| Cover | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 | |
| Document Information [Line Items] | |
| Document Type | DEF 14A |
| Amendment Flag | false |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Entity Registrant Name | Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0001467760 |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended | ||
| Dec. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020 | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] | Pay Versus Performance As required by Section S-K, capitalization S-K determinations non-financial performance The following tables illustrate the compensation actually paid to our Chief Executive Officer (“PEO”) and our current and former Chief Financial Officers (“non-PEO 2022 Year Summary Compensation Average non-PEO Average non-PEO Value of Initial Fixed Net Distributable Total BBREMTG 2022 $ 2,200,163 $ 1,499,935 $ 1,233,608 $ 1,051,086 $ 86 $ 69 $ 265,232 $ 239,294 2021 $ 2,200,000 $ 3,129,238 $ 361,968 $ 429,051 $ 93 $ 92 $ 233,515 $ 188,679 2020 $ 2,399,993 $ 1,497,093 $ 948,720 $ 870,215 $ 71 $ 78 $ 18,377 $ 125,592 (1) Refer to the following table which illustrates the calculation of compensation actually paid for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020: PEO Non-PEO NEOs (2) 2022 2021 2020 2022 2021 2020 Summary Compensation Table (“SCT”) Total $ 2,200,163 $ 2,200,000 $ 2,399,993 $ 1,233,608 $ 361,968 $ 948,720 SCT Stock Awards (2,200,163 ) (2,200,000 ) (2,399,993 ) (249,999 ) — (165,750 ) Year End Fair Value of Unvested Stock Awards 2,085,794 2,212,525 2,331,123 218,406 — 160,993 Year End Change In Fair Value of Prior Year Unvested Stock Awards (435,958 ) 362,071 (882,617 ) — 24,891 (74,746 ) Vesting Date Fair Value of Stock Awards Granted and Vested in the Same Year — — — — — — Change in Fair Value of Prior Year Stock Awards (404,210 ) 299,919 (124,961 ) — 24,681 (13,699 ) Fair Value of Stock Awards Forfeited — — — (164,605 ) — — Value of Dividends on Unvested Stock Awards 254,309 254,723 173,548 13,676 17,511 14,697 Compensation Actually Paid $ 1,499,935 $ 3,129,238 $ 1,497,093 $ 1,051,086 $ 429,051 $ 870,215 (2) Includes compensation for Mr. Agarwal and Ms. Mironova for the applicable period. Anastasia Mironova became our Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary effective April 4, 2022, succeeding Jai Agarwal, who resigned from these positions effective January 21, 2022. For purposes of determining compensation and compensation actually paid to non-PEO NEOs, we have shown the aggregate compensation for Mr. Agarwal and Ms. Mironova as they were non-PEO NEOs at different times of the year. (3) Total Stockholder Return and BBREMTG Index return represent the return on a $100 investment for the year ended December 31, 2020, the two years ended December 31, 2021, and the three years ended December 31, 2022, assuming investment at the closing price on December 31, 2019 and reinvestment of all dividends. (4) Net Income as determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). Amounts in thousands (5) Represents Distributable Earnings, a non-GAAP | ||
| Company Selected Measure Name | Distributable Earnings | ||
| Named Executive Officers, Footnote [Text Block] | Includes compensation for Mr. Agarwal and Ms. Mironova for the applicable period. Anastasia Mironova became our Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary effective April 4, 2022, succeeding Jai Agarwal, who resigned from these positions effective January 21, 2022. For purposes of determining compensation and compensation actually paid to non-PEO NEOs, we have shown the aggregate compensation for Mr. Agarwal and Ms. Mironova as they were non-PEO NEOs at different times of the year. | ||
| Peer Group Issuers, Footnote [Text Block] | Total Stockholder Return and BBREMTG Index return represent the return on a $100 investment for the year ended December 31, 2020, the two years ended December 31, 2021, and the three years ended December 31, 2022, assuming investment at the closing price on December 31, 2019 and reinvestment of all dividends. | ||
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 2,200,163 | $ 2,200,000 | $ 2,399,993 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 1,499,935 | 3,129,238 | 1,497,093 |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote [Text Block] | (1) Refer to the following table which illustrates the calculation of compensation actually paid for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020: PEO Non-PEO NEOs (2) 2022 2021 2020 2022 2021 2020 Summary Compensation Table (“SCT”) Total $ 2,200,163 $ 2,200,000 $ 2,399,993 $ 1,233,608 $ 361,968 $ 948,720 SCT Stock Awards (2,200,163 ) (2,200,000 ) (2,399,993 ) (249,999 ) — (165,750 ) Year End Fair Value of Unvested Stock Awards 2,085,794 2,212,525 2,331,123 218,406 — 160,993 Year End Change In Fair Value of Prior Year Unvested Stock Awards (435,958 ) 362,071 (882,617 ) — 24,891 (74,746 ) Vesting Date Fair Value of Stock Awards Granted and Vested in the Same Year — — — — — — Change in Fair Value of Prior Year Stock Awards (404,210 ) 299,919 (124,961 ) — 24,681 (13,699 ) Fair Value of Stock Awards Forfeited — — — (164,605 ) — — Value of Dividends on Unvested Stock Awards 254,309 254,723 173,548 13,676 17,511 14,697 Compensation Actually Paid $ 1,499,935 $ 3,129,238 $ 1,497,093 $ 1,051,086 $ 429,051 $ 870,215 | ||
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 1,233,608 | 361,968 | 948,720 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 1,051,086 | 429,051 | 870,215 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote [Text Block] | (1) Refer to the following table which illustrates the calculation of compensation actually paid for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020: PEO Non-PEO NEOs (2) 2022 2021 2020 2022 2021 2020 Summary Compensation Table (“SCT”) Total $ 2,200,163 $ 2,200,000 $ 2,399,993 $ 1,233,608 $ 361,968 $ 948,720 SCT Stock Awards (2,200,163 ) (2,200,000 ) (2,399,993 ) (249,999 ) — (165,750 ) Year End Fair Value of Unvested Stock Awards 2,085,794 2,212,525 2,331,123 218,406 — 160,993 Year End Change In Fair Value of Prior Year Unvested Stock Awards (435,958 ) 362,071 (882,617 ) — 24,891 (74,746 ) Vesting Date Fair Value of Stock Awards Granted and Vested in the Same Year — — — — — — Change in Fair Value of Prior Year Stock Awards (404,210 ) 299,919 (124,961 ) — 24,681 (13,699 ) Fair Value of Stock Awards Forfeited — — — (164,605 ) — — Value of Dividends on Unvested Stock Awards 254,309 254,723 173,548 13,676 17,511 14,697 Compensation Actually Paid $ 1,499,935 $ 3,129,238 $ 1,497,093 $ 1,051,086 $ 429,051 $ 870,215 | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return [Text Block] | Compensation Actually Paid vs Total Stockholder Return (“TSR”) : | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income [Text Block] | Compensation Actually Paid vs Net Income (in thous | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Company Selected Measure [Text Block] | Compensation Actually Paid vs Distributable Earnings ho | ||
| Total Shareholder Return Vs Peer Group [Text Block] | Compensation Actually Paid vs Total Stockholder Return (“TSR”) : | ||
| Tabular List [Table Text Block] | List of Financial Performance Measures The Compensation Committee considers vario along S-K, Most Important Financial Performance Measures Distributable Earnings Dividend Coverage Ratio Book Value Per Share | ||
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 86 | 93 | 71 |
| Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 69 | 92 | 78 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 265,232,000 | $ 233,515,000 | $ 18,377,000 |
| Company Selected Measure Amount | 239,294,000 | 188,679,000 | 125,592,000 |
| Measure [Axis]: 1 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Distributable Earnings | ||
| Non-GAAP Measure Description [Text Block] | Represents Distributable Earnings, a non-GAAP | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 2 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Dividend Coverage Ratio | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 3 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Book Value Per Share | ||
| PEO [Member] | SCT Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ (2,200,163) | $ (2,200,000) | $ (2,399,993) |
| PEO [Member] | Year End Fair Value of Unvested Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 2,085,794 | 2,212,525 | 2,331,123 |
| PEO [Member] | Year End Change In Fair Value of Prior Year Unvested Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (435,958) | 362,071 | (882,617) |
| PEO [Member] | Change in Fair Value of Prior Year Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (404,210) | 299,919 | (124,961) |
| PEO [Member] | Value of Dividends on Unvested Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 254,309 | 254,723 | 173,548 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | SCT Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (249,999) | (165,750) | |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Year End Fair Value of Unvested Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 218,406 | 160,993 | |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Year End Change In Fair Value of Prior Year Unvested Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 24,891 | (74,746) | |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Change in Fair Value of Prior Year Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 24,681 | (13,699) | |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Fair Value of Stock Awards Forfeited [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (164,605) | ||
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Value of Dividends on Unvested Stock Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 13,676 | $ 17,511 | $ 14,697 |
