Hold

Hold (hold period) is the time delay between the user's target action and the actual reward granted to the affiliate. Hold gives the affiliate program the time to verify the quality of the lead. Only after the successful validation is the payout available for withdrawal.

It is a common practice when working with CPA networks, especially in high-risk verticals (gambling, dating, e-commerce, finance). The hold period helps affiliate programs minimize potential losses and maintain high-quality traffic.

How Holds Work in Affiliate Marketing: What You Need to Know

After the user performs the target action (registration, FTD, application), it gets the "pending verification" status. This status can last from 24 hours to 30 days, depending on the offer, vertical, and the program's terms.

This time is used to verify the validity. In other words, the affiliate program wants to make sure that no multiaccounting, incentivized traffic, bots, or data swapping was involved. If no violations were found, the lead gets approved, and the affiliate receives the payment. If the verification detected fraud, the lead will be rejected with no compensation.

The Role of Holds in Affiliate Programs

The hold period has a direct impact on the profitability and scaling potential for arbitrage campaigns. If the hold is short (1-3 days), affiliates have the chance to reinvest and launch new campaigns quickly. In case of longer holds (more than a week), work will require more thorough planning and extended capital for investments. It's better to avoid relying on instant returns, too.

Holds also act as a protective mechanism, allowing networks to filter out low-quality or fraudulent leads before payment, reducing the risk of mass chargebacks. Over time, as affiliates build trust and scale traffic, the hold period may be shortened or even removed, moving to instant pay.

How to Manage Holds Without Losing Revenue

It's always important to clarify the hold period in the offer description or directly with the affiliate manager to plan the work properly. Maintaining traffic quality helps minimize rejected leads and reduce risks.

Using a tracker and monitoring lead statuses allows you to see which applications are on hold and when to expect approval. Regular updates from the manager will ensure transparency and sometimes help speed up the process. It's crucial to understand that the hold period is not a punishment, but a control mechanism.