Cash Payouts

The Cash Payouts feature lets you send cash rewards directly to your ReferralHero subscribers’ bank accounts. ReferralHero handles the entire payout process—collecting funds, sending payouts straight to their bank accounts, and supporting year-end 1099 tax reporting for eligible recipients in the United States.

Additional reward payout & processing fees apply. See full details here.

Set Up Cash Payouts

1. Go to Integrations > Cash Payouts

2. Click Enable Cash Payouts

1. Select who should pay the processing fee from the Who Should Pay the Processing Fee? dropdown

Once enabled, your existing billing payment method will automatically be used as the funding source for cash payouts.

Enable Cash Payouts in a Reward

1. Go to the reward you want to pay via this feature

2. In Reward Overview, enable Cash Payouts

1. Enter the Reward Value

2. Click "Save" to confirm your reward settings

Once enabled, the reward will automatically use the selected funding method when processing payouts.

NOTE: Enabling this option also creates a new Connect Bank Account email and SMS automation.

Subscriber Bank Connection Workflow

1. When the reward is unlocked, ReferralHero checks whether the subscriber has a bank account connected:

   1. If the bank account is not connected:

      1. A Connect Bank Account email/SMS automation is triggered

      2. The message includes an onboarding link for connecting their bank account

      3. This automation is sent every time a reward is unlocked until the subscriber connects their bank

      4. The subscriber can trigger the Connect Bank Account automation manually from their ReferralHero Advocate Dashbaord in the My Rewards section

         
      5. An admin can trigger the Connect Bank Account automation manually from the subscriber profile in the Rewards Unlocked section

         
   2. Once the bank account is connected:

      1. The Connect Bank Account automation stops

      2. Normal reward emails and SMS messages resume

2. When a reward is paid, ReferralHero will automatically deposit the payout amount into the subscriber's connected bank account

3. ReferralHero stores a Bank Connected field in the subscriber profile.

Connect Bank Account Automation

You can edit the Connect Bank Account email and SMS by going to Automations > Reward Emails/SMS messages.

1. The automation is sent as soon as the reward is unlocked, regardless of reward delivery settings (e.g., immediately or pending)

2. The %reward_value% merge tag in this automation shows the sum of all unlocked & unpaid rewards

3. The %connect_bank_link% merge tag generates a secure, subscriber-specific link that takes them directly to the bank account connection flow. Include it in your email body, SMS message, or set it as the button URL — without it, subscribers won't be able to connect their bank account and receive their cash payout.

Widget Settings

The Cash Payouts feature is fully integrated into the My Rewards section of the widget, allowing subscribers to self-trigger the Connect Bank Account automation.

Dashboard Widget Builder

1. The default text of the Connect Bank Account Message that appears below the list of unlocked rewards on the live widget can be customized

Live Widget

1. A Connect Bank button appears below the Connect Bank Account message

2. When clicked, the subscriber receives the Connect Bank Account email and SMS automation

3. The message and button remain visible until the subscriber connects their bank account