How do I know what I will be charged each month?
Your monthly cost can include: (1) base plan price, (2) MAR overage when attributed revenue goes above your included MAR, and (3) payout commission fees applied to influencer commission amounts.
FAQ
GrowthCat Frequently Asked Questions
Practical answers about MAR, influencer commission, payout validation, ads, and billing behavior so app owners, advertisers, and influencers can run campaigns with fewer surprises.
For App Owners
What is MAR in plain terms?
MAR (Monthly Attributed Revenue) is the subscription revenue GrowthCat attributes to your creator campaigns in the current UTC month. It is not your total app revenue.
Can you give a simple MAR and commission example?
If a campaign drives $1,000 attributed subscription revenue in a month and your influencer commission is 10%, the influencer commission is $100. GrowthCat payout commission is then calculated on that $100 amount, based on your plan.
What happens if refunds happen after a conversion?
GrowthCat uses a validation window so conversions can settle before payout eligibility. This helps avoid paying full commission on revenue that is refunded or canceled quickly.
Do I need to replace Stripe or RevenueCat?
No. GrowthCat is built to work with existing Stripe and RevenueCat setups.
Who decides the influencer commission rate?
You do. GrowthCat does not set your campaign commission percentage. You define campaign terms with each influencer.
Can I monetize my own app with GrowthCat Ads?
Yes. App owners can create manual ad slots, control marketplace visibility, set CPM and CPC floors, and decide whether each slot accepts impression packages, click packages, or both. GrowthCat Auto Ads can fill eligible opted-in inventory when the feature is available.
What is the difference between Referral features and Ads features in plan cards?
Referral features cover subscription-growth operations: app count, active creator codes, monthly attributed revenue, MAR overage, and influencer payout commission fees. Ads features cover self-promotion impressions per month, unlimited manual ad slots, unlimited marketplace campaigns, Stripe-secured marketplace payments, impression and click packages, GrowthCat Auto Ads availability, and creative review priority.
Can I run ads for my own apps without paying GrowthCat ad fees?
Yes. Self-promotion ads have a 0% GrowthCat ad fee and no Stripe checkout. Their impression delivery counts against the monthly self-promotion impression allowance, and the destination can be an app, website, affiliate link, product page, or another allowed URL.
GrowthCat Ads
Do I need a separate advertiser account?
No. GrowthCat Ads uses the same user account. You can switch between Publisher and Advertise workspace modes depending on whether you are selling inventory or buying campaigns.
What is the difference between public, unlisted, and private ad inventory?
Public listings appear in marketplace browse and direct URLs. Unlisted listings are hidden from browse but accessible by direct link or app id. Private listings are not available for advertiser marketplace buying.
What are Manual ad slots and GrowthCat Auto Ads?
Manual ad slots are app-owner-created inventory that advertisers can buy or request through Stripe-funded marketplace campaigns. GrowthCat Auto Ads lets opted-in apps earn from GrowthCat advertiser demand, with GrowthCat handling demand, billing, and allocation.
Which ads limits are included in each plan?
Ads no longer limit active placements, marketplace campaigns, ad creatives, or monthly marketplace events by plan. Plans include monthly self-promotion impressions: Free 1,250, Starter 12,500, Growth 50,000, and Scale 150,000. Manual ad slots and marketplace campaigns are unlimited, and marketplace delivery requires Stripe-funded payment.
What is an ad creative?
An ad creative is the asset and message submitted for a campaign. It can include an image or video, headline, body copy, call-to-action text, and destination URL, deeplink, App Store destination, or no destination depending on the campaign.
How do impression and click packages work?
Impression packages complete when delivered impressions reach the package quantity. Click packages complete when valid clicks reach the package quantity. Click packages still report impressions and CTR, but impressions do not consume click package quantity.
What are the GrowthCat ad fees?
Self-promotion ads have a 0% GrowthCat fee. Manual ad slot sales have a 30% GrowthCat fee and 70% publisher share. GrowthCat Auto Ads have a 40% GrowthCat fee and 60% publisher share. GrowthCat handles billing through Stripe, and paid ads start only after funding is confirmed.
Do ad creatives need approval?
Yes. Images and videos uploaded for ads require GrowthCat review before they can serve through the SDK. Rejected campaigns can be edited and resubmitted.
How does the SDK show ads?
The SDK fetches catalog ads by placement key, serves only eligible approved campaigns and ad creatives, stops self-promotion delivery when the monthly impression cap is exhausted, and batches impressions, clicks, completions, and reward validation events for reporting and anomaly checks.
For Influencers
How are my earnings calculated?
Your earnings depend on the commission terms agreed with the app owner and the attributed subscription revenue tied to your code or campaign.
Why is a conversion pending before payout?
Pending status means the conversion is still in the validation period while refund and cancellation risk settles.
When do I become payout-ready?
After onboarding and verification are completed in the payout flow, and after eligible conversions clear validation.
Do platform fees reduce my visibility into payouts?
No. Campaign terms and payout-related calculations should remain visible so both sides can understand attributed revenue, commission basis, and payout eligibility.
What should I ask an app owner before joining a campaign?
Ask about commission percentage, validation window length, payout timing, minimum payout thresholds, and how disputes or reversals are handled.