Payouts and commissions

Once you start referring customers to Automattic products, you can track your commissions and payments in your Impact account. This guide explains how commissions work, when they become payable, how you’ll get paid, and what you need to do to get paid.

How commissions work

The Automattic Creator Program includes several brands and products, and each has its own commission structure. Your commission depends on the product or service the customer purchases.

Available brands

WordPress.com

Earn 100% of the first-year plan, up to $300, or 100% of the initial monthly purchase. New users only.
Annual and monthly paid plans are eligible
No recurring monthly commissions.
Tracking duration: 30 days.
Learn more about WordPress.com hosting.

WordPress.com domains

Earn 5% on purchases by new users.
All domains are eligible.
Tracking duration: 30 days.
Learn more about WordPress.com domains.

Sensei LMS, WP Job Manager, and Website Design Service

Earn 20% on purchases by new users.
Tracking duration: 30 days.
Learn more about Sensei LMS, WP Job Manager, and Website Design Service.

WooCommerce

Earn 30% on a customer’s first paid purchase and 10% on purchases from returning customers.
All paid extensions and themes from the WooCommerce Marketplace are eligible. Free products don’t earn commissions.
Tracking duration: 30 days.
Learn more about WooCommerce Marketplace

Jetpack

Includes Akismet Anti-Spam, Scan, Site Search, Complete, VaultPress Backup, AI Assistant, Stats, Social, Creator, Boost, Security, and VideoPress.

Earn 40% on purchases by new users.
Annual paid plans are eligible.
Tracking duration: 30 days.
Learn more about Jetpack.

Pressable

Earn 100% of the first payment on every referred sale, up to $300.
Annual and monthly plans are eligible.
Tracking duration: 30 days.
Learn more about Pressable.

Premium themes

Earn 30% on a customer’s first paid purchase and 10% on purchases from returning customers.
Includes premium themes from the WordPress.com theme directory and WooCommerce Marketplace.
Tracking duration: 30 days.
Learn more about Premium themes.

Commission rates and product eligibility can change, so check the individual brand and product guides for the most current information.

Actions

What is an action?

An action in creator or affiliate marketing is a tracked event that occurs after someone interacts with a brand through your tracking link. This usually means that a sale or a paid purchase has taken place, but it can also be a newsletter signup, account creation, app installation, or some other tracked interaction between the customer and the brand.

In Impact, actions are used to track the activity that may earn you a commission. An action starts as pending and goes through a validation and locking process before the associated commission becomes eligible for payout.

How do actions work?

Any action that is tracked with Impact must go through a series of steps and checks before it can be paid out to you.

Here is the action life cycle:

Pending: This action has been tracked and is waiting to be finalized. You’ll see an estimated commission in your Impact account, but this number may change due to returns, cancellations, or other adjustments.
Locked: When an action is locked, it is considered approved and is eligible for payment.
Clearing: The action has been locked and is moving through the payment process. The commission is scheduled for payment on the clearing date.
Paid: The commission for the action has been sent to you.

Not every action earns a commission. Some actions, such as account creations, are tracked to give you visibility into how your content is performing, so you can adjust and optimize your approach even when the action itself isn’t paid. It’s best to review your individual agreement within Impact to understand when actions are eligible for payment.

Understanding action statuses helps you know when to expect your commission payments to process.

Action locking

Action locking is the period between a tracked sale and when the commission becomes eligible for payment. During this time, the transaction remains pending while Impact and the brand complete the necessary checks. A pending commission isn’t guaranteed until it has completed the validation and locking process.

For example, a commission may need to remain pending while a customer’s purchase is confirmed or while returns, cancellations, or other adjustments are accounted for.

How long does action locking take?

For the Automattic program, actions are locked 1 month and 16 days after the end of the month in which they were tracked.

That means the timing is based on the month the action was tracked, rather than counting a fixed number of days from the individual sale.

For example, if a sale is tracked at any point during September, the action-locking period is calculated from the end of September. The commission may remain pending until the corresponding locking period has passed.

Once an action locks, the commission can move through the remaining payment process. Locking doesn’t mean the money will immediately arrive in your bank account. There are additional steps between an action locking and your final payout.

Payments

Setting up your payment information

Before you can receive a payout, you’ll need to set up your bank details in Impact. Make sure your Impact account has:

Your required tax information
A verified bank account or PayPal account, where available
Your payout schedule and threshold

You can manage these settings in the Finance section of your Impact account settings.

Keep your payment and tax information up to date. Incorrect or incomplete information can prevent a payout from being released. Impact may also place a temporary hold on payments after you change your bank details while the new information is verified. Impact may also charge maintenance fees to accounts with invalid payment information.

Tax forms

You must complete the tax information required by Impact before you can receive payouts.

If you’re based in the United States, or you’re a non-U.S. creator working with a U.S.-based brand, Impact requires an electronic tax form before it can release your payouts.

Depending on your situation, Impact may ask you to complete a form such as:

W-9: Generally for U.S.-based individuals and entities.
W-8 BEN: Generally for non-U.S. individuals working with U.S.-based brands.
W-8 BEN-E: Generally for non-U.S. entities working with U.S.-based brands.
Other W-8 forms may apply in specific situations.

Impact determines which forms are available based on the information in your account. If you’re unsure which tax form applies to you or how to complete it, consult a tax professional. Automattic can’t provide tax advice.

Review Impact’s guide on electronic tax documents for additional information.

When will I get paid?

There are several steps between a customer making a purchase and you receiving a payment:

The action is tracked. The sale appears in your Impact account as a pending action. Tracking can take up to a couple of hours.
The action locks. The action remains pending during the program’s locking period. For Automattic, the current contract specifies 1 month and 16 days after the end of the month in which the action was tracked.
The commission is made available to your Impact balance. Once the action has completed the required checks and the commission is available for payout, it appears in your available Impact balance.
Impact sends your payout. Your payment is then withdrawn according to the payment schedule and threshold you’ve selected in Impact.

Because these are separate steps, there isn’t one fixed date when every commission will arrive in your bank account.

Your Impact payment settings determine when available funds are withdrawn. You can choose to be paid when your balance reaches a threshold or on a fixed day of the month. Impact currently supports fixed-day withdrawals on the 1st or 15th.

What is the Impact payout threshold?

Impact’s minimum payout threshold is $10 USD, or the equivalent in your payout currency. Your Automattic commissions are added to your overall Impact balance, rather than having a separate payout threshold just for Automattic.

You can choose a higher threshold if you prefer. If your balance hasn’t reached your selected threshold, the funds remain in your Impact account until they do.

If you choose a fixed payment date instead, you still need to have at least $10 USD, or the equivalent in your payout currency, available before a withdrawal can be made.

How will I receive my payment?

Payments are handled through Impact, not directly by Automattic.

The payment methods available to you depend on the country or region of your bank account and the currency associated with your Impact account. Depending on your location, Impact may offer:

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), including ACH for some countries and currencies
International wire transfers for some countries and currencies
PayPal where supported

Impact shows the payment methods available for your country when you set up your payment information. Payment processing times and fees can vary by method. For example, Impact currently lists ACH and wire payments as taking 3 to 5 business days after the payment clears, while PayPal payments are generally available immediately after the payment clears. PayPal payments are subject to a 2% processing fee, up to $20 or the equivalent in your currency.

Because supported countries, currencies, and payment methods can change, Impact is the best place to check the options currently available to you.

Learn more about payment methods and withdrawals in Impact.

Who is responsible for my payment?

Impact manages the financial side of the Automattic Creator Program.

When you participate in the program, your financial relationship for commissions and payouts is with Impact, not directly with Automattic. Impact handles the payment process, including transferring funds to you and collecting the tax information required for payment.

This means:

Your Automattic commissions appear in your Impact account.
Impact processes your payouts.
Your payout threshold and payment schedule are managed through Impact.
Your bank or PayPal information is entered and maintained in Impact.
Required tax forms are submitted through Impact.
Automattic can’t access, change, or update your Impact financial settings in any way.

If you have a question about a missing payment, payment method, bank details, tax form, or Impact balance, contact Impact Support.

For questions about whether a transaction should have earned a commission under the Automattic Creator Program, contact the Automattic Creator Program team by email at affiliates@automattic.com.

Why hasn’t my payment arrived?

If you expected a payout and don’t see it yet, check the following:

The action hasn’t locked yet. Pending actions aren’t ready for payout.
Your Impact balance hasn’t reached your payout threshold.
Your tax information hasn’t been submitted or approved.
Your bank or PayPal information needs to be updated.
Your selected payment date or schedule hasn’t been reached.
The payment is still moving through Impact’s payment process.
The brand’s Impact account hasn’t funded the payment yet.
A bank holiday or weekend has delayed the withdrawal.

Impact provides additional information about payment status and any issues with your account in your Impact dashboard.

If the issue is related to your Impact account, payment details, tax forms, or payout status, contact Impact Support. If you believe a transaction was incorrectly credited, rejected, or commissioned, contact the Automattic Creator Program team by email at affiliates@automattic.com.

Your Impact balance

Automattic commissions are part of your overall Impact account balance. They aren’t paid separately from other programs you may participate in through Impact.

This means that your Impact balance, payout threshold, and payment schedule can include earnings from other brands in addition to Automattic commissions.

If you participate in other programs through Impact, keep this in mind when reviewing your balance and payout history.

Frequently asked questions about payments

Do I get paid as soon as a sale happens?

No. A sale must first be tracked and then pass the applicable locking and payment processes before the commission becomes available for withdrawal.

How long does it take for a sale to appear in Impact?

It can take up to a couple of hours for a click or purchase to appear in Impact.

Is there a separate Automattic payout minimum?

No. Automattic commissions are added to your overall Impact balance. The minimum threshold for an Impact payout is currently $10 USD, or the equivalent in your payout currency.

Does Automattic pay me directly?

No. Impact handles payments for the Automattic Creator Program. Your financial relationship for those payments is with Impact.

Can Automattic tell me which tax form I need?

No. Impact determines which tax information is required for your account. Automattic can’t provide tax advice.

What happens if a customer returns their purchase?

A transaction can be reversed or adjusted during the action-locking period. This is one reason commissions aren’t immediately available for withdrawal after a sale.