How is the referral commission calculated: breaking down the mechanism clearly

Distribution Commission: Cumulative consumption determines level, level determines ratio

Referral commission (Affiliate) is the path with the lowest threshold among the three—just post a link to get started. But "being able to start" does not equal "knowing how to calculate". Many people rely on their instincts, resulting in confusion about how much they actually earned, why a certain amount wasn't counted, and how to level up. In this article, I will thoroughly explain the mechanism; reading it before you start is better than pushing for half a year without understanding.

Referral Commission Backend: Cumulative referral consumption, commission earnings, level, exclusive link, and QR code

The image above shows what the commission backend looks like in reality. We will explain it based on this.

1. Binding: How customers are "attributed to you"

After you register, you will receive an exclusive promotion link, which looks like this:

https://platform.acedata.cloud/?inviter=<your user ID>

The backend will generate this link and the corresponding QR code for you directly; you can copy and use it. It carries your exclusive identifier.

The complete logic of binding is as follows:

  1. When someone clicks your link to access the platform, the browser will remember "this person was brought by you"—this memory has a validity period of 7 days (INVITER_ID cookie, saved for 7 days);
  2. As long as they register within these 7 days, they will be bound as your subordinate;
  3. Once bound, the relationship is long-term—it’s not "this order counts for you," but "this person will count for you long-term."

Key point: The moment of "registration" determines attribution. If they click your link and register within 7 days, they are bound. So your goal is clear—get people to click the link + get people to register. As for whether they buy today or how much they buy, it does not affect the binding; the binding is long-term, and the money will come gradually later.

2. Commission: Where the money comes from and how it is calculated

The commission comes from the real consumption of your subordinates. They recharge, use AI to generate images and videos, run APIs, buy packages—as long as there is real consumption, you will share the profits according to the ratio.

  • It’s not "getting paid for bringing people in"—just registering without consumption does not earn commission;
  • It’s a consumption share—the more they spend, the more you earn;
  • It’s long-term—if they recharge this month, recharge next month, and continue to recharge next year, you will have a share each time.

This is why I always say, "A tutorial written today will help you earn money for a long time"—because you are bringing in a long-term consuming user, not a one-time click.

3. Level: The more you consume, the higher your ratio (real 13-level ladder)

The level table in the backend image—L1, L2, L3… each level corresponds to a cumulative referral consumption threshold and a commission ratio. This is the platform's real 13-level ladder (values are based on real-time display in the backend):

Level Cumulative Customer Consumption Threshold (USD) Commission Ratio
L1 $0 (starting) 10%
L2 $150 12%
L3 $700 13%
L4 $1,400 14%
L5 $3,000 15%
L6 $7,000 16%
L7 $14,000 17%
L8 $28,000 18%
L9 $50,000 19%
L10 $100,000 20%
L11 $250,000 21%
L12 $500,000 22%
L13 $1,000,000 24%

The threshold looks at the cumulative consumption amount of all customers under your name; reaching a certain level will elevate you to that tier, only increasing, not decreasing. The partner in the image has already reached L10 and is climbing towards L11. The logic is simple: the more cumulative consumption you bring, the higher your level, and the higher the profit-sharing ratio for each subsequent transaction. The efforts made early on will be rewarded with a higher ratio later.

So don’t underestimate the initial 10%—it will increase. What you need to do is to get the "cumulative referral consumption" number rolling, and the level will naturally rise, potentially reaching 24%.

4. Two-level sharing: What if you were invited by someone else

If you registered through someone else's link (you have a "superior"), then the above ratio will be split 80 / 20 once:

  • You (the direct inviter) receive: ratio × 80%
  • Your superior receives: ratio × 20%

Let’s illustrate the mechanism with an example (this is an algorithm demonstration, not an income promise): you are at L1 (10%), and your referred customer spent $100—

  • If you have a superior: you earn $100 × 10% × 80% = $8, and your superior earns $100 × 10% × 20% = $2;
  • If you do not have a superior (you registered directly): then the 20% does not apply, and you settle at the direct ratio.

The ratio displayed on the frontend for "users with a superior" has already been multiplied by 0.8, so the amount you see is what you actually receive, no need to calculate it yourself.

Want others to help you promote and turn that 20% into your long-term passive income? Check out "Two-level Distribution: Let Others Help You Make Money."

I will honestly mention a few situations that "do not count" or "need attention" to prevent you from thinking it counts when it actually does not:

  • Only registered, no consumption: No commission. The source of commission is always real consumption.
  • Registered after the binding window: If he clicks the link and registers too late (beyond the 7-day validity), the attribution will not be established.
  • Abnormal/cheating consumption: Self-purchasing, obviously abnormal orders, the platform's risk control will determine them as invalid. Don't entertain this thought; it's not worth it.
  • Refunds/uncompleted orders: Consumption that is not truly completed or has occurred refunds will not establish corresponding shares.

Core statement: Only real, completed consumption brought by you counts as your commission.

Six, Withdrawal

The accumulated commission earnings in the backend can be withdrawn as cash earnings, supporting global payments and multi-currency settlements— you can create content for the whole world, earn in dollars, and spend in renminbi.

One point to clarify: After the commission is credited, there is a confirmation period of about 3 days (pending), and withdrawals can only be made after this period—this is to align with the refund/risk control window, not "instant withdrawal at any time." The specific withdrawal methods and thresholds are subject to what is actually displayed in the backend.

Seven, Who is this path suitable for, and how to scale

It has zero cost, zero risk, and long-term benefits, especially suitable for:

  • Those who write technical blogs, create short videos, mingle in communities, and have good relationships in schools/companies;
  • Those who have a little "content channel" and can spread the links.

And "how to spread the links quickly and widely"—this is precisely what Connector content marketing aims to solve. You can write tutorials, reviews, and case studies with links using AI once, paired with images generated by gpt-image-2, and spread them on platforms like Zhihu/Juejin/Xiaohongshu/CSDN, allowing natural traffic to continuously register under your name. Commission is the "ledger for capturing traffic," and Connector is the "engine for generating traffic."

Want to go further?

If you not only want to promote yourself but also want to develop "people to help you promote," check out the next article—"Secondary Distribution: Let Others Help You Make Money." At the same time, if you want your own storefront to receive this traffic, go back and read "Own Your Own AI Site in 5 Minutes" from that white-label series.

The mechanism is clear, and the rest is to take action. First, find your exclusive link and post it in the first place.