Cut through the jargon and find out which payout model puts more cash in your pocket
Everyone’s got a favorite payout model in affiliate marketing, and some people will argue theirs is the only way to win.
But here’s the truth: RevShare and CPA aren’t rivals — they’re tools. And the one you pick can mean the difference between slow, steady growth and a launch that lights up your sales dashboard like a Christmas tree.
What Is RevShare?
RevShare means affiliates earn a percentage of each sale they generate.
If the product has recurring billing (software subscriptions, memberships), you keep earning monthly for as long as customers stick around.
Why Affiliates Love It:
- Long-term earning potential with recurring products
- Higher payouts per sale compared to most CPA offers
- Easy to calculate and track commissions
Why Vendors Love It:
- They only pay when sales happen
- Encourages affiliates to focus on quality traffic that converts
- Natural alignment between affiliate and vendor goals
What Is CPA?
CPA pays a fixed amount when customers take specific actions — making a purchase, starting a free trial, or filling out a lead form.
The key difference: Your payout is fixed, regardless of sale price or customer lifetime value.
Why Affiliates Love It:
- Fast, predictable payouts — you know exactly what you’ll earn
- No refund headaches — vendors absorb refunds, not you
- Perfect for high-volume traffic or paid ads
Why Vendors Love It:
- Simple, predictable cost structure
- Can scale quickly with the right partners
- Strategic front-end investment opportunities
Small but engaged audience? RevShare means bigger profits over time. Running ads or driving massive cold traffic? CPA gives faster ROI with less risk.
Know your funnel numbers? Use CPA strategically. Offer above-average front-end payouts to dominate affiliate attention, then profit from strong backend offers.
The Decision Matrix: Which Should You Choose?
| If You Want… | Choose… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term passive income | RevShare | Recurring commissions keep paying for months or years |
| Quick, predictable payouts | CPA | You know your exact earnings per action |
| Higher profit potential | RevShare | Big-ticket sale = big-ticket commission |
| Lower refund risk | CPA | You get paid on action, not long-term satisfaction |
| High-volume cold traffic success | CPA | Lower friction to earning commissions |
| Warm, targeted list monetization | RevShare | Your audience trusts you — they’ll buy and rebuy |
How JVZoo’s New CPA Option Changes Everything
The JVZoo CPA Advantage
At JVZoo, we’ve been a RevShare powerhouse for years. Now we’re adding CPA — but with built-in safeguards that protect everyone.
Before switching to CPA, offers must run 30 days in RevShare. This gives real performance data — EPCs, conversions, and refund rates.
During those 30 days, your JVZooPay account holds a 25% rolling reserve to cover any RevShare period refunds.
After 30 days with solid performance metrics, you can switch to CPA or offer both models side-by-side.
What this means for you:
- Affiliates get CPA payouts without refund risk
- Vendors launch CPA offers with proven numbers
- Everyone wins with reduced risk and better data
The Real Talk
RevShare and CPA aren’t “better” or “worse” — they’re just tools. And like any smart marketer, your job is to pick the right tool for the job.
With JVZoo’s new CPA option and our 30-day RevShare safeguard, you can test, track, and optimize until you find what keeps affiliates promoting and your business growing.
Join thousands of successful marketers already using JVZoo’s commission flexibility
