Affiliate Tracking for API-First Products
API products have unique monetization models — metered usage, tiered rate limits, and developer-centric onboarding. Trackli tracks affiliate referrals through API key signups, tracks usage-based revenue, and calculates commissions on the actual consumption each referred developer generates.
How to Set Up API Products Affiliate Tracking
Get up and running in minutes with these simple steps.
Track Developer Signups
Add Trackli's attribution to your API signup flow. When a developer creates an account and generates an API key, the referral is recorded.
Connect Usage Billing Events
Link your usage-based billing system (Stripe Metered Billing, custom invoicing) to Trackli. We track actual consumption-based revenue per referred developer.
Set Usage-Based Commission Rules
Configure commissions based on monthly API spend, not just plan tier. A developer who consumes $500/month in API calls generates proportional commission.
Create Developer-Focused Landing Pages
Provide affiliates with links to API documentation, tutorials, and sandbox environments. Developer audiences convert better from educational content.
Recruit Developer Advocates
Target technical bloggers, DevRel professionals, and open-source contributors. Provide them with extended free API credits for building tutorials and demos.
How It Works
From referral link to commission payout — fully automated with API Products.
Trackli vs Traditional Affiliate Tracking
See how Trackli compares to manual or legacy affiliate solutions.
| Feature | Trackli | Traditional |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-Based Revenue Tracking | Commissions on actual API consumption spend per developer | Plan-based tracking doesn't capture metered revenue |
| API Key Attribution | Links API keys to referring affiliate for lifetime tracking | No concept of API key to referral mapping |
| Developer Onboarding Funnel | Tracks signup, first API call, paid conversion, and growth | Signup tracking only, no developer journey visibility |
| Overage and Burst Billing | Includes overage charges in commission calculations | Only tracks base plan pricing |
| Documentation-Linked Referrals | Affiliates can link directly to docs with attribution preserved | Links must go to main landing page only |
| Free Tier to Paid Tracking | Extended windows for developer free-to-paid conversion | Short windows miss developers who evaluate extensively |
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Trackli track revenue for usage-based API billing?
Can affiliates link to API documentation pages?
How do I handle developers on free tiers?
Can I recruit DevRel professionals as affiliates?
Does Trackli work with custom usage-based billing systems?
Related Use Cases
Explore more ways to use Trackli for affiliate tracking.
Affiliate Tracking for Developer Tools
Developer tools sell through trust, technical content, and community recommendations. Trackli helps you build an affiliate program that rewards the technical writers, YouTubers, and open-source contributors who drive developers to your tool through authentic, educational content.
Learn moreAffiliate Tracking for AI Tools
AI tools often use unique pricing models — credits, tokens, usage-based billing, or freemium-to-paid conversions. Trackli handles the complexity of tracking referrals for AI products where revenue per customer varies wildly based on actual usage patterns.
Learn moreAffiliate Tracking for SaaS with Recurring Revenue
The defining feature of SaaS is recurring revenue, and your affiliate tracking should reflect that. Trackli automatically tracks every renewal payment back to the original referring affiliate, calculating commissions month after month without manual spreadsheets or workarounds.
Learn moreReady to launch your affiliate program?
Start tracking affiliate referrals in minutes. No complex setup, no enterprise pricing.