Referral Program — Free Extra Calculations
Share Steel Calculator with a colleague and you both get +5 calculations per day. No limit on how many colleagues you can refer.
How It Works
- Create a free account — Register at steelcalculator.app/auth/register/
- Get your referral link — Your unique referral code appears in your profile settings
- Share with a colleague — Send them your referral link
- They register — Your colleague creates a free account using your link
- You both get +5/day — Once they complete their first calculation, both accounts receive the bonus
Referral Bonus Details
| Feature | Standard Free Tier | After Referral Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Calculations/day | 20 | 25 per referred colleague |
| Calculations/hour | 10 | 10 (unchanged) |
| Saved calculations | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Schema/exports | Result viewing only | Result viewing only |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Bonuses stack. Refer 5 colleagues and get 20 + 25 = 45 calculations per day — still completely free.
Your Referral Code
Find your code in Profile Settings after registering. Your unique referral link looks like:
https://steelcalculator.app/auth/register/?ref=YOUR_CODE
What Referral Bonuses Unlock
The extra +5 calculations per referral add up quickly. Here is what different referral counts mean in practice:
| Referrals | Daily Limit | Workflow Example |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 20 | Evaluate 4 beam designs (5 calcs each) |
| 2 | 30 | 4 beams + 2 connection checks |
| 5 | 45 | Full day of iteration: beams, columns, connections, base plates |
| 10 | 70 | Heavy design day with multiple load combinations + verification |
For a structural engineer reviewing 3-4 connection designs per day, 20 calculations covers preliminary sizing. With 45+ calculations (5 referrals), you can run full designs with multiple load combinations, section iterations, and verification checks -- all within the free tier.
How Referrals Benefit Your Team
When structural engineers on the same team refer each other, everyone wins. A team of 5 who each refer 4 colleagues gets 45 calculations/day per person -- enough for full design workflows without hitting limits. This is especially useful during:
- Project kickoffs: Multiple beam, column, and connection checks in parallel
- Peer review: Running independent verification calculations alongside a colleague
- Design iteration: Testing alternate sections and load paths without stopping
- Learning and training: Junior engineers running practice calculations alongside senior reviews
Referral Program vs Enterprise Plans
The referral program is designed for individual engineers and small teams who want more capacity without upgrading. For larger firms (10+ engineers), Enterprise plans offer consolidated billing, admin management, priority support, and higher per-user limits without requiring each engineer to earn referrals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleagues can I refer? As many as you want. Each colleague who registers through your link and completes their first calculation adds +5 to your daily limit. There is no cap on total referrals.
Does my colleague also get the bonus? Yes. The referral program benefits both sides. When your colleague registers through your link, both accounts get +5 calculations per day. Your colleague starts with 25/day instead of 20/day.
How long does the bonus last? The bonus is permanent as long as your referred colleague remains active. If their account is inactive for more than 90 days, the bonus may be reviewed, but standard usage keeps the bonus active indefinitely.
Can I refer someone at the same company? Absolutely. In-firm referrals are encouraged -- structural engineers working together benefit from shared access to calculation tools across AISC 360, AS 4100, EN 1993, and CSA S16 standards.
Does the bonus reset daily? Each day at midnight UTC, your calculation limit resets to 20 + (5 x active referrals). Unused calculations do not roll over. The referral bonus applies to the daily limit, not the hourly limit (which stays at 10/hour regardless of referrals).
Is there an enterprise plan for teams? Yes. See the Enterprise page for team and firm-wide plans with consolidated billing, admin controls, and higher calculation limits.