"Lifetime" commissions that lasted 14 months

"Lifetime" commissions that lasted 14 months

Hot reminder: "lifetime" describes the program's mood, not a contract.

An affiliate built a quiet $3,400/month base on a tool's "lifetime recurring" deal. Felt like a pension. Then:

— Month 14: the SaaS got acquired.
— New owner grandfathered existing affiliates to "12 more months, then flat $50 bounty, no recurring."
— By month 26 the recurring river was a one-time trickle.

Three of their referred accounts also migrated to the acquirer's platform — affiliate credit didn't transfer. More money gone.

Lifetime recurring assumes the company, the program, and the terms all outlive your customers. Three single points of failure stacked together.

Never model income on a promise that depends on a startup staying independent, solvent, and grateful. It rarely does all three.