Hosting affiliate program: what types exist and how much they actually pay

'Hosting affiliate program' is actually two fundamentally different schemes that are almost always called by the same name. The difference between them is not in the percentage, but in who owns the client. This determines your income, the amount of work involved, and whether you keep earning after a client leaves.

Model one: referral

You get a link. Someone clicks it, registers, pays — and you receive a percentage. No selling, supporting, or invoicing required: the hosting provider handles all of that.

This is the simplest model and the only sensible one if you have an audience but no desire to manage clients: a Telegram channel, a blog, a YouTube channel about development, a community chat. You recommend — you get paid.

There is exactly one catch, and it is a big one: whether the reward is paid once or ongoing. The phrase 'up to 40%' almost always means a percentage of the first payment. The client pays for one month, you receive your forty percent of that one month — and nothing more, no matter how many years they renew afterward. Lifetime 5% is almost always more profitable over time: a client who stays for two years will generate 24 payments for you instead of one.

Model two: reselling

You purchase servers at a discount and sell them to your clients at your own price. The difference is yours. There is no 'reward percentage' here: how much you earn is up to you, determined by the markup you set.

The client belongs to you: they pay you, contact you, and know you — not the hosting provider. This is both an advantage and a responsibility, since first-line support falls on you.

This model suits web studios, system integrators, and anyone who already has clients who need a server anyway. You do not need your own infrastructure, data center, or billing system — the provider handles all of that.

What to check beyond the percentage

The percentage is the most visible number and almost never the most important one. Before signing up, check four things.

One-time payout or lifetime. As mentioned above: the difference over time can be several times over.

What counts as a qualifying purchase. Only the first order, or all renewals too? Are balance top-ups included? Does upgrading to a more expensive plan count?

Minimum withdrawal amount and available methods. One hundred euros to a bank card and one hundred euros in cryptocurrency are very different thresholds depending on where you live. Sometimes the money can only be spent within the hosting platform itself — that is also an option, but better to know about it in advance.

Cookie lifetime. Someone clicked your link but made a purchase two weeks later. Does it count? Most programs keep the tracking cookie alive for 30 to 90 days; some only track the current session.

How much that actually means in money

A simple example: you referred ten people, each running a server at 300 rubles per month.

A referral scheme with lifetime 5% yields 150 rubles per month. Not much — but that money arrives every month without any effort on your part, and after a year it adds up to 1,800 rubles in total, with more continuing to come in.

Reselling with a 20% discount off retail and a 25% markup above retail generates around 135 rubles per server — 1,350 rubles per month from the same ten clients. Ten times more, but with more work: you handle payments and answer questions.

The conclusion is straightforward. If you have an audience — start with referral: it requires nothing but a link. If you have clients — consider reselling: it operates on a different scale of income.

Can you combine both

Yes, and it makes sense. A referral link works for a cold audience you are simply recommending a hosting provider to. Reselling works for those you are already building a website or setting up infrastructure for. The two do not conflict.

In our affiliate program both models are available from the start: referral earnings of 5% on purchases are credited for life from the moment you register, and a reseller rate of 10 to 30% on purchases is granted upon request. You can calculate your income based on your own numbers using the calculator on the affiliate program page.