> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.partnero.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick start guide: Set up your affiliate program

> Create your first affiliate or referral program in under 5 minutes. Step-by-step guide to set up partner tracking, commissions, and payouts with Partnero.

This guide walks you through creating your first affiliate or referral program with Partnero. You'll set up partner tracking, configure commissions, and start recruiting affiliates in minutes.

## Create Your First Partner Program

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an Account">
    Sign up for a Partnero account at [app.partnero.com](https://app.partnero.com). You can start with a free trial to explore all features.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a Program">
    Once logged in, create your first program:

    1. Click **Create Program** from the dashboard
    2. Choose your program type:
       * **Affiliate Program**—For recruiting partners who promote your product
       * **Referral Program**—For enabling customers to refer friends
    3. Configure basic settings (name, URL, branding)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Up Commissions">
    Define how partners will be rewarded. Navigate to your program settings and configure:

    * **Percentage**—Partners earn a percentage of each sale (e.g., 20%)
    * **Fixed Amount**—Partners earn a fixed amount per conversion (e.g., \$10)
    * **Tiered**—Commission rates increase based on performance

    You can also set cookie duration and enable recurring commissions for subscription products.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install Tracking">
    Choose the integration method that works best for your setup:

    ### Code-Based Integration

    <CardGroup cols={3}>
      <Card title="JavaScript SDK" icon="js" href="/guides/tracking/javascript-tracking">
        Client-side tracking with PartneroJS
      </Card>

      <Card title="Affiliate API" icon="code" href="/guides/tracking/affiliate-api">
        Server-side affiliate tracking
      </Card>

      <Card title="Refer-a-Friend API" icon="users" href="/guides/tracking/refer-a-friend-api">
        Customer referral tracking
      </Card>
    </CardGroup>

    ### No-Code Solutions

    <CardGroup cols={2}>
      <Card title="Refer-a-Friend Forms" icon="rectangle-list" href="/guides/tracking/refer-a-friend-forms">
        Embeddable widgets and pop-up forms
      </Card>

      <Card title="Lead Submission" icon="file-lines" href="/guides/tracking/lead-submission">
        Partner lead submission pages
      </Card>
    </CardGroup>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invite Partners">
    Start recruiting partners:

    1. Share your partner signup page
    2. Manually invite partners via email from the dashboard
    3. Use the [API](/api-reference/partners/create) to create partners programmatically
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How long does it take to set up an affiliate program?">
    You can create a basic affiliate program in under 5 minutes. Adding tracking to your website takes an additional 10-15 minutes depending on your platform.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need technical skills to use Partnero?">
    No. Partnero offers no-code solutions like embeddable forms and integrations with Stripe, Paddle, and Shopify. For custom setups, our JavaScript SDK and API are developer-friendly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I run both affiliate and referral programs?">
    Yes. You can create multiple programs—run an affiliate program for partners and a separate refer-a-friend program for customers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What payment integrations are supported?">
    Partnero integrates with Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, WooCommerce, Shopify, and more for automatic transaction tracking.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Key Concepts" icon="lightbulb" href="/key-concepts">
    Learn core terminology and concepts
  </Card>

  <Card title="Managing Partners" icon="users" href="/guides/partner-programs/managing-partners">
    Learn how to manage your partners
  </Card>

  <Card title="Knowledge Base" icon="book" href="https://help.partnero.com">
    Step-by-step tutorials and how-to guides
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Explore the full API documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>