Link marketplace pricing: models and fees compared
Commission, markup, resale or a fixed fee: link marketplace pricing models compared, with worked examples and a break-even point at €119.80 media price.
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PromptFlat vector illustration, 16:9 landscape. A balanced scale in the center: on the left pan a tall stack of coins with a percent symbol growing taller, on the right pan a short flat coin stack with a small fixed price tag. Next to the scale a simple calculator and a comparison table card with three rows of bars. Clean geometric shapes, soft shadows, a calm palette of deep blue, teal and warm orange accents on a light off-white background. Minimal composition with generous empty space, no people, no faces, no brand logos. No watermark, no signature.
Link marketplaces earn money in four different ways: through a commission charged to the publisher, through a markup charged to the advertiser, through resale, or through a fixed fee per booking. For you as an advertiser, one question matters in the end: what does the placement cost in total, and how much of that does the publication receive?
This article compares the models structurally, without naming providers. You will find worked examples at media prices of €200, €300, €500 and €1,000, the break-even point of the fixed fee, and a checklist for comparing prices.
All amounts are calculated without VAT. The percentages are examples. Many marketplaces keep 10 to 30%.
The four pricing models at a glance
At first glance, marketplaces look similar. They differ widely in who pays the margin and how visible it is.
| Model | Who bears the margin? | What you see as an advertiser | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher commission | Publisher (deduction from the price) | Usually the list price | Publishers can build the deduction into their price |
| Advertiser markup | Advertiser (percentage on the media price) | Often only the final price | Media price and margin are rarely shown separately |
| Resale | Advertiser (trade margin) | Usually a package or fixed price | The purchase price paid to the publication stays unknown |
| Fixed fee per booking (e.g. credit) | Advertiser (fixed amount) | Media price plus fee | For very cheap media, the fee is relatively high |
With a publisher commission, the publication formally pays. In practice, publishers often build the deduction into their price. Then you bear it anyway. With resale, traders buy placements and sell them on. You rarely learn how large the margin is.
For the publisher's perspective, read Why 0% commission is fairer for advertisers and publishers.
Worked examples: percentage markup versus fixed fee
At mention.media, you pay the publication's price plus 1 credit (currently €29.95 net) per confirmed booking. There is no commission and no percentage markup. The table compares this with a percentage markup of 15% and 25%.
| Media price | With 15% markup | With 25% markup | mention.media (price + €29.95) | Saving compared with 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €200 | €230.00 | €250.00 | €229.95 | €20.05 |
| €300 | €345.00 | €375.00 | €329.95 | €45.05 |
| €500 | €575.00 | €625.00 | €529.95 | €95.05 |
| €1,000 | €1,150.00 | €1,250.00 | €1,029.95 | €220.05 |
The more expensive the publication, the bigger the gap. With a percentage model, the marketplace's margin grows with the media price. The fixed fee stays the same. mention.media earns no more on an expensive publication than on a cheap one.
Break-even and effective fee
The fixed fee is not always the cheapest model. Against a 25% commission, the threshold is a media price of €119.80, because 25% of €119.80 is exactly €29.95. Above that, the fixed fee is cheaper. Below it, the percentage is cheaper.
At lower percentages, the threshold moves up. At 15% it is around €200. There, both models cost practically the same, as the table above shows.
The effective fee, meaning the credit as a share of the media price, falls as the price rises:
| Media price | Effective fee |
|---|---|
| €200 | around 15% |
| €300 | around 10% |
| €500 | around 6% |
| €1,000 | around 3% |
If you mainly book cheap placements below about €120, a percentage model may work out better. If you plan for mid-range and high media prices, or make several bookings in a month, the fixed fee pays off.
What to check when comparing
A price comparison only works if you compare like with like. These points help:
- Total price, not list price. Add up everything you pay until publication: media price, margin, fees, VAT.
- Separate line items. Check whether the media price and the platform's share appear individually on the invoice. Only then can you compare offers cleanly.
- Payment route. Ask whether you pay the media price directly to the publisher or whether everything runs through the marketplace.
- Format and labelling. An advertorial is advertising and must be labelled. Only compare like formats, such as editorial with editorial.
- Link type. Whether a link is DoFollow, nofollow or sponsored is the publisher's decision, based on their editorial guidelines. Clarify this in the briefing. More on this in DoFollow vs. nofollow: what advertisers need to know.
- Quality of the publication. A low price does little good on a publication without a relevant readership. In the marketplace you can filter by media type, format, niche, maximum price and SEO metrics. The metrics per domain come from DataForSEO, for example organic traffic, Domain Rank, referring domains and spam score.
- Predictability. With a fixed amount per booking, it is easier to plan budgets for several placements, including at an agency.
A mention without a DoFollow link also has value. It brings readers from a relevant environment and makes your brand more visible online. No marketplace can promise you specific ranking results. Be wary of offers that do.
Recommendation: calculate first, then book
Set up a small table for your next campaign. For each candidate, enter the media price, fee, total price and link type. If you do not know a publication yet, upload your press release or article to the content assistant. It suggests suitable channels and explains why.
How a booking works from there is covered in Your first booking in four steps.
Frequently asked questions
At what media price does a fixed fee per booking pay off?
Against a 25% commission, the break-even is at a media price of €119.80. Above that amount, the fixed fee of €29.95 is cheaper. At lower percentages, the threshold is higher.
Do I pay the media price to the platform at mention.media?
No, you pay the media price directly to the publisher, by invoice or bank transfer, PayPal or Wero. Optionally, you can pay online via Mollie. The credit goes to mention.media. Both amounts appear separately on the invoice.
Why is the final price hard to compare on some marketplaces?
Often the media price and the margin are combined into a single total price. With resale, you do not know the trader's purchase price. So ask for a breakdown before you compare offers.
Can I already book on mention.media?
mention.media is in beta, and registration is still closed. You can join the waitlist. Without signing up, you can view a demo extract in the marketplace with anonymised publishers.