Trackli
Use Case|Paddle

Affiliate Tracking for Paddle Products

Paddle acts as your Merchant of Record, which means traditional affiliate tools can't see your actual revenue. Trackli integrates directly with Paddle's event system to accurately track referrals and calculate commissions on net revenue after Paddle's fees.

How to Set Up Paddle Affiliate Tracking

Get up and running in minutes with these simple steps.

1

Connect Paddle via API Key

Enter your Paddle vendor ID and API key in Trackli. We'll verify the connection and pull your product catalog automatically.

2

Set Up Paddle Webhooks

Add Trackli's webhook URL to your Paddle dashboard under Alerts. We listen for subscription_created, subscription_payment_succeeded, and other key events.

3

Map Products to Commission Plans

Assign commission structures to individual Paddle products or product groups. Support for percentage of net revenue after Paddle's cut.

4

Distribute Affiliate Links

Create branded referral links or passthrough parameters that Paddle forwards to Trackli during checkout completion.

5

Review and Pay Commissions

Use the dashboard to review attributed sales, approve or adjust commissions, and schedule payouts to your affiliate partners.

How It Works

From referral link to commission payout — fully automated with Paddle.

Affiliate tracking flow diagram for Paddle

Trackli vs Traditional Affiliate Tracking

See how Trackli compares to manual or legacy affiliate solutions.

FeatureTrackliTraditional
Merchant of Record CompatibilityCalculates commissions on net revenue after MoR feesCannot distinguish gross vs net revenue from MoR
Tax Handling AwarenessCommissions based on post-tax amounts Paddle reportsCommissions calculated on pre-tax amounts, causing overcharges
Multi-Currency SupportHandles Paddle's automatic currency conversion nativelyRequires manual currency conversion and reconciliation
Subscription Lifecycle TrackingTracks upgrades, downgrades, pauses, and cancellationsOnly tracks initial purchase events
Attribution AccuracyServer-side tracking via Paddle passthrough dataClient-side only, blocked by ad blockers
Onboarding ComplexityPre-built Paddle integration, minimal configurationCustom API integration needed, weeks of dev work

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Trackli handle Paddle's Merchant of Record model?
Since Paddle collects payments and handles taxes on your behalf, Trackli calculates affiliate commissions based on the net amount you actually receive. This prevents overpaying affiliates on the gross transaction amount.
Can Trackli track Paddle subscription upgrades and downgrades?
Yes. Trackli processes subscription_updated events from Paddle, so when a referred customer upgrades or downgrades their plan, the commission adjusts accordingly for subsequent billing cycles.
Does Trackli work with Paddle Billing (the new API)?
Trackli supports both Paddle Classic and the newer Paddle Billing API. During setup, you select which version you're using and we configure the webhook events accordingly.
How are refunds handled with Paddle?
When Paddle processes a refund and sends a payment_refunded alert, Trackli automatically reverses or pro-rates the associated affiliate commission. No manual intervention is needed.
Can I use Paddle's checkout overlay with Trackli?
Yes. Whether you use Paddle's inline checkout, overlay checkout, or custom checkout links, Trackli captures the referral attribution through passthrough parameters embedded in the checkout flow.

Ready to launch your affiliate program?

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