Updated September 29, 2026 · AffCue Editorial Team
Kraken vs Smartbroker
Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Kraken vs Smartbroker: the differences
| Compare |  Kraken |  Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Commission terms | 20% lifetime revenue share | 60 EUR per depot opening |
| Cookie window | 180 daysHigher | 60 days |
| Networks | Impact | ADCELL, FinanceAds |
| Recurring commission | YesHas it | No |
| Verticals | Crypto | Investing, CryptoCovers more |
| Payout frequency | Monthly via Impact | Not confirmed |
| Commission (%) | 20% | Not confirmed |
| Payout per sale or signup | Not confirmed | €60 |
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 Kraken: 180 days vs 60 days.
- Recurring commission: only Kraken.
- Networks: only Kraken offers Impact.
- Networks: only Smartbroker offers ADCELL, FinanceAds.
- Pricing model: only Kraken offers Revshare.
- Pricing model: only Smartbroker offers CPA.
- Region: only Kraken offers Global.
- Region: only Smartbroker offers Single country.
- Verticals: only Smartbroker offers Investing.
Our verdict on each
Kraken
Kraken pays 20% lifetime revenue share with recurring commission for life, and a cookie window of 180 gives crypto readers room to decide. It suits publishers with an audience that already trades digital assets and can wait out that window, and suits them less if they want a fixed payment per signup.
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.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Kraken | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Global | Single country |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Kraken | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Finance affiliate programs | 24 of 425 | 20 of 425 |
| Crypto and Web3 programs | 2 of 22 | 1 of 22 |
Also worth a look
BlackBull Partners has cookie window at 365 days, against 180 days for Kraken and 60 days for Smartbroker.
BlackBull Partners reviewWhat we checked
Kraken
- nichepursuits.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- kraken.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- tamzidulhaque.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 | Kraken | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Revshare | CPA |
| Features | Direct, Referral | Direct, Referral |
| Region | Global | Single country |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Smartbroker AG |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Germany |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Kraken | Smartbroker | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie window | 180 dayshighest quarter | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
| Commission (%) | 20%above the median | Not confirmed | 12% |
| Payout per sale or signup | Not confirmed | €60above the median | €50 |
Median across 167 listed affiliate programs.
Pros and cons
Kraken
Pros
- 20% lifetime revenue share keeps paying for as long as the referral trades, since recurring commission is part of the deal.
- A cookie window of 180 is longer than most crypto programmes, whose upper quartile sits at 75.
- Payouts run monthly through Impact, and the programme sits on Impact.
Cons
- The offer covers crypto only, so a general finance site has no second vertical to promote.
- revshare commission means no standalone bounty for a signup, unlike Mintos at Hybrid lead and CPA commission.
- Revenue share of 20% lifetime revenue share pays less per referral than a per-registration deal such as Qonto's CPA per registration plus KYB bonus.
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
Kraken
Who it suits
- Publishers writing about digital asset trading who can wait out a window of 180.
- Networks and media already working with Impact and comfortable with a monthly payout cycle.
- Sites with readers beyond a single market, since the region is listed as global.
Who should look elsewhere
- Publishers chasing a fixed cash payment per signup, since Qonto pays CPA per registration plus KYB bonus.
- Anyone who wants a simple per-sale deal, since Admitad pays 5% per sale.
- Sites outside crypto, because the offer covers crypto only.
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 | Kraken | Smartbroker |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Kraken
What commission does the Kraken affiliate program pay?+
Kraken pays 20% lifetime revenue share, so the payout is a share of what referred traders generate rather than a fixed amount per signup. The model is listed as revshare, which means earnings follow trading activity over time. A publisher with a large but inactive audience earns less here than on a per-registration deal.
How long is the cookie window on Kraken?+
The window is 180, which puts Kraken at 6 of 129 brands ranked on cookie length, and well past the crypto listings whose upper quartile sits at 75. A long window lets a reader read a guide, open an account and deposit later, which is normal in crypto.
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.