specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Awin
providerId: awin-affiliate
created: '2026-07-05'
modified: '2026-07-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
- Affiliate Marketing
- Advertising
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of Awin spend. Awin's API itself is not metered; cost sits in the
  affiliate network's commercial model. For advertisers, spend is a monthly
  platform fee plus a per-transaction tracking fee (network override) and the
  partner commission paid to publishers per validated sale or lead. For
  publishers, the relationship is revenue, not cost - commissions earned per
  transaction. The API is the reporting and reconciliation surface over that
  spend and revenue.
notes: >-
  Advertiser tier and tracking-fee figures are representative values from the
  Awin advertiser pricing page and change over time; verify during
  reconciliation. There is no separate per-API-call charge.
sources:
- https://www.awin.com/us/pricing/advertisers
- https://help.awin.com/apidocs/introduction-1
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Awin
serviceCategory: Marketing and Advertising
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Subscription plus Usage
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
  - Usage
  - Adjustment
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Awin Affiliate Network
  ServiceCategory: Marketing and Advertising
  ProviderName: Awin
  PublisherName: Awin
  InvoiceIssuerName: Awin
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Usage
  PricingCategory: Subscription plus Usage
meters:
- name: advertiser_platform_fee
  description: Monthly advertiser platform subscription fee by tier (Access, Accelerate, Advanced).
  unit: months
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - tier
- name: tracking_fee
  description: Per-transaction network override / tracking fee charged to advertisers.
  unit: transactions
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - tier
- name: partner_commission
  description: Commission paid by advertisers to publishers per validated transaction.
  unit: transactions
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - advertiser
  - publisher
  - commissionGroup
- name: commission_adjustments
  description: Amendments and declines that adjust previously reported commission.
  unit: transactions
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - status
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: >-
    Pull the transactions and aggregated reports APIs to see clicks, sales,
    commission, and tracking fees by advertiser, publisher, creative, and
    campaign in near real time.
- name: Allocation
  description: >-
    Attribute commission and tracking-fee spend to programmes, commission
    groups, and campaigns using the report dimensions and clickRef/orderRef
    custom parameters.
- name: Optimization
  description: >-
    Compare commission-group rates and per-programme KPIs (EPC, conversion rate,
    approval percentage) to shift budget toward efficient partners and validate
    transactions promptly to control declined/pending exposure.
- name: Accountability
  description: >-
    Reconcile validated versus pending versus declined transactions monthly
    against budget, and monitor tracking-fee tier thresholds.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com