Referral links
Give every user a link that keeps the invite through the install.
What is a referral link?
A referral link ties an invite to the person who sent it. For app referral programs the hard part is the install in the middle. This page covers the product side: per-user links, install carry-through and conversion tracking.
How do app referral links survive an install?
The link sends the friend to the store and keeps the click. After install, deferred deep linking hands the referral code to the app on first open. Without it, the code is lost at the store.
How do you create a unique referral link for every user?
Create one short link per user with that user’s referral code attached, and show it inside your app. The deep linking use cases page shows how links route by device.
How do you track clicks, installs and conversions per referrer?
Each click is recorded against the referrer’s link. The install is tied to it through the deferred link. Leads and sales are added with the conversion endpoints, so every referrer has a click, install and conversion trail. For the campaign view, see the campaigns docs.
How do you tie a referral to a lead or sale?
Call POST /api/v2/conversion/track/lead when the friend signs up and POST /api/v2/conversion/track/sale when they buy. Both use the x-code header. Details are in the sale tracking docs.
Worked example
Priya invites a friend.
- The app creates Priya’s link.
- The friend taps it and lands in the store.
- The friend installs, and the app opens with Priya’s code (deferred).
- The friend signs up, and a server call to
/track/leadcredits the referral. - The friend buys, and
/track/salerecords revenue.
POST /api/v2/conversion/track/lead
x-code: YOUR_CODE
POST /api/v2/conversion/track/sale
x-code: YOUR_CODEHow do you stop duplicate and bot referrals?
Smler applies bot filtering to clicks and duplicate-sale protection to sales, so the same sale reported twice is not counted twice.
How do referral links work with the deferred-link SDK?
The React Native package is named @smler/deferred-link and the Flutter package is smler_deferred_link. They read the deferred data on first open. We have not announced either as published, so check the deferred deep links guide before you depend on them. You can also use the native calls described there.
How do referral links compare with promo codes?
A promo code needs typing and can be shared outside the invite. A referral link records the referrer when it is tapped. The two can run together. For creator-led programs, the influencer rate calculator, the ROI calculator and the earned media value calculator help size a deal, and influencer marketing tracking measures it.
How much do referral links cost?
The Free plan is $0 and includes 25,000 installs. Paid plans are Builder at $19, Team at $49, Scale at $129, and Enterprise from $299. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a referral link and a referral code?
A referral code is a short string a person has to type. A referral link carries that code inside a URL, so tapping it records the referrer without any typing. In an app, the link can also carry the code through the install.
Can a referral link work if the app is not installed?
Yes. The link sends the friend to the App Store or Google Play and keeps the click. With deferred deep linking, the app can read the referral code on its first open after install.
How do I track which user referred a sale?
Report the sale from your server with the sale conversion endpoint and the x-code header. It is matched back to the click, and so to the user whose link was tapped.
Does Smler pay out rewards?
No. Smler records attribution only: the click, the install and the lead or sale. It does not run a rewards engine or send payouts. You decide the reward and apply it in your own backend.
How long is a referral credited?
The default attribution window is 90 days, and it is configurable.
Create referral links free
Per-user links that keep the invite through the install. Free for 25,000 installs.