EPC means "earnings per click." It shows the average commission an affiliate earns from each tracked click on an affiliate link. Affiliate networks calculate EPC by dividing total affiliate earnings by the number of tracked clicks.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| EPC | Earnings per click |
| Formula | Total commissions ÷ total affiliate-link clicks |
| Example | $200 in commissions ÷ 1,000 clicks = $0.20 EPC |
| Purpose | Compare the earning potential of offers, campaigns or traffic sources |
| Limitation | EPC is an average, not a guaranteed payment for every click |
How Is EPC Calculated?
EPC is calculated by dividing total affiliate earnings by the number of tracked clicks:
EPC = Total affiliate earnings ÷ Total tracked clicks
For example:
- Affiliate commissions: $300
- Tracked clicks: 1,500
- EPC: $300 ÷ 1,500 = $0.20
The affiliate earned an average of 20 cents per click during that period.
Some affiliate networks report EPC per 100 clicks rather than per individual click. The formula is:
EPC per 100 clicks = Total earnings ÷ Total clicks × 100
Using the same figures, the result is $20 per 100 clicks. Check the network's definition before comparing EPC figures.
Does EPC Mean You Get Paid for Every Click?
No. EPC does not mean the affiliate program pays a commission for every individual click.
Most affiliate programs pay when a referred visitor completes a qualifying action, such as:
- Buying a product
- Submitting a lead form
- Starting a paid subscription
- Installing an app
- Completing another approved conversion
EPC averages the commissions generated across all clicks, including clicks that do not produce a sale or lead. PartnerStack describes EPC as a performance measurement rather than a guaranteed offer or fixed payment.
Why Does EPC Matter to Affiliate Marketers?
EPC helps affiliates estimate how effectively an offer turns traffic into revenue.
Affiliates can use EPC to:
- Compare affiliate programs.
- Find products or landing pages that generate more revenue.
- Evaluate different traffic sources.
- Decide whether paid advertising may be viable.
- Track campaign performance over time.
Suppose one offer has an EPC of $0.08 and another has an EPC of $0.35. The second offer generated more average revenue per click during the measured period. That result may not carry over to every audience, but it gives the affiliate a starting point for comparison.
EPC Compared With Other Affiliate Marketing Metrics
| Metric | What it measures |
|---|---|
| EPC | Average earnings generated per affiliate click |
| Conversion rate | Percentage of clicks that result in a conversion |
| Commission rate | Percentage of a sale paid to the affiliate |
| CPA | Cost or commission associated with a completed action |
| CPC | Cost paid for each click, usually in paid advertising |
| AOV | Average order value generated by customers |
EPC reflects several factors, including the commission amount, conversion rate and customer value. An offer can have a high commission rate but a low EPC if few visitors convert.
How Should You Use EPC When Choosing an Affiliate Offer?
Compare EPC figures only when the conditions behind them are reasonably similar.
Check the following:
- Time period: A seven-day EPC may differ sharply from a 12-month EPC.
- Traffic source: Search, email, social media and paid advertising traffic can produce different results.
- Audience and location: Conversion rates may vary by country, device and customer intent.
- Commission status: Some dashboards include pending commissions, while others show approved or net earnings.
- Click definition: Networks may count total clicks, unique clicks or a normalized figure per 100 clicks.
Impact.com describes EPC as earnings associated with tracked link clicks and reports related metrics such as conversion rate and average order value.
What Is a Good EPC?
There is no universal EPC that counts as good.
The figure makes sense only alongside factors such as:
- Your cost to acquire a click
- Your content or advertising costs
- The commission payment
- Your conversion rate
- Your refund or cancellation rate
- The customer's value
- The time and effort needed to promote the offer
For paid traffic, compare EPC with your actual cost per click. If you pay $0.25 for a click and the offer produces an EPC of $0.15, the campaign loses money before other costs. An EPC of $0.60 may produce positive gross economics, but other expenses still affect the final result.