It is one question, not a preference
CPA pays once, now. RevShare pays a little every month, indefinitely. So there is a crossing point: the month after which the share has paid more than the flat fee would have.
Break-even months = CPA rate ÷ (monthly net revenue per player × share %)If your players typically stay longer than the break-even, take the share. If they do not, take the fee. The CPA vs RevShare calculator works it out from your own numbers.
A worked comparison
100 first-time depositors, a €300 CPA, and a 40% share of €200 net revenue per player per month, which is €80 per player per month:
| After | CPA | RevShare | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | €30,000 | €8,000 | CPA |
| Month 3 | €30,000 | €24,000 | CPA |
| Month 4 | €30,000 | €32,000 | RevShare |
| Month 12 | €30,000 | €96,000 | RevShare |
| Month 24 | €30,000 | €192,000 | RevShare |
The CPA column never moves. That is the trade: certainty against an upside you only collect if the players stay.
When each model fits
| Situation | Usually take |
|---|---|
| You buy media, and the break-even month is further out than your budget can wait | CPA |
| Incentivised, comparison or one-off campaign traffic that deposits and moves on | CPA |
| You are testing a casino you have no retention data for | CPA |
| Content, SEO or community traffic whose players stay | RevShare |
What the arithmetic leaves out
- Retention is a guess until you measure it. Your first months on a new casino are the measurement. Until then a flat fee is priced on facts and a share on hope.
- Negative carryover can push the break-even out indefinitely. See negative carryover.
- Concentration risk. A revenue share ties your income to one operator's bonus policy, game mix and tax position.
Hybrid: taking both
A hybrid pays a smaller flat fee per depositor and a smaller revenue share. It funds the media buy while keeping the long tail, at the cost of the best of either model, and it is the usual answer when you trust the traffic but not yet the retention. The earnings calculator prices all three models from one funnel.
