What is Better: CPA or Revenue Share in Affiliate Marketing?
If you’re new to affiliate marketing, chances are you’ve already come across two common payment models: CPA (Cost Per Action) and Revenue Share. Both are popular ways for African affiliates to make money, but they work very differently. Knowing how each works and which suits your strategy can help you earn more with less effort over time.
In this article, we’ll break down CPA and Revenue Share, compare their benefits and drawbacks, and help you choose the best model for your affiliate business.
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Understanding CPA and Revenue Share in Affiliate Marketing
Before you pick a side, you need to fully understand what each model means. While both CPA and Revenue Share involve promoting products or services for a commission, the way you get paid (and when) can differ a lot
What Is CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)?
CPA means you earn a fixed payment every time someone takes a specific action through your affiliate link, usually making a purchase, signing up, or registering.
So, for example, if a betting company offers $100 per new signup and 10 users register using your link, you earn $1,000 regardless of whether those users ever return to the site.
What Is Revenue Share?
Revenue Share means you earn a percentage of the revenue generated by the users you refer. So, if someone signs up through your link and starts spending money, you get a cut—often between 20% and 40%—for as long as they remain active.
This model is more long-term, and your earnings depend on how much value your referred users bring over time. If a sportsbook pays 30% Revenue Share and a referred bettor loses $1,000 over time, you get $300 across that period.
How CPA and Revenue Share Perform in the African Market
According to GSMA, over 520 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa subscribed to mobile services by the end of 2023, and the region’s mobile internet users are expected to hit 474 million by 2025. This explosion in mobile usage makes affiliate marketing an increasingly attractive opportunity.
Additionally, the online betting market in Africa is pretty encouraging. In Nigeria, over 60 million people bet actively, with mobile betting making up more than 70% of total bets placed. In Kenya, over 43 million users engage in sports betting, and mobile penetration exceeds 90%. These trends present ideal conditions for both CPA and Revenue Share models, depending on your strategy.
How To Pick the Best Model for Your Affiliate Business
Choosing between CPA and Revenue Share depends on your goals, strategy, and how your audience behaves. Here’s how to decide:
Consider Your Traffic Type and Volume
If your traffic is high-volume but not necessarily loyal, CPA might suit you better. It allows you to earn upfront without waiting for users to stick around. This is a good strategy for making money via social media ads or influencer campaigns. Affiliates running Facebook, TikTok, or Twitter ads often prefer CPA because it’s faster to measure ROI.
However, if your audience is niche, targeted, and likely to return—through blogs, betting tipster groups, or WhatsApp broadcast lists—Revenue Share can be far more rewarding. Since users trust your platform, they’re more likely to deposit repeatedly, giving you long-term passive income.
Match the Model to Your Budget and Risk Appetite
Affiliates with limited startup capital often prefer CPA to recover ad costs quickly. You only need users to perform a single action to get paid, making it less risky upfront.
On the flip side, Revenue Share requires more patience but has a higher lifetime value per user (LTV). This is ideal if you’re building a brand, betting tips website, or YouTube channel where long-term growth is the priority over fast money.
User Behavior in Your Region
African betting markets show strong user loyalty, especially in regions like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. This behavior favors Revenue Share, as users tend to keep betting with operators they trust. A player you refer today could keep earning you income months or even years later.
If your audience is more spontaneous and likely to churn quickly, CPA becomes a more practical short-term choice. As long as you’re able to build trust with your affiliate audience, you should have no issues hitting your target in the short or long term.
How To Pick the Best Model for Your Affiliate Business
To answer this question in simpler terms; if you want fast, predictable earnings, CPA is the way to go. If you’re in this for the long haul and prefer passive income, Revenue Share is your best bet.
Smart affiliates often use both models across different platforms or campaigns. The good thing is Afiliapub Network has offers in CPA and RevShare commissions across top-tier sports betting operators in Africa. This will help you choose the model that works best for your strategy, and even switch between them as your traffic grows.
Join Afiliapub today to access flexible deals, real-time tracking tools, and a partner team ready to support your growth as an African affiliate.
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