How to use this guide: AffiliateDataset provides the factual program terms and evidence metadata used in examples. AI Affiliate Index independently produces the workflow, judgments, and conclusions. This is not a promise of earnings or a product endorsement.
Normalize the offer
Translate each offer into the same frame: qualifying revenue, commission percentage, paid duration, cookie window, payout threshold, and excluded plans. “30% recurring” and “50% for three months” are different cash-flow shapes; the calculator on this site makes those assumptions explicit.
Discount fragile revenue
Apply a confidence haircut when terms are vague, the application route is unclear, or verification is old. Then model a conservative retention period instead of assuming “lifetime” means forever. The transparent ranking here rewards evidence because an attractive rate is useless when the rules cannot be confirmed.
Choose portfolio roles
Use established tools as dependable anchors, specialist tools for highly relevant tutorials, and new products as experiments with capped promotion. Track clicks, trials, paid conversions, reversals, and reader replies separately so a generous but poorly matched program does not crowd out useful editorial coverage.
Working checklist
- Comparable revenue basis
- Finite retention assumption
- Cookie window matched to content intent
- Terms evidence opened before publication
- Conversion and reversal tracking by placement