Updated September 29, 2026 · AffCue Editorial Team
FXOpen vs Smartbroker
Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Facts checked September 26, 2026.
FXOpen vs Smartbroker: the differences
| Compare |  FXOpen |  Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Commission terms | 20% to 50% lifetime commission | 60 EUR per depot opening |
| Cookie window | 30 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Networks | Direct | ADCELL, FinanceAds |
| Recurring commission | YesHas it | No |
| Payout threshold | $10 | Not confirmed |
| Payout frequency | daily payouts | Not confirmed |
| Commission (%) | 20% to 50% | Not confirmed |
| Payout per sale or signup | Not confirmed | €60 |
Same on both: Verticals (Investing, Crypto).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Cookie window is higher at Smartbroker: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Recurring commission: only FXOpen.
- Support channels: only FXOpen offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Smartbroker offers Help centre.
- Networks: only FXOpen offers Direct.
- Networks: only Smartbroker offers ADCELL, FinanceAds.
- Pricing model: only FXOpen offers Revshare.
- Pricing model: only Smartbroker offers CPA.
- Features: only Smartbroker offers Direct.
- Region: only FXOpen offers Global.
Our verdict on each
FXOpen
FXOpen runs a lifetime revenue share on referred trading accounts, so it suits publishers with an audience of active traders rather than a list of one-off signups. The 30 cookie window fits readers who research a broker before funding, and the programme sits with FXOpen EU Ltd, founded in 2005.
Smartbroker
Smartbroker pays 60 EUR per depot opening on a cookie window of 60 days, which suits finance publishers running comparison and brokerage content in a single market. The trade-off is what follows the opening: recurring commission is off, so every payout depends on a fresh account rather than an account that stays funded.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | FXOpen | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Finance affiliate programs | 43 of 425 | 20 of 425 |
| Investing and trading programs | 19 of 87 | 10 of 87 |
| Crypto and Web3 programs | 3 of 22 | 1 of 22 |
Licences and countries
| Country | FXOpen | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Global | Single country |
Also worth a look
BlackBull Partners has cookie window at 365 days, against 30 days for FXOpen and 60 days for Smartbroker.
BlackBull Partners reviewSources behind this comparison
FXOpen
- fxopenaffiliate.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- linkedin.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- daytrading.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- forums.forex-strategies-revealed.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- wikifx.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Smartbroker
- smartbrokerplus.de: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- adcell.de: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | FXOpen | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Revshare | CPA |
| Features | Referral | Direct, ReferralCovers more |
| Region | Global | Single country |
| Legal entity | FXOpen EU Ltd | Smartbroker AG |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Germany |
| Founded | 2005 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone | Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | FXOpen | Smartbroker | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie window | 30 daysat the median | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
| Payout threshold | $10lowest quarter | Not confirmed | $50 |
| Commission (%) | 20% to 50%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 12 |
| Payout per sale or signup | Not confirmed | €60above the median | €50 |
Median across 167 listed affiliate programs.
Pros and cons
FXOpen
Pros
- Recurring commission is yes, so a referred trader who keeps funding an account keeps paying the publisher.
- Support runs on email, chat and phone, so tracking and payment questions can be raised on any of the listed channels.
- Reach is global, so the same offer can be promoted outside a single country.
Cons
- The 30 window is shorter than the 45 most investing and trading programmes run, and FXOpen sits 39 of 129 on that measure.
- Earnings follow referred trader volume because the model is revshare, so a wide audience of casual readers can pay less than Qonto's CPA per registration plus KYB bonus.
- Joining runs on direct, so there is no second network to compare offers with and no fallback if this programme changes its terms.
Smartbroker
Pros
- A cookie window of 60 days beats the 45 median for investing and trading programmes.
- Payout follows 60 EUR per depot opening on a cpa model, which is easy to plan for per account opening.
- Reach comes through ADCELL and financeAds, so partners are not tied to a single submission route.
Cons
- Recurring commission is off, and in the investing and trading group 30.3% of programmes do pay recurring, so this is the commoner setup in the category.
- Coverage is a single market, single country, so traffic from other markets cannot be sent to the same offer.
- Commission is tied to account openings alone, 60 EUR per depot opening, and recurring commission is off, so trading volume on an opened account adds nothing.
Who each suits
FXOpen
Who it suits
- Publishers whose readers already trade, since recurring commission is yes and the terms are 20% to 50% lifetime commission.
- Publishers with a considered audience, since a 30 window covers research, demo and funding.
- Sites covering investing and crypto, who can run forex and crypto offers from one account.
Who should look elsewhere
- Publishers who want payment per approved lead: Mintos runs Hybrid lead and CPA commission, which fits finance offers rather than trading revenue.
- Publishors chasing a long attribution window, since the 30 window here is well short of the 365 seen in this category.
- Publishors who prefer a per-sale share across many products: Admitad lists 5% per sale, a different shape from FXOpen's revshare.
Smartbroker
Who it suits
- Publishers whose audience sits in the single market this programme serves, listed as single country.
- Sites that review brokers and want a predictable conversion fee: 60 EUR per depot opening on a cpa model.
- Partners promoting on the listed networks, ADCELL and financeAds, who already have tracking in place.
Who should look elsewhere
- Publishers wanting revenue share: Admitad pays 5% per sale, where Smartbroker pays on account openings alone, 60 EUR per depot opening.
- Publishers after a bonus on top of a signup fee: Qonto's CPA per registration plus KYB bonus adds one, while Smartbroker's terms are 60 EUR per depot opening.
- Publishers who want a lead deal as well as a conversion fee: Mintos pays Hybrid lead and CPA commission.
Country by country
| Country | FXOpen | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | Yes |
Questions about each
FXOpen
What commission does FXOpen pay and how is it calculated?+
FXOpen pays 20% to 50% lifetime commission, and the model is revshare rather than a flat fee per signup. Recurring commission is yes, so an account that keeps trading keeps paying its share of the revenue it generates. In practice a publisher earns more from a small number of active traders than from a long list of one-off signups.
How long do I have to convert a referral?+
The cookie window is 30, long enough for a reader who reads a comparison, checks a demo and then opens a live account. It is shorter for readers who bookmark a broker for weeks before funding, so a slow, considered audience will lose some clicks. Reviews and pricing pages help shorten the path, and deep links keep the referral on the right page.
Smartbroker
What does Smartbroker pay for a referral?+
The fee is 60 EUR per depot opening and the model is cpa. Payment is tied to the account being opened, not to trading volume afterwards, so a publisher is paid per completed opening. Recurring commission is off, which means no further share from that same account.
How long is the cookie window?+
The window is 60 days. That is longer than the 45 median in the investing and trading group and above the 30 median for finance overall, so a reader can read a comparison and still be credited. It ranks 23 among the 129 brands listed.