Switching networks is expensive. You’re not just testing a new dashboard — you’re risking a week or two of underpaid or unpaid traffic while you figure out whether the relationship is worth keeping. A short vetting pass up front saves that cost.
1. Ask how commissions are actually calculated
“Pay on results” sounds simple until you ask what counts as a result. Get specific: what disqualifies a lead (duplicate, incomplete, pre-populated fields, over a daily cap), who makes that call, and how far back they can claw one back. A network that can answer this in one sentence has a real process. A network that says “we handle it case by case” usually means the advertiser’s word is final and yours isn’t.
2. Check the payment floor and the payment method
Most networks pay monthly with a minimum threshold — commonly $50–$100 — below which your balance rolls over. That’s normal. What’s worth asking is what happens if you never clear the threshold on a slow month, and whether ACH, wire, or PayPal is actually available in your country, not just listed on the website.
3. Ask for the suppression list policy before you run email
If you’re running email traffic, a network without a maintained suppression list is a liability, not a partner. You should be able to download it, not request it. Networks that treat this as an afterthought are the ones that get advertisers pulled from FTC and CAN-SPAM complaints — and you’re the one holding the bag if your list wasn’t filtered.
4. Get a straight answer on account management
“Dedicated account manager” is on every network’s homepage. The test is simple: email or message them a specific question about a specific offer before you sign anything. If you get a real answer within a business day, that’s a working relationship. If you get a form response, that’s what onboarding will feel like too.
5. Look at what verticals they actually run, not just what they list
A network that lists eight verticals but only has real volume in two isn’t lying, exactly — but it’s not useful to you if your traffic doesn’t match their strength. Ask which vertical drives the majority of their volume today. That answer tells you more than the full list ever will.
None of this is about finding a perfect network. It’s about finding one that gives straight answers to specific questions — because that’s the same discipline that will show up later, when a dispute needs resolving or a payment is late.