CPA, CPL, CPC, CPM and RevShare: differences and calculation examples
Affiliate marketing payment models explained: events, formulas, CPA, CPC, CPM and RevShare examples, platform fees and result approval.
What earns a payment in affiliate marketing
The payment model determines which result qualifies for a reward. It does not replace the offer terms: countries, permitted traffic sources, approval rules and restrictions must be agreed separately. The publisher earns revenue for a qualifying event, while the advertiser pays for audience acquisition under the specified model.
CPA and CPL: payment for a target action
CPA is a fixed payment for a selected action. In iGaming, that action may be an FTD: the first deposit made by a referred user. If the CPA rate is $10, this is the publisher's reward for an approved event, not the amount of the player's deposit. Five qualifying events would produce a calculated reward of $50 before any reversals.
CPL is payment for a lead. In AffiliateCore's current implementation, CPL uses the registration event reg. The registration must be linked to a tracked click and pass the applicable checks. Sending a message through the platform's own contact form does not automatically count as such a conversion.
CPC and CPM: clicks and impressions
CPC is calculated for each qualifying tracked click. At a rate of $0.15 and 200 payable clicks, the reward would be $30. The total number of requests to a link may differ from the payable count because of repeats and quality checks.
CPM is the cost per 1,000 impressions. Formula: number of payable impressions × CPM rate / 1,000. For example, 12,500 impressions at a CPM of $2 yield $25. A link click is not an impression: impressions require a separate tracking mechanism. Recording an ad load also does not mean that its viewability has been independently verified.
RevShare and Hybrid
RevShare is a share of the amount defined as the calculation base. With a base of $200 and a rate of 20%, the result is $40. Define in advance what the base includes: a deposit, reported revenue or another agreed metric. The total amount of deposits must not be substituted for net revenue.
Hybrid combines a fixed CPA component with a percentage-based component. The offer terms specify the events for each component. A repeat deposit does not become another first deposit simply because the advertiser sends a new request.
Platform fees and the final payout
In AffiliateCore, a platform markup is added to the publisher's reward. With a $10 reward and a 20% markup, the advertiser's cost is $12. These figures are an example, not a promise of current pricing. The administrator manages the markup; check the specific offer's terms before launching.
A reported result may be awaiting approval and the end of the hold period. The calculated reward, available balance and amount already paid out are therefore different metrics. Read more: hold periods and available balance.
How to choose a model
Match the event to the campaign objective and the available data. If the advertiser can reliably report approved actions, CPA or CPL may be worth considering. For CPC and CPM, agree on click and impression quality criteria in advance. For RevShare, the definition of revenue and the reconciliation procedure are particularly important.
The next step is to create an advertiser account or learn about conversion tracking.