How an AI-agency affiliate program really pays out: the 6 things to get in writing before you refer anyone
Written by the AIVX Labs team · Published November 2026
A partner program pays out according to six terms: the commission base, the payout trigger, attribution rules, recurring vs one-time, the refund clawback, and the payout schedule. The percentage on the sign-up page tells you almost nothing without the other five.
If you're a creator, consultant, or past student thinking about referring people into AIVX's AI agency training, this is the checklist to run first. Your audience trusts your judgment. You should know exactly what you're attaching it to.
This page gives you the six terms, the reason each one matters, and the formula to build your own estimate. It does not publish AIVX commission numbers, because those have to come from the program owner, in writing.
Key takeaways
- An affiliate program's payout is set by six terms: commission base, payout trigger, attribution, recurring vs one-time, refund clawback, and payout schedule.
- A commission rate means nothing until you know whether it applies to price paid, net of refunds, first payment only, or every payment.
- You are owed money when the payout trigger clears, not when the referred buyer pays.
- You can estimate your payout with one formula: referrals × price × rate − refunds.
- If a payout term isn't in writing, treat it as unanswered and don't refer anyone on the strength of it.
The commission rate is the least useful number on the page
A rate only means something once you know what it is a rate of. Is it the price the buyer paid, or the list price? Is it net of refunds and discounts? Is it the first payment only, or every payment?
Two programs can both say the same percentage and pay you very different amounts. The difference sits in the base, and the base is rarely on the sign-up page.
Question one to ask: what exactly is the commission calculated on, and does that figure change if the buyer gets a discount or a refund?
The money isn't yours when the referral pays. It's yours when the trigger clears.
A buyer paying is not the same as you being owed. Refund windows and payout delays decide when cash actually lands.
So you need two answers. What event triggers the commission: the sale, the cleared payment, or the end of the refund window? And what is the payout schedule after that trigger?
Then ask the refund clawback question: if a referred buyer is refunded after you've been paid, does the commission come back out of a future payout? Know this before you tell anyone the program is worth it.
Attribution rules decide who gets credit for the sale
Attribution answers one question: when a buyer signs up, whose referral counts? You need to know whether credit runs through a link or a code, and how long a click stays valid.
Ask what happens when two people referred the same buyer. If the program doesn't have a written rule for that, the dispute gets settled after the fact, and not necessarily in your favor.
Short, specific rules protect both sides. Vague ones protect the program.
Recurring vs one-time changes the math completely
A commission paid once on a single payment and a commission paid on every installment are two different businesses. Your estimate has to be built on the right one.
Confirm whether AIVX's training is paid once or in installments. Then confirm whether your commission follows each payment or only the first.
If you skip this, you'll either overestimate what you'll earn or undersell a program that pays over time.
Build your own payout estimate with one formula
Here is the whole calculation: referrals × price × rate − refunds = payout. Every term in it maps to one of the six questions. Price and rate depend on the commission base. Refunds depend on the trigger and the clawback. Whether it repeats depends on recurring vs one-time.
I'm not putting AIVX figures into that formula on this page, because the actual terms haven't been confirmed for publication. Get them from the program owner and fill in the formula yourself.
Use the conservative case, not the best case. Assume some referrals refund and some payouts arrive late, then decide if the number still makes sense.
Only refer a product you would use yourself
Your audience follows you because of your judgment, not because of your commission. A referral that doesn't fit what you'd actually use spends that trust for a one-time payout.
So the sixth check isn't in the contract. Would you take this training yourself, and would you be comfortable explaining exactly how you get paid if someone asked?
If the answer to either is no, don't apply. No rate fixes that.
What to do first: send the six questions and get the answers in writing
Send these six questions to the program owner: (1) What is the commission calculated on? (2) What event triggers the payout? (3) How is attribution decided, and for how long? (4) Is the commission one-time or recurring? (5) What happens to my commission if a buyer is refunded? (6) What is the payout schedule?
Get every answer in writing. Apply only if all six are clear.
P.S. If an answer isn't in writing, treat it as unanswered.
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Frequently asked questions
How does the AIVX AI-agency affiliate program actually pay out?
It pays out according to six terms: the commission base, payout trigger, attribution rules, recurring vs one-time, refund clawback, and payout schedule. This page doesn't publish AIVX figures because they haven't been confirmed for publication, so ask the program owner for all six in writing.
What should I get in writing before joining an affiliate program?
Get the commission base, what event triggers the payout, how attribution works and for how long, whether it's one-time or recurring, what happens on a refund, and the payout schedule. If any of these is only verbal, treat it as unanswered.
What is a refund clawback in an affiliate program?
A clawback is when a commission you've already been paid is taken back, usually from a future payout, because the referred buyer was refunded. Ask whether the program has one and how long the refund window runs.
How do I calculate my affiliate payout?
Use referrals × price × rate − refunds = payout. Fill in the price and rate from the program's written commission base, and if the commission is recurring, repeat it for each payment you'd receive.
Is a high commission percentage a sign of a good affiliate program?
No. A percentage only matters once you know what it applies to, when you're paid, and whether refunds reverse it. A lower rate with clear terms can beat a higher one with vague terms.