What affiliate Payout Threshold Should You Use?

Affiliate commissions

What a payout threshold is

A payout threshold is the minimum approved commission balance an affiliate must reach before they can receive a payment. With a $50 threshold, affiliates only get paid once they have at least $50 in approved commissions.

Why programs use a threshold

Less admin: you are not processing a stream of tiny payments.
Lower transaction costs: fewer, larger payouts mean fewer payment processor fees.
Fraud control: the wait gives you time to verify referrals before money goes out.
Fewer dead accounts: very low-activity affiliates stop consuming time and fees.

Common thresholds in B2B SaaS

$50, the most common

This is the standard for many B2B SaaS programs. It balances accessibility for affiliates against your admin cost.

Example: a 20% commission on a $100/month product pays $20 a month. The affiliate crosses $50 after the third monthly payment from a single referred customer.

$100

Better for larger deal sizes or enterprise SaaS, where individual commissions are higher and you want more verification time.

$25

Good for motivating new affiliates with a faster first payout, especially while you are launching a program and building trust.

How to choose the right threshold

Average commission size. If the average monthly commission is around $20, a $50 threshold means a first payout in roughly 2 to 3 months, which is reasonable. A $200 threshold at that rate means about 10 months, which is too long and hurts motivation and retention.
Payment processing costs. If each transaction costs you $2 to $5, keep the threshold high enough that fees stay a small share of the payout. A $50 minimum generally keeps fees under about 10% of the payout.
Churn rate. With recurring commissions, some referred customers cancel before the affiliate reaches the threshold. Set it so affiliates can realistically get there with 2 to 3 active referrals.
Affiliate experience. New affiliates are sensitive to how quickly they see money. Too high a threshold delays the first win and kills motivation, while a lower first threshold builds trust and keeps them engaged.

Best practices

Start at $50, then adjust using your own data on average commission, churn, fees, and affiliate feedback.
State the threshold clearly in your affiliate terms and onboarding materials.
Consider a lower first payout, for example $25 the first time and $50 or more after that.
Review it quarterly. If a lot of affiliates are stalling below the threshold, lower it.
Pair it with a clear payout schedule so affiliates know exactly when they get paid after hitting the threshold.

How payouts work in Reditus

You set your payout threshold in your Reditus program settings.
When an affiliate's approved commission balance reaches that threshold, their payout becomes eligible.
From there you either process payouts manually, or use automated payouts, available on the Growth plan and above, to pay affiliates on a defined schedule.

For step-by-step payout instructions, see "how to payout affiliates" in the Reditus help center (https://www.getreditus.live/help/en/how-to-payout-affiliates).