Commission Model
The bit nobody usually explains.
Every switching site earns commission from providers. Most of them keep it. We route at least 50% of eligible commission to a school or charity you have chosen, and run the platform out of what remains. It is a floor, not a fixed split — we may pay more than half, and the wording is written so it does not forbid that. Here is exactly how the money moves.
The flow, in one diagram
When you switch through Switch4Good, the provider pays us a commission. We route at least 50% of eligible commission to your chosen cause, and cover running costs and compliance out of what remains. Eligible commission is the commission Switch4Good actually receives after supplier and processing fees, and after any clawback.
A broadband switch for St Mary’s Redcliffe Primary
A parent switches their broadband through Switch4Good. The provider pays a £40 commission once the contract goes live. Half of that — £20 — funds the school. The school sees the money on its next quarterly statement.
This example assumes no supplier or processing fees and no clawback, so the whole £40 is eligible commission.
The four rules
Your bill is the same
You pay exactly what the provider would charge you anywhere else. Commission comes out of the provider’s acquisition budget, not your pocket.
The provider’s payout is the same
Providers pay the same commission they pay other comparison sites. We don’t take more to fund causes — we just send it somewhere different.
The share is a floor
Your cause receives at least 50% of eligible commission, whichever provider, sector or season the switch falls in. Eligible commission is the commission Switch4Good actually receives after supplier and processing fees, and after any clawback.
You can see it
Every switch shows on your dashboard with the commission figure attached. Causes see the same numbers on theirs.
How commission varies by sector
Different sectors pay different amounts. We don’t set these — providers do. Pick a sector to highlight its row. Figures are illustrative and confirmed against provider contracts before going live.
| Sector | Typical eligible commission | To your cause (at least 50% of eligible commission) |
|---|---|---|
| EnergyDual fuel, 12-month contracts | £30 – £55 | at least £15 – £28 |
| Broadband18 or 24-month contracts | £35 – £60 | at least £18 – £30 |
| MobileSIM-only and handset deals | £15 – £40 | at least £8 – £20 |
| InsuranceHome, motor, travel — FCA-regulated | Paid by provider; structure varies | To the Community Fund once paid |
Commissions are paid once the provider confirms the contract is live and the cooling-off period has passed — typically 30 to 90 days. Your cause is paid out quarterly.
“The commission is already being paid. The only question is where it goes.”
Insurance is a little different
For insurance, we are acting as a regulated intermediary. The commission structure depends on the underwriter and is sometimes paid as a percentage of premium rather than a flat fee. The 50 / 50 split still applies once the commission reaches us — though for FCA-regulated products the cause share goes to the Switch4Good Community Fund rather than a single named cause.
What counts as eligible commission
Eligible commission is the commission Switch4Good actually receives after supplier and processing fees, and after any clawback.
This matters because the promise is a share of eligible commission, not of the headline figure a provider quotes. Supplier and processing fees come out first, and a switch that is later cancelled or reversed is clawed back — so the sum the share is taken from is what actually reaches Switch4Good. The agreement with your cause commits the same sum, described there as Net Commission.
What our share pays for
FCA permissions & compliance
Appointed Representative fees, complaints handling, supervision, audit trail, the legal work behind every word we publish.
Platform & engineering
Hosting, security, monitoring, and the codebase that handles switches and reconciles every commission against the right cause.
Staff & support
A small team that answers questions, vets new causes, chases providers when commissions are late, and runs the back office.
Cause onboarding
Verifying each school or charity is genuine, registered where it should be, and entitled to the funds we route to it.
That’s the whole model.
Pick a cause and try a switch — about three minutes. If something here doesn’t add up, tell us; we’d rather fix the explanation than have it sit wrong.
Switch4Good Limited (FRN 1050820) is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Innovative Risk Labs Ltd (FRN 609155).[FCA Register]
Last reviewed .