“Is our affiliate program doing well?” is impossible to answer without something to compare against. This post lays out the metrics that matter and the typical ranges they tend to fall into, so you can benchmark your own program. Treat these as directional rules of thumb from common industry patterns — not a precise study — and weight your own historical data above any external number.
A note on the numbers: the ranges below are general guidance drawn from how SaaS affiliate programs commonly behave. Your product, price point, and audience move them significantly. We’ll publish figures from aggregated Qanary data as the sample grows.
The metrics worth benchmarking
Commission rate
Most SaaS programs pay in the 20–30% range, with recurring commissions common for subscription products. Higher-margin, higher-price products can sustain more; low-priced products often pay less or use flat one-time payouts. See how to set your rate for the full method.
Click-to-conversion rate
Affiliate traffic that’s well-matched to your product tends to convert in the low single digits as a share of clicks — often comparable to or better than cold paid traffic, because it arrives with a recommendation attached. A very low rate usually signals mismatched affiliates or a weak landing experience, not a tooling problem.
Share of affiliates who are active
A familiar pattern: a small minority of affiliates drive the majority of conversions. Don’t judge the program by how many partners signed up — judge it by whether your active promoters are supported and growing.
Cookie / attribution window
Windows commonly range from 30 to 90 days. Longer windows credit affiliates for slower buying cycles; shorter ones tighten attribution. Pick one deliberately and keep it consistent so comparisons stay valid.
Refund / clawback rate
Track the share of commissions reversed by refunds. A hold window before payout keeps this from costing you real cash — see the mechanics in the Stripe setup guide.
How to benchmark your own program
- Baseline against yourself first. Your month-over-month trend is more meaningful than any external range.
- Segment by affiliate. Blended averages hide that a few partners carry the program.
- Compare channels honestly. Put affiliate CAC next to paid CAC over the same window.
- Watch the mix, not just the total — see what share of SaaS revenue comes from referrals.
FAQ
What is a typical SaaS affiliate commission rate?
Commonly 20–30%, often recurring for subscriptions, but the right rate depends on your margin, price, and churn rather than the benchmark.
What’s a good affiliate conversion rate?
Well-targeted affiliate traffic often converts in the low single digits of clicks; a much lower rate usually points to mismatched affiliates or a weak landing page.
How long should my affiliate cookie window be?
Commonly 30–90 days. Longer windows credit slower buying cycles; the key is to choose one and apply it consistently.
More data-driven posts are in the benchmarks hub.