# Affiliate vs Referral Deals ### Two common ways creators share value Most creator deals fall into one of two categories: affiliate deals or referral deals. Both work well on Aardvark — and you don’t need to choose just one. *** #### Affiliate deals Affiliate deals usually involve: * A unique link or code * Commission earned when someone makes a purchase These are common with larger brands and affiliate networks. On Aardvark, affiliate deals can appear as: * A promo code * A tracked link * Or both *** #### Referral deals Referral deals typically involve: * A referral link * Credit, rewards, or payouts tied to referrals These are often used by newer brands or subscription products, and they work just as seamlessly on Aardvark. *** #### Which should I use? Use whatever the brand gives you. Aardvark doesn’t require you to structure deals in a specific way — it simply helps surface them clearly and at the right moment. Many creators use a mix of both affiliate and referral deals. *** #### From the user’s perspective Regardless of the type: * The deal appears when it’s relevant * Instructions are clear * Attribution is transparent Users don’t need to understand the difference — they just see a deal from a creator they trust. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://help.joinaardvark.com/for-creators/affiliate-vs-referral-deals.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.