Referral Playbook
Referral strategies and playbooks
Each playbook shows the qualification gate, the reward design, and the messaging behind a real-world referral mechanic. Find one that fits and clone it into your dashboard.
Cloud storage
Double-sided · in-app reward
The Dropbox archetype: both referrer and referred user get extra storage the moment an account is created. Pure app grant, no monetary payout.
Consumer fintech
Double-sided · cash
The Robinhood / PayPal archetype: a small cash reward that only validates once the referred user funds their account — gated on real value, not a signup.
Subscription app
Single-sided · free access
Validate on a real paid conversion straight from RevenueCat — no extra instrumentation. Reward the referrer with comped access via webhook.
Productivity tool
Double-sided · account credit
The Notion archetype: reward only after the referred user actually sticks — onboarding complete and active for a week — to filter out drive-by signups.
Marketplace
Double-sided · gift card
Classic marketplace loop: the friend gets a discount on first order, the referrer gets a gift card once that order completes and clears the hold window.
Creator tool
Single-sided · milestone unlock
Milestone logic: stack validated referrals toward a one-time unlock. Great for creator tools where status and features beat cash.