Tracks the transaction Paddle confirms
Every sale is recorded from the transaction.completed notification, server-side. Ad blockers, cleared cookies and closed tabs cannot lose a conversion, because Paddle is the source of truth.
0% transaction fees
Webhook based
From $19.99/mo
Affiliate Tracking
Set up an affiliate program on Paddle Billing. One script, one line in your checkout and one notification destination, then every transaction is attributed, every commission calculated, and your affiliates paid.
Connect PaddleINTEGRATIONS
Paddle API key
Used once, not keptDone
Notification destination
LinkJolt · 3 events
How do your customers pay?
Paddle checkout on my site
Last sale received 2 minutes ago
The short answer
Does Paddle have a built-in affiliate program?
No. Paddle is your merchant of record and billing system: checkout, subscriptions, tax, invoicing, and a notification for every transaction. What it does not include is the affiliate layer: partner accounts, tracking links, commission rules, refund handling and payouts. That is what LinkJolt adds on top, using the transaction.completed notification as the record of what was sold. This is for Paddle Billing; Paddle Classic is not supported.
This page covers the tool and the setup. For commission design, program structure and how to pay partners, read the guide to running a Paddle affiliate program.
What you get
One line in your checkout
Paddle checkout runs in the browser, so attribution is a single customData line inside Paddle.Checkout.open(). Our script fills in the value; you never build tracking parameters by hand.
Recurring commissions on renewals
Every renewal arrives as a transaction.completed notification and can pay the affiliate who referred the customer, at your recurring rate, with a cap by month or by payment count. Available on the Professional plan and above.
Refunds and chargebacks reverse the commission
Paddle approves refunds in adjustment.updated and sends chargebacks and credits in adjustment.created. LinkJolt reverses the commission, in proportion for a partial refund, cancels any payout still queued for it, and gives it back if you win the chargeback.
Coupon codes as a second tracking method
Register a Paddle discount against an affiliate and any transaction that uses it is credited to them. Podcast and video audiences who never click a link still land with the right partner, and it needs no checkout change at all.
A portal for your affiliates
Partners get their own branded dashboard with links, codes, live earnings and payout setup, included on every plan.
Setup
One API key, about five minutes
The same steps the Integration Hub walks you through after you sign up, with your real merchant ID filled in.
After you connect, the Paddle tab asks one question, how do your customers pay on Paddle, with two answers: Paddle checkout on my site, or discount codes only. It shows only the instructions for your answer.
1
Connect Paddle
Sign up, create a campaign with your commission terms, then open Integrations, choose Paddle and paste a Paddle API key. LinkJolt adds a notification destination called LinkJolt to your Paddle account and keeps its secret key. Takes about a minute.
2
Add the tracking script
Paste one script tag into the head of your site. It captures affiliate clicks.
3
Add one line to your checkout
Inside Paddle.Checkout.open(), add the customData line shown below. That is the whole code change.
4
Discount codes, if you want them
Create the discount in Paddle, copy its ID and register it against an affiliate on the Coupons page. A transaction using it credits that affiliate, with no checkout change.
Step 1: what the key does
Create the key in Paddle under Developer tools, Authentication, API keys, with permission to write notification settings. LinkJolt uses it once to add a notification destination called LinkJolt to your Paddle account, subscribed to the events below, and saves the destination's secret key. The API key itself is not kept, so you can revoke it as soon as the step shows Done.
Events the destination sends
transaction.completedsales, renewals and paid invoicesadjustment.createdcredits and chargebacksadjustment.updatedrefunds, once Paddle approves them
Rather set it up by hand?
https://www.linkjolt.io/api/webhooks/paddle?merchant=YOUR_MERCHANT_IDAdd a notification destination with this address, set its usage type to Platform, subscribe it to the same events, and paste its secret key (it starts with pdl_ntfset_) on the Paddle tab. The merchant ID in the URL is how LinkJolt finds your secret key, so copy it exactly as the Integration Hub shows it.
Step 2: the tracking script
<script src="https://www.linkjolt.io/api/tracking.js?id=YOUR_MERCHANT_ID"></script>Step 3: the one line in checkout
Paddle.Checkout.open({
items: [...],
customData: { linkjolt: window.linkjolt?.referral || '' }
})Our script fills in the value when a visitor arrives from an affiliate link; Paddle sends it back inside the transaction.completed notification.
Affiliate software that works with Paddle
Most affiliate platforms are built for Stripe first. These 7 name Paddle on their own integration or pricing page. Every figure is read from the vendor's page, pricing checked August 2026; vendors change pricing, so confirm before you buy.
| Tool | Entry price | Fees | Billing integrations | Payouts | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LinkJoltLinkJolt pricing | $19.99/mo | 0% on affiliate revenue on every plan. Automated Stripe Connect payouts pass Stripe processing through at cost; CSV export is free. | Stripe, Paddle, Polar, Creem, Lemon Squeezy, Gumroad, GoPay, Apple In-App Purchases | Stripe Connect on every plan, scheduled automatic payouts opt-in from Professional, CSV export for PayPal or Wise | 7 days, card required |
| RewardfulRewardful pricing, explained | $49/mo | 0% transaction fee on every plan. Managed Payouts carry a 3% processing fee. | Stripe and Paddle only | CSV for PayPal or Wise by default, one-click PayPal from Growth, Managed Payouts at 3% | 14 days |
| FirstPromoterFirstPromoter pricing, explained | $49/mo | Not stated on the pricing page | Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Braintree, Recurly and others | Bulk PayPal and Wise plus one-click Stripe payouts on every plan; managed auto payouts on Enterprise | 14 days, no card required |
| ToltTolt alternatives | $69/mo | 0% on revenue. Automated payouts carry a 2% processing fee from Growth up; Basic is manual payouts. | Stripe, Paddle and Chargebee | Manual PayPal or Wise on Basic; automated PayPal, Wise, Payoneer and crypto from Growth | 14 days, no card required, 30-day refund policy |
| AffonsoAffonso alternatives | $19/mo (Launch) | 0% on tracked revenue. Managed payouts carry a surcharge their docs put between 2.8% and 3.25%, plus a $25 monthly service fee. | Stripe, Paddle, Polar, Creem and Dodo Payments | Manual, or a managed service that invoices you and distributes to affiliates for a percentage plus a monthly fee | Free trial available |
| PartneroPartnero alternatives | $59/mo (Starter), or $49/mo billed annually | No fee on direct payouts from your own PayPal or Wise. Managed payouts, where Partnero pays on your behalf, carry a 7% fee | Stripe, Paddle, PayPal, Razorpay, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace and others | Direct from your own PayPal or Wise balance at no Partnero fee, or managed by Partnero for 7% (PayPal only). Collects W-9 and W-8 forms | 30 days |
| RefgrowRefgrow alternatives | $29/mo (Starter) | 0% transaction fees, and no markup on payouts: you pay only the standard PayPal or Wise charge | Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Dodo Payments | From your own PayPal or Wise account, so funds never route through Refgrow. Self-billing invoices generated with EU VAT handling | 14 days, no card required |
Choosing on tracking method rather than price? The tracking software comparison explains what webhook, script and coupon tracking each catch and miss.
FAQ
Paddle affiliate tracking FAQs
What Paddle merchants ask before setting a program up
Does Paddle have a built-in affiliate program?
No. Paddle is your merchant of record and billing system: checkout, subscriptions, tax, invoicing, and a notification for every transaction. Partner accounts, tracking links, commission rules, refund handling and payouts are not part of it. LinkJolt adds that layer on top, using the transaction.completed notification as the record of what was sold. This works with Paddle Billing; Paddle Classic is not supported.
How does LinkJolt track Paddle sales?
Server-side. Our script stores the affiliate reference when a visitor arrives from a tracking link, one line in Paddle.Checkout.open() passes it to Paddle as customData, and Paddle sends it back inside the transaction.completed notification. LinkJolt verifies the notification against the secret key of your notification destination, then records the sale against the right affiliate. Because the sale is confirmed by Paddle rather than the browser, ad blockers and cleared cookies cannot lose it.
Do I have to change my checkout code?
One line. Add customData: { linkjolt: window.linkjolt?.referral || "" } inside your Paddle.Checkout.open() call. If you cannot edit checkout at all, use coupon codes instead: register the Paddle discount against an affiliate in LinkJolt and any transaction that uses it is credited to them, with no code change.
Which Paddle notification events should I enable?
Three, and when you connect with a Paddle API key LinkJolt subscribes them for you: transaction.completed, which carries every sale, renewal and paid invoice, plus adjustment.created and adjustment.updated, which carry chargebacks, credits and refunds (Paddle approves a refund in adjustment.updated). Setting the destination up by hand? The Paddle tab lists the same three events next to your webhook URL.
What happens when a Paddle customer is refunded or charges back?
The commission is reversed once Paddle approves the refund. A full refund or chargeback reverses the commission and cancels any queued payout for it, a partial refund reduces it in proportion, and if you win the chargeback the commission comes back. Your affiliate sees each change in their portal.
Can affiliates earn on subscription renewals?
Yes, on the Professional plan and above. Every renewal arrives as a transaction.completed notification and pays the affiliate who referred the customer, at the recurring rate you set for the campaign, with a cap by number of months or number of payments if you want one. A free trial is recorded when it starts and earns commission on its first real charge.
How do I pay affiliates for Paddle sales?
Paddle does not pay affiliates, so payouts run separately. Automated payouts use Stripe Connect: your saved card funds the payout and Stripe transfers each affiliate their share, reaching the US, UK, EEA, Canada and Switzerland. For affiliates elsewhere, export a mass-payout CSV for PayPal or Wise. Every conversion waits as pending until you approve it, so nothing is paid on a sale you have not reviewed.
What does it cost?
Plans start at $19.99 a month with 0% transaction fees on affiliate revenue, and there is a 7-day free trial with a card required. Paddle tracking is included on every plan.
