Affiliate Payout Tiers 2027
Affiliate tiers 2027: starter 10-15%, top 20-30%. Recurring usually 10-20% lifetime; one-time 25-50%. Cookie window 30-90 days standard.
| Avg sale | — |
| Monthly conversions | — |
| Starter % | — |
| Top tier % | — |
| Recurring/one-time | — |
| Starter affiliates conv | — |
| Top tier conv | — |
| Starter payout | — |
| Top payout | — |
| Total monthly payout | — |
| Monthly revenue | — |
| Effective avg rate | — |
Affiliate program payout tiers reward top performers with higher commissions, incentivizing volume and engagement. Tiered structures (15% → 25% → 35%) lift program ROI by motivating affiliates to push higher. Recurring revenue programs typically pay smaller rates but provide lifetime value.
Tier Structure Design
Standard 3-tier: Starter (under 5 sales/mo): 15-20%. Mid (5-25/mo): 20-25%. Top (25+/mo): 25-35%. Reset monthly or quarterly. Make jumps meaningful (5-10% increases). Affiliates can see their tier progress, incentivizing performance.
Recurring vs One-Time
SaaS subscription: pay 20% recurring for 12 months (or lifetime). Lower per-sale rate but compound LTV. E-commerce one-time: 25-40% standard. Lead gen: $50-$500 per qualified lead. Choose structure matching your monetization.
Cookie Window
30 days: e-commerce standard. 60-90 days: B2B SaaS (longer sales cycles). Last-click attribution: most common. First-click: rewards top of funnel. Multi-touch: complex but fair. Communicate clearly to affiliates.
Last updated May 2026. Sources: ShareASale Affiliate Program.