchant/customer, rather than simply 20% of the SaaS subscription, that's a more specialized requirement.

If you tell me how your marketplace monetizes (subscription, transaction fee, or both) and whether the partner earns from the merchant they refer or the merchant's downstream transactions, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 platforms.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should keep earning from customers they refer, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: PartnerStack

If by "partner management" you mean more than just affiliate links—e.g. referrals + partner accounts + deal registration + recurring revenue share + automated payouts—PartnerStack is probably the strongest match. It explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue, and can handle referral, reseller and co-sell programs. partnerstack.com

It also gives partners ongoing revenue-share attribution, including recurring subscription payments and upsells. partnerstack.com

If you want something lighter

FirstPromoter is particularly interesting for a SaaS marketplace if you mainly need referral tracking and commissions. You can configure commissions to continue for the customer's lifetime, for a fixed number of months, or for a fixed number of charges. It also supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree. help.firstpromoter.com

Rewardful is another good choice if you're heavily Stripe-oriented and want a relatively straightforward affiliate/referral setup. www.rewardful.com

Rule of thumb:

• Building a serious partner ecosystem → PartnerStack
• Building a lean referral program → FirstPromoter
• Building a Stripe-first SaaS referral program quickly → Rewardful

If you tell me your marketplace's billing model (subscription, transaction %, or both) and whether partners refer buyers, sellers, or both, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options and compare pricing/implementation.

Yes. If your marketplace SaaS has subscription revenue and you want partners to keep earning from customers they refer, there are several good options—but they differ quite a bit in how much partner infrastructure they provide.

My pick for a marketplace SaaS: PartnerStack

PartnerStack is probably the strongest choice if by "partner management" you mean more than just affiliate links. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, and can handle referrals, resellers, co-sell partners, and other partner motions. partnerstack.com

For example, you can structure something like:

Partner refers a merchant → merchant subscribes → partner gets 20% of monthly revenue → partner continues earning on renewals/upgrades.

PartnerStack explicitly supports creating a customer from a referral for recurring commissions on future transactions. support.partnerstack.com

If you want something lighter

FirstPromoter is particularly interesting if your primary requirement is straightforward recurring referral commissions. You can configure commissions to run for the customer's lifetime, a specified number of months, or a specified number of charges. It integrates natively with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. help.firstpromoter.comwww.rewardful.com

Rewardful is a good choice if you're heavily built around Stripe and want a relatively simple implementation. It automatically tracks recurring payments, upgrades, downgrades, and cancellations. www.rewardful.com

Rule of thumb:

• Need a full partner ecosystem → PartnerStack
• Need referral/affiliate tracking + flexible recurring commissions → FirstPromoter
• Need simple Stripe-native recurring referrals → Rewardful

If you tell me how your marketplace monetizes (e.g. $99/month SaaS fee, % transaction take rate, or both), I can narrow this down to the best platform and explain how I'd structure the partner commission model.

For a marketplace SaaS, you’ll usually want a platform that understands subscription revenue attribution, not just one-time affiliate payouts. The right choice depends on whether your “partners” are affiliates, agencies, suppliers, channel partners, or marketplace participants.

Here are strong options that support recurring commissions:

For a marketplace SaaS, I’d think about the partner model first:

• Creators / affiliates referring buyers: Rewardful, FirstPromoter, Partnero
• Agencies bringing merchants onto your marketplace: PartnerStack or Partner.io
• Strategic integrations and channel partners: PartnerStack or impact.com
• Marketplace sellers earning from referred merchants: A custom commission engine or a platform with strong API/webhook support

Key features I’d require:

• Recurring commission tied to subscription invoices
• Customer-level attribution (not just cookies)
• Handling upgrades/downgrades/cancellations
• Multi-tier partner payouts
• Partner portal with earnings forecasts
• API/webhooks for your marketplace events
• Stripe Billing (or your billing provider) sync

If you’re building a two-sided marketplace SaaS (e.g., partners refer vendors who then pay you monthly), I’d lean toward PartnerStack for a mature channel program or Rewardful/FirstPromoter for a lean SaaS launch. If your main differentiator is “partners earn forever while the customer stays,” look closely at recurring-revenue-native tools like Rekomi or Track360. track360.iorekomi.com

A couple questions would narrow this down:

1. Are partners referring customers, sellers/vendors, or other partners?
2. Is your billing through Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, or something custom?
3. Do you want commissions to last lifetime, a fixed period (e.g., 12 months), or until churn?

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing commission on customers they refer, several platforms support recurring revenue share:

What I'd pick for your use case

PartnerStack is probably the strongest choice if by "partners" you mean more than just affiliates. It can track a referred customer's recurring subscription revenue, renewals, and upsells, and supports commission workflows beyond simple affiliate payouts. partnerstack.com

If your model is essentially "give each partner a referral link → customer subscribes → partner gets X% every month", I'd look closely at FirstPromoter instead. It explicitly supports customer-lifetime recurring commissions, time-limited recurring commissions, and per-charge rules, with billing integrations including Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. help.firstpromoter.com

Rewardful is the simpler option if you're primarily Stripe/Paddle-based and don't need a large partner ecosystem. www.rewardful.com

For a marketplace SaaS specifically, I'd shortlist PartnerStack + FirstPromoter: PartnerStack if you expect a sophisticated partner/reseller ecosystem; FirstPromoter if the core requirement is flexible recurring referral commissions with less platform overhead.

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe, Paddle, etc.), typical subscription price, and whether partners are affiliates vs. agencies/resellers, I can narrow it to the best 1–2 options.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where a partner should earn a percentage of ongoing subscription revenue from each customer they refer, several platforms support this.

My pick for your use case

FirstPromoter is probably the closest match if you're building a marketplace SaaS and want control over the economics. It supports one-time, recurring, lifetime-recurring, tiered and multi-level commissions, and can adjust commissions for upgrades, downgrades, cancellations and refunds. It integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree. firstpromoter.com

FirstPromoter

Rewardful is the simpler alternative, particularly if you're on Stripe. It explicitly supports recurring percentage/fixed commissions and automatically handles subscription renewals, upgrades, downgrades and refunds. www.rewardful.com

Rewardful

PartnerStack is the one I'd investigate if by "partner management" you mean a full PRM rather than just affiliate tracking. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals and expansion revenue, plus referral, reseller and co-sell programs. partnerstack.com

PartnerStack

One important distinction

For your marketplace, I'd define the commission model as something like:

Partner refers merchant → merchant pays $100/month → partner receives 20% ($20) every month for as long as that merchant remains active.

That's different from a platform that merely pays a commission on the initial referral. You want subscription-lifecycle-aware recurring commissions, including what happens when the merchant upgrades, downgrades, pauses, refunds, or churns.

If you're building the marketplace itself and want to let your own customers configure their own partner programs, that's a slightly different architectural question. In that case, I can compare PartnerStack vs FirstPromoter vs Rewardful vs building the commission ledger yourself for a multi-tenant SaaS.

Yes. If your marketplace SaaS wants partners to earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, several platforms support recurring commissions—but they differ quite a bit in how well they fit a marketplace.

Best fits

PartnerStack explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue. It can also automate tracking and payouts, and supports referral, reseller, and co-sell partner models. partnerstack.com

FirstPromoter is particularly interesting if your requirement is “partner gets X% of every payment generated by their referral.” You can configure commissions for the customer's lifetime, a fixed time span, or a fixed number of charges, including different commission rates over time. It integrates natively with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. help.firstpromoter.com

For your marketplace specifically

I'd lean toward FirstPromoter if your model is primarily:

Partner refers customer → customer pays subscription → partner receives 20% of every payment.

I'd lean toward PartnerStack if you're envisioning something more like:

Partner → referrals + deals + resellers + multiple partner tiers + recurring revenue + automated payouts + partner portal.

PartnerStack also lets you create a referred customer and have future transactions automatically trigger recurring commissions. support.partnerstack.com

One important architectural question for a marketplace SaaS is what exactly constitutes the recurring commission. If partners should earn, say, 10% of your platform fee on every transaction made by their referred merchant, rather than 10% of the merchant's subscription, you should evaluate the platforms based on their ability to handle transaction/event-based commissions, not just subscription billing.

If that's your model, I can compare PartnerStack vs FirstPromoter vs Rewardful vs Impact specifically for a marketplace SaaS, including API/webhook support, commission attribution, multi-sided marketplaces, payout handling, and approximate pricing.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, several platforms support recurring commissions, but they differ substantially in how much partner-management infrastructure you need.

My pick for your use case

FirstPromoter is probably the most interesting starting point if you're building a marketplace SaaS and primarily need referral → subscription → recurring partner revenue. It lets you configure commissions as lifetime recurring, for a fixed number of months/charges, or one-time, and supports percentage or flat commissions. It also integrates directly with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. help.firstpromoter.com

FirstPromoter

PartnerStack is the better choice if "partner management" means more than affiliate tracking—e.g. partner onboarding, deal registration, co-selling, reseller relationships, partner recruitment, and automated payouts. It explicitly supports recurring commissions and drip/installment payouts tied to recurring revenue. partnerstack.com

PartnerStack

One particularly relevant feature for your model is that PartnerStack supports unlimited recurring commissions, where a partner can receive a percentage of a referred customer's payments for the customer's lifetime. support.partnerstack.com

If your marketplace itself takes a percentage of every transaction, rather than charging SaaS subscriptions, I'd evaluate the platforms differently—because you may need commission rules based on GMV/transaction revenue, refunds, seller payouts, and recurring marketplace transactions, rather than simply recurring SaaS subscriptions.

If you tell me how your marketplace makes money (subscription, % take-rate, or both) and your expected number of partners, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing revenue from the customers they refer, there are several good fits:

My pick for your use case: PartnerStack if “partners” means a broader ecosystem—referrers, agencies, resellers, affiliates, etc. It explicitly supports recurring commissions tied to ongoing subscription revenue, including drip/installment payouts. partnerstack.com

If you mainly need referral tracking + recurring revenue share and you're early-stage, FirstPromoter is worth a close look. It lets you specify customer-lifetime commissions, a fixed number of months, or a fixed number of charges, and supports Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and Braintree. help.firstpromoter.com

The key distinction I'd make for a marketplace SaaS is whether you want:

• “Partner gets 20% of subscription revenue forever” → FirstPromoter/Rewardful can handle this.
• “Partner gets 20% for 12 months, then stops” → FirstPromoter is particularly straightforward.
• “Partner gets revenue share on subscriptions + renewals + expansion, with different partner types and payout workflows” → PartnerStack is the stronger choice. partnerstack.com

If you tell me your billing stack (Stripe, Paddle, etc.), average subscription price, and whether partners are affiliates vs. agencies/resellers, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options and compare pricing.

Yes. For a SaaS marketplace where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, the strongest fits are:

My pick for your use case

FirstPromoter looks particularly relevant if your marketplace is early-stage and you want control over the economics. It supports lifetime recurring commissions, fixed-duration recurring commissions, or a fixed number of charges. It also supports different commission rates over time—for example, 20% on the first charge and 30% thereafter. help.firstpromoter.com

PartnerStack is the better choice if you're envisioning a true partner ecosystem rather than just an affiliate/referral program. It supports recurring revenue-share, renewals, upsells, and installment/drip commissions, and handles partner payouts. partnerstack.com

For a marketplace specifically, I'd think about the commission model carefully. For example:

Partner refers merchant → merchant pays you $500/month → partner gets 20% = $100/month for as long as that merchant remains active.

If that's essentially what you want, FirstPromoter is probably the simplest starting point; PartnerStack is the more scalable ecosystem choice.

If you tell me how your marketplace makes money (subscription, transaction fee, or both) and roughly how many partners you expect, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 platforms and explain the economics.

Yes. For a marketplace SaaS where partners should earn ongoing revenue from customers they refer, the strongest options are:

My pick for your use case: PartnerStack

PartnerStack explicitly supports recurring revenue share, including commissions on subscription renewals and upsells. It also supports referral, reseller, and co-sell programs rather than being limited to traditional affiliate links. partnerstack.com

That's particularly relevant if your marketplace has partners who might do more than simply refer a customer—for example:

Partner refers merchant → merchant subscribes → partner receives 20% of subscription revenue every month → partner also earns on expansion/upsells.

PartnerStack also handles partner commission calculation and consolidated payouts, which becomes useful once you have a meaningful number of partners. partnerstack.com

FirstPromoter is worth a close look

If your model is more affiliate/referral-centric, FirstPromoter may actually be the better product. It supports customer-lifetime commissions, time-limited recurring commissions, or a fixed number of recurring payments. It also adjusts commissions for renewals, upgrades, cancellations, and refunds. help.firstpromoter.com

For example, you could configure:

Partner gets 20% of every payment from referred customer for as long as they're subscribed.

That's a very clean fit for a SaaS marketplace.

If you're Stripe-based and want simplicity

Rewardful is particularly attractive if your billing runs through Stripe. It can calculate commissions on every paid invoice and supports recurring commissions indefinitely or for a specified number of invoices. help.rewardful.com

Bottom line:

• Building a serious partner ecosystem: PartnerStack
• Want flexible recurring referral/affiliate commissions: FirstPromoter
• Stripe + want something lightweight: Rewardful

If you tell me how your marketplace makes money (e.g. 10% transaction fee, $99/month SaaS fee, or both), I can recommend which one fits your commission model best and explain how I'd structure the partner payouts.

Yes. If by “ongoing revenue” you mean a partner gets a percentage of every recurring subscription payment from customers they referred, several platforms support that.

Best fits

For your marketplace SaaS specifically, I'd look hardest at PartnerStack. It supports referral, reseller, and affiliate programs and can track recurring subscription payments, renewals, and upsells. partnerstack.com

If you want something lighter/easier to embed into an early-stage SaaS, FirstPromoter is particularly interesting: it lets you define commissions that continue for the customer's lifetime, for a specified number of months, or for a specified number of charges. help.firstpromoter.com

One important distinction for your marketplace

If your model is something like:

Partner refers Acme Corp → Acme pays you $500/month → partner receives 20% ($100/month) for as long as Acme remains a customer

then FirstPromoter and PartnerStack can handle that model.

If instead you mean:

Partner refers a seller/vendor → seller generates $10,000/month in marketplace GMV → partner receives 5% of that seller's GMV every month

that's a more specialized revenue-share/marketplace commission problem. I'd evaluate the platforms based on whether they can attribute ongoing marketplace transactions rather than merely recurring SaaS subscriptions.

If you tell me how your marketplace makes money (subscription, transaction fee, or both), I can narrow this down to the 2–3 platforms that best fit your exact commission model.

Yes. If you mean partners should receive a percentage of subscription revenue from every customer they refer, potentially for the customer's lifetime, several platforms support that.

Best fits

• PartnerStack — probably the strongest fit if you're building a serious B2B SaaS partner ecosystem. It supports recurring commissions tied to subscriptions, renewals, and expansion revenue, including drip/installment commission models. partnerstack.com
• FirstPromoter — better if you're early-stage and primarily need affiliate/referral management. It supports one-time, recurring, tiered, and multi-level commissions and tracks subscription lifecycle events such as upgrades, downgrades, refunds, and churn. firstpromoter.comfirstpromoter.com
• Rewardful — particularly attractive if your marketplace SaaS uses Stripe or Paddle and you want a relatively simple recurring affiliate program. firstpromoter.com

For your marketplace SaaS

I'd distinguish between two models:

1. "Affiliate" model:

Partner refers a customer → partner gets 20% of that customer's subscription every month.

FirstPromoter or Rewardful is likely sufficient.

2. "Marketplace partner" model:

Partner brings a merchant/provider → partner gets 20% of platform revenue generated by that merchant indefinitely, with tiers, renewals, upgrades, multiple partner types, etc.

I'd lean toward PartnerStack, because it is designed around broader partner ecosystems rather than just affiliate links. It explicitly supports referral, reseller, affiliate, and co-sell programs. partnerstack.com

One important distinction: "recurring" doesn't necessarily mean "lifetime." PartnerStack's own documentation distinguishes one-time, limited recurring (e.g. first year), and unlimited/lifetime recurring commissions. partnerstack.com

If you tell me how your marketplace makes money (subscription, transaction fee, or both) and whether partners refer buyers, sellers, or both, I can recommend the best platform and commission structure for your exact model.

If your SaaS has subscription revenue and you want partners to earn ongoing recurring commissions for every renewal, you should look for affiliate/partner platforms that integrate directly with your billing system (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, etc.) rather than generic PRMs.

Here are the strongest options:

If you're building a marketplace SaaS

Because you're running a marketplace, you may eventually want more than simple affiliate links. Look for features like:

• Recurring revenue share (e.g. 20% of subscription revenue every month)
• Referral links and coupon codes
• First-touch or last-touch attribution
• Team/company partner accounts
• Custom commission rates by partner
• Automatic commission adjustments after upgrades, downgrades, refunds, or churn
• Tax forms and automated payouts (PayPal, Wise, ACH, Stripe)

Platforms like FirstPromoter and Partnero support most of these SaaS-specific workflows. marketplace.stripe.comfirstpromoter.com

My recommendation

• Early-stage (<$50k MRR): Rewardful, Tolt, or FirstPromoter.
• Growing SaaS ($50k–$500k MRR): FirstPromoter or Partnero.
• Enterprise or channel sales: PartnerStack.

If your vision is for agencies, consultants, and implementation partners to continuously earn a share of customers they bring in, I'd lean toward FirstPromoter or PartnerStack. They both support recurring commissions, but PartnerStack becomes especially compelling if you want exposure to an existing ecosystem of SaaS partners rather than recruiting everyone yourself. firstpromoter.com

Yes. If your goal is for partners to earn a percentage of every subscription renewal from customers they refer (monthly or annually), several partner management platforms support recurring commissions.

Here's how I'd think about the options:

If you're building a marketplace SaaS

I'd choose based on your stage:

• Pre-seed / Seed: FirstPromoter, Rewardful, or Tolt.
• Growth ($1M–10M ARR): PartnerStack if recruiting partners is important.
• Enterprise: Impact.

For a marketplace specifically

If your marketplace has:

• agencies referring clients,
• consultants bringing customers,
• creators promoting your platform,
• integration partners,

then PartnerStack is probably the strongest fit because it isn't just affiliate software—it supports multiple partner types (affiliate, referral, reseller, co-sell) and can pay ongoing commissions based on recurring subscription revenue. It also includes a partner marketplace where potential partners can discover your program. partnerstack.com

Commission models that work well

Many SaaS marketplaces use one of these:

• 20–30% recurring for the lifetime of the customer
• 20% recurring for 24 months
• 10% recurring + bonuses for expansion revenue
• Tiered: 20% until $5k MRR referred, then 30%

Lifetime recurring commissions tend to attract higher-quality partners because they build predictable passive income.

If you tell me:

• your billing provider (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, etc.),
• your tech stack,
• and whether your marketplace is B2B or B2C,

I can narrow this down to the best platform for your architecture and growth stage.

If your goal is partners who earn recurring revenue for every customer they refer, you want a platform built for subscription billing rather than traditional ecommerce affiliate software.

Here's how the main options compare:

My recommendations

If you're an early-stage SaaS (pre-$2M ARR):

• FirstPromoter is one of the strongest choices. It tracks renewals, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and lets you pay recurring commissions automatically. It integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, and other subscription billing systems. firstpromoter.com

If you're using Stripe and want the quickest implementation:

• Rewardful is another excellent option. It's popular among SaaS founders because setup is straightforward and it's designed around subscription revenue rather than one-time purchases. www.rewardful.com

If you want partners and a marketplace to recruit them:

• PartnerStack is the leader. Besides managing commissions, it gives you access to a large network of SaaS-focused affiliates, agencies, consultants, and technology partners. It also supports recurring commissions tied to subscription renewals and expansion revenue. partnerstack.com

Commission structures that work well

Many successful SaaS companies use one of these models:

• 20–30% recurring for the lifetime of the subscription
• 15–20% recurring for the first 12 months
• Flat bounty (e.g. $200) plus 5–10% recurring
• Tiered commissions (20% → 25% → 30%) as partners reach revenue milestones

Lifetime recurring commissions are attractive to partners because they create predictable monthly income, but you should model your gross margins and customer lifetime value before committing to perpetual payouts.

If I were building a marketplace SaaS today

I'd likely choose:

• FirstPromoter if I already have an audience or know how I'll recruit partners.
• PartnerStack if recruiting high-quality B2B partners is a core growth strategy and I have the budget to support a more comprehensive partner program.

One question that affects the recommendation: What billing platform are you using (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Lemon Squeezy, or something else)? That can narrow the best choice considerably.

If you're building a subscription SaaS and want partners to earn recurring commissions for as long as a referred customer remains subscribed, you should look for a platform that supports:

• Recurring (MRR-based) commissions
• Stripe/Paddle subscription tracking
• Automatic adjustments for upgrades, downgrades, and churn
• Partner portal and payouts
• Referral attribution over long sales cycles

Here are the strongest options:

If you're building a partner ecosystem (not just affiliates)

If your partners will:

• refer leads,
• co-sell,
• implement your product,
• or become agencies/resellers,

then I'd lean toward a PRM platform like Partner.io or PartnerStack rather than a traditional affiliate platform. They provide deal registration, lead sharing, partner tiers, and recurring commission management. www.reddit.comwww.partner.iowww.reddit.com

Example commission model

Many successful SaaS companies use something like:

• 20–30% recurring commission
• Paid every month while the customer remains active
• Stop payments if the subscription is canceled
• Optionally cap at 12 or 24 months, or make it lifetime

This aligns partner incentives with customer retention rather than just initial signups. Community discussions suggest 30% recurring is a common benchmark among indie SaaS affiliate programs, though the right percentage depends on your margins and customer lifetime value. www.reddit.comwww.partner.iowww.reddit.com

If you're building your own marketplace SaaS rather than just adding an affiliate program, I can also recommend platforms with APIs and webhooks that let you embed the partner experience into your own application instead of sending partners to a separate portal.

If your SaaS has subscription revenue and you want partners to earn a percentage every month for as long as the referred customer stays active, there are several strong options. The best choice depends on whether you need a simple affiliate program or a full partner ecosystem.

If I were designing a SaaS marketplace

I'd separate partners into a few categories:

• Affiliates – bloggers, creators, YouTubers (20–30% recurring revenue share)
• Agencies/Consultants – implementation partners (15–25% recurring plus services revenue)
• Customers – referral rewards (10–20% recurring or account credits)
• Strategic partners – custom negotiated revenue share

A platform like PartnerStack is designed to manage all of those partner types together. partnerstack.compartnerstack.com

For different stages of growth

• Pre-product market fit (<$20k MRR): Rewardful or FirstPromoter are usually easier to launch and less expensive. firstpromoter.comwww.rewardful.com
• Growing SaaS ($20k–$100k+ MRR): FirstPromoter if you mainly need affiliate management, or PartnerStack if recruiting partners is becoming a priority. partnerstack.comfirstpromoter.com
• Enterprise: PartnerStack or Impact if you need reseller management, complex attribution, contracts, and global payouts. www.rewardful.compartnerstack.com

Features worth insisting on

For a marketplace SaaS with recurring commissions, look for:

• Automatic tracking of subscription renewals
• Commission updates for upgrades and downgrades
• Automatic stop/clawback when customers churn
• Self-service partner portal
• Coupon and referral link attribution
• Stripe/Paddle integration
• Automated global payouts
• API and webhook support for custom workflows

If you tell me your billing provider (Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, etc.), tech stack, and whether your marketplace is B2B or B2C, I can narrow this down to the one that will fit your architecture best.