Partner program guide
How it works, from first referral to payout
Every step and every rule in one place, so you always know what earns commission and when you get paid.
The short version
Add your client's store in your portal before they install. A referral link alone doesn't earn commission.
You earn when Shopify actually bills your client for a plan. Free plans and trials earn nothing.
The same for every app, counted from the store's first paid charge. See the rates by app.
Each commission is held for 30 days after the charge, in case of a refund.
Step by step
Apply and get approved
Apply on this website. We review every application by hand. You can sign in straight away, but you can register stores only after approval. We email you as soon as you're approved. Add your payout details in the portal so we know how to pay you.
Recommend an app
Tell your client which app suits them. Your portal has a link for each app that opens its Shopify App Store page and counts clicks.
Register the store before they install
In your portal, choose the app and enter the client's
.myshopify.comaddress. This holds the store for you, for that app, for 90 days. This is the step that earns you commission. Your rate is fixed at this moment, so later rate changes don't affect this store. We email you to confirm the store was added.Your client installs from the App Store
They install and choose a plan as normal. They don't need a code or any extra step, and they pay the normal price.
Shopify bills your client
All billing goes through Shopify. While the client is on a free plan or trial, your portal shows "Installed, not paying yet". The first real charge starts your commission period.
We match the charge to you
We check Shopify's records about once an hour and match each charge to your registered store. Shopify can report a charge a little after it's billed, so it may take a while to appear.
Commission builds up
Each plan charge adds a line to your Earnings page, for 12 months. You can see the store, the amount we received and what you earned.
You get paid
After the 30-day hold, commission shows as "Due". We pay it by Wise, PayPal or bank transfer, and the payout and its reference appear in your portal.
What earns commission
Earns commission
- Monthly plan charges
- Yearly plan charges
- The first charge after a free trial ends
- The first charge after moving from a free plan to a paid plan
- Charges after an upgrade or downgrade, at the new amount
Doesn't earn commission
- Installs on their own
- Clicks on your referral link
- Free plans and free trials
- Usage-based and one-time charges
- Stores that had the app before you registered them
- Charges after your commission period ends
How it's calculated: commission is a percentage of what we receive for the charge, after Shopify's share and any discount. If Shopify takes a share, your commission is based on the lower amount. Amounts are in the currency Shopify reports to us, normally US dollars.
A worked example
A client installs an app with a $29 monthly plan and a 14-day trial, at a 20% rate for 12 months. This example assumes we receive the full $29.
| When | What happens | You earn |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | You register the store | — |
| Day 3 | Client installs and starts the trial | — |
| Day 17 | Trial ends and Shopify charges $29. Your commission period starts. | $5.80 |
| Day 47 | The hold ends and that commission shows as "Due" | Payable |
| Each month after | Another $29 charge, until 12 months after day 17 | $5.80 each |
What each status means
These are the statuses you'll see on your Referrals page.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Awaiting install | The store is held for you. The client hasn't installed yet. |
| Installed, not paying yet | The client installed, but Shopify hasn't charged them yet. |
| Paying | The store has been charged and is earning you commission. |
| Uninstalled | The client removed the app. No new commission unless they reinstall. |
| Expired | The store didn't install within 90 days, so the hold ended. |
| Not eligible | The referral doesn't qualify. The reason is shown beside it. |
Special cases
Registering a store
My client installed before I registered the store
The store counts as an existing customer, even if you registered it only minutes later. Always register first.
The store had the app in the past, then uninstalled it
Any earlier install means it isn't a new customer for that app, so it can't be registered.
Another agency already registered the store
The first registration holds the store for that app, and you'll see a message when you try to register it.
I want to refer the same store to several apps
Register it once for each app. Each app is a separate referral with its own terms and commission period.
My client only has a custom domain, like www.brand.com
Ask for the store's .myshopify.com address. You can find it in the Shopify admin under Settings > Domains. We can only match that address to Shopify's records.
The client doesn't install within the registration period
After 90 days the registration expires and any agency can register the store. You can register it again if the client still hasn't installed. An install after the registration expires doesn't count. We email you when a store is removed from your account.
Plans and trials
My client stays on the free plan
Nothing is earned while they're on the free plan. The store stays linked to you if they upgrade later.
My client upgrades from free months later
Commission starts with the first paid charge, and your commission period starts on that date, not the install date.
My client cancels during the free trial
If Shopify never charged them, there's nothing to pay commission on.
My client changes plan
Commission follows what's actually charged, so it goes up or down with the plan. Your percentage and commission period stay the same.
My client is on a yearly plan
You earn on the yearly charge when it's billed. A renewal earns only if it's billed before your commission period ends.
Refunds and cancellations
My client gets a full or partial refund
The commission on that charge is reversed in proportion to the refund. If 25% is refunded, 25% of that commission is reversed. Any first-payment bonus on that charge is reversed the same way.
The refund comes after I've been paid
The reversed amount comes off your next payout. If it's more than you have due, the balance carries forward against future commission.
My client uninstalls the app
Commission you've already earned stays yours, but no new commission is created because there are no new charges.
My client uninstalls, then reinstalls
The store stays linked to you and new charges earn commission. The commission period doesn't restart or get longer, so charges after its original end date don't count.
Rates and your account
Commission rates change after I register a store
Your rate is fixed when you register. Changes apply only to stores registered afterwards, whether the rate goes up or down.
My application is still being reviewed
You can sign in, but you can't register stores until you're approved. Stores your clients install in the meantime can't be counted later.
A referral looks like it isn't genuine
We can reject a registration. We email you the reason, and it also appears on your Referrals page. Any unpaid commission on it is cancelled. Commission already paid isn't taken back.
My account is suspended
You can't register new stores and payouts are paused while the account is suspended.
Emails you'll get
We email you when something changes, so you don't need to keep checking your portal. They all go to the email address you signed up with.
| When | What we tell you |
|---|---|
| You apply | We've received your application |
| We review your application | You're approved, or it wasn't approved |
| You register a store | The store was added, with your terms and the install deadline |
| 14 days before a registration ends | A reminder if the client still hasn't installed |
| Your client installs | The store has installed the app |
| Your client makes their first payment | What you earned, and how long commission runs |
| Your client uninstalls or comes back | The store's status has changed |
| A store is removed from your account | Which store and why |
| A charge is refunded | How much commission was reversed |
| We send a payout | The amount and transfer reference |
| Your account is suspended or restored | What it means for you |
| Your password or payout details change | A security notice, in case it wasn't you |
We don't email you for every monthly charge. You can see those on your Earnings page.
Rates by app
Current rates for new registrations. The period is counted from the store's first paid charge. Lifetime means for as long as the store keeps paying.
| App | Commission | Period |
|---|---|---|
 ChatConvert Live & AI Chatbot | 20% | 12 months |
 HiredPen: AI Blog Agent | 20% | 12 months |
 Linkfront, Link in Bio Page | 20% | 12 months |
 SEOConvert All in #1 — AI SEO | 20% | 12 months |
 Sizy: Size Chart & Size Guide | 20% | 12 months |
 SpareFit – Auto Parts Finder | 20% | 12 months |
 ZipETA, Zip Code Checker + ETA | 20% | 12 months |
Ready to refer your first client?
Apply now, and once you're approved you can register your first store right away.
Become a partner