Not all referral programs are the same
A media-buying tool's referral program is usually one of two types: cash (a percentage of a referred client's payments, paid out to you) or a built-in discount (a cut on your own subscription for referrals, no cash payout). The difference affects not just how much you get, but the risk to you personally.
Cash programs: what to check
- Payout threshold — is there a minimum amount to withdraw, and how often are payouts made (monthly is standard; less often is worth asking about).
- How "referred client" is counted — bound by a code at signup, or does the service also accept a binding after the first payment (the latter creates disputes).
- What happens on a refund — is the reward already paid to the partner clawed back, and how.
- Tax side — a cash payout to a partner usually means someone needs to declare it; the service doesn't always warn you about this upfront.
Discount programs: what to check
- Discount cap — is there an upper limit (e.g., −100%, meaning free use) or does the discount grow unbounded.
- What happens if a referral stops paying — does the discount drop immediately or persist retroactively.
- Can accrued discount be cashed out — usually not, and it's worth confirming this explicitly before joining, not after.
Common to both: self-referral rules
A good referral program explicitly forbids counting yourself, your own team, or a client where you're formally staff — without this rule, a referral program easily becomes a way to get yourself a discount disguised as "referring a client."
What to read in the terms themselves
Before joining, read: how long a referral binding lasts with a client (permanent, or capped, e.g., their first 6 months of payments), whether the service can change terms retroactively for already-bound clients, and what happens to accrued reward if you yourself leave the program.