The Toppal Onboarding Checklist: Go Live in Under 30 Minutes

Getting your Toppal affiliate program live doesn't require a developer, a lengthy setup process, or a dedicated project sprint. Most Sharetribe operators are up and running within 30 minutes. This checklist walks you through every step.

Before you start

You'll need:

• Admin access to your Sharetribe marketplace
• A Toppal account (sign up free at app.toppal.io)
• 5–10 minutes to configure your first program

Step 1: Connect Toppal to your Sharetribe marketplace

In your Toppal dashboard, go to Integrations → Sharetribe. You'll be prompted to enter your Sharetribe marketplace URL and generate an API key from your Sharetribe admin panel.

Once connected, Toppal will automatically sync your transaction data, allowing it to detect when a referred user completes their first booking or listing.

Time required: ~5 minutes

Step 2: Create your first affiliate program

Go to Programs → New Program and configure:

• Program name: Something simple like "Toppal Affiliate Program" or "[Your Marketplace] Referral Program"
• Commission type: Percentage of your fee, flat fee per referral, or tiered
• Commission rate: If you're unsure where to start, a small flat fee per referral (e.g. $5) is simple to understand and easy for affiliates to communicate to their network. You can always adjust it later.
• Payout threshold: The minimum balance an affiliate must reach before receiving a payout (e.g. $25)

Auto-enrollment is on by default — every customer who transacts on your marketplace is automatically enrolled as an affiliate and sent a welcome email with their unique referral link. No extra configuration needed.

Time required: ~5 minutes

Step 3: Customize your affiliate emails and application page

When a user is enrolled in your affiliate program, they receive a welcome email with their unique referral link. Toppal provides templates for each enrollment method that you can customize with your marketplace's branding and voice.

Go to Customise → Email Configuration and select from the three email types: Manual (for affiliates you add directly), Auto-enrol (sent automatically when a customer transacts), or Sign Up Form (for affiliates who join via your embedded form). While you're in Customise, you can also update your Affiliate Application Page — the page affiliates see when they sign up — to match your brand.

Time required: ~5 minutes

Step 4: Get affiliates into your program

There are three ways affiliates can join your program — use whichever fits your setup:

• Auto-enrollment: The default. Every customer who completes a transaction is automatically enrolled and sent their referral link. No action needed from you.
• Sign-up form: Embed a Toppal sign-up form directly on your Sharetribe marketplace so visitors can apply to become affiliates themselves.
• Manual: Add affiliates directly in Toppal — useful for inviting specific customers, partners, or influencers you've identified personally.

Most operators rely on auto-enrollment as the backbone and use manual invitations to onboard their most active users immediately.

Time required: ~5 minutes

You're live

That's it. Your affiliate program is now running. From here, focus on growing your affiliate base, monitoring which affiliates are most active, and optimizing your commission structure as you gather data.

Toppal's dashboard gives you a real-time view of all affiliate activity — clicks, referrals, transactions, and commissions — so you always know exactly how your program is performing.