Updated October 2026
Referral programs for introducing a company
The programs
Who pays for introductions, and how much
Most programs pay either a flat fee per signed company or a share of what the business is paid, from 6% to 10%. Some cap the payout, some pay only after the business itself is paid, and the terms do not always match the ad, so read the terms before you count on a number.1,5,2,3,6,7
Other programs exist, and some do not publish the amount at all. Brokers advertise to referrers too, with lines like "Earn $50,000+ per introduction".8,9
| Fact | Value and source |
|---|---|
| Company referral payout | Up to $50,000 per referred company |
| Mode referral program | US direct referrals earn the greater of $50,000 or 6% for the first five qualified deals, with higher lifetime tiers; $5,000+ when a referred company introduces another; outside the US 6% |
| Pewter partner program | Pays introducers 10% of what the business is paid, up to $100,000 per business, once, within 30 days after the business is paid and Pewter receives its fee |
| Referral program | Pays referrers 6% on eligible direct referrals and a 1% override on eligible deals referred by brokers they recruit |
The rules inside
Conditions that catch referrers out
micro1's terms bar referrers from presenting themselves as micro1's agent, recruiter, representative or partner, and bar referring a company you own or work for without written disclosure. micro1 may also withhold, delay, reduce or refuse any referral payout, and it pays 20% of what recruited partners earn, so some people pitching you may be several layers removed from micro1.10,11,12,13
The company you refer still has to qualify. Most programs want 20 to 30 or more employees and a few years of records, and some take smaller firms in certain fields.14,15,16
For advisers
If you advise the client
A CPA or IT provider who refers a client is paid by the buyer, not the client, and Pewter says there is no cost to the business at any stage. What you must tell a client about a referral fee is something to talk through with your own advisor and professional body. If a client is not sure which buyer fits, our quiz introduces them to the buyers we work with that take a company their size.3,17
How we are paid
Our own referral fees
AI Data Payout may earn a referral fee from a buyer when a company we introduce signs, on terms like the ones above. We feature buyers that pay us a referral fee. Our scores and reviews don't change for it. If you are a referrer yourself, you do not need us to use these programs, since each buyer runs its own.1,3
FAQ
Questions, answered with sources
Usually only with written disclosure. micro1's terms, for one, bar referring a company you own or work for without it.11
No. micro1's terms bar referrers from presenting themselves as its agent, recruiter, representative or partner.10
Every business is different, so this one is best talked through with the buyer you're working with. Their team goes over it with you before anything is signed.
Before you sign
Questions to talk through with your buyer
Every business is different, so these are best talked through with the buyer you're working with. Their team goes over them with you before anything is signed.
Questions for this kind of business
- Do professional rules apply (AICPA, IRC 7216, HIPAA, ABA Model Rule 1.17, insurance agency contracts, adviser rules, state boards)?
- How is the payment taxed?
Questions for any buyer
- Is the license exclusive, and for how long?
- Can you sublicense the data, and to whom?
- Which AI labs will receive it, and will you tell us?
- How long do you keep it, and how is it deleted?
- What is your liability cap, and who indemnifies whom?
- Will the contract ban re-identification of people in the data?
- Who removes personal data, by what method, and do we approve it first?