Best VPN affiliate programs
4 VPN affiliate programs compared on commission, cookie window and payout terms.
- Programs
- 4 compared
Top pick: ExpressVPN Compare →
ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
ExpressVPN or Surfshark? Commission, cookie window, payout schedule and approval, compared side by side.
- VPN
- Updated August 11, 2026
ExpressVPN takes 2 of 3 compared terms. Which one earns more still depends on your audience — the table below shows where each one wins.
Term by term
| Criterion | ExpressVPN Top pick | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| The money | ||
| Commission | $13–$36 | 40% |
| Pays for | — | — |
| Payout type | One-time | One-time |
| Tier ladder | 1-month plan $13, 6-month plan $22, 12-month plan $36, 24-month plan $36 | No tiers |
| Terms | ||
| Cookie window | — | 30 days |
| Ease of starting | 3.3 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 |
| Approval | Reviewed | Reviewed |
| Our rating | — | — |
| Getting paid | ||
| Paid out | Monthly (NET30 following the close of each calendar month.) | ✔ On demand (Paid on request once the balance clears the threshold; steady earners can arrange a monthly invoice instead. Terms give Surfshark 30 days to settle an invoice.) |
| Minimum payout | ✔ $50 (Balances below the threshold roll into the next cycle rather than being forfeited.) | $100 (Balances under the threshold roll over month to month until they reach it.) |
| Clearing hold | — | 30 days |
| Payment methods | PayPal, Wire transfer | PayPal, ACH |
| Rules | ||
| Self-referral | — | Prohibited |
| Paid search | Restricted | Restricted |
| Affiliate assets | ✔ Banners, Screenshots, Infographics, Videos, Logos, Custom assets and landing pages from an account manager | Affiliate links, Marketing materials, Personal account manager, Real-time reporting |
A ✔ marks the better term on that row. Rows where the programs match, where the terms aren't comparable, or where a program hasn't published a figure are left unmarked — a dash means unknown, not zero.
The programs
- Top pick
ExpressVPN is a consumer VPN service founded in 2009 and based in the British Virgin Islands.
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Surfshark sells a consumer VPN alongside antivirus, breach alerts, private search, an identity generator and the data-removal service Incogni.
Related comparisons
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ExpressVPN vs NordVPN
ExpressVPN or NordVPN? Commission, cookie window, payout schedule and approval, compared side by side.
- Commission
- $13–$36 vs 30–100%
- Cookie
- — vs 30 days
Top pick: ExpressVPN Compare → -
ExpressVPN vs PureVPN
ExpressVPN or PureVPN? Commission, cookie window, payout schedule and approval, compared side by side.
- Commission
- $13–$36 vs 40–100%
- Cookie
- — vs 90 days
Top pick: ExpressVPN Compare →
Affiliate terms change often, and every figure here comes from each program's own published page on the date above. Confirm the current rate with the merchant before you promote it. Links to the programs are affiliate links.