Back to Revenue Systems
Section 11 · Affiliate Program Analysis
How To Evaluate Affiliate Programs Like A Pro
Commission rate is just one number. Cookie length, refund rate, and product quality matter more.
Affiliate
Revenue
Profit
Why it works
A 50% commission on a terrible product earns nothing. A 10% commission on a sticky $500/mo SaaS pays for years.
Connects to
Affiliate
Revenue
Profit
When to use it
Before joining any affiliate program or building content around a product.
When NOT to use it
Don't join programs just because the commission looks high — calculate real expected value.
How to use it
- Score each program: commission rate, cookie length, recurring vs one-time, refund rate, product quality, brand reputation.
- Prefer recurring SaaS affiliates with 30%+ commission and lifetime cookies.
- Check Trustpilot, G2, Reddit for honest user reviews.
- Calculate expected revenue per click using past traffic + conversion data.
Examples
Strong program
ConvertKit: 30% recurring lifetime commission, 90-day cookie, sticky product.
Weak program
Generic Amazon links: 1-4% commission, 24-hour cookie, race to the bottom.