When Does WA Pay You, and What’s the Difference Between Credits and Commissions?

If you’re building your business inside Wealthy Affiliate, you’ve probably noticed there are two different ways to earn: through the credit program and through affiliate commissions. Both eventually translate into cash, but they work in different ways. Let’s clear up the confusion so you know exactly what’s going into your pocket—and when.

Wealthy Affiliate pays out commissions once per month, on the 1st of the month. You’ll need to have at least $10 in your payout balance to receive your money. Payments typically go straight to PayPal, unless you’ve set up a different method.

So what’s the deal with the two earning streams?

1. Cash Credits
This is WA’s internal “currency.” You can earn credits by doing things like leaving SiteComments or SiteFeedback. You can write posts like this, comment on posts, chat in the live chat, ask questions, answer question, and much more to earn credits. But you have to love it. Don't just do it for the sake of earning points. Those credits can then be:

• Spent inside WA (to get comments, feedback, or even domain services), or
• Converted into real money, which is then added to your monthly payout balance.

Think of credits like tokens at an arcade: you can use them inside the arcade, or trade them in for cash when you’re done playing.

2. Affiliate Commissions
This is the main affiliate program. When someone joins Wealthy Affiliate through your link and upgrades to Premium or Premium Plus, you earn a commission. The best part? These are recurring commissions—meaning as long as your referrals keep their membership active, you keep getting paid every month.

Here’s what the rates look like:

• Premium Membership: $23.50/month recurring (or $235 yearly lump sum if they pay annually).
• Premium Plus Membership: $46.50/month recurring (or $465 yearly lump sum if they pay annually).

Yes—you read that right. Just two Premium Plus referrals staying active can earn you almost $100 every month on autopilot.

The Key Difference

• Credits are first earned as an internal currency. You decide whether to spend them within WA or cash them out.
• Commissions are direct earnings from your referrals’ upgrades. They show up as cash right away and are paid out monthly.

Both streams are valuable. Credits can help you reinvest in growing your site (comments, feedback, etc.), while commissions build long-term recurring income. Mastering both is like running your business on two strong legs—you’ll move forward faster and more steadily.

Next, what's the difference between Cash Credits, AI Credits, and Community Credits?
Read the article here => Understanding AI Credits, Cash Credits, and Community Credits at Wealthy Affiliate