1. Who’s who
These are the people and listings the directory talks about. More on how they fit together in Where PayoutDeals Fits.
Publisher / affiliate
Someone who promotes a programme with a tracking link — a blog, newsletter, YouTube channel, or comparison site. This directory is built for publishers.
Merchant / brand
The company whose product you promote. They set the commission, cookie, and approval rules. They (or their network) pay you — we don’t.
Programme / deal
One affiliate programme in this directory — not a signed contract. The card is a snapshot of public terms. Always confirm on the network or merchant site before you promote.
/deals/….
2. How you get paid
Every deal card has a payout chip. The filter uses the same four types.
CPA / Bounty
You get a one-off payment when someone you referred completes a set action — not a percentage of what they spent.
Example: a bank pays £150 CPA when the new account is opened and funded.
Recurring MRR
You keep earning each month while the customer stays subscribed.
Example: 30% recurring on a $500/month plan is $150 every month they stay.
Hybrid
You get some cash now, plus a cut every month they stay subscribed.
Example: $500 CPA + 10% monthly recurring.
Commission payout
The headline amount for that programme — a cash figure, a percentage, or both. It is what the merchant advertises, not a guarantee of what you will earn.
3. Card labels
These are the badges and specs on every deal card and in the compact table.
Cookie
How many days you still get credit after someone clicks your link. If they come back and buy before it expires, you are usually still paid.
Example: a 60-day cookie still pays if they click today and buy in five weeks.
Approval
How hard it is to get a tracking link.
Instant: the link is issued as soon as you sign up.
Easy: a short check, often within a day or two.
Vetted: a person reviews your site, traffic, or niche before you are accepted.
Network
The platform that tracks the programme and usually pays you — Awin, Impact, PartnerStack, and so on. Direct / In-house means the merchant runs the programme themselves. This site is a directory, not a network.
Niche
The product category for that programme — FinTech, B2B SaaS, and so on.
/niches/….
Customer location
Which customer countries count toward commission — not your language or where you live.
UK Only: UK customers.
Global: worldwide.
UK & EU or US & UK: those regions.
New
The programme was added to this directory in the last 24 hours. It is about our listing date, not when the merchant launched the product.
Featured
An editor pin so the programme sits first in the default sort. It is the same Featured label used on networks, not a live sentiment score.
Community sentiment
A 0–100% score from publisher discussion. We only show it when the listing has been refreshed — it is not a default 92%.
Link health
Whether we have recently checked the apply / portal link.
Healthy: last check succeeded (this is the only green state).
Warning or failing: the link had a problem.
Not checked yet: we have not verified it.
4. Deal page
Open a programme (View Intel) and you get extra fields that do not all fit on the card.
Minimum payout
The balance you must reach before that network or merchant will pay you (often £25, $50, or $100).
Payout schedule
How often they pay, and how long after the month closes. Many programmes use Net-30: January sales are paid at the end of February.
Apply, View Intel, Saved, Compare
View Intel: opens the deal page with publisher notes and full terms.
Apply: sends you to the merchant or network to join. Some hops may be our referral link — the page says so when they are.
Saved: a bookmark in your browser only (not an account).
Also listed on / Compare: the same brand on more than one network, side by side.
5. Networks directory
Labels on /networks and network profiles. For Awin vs Impact vs Direct, read the Networks guide.
Publishers vs Merchants
Two views of the same network. Publishers & Affiliates shows what you pay to join and how you get paid. Merchants & Brands shows what a company pays the platform (take rate, setup, subscription).
Network listing terms
Joining fee / min. payout / payment methods / tracking: publisher-side facts.
Platform take rate, setup cost, software subscription, contract: what the merchant pays the platform.
Some networks hold commissions in escrow and pay you in one monthly batch. That is why payouts are not instant.
6. Filters & calculator
Extra labels in the filter panel and the earnings calculator.
Traffic channels
How you are allowed to send visitors, according to the programme.
SEO & Content, YouTube & Video, Social & Influencers, Email & Newsletters, Comparison & Reviews, Communities & Forums, Podcasts & Audio, and PPC & Paid Ads.
Conversion rate
The share of clicks that become a paying customer. The calculator uses this with monthly visitors and a payout you choose to estimate income. It is a sketch, not a forecast.
Want to compare the networks that process these payouts?
Awin, Impact, CJ, PartnerStack, and Direct in-house programmes — who tracks, who pays, and what escrow means.