Affiliate Commission Calculator

Find the highest commission you can pay an affiliate while keeping the profit you want per sale, including any network fee.

Your numbers

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Average order value

Gross margin

After product cost, shipping and payment fees, before commission.

Profit you want to keep per sale

As a % of order value, after paying the affiliate.

Affiliate network fee

Some networks charge you a platform fee on top of the commission. Enter it if yours does; otherwise leave at 0.

Your result · updates as you type

Highest commission you can afford

30%

At 30%, an affiliate earns $16.50 on a $55.00 order, leaving you 10% profit.

Break-even commission: 40%
As a dollar amount per sale: $16.50
Contribution margin per order: $22.00

Set your program's commission at or below the break-even figure only if you're paying for brand reach beyond the sale. For a program that has to earn its keep on margin alone, price it at or under the target-profit commission instead.

Profit per sale at other commission rates

$19.25

10%

$16.50

15%

$13.75

20%

$11.00

25%

$8.25

30%

$5.50

35%

$2.75

Breakdown

Order value: $55.00
Contribution margin (40%): $22.00
Profit target (10%): −$5.50
Total you can pay out per sale: $16.50
Commission the affiliate receives: 30%

Working the commission back from your margin

An affiliate commission comes straight out of your margin, so it should be set from what you can afford, not a rate you saw a competitor advertise. This calculator finds the highest commission that still leaves your target profit, after any fee your affiliate network charges you.

Highest commission = (contribution margin − profit target) ÷ order value − network fee %

Example: the default numbers

Order value × margin: $55 × 40% = $22.00
Profit target (10% of order value): $5.50
Left to pay out per sale: 22 − 5.50 = $16.50

The highest commission you can afford is 30% of order value, or $16.50 a sale. Break-even commission, with no profit kept, is 40%.

Setting your program's rate

Price at the target-profit figure, not break-even, unless you're specifically paying for brand reach beyond the sale.
Add the network fee if you run the program through Impact, ShareASale, CJ or a similar platform: it comes out of the same margin as the commission itself.
Tier commissions for top affiliates once the program is running, rather than offering your ceiling rate to everyone from day one.

Questions people ask

What's a typical affiliate commission rate?

It varies enormously by category and margin. Work it out from your own contribution margin rather than copying a competitor's advertised rate, since their margin may be very different from yours.

Should I include the affiliate network's fee in the commission?

Keep them separate in your accounting, but they both come out of the same margin, so this calculator lets you enter the network fee and see what's left for the affiliate.

Can I offer a higher commission on my own site's top sellers?

Yes, if those products carry a higher margin. Run the calculator per product category if margins differ a lot across your catalog.

How is this different from influencer rates?

Affiliate commission is paid per sale, so it scales with results automatically. Influencer rates are usually a flat fee paid regardless of sales, which carries more risk for you.

Last reviewed 30 September 2026.