The affiliate glossary ↗AFFDude / Field notes
CPA
In plain English
What does CPA mean?
Cost per action: the advertiser pays a fixed amount when a visitor completes a defined action such as a purchase, signup or deposit.
CPA is the workhorse pricing model of performance marketing. The action is defined in the offer terms: a first deposit for a casino offer, a confirmed order for a nutra offer, a verified signup for a SaaS trial. Because payment depends on the action, CPA offers shift the conversion risk onto the affiliate, which is why they pay more than CPC or CPM traffic costs.
Always read what counts as the action and how long the advertiser has to approve or reject it.