Referrals
Invite a friend to zeitkapsl and you both get free extra storage. It's our way of saying thank you for helping a privacy-friendly, European photo service grow by word of mouth instead of ad tracking.
The short version
- You share your personal referral code (or link) with a friend.
- Your friend enters it when they create their account.
- Once you are both on a paid plan, you each receive bonus storage.
That's it. The bonus is added straight to your storage quota and stays yours.
How much storage?
Each successful referral currently gives 5 GB to you and 5 GB to your friend. The exact current amount is always shown on your Account Settings.
Where to find your code
Open your Account Settings and go to the Referrals section. There you'll find:
- Your referral code: a short, easy-to-share code.
- Your share link: sends your friend to the sign-up page with the code already filled in.
- Bonus storage earned: the total you've received from referrals so far.
- Redeemed by: the friends who've used your code and the status of each.
How your friend uses it
Your friend enters your code while creating their account, either by opening your share link (the code is pre-filled) or by typing it into the Referral code field on the sign-up page.
Enter it at sign-up
The referral code can only be added while creating a new account. It can't be applied to an account that already exists, and it can't be added later. Make sure your friend enters it before they finish signing up.
When the bonus is granted
The bonus is unlocked only once both of you are paying subscribers, a free trial isn't enough on its own.
The order doesn't matter. Whoever subscribes last unlocks the bonus for both of you:
- If your friend subscribes first while you're still on a trial, the referral simply waits. As soon as you subscribe too, you both get the bonus.
- If you subscribe first and your friend is still trialing, it waits for them.
Until both of you are paying, the referral shows as Pending on your Referrals page. No storage is lost, it's just waiting.
The bonus is yours to keep
Once granted, your bonus storage is permanent. You keep it even if your friend later cancels or deletes their account and they keep theirs even if you leave. A genuine referral is rewarded once and stays with you.
You can refer as many friends as you like. Every successful referral adds another bonus, and they stack.
Fair use
Referral bonuses are meant to reward real recommendations to real people. We reserve the right to revoke bonuses that were clearly obtained through abuse. For example, creating batches of accounts just to farm the reward, or signing up and cancelling again shortly afterwards to game the system. If you're inviting real friends, this never affects you.
Privacy
Referrals are designed to reveal as little as possible, in keeping with the rest of zeitkapsl:
- On your Referrals page you see a friend's first name only, never their email address or full name. Your friend likewise only sees your first name as the person who referred them.
- If either of you deletes your account, the record is anonymized: the name is replaced with "Former member" and no personal details are kept. The bonus for the remaining person stays untouched.
- Your referral code is not secret or sensitive, it's fine to post it publicly or share it however you like.
If you were the one referred
If you signed up with a friend's code, your Referrals page will also tell you why you received your bonus. For example, "You received 5 GB extra storage because Anna referred you." If your friend later deletes their account, the note remains but their name is removed.
FAQ
Do we both get the bonus, or just one of us?
Both. Each of you receives the full bonus (currently 5 GB each).
Does it matter who subscribes first?
No. The bonus is granted as soon as both of you are on a paid plan, no matter the order.
What if only one of us subscribes?
Then no bonus is granted yet. It stays Pending and is unlocked the moment the second person also subscribes.
Can I add a referral code to my existing account?
No. A referral code can only be entered while creating a new account. It can't be applied afterwards.
Is there a limit to how many friends I can refer?
No. Refer as many people as you like. Each successful referral adds another bonus, and they add up.
What happens to my bonus if my friend cancels or deletes their account?
You keep it. Once a referral has been rewarded, the storage is permanently yours.
Can my bonus ever be taken away?
For genuine referrals, no. We only revoke bonuses that were clearly gained through abuse, such as batches of fake accounts created to farm the reward. A real friend simply cancelling later doesn't affect your bonus.
Does the bonus expire?
No. It's a permanent addition to your storage.
Is my bonus storage as private as the rest of my data?
Yes. The bonus only raises your storage limit. Everything you upload remains end-to-end encrypted, exactly as before.
What personal information does my friend see about me, or I about them?
Only a first name, and only to identify the referral. No email addresses or full names are shown, and everything is anonymized if an account is deleted.
Can I share my referral code publicly?
Yes. It contains no personal or sensitive information, so share it wherever you like.
Still have a question? Reach out to our support team. We're happy to help.