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Referral rewards

Queue position

Queue position is the number that shows a waitlist signup's place in line, such as #312 of 4,800. On a referral waitlist it can improve when the signup refers others, which makes the position the main reason people share their referral link.

Updated October 22, 2026

How a queue position is assigned

There are two common models.

First come, first served. Your number is the order you joined in. The first person is #1, the thousandth is #1,000, and nothing changes it. It is simple and fair, but it gives nobody a reason to do anything after signing up.

Ranked by points. Each signup starts with a base score, and actions add to it: mostly successful referrals, sometimes things like following the product on social media. The line is sorted by score, and people with the same score are ordered by who joined first. Your position is your rank in that sorted list, so it changes as you and everyone around you earn points. This is the model behind queue jumping, and it is what most referral waitlists use.

Where to show it

  • Right after signup. The thank-you screen is when people are most interested. Show the number next to their referral link.
  • On a page they can come back to. A personal status page they can open from any email, showing where they stand today.
  • In your emails. "You're #42 in line" in an update gives people a reason to open it and share again.

Showing movement matters as much as the number. "You moved up 19 places since your last visit" and "one more referral moves you to about #9" make the position something people can act on. A referral leaderboard adds the view from the top.

Keeping the number honest

A queue position is a small promise, so keep it.

  • Make it real. If referrals are supposed to move people up, the position should move the moment a referral counts.
  • Keep spam out of the line. Fake signups that take a place push real people down. They should have no position until someone approves them.
  • Invite in roughly the order you show. If #20 gets in after #2,000 with no explanation, people stop trusting the number.
  • Be careful with very large numbers. "#18,412" can feel hopeless. Pair it with how far one referral moves them, so the next step looks reachable.

In LaunchList

Queue position in LaunchList

LaunchList ranks your waitlist by points, with ties broken by who joined first. You choose what a referral is worth, and from the Collect plan you can give points for bonus tasks such as following you on X or joining your Discord. Positions are worked out live from the ranking rather than stored, so they are always current, even during a burst of signups.

Each signup's status page shows their place in line (for example, number 12 of 12,847), how far they have moved since their last visit, and how far one more referral would take them. A signup held for review has no place in line until you approve it, and then joins at the time they originally signed up. When you are ready to let people in, early access invites can pick the next people for you: subscribed people still waiting, those with the most referrals first, then in the order they signed up.

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FAQ

Questions about queue position

Do people actually care about their queue position?
Many do, especially when they can change it. A fixed number is mildly interesting. A number that improves when a friend joins gives people a reason to act, so the motivation comes from being able to move, not from the number itself.
Should I show a queue position or just a confirmation?
If referrals are part of your plan, show the position, because it is what makes sharing worthwhile. If nothing can move it and you will let people in all at once, a plain confirmation is more honest than a line that doesn't mean anything.
How is a waitlist position calculated?
Either first come, first served, where your number is simply the order you joined in, or ranked by points, where referrals and other actions earn points and the line is sorted by them. In the points model, ties are usually broken by who joined first.
Does my queue position decide when I get in?
Only if the company uses it that way. Many founders invite people in line order, but some also pick by referral count, by answers to a signup question, or by hand. A position is a promise worth keeping, so if you show one, invite roughly in that order.

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