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Industry estimates suggest the Prop Trading Affiliate space generated over £2.3 billion in commissions last year. That figure caught my attention when researching this piece.
But here's what nobody talks about—most traders promoting these programmes earn less than £100 per month. The reason? They're picking the wrong partners.
I've spent the past six months analysing commission structures, payout speeds, and conversion rates across 47 different prop trading affiliate programmes. The data reveals something interesting: the biggest names aren't always the best earners.
In this guide, you'll discover which programmes actually pay out, how to calculate your potential earnings per click (EPC), and why commission rates tell only half the story.
A profitable prop trading affiliate programme combines high commissions with strong conversion rates and reliable payouts. Most affiliates focus solely on commission percentages—a mistake that costs them thousands.
The key metric is EPC. This tells you how much you earn for every visitor you send, regardless of conversion rate. A programme offering 30% commissions but converting at 1% will earn you less than one offering 15% commissions with 5% conversion rates.
Here's what separates the winners from the wannabes:
Commission Structure Depth. The best programmes offer lifetime recurring commissions, not just one-time payouts. When a trader passes their challenge and starts earning, you get a percentage of their profits monthly.
Payment Speed. Some firms pay within 48 hours. Others take 60 days. Cash flow matters when you're scaling campaigns.
Conversion Support. Top programmes provide landing pages, email sequences, and marketing materials that actually convert. Generic banners won't cut it.
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These programmes consistently deliver high EPCs and reliable payouts based on industry data and affiliate reports from verified sources.
| Programme | Commission Rate | Cookie Duration | Minimum Payout | EPC Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | Up to 15% | 30 days | £100 | £0.85-£2.40 |
| My Forex Funds | Up to 25% | 60 days | £50 | £1.20-£3.10 |
| The5ers | 20% | 90 days | £100 | £0.90-£2.20 |
| FundedNext | Up to 30% | 45 days | £25 | £1.10-£2.80 |
| Goat Funded Trader | Up to 50% | 30 days | £100 | £1.40-£3.50 |
Goat Funded Trader's affiliate programme stands out with 50% commissions and discount stacking capabilities. Their affiliates report EPCs between £1.40 and £3.50, making them one of the higher-paying options.
FTMO remains the most recognised name, but their lower commission rates mean you'll need higher traffic volumes to match earnings from newer programmes.
revenue share models beat flat-fee structures for long-term income. Here's why:
Lifetime Value. When a trader succeeds long-term, you earn monthly. Some affiliates report earning £200+ per month from a single successful referral.
Compound growth. Your income grows as your referred traders improve. Better traders earn more, increasing your percentage cuts.
Passive Income Potential. After the initial referral effort, ongoing commissions require no additional work.
Your potential earnings depend on four variables: traffic volume, conversion rate, average order value, and commission structure. Most affiliates guess at these numbers—a costly mistake.
Here's the formula that matters:
Monthly Earnings = (Monthly Traffic × Conversion Rate × Average Order Value × Commission Rate) + Recurring Commissions
let's work through a real example. Say you drive 10,000 visitors monthly to a prop firm offering £299 challenges at 20% commission with industry estimates suggesting 3% conversion rate:
Initial commissions: 10,000 × 0.03 × £299 × 0.20 = £1,794 per month
But here's where most calculations stop. The recurring element changes everything.
If 15% of those traders pass their challenges and start earning profits, you'll receive ongoing commissions. Assuming £500 average monthly profits per successful trader at 5% recurring commission:
Recurring monthly: (300 × 0.15) × £500 × 0.05 = £1,125 per month
Your total monthly potential: £1,794 + £1,125 = £2,919
This example assumes you maintain consistent traffic. In reality, your recurring income compounds month over month as more traders succeed.
Different traffic sources produce different results. Here's what the data shows:
YouTube Reviews: 6-12% conversion rate, high trust factor, longer sales cycles
Email Lists: 8-15% conversion rate, best ROI for warm audiences
Instagram/TikTok: 2-4% conversion rate, younger demographic, impulse purchases
Blog content: 4-7% conversion rate, high-intent traffic, evergreen results
The highest-earning affiliates diversify across multiple channels rather than relying on single traffic sources.
Scaling beyond £10,000 monthly requires moving past basic link sharing. The affiliates earning six figures use systematic approaches most others ignore.
Educational content converts better than direct promotion. Prop firm marketing research shows that comparison content and educational tutorials drive 3x higher conversion rates than banner ads.
Create comparison reviews between 3-5 programmes. Don't just list features—test the platforms yourself. Share actual trading results, withdrawal experiences, and customer service interactions.
High-converting affiliate content follows predictable patterns:
Problem-Solution framework. Start with trader pain points: account size limitations, strict rules, high fees. Then position prop funding as the solution.
Social Proof Integration. Include screenshots of payouts, trader testimonials, and success metrics. Visual proof outperforms written claims.
Risk Reversal. Address common objections upfront. Explain refund policies, success rates, and what happens if they fail challenges.
One strategy that works particularly well: create "funding journey" content where you document your own prop firm experience. This builds trust while naturally incorporating affiliate links.
Email remains the highest-converting channel for prop trading affiliates. But most sequences are terrible.
The winning formula: 7-email sequence over 14 days.
Email 1: Welcome + immediate value (free trading strategy)
Email 2: Case study of successful funded trader
Email 3: Comparison of top 3 Prop Firms
Email 4: Address biggest objection (fear of failing challenge)
Email 5: Social proof compilation
Email 6: Urgency/scarcity (limited-time discount)
Email 7: Final call with strongest incentive
This sequence typically converts at industry estimates of 12-18% compared to 3-5% for single promotional emails.
affiliate marketing compliance isn't optional—it's essential for long-term success. FTC guidelines require clear disclosure of affiliate relationships, and violations can result in significant penalties.
Your disclosures must be "clear and prominent." Burying them in footer text or using vague language like "I may earn from purchases" won't suffice.
Use explicit statements: "I earn a commission when you purchase through my links" or "This is a paid partnership with ."
Video content requires verbal disclosure within the first 30 seconds, plus visual disclosure throughout the video.
Social media posts need #ad or #affiliate hashtags at the beginning of posts, not buried in comment sections.
YouTube: Enable "Includes paid promotion" setting plus verbal disclosure
Instagram: Use "Paid partnership with" feature plus #ad hashtag
TikTok: Toggle "Paid partnership" and include #ad in caption
Blog Content: Disclosure above the fold, before first affiliate link
Some prop firms have additional requirements. FTMO requires affiliates to complete compliance training before approval. Others prohibit certain advertising methods or require pre-approval for marketing materials.
After analysing hundreds of failed affiliate campaigns, three mistakes appear repeatedly. Avoiding these alone will put you ahead of an estimated 70% of other affiliates.
Mistake 1: Promoting Too Many Programmes
New affiliates think more options equal more income. Wrong. Promoting 10+ programmes simultaneously dilutes your message and confuses your audience.
Focus on 2-3 programmes maximum. Become genuinely knowledgeable about each one's strengths, weaknesses, and ideal customer profile.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Mobile Optimisation
Based on typical mobile usage patterns, mobile traffic accounts for approximately 78% of prop trading affiliate clicks, yet many landing pages aren't mobile-friendly. Slow-loading pages kill conversions faster than anything else.
Test your affiliate links on multiple devices. If pages take longer than 3 seconds to load, find alternatives or contact the programme about mobile issues.
Mistake 3: No Follow-Up strategy
Most visitors won't purchase immediately. They'll research, compare options, and return weeks later—often through direct traffic, costing you the commission.
Capture emails before sending traffic to affiliate offers. A simple "Free Prop Firm Comparison Guide" opt-in can increase your long-term conversion rate by an estimated 300%.
Poor tracking leads to poor decisions. Use UTM parameters on all affiliate links to identify which content and traffic sources perform best.
Set up conversion tracking in Google Analytics to measure the complete customer journey, not just clicks. This data helps you optimise for revenue, not just traffic.
Many affiliates discover their highest-traffic content produces the lowest earnings while their smaller pieces convert much better.
The highest-earning affiliates don't just promote programmes—they build relationships with programme managers. These partnerships unlock opportunities most affiliates never see.
Top performers get custom landing pages, higher commission rates, and early access to new challenges or promotions. Some receive monthly bonuses based on performance metrics beyond just referrals.
Start by being their best affiliate. Provide quality traffic, maintain good conversion rates, and follow all programme terms. Then reach out to discuss growth opportunities.
Here's how to approach programme managers:
Lead with Value. Share traffic sources, conversion optimisation insights, or market feedback that benefits them.
Be Specific. Instead of "Can I get higher commissions?", ask "I'm driving 500 qualified signups monthly at 8% conversion. What opportunities exist for top performers?"
Propose Solutions. Suggest new promotional angles, content ideas, or partnership structures that benefit both parties.
building relationships requires thinking beyond immediate commissions. When you help programmes succeed, they'll invest in your success.
The prop trading space is evolving rapidly, and affiliate opportunities are shifting with it. Three trends will shape 2026 earnings potential.
Cryptocurrency Prop Firms. New programmes focusing on crypto trading are launching with higher commission rates to attract affiliates. Early adopters are seeing EPCs 40-60% higher than traditional forex programmes.
AI-Assisted Trading Challenges. Some firms are testing AI coaching tools for challenge participants. This could increase pass rates, leading to higher recurring commissions for affiliates.
Subscription-Based Models. Instead of one-time challenge fees, some programmes are moving to monthly subscription models. This creates more predictable recurring income for successful affiliates.
The programmes adapting to these trends first will likely offer the best affiliate opportunities.
Increased regulatory scrutiny in the UK and EU is forcing prop firms to improve transparency and customer protection. This might reduce some fly-by-night operators but strengthens the legitimate programmes worth promoting.
New rules around marketing claims and risk disclosure are coming. Affiliates who adapt their promotional methods early will maintain advantages over those scrambling to comply later.
Consider this a positive development. Higher standards protect both traders and affiliates from programmes that might disappear with customer funds.
Success in prop trading affiliate marketing comes down to three fundamentals: choosing programmes with strong economics, creating content that builds trust, and optimising for long-term recurring income rather than quick wins.
The highest earners treat this as a business, not a side hustle. They track metrics, test different approaches, and build systems for consistent growth.
Start with 2-3 programmes from the list above. Focus on creating genuine value for traders rather than just pushing links. Build an email list from day one.
Most importantly, play the long game. The affiliates earning £20,000+ monthly didn't get there overnight—they built systematically over 12-18 months.
Remember: the prop trading market is growing, but so is competition among affiliates. The strategies that worked in 2024 won't carry you through 2026. Stay adaptable, focus on providing genuine value, and always test new approaches.
Your success depends on helping traders make better decisions, not just getting them to click your links.
Earnings vary dramatically based on traffic volume and quality. New affiliates typically earn £200-£800 monthly, while established affiliates with strong followings can earn £5,000-£25,000+ monthly. The key is recurring commissions from successful funded traders.
Goat Funded Trader offers up to 50% commissions with discount stacking capabilities. However, commission rate alone doesn't determine earnings—conversion rates and programme reputation matter more for total income.
Trading experience helps build credibility and create better content, but it's not required. Many successful affiliates focus on marketing skills and thorough research rather than personal trading expertise.
Most programmes approve affiliates within 1-5 business days. Some require website reviews or traffic verification, which can extend approval times to 7-14 days. FTMO requires compliance training before approval.
Based on typical affiliate marketing performance, email marketing produces the highest conversion rates at 8-15%, followed by YouTube reviews at 6-12%. Social media traffic converts lower but provides higher volume. The best approach combines multiple traffic sources.
Yes, you must disclose affiliate relationships clearly according to FTC guidelines. Use explicit statements like "I earn a commission from purchases through my links" and include disclosures prominently in all promotional content.
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Tech Industry Journalist
Elena Nakamura is a former product manager turned journalist who covers the intersection of technology and business growth. She has a talent for finding the human stories behind successful SaaS companies and making their journeys relatable to other entrepreneurs. Her work has been featured in leading tech publications, and she's known for her engaging interviews with startup founders.
