Referral troubleshooting guide
Referral Bonus Not Showing Up? Why It Hasn't Arrived and What to Do
You used the referral link, signed up and did what the offer asked. Now you're checking your account, and the bonus is nowhere to be seen.
A missing reward does not necessarily mean the referral failed. There are separate stages between using a code and receiving a bonus: the referral needs to be recorded, the requirements need to be met, and the provider needs to issue the reward. Some offers also require you to claim it.
Here's how to work out where things have stalled and what to send support if you need help.
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The short answer
Check that the referral was recorded, confirm every qualifying step, then compare your completion date with the offer's payout window. Look in the rewards area, voucher wallet and email inbox as well as your main balance.
If the referral is missing, a deadline is approaching or the stated payout window has passed, contact the provider through its official support channel. Have your signup date, code or link, offer terms and proof of completed steps ready.
There is no single payout timeframe for all referral programs, and support cannot always apply a missing referral retrospectively.
First, work out what is actually missing
The wording in the app can help you narrow down the problem. Labels vary by provider, so treat these as clues rather than universal definitions.
| What you can see | What to check | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| No referral or invite record | Whether the link or code was attached to signup | Ask support to confirm attribution; don't assume waiting will fix it |
| Referral recorded, requirements incomplete | The exact qualifying actions and deadline | Compare each requirement with your completed activity |
| Pending or processing | Transaction settlement, checks and the payout window | Wait within the stated window, unless a deadline or error needs attention |
| Approved or ready to claim | Whether you need to redeem the reward | Follow the claim instructions in the official app or website |
| Paid or issued, but no cash in your balance | Reward type and destination | Check account credits, points, vouchers, statements and payment details |
| Declined, expired or reversed | The stated reason and relevant offer terms | Request a review if your evidence shows you met the conditions |
Why your referral bonus hasn't arrived
1. The referral wasn't attached to your account
Opening an invite link is not always the same as completing a tracked signup. You may have registered separately, missed the code field or used a different signup route from the one the offer required.
Check your welcome email, referral dashboard or signup confirmation for evidence that the code was accepted. If there is no visible record, support may still be able to check it internally.
For example, Revolut Australia's help page says an invitee may be absent from the referrer's list if they previously held an account or did not sign up using the unique invite link. Those are eligibility or attribution issues, rather than a payout simply taking longer. Source: Revolut Australia
What to do: Keep the original link or code and ask the provider whether it was recorded. If you missed it at signup, read our guide to what to do after forgetting a referral code. Any correction depends on the provider's rules.
2. One of the qualifying steps is still incomplete
Creating an account may only be the first step. Depending on the offer, you might also need to verify your identity, activate a service, make an eligible purchase or keep the account active for a specified period.
Read the wording carefully. A deposit may not count as a purchase. Several transactions may be required, each above a minimum amount. The offer may exclude particular products or transaction types.
What to do: Make a checklist from the terms that applied when you joined. Match each requirement to a confirmation, receipt or transaction record. Ask support about any ambiguous step before spending more to chase the bonus.
3. Your transaction hasn't finished processing
A payment can appear in your activity while still being pending. If the offer requires a completed or settled transaction, that activity may not yet satisfy the condition.
Returns, cancellations or refunds may also affect eligibility where the terms exclude them.
What to do: Check the transaction status, not just the date you made it. If a qualifying deadline is close, ask the provider whether the transaction must be initiated or settled by that deadline.
4. You're counting the waiting period from the wrong date
The payout clock may start when you finish the final qualifying step, when a transaction settles or when a service activates. It may not start on signup day.
Example only: An offer says the reward arrives within 14 days of your first eligible purchase settling. You sign up on 1 September and the purchase settles on 8 September. Your signup date isn't the starting point for that waiting period.
What to do: Identify the event that starts the clock. Check whether the terms use calendar days or business days, then save the expected payout date. Contact support if the full window has passed.
5. The offer or account isn't eligible
Check whether the promotion was limited to new customers, a particular country, selected plans or people who received a specific invitation. Previous accounts, promotion combinations, campaign caps and missed deadlines can matter if the terms include those restrictions.
A code being accepted does not by itself prove that every condition has been met.
What to do: Compare the offer you saw with the terms for your account and signup date. If the provider says you are ineligible, ask which condition was not met. Our guides to existing customers and referral codes and referral code expiry explain these common sticking points.
6. The reward goes to the other person—or arrives in another form
Some offers reward the person sharing the link, some reward the new customer, and some reward both differently. An advertised referral amount may describe the referrer's benefit rather than yours.
Your benefit could also be a discount, account credit, points or a voucher instead of withdrawable cash.
What to do: Check who receives each benefit and where it appears. Look in the referral section, rewards wallet, billing history and email inbox, including junk mail. If you are the referrer, ask your friend to confirm their own progress without sharing private account details.
7. You still need to claim the reward
Being eligible and being paid can be separate stages. Some programs ask you to redeem a reward or nominate a destination account.
For example, Wise says its invite reward can take up to five calendar days after the last required invite qualifies to become ready to claim. It then sends claim instructions by email; fee-credit rewards are added automatically instead. That is a Wise-specific example, not a general waiting period. Source: Wise Help Centre
What to do: Look for a claim button, redemption instructions and any claim deadline. Check payment details carefully before submitting them, and access your account through the official app or website.
What to do now: a five-step checklist
- Save the offer. Keep the reward amount, terms, campaign dates and referral link or code. Use the version you relied on when signing up where available; today's offer may differ.
- Build a short timeline. Note your signup date, verification date, qualifying actions, settlement dates and expected payout date.
- Check the reward destination. Review the referral dashboard, rewards wallet, account statement and email inbox. Confirm whether the benefit belongs to you or the referrer.
- Contact the provider when needed. Raise missing tracking or unclear requirements promptly, especially before a deadline. For a recorded referral with all steps complete, follow up when the stated payout window ends.
- Keep the case reference. Save the reply and any promised next step. Follow up in the same thread if the promised response or payment date passes.
Avoid creating a second account or repeating purchases just to try to trigger the reward. That may add costs or conflict with the offer's eligibility rules without fixing the original problem.
A message you can send to support
Copy this template and replace the brackets with your details:
Subject: Missing referral reward — eligibility and payout check
Hi, I signed up / referred a friend through [referral link or code] on [date] for [offer name and reward].
The offer required [qualifying steps]. I completed these on [dates], and the relevant transactions show as [status]. The stated payout timeframe is [timeframe and starting event].
My referral/reward currently shows [status, or no visible record]. I've checked [rewards area, balance, email or other relevant location].
Could you confirm whether the referral was recorded, whether any requirement remains outstanding, and when I should expect the reward? If it was declined, please identify the relevant condition and review the attached evidence.
I've attached [offer screenshot, confirmation and relevant transaction references]. Thank you.
Send this through the provider's official support channel. Include relevant evidence, but redact unrelated transactions and never send passwords, PINs or one-time login codes.
What if support says you don't qualify?
Ask for a specific explanation rather than a general statement that the conditions were not met. Check that explanation against your saved terms and timeline.
If something appears wrong, reply with the evidence that addresses it. For example, show the transaction settlement date if support says your payment was incomplete, or the signup confirmation if the dispute concerns when you joined.
If the issue remains unresolved, ask for the provider's formal complaints process and a written outcome. A review may help correct an error, but it does not guarantee payment where the offer's requirements were not met.
The provider is the right place to investigate account tracking, eligibility and payout. If a ReferralMate listing appears outdated, let us know which offer and detail need checking as well.
Frequently asked questions
Give support a clear trail to follow
Start with the referral record, work through the qualifying steps and check the payout or claim instructions. If the reward is overdue, a short timeline and the right evidence give support a concrete issue to investigate.
For a closer look at the stages involved, read how referral bonuses work.
Provider help pages checked on 19 September 2026. Examples illustrate specific processes; the offer terms attached to your account determine eligibility and timing.