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Featured Partner vs the free race
Direct answer
There are two separate doors. The race is free: get a link, send it, and climb when friends tap Get my link. Featured Partner is a labeled, paid 7-day homepage slot for $29. Paying does not make you #1 and does not count as a friend.
How does the free race work?
Anyone can join without an account or email. You paste your website, send your link, and move up the Site Drop ladder as unique friends tap Get my link. This week's #1 who is not the operator, with 3 friends, can claim the 7-day banner. It costs nothing and there is no cash prize.
What is Featured Partner?
Featured Partner is a paid, clearly labeled 7-day homepage slot, bought at /go/sponsor/. It sits beside the race. It is not a Site Drop, it is not the contest banner, and it does not change anyone's rank. Labeling it keeps visitors from confusing a paid spot with a prize someone earned.
How do they compare side by side?
| Free race | Featured Partner | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $29 for 7 days |
| How you get it | Unique friends tap Get my link | Purchase |
| Label | Site Drop or contest banner | Labeled as Featured Partner |
| Affects rank | Yes | No |
| Timing | Depends on your week | 7 days |
Which one should you pick?
- Pick the race if you have a few people you can honestly ask, and you want to earn the spot.
- Pick Featured Partner if you want a predictable 7-day placement and do not want to race.
- You can do both. They do not interact.
If you have a site or list and want to send people to ViralRefer, there is a third door: the promoter /a/ link. See promoter vs racer.
What will ViralRefer not promise?
We do not promise a number of visitors or clicks from either option. Homepage visibility is what you get. Judge it by your own analytics, for example with tagged links from the UTM builder.
What do people get wrong about Featured Partner?
- "Paying gets me a head start in the race." It does not. Rank only counts unique friends who tap Get my link.
- "Featured Partner is the same as the banner." It is a separate, labeled slot. The contest banner is earned.
- "The race is a trial for the paid slot." The race is a complete product on its own and stays free.
If you are unsure whether you qualify for the free banner this week, the banner eligibility checker answers that before you consider paying for anything.
A simple way to decide: if you can name three people who would honestly tap your link this week, try the race first. It costs nothing, and the worst case is a week of Site Drops for your site. If you cannot, or you need a fixed date for a launch, the labeled paid slot is the predictable option. Either way, measure the result with your own analytics rather than trusting anyone's promises, including ours.
FAQ
If I pay $29, do I win the contest?
No. Paying is not a credit and does not affect rank or the contest banner.
Is there cash either way?
No. The race has no cash prize, and Featured Partner is an ad slot you buy, not a payout.
Can the operator buy their way to #1?
No. The operator cannot claim contest prizes at all.
Is Featured Partner labeled?
Yes. It is shown as Featured Partner so visitors can tell it apart from earned spots.
Related guides and tools
Get my referral link How to claim the 7-day homepage bannerOfficial rules · Open worldwide, 18+. No purchase necessary. No cash prize.