The payout model decides how — and when — you get paid. Picking the wrong one for your traffic is one of the most expensive beginner mistakes.
You get a fixed payout each time your traffic completes a defined action (a sale, deposit, signup or install). Predictable and easy to optimise: you know your payout, so you just need your cost-per-action to come in under it. Best when you want fast, clear feedback on whether a campaign is profitable.
You earn a percentage of the revenue a user generates, often for their entire lifetime. Lower upfront, but a single high-value user (think iGaming or finance) can pay out for months. Best when your traffic sends quality users and you can afford to wait for the payback.
A smaller CPA upfront plus ongoing RevShare. You get cash to cover ad spend now and long-term upside later. The maths changes in your favour when you trust the offer and the traffic.
| Model | Payout timing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| CPA | Upfront, fixed | Fast testing, tight cash flow |
| RevShare | Over time, % | High-LTV verticals |
| Hybrid | Upfront + over time | Trusted offers at scale |
Short on cash or testing a new source? Start CPA. Sending quality users to a high-LTV offer? RevShare or Hybrid will usually out-earn CPA over time. Many operators test on CPA, then move to Hybrid once they trust the numbers.
