CPA vs revenue share: break-even calculator
Take $800 once, or 40% for as long as the trader lasts? The answer is a division, and this works it out from the terms 28 programs on this site actually publish.
Revenue share overtakes the CPA after25.0 months
- CPA pays
- $800 once, up front
- Revenue share pays
- $384 over 12 months, at $32/mo
Commission terms change without notice and most are quoted as maximums; confirm anything here with the program before you act on it.
How to use it
Pick a program to load its published terms, or enter your own. Then change the three assumptions underneath: how much the trader trades, what the broker earns from that, and how long they last. The break-even figure is the number of months a referred trader has to keep trading before revenue share has paid you more than the CPA would have.
Below the break-even point, take the CPA. Above it, take the revenue share. The further past it your traders typically last, the more the gap compounds, which is why the answer changes completely depending on whether you send deposit-and-stop traders or people who stay.
Where the numbers come from
CPA and revenue share are read from each program's own published terms, the same figures shown on its listing. 28 of the programs we list publish both, which is why the others are not in the picker.
Lots per month and how long the trader stays are yours. They depend entirely on your traffic. If you have any history, use your own numbers rather than the defaults here, which are round starting points and nothing more.
Broker revenue per lot is the one that decides the answer and the one nobody publishes. It combines the spread mark-up with any commission, so it varies by broker, by account type and by instrument. Affiliate managers will usually tell you if you ask, and it is worth asking: halve this figure and the break-even point doubles.
Two worked examples
The high CPA. Axes Affiliates publishes $1,200 CPA and 50% revenue share. On a trader doing 10 lots a month with the broker earning $8 a lot, revenue share brings in $40 a month, so the CPA is ahead for 30 months. Almost no retail trader lasts that long, so for most traffic the CPA is the better side of that particular deal.
The high share. AMarkets publishes $500 CPA and up to 60% revenue share. The same trader generates $48 a month, and the CPA is overtaken after about 10 months. If your traders are serious enough to still be trading a year later, the revenue share wins comfortably, and keeps paying after that.
The two programs are not far apart on paper. The decision between them is entirely a question about your traffic, which is the argument for running your own figures rather than taking the biggest headline number.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CPA in affiliate marketing?
Cost per acquisition: a single fixed payment when a referred trader meets the programme's qualifying conditions, usually a minimum deposit and a minimum number of trades. It is paid once and does not depend on what the trader does afterwards.
What is revenue share?
An ongoing percentage of the revenue the broker earns from your referred trader, meaning spread mark-up and commission, for as long as that trader keeps trading. Some programmes pay a fixed rebate per lot instead of a percentage, which works the same way but is easier to calculate.
How is the break-even point calculated?
Divide the CPA by your monthly revenue share income. With a $800 CPA and $32 a month of revenue share, break-even is $800 ÷ $32 = 25 months. Before that point the CPA has paid more; after it, revenue share is ahead and keeps growing.
How much does a broker earn per lot?
It varies by broker, account type and instrument, and it is the one figure partners cannot usually look up. A common range on major currency pairs is roughly $6 to $12 per standard lot once spread mark-up and commission are combined. Ask your affiliate manager for the actual figure. Most will tell you, and it changes the answer more than any other input.
Which is better, CPA or revenue share?
Neither, in general. CPA is better with traders who deposit and stop, and it pays immediately, which matters if you are funding ad spend. Revenue share is better with traders who last, and it compounds as your referred base grows. The calculator exists because the answer depends entirely on the numbers you put into it.
What is a hybrid deal?
A smaller CPA combined with a reduced revenue share. It lowers the break-even point on the CPA side while keeping some ongoing income, which suits partners who need cash flow but expect their traders to last. 30 of the programmes listed on this site offer one.
Why do so few programmes appear in the picker?
Because both halves of the comparison have to be real. 28 of the 53 programmes we list publish a CPA and a revenue share figure. The rest publish one or the other, or quote terms as negotiable, and we would rather leave them out than fill the gap with a number nobody offered.
Are these figures guaranteed?
No. Commission terms are as published by each programme and change without notice, most are quoted as an 'up to' figure that depends on volume or region, and the calculator's assumptions are yours to set. Confirm the terms with the programme before making a decision on them.