Money matters—especially when it’s money you’re earning. This guide breaks down exactly how Badass Network affiliate commissions work: what you earn, when you earn it, what counts as a valid referral, and what doesn’t. No surprises, no fine print buried at the bottom.
Understanding the commission structure helps you set realistic expectations and plan your promotional strategy. Let’s dig in.
The Commission Structure
Here’s the straightforward breakdown:
- Commission rate: 40% of the membership fee
- Current membership price: €25 per month
- Your commission: €10 per referral per month
- Type: Recurring (you earn every month they stay active)
That 40% rate is genuinely generous compared to most affiliate programmes. Many programmes offer 10-20% on one-time purchases. Here, you’re getting 40% on recurring revenue.
Recurring Commissions Explained
Unlike one-time commissions where you get paid once and that’s it, recurring commissions mean you earn every single month your referral remains an active, paying member.
Month 1: Your referral signs up → You earn €10
Month 2: They’re still a member → You earn €10
Month 3: Still going → Another €10
…and so on.
This continues indefinitely. If someone you refer today stays a member for 5 years, you earn commissions for all 5 years. That’s the power of recurring revenue.
How Commission Is Calculated
Your commission is calculated on the net amount of the membership payment. This means:
- The base membership fee is what counts
- Any applicable taxes or payment processing fees are excluded
- The commission rate (40%) is applied to the net payment amount
At the current €25/month membership, the calculation is simple: 40% of €25 = €10.
Real-World Example
Let’s make this concrete with an example:
Scenario: You refer 5 people to Badass Network in January. All 5 become paying members.
- January: 5 referrals × €10 = €50
- February: All 5 still active = €50
- March: 1 person cancels, 4 remain = €40
- April: You refer 3 more, total 7 active = €70
See how it builds? Your earnings grow as you add referrals and maintain retention. Even without referring anyone new, existing active referrals continue generating income.
What Qualifies as a Valid Referral
For a referral to count and earn you commissions, these conditions must be met:
- The person clicked your unique affiliate link
- They completed the full membership registration
- Their first payment was successful
- They didn’t request a refund within any refund period
- They’re a new member (not a former member rejoining)
Once all these boxes are checked, commissions start flowing on their subsequent payments.
Non-Qualifying Referrals
Some situations don’t qualify for commissions, even if someone signs up through your link:
Self-Referrals
You cannot refer yourself, create additional accounts, or refer accounts you control. This is considered gaming the system.
Family Members
Immediate family members and people living in your household don’t qualify. We want to reward genuine outreach, not dinner table conversations.
Fraudulent Sign-ups
Fake accounts, purchased sign-ups, or any manipulated registrations will be rejected and may result in programme termination.
Incentivised Sign-ups
You can’t offer cash, discounts, gifts, or share your commission to incentivise someone to sign up. The decision to join should be based on the value of Badass Network itself.
Refunded Memberships
If your referral requests and receives a refund before the qualifying period ends, no commission is earned.
Former Members
If someone was previously a Badass Network member and rejoins, they don’t count as a new referral—even if they click your affiliate link.
First-Referral Attribution
If someone clicks multiple affiliate links before signing up, who gets credit?
The first affiliate whose link was clicked wins.
This is called “first-click attribution.” It rewards the affiliate who originally introduced someone to Badass Network, not the affiliate whose link happened to be clicked right before signup.
Example: Sarah clicks your affiliate link on March 1st. She browses the site but doesn’t sign up. On March 15th, she sees another affiliate’s content and clicks their link. On March 20th, she finally signs up. You get credit because your link was clicked first.
Cookie Duration
When someone clicks your affiliate link, a tracking cookie is stored in their browser. This cookie lasts for 30 days.
What this means:
- If they sign up within 30 days of clicking your link, you get credit
- If they wait longer than 30 days, the cookie expires and no credit is given
- If they clear their cookies or use a different device, tracking may be lost
Commission Adjustments
Sometimes commissions need to be adjusted after they’ve been credited. Here’s when that happens:
Refunds
If a referred member requests and receives a refund, the commission associated with that payment is reversed. This applies even if the commission was already paid to you.
Chargebacks
If a payment is disputed through the bank (chargeback), the commission is reversed. Chargebacks also typically incur fees that can affect your account.
Cancelled Memberships
When a referral cancels their membership, you simply stop earning future commissions on them. Past commissions for months they were active remain yours.
Fraudulent Referrals
If a referral is later determined to be fraudulent (fake account, incentivised sign-up, etc.), all associated commissions are forfeited.
Calculation Errors
In rare cases where a technical error results in incorrect commission amounts, adjustments will be made to correct the record.
Tracking Your Commissions
You can monitor your referrals and commissions in your member dashboard:
- Active referrals: How many of your referrals are currently paying members
- Pending commissions: Earnings not yet processed for payment
- Paid commissions: History of what you’ve received
- Referral details: When each referral signed up (names kept private)
Check your dashboard regularly to track your progress and identify trends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your commission percentage (40%) stays the same. If the membership price goes up, your commission amount goes up proportionally. For example, if membership becomes €30/month, you’d earn €12 per referral per month.
Commission tracking begins from the first successful payment, but the commission typically becomes “earned” after any applicable refund period has passed. This protects against people signing up and immediately cancelling.
Currently, Badass Network offers one membership tier (Basic at €25/month). If additional tiers are introduced in the future, commission structures for upgrades will be communicated at that time.
Your affiliate dashboard shows all referrals attributed to your link, including when they signed up. For privacy reasons, you’ll see referral counts and dates but not personal details of who signed up.
Yes, in certain circumstances. If a referral requests a refund, files a chargeback, or is found to be fraudulent after you’ve been paid, the commission can be reversed and deducted from future earnings.
No cap. The more active referrals you have, the more you earn. Some affiliates earn hundreds per month; others earn thousands. It depends entirely on your reach and effectiveness.
As long as they’re a paying member, you earn commissions—regardless of how active they are on the platform. Usage doesn’t affect your earnings; payment status does.
Building Sustainable Income
The key to maximising your affiliate earnings isn’t just getting sign-ups—it’s getting the right sign-ups. People who genuinely benefit from Badass Network stay longer, which means more recurring commissions for you.
Focus on:
- Referring people who are genuinely interested in blogging
- Setting accurate expectations about what Badass Network offers
- Targeting people who have the commitment to stick with it
Ten referrals who stay for years are worth far more than fifty who cancel after a month.
Need Help?
Questions about your commissions, confused about a calculation, or wondering why a referral didn’t track? Reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll sort it out.
For more detailed information on payments, thresholds, and payout methods, check out our guide on Affiliate Payments and Tracking.