A friend of mine once spent three months promoting a "high paying" software affiliate program before finding out, buried in section 14 of the terms, that commissions were only paid after a customer stayed subscribed for 90 days. Half his referrals canceled before day 60. He made almost nothing.
That kind of surprise is avoidable. Most affiliate programs publish their terms and payment history somewhere, even if it's not on the homepage. Before you build content, run ads, or email your list about a program, spend twenty minutes checking these six things.
Why the Sales Page Isn't Enough
Every affiliate program's marketing page is written to get you to sign up. That's not a criticism, it's just the job of a sales page. The real terms, the ones that determine whether you actually get paid, live in the affiliate agreement, the FAQ for partners, and sometimes in threads on Reddit or affiliate marketing forums where people compare notes.
If a company only talks about commission rates in big, bold letters but says nothing about payment timing, cookie duration, or refund policy, that's your first clue to dig deeper. Programs that are confident in their terms usually spell them out clearly, because clear terms attract serious affiliates.
Red Flag 1: Vague Commission Structures
Watch for language like "earn up to 50%" without explaining what determines whether you get the top rate or the bottom one. In our experience, "up to" numbers are often reserved for a small tier of super affiliates who hit volume targets most beginners will never reach.
Before joining, look for:
- A clear tier chart showing what sales volume unlocks which commission rate
- A stated base rate that applies to everyone, not just top performers
- Clarity on whether commission is a flat fee, a percentage, or recurring
If you can't find this information without contacting support, ask directly. A program that hesitates to answer in writing is telling you something.
Red Flag 2: No Visible Payout History or Reviews
A program that's been running for years should have a trail. Search the company name plus words like "affiliate payment" or "affiliate complaint" and see what comes up. You're looking for patterns, not one angry post. Every program has a few unhappy affiliates somewhere.
What you want to avoid is a pattern of complaints about the same issue: late payments, accounts closed right before a payout, or commissions disappearing after a return window that keeps getting extended. If multiple unrelated people describe the same problem months apart, take it seriously.
Newer programs won't have much of a track record yet, and that's fine. Just know you're taking on more risk, and it makes sense to start small until you see a few payments land on time.
Red Flag 3: High Commissions With No Clear Business Model
A 50% commission sounds great until you ask how the company can afford it. Digital products with low production costs, like courses or software subscriptions, can sustain high commissions. Physical products with tight margins usually can't.
If a program offers commissions that seem out of line with its product type, ask what happens after the sale. Sometimes the answer is simple: they're prioritizing customer acquisition over short term profit. Other times the high rate is a hook, and the terms include chargebacks, clawbacks, or approval steps that quietly bring your real earnings back down to normal.
Red Flag 4: Long Holding Periods and High Minimum Payouts
Check two numbers before you sign up: how long the company holds your commission before releasing it, and how much you need to earn before you can withdraw anything.
A 30 to 45 day hold to account for refunds is fairly standard and reasonable. A 90 day hold, or one with no fixed end date ("pending review"), is worth questioning. Same with minimum payout thresholds. A $25 minimum is easy to hit. A $500 minimum means your first check could be months away, and if you stop promoting before you hit it, you may forfeit those earnings entirely.
Read the fine print on what happens to unpaid balances if you close your account or go inactive. Some programs reset your balance to zero after a period of inactivity, which is a detail most affiliates never notice until it's too late.
Red Flag 5: Terms That Let Them Void Commissions After the Fact
Some affiliate agreements include broad language giving the company the right to cancel a commission for almost any reason, including "suspected fraud" that's never explained or proven. A limited version of this clause is normal and protects everyone from actual fraud. A broad, vague version is a way to avoid paying affiliates who did nothing wrong.
Look specifically for:
- Whether they define what counts as fraud or policy violation
- Whether they give you a chance to appeal a canceled commission
- Whether commissions can be reversed for reasons unrelated to the sale itself, like the customer requesting a discount later
If the terms give the company unlimited discretion with no appeal process, assume they'll use it whenever it benefits them financially.
Red Flag 6: No Clarity on Cookie Duration or Attribution
Cookie duration determines how long you get credit for a referral after someone clicks your link. A 24 hour cookie means you only get paid if they buy almost immediately. A 30 or 60 day cookie gives you a real shot at earning from people who take time to decide.
Equally important is how attribution works when a customer clicks multiple affiliate links before buying. Some programs pay the first affiliate who referred the customer. Others pay the last click before purchase. If you're doing content marketing or SEO, where people often research for days before buying, last click attribution can quietly erase your earnings even when your content did the real work of convincing the customer.
If a program's FAQ doesn't mention cookie length or attribution model at all, that's usually a sign they haven't thought it through, or they'd rather you not ask.
What to Do With This Checklist
You don't need to interrogate every program you consider. For low effort recommendations, like linking to a tool you already use and like, the stakes are low enough that imperfect terms don't matter much. Save the deep check for programs where you're planning to invest real time: dedicated content, email campaigns, or paid traffic.
Before committing serious effort, confirm you can answer these six questions:
- What exactly determines my commission rate, and is it written down clearly?
- Can I find real payment history or reviews from other affiliates?
- Does the commission rate make sense for this type of product?
- How long is the payment hold, and what's the minimum payout?
- Under what conditions can they cancel a commission, and can I appeal it?
- What's the cookie duration and attribution model?
If you can answer all six with information from the program's own site or agreement, you're in good shape. If you're guessing on more than one or two, ask their affiliate support team directly and get the answer in writing before you invest your time.