Why Isn't TorGuard Paying Affiliates?

The TorGuard Affiliate Scandal: A Timeline of Broken Promises

For nearly a decade, TorGuard operated one of the VPN industry's most generous affiliate programs. Partners were promised 30% lifetime recurring commissions – meaning they would earn from every customer they referred for as long as that customer remained subscribed. This promise attracted content creators, bloggers, and marketers who invested years building audiences and promoting TorGuard's services.

But starting in 2023, this once-lucrative partnership began unraveling. Payment delays stretched from days to months. Support tickets went unanswered. Accounts were frozen without explanation. And by late 2024, TorGuard had terminated many of their longest-standing affiliates – including those owed thousands in unpaid commissions.

This is the story of how TorGuard systematically betrayed the partners who helped build their business, documented through forum posts, Reddit threads, and firsthand accounts from affected affiliates.

The Promise: "Lifetime Recurring Commissions"

TorGuard's affiliate program wasn't just generous – it was presented as a long-term partnership. The company offered:

• 30% lifetime recurring commissions on all sales
• Low $50 minimum payout threshold
• Flexible payment methods including PayPal, Bitcoin, and bank transfers
• No payment schedule restrictions – request withdrawals anytime
• Dedicated affiliate support and promotional materials

These terms attracted quality partners who spent years building content, creating reviews, and driving traffic to TorGuard. Some affiliates referred thousands of customers, building what they believed would be passive income streams based on TorGuard's explicit promises.

The Pattern: How TorGuard Stopped Paying

Phase 1: Payment Delays (2021-2023)

The first red flags appeared when routine payments began taking longer. What once processed in days stretched to weeks, then months. Support offered rotating excuses:

• "Our affiliate manager is on holiday"
• "System upgrades causing temporary delays"
• "Processing backlog, please be patient"
• "Payment method verification required"

Many affiliates accepted these explanations, assuming temporary issues would resolve. They continued promoting TorGuard, unaware they were driving customers to a company that would never pay them.

Phase 2: Forced Payment Changes (2023-2024)

In 2023, TorGuard suddenly stopped cryptocurrency payments – a method many privacy-focused affiliates preferred. One affiliate documented their experience:

The forced payment method changes created new obstacles and delays, buying TorGuard more time while commissions accumulated unpaid.

Phase 3: Account Freezes (Mid-2024)

By mid-2024, affiliates found their accounts mysteriously "under review" with withdrawal capabilities disabled. No specific concerns were raised, no evidence of wrongdoing provided – just indefinite freezes while TorGuard continued collecting revenue from their referrals.

Phase 4: Mass Terminations (Late 2024)

The final phase came with mass terminations of affiliate accounts, including some of TorGuard's largest and longest-standing partners. Tom Spark, a prominent VPN reviewer who had promoted TorGuard for nearly a decade, was terminated without warning or valid explanation.

His YouTube video "TorGuard VPN Blocked Me and Ended My Affiliate Program" exposed not just his experience but compiled evidence from other affected affiliates, revealing the systematic nature of TorGuard's actions.

Tom Spark's Investigation

Tom Spark, one of the most respected voices in VPN reviews with over 111,000 YouTube subscribers, became a central figure in exposing this scandal. After nearly a decade of partnership, TorGuard terminated his affiliate account without warning. But instead of staying silent, Tom investigated.

What he found was damning:

• Multiple affiliates experiencing identical payment issues
• Forum threads dating back to 2023 documenting non-payment
• A clear pattern of delay, freeze, and terminate
• No evidence supporting TorGuard's claims of rule violations

Tom's video and blog post became rallying points for affected affiliates, with many reaching out to share their similar experiences. The evidence painted a picture of systematic fraud rather than isolated incidents.

The Forum Evidence

TorGuard's own community forum became a chronicle of broken promises. Thread after thread documented the same issues:

These weren't isolated complaints. At least 10-20 affiliates reported identical experiences: payments delayed indefinitely, support tickets ignored, accounts frozen without explanation. TorGuard staff conspicuously avoided these threads while remaining active in other forum discussions.

The Reddit Revelation

The most comprehensive exposé came via Reddit in a post titled "TorGuard is Dying – A VPN on The Way Out." The author provided extensive documentation including screenshots, timelines, and communication logs showing how TorGuard owed them $8,000 for thousands of referred customers.

The Reddit community's response was unanimous: this appeared to be deliberate fraud. Users highlighted the legal implications, with one noting:

TorGuard's Response: Deflection and Blame

When TorGuard finally responded publicly on Reddit, they didn't address the unpaid commissions. Instead, they blamed the affiliates:

"Yes, some of our affiliates got in trouble for breaking the rules, and as a result, we've parted ways with several of them (including Tom Spark). Our affiliate program is currently under review due to the issues caused by these affiliates..."

This response was notable for what it didn't say:

• No evidence of any rule violations
• No explanation for unpaid commissions
• No timeline for resolving payment issues
• No acknowledgment of the documented cases

The vague accusation of "breaking rules" without specifics became TorGuard's standard deflection, even as evidence mounted that the only rules being broken were by TorGuard itself.

Why This Matters: Signs of a Dying Company

The affiliate payment crisis appears to be a symptom of larger problems at TorGuard:

Service Stagnation

• Android app: 2+ years without updates
• PC client: 11+ months without updates
• Browser extensions: 6+ months without updates

Infrastructure Decay

• Reports of datacenters threatening to cut service for unpaid rent
• Forum locked to new registrations
• Support response times increasing dramatically

Financial Desperation

• Cutting affiliate payments suggests severe cash flow problems
• Lifetime commission obligations may have become unsustainable
• Short-term cash grab at expense of long-term reputation

Industry Context: How Other VPNs Handle Affiliate Changes

TorGuard's approach contrasts sharply with industry standards. When Windscribe needed to close their affiliate program in 2024, they:

• Gave advance notice to all affiliates
• Paid out all earned commissions in full
• Provided clear explanations for the closure
• Maintained professional communication throughout

This is how legitimate companies handle program changes – with transparency, honor, and respect for partners who helped build their business.

Legal Implications

What Affiliates Can Do

Affected affiliates have several options:

• Small Claims Court: For amounts under $5,000-$15,000 (varies by jurisdiction)
• Civil Lawsuit: For larger amounts or multiple claims
• Class Action: If enough affiliates unite with similar claims
• Regulatory Complaints: File with FTC, state attorneys general
• Public Documentation: Share experiences to warn others

Consumer Warning

Three Red Flags Every User Should Consider

1. Integrity Crisis: A company that breaks promises to partners may not honor privacy commitments to users
2. Financial Instability: Inability to pay affiliates suggests broader financial problems that could affect service
3. Communication Breakdown: Going silent instead of addressing issues shows contempt for stakeholders

The Final Update: TorGuard's Last Messages

In a final twist, TorGuard sent hostile private messages to critics before blocking them entirely. These messages included:

• Accusations of being "CIA" or "working for competitors"
• Claims that honest reviews were "defamation"
• Threats about "consequences" for speaking out

They then blocked these individuals, preventing any response or clarification. This paranoid, hostile behavior further undermines any credibility in their claims about affiliate violations.

Conclusion: A Trust Catastrophe

The TorGuard affiliate scandal represents more than just unpaid commissions – it's a fundamental breach of trust that calls into question everything about the company. When a VPN provider, whose entire business model depends on trust, systematically defrauds their partners, it reveals a rot that likely extends throughout the organization.

The pattern is undeniable: payment delays to buy time, forced payment method changes to create obstacles, account freezes to prevent withdrawals, mass terminations to eliminate obligations, and finally, blame and deflection instead of accountability.

For the affiliates who spent years building TorGuard's business, this represents not just financial loss but a profound betrayal. They promoted TorGuard in good faith, brought them thousands of customers, and built what they thought would be lasting passive income. Instead, they got excuses, silence, and ultimately, theft of their earned commissions.

As one affected affiliate put it: "We helped build TorGuard into what it is today. This is how they repay that loyalty – by stealing from us and calling us liars when we speak up."

Update: Industry Response

The scandal has reverberated throughout the VPN industry:

• Major review sites have removed or downgraded TorGuard
• Affiliate networks are warning partners about TorGuard
• Competitors are highlighting their transparent payment practices
• The story has become a cautionary tale at industry conferences

TorGuard's reputation, built over years, has been destroyed in months. The company that once stood among respected VPN providers is now synonymous with broken promises and unpaid debts.

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information from forums, Reddit, YouTube, and firsthand accounts. All claims are from public reports and discussions. TorGuard disputes these characterizations. This article represents journalistic analysis of available evidence. It is not legal advice.

Correction Policy: If any factual errors are identified in this article, please contact the author with documentation and corrections will be made promptly.