Partner tiering is grouping partners into levels, commonly something like silver, gold and platinum, where each level carries a different commission rate, a different set of benefits, and a threshold a partner has to meet to hold it.
Also called: partner tiers, tier ladder, partner levels.
A tier is a contract stated once instead of negotiated per partner. It tells a partner what they get now, what the next rung is worth, and what they have to do to reach it. Without one, every conversation about rates starts from zero and the partners who negotiate hardest end up best paid, which is rarely the same set as the partners who sell most.
Thresholds are usually revenue, sometimes certified headcount or a number of closed deals. The choice matters: a revenue-only ladder rewards partners who happened to land one large account, and a certification threshold rewards partners who invested in learning the product.
Commission rate first, because that is what partners optimise against. Then the things that cost you little and matter to them: earlier access to leads, a named contact, market development funds, co-marketing, listing position in your partner directory.
Three or four tiers is usually enough. More than that and the differences between adjacent rungs get too small to change anybody's behaviour, which is the only reason to have tiers at all.
On a defined cadence, and automatically. Manual re-tiering does not happen: promotions get done because the partner asks, demotions never get done because nobody wants the conversation, and the ladder stops describing reality within a year.
Demotion needs a rule written down in advance, including a grace period. A partner dropped a rung without warning treats it as a rate cut, and it is the fastest way to lose a partner who was merely having a slow year.
How Airstride does it
Airstride recomputes a partner's tier when a deal is won and re-evaluates the whole roster on a schedule, so promotions and demotions both happen without anyone running an export.
Partner tieringLast updated 28 July 2026
