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

# Referral Program

> Track which members bring in new people — and optionally make registration invite-only

The Referral Program tracks which members bring in new registrations through [Invitations](/platform/users/invitations). It answers "who brought this member?" and "who are our best recruiters?" — and can optionally make your organization invite-only.

**Referrals build on Invitations.** The [Invitations](/platform/users/invitations) feature lets members send invitation emails. The Referral Program adds the tracking and statistics layer on top. Enable both for the full picture.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/orgo-dc7abe63/cmshtb5BOtVAsAaF/images/platform/users/referral-settings.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=cmshtb5BOtVAsAaF&q=85&s=98334ecb7b4940e3d0e57b2a32764020" alt="Referral Program settings with enable toggle, number of referrals needed, and customizable referral questions" style={{ width: "100%", borderRadius: "8px", border: "1px solid var(--border-color)", marginBottom: "1rem" }} width="3840" height="2160" data-path="images/platform/users/referral-settings.png" />

***

## How to enable

**Settings** → **Users & Profiles** → **Referral Program**

| Setting                         | What it does                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| ------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Referral Program**            | Toggle on to start tracking who refers who                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Referrals needed for signup** | Set to **0** (or empty): Open registration, referrals tracked in the background. Set to **1+**: **Invite-only mode** — public registration is disabled, new users must receive an invitation to register. |

***

## Open tracking vs invite-only

### Open registration with tracking (recommended to start)

Set "Referrals needed for signup" to **0**.

* Anyone can register normally
* If they came through a member's invitation link, the referral is recorded
* If they registered on their own, no referral is recorded
* You get data on organic vs referred growth

### Invite-only mode

Set "Referrals needed for signup" to **1**.

* Public registration page shows a message that membership is by invitation only
* Only people who received an invitation link can register
* Every new member is tracked to their referrer
* Growth is entirely controlled by existing members

<Warning>
  Invite-only mode significantly limits growth. Only use it if your organization specifically requires controlled, member-vetted membership. Most organizations are better served by open registration with referral tracking.
</Warning>

***

## What gets tracked

| Data point   | Description                                                    |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Referrer** | Who sent the invitation                                        |
| **Referee**  | Who registered through the link                                |
| **Date**     | When the referral was completed                                |
| **Status**   | Pending (invited but not registered) or Completed (registered) |

### For admins

View organization-wide referral stats:

* Top referrers — who's bringing in the most members
* Referral trends — growth over time from referrals vs direct registration
* Conversion rates — invitations sent vs accepted

### For members

Members can see their own referral activity:

* How many people they've successfully referred
* Status of pending invitations

***

## Combining with gamification

If you have the Gamification module enabled, reward your best recruiters:

* Award points for each successful referral
* Create badges for referral milestones (5 referrals, 10 referrals, etc.)
* Display a leaderboard of top referrers

[Learn more about Gamification →](/platform/badges)

***

## Common scenarios

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="I want to know how members are finding us, but I don't want to restrict registration">
    Enable the Referral Program with "Referrals needed" set to 0. Registration stays open. You'll see which members came through referrals vs found you on their own.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I want to create an exclusive, invite-only community">
    Enable Referral with "Referrals needed" set to 1. Enable [Invitations](/platform/users/invitations) so existing members can send invites. Consider also enabling [Adhesion](/platform/users/adhesion) so you can review invited applicants before they're admitted.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A member's invitation count seems wrong">
    Referrals are only counted when the invited person completes registration. If someone was invited but never registered, it stays as "pending" and doesn't count toward the referrer's total.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related

* [Invitations](/platform/users/invitations) — The mechanism for sending invitations (referral tracks them)
* [Gamification](/platform/badges) — Reward referrers with points and badges