CPA stands for cost per acquisition – the amount an advertiser pays for each completed conversion, such as a sale or lead, rather than for clicks or impressions. In affiliate marketing this usually equals the commission paid per sale, making CPA the core pricing model most affiliate programs are built around.
An advertiser pays a flat $25 CPA for every completed sale, regardless of the order's value. If a publisher drives 40 sales in a month, the advertiser pays 40 × $25 = $1,000 in total commission.
CPA pays a fixed dollar amount per conversion no matter the order size, while percentage commission scales with order value. CPA gives advertisers predictable per-sale costs; percentage commission rewards publishers more for driving higher-value orders. Some programs blend both models by order tier.
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