Start with the commission model, not the headline rate
Every network answers the same first question differently: what exactly do you get paid for, and how many of those events do you need? Admitad lists cost per action, cost per lead, cost per sale and revenue share in its commission models, cpa, cpl and cps, and the model currently on file for the program is cpl. AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) offers a wider spread, with pay per lead, pay per lead and return, pay per sale and revenue share listed as commission models, PPL, PPLR and PPS, and its models on record run to cost per action, cost per lead, revenue share and a hybrid arrangement, cpa, cpl and revshare. The 1-800Accountant Affiliate Program states a single rate, with commission terms of Up to $100 per lead or sale, and a cost per action amount of $100.
Rates only mean something next to the model behind them. Admitad pays commission terms of 5% per sale, a share valued at 5%. A percentage that looks small can still out-earn a flat payment on low ticket traffic, and a per sale payment can out-earn both when your audience is ready to buy on the spot. Work out which event your traffic actually produces before you read any rate.
Recurring income is the second thing to sort on. AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) pays recurring commission, so a single approved player can keep earning for you. Admitad does not pay recurring commission, which makes its wider model list the only source of repeat value there. If you want income that builds month after month rather than restarting with every visit, recurring commission is the fact to sort on first.
Treat the cookie window as a payout window
The cookie window is the time a network will still credit you for a conversion after someone first clicks your link. Long windows suit considered purchases, short windows suit impulse actions. AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) records a cookie window of 14 to 30, with the tracking detail listed as cookie 14 days, 30 days PPS. Admitad lists a window of 30. The 1-800Accountant Affiliate Program lists a window of 90, the longest of the three, which suits an accounting decision that takes thought before a visitor signs up.
A useful test is to ask how many times a typical buyer returns before converting. Someone comparing small business accounting help is likely to come back several times, so a longer window protects that work. Someone sent straight to a signup page converts or does not, and a shorter window costs you nothing. You can read the Admitad review and the AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) review side by side to see how each window is described in practice.
Match the program to the audience you already have
Geography and niche narrow the field fast. Admitad lists its region as global, and AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) also lists global, so neither restricts you to a single market. The verticals field for AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) reads adult dating, which tells you straight away whether your traffic fits. Admitad records a network entry of Admitad, meaning offers sit inside its own marketplace.
Size gives you a second filter. Admitad lists a publisher count of 100,000, while publisher counts across the listings in our data run 20 to 3,726,707. A large publisher base usually means many advertisers competing for placement, and a small one can mean less competition but fewer options. Neither is better by itself, so decide which side of that trade-off matters for your traffic before you start applying.
The feature field tells you how you would be joining. Admitad lists direct, AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) lists direct and referral, and the 1-800Accountant Affiliate Program lists referral. A referral route often means fewer approvals and faster first commissions, while a direct arrangement usually comes with more reporting depth.
Payout thresholds decide when your earnings arrive
Minimum payouts are where smaller publishers feel the difference. Admitad lists a minimum payout of $20 and a payout threshold of $20, with weekly payments on the payout frequency field of weekly. AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) lists a minimum payout of $100 and a payout frequency of bi-weekly. Across the listings, minimum payouts run €0 to €500.
For a beginner earning a modest amount in the first months, a low threshold and frequent payments matter more than a large headline rate. A higher threshold simply means more of your money stays inside the network until you cross it, and less frequent payments stretch that wait further. Payment method matters too: Admitad lists PayPal, check and wire transfer, so check that one of them works where you bank before you commit.
Look at the company standing behind the offer
Programs change terms, so the legal entity behind a brand is worth knowing. Admitad is operated as Admitad GmbH, founded in 2009, with its headquarters country listed as DE. AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) is run by JWS International S.a r.l., founded in 2004, with its headquarters country listed as LU. The 1-800Accountant Affiliate Program lists a founding year of 1999.
Support tells you how quickly you can get a term clarified. Admitad lists support channels of email and help centre, and AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) lists email and help centre. Ask your questions in writing before you promote, and keep the answers, since payout schedules and commission terms are the details most likely to shift.
Put the comparison in writing and check the rankings
By this point you have a shortlist with the trade-offs visible: model first, then rate, then cookie window, then threshold and timing, then the company behind it. Write those lines down in the same order for every program you consider, because a page that leads with a large rate will quietly lose on the other four.
The affiliate networks rankings let you narrow the field by the criteria that matter to you, and the individual Admitad review and AWEmpire (LiveJasmin family, casual-dating tier) review fill in the detail on the two programs used here. If a network scores well on model and window but sets a threshold above what you can reach, keep it for later, and start where the first payment is realistic.