Which Deriv commission plan is right for you?

Choosing the right commission plan is the single most important financial decision you will make as a Deriv partner. The wrong choice could mean missing out on potential earnings, while the right choice aligns your income with your specific promotional strengths.

As Loren Veloso, Business Development at Deriv, notes: "Don’t let your knowledge go to waste! For years, I’ve seen traders teach friends, families, even entire academies - without knowing they could earn commissions with Deriv. If you’re already sharing your experience, why not grow together and get rewarded? Plus, you get expert support to scale your business as high as you want." 

Quick summary

To choose your perfect Deriv affiliate commission plan, you must match the plan type to your audience size, region, and engagement style.

• Revenue Share (40%): Best for mentors with under 1,000 engaged followers who build long-term trust.
• Turnover Commission: Best for high-volume Intro Brokers (IBs) with 5,000+ active traders.

What are the different Deriv partner commission types?

Before analysing your audience, you need to understand the mechanics of each earning model.

1. Revenue share commission

This is the "long game" model. You earn a percentage of the net revenue generated from your referred clients' trading activity.

• Payment structure: Flat 40% commission on net revenue, no tiers.
• Income timeline: Slow start, but compounds over 6–12 months as your referrals trade more.
• Ideal for: content creators, social media influencers and digital promoters.

2. Turnover commission

This is the "volume" model. You earn based on the probability and frequency of trades, regardless of whether the trade wins or loses.

• Payment structure: A calculated commission based on the volume traded. Note: Rates vary significantly by asset class (e.g., Forex vs. Synthetic Indices vs. Commodities).
• Income timeline: Predictable monthly income based on active trading.
• Ideal for: Educators, signal providers, community builders.

Commission plan comparison chart: revenue share vs. turnover

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How to calculate your potential earnings

Scenario A: Revenue Share focus

5 quality referrals monthly

$200 average deposit per referral

$1,000 monthly trading volume per referral

• Deriv's net revenue: ~$50 per referral monthly
• Potential earnings: $20 per referral × 5 = $100 monthly (at 40% flat rate)
• Annual potential: Recurring income as long as referred clients remain active

Scenario B: Turnover focus (CFD)

15 referrals monthly

Each referral trades 1 Lot of EUR/USD (round trip) — turnover = 100,000 units × $1.1000 = $110,000

Rate: $10 per $100,000 turnover

• Per referral: $110,000 ÷ 100,000 × $10 = $11.00, doubled for the roundtrip (open + close) = $22.00
• Potential earnings: $22.00 × 15 = $330 monthly

How to optimise your chosen plan

For Revenue Share:

• Focus on quantity referrals
• Develop email sequences nurturing prospects into active traders
• Monitor referral trading activity in your partner dashboard

For Turnover:

• Target audiences are already engaged in active trading
• Host live trading sessions or trading competitions to encourage volume spikes
• Create content focused on trading strategies and market analysis
• Monitor referral trading patterns to replicate successful approaches

Avoid these 3 common selection mistakes

Choosing a plan based on what "sounds best" rather than a realistic assessment of your data is the most common reason new partners fail to maximise their potential earnings.

• Choosing Revenue Share with low-quality referrals who don't trade actively
• Using Turnover with an insufficient audience size for meaningful volume

Key takeaway: don’t guess, calculate

Your audience size, traffic quality, and promotional strengths determine optimal commission plan choice more than personal preferences. Starting with the wrong plan may cost new partners potential earnings during the crucial first months.

Quick selection guide:

• Conversion skills? Choose Revenue Share.
• Massive volume and audience? Choose Turnover.

For ideas on how to promote your referral links, check out our full course on tools for promotion.