Frequently asked questions
What does Northstar actually do?
Two things. First, it generates a small script for your page — clean structured data (schema.org) plus an llms.txt signal — that gives AI answer engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) every reason to carry YOUR affiliate link when they cite your content, instead of defaulting to the brand's homepage. Second, and this is the part that's fully in our control, it routes and tracks your links so every click and sale is recorded automatically, in one dashboard.
Can you guarantee the AI will keep my link?
We can't guarantee what a third-party AI engine does — those are run by other companies, and anyone who promises otherwise is selling smoke. But here's what we CAN guarantee: if the AI references your page and decides to attach a link from it, it will be YOUR link. That's the whole point of the script — when an engine pulls a product link out of your content, the link sitting there is your tracked affiliate link, not a bare brand URL. The catch most people miss: even if your program has S2S, the AI can quote you and hand the buyer a plain brand link with no trace of you on it — so the S2S postback fires for the brand, not you. S2S alone doesn't fix that — Northstar's broker does, when our script is embedded in your site's backend: every link routes through us with YOUR tracking ID baked in, so the click that happens credits your account. With an S2S-enabled program plus our script and broker, that attribution is locked — no cookie to block, no AI update to break it. On the AI side, clean structured data plus llms.txt also makes your page faster, easier and cleaner for an AI agent to read — which is exactly why engines favor machine-readable sources — giving you the best shot at being read, referenced and carried correctly. The AI exposure is the upside; the S2S-plus-broker attribution is the guarantee.
If my program already supports S2S, why do I need Northstar?
Because S2S only credits you if the link the buyer clicks already carries your tracking ID — and in AI answers, it often doesn't. The AI strips or swaps it, the buyer clicks a clean brand link, and the postback credits someone else. Northstar's broker guarantees the link in play always carries YOUR ID, so your S2S postback lands where it should: your account. S2S is the rail; our broker makes sure your train is the one on it.
What if my affiliate program doesn't support S2S — is Northstar still worth it?
Honest answer: it helps, but you don't get the full guarantee. Without S2S, Northstar still keeps your link in front of the AI (machine-readable structured data + llms.txt) and still routes every click with your tracking ID intact, so you see your traffic and your network gets the right tag. What you miss is the server-level sale confirmation — the locked, can't-be-stripped attribution — because that depends on the S2S postback existing on your side. If your sales matter, the best move is to check whether your program can enable S2S (many can). Tell us your program and we'll look into it with you. We'd rather be straight than oversell.
My dashboard shows clicks but my Sales count is zero — did I not earn anything?
Not necessarily — you may have earned the commission and just not see it here. Here's why: our dashboard counts EVERY click, whether your link is S2S or cookie-based. But the Sales number only fills in from S2S postbacks — a server-to-server confirmation the network sends us when a sale closes. If your link is cookie-based, the sale is tracked by your network's own cookie, not by us, so we never receive that confirmation and can't display it as a sale on our board. In that case Northstar acted as insurance: our script kept your link alive in the AI answer and you may well have won the commission — it just lands in your network account, not on our dashboard. Bottom line: clicks are always counted; confirmed Sales on our dashboard require S2S.
What is S2S tracking, and does my program have it?
S2S (server-to-server) tracking means the affiliate network confirms a sale by pinging a server directly — not through a browser cookie that ad-blockers or AI tools can strip. It's the most reliable attribution there is. Most major networks support it: Impact, PartnerStack, ShareASale, CJ and more. If your program supports S2S and you route through Northstar, your tracking is bulletproof. Not sure if yours has S2S? Check our setup guide or just ask us — we'll tell you straight.
What's a token?
One token generates one optimized script for one page. Buy a pack (25 or 100 tokens) or subscribe for 200 every month. Subscribers can also top up with 100 extra tokens for $11 whenever they need to push through a bigger batch.
Do you charge per click?
No. You pay for tokens (script generations). Clicks and conversion tracking are included — there's no per-click fee.
Does the script use AI? Will it cost me extra?
No. The script is built by templating — there's no AI running per request and no hidden per-use cost. A token is simply the unit you spend to generate one.
What's the difference between the one-time packs and the subscription?
One-time packs ($8.99/25 tokens, $28.99/100 tokens) give you scripts plus a simple dashboard showing your total clicks and sales. The subscription ($19.79/mo, 200 tokens/month) adds per-script tracking (see exactly which page earns), a fully customizable dashboard, your own domain on your tracking links, and the ability to top up 100 extra tokens for $11 anytime you need to push through a bigger batch.
Can I put my own domain on my links?
Yes — that's a subscription feature. Instead of our shared redirect, your links can run on go.yourbrand.com, keeping everything on your brand.
Is there really a 3-month minimum on the subscription?
Yes. The subscription has a 3-month minimum commitment. It keeps the price low and the tool sustainable. You can cancel any time after the third month. The full terms are in our Terms of Service.
Do unused subscription tokens roll over?
No. Each month your balance resets to 200. Tokens don't stack month to month — you get a fresh 200 every cycle.
How do I pay?
PayPal, e-check (direct bank transfer — lowest fee), or Apple Pay. Prices are in USD; sales tax is added at checkout where required.
Is my data private?
Yes. Every account's data is strictly isolated at the database level — no customer can ever see another's clicks, sales, or scripts. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Still have a question? Email us.