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 →
Best VPN affiliate programs
4 VPN affiliate programs compared on commission, cookie window and payout terms.
- VPN
- Updated August 11, 2026
ExpressVPN leads on 3 of 6 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 | NordVPN | PureVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The money | ||||
| Commission | $13–$36 | 30–100% | 40–100% | 40% |
| Pays for | — | Lifetime | Lifetime | — |
| Payout type | One-time | Lifetime | Lifetime | One-time |
| Tier ladder | 1-month plan $13, 6-month plan $22, 12-month plan $36, 24-month plan $36 | 1-month plan, new sign-up 100%, 1-year plan, new sign-up 40%, 2-year plan, new sign-up 40%, All plans, renewal 30% | Monthly plan, new signup 100%, One-year and two-year plans, new signup 40%, Renewals, all plans 35%, Sign-up bonus $300 | No tiers |
| Terms | ||||
| Cookie window | — | 30 days | ✔ 90 days | 30 days |
| Ease of starting | ✔ 3.3 / 5 | — | 3 / 5 | ✔ 3.3 / 5 |
| Approval | Reviewed | Reviewed | Reviewed | Reviewed |
| Our rating | — | — | — | — |
| Getting paid | ||||
| Paid out | Monthly (NET30 following the close of each calendar month.) | — | Monthly (You have to request the payout yourself between the 1st and 10th of the month. Payment is then sent between the 15th and 20th of the following 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 ($100 by PayPal. Bank wire and USDT both need $500. PureVPN states that transaction fees come out of the affiliate's payment.) | $100 (Balances under the threshold roll over month to month until they reach it.) |
| Clearing hold | — | — | — | 30 days |
| Payment methods | PayPal, Wire transfer | PayPal, Wire Transfer | ✔ PayPal, Bank wire transfer, USDT | PayPal, ACH |
| Rules | ||||
| Self-referral | — | — | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| Paid search | Restricted | — | Restricted | Restricted |
| Affiliate assets | ✔ Banners, Screenshots, Infographics, Videos, Logos, Custom assets and landing pages from an account manager | Promotional materials, Dedicated account manager, SEO support | Promotional materials, Tracking links, Real-time reporting | 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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NordVPN is a consumer VPN service from Nord Security, sold on one-month, one-year and two-year subscriptions.
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PureVPN is a consumer VPN service sold on monthly, one-year and two-year subscriptions.
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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 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 → -
ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
ExpressVPN or Surfshark? Commission, cookie window, payout schedule and approval, compared side by side.
- Commission
- $13–$36 vs 40%
- Cookie
- — vs 30 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.