In the VPS and cloud server community, the term "AFF" is appearing more and more frequently. Some people earn thousands of dollars a month using it, while others work hard for half a day and don't earn a penny, even getting accused of "harvesting" customers. The AFF rules of various service providers vary widely—some share profits proportionally, some offer fixed commissions, some offer lifetime recurring commissions, and some only count the first purchase—so which one is the most reliable? Today, we'll provide a complete overview of the AFF models of mainstream VPS service providers in 2026, helping you understand the differences between the various rules and find the most suitable promotional direction for you.

I. What exactly is AFF? Let's understand the basic concepts first.

AFF is an abbreviation for Affiliate (promotional commission). In the cloud server industry, it refers to a business model where users are referred to purchase products through a unique referral link, thereby earning a sales commission.

Simply put, service providers are willing to share a portion of their profits with promoters who bring in new users in order to acquire more customers. Promoters don't need to stock inventory, provide customer service, or provide technical support; they only need to recommend products to those who need them.

It sounds great, but the rules vary greatly among different service providers—choose the right platform, and a single review article could earn you years of passive income; choose the wrong one, and you might work hard for nothing.

II. Mainstream AFF Models in 2026

Currently, AFF rules on the market can be roughly divided into the following models:

Model 1: Percentage-based Commission

This is the most common model. Promoters receive a percentage of the user's spending as commission.

The percentage is usually between 10% and 25%. For example, a merchant might offer a 15% commission on new purchases and 10% on renewals and upgrades. Another service provider's referral program might calculate a 10% rebate on the actual amount paid by the order.

Advantages: The higher the user's spending, the more you earn; theoretically, there is no upper limit.

Disadvantages: If the user only buys the cheapest package, the commission may be pitifully low.

Model 2: Fixed Commission

For each successful referral, you receive a fixed amount of commission.

Domestic merchants typically charge 30-100 RMB per order; overseas merchants are more generous, charging 65-100 USD per order.

Advantages: Predictable income; you know exactly how much you'll earn per order.

Disadvantages: You only receive a fixed amount regardless of the price of the package the user purchases.

Model Three: Lifetime Recurring Commission

This is the most attractive model—you continue to receive commissions as long as the user continues to renew.

Bandwagon Host offers a 22% recurring commission, including both initial purchases and subsequent renewals. Jtti also offers a 15% commission on new cloud server purchases, with lifetime recurring commissions.

Advantages: You earn commissions for three years if a customer uses the service for three years. This is true "passive income."

Disadvantages: Requires the service provider to continue operating and the customer to continue renewing—if the service provider goes out of business or the customer leaves, your income stops.

Model 4: One-Time High Payout

Some overseas service providers use a model of "giving users a high trial credit and high rewards to promoters."

Vultr's AFF rules are: new users receive a $300 trial credit, and after the user spends $100, the promoter receives a $100 commission.

Advantages: High commission per transaction, $100 per order.

Disadvantages: High threshold—users must be active for more than 30 days and spend at least $100 to be considered a valid sale. This model is also susceptible to "coupon fraud"—some people place orders through AFFs, receive commissions, and then immediately request a refund.

Model 5: Affiliate Networks

Some service providers do not operate AFFs directly but promote through third-party affiliate platforms such as CJ Affiliate, Awin, and Impact.

GoDaddy operates through CJ Affiliate, with commissions of approximately 10% or a maximum of $50 per order. DigitalOcean's affiliate marketing (AFF) is managed through CJ Affiliate, which pays a 10% monthly commission on purchases over 12 months.

Advantages: Unified platform management and relatively standardized settlement.

Disadvantages: An additional platform commission; the commission rate may be lower than that of brands operating directly.

III. Horizontal Comparison of AFF Rules of Mainstream Service Providers (2026)

As the table shows, there is no absolute "best," only "which one is most suitable for your promotion method."

IV. Three Major Risks of AFF Promotion, Must Know Before Choosing a Platform

Risk 1: Merchants Running Away or Dishonesty

This is the biggest pitfall. One user purchased a VPS through a referral link, only to have the service terminated in less than a month, and the referrer was blacklisted. If the provider is unreliable, your referral is essentially helping to scam people.

Avoid this pitfall: Only recommend reputable service providers with proper qualifications. Choose brands with a long operating history, stable reputation, and self-operated data centers. Don't be blinded by extremely high commissions (e.g., over 50%)—high commissions often come with high risks.

Risk Two: Commissions Deemed Invalid

Many service providers have strict rules for defining "valid commissions." For example, users must be active for a certain number of days, spend a certain amount, or cannot use coupons.

DigitalOcean explicitly states that if the promotional content includes reviews or comparisons, and the traffic is from "brand intent" rather than "new users," the commission may be reduced. Vultr requires referred users to be active for at least 30 days and spend at least $100 to be considered a valid sale.

Avoid this pitfall: Carefully read the service provider's AFF terms and conditions to understand what constitutes a "valid commission" and under what circumstances it will be deemed invalid.

Risk 3: Being Backfired by "Coupon Hunters"

Some merchants attract promoters with extremely high commissions (e.g., 50%), only to be targeted by coupon hunters—who place orders through affiliate links, withdraw the commission, and then request a refund from PayPal. The merchant bears the commission loss. If the merchant goes bankrupt, the promoter's income also disappears.

Solution: Choose a service provider with a reasonable refund protection mechanism. Reasonable affiliate rules usually include a 7-day lock-in period—if the user requests a refund within 7 days of the order payment, the commission will not be paid. This protects both the merchant and those who genuinely promote the service.

V. How to Choose the Most Reliable One? Four Judgment Criteria

First, check the service provider's qualifications. Does it have a legitimate IDC/ISP license? Does it have its own data center? How many years has it been operating? This information is more important than the commission rate.

Second, check the commission settlement method. Lifetime recurring commission > one-time percentage revenue sharing > one-time bonus. The former provides more sustainable income.

Third, check the effective commission threshold. The lower the threshold, the more user-friendly. If a minimum spend of $100 is required for a transaction to be valid—are you sure your readers are willing to spend that much?

Fourth, check merchant reputation. Search for merchant reviews on communities like NodeSeek and V2EX. If the screen is filled with comments like "failed," "runaway," and "overselling," don't touch it, no matter how high the commission.

Sixth, Jtti's AFF Model: Transparent, Sustainable, and Lifetime Cycle

After understanding the differences in AFF rules, many people ask: Is there an AFF platform with simple rules, transparent commissions, and long-term sustainability?

Jtti's referral commission program offers just such an option:

- Lifetime Recurring Commission: Earn 15% commission on new purchases, a lifetime benefit—you continue to receive commissions as long as users renew their subscriptions.

- Clear and Transparent Rules: No complicated "valid commission" thresholds or hidden deduction clauses.

- Legitimate Qualification Guarantee: Jtti possesses legitimate operating qualifications and self-operated data center resources, eliminating the risk of it "running away with your money."

- Competitive Products: Jtti's cloud servers all come standard with premium CN2 GIA lines and dedicated bandwidth, making the products themselves worthy of recommendation.

Real Earnings Cases: Promoters have earned thousands of dollars in commissions by writing Jtti VPS review articles on platforms like Zhihu and GitHub. Someone else earned over $2,000 in commissions from a blog post with a Jtti referral link, and the earnings are still accumulating.

The essence of AFF promotion is matching high-quality content with users who have the needs. Choose a reliable platform, write authentic content, and consistently provide value—income will naturally follow. If you are interested in Jtti's referral commission program, visit the Jtti website's AFF program now to learn more about the partnership.