# 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.

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#### 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

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#### 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.

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#### 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.

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#### 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.