# Referrals

> Settings has an Invite and earn tab with your referral link. When someone you invited signs up and actually starts using Clusters, you both get bonus cards added on top of the free plan's allowance. The reward is activation-gated, so a signup that never makes anything does not earn anything.

_Source: https://clusters.soleilpictures.com/docs/account/referrals · Updated 2026-08-08_

**Settings → Invite and earn.**

## How it works

Share your referral link. When someone signs up through it **and actually gets
started**, you both get bonus cards.

The activation gate is the important detail. The reward is not for a signup, it
is for someone who used the product — which means the number in your stats
reflects people who are actually there.

## Bonus cards

Bonus cards raise your card limit above the free plan's
**100**. They stack across referrals and they do not expire.

They apply on top of your allowance, so a free account with referrals genuinely
has more room rather than a temporary boost. See
[Cards](/docs/canvas/cards).

## Stats

The tab tracks four things:

| Stat | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Friends joined | Signed up through your link |
| Got started | Of those, how many actually used it |
| Cards earned | Bonus cards credited to you |
| Free months | Any subscription time earned |

The gap between the first two is the honest one. It is shown rather than hidden.

## Sharing the link

Share targets are provided for the usual places. On mobile the system share
sheet is used; on desktop, where browsers have no equivalent, pre-filled links
are offered instead.

## Referrals versus collaboration

Two different things:

- **[Inviting a collaborator](/docs/collaborate)** to a cluster is free, unlimited, and needs no referral link. That is how you work with someone.
- **A referral** is inviting someone to have their own account and workspace.

Inviting a collaborator to your board does not consume or produce referral
credit — it is not a growth mechanism, it is how the product works.