PIN Submit offers can pay well, but one extra step in the flow can be enough to kill your CR. The real challenge is finding the right mix of GEO, carrier, traffic, and flow before your budget disappears. Here’s how PIN Submit works and what actually affects campaign performance.
What is a PIN Submit
PIN Submit is a type of CPA (Cost per Action) offer in affiliate marketing where users typically sign up for a paid mobile subscription using their phone number. In a typical PIN Submit flow, the user enters their mobile number, receives a PIN or verification code via SMS, and then enters that code on the offer page to confirm the subscription. The subscription fee is usually charged to the user’s mobile balance or added to their phone bill rather than paid by credit card.
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PIN Submit vs. Other Submits
Affiliate offers can use different conversion flows, including Single Opt-In (SOI), Double Opt-In (DOI), PIN Submit, and Credit Card Submit (CC Submit). The more complex the conversion flow, the more steps users need to complete–and the higher the quality of traffic needed to generate conversions.
| Submit type | User action | Verification | Payment required | Typical friction |
| SOI | Enters information once | No | Usually no | Low |
| DOI | Enters information and confirms it | Yes | Usually no | Low–medium |
| PIN Submit | Enters phone number and confirms via PIN/SMS | Yes | Often billed via mobile carrier | Medium |
| CC Submit | Enters credit card details | Usually yes | Yes | High |
That is precisely why some ad networks are cautious about PIN and CC Submit. At HilltopAds, robust anti-fraud algorithms help monitor the quality of this type of traffic. Now let’s take a look at how these models differ.
Single Opt-In (SOI)
The user enters their information–such as an email address–once and immediately completes the desired action. No confirmation is required. This is the simplest option with a high conversion rate, but without additional verification, there is a risk of invalid or fake information.
Double Opt-In (DOI)
After entering their email address, users must confirm it, for example, by clicking a link or entering a code from an email. This additional verification step improves lead quality but may lower the conversion rate (CR) because it adds another step to the funnel.
PIN Submit
The user enters a phone number, receives a PIN, and confirms the subscription. This model is often used for mobile content and digital services. Payment is typically charged through the mobile carrier.
Credit Card Submit (CC Submit)
The user enters their credit card information to sign up for a subscription, get a trial, or take advantage of another offer. These offers typically provide higher commissions but are more difficult to convert: the user must provide payment information and agree to potential charges. In addition, CC Submit is subject to stricter requirements regarding security, privacy, and compliance with local laws especially in Tier-1 GEOs.
PIN Submit can be considered a simplified alternative to CC Submit. Users do not need to enter their card number, CVV, name, or expiration date–all they need is their phone number and the PIN code from the text message. In this case, the payment is typically processed through the mobile carrier rather than directly through the bank card.
However, PIN Submit still involves a paid action. Users understand this, which is why these offers typically convert less easily than SOI and DOI. That said, the right promotional approach can significantly impact the results.
But before we move on to the recommendations, let’s take a look at what a standard PIN Submit funnel looks like.
How PIN Submit Works
A PIN submit funnel might have a couple of nuances but typically works as follows:
User engagement
Affiliates drive traffic to the PIN Submit offer by promoting it through various marketing channels, such as websites, social media, email newsletters, or mobile advertising.
User registration
Users interested in the offer provide their mobile phone number or other required information to initiate the subscription process.
PIN verification
Once the user submits their information, a PIN code is sent to their mobile device via SMS or other communication method.
PIN submission
The user receives the PIN code and enters it into the designated field on the offer page to confirm their subscription or opt-in.
Action completion
After successfully entering the PIN code, the user completes the desired action, such as subscribing to a mobile service, participating in a survey, or accessing exclusive content.
Affiliate commission
Affiliates earn a commission for each successful PIN submission and action completion generated through their referral traffic. The commission rate may vary depending on the specific offer and terms negotiated with the advertiser or affiliate network.
PIN Submits offer a relatively low barrier to entry for users, as they only require a mobile phone number and a simple PIN code confirmation to complete the action. While SOI tend to convert 3–5 times better than PIN Submits (5–20% vs. 1–5% CR), carrier billing compensates for it with significantly higher payouts.
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Types of PIN Submit Flows
Depending on the GEO, mobile carrier, and market requirements, the PIN Submit confirmation process may vary. The main options are:
One-click flow
The user confirms the subscription with a single click, after which payment is processed through the mobile carrier. Fewer steps typically result in a higher conversion rate (CR).
Two-click flow
Works similarly, but requires an additional confirmation step. This adds one step to the funnel but allows you to comply with the stricter requirements of certain markets.
MO (Mobile Originated) flow
The user confirms the subscription by sending an SMS. This extra step complicates the conversion process, but this flow also allows you to work with desktop traffic—the user uses their phone to confirm.
MT (Mobile Terminated) flow
The user receives a PIN via SMS and manually enters it on the offer page. Like MO, this option requires more steps, but it is suitable for markets with stricter requirements and can be used with desktop traffic.
As a general rule, the fewer steps required for confirmation, the higher the potential conversion rate (CR). However, the availability of a specific flow depends on the GEO, mobile carrier, and local regulations.
How to Promote PIN Submit Offers
The success of a PIN Submit campaign depends not so much on a specific ad format as on the right combination of offer, GEO, carrier, flow, and traffic source. That’s what you should focus on.
Start with the offer and GEO
Choose an offer with clear value for a specific audience: games, entertainment, streaming, digital content, and other mobile subscriptions. Consider not only the payout but also the available carriers, subscription cost, permitted traffic sources, and flow type. Carrier billing will be particularly widely used in 2026 for digital content, gaming, and subscription services.
Match traffic to the flow
PIN Submit is a mobile-first vertical, so GEO, device, and carrier directly impact conversion. In HilltopAds, you can test different ad formats and targeting settings for these offers to find the most effective combination. Popunders and push notifications often work well for mass-market B2C offers, but there’s no one-size-fits-all solution–focus on test results and optimize your campaign based on actual data.
Maintain Consistency Throughout the Funnel
Your creative, pre-lander, and landing page should all promise the same thing and make it clear to the user in advance what they’ll receive. The fewer unexpected redirects and unnecessary steps there are between the click and confirmation, the higher the chances of conversion.
Be Aware of Subscription Requirements
The terms, cost, and nature of the subscription must be clear to the user before confirmation. Requirements vary by GEO and operator, so be sure to check the rules for the specific offer and traffic source before launching. In DCB, transparent user consent and fraud protection are becoming increasingly important.
Test with small volumes
Don’t scale your campaign based solely on the first few conversions. Test several creatives, pre-landers, placements, and targeting settings, and then compare them based on CR, CPA, and ROI.
Optimize by Segment
Analyze results by GEO, carrier, device, OS, placement, and other available parameters. Disable sources that are burning through your budget without generating conversions, and gradually increase your spend on profitable segments.
The main rule is simple: don’t try to find a one-size-fits-all combination for PIN Submit. The same offer can yield completely different results depending on the GEO, carrier, flow, and traffic quality. Start by testing, collect data, and scale only those combinations that have proven to be effective.
Conclusion
PIN Submit can deliver a high ROI if you choose the right offer, GEO, flow, and traffic source. Start with small tests, track CR, CPA, and ROI across key segments, and scale only the profitable combinations.
With HilltopAds, you can test different ad formats and targeting settings, optimize traffic quality, and find the most effective combinations for PIN Submit offers. Launch a campaign, analyze the data, and scale what works.