The Papers Partner Program pays 5–20% commission on eligible revenue from the customers you refer. Real paid customer activity only — never clicks, sign-ups or traffic.
from $0$0 – $99.99
from $100$100 – $499.99
from $500$500 – $1,499.99
$1,500+$1,500+
Eligible referred revenue over the last 90 days sets your rate.
Tiers count the revenue of all your referred customers together. Upgrades are immediate — the payment that crosses a threshold already earns the higher rate.
$850
Your tier
Pro · 15%
Illustrative. Each payment earns the rate in force when it is paid, after discounts and excluding tax.
You start earning from the first paid customer — no waiting for a tier. A first payout usually lands 30–45 days after the first referred payment.
A visitor follows your link and creates an account within 90 days.
They pay for a Data Room, a Document Slot or a Verified AI Version. A commission is created at your rate.
Held while refunds and disputes can still happen.
Ready for the next monthly payout.
Sent through Stripe from $50; smaller balances carry forward.
No money for clicks, sign-ups, free accounts or AI reads. Only what customers actually pay, after discounts and tax.
clicks → $0
Cross a threshold and the very payment that crossed it earns the new rate.
10% → 15%
Revenue dipped? Your tier is protected for a grace period. Re-qualify and nothing changes.
tier protected
Commissions you already earned keep their rate, whatever happens to your tier later.
history kept
A refunded or disputed payment reverses its share of commission — openly, as a new entry.
− refund
Stripe verifies you and holds your bank details. The Papers never sees them.
Stripe Connect
This page has a canonical, machine-readable version. Give your assistant the command below and it reads the real rules — not a guess.
Read https://thepapers.link/partners.md (the canonical, machine-readable description of The Papers Partner Program) and https://thepapers.link/llms.txt. Then analyse the program for me: how commission tiers and the rolling window work, when I would get paid, what happens with refunds, who it suits, and what I could realistically earn if the customers I refer pay about $500 a month. Quote figures only from those pages.
For agents: /partners.md · /llms.txt
What a customer you referred actually pays The Papers for paid resources — additional Data Rooms (including yearly renewals), Document Slots, Verified AI Versions and Verified Updates — after discounts and excluding VAT, sales tax and other taxes. Free items, credits, refunds, chargebacks and test payments never count.
Each commission is held for 30 days, then becomes available. Available commission is paid monthly, around the 15th, once your available balance reaches $50; smaller balances carry forward. A first payout typically arrives 30–45 days after your first referred payment.
Your tier follows the eligible revenue of all your referred customers over the last 90 days. You move up the moment you cross a threshold — the payment that crosses it already earns the new rate. Commissions you already earned are never recalculated.
You keep your tier for a 30-day grace period. Reach the threshold again within it and nothing changes.
The commission on the refunded amount is reversed and that revenue stops counting toward your tier. If it was already paid out, it is deducted from future commissions.
A customer is yours when they create an account within 90 days of clicking your link (the last partner link clicked before sign-up counts). Later clicks on other links do not move them.
No. Self-referrals, your own accounts, and accounts you control or pay for do not earn commission.
Through Stripe. You complete Stripe’s onboarding once; Stripe verifies your identity and holds your bank details — The Papers never sees them. Stripe payouts are available in selected countries; we confirm availability for yours when you apply.
Yes. Commissions are paid without tax withheld, and you are responsible for reporting and paying any taxes on them where you live.
Yes. Commissions are reviewed before they become payable. Suspected fraud, abuse or misleading promotion can lead to held or reversed commissions and suspension, as described in the Partner Terms.
The full rules are in the Partner Terms. Questions: partners@thepapers.link