Choosing an Affiliate Offer by the Numbers: EPC, Commission, Refunds
João Victor Ramos · 2026-10-07
To choose an affiliate offer that actually delivers results, it’s essential to analyze a few financial metrics. Let’s go over the key points.
EPC vs CPC
EPC (Earnings Per Click) is a key metric. It shows how much you can expect to earn for each click on your affiliate link. A high EPC indicates that the offer is profitable and visitors are converting well.
CPC (Cost Per Click) is what you pay for each click on the ads you run. If your CPC is higher than the offer’s EPC, you’ll be in the red. So look for offers with an EPC at least 2 to 3 times higher than your CPC. For example, if your CPC is R$ 0,50, look for offers with an EPC of R$ 1,00 or more.
Minimum commission
The minimum commission is another factor to consider. Most affiliate offers pay commissions ranging from 5% to 50%. For low-ticket products, a minimum commission of 20% is desirable; for high-ticket products, aim for at least 10% to 15%.
Offers with very low commissions may not be worth the effort, especially when you factor in customer acquisition costs and the time spent promoting them. Make a list of the offers you’re considering and check whether they fall within these ranges.
Refunds
The refund rate is a critical metric. High refund rates can wipe out your profits. Offers with refund rates above 10% should be looked at carefully; ideally, the rate should be below 5%.
Review the refund terms and talk to other affiliates about their experience. A product without good post-sale support can lead to complaints and, consequently, refunds.
Vendor support
Good support from the vendor can make the difference between success and failure. Check whether the vendor provides marketing materials, training, and technical support. This can make your journey as an affiliate easier and increase your chances of converting.
Products with active support tend to get better results and have fewer issues with refunds. Talk to other affiliates to find out what their relationship with the vendor is like.
Validate with data
Use concrete data to inform your decisions. Tools like FreeSpy can help analyze the performance of ads and offers. See what’s working for other affiliates, which ads have the best EPCs, and how they’re positioned in the market.
Analyze the metrics and compare them with your expectations and financial capabilities. If the data doesn’t align with your goals, adjust your strategy.
Finally, when choosing an affiliate offer, do a detailed analysis that takes EPC, minimum commission, refunds, vendor support, and data validation into account.
What’s the average EPC of the offers you’re currently working with?