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How to choose an affiliate program: five things to check before your application
5 min read · 10 October 2026
In short
A good affiliate program tells you five things before your application: how the commission is counted, how long the cookie window is, when and at what limit the payout goes out, what a refund does to your commission, and what assets and briefs you get. If any of these is unclear before the application, it will be unclear when the money is due.
How is the commission counted?
The first question is what the commission is paid on: a sale (CPA), a lead (CPL) or an ongoing share (RevShare). A one-off commission is easy to understand, but an ongoing share grows with every customer. Check too whether the commission is counted on the amount before or after tax.
How long is the cookie window?
The cookie window says how long after your click a sale still counts as yours. A short window suits impulse buys, a long one considered purchases. In our programs the window is 30–180 days depending on the program, and it is on the program page before your application.
When does the money arrive?
Two numbers: the payment rhythm and the payout threshold. In most of our programs the payout goes out on NET30 terms, and on NET15 terms in closer programs; the payout threshold is usually 50 €. An amount below the payout threshold rolls into the next batch and never disappears.
What does a refund do to the commission?
A sale refunded inside the guarantee window reverses the commission — which is fair when the rules were stated up front. The problem is an unpublished clawback: a deduction you did not know about. A good program states the guarantee window and the clawback rules on the program page.
What assets and briefs do you get?
A good brief says who the product is for, what problem it solves and what you must not promise. Ready assets — images, short videos, copy templates — save hours in the first week. If a program gives you none, you end up doing the brand's work yourself.
What are the most common mistakes?
- Picking the highest commission. A high rate on a product that sells badly earns less than a fair rate on one that sells well. Compare earnings per click, not percentages.
- Not reading the rules. Bidding on the brand name in search ads is banned in many programs, and in all of ours.
- Applying to everything at once. Two well-chosen programs whose products suit your audience beat ten random ones.
Once the program is chosen, tracking links and attribution explain how every sale is counted. You can see the open programs on the programs page.
Questions
Is the highest commission always the best choice?
No. What decides is earnings per click: the rate multiplied by how many clickers buy. A product that sells well at a lower commission often beats one that sells badly at a higher one.
What does the payout threshold mean?
The smallest amount paid out at once. If a month's commissions fall below it, the amount rolls into the next payout and never disappears.
Can I join several programs?
Yes. One account works across all our programs, and the results show in one view.