Glossary
EPC
EPC is earnings per click: how much each visitor to an affiliate page is worth on average.
What it means
EPC is calculated as net commission earned divided by the number of clicks that produced it. Net means after reversals — sales that were refunded and paid no commission. Two conventions exist and they differ by a factor of a hundred: EPC per click, and EPC per 100 clicks. A page that earned 40 in commission from 1,000 clicks has an EPC of 0.04 per click, or 4.00 per 100 clicks — the same result, stated two ways. Pages that quote the two conventions as if they were the same number are the most common EPC mistake on affiliate sites, and the commission calculator on this site shows both, labelled, so the trap is visible.
Example
As an illustration, suppose a comparison page sent 1,000 clicks to a merchant in a month and the sales from those clicks earned 40 in commission after refunded sales were removed. The EPC is 40 divided by 1,000, which is 0.04 per click — or 4.00 per 100 clicks. If a second page sent the same 1,000 clicks and earned 120 after reversals, its EPC is 0.12 per click. The second page is worth three times as much per visitor, even if its commission rate is lower — the rate alone cannot tell you that.
Common misunderstandings
The most common misunderstanding is that a high commission rate means a page earns well. It does not: a high rate on a product nobody buys earns nothing, while a modest rate on a product many buy can pay well. The second is that EPC is a promise — it is a measurement of the past, on one page, over one period, and it changes when the traffic, the product or the programme changes.
Related terms
Learn more
- Affiliate Commission Models
- How Affiliate Marketing Works
- Conversion Optimization for Affiliates
- Affiliate Commission Calculator
- Affiliate Marketing Fundamentals
- Back to the full glossary
Last checked: 14 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How is EPC calculated?
Net commission earned, after reversals, divided by the number of clicks. A page that earned 40 after refunds from 1,000 clicks has an EPC of 0.04 per click, or 4.00 per 100 clicks.
Why does EPC matter more than the commission rate?
Because the rate is per sale and EPC is per visitor. A high rate on a product nobody buys earns less than a modest rate on a product many buy — EPC shows which, and the rate cannot.
What is the difference between EPC per click and per 100 clicks?
They are the same number stated two ways, a hundred apart. An EPC of 0.04 per click is 4.00 per 100 clicks. Always check which convention a figure uses before you compare it with another.
Is a high EPC a guarantee of future earnings?
No. EPC measures the past, on one page, over one period. Traffic, products and programmes change, and so does EPC. It is a decision tool for comparing pages, not a forecast.