Plugin
Updated
Direct Link Tracking
AffiliateWP Direct Link Tracking is an add-on plugin by Sandhills Development for the AffiliateWP affiliate program plugin. It lets affiliates send visitors to your site through plain, direct links with no referral parameters, and it still credits those affiliates for the referrals they generate.
- Version
- 1.3.3
- Released
- Apr 23, 2025
- Developer
- AffiliateWP
- Type
- WordPress plugin
- Licence
- GPL
- Included in
- Every plan, or $4.79 a year on its own
- Topics
- Affiliate Plugins
What’s new in Direct Link Tracking 1.3.3
Version 1.3.3 · Apr 23, 2025
Latest
- ImprovedCompatibility for PHP 8
What it does
Standard affiliate links carry visible referral parameters, and some visitors recognize them and hesitate before clicking. This add-on removes that step. An affiliate submits their own domain for approval, and once you authorize it, any link from that domain to your site counts as a referral. Visitors see an ordinary link, and the affiliate still gets credit. Referral data is stored in cookies so commissions are attributed to the right person even though the URL carries no tracking code.
Everything is handled from a dedicated Direct Links screen in the WordPress admin. There you can approve, reject, deactivate or delete submitted domains, cap how many domains each affiliate may add, and block unwanted domains with a blacklist. You can turn direct link tracking on for every affiliate or only for selected ones. Email notifications keep you and your affiliates informed as domains move through review, and the add-on includes troubleshooting guidance for browser restrictions such as those on Safari for iOS.
Best for
- Stores running an affiliate program with AffiliateWP
- Program managers who want affiliates using clean links
- Affiliates who publish content on their own websites
Features
Tracking without referral URLs
Affiliates link directly to your site from their approved domains, so visitors see clean links with no affiliate parameters while referrals are still recorded.
Direct Links admin screen
A dedicated screen inside WordPress lists every direct tracking domain, giving you one place to review and manage all submissions.
Domain approval and status control
Affiliates submit domains for review, and you can approve, reject, deactivate or delete each one so only authorized domains earn commission.
Global or per-affiliate activation
Turn direct link tracking on for your whole affiliate program, or enable it only for the specific affiliates you choose.
Domain limit per affiliate
Set a maximum number of domains each affiliate can submit, which keeps the program orderly and helps prevent abuse.
Domain blacklist
Block unwanted or malicious domains from being added at all, giving you another layer of protection against fraud in your program.
Email notifications
Automatic emails tell you and your affiliates when a domain is submitted, approved or rejected, so everyone knows where things stand.
Cookie-based referral tracking
Referral data is saved in cookies, so commissions are attributed to the correct affiliate even when no referral URL is present.
Direct Link Tracking older versions
- 1.3.2Apr 12, 20241 improvement
- 1.3.1Nov 17, 20231 improvement
- 1.3Apr 18, 20231 new
Members and buyers of this product can download older versions.
Questions about Direct Link Tracking
How does a referral get credited if the link has no affiliate code?
The affiliate registers their own domain, and once you approve it, traffic arriving from that domain is treated as their referral. The referral data is stored in a cookie, so the affiliate receives credit for the conversion even though the link itself contains no tracking parameters.
Can I control which affiliates are allowed to use direct links?
Yes. You can enable direct link tracking for all affiliates at once or only for individual affiliates. You also approve each submitted domain, can limit how many domains an affiliate may add, and can blacklist domains you never want accepted.
Does this work on its own or do I need another plugin?
It is an add-on for AffiliateWP, so it extends an existing AffiliateWP affiliate program. Domain management happens on a dedicated Direct Links screen in your WordPress admin.
Are there any browser issues I should know about?
Some browsers restrict tracking, with Safari on iOS named as an example. The add-on includes troubleshooting guidance to help you deal with these browser-specific restrictions and keep tracking consistent.
Is Direct Link Tracking free?
The code of Direct Link Tracking is licensed under the GPL, so anyone may use, change and share it. GPL Feast is a paid service: a plan or a single purchase gives you the download and automatic updates. The developer's own support, licence key and online services are not included.
Which version of Direct Link Tracking is this?
Version 1.3.3, released Apr 23, 2025. New versions appear here when the developer publishes them, and members get them as automatic updates.
How do I update Direct Link Tracking?
Install the free GPL Feast Updater on your site and connect it with your API key. It installs new versions of Direct Link Tracking automatically and keeps a backup, so you can roll back.
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