One of the first real decisions affiliates face: CPA (fixed payout per action) or revenue share (ongoing percentage of what the customer spends)? Each has a very different risk/reward profile.
CPA – You get paid once, upfront, regardless of what happens after. Predictable, easier to calculate ROI on paid traffic, but you miss out if that customer turns out to be hugely valuable long-term.
Revenue Share – Lower (or no) upfront payout, but ongoing income as long as the customer stays active/spends. Can massively outperform CPA over time with high-retention products, but it's a bet on the merchant's retention, not just the signup.
A rough rule of thumb: if you're driving a lot of traffic and want predictable, fast payouts, CPA is simpler. If you trust the product/merchant and can afford to wait, revenue share can compound into much bigger numbers.
Which model has actually paid off better for you in practice?
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