MedStands pays a recurring fixed marketing fee of $36 to $260 per active referred customer per month, set by the medication category, for as long as that customer keeps using the platform. Orderly Meds pays a one-time $75 for each new customer subscription an affiliate directly refers. That single difference, recurring monthly versus paid once, is the core of this comparison.
Both programs let you earn by sending weight-loss telehealth customers to a platform. But the way you get paid, and for how long, works very differently. Here is a factual, side-by-side look so you can decide which model fits how you want to earn.
At a glance
| MedStands | Orderly Meds | |
|---|---|---|
| Payment model | Recurring fixed marketing fee, set by medication category | One-time payout per referred subscription (confirmed) |
| When you are paid | Monthly, to your bank via Stripe Connect | By the 15th of each month for the prior period (confirmed) |
| How much per referral | $36 to $260 per active customer per month, by category | $75 one time per directly referred new customer subscription (confirmed) |
| How long a referral counts | Tied to you for life; paid every month they stay active | One time at signup; no ongoing per-patient payment |
| Cost to join | Free. You get paid, you never pay | Not addressed in their published affiliate information |
| Sign-up requirements | Self-serve, no follower or audience minimum; an admin reviews the account | Apply and get approved; guidance mentions typically 1,000+ followers on a top channel and at least one public social account, but those who do not meet it can still apply (confirmed) |
| Referral cap | No cap on referrals or earnings | Not stated in the provided information |
| Who handles the clinical side | Licensed providers prescribe, licensed pharmacies fulfill | Licensed providers and pharmacies (compounded semaglutide/tirzepatide) |
The math: recurring monthly vs one-time
The clearest way to see the difference is to follow a single referred customer across a year.
With a one-time CPA, you are paid once and then the relationship ends financially. Orderly Meds pays $75 one time for each new customer subscription an affiliate directly refers. If that customer stays subscribed for a year, you are still paid the same $75, because the payment happens at signup and does not repeat.
MedStands pays a fixed marketing fee every month the referred customer stays active. That fee is between $36 and $260 per active customer per month, set by the medication category, not a commission, a percentage, or a share of sales. It is a flat per-category dollar amount. The same referral who is paid on once under a one-time model is paid on again and again under a recurring model, for as long as they keep using the platform, because the customer is tied to you for life.
To be clear and honest about what that means: your actual MedStands earnings depend on the medication category and on how many referred people qualify and stay active. Not everyone who requests treatment qualifies, and some customers stop. This is a per-customer monthly fee schedule, not a promise of a guaranteed total. The structural point stands on its own: a recurring monthly fee compounds with retention, while a one-time payout does not. If you want to understand why this adds up over time, see How to Earn Recurring Income Referring Businesses to Telehealth.
Orderly Meds also offers a recruit override: $25 for a customer brought in by an affiliate you onboarded, rising to $50 during that onboarded affiliate's first 60 days. That is a bonus for recruiting a sub-affiliate, not a recurring commission on the referred patient, so it does not change the one-time nature of the per-customer payout.
Lifetime binding vs an undisclosed window
Attribution decides whether a referral still counts to you later. MedStands binds a referred customer or business to the referrer for life. That link is stored on the account at signup, not tracked by an expiring cookie, so it does not lapse after a set number of days.
Orderly Meds runs a self-hosted portal and gives approved affiliates a unique referral link. Their cookie or attribution window is not publicly disclosed, so we are not going to state a number for it. If attribution matters to how you plan to earn, the difference between a lifetime binding and a window you cannot confirm is worth weighing. For more on how lifetime tracking works, see How Telehealth Referral Attribution Works (Lifetime Tracking).
Cost, requirements, and getting started
MedStands is free to join. There is no setup fee and no monthly fee, nothing to buy as a partner and no participation fee as an affiliate. You get paid, you never pay. Sign-up is self-serve, your QR code and personal link are live the same day you sign up, and an admin reviews the account. There is no follower or audience-size minimum.
Orderly Meds asks affiliates to apply and be reviewed and approved before they receive a link. Their published guidance mentions that affiliates typically have 1,000 or more followers on their top channel and at least one public social account, though it notes that those who do not meet that can still apply. Whether there is a cost to join is not addressed in their published affiliate information, so we are not going to assert one either way.
More ways MedStands referrals stack
Two MedStands details are worth calling out because they affect total earning potential.
First, there is no cap on referrals or earnings. Second, affiliates can both sell directly on their own link and refer other businesses to the platform, and a referred business still earns its own fee in full. Nobody earns less because you referred them. That layered structure does not have a direct equivalent in the Orderly Meds facts, which center on a per-subscription payout plus a sub-affiliate recruit bonus.
On the clinical side, both platforms keep the referrer out of medical work. MedStands is not a medical practice and does not prescribe. Licensed providers do the prescribing and licensed pharmacies handle fulfillment, refills, and shipping on a LegitScript-certified platform. As a partner or affiliate you do no clinical work and hold no inventory, every request is reviewed by a licensed provider, and not everyone qualifies.
Where Orderly Meds might be a fit
Orderly Meds may suit a creator who wants a simple, well-known one-time payout and does not need ongoing income from each referral. If you have a large social following, prefer a self-hosted portal with a unique link, and are comfortable with a payout schedule that states no minimums, their $75 per directly referred subscription is straightforward. They also run a separate customer referral program that gives existing customers a $50 account credit per new customer, clawed back if the referral cancels, which can appeal if you are a customer yourself rather than a creator.
Common questions
Is the MedStands fee a commission or a percentage?
No. It is a fixed marketing fee set by the medication category, a flat per-category dollar amount between $36 and $260 per active customer per month. It is never a commission, a percentage, or a share of sales. For a deeper explanation, see Is a Telehealth Referral Fee a Commission?.
How is MedStands paid out?
Monthly, to your bank via Stripe Connect, with a US$25 minimum payout. If your balance is below that in a given month, it rolls to the next month.
Do I need a big following to join MedStands?
No. There is no follower or audience-size minimum. Sign-up is self-serve, your link and QR code are live the same day, and an admin reviews the account.
Can I earn more than once from the same customer?
With MedStands, yes, in the sense that you are paid the monthly fee every month that customer stays active, because they are bound to you for life. Actual earnings still depend on the category and on how many referred people qualify and stay active.
Ready to compare on your own terms?
If recurring monthly income appeals to you more than a single payout, the MedStands affiliate program pays a fixed marketing fee for every month your referrals stay active, with no cost to join and no follower minimum. If you are still deciding between earning as an individual or bringing your business on board, read Partner vs Affiliate: Which MedStands Program Fits You?.
Competitor program terms are as of July 2026 and come from each brand's published affiliate information. Programs change, so check their current terms.