How attribution works

A deep-dive into Dub’s attribution system and how conversions are tracked from click to commission.

Understanding how Dub attributes conversions to partners is essential for setting up accurate tracking and ensuring your partners get credited for the sales they drive.

The Attribution Flow

Dub uses a multi-stage attribution model that tracks the complete customer journey from initial click to final purchase:

1. Click

   Partner link clicked, dub_id appended to URL
2. Cookie

   SDK stores dub_id as first-party cookie
3. Lead

   Customer action tracked, linked to click
4. Sale

   Purchase tracked, linked to customer
5. Commission

   Partner reward automatically calculated

Stage 1: Click Tracking

When a visitor clicks a partner’s referral link, Dub captures the click server-side before redirecting to your website. This happens automatically and cannot be blocked by ad blockers.

Data captured at click:

• Unique click ID
• Timestamp
• Geographic location (country, city, continent)
• Device type (mobile, desktop, tablet)
• Browser and operating system
• Referrer URL
• Whether the click came from a QR code

The click is appended to your destination URL as a dub_id query parameter:

https://yoursite.com?dub_id=cm3w8x2...

Stage 2: Cookie Storage

When the visitor lands on your site, the @dub/analytics SDK detects the dub_id parameter and stores it as a first-party cookie.

// The SDK automatically handles this when installed
// Cookie: dub_id=cm3w8x2... (expires in 90 days by default)

Why first-party cookies?

• Persist across page navigation and sessions
• Not blocked by ad blockers (unlike third-party cookies)
• Compliant with privacy regulations
• Work reliably across all browsers

The default cookie lifetime is 90 days, meaning conversions within this window are attributed to the original click. You can customize this with the expiresInDays parameter.

Stage 3: Lead Event

When the visitor takes a qualifying action (signup, booking, form submission), you track a lead event. This links the customer to the original click.

await dub.track.lead({
  clickId: cookies.get("dub_id"),  // From the cookie
  eventName: "Sign Up",
  customerExternalId: user.id,     // Your user ID
  customerEmail: user.email,
  customerName: user.name,
});

The lead event is automatically deduplicated based on customerExternalId + eventName. Only the first event for each combination is recorded, preventing duplicate attribution.

Stage 4: Sale Event

When the customer makes a purchase, you track a sale event. Dub automatically links this to the customer’s previous lead event.

await dub.track.sale({
  customerExternalId: user.id,     // Same ID from lead event
  amount: 9900,                    // Amount in cents ($99.00)
  paymentProcessor: "stripe",
  invoiceId: "inv_123",            // For idempotency
});

The sale is attributed to the partner who drove the original click, and a commission record is automatically created based on your program’s reward rules.

Attribution Models

Dub supports two attribution models:

Last-Click Attribution (Default)

All credit goes to the most recent partner link the customer clicked before converting.

<script
  src="https://www.dubcdn.com/analytics/script.js"
  data-attribution-model="last-click"
></script>

Best for: Most programs, especially those with shorter sales cycles.

First-Click Attribution

All credit goes to the first partner who introduced the customer, regardless of subsequent clicks.

<script
  src="https://www.dubcdn.com/analytics/script.js"
  data-attribution-model="first-click"
></script>

Best for: Programs where initial discovery is highly valuable, or products with long consideration periods.

Handling Multiple Clicks

When a customer clicks multiple partner links:

Model	Behavior
Last-click	The dub_id cookie is overwritten with each new click. The most recent partner gets credit.
First-click	The original dub_id cookie is preserved. The first partner retains credit.

Each click is still recorded in analytics, so you can see the full customer journey even if only one partner receives the commission.

Attribution Window

The attribution window is the timeframe during which a conversion can be credited to a click. In Dub, this is controlled by the cookie lifetime:

Configuration	Default	Description
expiresInDays	90	Days the dub_id cookie persists

<!-- Set a 30-day attribution window -->
<script
  src="https://www.dubcdn.com/analytics/script.js"
  data-cookie-options='{"expiresInDays": 30}'
></script>

After the cookie expires, new conversions cannot be attributed to the original click unless the customer clicks another partner link.

Cross-Domain Attribution

If your customer journey spans multiple domains (e.g., yoursite.com → app.yoursite.com), Dub supports cross-domain tracking:

Subdomain Tracking

For subdomains, set the cookie domain to your apex domain:

<script
  src="https://www.dubcdn.com/analytics/script.js"
  data-cookie-options='{"domain": ".yoursite.com"}'
></script>

This makes the dub_id cookie accessible across www.yoursite.com, app.yoursite.com, etc.

Multi-Domain Tracking

For separate domains, use the outbound parameter to automatically append dub_id to outbound links:

<script
  src="https://www.dubcdn.com/analytics/script.outbound-domains.js"
  data-domains='{"outbound": ["checkout.different-domain.com"]}'
></script>

Learn more in the cross-domain tracking guide.

Partner Commission Flow

When a sale is attributed, Dub automatically calculates and records the partner’s commission:

1. Sale event received with customerExternalId
2. Customer lookup finds the associated lead and original click
3. Partner identified from the click’s referral link
4. Commission calculated based on program reward rules
5. Commission record created with status: pending

Commissions can then be:

• Approved manually or automatically after a hold period
• Paid via Dub’s 1-click payout system
• Adjusted for refunds or chargebacks

Direct Sale Attribution

For scenarios without a signup flow (e.g., one-time purchases), you can track sales directly with the click ID:

await dub.track.sale({
  clickId: cookies.get("dub_id"),  // Directly from cookie
  customerExternalId: order.email,
  customerName: order.name,
  customerEmail: order.email,
  amount: 4900,
  invoiceId: order.id,
});

Direct sale tracking bypasses the lead event. This means lead-based rewards are not created—only sale commissions.

Deferred Attribution

For products with qualification periods (trials, approvals), Dub supports deferred lead attribution:

// Track initial signup (deferred)
await dub.track.lead({
  clickId: cookies.get("dub_id"),
  eventName: "Sign Up",
  customerExternalId: user.id,
  mode: "deferred",  // Creates customer link but defers reward
});

// Later, when qualified
await dub.track.lead({
  clickId: "",  // Empty - uses existing customer record
  eventName: "Qualified Lead",
  customerExternalId: user.id,  // Same customer ID
});

This ensures partners are only rewarded when customers reach a meaningful milestone.

Troubleshooting Attribution

Common issues

Issue	Cause	Solution
Conversions not attributed	dub_id cookie missing	Verify SDK installation and allowed hostnames
Wrong partner credited	Last-click model with multiple clicks	Consider first-click model if appropriate
Duplicate leads	Same customer tracked twice	Ensure consistent customerExternalId
Missing commission	Sale tracked before lead	Track lead event first, or use direct sale tracking

Verifying attribution

1. Check the cookie: Inspect browser cookies for dub_id
2. Test the flow: Click a partner link, sign up, and verify the lead appears in your dashboard
3. Review analytics: Check the Events tab for click → lead → sale progression

Next Steps

Set up conversion tracking

Implement lead and sale tracking

Configure rewards

Set up commission rules for your program