---
papers_schema: "1.0"
title: "The Papers Partner Program"
canonical: "https://thepapers.link/partners"
status: "owner_published"
updated: "2026-10-19"
---

# The Papers Partner Program

> The more business you bring to The Papers, the more you earn: 5–20% commission on eligible revenue from the customers you refer.

The Papers (https://thepapers.link) is an AI-native Data Room by VimoLab. The Partner Program pays commission only on real, successfully collected customer revenue. There is no consumer referral reward: clicks, page views, sign-ups, free accounts, AI reads and document creation never earn money. There is no lifetime-commission promise.

Status: not accepting applications right now.

## Commission tiers

Your tier is set by the eligible revenue of all customers you referred over a rolling 90-day window.

| Tier | Eligible revenue (last 90 days) | Commission |
|---|---|---|
| Partner | $0 – $99.99 | 5% |
| Growth | $100 – $499.99 | 10% |
| Pro | $500 – $1,499.99 | 15% |
| Elite | $1,500+ | 20% |

- Upgrades are immediate: the payment that crosses a threshold already earns the new rate.
- Commissions already earned are never recalculated, up or down.
- Downgrades wait for a 30-day grace period; re-qualifying within it keeps the tier.
- Revenue that is refunded or disputed stops counting toward your tier.

## What earns commission

Eligible revenue is what a referred customer actually pays The Papers, after discounts and excluding VAT, sales tax and other taxes, for:

- additional AI Data Rooms (yearly, including renewals) — currently $4.99/year
- additional Document Slots — currently $2.99 one-time
- paid Verified AI Versions (from $1.99) and Verified Updates (from about $0.49)

Never: free accounts, the free first Data Room and Document Slot, included AI Versions, credits and promotions, refunds, chargebacks, failed or test payments, self-referrals.

## Timeline

1. A visitor clicks your link (`https://thepapers.link/?ref=yourcode`) and creates an account within 90 days — they become your customer. The last partner link clicked before sign-up counts; later clicks do not move them.
2. The customer pays — a commission is created at your current rate.
3. The commission is held for 30 days while refunds and disputes can happen, then becomes available.
4. Available commission is paid monthly around the 15th through Stripe, from $50; smaller balances carry forward. A first payout typically arrives 30–45 days after the first referred payment.

## Payouts

Payouts go through Stripe Connect. Partners complete Stripe-hosted onboarding once; Stripe verifies identity and stores bank details — The Papers never sees them. Stripe payouts are offered in selected countries (currently the EEA, the United Kingdom and Switzerland); availability is confirmed during the application. Partners are responsible for their own taxes.

## Refunds and disputes

A refund or chargeback reverses the matching share of the commission with a new entry. If that commission was already paid, the amount is deducted from future commissions. Past payouts are never rewritten.

## Who it suits

Advisers, accelerators, fundraising and IR consultants, finance and legal service providers, newsletter and community operators, and tool builders whose audience sends investor decks, financial models, reports, contracts or policies that other people read through AI.

## Rules

- Self-referral is not allowed; your own or controlled accounts never earn commission.
- No spam, misleading claims, brand-term bidding, cookie stuffing or incentivised sign-ups.
- Commissions are reviewed before payout; suspected fraud can be held, reversed or lead to suspension.
- Full terms: https://thepapers.link/legal/partner-terms

## Questions

### What counts as eligible revenue?

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.

### When do I get paid?

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.

### How are tiers calculated?

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.

### What if my revenue drops?

You keep your tier for a 30-day grace period. Reach the threshold again within it and nothing changes.

### What happens if a customer refunds?

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.

### How long does attribution last?

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.

### Can I refer my own company?

No. Self-referrals, your own accounts, and accounts you control or pay for do not earn commission.

### How do payouts work?

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.

### Are taxes my responsibility?

Yes. Commissions are paid without tax withheld, and you are responsible for reporting and paying any taxes on them where you live.

### Can The Papers suspend fraudulent activity?

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.

## Ask your AI

To have an AI assistant analyse the program, paste:

> 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.

## Links

- [Partner Program](https://thepapers.link/partners)
- [Apply](https://thepapers.link/partners/apply)
- [Partner Terms](https://thepapers.link/legal/partner-terms)
- [The Papers — product](https://thepapers.link/product.md)
- Contact: partners@thepapers.link