Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Affiliate tracking software records when a visitor arrives via an affiliate's link and attributes any resulting sale or lead to that affiliate. iDevAffiliate tracks referrals through six methods: cookies (adjustable from 1 minute to lifetime, default 90 days), email address tracking (permanent customer-affiliate attribution), coupon and promo codes, server-to-server (S2S) postback, a JavaScript tracking pixel, and an API. Email address tracking is iDevAffiliate's key differentiator — it creates a permanent link between a customer's email address and their referring affiliate, capturing commissions even when cookies are blocked or the customer switches devices.

Email address tracking ties a referral permanently to the customer's email address rather than a browser cookie. When a referred customer makes a purchase — even months later on a different device — the referring affiliate still receives commission. This method captures sales that cookie-based tracking misses when cookies are blocked (for example, Apple's Safari browser blocks third-party cookies by default). Email address tracking is a standard feature in iDevAffiliate and is available on all plans.

Yes. In addition to cookie tracking, iDevAffiliate supports email address tracking, coupon and promo code tracking, server-to-server (S2S) postback tracking, and a JavaScript pixel — all of which can attribute commissions without relying on browser cookies. Email tracking is particularly valuable because it creates a permanent attribution record regardless of cookie blocking, device changes, or browser privacy settings.

iDevAffiliate integrates with 150+ platforms including Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, ClickFunnels, HighLevel, Stripe, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Ecwid, Thinkific, Calendly, ConvertKit, Gravity Forms, and JotForm. For platforms not listed, iDevAffiliate supports a generic JavaScript tracking pixel and an API for custom integration with any cart or payment system.

The most popular affiliate program type is pay-per-sale where affiliates earn commissions for each sale they deliver. Other options include pay-per-lead, general lead tracking and paying affiliates for specific actions or activities.

Get quick reports with exportable options on anything ranging from traffic, commissions, payments, etc. Instant reports for things like top performing affiliates, daily activities, trends, etc. are all built-in. Run date range reports and even tax reports for year-end accounting.

Yes. iDevAffiliate comes with an account import function and uses a standard excel/csv import file. A sample file as well as column definitions are provided.

Yes. You can connect unlimited websites to one installation of iDevAffiliate through the use of Marketing Groups. Create a marketing group for each website and set each marketing group to have its own defined incoming traffic page. Now upload marketing materials to each group. When affiliates login to get banners, links, etc., they will choose which marketing group to get the banner, link, etc. from. Traffic they deliver will be routed according to the incoming traffic page defined for that marketing group. If this is not how you want to set up your program, you will need a seperate installation of iDevAffiliate for each of your websites and you will need to manage these websites independent from each other. ie. Each installation will have its own admin center.

Yes. The color scheme, menus, language packs, CSS, HTML, etc. is all available for customization.

Yes. Using a generic tracking pixel in the sale confirmation page of your cart system is the most common method but we also have available a more advanced method if you need to make the call to our commission processing file within a backend file via API or IPN. Instructions are provided within the iDevAffiliate admin center. If needed, our support team can help you get setup with the generic tracking pixel method.

iDevAffiliate differs from most competitor platforms in two key ways: it offers a self-hosted version available as a one-time purchase ($499, no mandatory monthly fees), and it supports email address-based affiliate tracking — a method that creates permanent customer-affiliate attribution without relying on cookies. Most cloud-only competitors use cookie tracking exclusively and charge monthly subscriptions. iDevAffiliate also supports multi-tier commissions up to 10 levels, compared to the 1–2 levels offered by most alternatives. Detailed comparisons are available for Post Affiliate Pro (150+ integrations, cloud only), Rewardful (20+ integrations, Stripe-ecosystem only), and Tapfiliate (30+ integrations, cloud only).

iDevAffiliate has been providing affiliate tracking software since 1999 — more than 25 years of continuous operation. The company is headquartered in Southern California and provides customer support Monday through Friday from its in-house development team.

Yes. iDevAffiliate's email address tracking is particularly valuable for SaaS companies with longer sales cycles, where a customer may convert weeks or months after the initial referral. Attribution persists permanently — not just for the duration of a cookie window. iDevAffiliate also supports recurring commission structures for subscription billing models and integrates with Stripe, ClickFunnels, HighLevel, and other platforms commonly used by SaaS businesses.

iDevAffiliate offers several built-in affiliate payment options. The most popular payment options include Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, Stripe and i-Payout. Other options include offline payment methods such as check/money order and bank-to-bank wire transfers.

The default commissioning structure is a defined payout level where the commission amount is set. That can either be a percentage of the sale or flat-rate amount. More advanced commissioning structures include coupon code commissioning where you can assign coupon codes to affiliates and set the commission rate to be used each time the coupon code is used. You can also define specific commission rates for each product in your store.

Yes. iDevAffiliate supports multi-tier commission structures up to 10 levels. Affiliates earn commissions on their own referrals and on sales generated by affiliates they recruit into the program. This structure supports ambassador programs, creator networks, and multi-level referral models. Multi-tier tracking is a standard feature — not a paid add-on.

iDevAffiliate supports percentage-based commissions, flat-rate commissions, coupon code commissions, product-specific commission rates, performance bonuses, and recurring commissions for subscription products. Multi-tier structures allow commission payouts across up to 10 levels of affiliate recruiting. Commission rules can be customized per affiliate, per product, or per campaign.

Yes. Simply move your installation files and database to the new location then reset your license key. Your license key will become valid for the new location and will no longer work at the old location.

Yes. You can use a folder on the top level domain (TLD) or use a subdomain if you prefer.

The cloud version and the self-hosted (owned) version are separate products with different license types. Migrating from cloud to self-hosted requires purchasing a new self-hosted license. Contact iDevAffiliate support to discuss your options. Note: migration from the self-hosted version to the cloud version is available free of charge.

The self-hosted version installs on your own server (PHP/MySQL) and is available as a one-time purchase of $499 with no mandatory monthly fees. You own the software and retain full control of your data. The cloud version is hosted and managed by iDevAffiliate, with plans starting at $42/month. Both versions include the same core features and admin dashboard. Note: the cloud version cannot be migrated to self-hosted; the self-hosted version can be migrated to cloud free of charge.

Yes. You can connect unlimited websites to one installation of iDevAffiliate through the use of Marketing Groups. Create a marketing group for each website and set each marketing group to have its own defined incoming traffic page. Now upload marketing materials to each group. When affiliates login to get banners, links, etc., they will choose which marketing group to get the banner, link, etc. from. Traffic they deliver will be routed according to the incoming traffic page defined for that marketing group. If this is not how you want to set up your program, you will need a seperate installation of iDevAffiliate for each of your websites and you will need to manage these websites independent from each other. ie. Each installation will have its own admin center.

Yes. iDevAffiliate's self-hosted version is available as a one-time purchase for $499. It installs on your own PHP/MySQL hosting account — shared hosting, VPS, or dedicated server — with no mandatory monthly fees after purchase. The cloud version is available separately, with plans starting at $42/month. Both versions include the same core feature set and admin dashboard.