GamingActive

CDKeys Affiliate Program

The CDKeys affiliate program pays up to 5% per sale on a 30-day cookie window, on discounted digital game keys and subscriptions.

Last reviewed by the LinkApprove partnerships team

Cookie window in contextJoint longest

30days to convert

7d shortest30d longest

Nothing in gaming runs a longer window, 11 of the 12 programs we list share this 30-day window, against a 30-day median. A click has 30 days to convert before attribution closes.

01Overview

About the CDKeys affiliate program

CDKeys sells digital game keys below standard retail, and the price gap is the entire proposition. Readers arrive because they want a specific game cheaper, which is high-intent traffic requiring almost no persuasion, the creator's role is to surface the price, not to sell the game.

Digital delivery means no shipping friction and effectively no returns, so reversal rates run well below physical retail. Game subscription top-ups also generate genuinely recurring purchases, which is unusual in a category dominated by one-off transactions.

From the LinkApprove network
Reversal rates here run below physical gaming retail because digital keys are not returned, so realised earnings track headline more closely than elsewhere in the category.

02Conversion

Why CDKeys converts

  • High-intent traffic arriving for a specific title needs almost no persuasion
  • Digital delivery means reversal rates run below physical gaming retail
  • Subscription top-ups create recurring rather than one-off purchases
  • A 30-day window is generous for a low-value digital purchase

03Audience fit

Which creators this suits

  • Gaming deal and value focused creators
  • PC and console gaming publishers covering new releases
  • Channels with audiences who buy games regularly

04Getting started

How to join the CDKeys affiliate program

  1. 1Create a free LinkApprove partner account and submit your content channels for review.
  2. 2Once approved, usually within two business days, open the program directory and find CDKeys.
  3. 3Generate a deep link to any CDKeys product page, adding sub-IDs for the platform or campaign you are publishing to.
  4. 4Publish, then track clicks and validated commission in one balance alongside every other program you run.

Because LinkApprove already holds the upstream approval, you do not submit a separate application to CDKeys.

05Attribution

When you get paid on this program

How a commission is attributed and paidA click starts a 30-day cookie window. A purchase inside that window is attributed to you. The advertiser then validates the sale over a hold period of 30-60 days before it is released in the next payout run.COOKIE WINDOW · 30DHOLD · 30-60 DAYSClickday 0Purchasewithin 30 daysValidatedadvertiser confirmsPaidnext payout run

Full thresholds, rails and schedules are on the payouts page.

06FAQ

Common questions

How much does the CDKeys affiliate program pay?

The CDKeys affiliate program pays Up to 5% per sale. Average order value on the program is $35, so commission per conversion is calculated against that basket rather than a single item price.

What is the cookie duration for the CDKeys affiliate program?

The CDKeys program has a 30-day cookie window. A purchase made after that window has closed is not attributed to you, which is why content timing matters on this program.

How do I join the CDKeys affiliate program?

You can join the CDKeys affiliate program through LinkApprove without applying to CDKeys directly. LinkApprove already holds the upstream approval, so once your LinkApprove partner account is approved you can generate tracked links to any CDKeys product page immediately.

Which countries does the CDKeys affiliate program accept?

The CDKeys program accepts traffic from UK, EU, US, CA, AU. Traffic from outside these regions may not be attributed even when the click is tracked, so check your audience geography before committing content to it.

Gaming

How CDKeys compares in its category

Gaming splits cleanly into two commission models: digital game keys pay a high percentage on a low order value and validate almost immediately, while hardware pays a low percentage on a high order value and validates slowly. Creators generally do better concentrating on one side than covering both, and launch and sale calendars concentrate demand far more sharply here than in retail verticals.

Commission and cookie figures are indicative and set by the advertiser.
ProgramCommissionCookieAvg. order
CDKeys (this program)Up to 5% per sale30 days$35
Corsair5% per sale30 days$150
ElgatoUp to 7% per sale30 days$180
Fanatical5% per sale30 days$25
GameStop3% per sale7 days$85
Green Man Gaming5% per sale30 days$35
Humble BundleUp to 10% per sale30 days$28
HyperXUp to 6% per sale30 days$105
Razer6% per sale30 days$135
SecretlabUp to 6% per sale30 days$480
SteelSeriesUp to 8% per sale30 days$125
Turtle BeachUp to 7% per sale30 days$95

Creators and publishers

Promote CDKeys and every other program in the directory from one account, with a single payout. Free to join, from 1,000 followers.

Advertisers

Recruit vetted creators across the UK, EU and US without managing hundreds of individual partner relationships.

Promote CDKeys from today

Join LinkApprove free and generate your first tracked CDKeys link once approved. No separate application, and no advertiser approval queue.