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Implement your referral program
with minimal dev time

A referral program lets your customers share a link and earn rewards when they bring in new users or customers. GrowSurf can be set up in a few days or less, and many teams launch within a day. For the full walkthrough, read From referral link to reward.

Do it yourself Do it with AI

Create your referral program in under 15 minutes with the help of our quickstart guide. Then invite your dev team to complete installation.

Follow your program checklist to test, launch, and promote your referral program. GrowSurf guides you through each step.

The admin dashboard shows real-time analytics, like who your top referrers are and the engagement funnel for your referral program, while weekly and monthly email reports keep you in the loop.

Step 1

Give users a link to share

Step 2

Track referred signups

Step 3

Count successful referrals

Step 4

Send rewards

Next, tell GrowSurf when a new user signs up through a referral link. Choose one of the options below based on how your signup flow works.

See how a friend opens a referral link and saves the offer.

Add one GrowSurf script to your signup page and GrowSurf can connect each signup back to the person who shared the link. It attaches referral tracking to the signup flow and landing pages you already use, so you do not need to change how new users or leads sign up today.

<script type='text/javascript'>
    (function(g,r,s,f){g.grsfSettings={campaignId:'45hxmj',version:'2.0.0'};s=r.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];f=r.createElement('script');f.async=1;f.src='https://app.growsurf.com/growsurf.js'+'?v='+g.grsfSettings.version;f.setAttribute('grsf-campaign', g.grsfSettings.campaignId);!g.grsfInit?s.appendChild(f):';})(window,document);
</script>

If you use a custom form or single-page app, send the signup to GrowSurf with growsurf.addReferredParticipant() . Pass the new user's email and GrowSurf can match them to the person who shared the link from the browser cookie.

// Only creates a referred participant if the referral code is valid
const result = await growsurf.addReferredParticipant({
    email: '[email protected]',
    firstName: 'Gavin',
    lastName: 'Belson',

    // Optional: Save any custom data as participant metadata
    country: 'UK',
    subscriptionPlan: 'Pro',
});

if (result.added) {
    const participant = result.participant;
}

You can also send extra fields as metadata if you want to use them later in reports or rewards.

If signups happen inside your native iOS or Android app, use the GrowSurf mobile SDK. There are two parts: capture the referral attribution when the new user opens the link, then create the referred participant when they sign up.

1. Capture attribution

Capture referral attribution before you create the referred participant, so the referral survives the journey from link to signup. A referred friend can arrive two ways: by opening your already-installed app (a direct deep link), or by installing the app first and opening it later (a deferred deep link). For deferred links, GrowSurf provides adapters for Branch, Adjust, AppsFlyer, and Singular (see the iOS and Android adapter docs); on Android it can also read the Google Play Install Referrer natively.

Direct deep link

if let url {
    try await growsurf.handleDeepLink(url)
}

Deferred deep link (attribution provider)

import GrowSurfBranchAttribution

// Forward your provider's deferred deep link (Branch shown; Adjust, AppsFlyer, and Singular work the same)
try await GrowSurfBranchAttribution.handle(branchParams, sdk: growsurf)

Direct deep link

intent.data?.let { uri ->
    growsurf.handleDeepLink(uri)
}

Deferred deep link (attribution provider)

lifecycleScope.launch {
    // Native: read the Google Play Install Referrer
    growsurf.handleDeferredDeepLink()

    // Or forward an attribution provider's data (Branch, Adjust, AppsFlyer, Singular)
    GrowSurfBranchAttribution.handle(branchParams, growsurf)
}

2. Create a referred participant

When the new user signs up, call addReferredParticipant(). The SDK validates the saved attribution and only creates the participant when the referral code is valid.

// Only creates a referred participant if the referral code is valid
let created = try await growsurf.addReferredParticipant(
    .init(
        email: "[email protected]",
        firstName: "Gavin",
        lastName: "Belson",
        metadata: ["subscriptionPlan": "Pro"] // Optional, saved as participant metadata
    )
)

let participant = created.participant

// Only creates a referred participant if the referral code is valid
val created = growsurf.addReferredParticipant(
    GrowSurfParticipantInput(
        email = "[email protected]",
        firstName = "Gavin",
        lastName = "Belson",
        metadata = mapOf("subscriptionPlan" to "Pro"), // Optional, saved as participant metadata
    )
)

val participant = created.participant

You can also send extra fields as metadata if you want to use them later in reports or rewards.

If your signups happen on your server, send the signup through /POST Add Participant . Pass the new user's email plus referredBy, which can be the referrer ID or email address, or retrieve it with growsurf.getReferrerId() on the web, pendingAttribution() on iOS, or getPendingAttribution() on Android.

curl -X POST 'https://api.growsurf.com/v2/campaign/45hxmj/participant' \
     -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -d $'{
         "email": "[email protected]",
         "firstName": "Gavin",
         "lastName": "Belson",
         "referredBy": "richard-h8kp6l",

         # Optional: Save custom fields as participant metadata
         "metadata": {
             "country": "UK",
             "subscriptionPlan": "Pro"
         }
     }'

You can also send extra fields as metadata if you want to use them later in reports or rewards.

Then tell GrowSurf what counts as a successful referral. Choose one of the options below based on where that success event happens.

Connect a billing, CRM, or automation tool and GrowSurf can mark successful referrals for you.

Mark referrals as successful after a payment

Mark referrals as successful when a deal reaches a stage

Mark referrals as successful after another event (view Zap templates)

If the success event happens on your server, call /POST Trigger Referral when the referred user completes it. Just provide the email address of the person who completed the referral goal.

curl -X POST 'https://api.growsurf.com/v2/campaign/45hxmj/participant/[email protected]/ref' \
     -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY'

Finally, send the reward. GrowSurf emails people when they earn the reward, and you can choose one of the options below based on how you want the reward to go out.

Connect a reward tool or automation and GrowSurf can send rewards for you.

Send cash, gift cards, coupons, or account credit

Send other rewards with Zapier

You can also offer different reward amounts based on who was referred or what they bought. See how to set that up with flexible reward rules.

If you want full control, use webhooks and send the reward from your own system. You can also pass reward metadata so your team can change reward values without changing code each time.

// Node.js webhook example

app.post('/your/webhook/payload-url', function(req, res) {
const body = req.body;

try {
    if (body.event === 'PARTICIPANT_REACHED_A_GOAL') {
        // Write code here to do something when a participant wins a reward
        console.log(`${body.data.participant.email} just won this reward: ${body.data.reward.description}`);

        // If the reward is approved
        if (body.data && body.data.reward && body.data.reward.approved) {
            // Do something

            // Optional: If there is any reward metadata, use it:
            if (body.data.reward.metadata && body.data.reward.metadata["proRewardValue"]) {
                console.log(`${body.data.participant.email} earned an amount of ${body.data.reward.metadata["proRewardValue"]}.`);
            }
        }

        // If this is a double-sided reward, use body.data.reward.isReferrer to determine if this is for the referrer or referred person
        if (body.data && body.data.reward && body.data.reward.isReferrer) {
            // Do something
        }
    }

} catch (err) {
res.status(400).end();
}
res.json({received: true});
});

First, give each user a place to get their referral link, share it, and see how their referrals are doing. Here are four simple ways to do that.

Let users sign up and get their referral link on your program’s hosted page. You can also put it on your own subdomain, such as https://refer.yoursite.com.

Use a popup if you want a simple way to show each user's referral link, referrals, and rewards inside your web app. Open it from any button in your UI and pass the logged-in user's email so GrowSurf knows whose details to show.

Example button code:

<a class="growsurf-window-open"
   data-grsf-email="[email protected]"
   data-grsf-first-name="Gavin"
   data-grsf-last-name="Belson">

    Refer a friend

</a>

If you want the referral experience on your own page, embed the pieces you need directly in your web app. When a user is logged in, their link and referral activity can load automatically.

Referral Link - Show each user's referral link

Example embed code:

<div data-grsf-block-form
   data-grsf-email="[email protected]"
   data-grsf-first-name="Gavin"
   data-grsf-last-name="Belson"
></div>

Invite Form - Let users send email invites from this page

Example embed code:

<div data-grsf-block-invite></div>

Referral Status - Show each user's referral progress

Example embed code:

<div data-grsf-block-referral-status></div>

You can style these embedded blocks to match your product. See our docs for setup details.

Have a native iOS or Android app? Use the GrowSurf mobile SDK to show each user's referral link, referrals, and rewards in a native window. Open it from any button in your app with presentGrowSurfWindow() and pass a participant token so GrowSurf knows whose details to show.

iOS

Android

Example code:

growsurf.presentGrowSurfWindow(
    from: viewController,
    identity: .existingParticipantToken(participantToken)
)

growsurf.presentGrowSurfWindow(
    activity = this,
    identity = GrowSurfWindowIdentity.ExistingParticipantToken(participantToken)
)

Connect your email tool to add referral links to the emails you already send.

Add referral links to email campaigns and transactional emails

Start without a GrowSurf account or credit card. Copy the prompt below and paste it into an AI assistant that can browse the web and send requests. Your assistant creates the account, asks you what you want, and prepares a draft referral program for you to review.

and other assistants that can browse the web and call APIs

Help me create a GrowSurf referral or affiliate program. Start by reading https://growsurf.com/agent-start.md and follow it as the source of truth. Use your action-capable tools and the GrowSurf REST API to create and configure the program; do not require a dashboard visit or an existing GrowSurf account or API key. If you can speak MCP, connect to https://mcp.growsurf.com/onboard, which needs no credentials, and use growsurf_program_design_advisor for the design. Consult https://growsurf.com/openapi.json, https://growsurf.com/arazzo.yaml, https://growsurf.com/auth.md, https://growsurf.com/llms.txt, and the linked GrowSurf docs when useful.

Ask me for my website first. Read it, then come back with a complete recommended program: what counts as a referral, the reward structure, who gets rewarded, and where people share. Ask me what I want to change instead of interviewing me setting by setting. Do not pick a reward amount or commission rate yourself. Ask what a converted customer is worth to me, and leave rewards switched off until I confirm the amount and how it gets paid. Show me and ask for explicit approval of the current GrowSurf Terms of Service and Privacy Policy before accepting them or creating an account. Pause for me to verify my email before protected API requests. Treat the returned API key as a secret and keep it out of chat, logs, screenshots, source files, and shell history.

Create and configure the program as DRAFT. Read back the saved resources and summarize what is ready for review. Do not launch or resume the program, add payment details, accept charges, enable or fulfill rewards or commissions, initiate payouts, rotate keys, delete data, or edit or deploy my website or app without separate explicit approval.

If you cannot fetch the linked resources or send HTTPS requests, or you have no secret store that survives between turns, do not create the account, do not offer to generate cURL or scripts, and do not plan the program. Reply with only this: "I can't make web requests from here. Sign up at https://app.growsurf.com/signup (free, no card), then connect an AI assistant in Settings → AI Connections at https://app.growsurf.com/settings#ai-connections and paste this prompt again." Never claim that you executed the workflow.

See how AI builds your program

Your assistant asks for your website, reads it, and recommends a complete referral program. Tell it what to change and how much the reward should be. It creates your account once you approve GrowSurf's terms, then waits while you verify your email.

AI agent workspace

Help me create a GrowSurf referral or affiliate program. Start by reading https://growsurf.com/agent-start.md and follow it as the source of truth.

Your draft referral program is ready for review.

Built Refer a Friend from a program template
Set $20 credit for the referrer and the friend
Saved the program as a draft for approval

Here's what your customers will see:

Give $20, get $20

Share your link. When a friend subscribes, you both get credit.

yourbrand.com/r/jordan-t

Your program is saved as a draft — nothing reaches your customers until you approve it. Your assistant can help with installation too: open the Installation step in your dashboard, hit Copy for AI, and paste it into your assistant or send it to your dev team.

app.growsurf.com

Last step: connect GrowSurf to your product.

Three things. Install the code, tell GrowSurf when a referral counts, and pick how rewards get delivered.

Copy for AI Copies these steps as a markdown prompt. Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Antigravity and it walks through the install. Copied — paste it into your assistant

1Install the GrowSurf Universal CodeOne script on your site
2Tell GrowSurf when a referral countsNo code, JavaScript, or REST API
3Deliver the rewardsPick how rewards get handed out
4Give participants somewhere to grab their linkThe referral portal

AI agent workspace

# GrowSurf Referral program installation guide for AI. Use this markdown as the source of truth when helping me install this GrowSurf program. If you have access to my codebase, make the code changes for me instead of telling me to do them myself…

Added the GrowSurf script to your site
Wired your signup form to count referrals
Embedded the referral portal in your account page

Prefer to write the code yourself? See the four installation steps under Do it yourself →

After Launch

From referral link
to reward

Once your program is live, here is what happens from the moment a customer shares their link to the moment a reward is delivered. Your program settings decide when each step happens.

Step 1
A customer shares their link
The moment a friend signs up through someone's link, GrowSurf credits the person who sent them. That credit holds whether the signup happens on your website, at checkout, or in your mobile app.
Step 2
The friend does what counts
A signup alone does not always earn a reward. The referral stays pending until the friend does whatever you decided counts: the signup itself, a first purchase, or finishing onboarding.
Step 3
A reward unlocks
Each referral that counts moves the customer closer to a reward goal you set. Reaching one unlocks the reward for the customer, the friend, or both. With manual approval on, it waits until someone on your team says yes.
Step 4
The reward is delivered
Once approved, the tool you connected sends it as a gift card, a coupon, a credit, or a cash payout. If your own app delivers it, a webhook fires the moment it is approved. You can see when each reward was approved and when it went out. Pay US customers and affiliates with Venmo through PayPal.
Step 5
Customers watch their progress
Customers see their own referrals, which ones counted, and what they have earned, updated as it happens. When one asks you about a reward, your dashboard shows every step for that person.

Notes and related links

An approved reward still has to be delivered. If you offer an upfront discount, the friend gets their coupon right away, while the referrer's reward waits until the friend does what counts.

Read the full guide, Referral Program Workflow, for setup instructions, approval handling, and checks before launch.

"GrowSurf manages everything to do with our referral program from A to Z — our tech team had to merely paste a small piece of code into our app, everything else was easily set up by marketing. The savings from that alone makes the decision to go with a 3rd party (instead of building things ourselves) well worth it."

Alex Klein

Co-Founder at Ubindi

"We wanted a cost-savvy solution that could be managed and changed easily without the help of IT/devs. GrowSurf provided us exactly what our business needed! They saved me and our development team valuable time by providing an easy-to-use solution of building an internal system, with minimal coding. With GrowSurf's support, I was able to set up the entire program within a day."

Gabriella Di Fazio

Marketing Manager at SurveyMonkey

Implement your referral programwith minimal dev time

Last step: connect GrowSurf to your product.

From referral linkto reward

A customer shares their link

The friend does what counts

A reward unlocks

The reward is delivered

Customers watch their progress

Alex Klein

Gabriella Di Fazio

Turn word of mouth into steady growthfrom your customers

Built for lean teams,scaled for category leaders

View GrowSurfCustomer Examples

Implement your referral program
with minimal dev time

From referral link
to reward

Turn word of mouth into steady growth
from your customers

Built for lean teams,
scaled for category leaders

View GrowSurf
Customer Examples