If you are interested in affiliate marketing, these 13 affiliate marketing networks are a great place to start. Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to monetize your new business.
There is no overhead because you don’t need a building. And there is no inventory to worry about. The best part about networks is they allow you to browse their marketplaces and discover products you never thought about promoting.
You are selling products right from the manufacture’s website. So, if you are thinking about a business in affiliate marketing, Some of these are great programs to get you started. And others are probably for the more seasoned marketer.
The first six platforms are the ones that are the easiest to qualify for and could get you started the fastest. Then, later on when your website gains some traction, you could take a look at the ones that require more traffic, and sales.
Related Article: How Do I Get Started In Affiliate Marketing?
Beginner Friendly Affiliate Programs
| Program | Commission Rate | Cookie Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SharaSale | 1% up to 50% | 7-day and 30-day |
| ClickBank | 1% up to 90% | 7-day and 30-day |
| Rakuten Marketing | 5% up to 25% | 7-day and 30-day |
| CJ Affiliate | 1-2% up to 50% | 7-day and 30-day |
| Pepperjam | 5% up to 25% | 30-45 and 60 day |
| Amazon Associates | 1% up to 20% | 24 hours |
ShareASale is an easy-to-use affiliate marketing network that has over 7,954 companies in their database. Most of these companies are found in the United States. Applications are usually accepted in about 24hrs.
The requirements are not stringent, so chance are you will be accepted. Websites may not be required if you have a blog and social channel. They are great for beginners in affiliate marketing.
ShareASale is a very user friendly database. It is easy to find merchants to promote. They also make it easy to create tracking link to determine exactly what location caught the customers eye.
And the search filters allow you to search for merchants using almost anything you can imagine, 7 or 30 day Cookie duration, Commission rates, Alphabetical, Start date, Power rank, just about anything you need to search for merchant easily. They also furnish the sales reports that you can access with an easy to use dropdown menu.
ShareASale pays out affiliates quickly and securely with PayPal, check, or direct deposit. It also offers both 7-day and 30-day cookies. They pay on the 20th of every month, and have a $50 minimum. EPC are clearly posted on each product and range from 1% – 50%
ClickBank
This platform is probably the most well-known affiliate marketing network that allows affiliates to promote digital products and earn commissions from their sales. Clickbank works with over 6 million companies and brands in various industries.
It provides affiliates with a wide range of products from multiple categories and offers a variety of tools to help them with their campaigns. The marketplace is a bit dated, but it is very user friendly. No experience is required.
ClickBank pays out affiliates quickly and securely with PayPal, check, or direct deposit. It also offers both 7-day and 30-day cookies. Clickbank does not have a waiting period for affiliates to get paid.
Affiliates are paid out twice a month on the 1st and 16th. There is a minimum payout of $10. And they have a $2.50 processing fee. No monthly fees. ClickBank buys the product from the seller @92.5% of the sale price +$1. So, this means Clickbank keeps 7.5% =$1 of each transaction. And there is a fee for PayPal transactions of 5.0%
Clickbank offers all three types of affiliate marketing products: EPC – pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call.
However, Clickbank is notorious for offering scammy products. Try to sort through them and find some decent products, otherwise you will get plenty of complaints and refunds requests.
Rakuten Marketing
Rakuten Marketing platform provides easy access to around 1000 companies across various industries. Their dashboard may not be modern, but it is still easy to navigate.
It is designed to be intuitive, making it great for those starting out in affiliate marketing. Rakuten Marketing offers quick and secure payouts via PayPal, ACH and wire transfer.
They offer 7-day and 30-day cookies, and pay out affiliates on the 15th of every month, with a minimum payout of $50. And they offer all three types of affiliate products: pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call. EPC commission rates range from 5% – 25%, which is lower than what other networks offer.
CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliates work with over 1000 retailers. Most offers on the CJ Affiliate marketing network are cost per acquisition (CPA) — such as pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call. The dashboard is a bit difficult to navigate, but does have a lot of features once you get the hang of it.
The programs are sorted by 7 day or 30 day cookies.
They require a website, or blog on social channels with a strong social following. And they want to know your promotional methods. So, a few sales help to get merchants to accept you.
They pay by check or Payoneer, but don’t offer PayPal. Affiliates are paid after the 20th day of the month, provided you have met their $50 direct deposit requirement or $100 for a check. They do have a $2.50 processing fee, and heavy fines for inactivity. No monthly fees. And they have a few scammy programs.
Pepperjam
Pepperjam Affiliate Marketing Network will serve more than 1,750 enterprise and mid-market clients in various industries. It is a bit limited in selection, but does have a nice clean dashboard.
You can deep link directly to products and you also have a link generator tool. Pepperjam pays out affiliates quickly and securely with PayPal. It also offers both 7-day and 30-day cookies. They do not offer recurring commissions for affiliates.
Pepperjam pays on 30 ,45,or 60 days, depending upon which locking program you have. Affiliates are paid out on the 1st and the 15th of every month. There is a minimum payout of $25. Pepperjam’s commission rate ranges from 5% to 25%, depending on the products. This is a lower rate than other platforms commissions.
Pepperjam offers all three types of affiliate marketing products: EPC – pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call.
Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is a bit different because it is one company with a lot of products for sale in one place. They are an affiliate platform, but they are the only company you sell products from.
They have over 350 million products and ship to over 100 countries. Even if you have a small niche, they likely have products you can sell. So, they are one of the best for beginner affiliate marketers.
Amazon is a very easy program to sign up for and is popular with people new to affiliate marketing. I am a member as well, but one thing to know is they change their commission rates often and it is often to the low side. Most of their commissions average around 2-3%.
It takes a lot of sales to make any money. So, their are many programs with better commission rates around. They do have some higher commissions, in the 10-20% range, but they are generally harder to sell.
And their cookies are only good for 24 hours, so if your customer waits a day or two to make up their mind, you lose the commission.
Amazon is good to get your feet wet in affiliate marketing, but not for the long haul. Their commissions are just too low.
Affiliate Marketing Networks For More Experienced Marketers
These programs may be better suited for experienced marketers. The reason I say this is because they require more traffic and polished websites. However, if you are not concerned with being rejected, by all means check them out. Who knows, maybe you will have enough to qualify.
| Program | Commission Rate | Cookie Duration |
|---|---|---|
| AvantLink | 5% to 10% and up | 7 days and 30 days depending on the merchant.. |
| FlexOffers | 5% to 50% | 7 days and 30 days depending on the merchant |
| Link | 5% to 25% | 7 days and 30 days depending on the merchant. |
| Awin | 5% to 25% | 7 days and 30 days depending on the merchant. |
| Sovrn | Take 25% you get 75% of commissions | Generous 60 day cookie |
| Tradedoubler | 5% to 50% depending on merchant | 30 day cookie |
| Webgains | 5% to 50% depending on merchant | 30 day cookie |
AvantLink
AvantLink marketing network places the focus on cost-per-sale marketing. That means you get paid when someone buys the product. Then you get a percentage of the sale. It takes about a week to get approved, and they deal with 500 companies. You must have a decent website that is promoting products.
The big difference with AvantLink is they require you to sign up with each affiliate program you want to promote. That is a big hassle, and should be automated a bit better so that merchants have your information already.
They have cookies that vary in lifetime with each vender, some are good for 7 days while others are good for 30 days. Both are much better than Amazon for instance, cookies on Amazon only last 24 hours.
AvantLink offers all three types of affiliate marketing products: EPC (earning-per-click) pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call. And, you can ads placed on you site to advertise Merchants products (if you qualify).
One plus is that they pay using PayPal, however they have a 30 day waiting period. And they also offer a direct deposit program. No international accounts, banks must be located in your country.
FlexOffers
FlexOffers is a comprehensive affiliate marketing network that works with over 12,000 companies and brands in various industries. It provides affiliates with access to a wide range of offers from multiple categories, and a link builder. But does not offer fancy tools as other platforms.
FlexOffers’ site page is considered user friendly for beginners. However, FlexOffers has a lower commission rate compared to other affiliate networks. Commission rates range from 5% to 50% depending upon the products you choose.
FlexOffers pays out affiliates quickly and securely with Check $3 fee, Direct Deposit $1 fee, PayPal (PayPal 2.99%), and wire transfer $3 fee. They also offers both 7-day and 30-day cookies.
FlexOffers pays NET 60. If you get a commission in March, you get paid in June. They due offer “Advanced Payments” which get you paid sooner for a 6% fee from your earnings!(You Must Qualify) Affiliates are paid out on the 1st and 15th of every month. There is a minimum payout of $25.
FlexOffers offers all three types of affiliate marketing products: EPC – pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call. But, they also have a mandatory Two-Factor Identification. I find these very annoying, but a lot of companies are going in that direction
They do have a lot of complaints that they closed accounts and kept affiliates commissions. I don’t know why they would do that, but it is worth mentioning. Not good for business!
LinkConnector
Linkconnector is an easy-to-use affiliate marketing network that helps brands and publishers optimize their campaigns. It provides affiliates with access to over 3,000 companies and brands in various industries. They offer tracking and reporting capabilities. But, they don’t include as many features as other merchant platforms
Linkconnector pays out affiliates quickly and securely with PayPal, check, or direct deposit. It also offers both 7-day and 30-day cookies.
Linkconnector does not have a waiting period for affiliates to get paid. Affiliates are paid out on the 15th of every month. And you have to pay a transactional fee to Linkconnector taken from your commission paid by the merchant anywhere from 10% to 30%. There is a minimum payout of $50.
Also, their commission rates are a bit on the low side. Linkconnector’s commission rate ranges from 5% to 25%, depending on the products you choose. No recurring commissions.
They do offer all three types of affiliate marketing products: EPC – pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call. And their site is considered user friendly. But, they have a 60% rejection rate for affiliate Marketers. They are very hard to get accepted. They cater more to the merchants than affiliates.
Awin
Awin is a leading affiliate marketing network with over 100,000 publishers to date. Which means that you have at least that many products and likely many more. The application is simple, but requires a $5 fee that will be refunded upon acceptance. Great for beginners. They also charge a percentage fee on all commissions. And they do require a website selling a product and will contact you about the traffic to your site.
If you are not accepted, you can likely kiss that $5 goodbye. All applications are manually approved, and it takes about a week.
Awin has a large selection of tools and even an app for WordPress that will turn you links into product pages. It won’t work on Wix. And your applications to merchants who may be a good fit are automatically filled out on your behalf and they send you a link that is ready to go.
Awin pays out affiliates with direct deposit and international wire transfer. It also offers both 7-day and 30-day cookies. They pay on the 1st and the 15th every month, and they have a minimum of $20.
One complaint with Awin is that it sometimes takes months to get paid.
Sovrn
Formally known as VigLink, it was acquired in 2018 by Sovrn Network. They offer over 50,000 active merchants and over 100,000 active sites. So, they are not a small company, and you can feel confident that your campaigns will reach a wide audience. With merchants like Adidas, Nike, Dell, H&M, Lowes, and Macy’s, just to name a few, you have some great affiliate programs to choose from.
The application process is free.
Affiliates can make commissions based on the amount of sales they generate, with no fees taken from the commission.
Sovrn offers a variety of helpful tools and resources that make it easier to optimize campaigns, such as tracking links, reporting tools, and an easy-to-navigate dashboard that provides insights into performance. They have a nice link generator that places links for you based on your content.
60 Day Cookie
You also have a generous 60-day cookie duration, so you can be sure your campaigns will be successful. However they do want you to install their links and get some clicks before they approve you account. Then, it takes 5 business days to approve your account. and they also require a copy of an email newsletter, SMS campaign and Discord group for approval.
All commissions vary depending upon the merchant, normally they range from 5%-10%, sometimes 50%
Affiliate commission payments are made via check, PayPal or Direct Deposit/ACH. And their minimum payout is $50 for wire transfers and $25 for all other payments. There are no fees. They pay all PayPal, ACH and postage fees.
But they operate on a net-90 basis. This means that you get paid 90 days from the end of the month you made your sale. So, commissions earned in January will be paid at the end of the month in April(if you met your $25 minimum).
This is a bit of a wait to get paid for sure! And if you don’t meet your minimum of $25, it rolls into the next month to get paid(and another 90 day wait).
Tradedoubler
Tradedoubler is a performance affiliate marketing network that offers publishers access to a global network of over 2,000 merchants. They currently have over 150,000 publishers consistently using the platform.
Joining the program is free, but depending on the merchant, there may be application fees.
Affiliates can make commissions on sales, leads or clicks, with no fees taken from the commission. And most of the products are focused on technology and digital products.
They are from Sweden, but have 15 offices based in Sweden, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Spain, Italy Poland, and Singapore. It works with merchants and publishers in 81 countries all over the world, but mostly in the European Union. So, if that is where your traffic is located, then it makes sense to use Tradedoubler.
Tools And Cookies
Tradedoubler provides a variety of tools to help affiliates succeed, such as a user friendly dashboard, analytics, tracking, reporting and optimization.
The platform offers a standard 30-day cookie duration and there is usually no waiting period to get paid.
Payments are sent out via bank transfer or PayPal on the 15th of the month, with no minimum payout.
Commissions are based on the individual merchant and vary depending on the type of commission, such as sales, leads or clicks. Commissions vary and can be as low as 5% or as high as 50%. However, Tradedoubler charges 3% of each sale and has a fee of 44.99 in British pounds each month for the Grow account.
Webgains
Webgains smart affiliate marketing network is a performance-based platform that allows merchants to promote their products and services to affiliates.
Webgains currently has over 1,800 advertisers and 250,000 publishers in 150+ countries around the world. with more joining every day. There is no application fee to join the program. They offer training for writing content to make sales for companies like Casio, Lee, Titleist, And Siemens. Or you can learn to do affiliate marketing, webinars, create eBooks and launch your own program.
Affiliates can earn up to 50% commissions on sales generated from their traffic. Webgains does not take any fees from the commissions earned by affiliates.
Tool And Cookies
Webgains offers a range of tools to help merchants and affiliates optimize their campaigns. These include tracking tools, reporting tools, and a comprehensive API.
The Webgains dashboard is user-friendly and easy to use. Webgains offers a 30-day cookie duration for affiliates. There is no waiting period for payments, and merchants are paid on the 15th of every month. Payments are made via check, PayPal, or wire transfer. Webgains has a minimum payout of $50.
With all the affiliate marketing networks making so many affiliate products available, there is no need to worry about getting accepted by any single network. Try to take it in stride and move on if you happen to get rejected. As you can see there are plenty to choose from.
One thing you will need is a good training platform to teach you how to build websites and give you a place to find support and help when you need it. That is where the training I mention below is perfect for anyone starting out in affiliate marketing. But, it can help experienced marketers as well.
If you have had trouble with getting your ads to be profitable, or have difficulty with ranking, they can help with that also.
Unlock Powerful Tools for Affiliate Marketing Success With Wealthy Affiliate
Wealthy Affiliate is an effective resource for affiliate marketing. It provides a comprehensive platform for both new and experienced marketers alike. With a wealth of tools and resources, Wealthy Affiliate is designed to help its members succeed in the world of affiliate marketing.
With a community of 2.6 million members, Wealthy Affiliate is one of the most popular training platforms in the world. It is great for starting a business and building a website for anyone interested in affiliate marketing. One of the most beneficial aspects of Wealthy Affiliate is the detailed training and tutorials they offer.
They provide a comprehensive overview of affiliate marketing and how to get started, as well as more advanced topics like SEO and keyword research. Additionally, the live video classes, webinars, and blog posts offer up-to-date information and tips to help members stay ahead of the curve.
Extensive Library And Keyword Tool
Wealthy Affiliate also features an extensive library of tools and resources to help members with their affiliate marketing efforts. They offer a keyword research tool, a website analysis tool, and even an affiliate search program to help members get started.
These tools make it easy to track and analyze the performance of all your affiliate campaigns.
Finally, Wealthy Affiliate also offers weekly live training and support options to help members get the most out of all aspects of their affiliate marketing. They have a dedicated team of support staff available to answer questions and offer advice, as well as a community forum where members can collaborate and share ideas.
To wrap this up, Wealthy Affiliate is an effective platform for affiliate marketing. With its comprehensive training and resources, powerful tools, and helpful support options, it is the perfect solution for new and experienced affiliates alike. Take them for a free test drive today!
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you ASAP.
Chas
I am Chas, creator and founder of Help For Scams And Frauds. I started affiliate marketing and earning money online in 2015. And I can tell you, anyone can do this. But, in order to build a business the right way you must have the right training and avoid the get rich quick schemes.
Check out my #1 Recommendation For The Best Online Training in 2024
Hi Chas,
This is a very informative article and one that will really help me.
I am working on a blog that I am trying to build a business out of by turning my blogs into books. But, I am finding it difficult to make any money out of it so far. However, I am not giving up and I am exploring all avenues, and one of them is affiliate marketing.
I am going to research all 13 of the networks you are sharing with us and I will let you know which one I choose for my blog, and if I am making a success out of it.
Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work.
All the best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thank you, i am glad you found my article helpful. My review of these 13 affiliate marketing networks should give you some guidelines to your marketing efforts. Every area of marketing, including books has is own challenges. But, I think you may have more success with marketing some products that people in your niche would be interested in buying. That is the key! You need products that people are going to buy.
I look forward to hearing your success stories Tom.
Thank you for taking the time to comment, please stop back soon.
Chas
Thanks for this detailed, side-by-side review! There are so many affiliate marketing networks out there today that it’s hard to narrow down on who to use. And there are some new ones in this article that I’d like to explore further.
I think it’s a good strategy to sign up for multiple networks instead of limiting yourself to one. Not only because you’ll have as many options open to you, but also because the merchants sometimes change or leave the program.
Thanks again for the info!
Hi Andrea,
You are welcome. if you are looking for a network for marketing, you have plenty to choose from. but, you have to consider the good and bad points of each one before making a decision. I think it is worth taking a look at as many as you can, and draw your own conclusions about which one to use. I actually use several depending upon which kinds of products I am interested in promoting.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, please stop back soon!
Hey Chas,
thanks for the comprehensive information. I personally tried out amazon affiliates for a period of time but wasn’t satisfied with it because of the short cookie duration and low commission. Will try out ClickBank next and looking around till I find one program that works for me.
Do you maybe have some tip for a mental health website? Mainly about anxiety?
Hi Thimo,
You are welcome. I want to help everybody I can to achieve success in affiliate marketing. I still get a few sales from Amazon, but the commissions are so low it is not something anyone is going to get rich over. Unless you get 100’s of sales, you are going to struggle trying to make a living. ClickBank has offers that pay quite well, but they may be a little bit scammy. You can expect a lot of complaints and high refund rates.
I don’t have any tips on that type of website. Maybe research your competition and see what they are making money from?
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, and please stop back soon.
Chas