If you are comparing these two GLP-1 programs, the split is simple: MedStands pays a recurring fixed marketing fee of $36 to $260 per active referred customer per month, set by medication category, for as long as that customer keeps using the platform, while SoWell's affiliate program pays a one-time payout, 15% commission on one-time orders plus a flat one-time bounty on each new subscription. One model keeps paying on the same customer month after month. The other pays once per order or sign-up.
Almost everything else, cost, attribution, and requirements, tends to follow from that one difference. Here is the factual side-by-side, using SoWell's own published affiliate information.
At a glance
| MedStands | SoWell | |
|---|---|---|
| Payment model | Recurring fixed marketing fee by medication category (not a commission, percentage, or cut of sales) | Hybrid one-time payout: 15% commission on one-time orders plus a flat one-time bounty on new subscriptions, per SoWell's affiliate page |
| When you are paid | Monthly, for as long as the referral stays active | Once, per one-time order or per new subscription |
| How much per referral | $36 to $260 per active customer per month, by category | 15% commission on one-time purchases; a one-time flat payout of $15 (1 product), $20 (2 products), or $25 (3+ products) on new subscriptions |
| Attribution window | Lifetime. Stored on the account at signup, not an expiring cookie | Not disclosed on the brand page; it would live in the Impact.com listing |
| Cost to join | $0. No setup fee, no monthly fee, no participation fee | Free to apply through Impact.com; nothing further disclosed |
| Sign-up requirements | Self-serve, live the same day, admin reviews the account; no follower or audience-size minimum | Apply via the Impact.com link, approval grants a unique promo code; no audience-size threshold stated. A separate "Affiliate Healthcare Partner" track also exists |
| Referral cap | None on referrals or earnings | Not disclosed |
| Who handles the clinical side | Licensed providers prescribe; licensed pharmacies fulfill, refill, and ship (LegitScript-certified platform). MedStands is not a medical practice and does not prescribe | Not part of the affiliate terms |
A note on the SoWell figures: they come from SoWell's own affiliate page, so they are confirmed rather than aggregator estimates. One thing worth clearing up: some third-party directories group SoWell under "recurring commissions." SoWell's own page labels the subscription reward as a one-time payout of $15, $20, or $25, so it is a one-time bounty, not a monthly recurring commission. Bundles, such as the GLP-1 Support System, count as a single product for that payout.
The math: recurring monthly vs one-time
This is the difference that compounds over time.
On SoWell's structure, a one-time order pays a 15% commission on that order, once. A new subscription pays a flat one-time bounty: $15 for a single product, $20 for two, or $25 for three or more, again once. Even though the subscription itself renews, the affiliate payout does not repeat. You are paid at the sign-up, and that same customer does not pay you again the following month.
MedStands works the other way. The fee is a fixed marketing fee tied to the medication category, between $36 and $260 per active referred customer, and it is paid to your bank every month for as long as that person stays active. The same referral that pays you this month is designed to keep paying next month, and the month after, as long as they stay on treatment. Both the business-facing partner program and the individual-facing affiliate program are paid this recurring monthly fee for the life of each active customer.
Line the two up over a year and the shapes are clearly different. A one-time payout rewards the moment of conversion once. A recurring monthly fee is paid on the same retained referral again and again across the months they stay active, so one long-term customer is paid on repeatedly rather than a single time. That is the structural gap, not a claim that a percentage plus a bounty is a bad deal on its own.
One honest point: the MedStands range is a fee schedule, not a promise of a total. Actual earnings depend on the medication category and on how many referred people qualify and stay active, and not everyone qualifies. The $36 to $260 figure is the per-customer monthly fee by category, not a guaranteed sum. It is a fixed marketing fee set in advance, never a percentage or a share of sales.
Attribution: lifetime binding vs a cookie
Attribution decides who gets credit for a customer, and for how long. With MedStands, a referred customer or business is bound to the referrer for life. That link is stored on the account at signup rather than in a browser cookie that expires, so it does not lapse if the customer clears cookies, switches devices, or comes back weeks later. For a plain-English walkthrough, see How Telehealth Referral Attribution Works (Lifetime Tracking).
SoWell runs its program through the Impact.com network, and its attribution or cookie window is not published on the brand's affiliate page. Those details typically live inside the Impact.com listing, which is visible after you apply. Because SoWell does not disclose a specific window publicly, we will not invent one here. What we can say at the model level is that a cookie-based window, wherever it lands, is a different mechanism from an attribution stored on the account that does not expire. If someone finds a GLP-1 program through you but signs up weeks later, those two mechanisms treat that very differently.
Where SoWell may be a fit
SoWell is a recognizable GLP-1 telehealth brand with a straightforward Impact.com setup, and there are situations where its model fits well. The 15% commission on one-time orders means a larger one-off purchase or a bundle can pay more than a small flat bounty would, which can suit content that drives single product sales rather than long retention. Approval is described as quick and easy, and you get a unique promo code to share, which is convenient for creators who prefer a code over a link. SoWell also runs a separate "Affiliate Healthcare Partner" track aimed at clinicians and providers, so a provider audience has a dedicated path. If a percentage on one-time orders plus a simple upfront bounty matches how you plan to promote, it is a reasonable option.
Common questions
Does MedStands pay recurring or one-time?
Recurring. MedStands pays a fixed marketing fee of $36 to $260 per active referred customer per month, by medication category, for as long as that customer keeps using the platform. SoWell's affiliate page describes one-time payouts: 15% on one-time orders and a flat $15, $20, or $25 on each new subscription.
How much does SoWell's affiliate program pay?
Per SoWell's published affiliate page, one-time purchases earn a 15% commission, and new subscriptions earn a one-time flat payout of $15 for one product, $20 for two products, or $25 for three or more products. Bundles like the GLP-1 Support System count as a single product for that payout.
Is SoWell's subscription payout recurring?
No. Some affiliate directories list it under recurring commissions, but SoWell's own page labels the subscription reward as a one-time payout. It is paid once at the new subscription, not every month the customer stays subscribed.
What does it cost to join MedStands?
Nothing. There is no setup fee, no monthly fee, and no participation fee. You get paid, you never pay, and your QR code and personal link are live the same day you sign up.
Ready to earn recurring fees?
If a recurring monthly fee beats a one-time payout for how you want to earn, the MedStands affiliate program is free to join, live the same day, and pays a fixed monthly marketing fee for the life of every active referral. Businesses can plug the same model into their location through the partner program, and you can browse partner programs by industry to see how it maps to your space. To weigh SoWell against the wider field, see MedStands vs the Top GLP-1 Affiliate Programs, or compare the two MedStands tracks in 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.