AmzLoss- Break-even is sales per month or sessions per month where commission covers your content cost.
- Your real inputs are category rate, average order value, conversion rate and post-production time.
- In 2026's cut categories the break-even point moved sharply higher — plan around the new number.
- Use the free break-even tool, then confirm what you actually earn with the audit.
An affiliate post earns commission only once its revenue covers the time and effort it took to publish. That point — the break-even — is easy to estimate and surprisingly motivating: it tells you which articles are working and which are quietly costing you money.
What break-even means for a blog post
Break-even is the point where net commission from a post equals the value of the hours you spent on it. Below that, the post loses money even though it "pays". Above it, the post compounds. For a reviewer spending 6 hours per article, the break-even requires enough sessions, at a known conversion and commission, to cover those 6 hours.
The inputs that decide it
Four numbers drive the calculation:
- Category rate — the correct 2026 rate for the product you review.
- Average order value — what a converted shopper actually spends, post-discount.
- Conversion rate — the realistic share of visitors who buy through your link (2-5% is a sane range for review content; buy-intent posts can run higher).
- Content cost — your hourly value × research, writing, images and refresh time.
With these, sessions-to-break-even = content cost ÷ (conversion × commission per sale).
Why 2026 changed the number
In home and furniture the rate dropped to 1%, so commission per sale fell by roughly 70% on big-ticket items — and the break-even sessions shot up by the same factor. A post that paid back at 2,000 sessions a month may now need more than 6,000. That is a planning number worth knowing before you invest more hours in that category.
Calculate it now
Enter your price point, category rate, conversion and content cost in the free break-even calculator and it returns your sessions- and sales-per-month target. Then, once the post is live, verify each paid line with the earnings audit so the plan is always grounded in what Amazon actually reported.
Related Reading
- Amazon Affiliate Break-Even Calculator Guide
- Which Price Point Pays? Break-Even Analysis
- How Much Do Amazon Affiliates Make? 2026 Math
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate my break-even sessions?
Divide your content cost by (conversion rate × commission per sale). For 6 hours of work, a 3% conversion and €4.50 per sale, break-even is roughly 6 × hourly value ÷ 0.135 sessions.
What conversion rate should I assume?
2-5% for review content and 5-10% for strong buy-intent comparison posts. Audit your own historical rates and use those instead of an industry guess.
Did break-even get harder in 2026?
Yes, in the cut categories. Home and electronics now require roughly 3x the sessions to break even, which is exactly why the pre-write calculator matters more this year.