Trackli
Use Case|Stripe Checkout

Track Affiliate Referrals for Stripe Checkout

Stripe Checkout provides a conversion-optimized payment experience, but it can break traditional affiliate tracking by redirecting to Stripe-hosted pages. Trackli maintains attribution through the entire Checkout flow using client_reference_id and metadata, so no referral is ever lost.

How to Set Up Stripe Checkout Affiliate Tracking

Get up and running in minutes with these simple steps.

1

Pass Referral Data to Checkout

Add Trackli's client_reference_id to your Stripe Checkout Session creation. This embeds the affiliate identifier directly in the Checkout flow.

2

Configure Checkout Webhook Events

Set up webhooks for checkout.session.completed events. Trackli reads the client_reference_id and metadata to attribute the payment to the correct affiliate.

3

Handle Payment Links Attribution

For Stripe Payment Links, Trackli uses URL parameters combined with server-side matching to maintain attribution through the hosted payment experience.

4

Set Post-Checkout Commission Rules

Define commission rules for one-time payments, subscription starts, and setup fees processed through Stripe Checkout.

5

Test the Full Checkout Flow

Use Stripe's test mode to verify attribution works end-to-end. Trackli provides a test affiliate link you can use to simulate the complete referral-to-checkout journey.

How It Works

From referral link to commission payout — fully automated with Stripe Checkout.

Affiliate tracking flow diagram for Stripe Checkout

Trackli vs Traditional Affiliate Tracking

See how Trackli compares to manual or legacy affiliate solutions.

FeatureTrackliTraditional
Hosted Checkout CompatibilityAttribution preserved through Stripe-hosted payment pagesTracking lost when redirected to Stripe domain
Payment Links SupportWorks with Stripe Payment Links and Buy ButtonsCannot track Payment Link conversions
Client Reference IDEmbeds affiliate data in Checkout metadataNo integration with Checkout session data
Multi-Product CheckoutTracks all items in a multi-product Checkout sessionSingle product tracking per transaction
Abandoned Checkout TrackingSees incomplete Checkout sessions for funnel analysisOnly sees completed purchases
Custom Checkout DomainsWorks with Stripe's custom domain checkout featureOnly works with default checkout flows

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Trackli maintain attribution through Stripe Checkout?
Trackli embeds the affiliate identifier in the Checkout Session's client_reference_id field. When Stripe fires the checkout.session.completed webhook, Trackli reads this identifier to attribute the payment to the correct affiliate.
Does this work with Stripe Payment Links?
Yes. For Payment Links, Trackli appends attribution parameters to the URL and uses server-side matching when the payment completes. This works even though Payment Links use Stripe's hosted domain.
What about multi-product Checkout sessions?
When a customer purchases multiple items in a single Checkout session, Trackli attributes the entire transaction to the referring affiliate. Commission is calculated on the total session value.
Can I track abandoned Checkout sessions?
Yes. Trackli tracks when a referral reaches the Checkout page but doesn't complete payment. This data appears in your analytics as funnel drop-off, helping you and your affiliates optimize conversion rates.
Do I need to modify my Stripe Checkout code?
You'll need to add one parameter (client_reference_id) when creating Checkout Sessions. It's a single line of code change. For Payment Links, no code changes are needed — Trackli handles attribution through URL parameters.

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