Trackli
Use Case|Developer Tools

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.

How to Set Up Developer Tools Affiliate Tracking

Get up and running in minutes with these simple steps.

1

Add Server-Side Attribution

Implement Trackli's server-side tracking that works even when developers use ad blockers. Developers block client-side trackers more than any other audience.

2

Integrate with Your Billing

Connect Stripe, Paddle, or your custom billing to track paid conversions. Support for per-seat, usage-based, and flat-rate developer tool pricing.

3

Create Technical Affiliate Resources

Provide affiliates with code snippets, comparison tables, and technical deep-dives they can embed in blog posts and tutorials.

4

Set Developer-Appropriate Commissions

Developer tools often have high customer LTV. Offer 20-30% recurring commissions to attract technical content creators.

5

Recruit from Developer Communities

Reach out to writers on Dev.to, Hashnode, and personal tech blogs. Target developers who already write about your tool's category.

How It Works

From referral link to commission payout — fully automated with Developer Tools.

Affiliate tracking flow diagram for Developer Tools

Trackli vs Traditional Affiliate Tracking

See how Trackli compares to manual or legacy affiliate solutions.

FeatureTrackliTraditional
Ad Blocker ResilienceServer-side tracking works despite ad blockersClient-side scripts blocked by developer browsers
Technical Content AttributionTracks referrals from blog posts, tutorials, and READMEsLimited to banner ad click tracking
GitHub/GitLab IntegrationReferral links work from README files and project pagesNo awareness of code repository referral sources
Per-Seat Pricing TrackingTracks seat additions and team growth for commissionSingle user plan tracking only
Free-to-Paid Developer Journey90-day windows for developers who evaluate before buyingShort windows miss developer evaluation cycles
Community TrustPrivacy-friendly tracking developers are comfortable withInvasive tracking creates trust issues with dev audience

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Trackli handle ad blockers that developers commonly use?
Trackli uses first-party, server-side attribution that doesn't rely on third-party scripts. Because the tracking operates from your own domain and server, it works reliably even when developers use uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, or similar tools.
Can affiliates link from GitHub README files?
Yes. Trackli generates standard URLs that work anywhere, including GitHub README files, GitLab project pages, npm package descriptions, and any other platform where developers discover tools.
How do I attract technical content creators as affiliates?
Offer competitive recurring commissions (20-30%), provide technical content resources, and reach out personally to writers who already cover your tool's category on Dev.to, Hashnode, or personal blogs.
Does Trackli track per-seat expansion revenue?
Yes. When a referred user's team grows and adds more seats, Trackli tracks the incremental revenue. Commissions can be calculated on the total team spend, properly rewarding affiliates who drive organizational adoption.
What about developers who evaluate tools for weeks before buying?
Developers are notoriously thorough evaluators. Trackli supports attribution windows up to 90 days, ensuring that affiliates get credit even when a developer takes weeks of testing and team discussions before purchasing.

Ready to launch your affiliate program?

Start tracking affiliate referrals in minutes. No complex setup, no enterprise pricing.