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BlogThe four stages, and what limits each one
We do not publish income brackets for these stages. We have never measured affiliate earnings and could not source a credible figure, so any number here would be invented. What does transfer between affiliates is the constraint at each stage — which is what this describes.
No audience yet. The constraint is reach, not commission rate — a better CPA on zero traffic is still zero. Pick one broker and learn its portal and attribution rules properly.
Steady organic or social traffic. The constraint shifts to conversion: how many readers actually fund an account. This is where IB rebates start to matter more than one-off CPA.
Several traffic sources and several programmes. The constraint is retention — referred traders who stop trading stop paying you, and most stop within months.
You recruit other affiliates and earn an override on their networks. The constraint is no longer your own traffic but your capacity to support other people.
CPA vs Revenue Share Earnings Comparison
| Month | New Referrals | CPA Income ($500 avg) | IB Income (cumulative traders, $50/trader/mo) | Hybrid (CPA $300 + IB $30/trader) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | 10/mo | $5,000 | $500 | $3,300 |
| Month 3 | 10/mo | $5,000 | $1,500 | $3,900 |
| Month 6 | 10/mo | $5,000 | $3,000 | $4,800 |
| Month 12 | 10/mo | $5,000 | $6,000 | $6,600 |
| Month 24 | 10/mo | $5,000 | $12,000 | $10,200 |
What this shows: CPA pays once per trader, so at a steady referral rate it stays flat. IB pays while referred traders remain active, so it accumulates — and decays when they stop. Where the crossover falls depends on your own CPA rate, rebate rate and retention, none of which we can know. The figures above are illustrative inputs, not an estimate of your result.
Three routes to the same target, and what each demands
Worked at an illustrative $3,000/month target to show what each model would require of you. These are arithmetic illustrations using assumed rates, not forecasts — your own rates and your retention decide the real answer.
CPA Route
Refer 6 traders/month at $500 CPA = $3,000/mo. Focus on SEO content targeting "best forex brokers" keywords in Tier 1 countries.
IB Route
Build a base of 60 active traders generating $50/month each = $3,000/mo recurring. Takes 6-12 months but income compounds.
Hybrid Route
Refer 5 traders/month ($300 CPA = $1,500) + growing IB base ($1,500/mo) = $3,000/mo. Fastest to reach target.
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