Are you searching for the best affiliate networks and platforms?
Look no further!
Affiliate marketing is a powerful way for businesses to expand their reach and increase sales, and one of the key components of successful affiliate marketing is choosing the right affiliate network.
With so many affiliate networks available, choosing the right one for you can be overwhelming.
To help you out, we’ve made a list of the 15 best affiliate networks, taking into consideration factors like reputation, commission rates, and support.
Whether you’re just starting out with affiliate marketing or an affiliate company looking to expand your business, you’re sure to find a network on this list that will suit your needs.
Let’s begin!
What Is Affiliate Network And How Does It Work?
An affiliate network is a platform that connects merchants (or companies that want to sell their products or services) with affiliates (individuals or companies that want to promote those products or services in exchange for a commission).
The affiliate network acts as a middleman between the two parties and provides tools and resources for them to manage and track their affiliate relationships.
This can include things like tracking links, real-time reporting, and payment processing.
The affiliate network may also provide additional services such as help with recruiting new affiliates, creating marketing materials, and providing customer support.
What Are The Best Affiliate Networks And Platforms For Publishers?
Here are the top affiliate networks:
ShareASale is one of the most widely used affiliate networks, offering a wide range of products from more than 4,500 merchants.
It is a one-stop-shop for affiliate marketers, allowing them to sign up for various merchants, generate links, and track statistics all from the ShareASale dashboard.
However, it is important to note that you will need to apply and be approved by each merchant individually.
ShareASale offers a variety of products, including digital and physical products, making it a great option for businesses of all niches.
Some of the well-known brands that you can find on ShareASale include Warby Parker, Sun Basket, Wayfair, Reebok, and NFL Shop, among others.
ShareASale’s commission rate and cookie duration depend on the specific merchant, with a minimum payout of $50.
Though the platform’s dashboard design could be improved, it is considered trustworthy and has been around for many years, working with many big brands.
Additionally, ShareASale has over 1,000 exclusive merchants, and a bookmarklet feature that allows for easy generation of custom affiliate links.
Here’s All You Need To Know About ShareASale.
- Product kinds and niches: There’s a little bit of everything here, including physical and digital goods.
- The average commission rate varies depending on the merchant you join up with.
- Cookie duration is determined by the merchant with whom you sign up.
- The minimum payout is $50.
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of ShareASale.
Pros:
- Thousands of retailers, including many well-known merchants, provide physical and digital products.
- They’re reliable because they’ve been around for a long time and work with various well-known companies.
- There are a lot of unique retailers. Over 1,000 ShareASale merchants only work with ShareASale.
- There’s a bookmarklet that makes creating personalized affiliate links a breeze.
Cons:
- Though it’s grown a lot better, the dashboard interface is still a little clumsy.
2. Amazon Associates.
Amazon Associates is a popular affiliate program that allows you to promote physical products on your website.
It offers a wide range of products from Amazon.com and what makes it even more valuable is that you earn a commission not only on the product you linked but also on any other products that the referred customer purchases within the cookie duration.
This program used to pay a commission rate based on revenue or sales driven, but since 2017, it has switched to a flat-rate commission structure, where a flat percentage is paid based on the category of the product.
This change makes it more appealing for smaller sites as they no longer have to worry about reaching a certain sales volume to earn a higher commission.
With Amazon Associates, you can promote anything sold on Amazon’s website, including products from third-party vendors, with commission rate ranging from 1% to 10% depending on the category, cookie duration of 24 hours, and a minimum payout of $10 for Amazon gift card or direct deposit.
However, it has some cons like the universal cookie only lasts for 24 hours, some categories have low commissions, and you need to register for each country individually.
Amazon has also been known to adjust commission rates.
Amazon Associates: Everything You Need To Know.
- Anything sold on Amazon’s website falls within this category (including products from third-party vendors).
- The average commission fee ranges from 1% to 10%, depending on the category.
- Cookies have a 24-hour expiration date. However, if users add a product to their carts directly, you’ll get a 90-day cookie, but only for the single product in their carts.
- For an Amazon gift card or direct deposit, the minimum payout is $10.
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Amazon Associates.
Pros:
- A large number of goods are available.
- Because it’s a universal cookie, you’ll gain credit for everything consumers buy during the cookie’s lifespan.
- Amazon is by far the most well-known name in the world of online shopping.
- The payout threshold is shallow — only $10.
Cons:
- The universal cookie has a 24-hour lifespan.
- Video games, for example, have incredibly minimal commissions (1 percent ).
- You must register for each nation separately.
- Amazon has been known to sometimes reduce commissions.
3. ClickBank.
ClickBank is an affiliate network that offers a wide range of digital and physical products, with a focus on smaller merchants.
It provides access to eBooks, online courses, and membership sites.
The commission rate varies depending on the merchant, but is usually high.
The cookie duration also varies by merchant, but is typically around 60 days.
The minimum payout is $10, and payments are made weekly.
One of the advantages of ClickBank is that it offers a wide range of niche offers that aren’t found on other platforms.
However, it also has a generous refund policy, which can result in lost commissions.
Additionally, some of the products on ClickBank may not be of high quality, which means that you need to be careful about which merchants you choose to promote.
Here’s Everything You Need To Know About ClickBank.
- ClickBank leans heavily toward digital products; however, there are some material things available (and ClickBank makes it easy to filter between the two).
- The average commission rate varies depending on the merchant you join up with, but it is usually relatively high. There are both percentage and flat-rate commissions available.
- Cookie lifespan varies depending on which merchant you sign up with, but it usually is around 60 days.
- The minimum reward is ten dollars.
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of ClickBank.
Pros:
- There are many special offers here that you won’t discover on other affiliate sites.
- For most sellers, commissions are pretty hefty.
- It’s simple to get paid with a $10 minimum payout.
- Weekly payments are available.
Cons:
- Because of ClickBank’s generous refund policy, you may end yourself losing commissions after the fact.
- You will have to go through some low-quality products or services.
4. CJ Affiliate (Formerly Commission Junction).
CJ Affiliate, formerly known as Commission Junction, is a widely-used affiliate network that brings together thousands of merchants under one platform, similar to ShareASale.
It is one of the largest affiliate networks, providing access to 2,696 merchants, including big and small companies.
Some of the prominent merchants on CJ include Lowes, Overstock, Office Depot, Priceline, GoPro, and IHG.
To start promoting these merchants, you need to individually apply to them via the CJ dashboard and then generate links and track statistics.
The platform’s dashboard has a steeper learning curve compared to ShareASale, but once you figure out how it works, it is a more preferred option.
Like ShareASale, CJ has a wide range of niches and both physical and digital products.
The average commission rate and cookie life depend on the merchant you sign up with, and the minimum payout for direct deposit is $50 or $100 for cheques.
The pros of CJ are a huge range of big and small merchants to choose from, a nice back-end dashboard to help manage affiliate marketing efforts, and a deep link generator bookmarklet which makes it easy to create links.
The cons are that the dashboard is a bit complicated when you’re just getting started.
Here’s Everything You Need To Know About CJ.
- CJ, like ShareASale, caters to a wide range of niches and offers both physical and digital products.
- The average commission rate varies depending on the merchant you join up with.
- The expiration date of the cookies is determined by the merchant with whom you are registering.
- For direct deposit, the minimum payout is $50, while for checks, the minimum payout is $100.
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of CJ.
Pros:
- There is a large selection of large and small merchants to pick from.
- A user-friendly backend dashboard for managing your affiliate marketing operations.
- It has a deep link generator that makes link creation easy.
Cons:
- The dashboard can be a little confusing (though I like it overall).
5. JVZoo.
JVZoo is a digital commerce platform that offers a wide range of products in 22 different categories, with a total of 9.5 million items.
They have a user-friendly interface and provide tools and training for new affiliates to establish a successful and profitable online business.
JVZoo’s marketplace allows affiliates to find the best products to promote to their audience and receive commissions directly from suppliers to a defined PayPal account.
Additionally, affiliates can offer unique perks such as bonus products to increase sales.
However, some users may find the backend dashboard a bit confusing.
Pros:
- There is a large selection of small and large merchants to pick from.
- A user-friendly backend dashboard for managing your affiliate marketing operations.
Cons:
- The dashboard can be a little confusing (though I like it overall).
6. FlexOffers.
FlexOffers is a well-established affiliate network that provides access to over 12,000 different advertisers and merchants.
It has a user-friendly dashboard and frequently adds new merchants to its platform.
FlexOffers offers a variety of products across all niches, including well-known brands like Macy’s, Lenovo, and Skechers.
Additionally, FlexOffers assigns a dedicated account manager to every publisher to assist with finding the best offers and improving affiliate marketing efforts.
However, the only payment option for publishers outside the USA is PayPal, unless the payment exceeds $5,000, in which case a wire transfer can be used.
The minimum payout is $50 within the USA and $100 outside the USA.
Here’s All You Need To Know About FlexOffers.
- Product categories and niches: With over 12,000 merchants, you’ll be able to find physical and digital products in any niche.
- The average commission rate varies depending on the merchant you join up with.
- The expiration date of the cookies is determined by the merchant with whom you are registering.
- Within the United States, the minimum payout is $50; outside of the United States, the minimum payout is $100.
FlexOffers Has Both Advantages And Disadvantages.
Pros:
- There’s a lot to choose from, with over 12,000 retailers to choose from.
- The backend dashboard is well-designed.
- You’ll be assigned a personal affiliate manager.
Cons:
- If you live outside of the United States, the only way to pay is through PayPal (unless the payment exceeds $5,000, in which case a wire transfer is an option).
7. eBay Partner Network.
The eBay Partner Network allows you to earn a commission for promoting items on eBay.
This gives you access to a wide range of products, including physical and digital goods.
The commission rate varies based on the product category, but generally ranges between 50-70% of eBay’s revenue.
However, keep in mind that this is not the total purchase price of the product.
The cookie duration is 24 hours, but you can still earn a commission if the auction takes up to 10 days to end as long as the person placed a bid within the first 24 hours.
The minimum payout is $10.
Pros include a wide range of products and the ability to sell used products, while cons include the short cookie duration.
The eBay Partner Network: Everything You Need To Know
- Mostly physical things, yet you may earn money for anything on eBay. Therefore, you’ll also discover digital products.
- Average commission rate: The actual commission rate varies by product category, but you can expect to earn between 50% and 70% of eBay’s revenue. Note that you are earning a portion of eBay’s commission, not the overall purchase price of the product.
- Cookie duration: 24 hours, but even if the auction takes up to 10 days to end, you can still receive a commission (as long as the person placed a bid within the first 24 hours).
- The minimum withdrawal is ten dollars.
The Benefits And Drawbacks Of The eBay Partner Network.
Pros:
- Because you can sell anything on eBay, there is a wide variety of products to choose from.
- It is possible to sell used things which is unique.
- Only $10 is paid out.
Cons:
- The cookie has a 24-hour lifespan.
8. Walmart Affiliates.
Walmart Affiliates, which is technically part of Rakuten Marketing, is a valuable alternative to Amazon Associates.
While Amazon holds a significant share of the e-commerce market, Walmart offers higher commission rates in some categories, such as toys, where it offers 4% commission compared to Amazon’s 3%.
In addition, Walmart’s cookie duration is three days, while Amazon’s cookie duration is only one day.
This makes it a good option for those who sell physical products and want to test if switching to the Walmart affiliate program can increase their revenue.
However, it’s worth noting that the product selection on Walmart is not as extensive as Amazon and the minimum payout is higher at $50.
Walmart Affiliates: Everything You Need To Know.
- Any goods offered on Walmart’s website fall into this category (including some third-party vendors).
- The average commission rate varies between 1% and 18%. The majority of the categories are either 4% or 1%.
- Cookies have a three-day expiration date.
The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Walmart Affiliates.
Pros:
- A large number of goods are available.
- In some categories, commissions are higher than Amazon’s.
- A well-known and dependable brand.
- A cookie is more extended than Amazon’s.
Cons:
- The minimum payout is $50, which is more than Amazon’s.
- Despite having a more extensive product assortment than almost any other store, it still falls short of Amazon.
9. Avangate Affiliate Network.
Avangate Affiliate Network is an affiliate network that specializes in digital goods and software products.
It gives you access to over 22,000 pieces of software from popular merchants such as Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Hide My Ass (VPN), and Awario.
This network is ideal for websites that promote a lot of digital products.
Avangate Affiliate Network was formed from the merger of Avangate and 2Checkout in 2017.
The commission rate, cookie duration, and minimum payout depend on the specific merchant you sign up with.
Avangate Affiliate Network generally offers higher commission rates compared to other affiliate networks and allows merchants to set their cookie length between 30 to 180 days.
The minimum payout is $100.
The pros of Avangate Affiliate Network are the option of PayPal as a payment method, a variety of unique software products to choose from, and high commissions.
The cons are the high minimum payout of $100 compared to other affiliate networks.
Avangate Affiliate Network: Everything You Need To Know.
- Avangate Affiliate Network focuses on digital goods and software products as a niche. You may look over the entire merchant marketplace without having to register.
- Average commission rate: varies depending on the merchant. However, Avangate offers up to an 85% commission rate, and Avangate Affiliate Network’s digital products often have a more effective commission rate than physical products found on other affiliate networks.
- The expiration date of the cookies is determined by the merchant with whom you sign up. Avangate Affiliate Network allows businesses to choose between 30 and 180 days for their cookies, so you’re guaranteed at least 30 days.
- $100 is the minimum payout.
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Avangate Affiliate Network.
Pros:
- You have the option to receive payment using PayPal.
- There are numerous distinct software products from which to choose.
- The majority of retailers provide fairly substantial commissions. It’s pretty uncommon to see commissions of 50% or more.
Cons:
- The minimum payout is $100, which is more than most other affiliate networks.
10. Digistore24.
Digistore24 is an affiliate network that primarily focuses on digital products, but it also offers some physical products.
Signing up is free and easy, and they accept members from all countries.
They also accept PayPal as a payment method.
The network is considered safe and reputable, and has been around for a few years.
However, the selection of products is not as extensive as other networks like Clickbank.
One of the advantages of Digistore24 is that the cookie duration is 180 days, compared to Clickbank’s 60 days.
They also compensate members for referring customers, which is not offered by Clickbank.
The minimum payout is $100 and the default payment option is by check, but it can be changed to PayPal in the settings.
They also offer weekly payments if you make at least $58.
Overall, Digistore24 is considered easy to use and a good option for affiliates.
11. Warrior Plus.
The WarriorPlus affiliate network is a platform that allows you to earn money by promoting fitness products and services.
As a member, you will be provided with an affiliate page and link, which you will use to advertise the WarriorPlus team’s offerings.
The commission you earn is based on the number of sales you make.
To join the program, you must create an account and request approval for a product to promote.
Approval is based on your sales history, and if you don’t have one, you may need to convince the product provider to authorize you.
When promoting WarriorPlus products, it’s important to use high-quality links, target the right market, and be transparent about your relationship with the platform.
The majority of the products on WarriorPlus are marketing and informational-related, and you’ll have to wait 30 days to get your money.
Commissions are paid out through PayPal.
Rakuten Marketing, formerly called LinkShare, is a well-known affiliate network that includes many large merchants such as Walmart, Best Buy, Macy’s, and Papa Johns.
However, the network is not as large as ShareASale, CJ, or Awin, with around 1,000 merchants.
While it may not offer as much variety as other networks, Rakuten is a good option for gaining access to big-name merchants and it also has some useful features like the ability to rotate ads without needing an external solution.
The niche for Rakuten Marketing is a variety of niches, the average commission rate and cookie duration depend on the specific merchant you sign up with and the minimum payout is $50.
The pros of Rakuten Marketing are access to big-name merchants, a trusted name, and easy ad rotation.
The cons are that the back-end dashboard looks a bit dated and the selection is not as big as other affiliate networks.
Rakuten Marketing: Everything You Need To Know.
- With over 1,000 merchants, you should be able to find offers in almost any niche.
- The average commission rate varies depending on the merchant you join up with.
- The duration of the cookie is determined by the merchant you sign up with.
- $50 is the minimum withdrawal.
Rakuten Marketing’s Advantages And Disadvantages.
Pros:
- Gives you access to popular retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy.
- A well-known brand (Rakuten is a billion-dollar company).
- Simple ad rotation is one of the nice features.
Cons:
- In my perspective, the backend dashboard is a little outdated.
- There is not as much choice here as with other affiliate networks.
13. PartnerStack.
PartnerStack is a leading affiliate network for B2B technology partnerships, providing exclusive access to some of the most respected and high-paying B2B affiliate marketing programs, such as Notion, Monday.com, and Webflow.
B2B affiliate marketing operates similarly to B2C affiliate marketing, but with higher commissions and longer payouts, such as recurring revenue of 20-50% of a sale for the lifetime of the customer.
PartnerStack’s in-app dashboard allows for easy monitoring of performance across all programs and built-in features such as challenges, in-app messaging and learning materials promote connectivity and engagement with partner program managers.
Like other networks, you need to apply to each individual partner program separately, and once you hit the network’s $5 payout threshold, you will be paid out via PayPal or Stripe.
If you’re looking for high-tier B2B companies that offer higher commission and conversion rates, PartnerStack should be your first choice.
The network niche is B2B SaaS, tech products, and digital products.
The commission rate, cookie duration, and minimum payout depend on the merchant you sign up with.
PartnerStack’s Pros are Exclusive, world-class B2B companies to partner with, dedicated partner program managers, cookies that last up to 90 days, a low payout threshold at $5, and Cons are Partner reporting could be more robust.
14. Awin (Formerly Affiliate Window).
Awin, formerly known as Affiliate Window, is a well-known affiliate network that provides access to over 13,000 merchants.
The network was acquired by ShareASale in 2017, but still operates independently, with a different set of merchants.
Awin offers a wide range of products for both physical and digital products for a variety of niches.
Some of the notable merchants on Awin include Etsy, AliExpress, HP, XE, StubHub, Under Armour, and Gymshark.
The platform was founded in Germany and has a slight European tilt to its merchant list, but also has a good number of US and global companies.
Like ShareASale and CJ, Awin requires affiliates to apply and be approved by each merchant individually, after which they can generate links and track statistics.
The network’s commission rate and cookie duration depend on the specific merchant, and has a minimum payout of $20.
Awin has a dedicated WordPress plugin that can help import products, and a low minimum payout of $20.
But it also has a $5 sign-up fee, which is refunded if you are approved, but not if you are not approved.
What Are The Benefits Of Joining An Affiliate Network For Publishers?
By monetizing their blogs through affiliate networks, bloggers, influencers, and publishers can earn passive money.
Benefits of joining an affiliate network include:
- Allows publishers to locate businesses and merchants that are suitable for their website’s target audience.
- Affiliate networks handle the entire payment process on behalf of publishers.
- Affiliates can use analytics and reporting tools to keep track of their progress.
- Affiliates can earn more money by selling more products, resulting in a greater commission rate.
How To Select The Correct Affiliate Network?
There are a lot of things to consider in order to limit the number of platforms you use when picking an affiliate network.
When joining an affiliate network, keep the following in mind:
- Payouts: If you spread your traffic too small, it’ll be difficult to consistently hit each platform’s minimal payout. You probably don’t want to log into 20 different dashboards every day for the sake of convenience. Apart from that, it’s a good idea to discover some fantastic deals to market to your loyal followers.
- Selection of products and services: Affiliate marketing is only viable if you can locate high-quality products and services that your visitors want (and that you can feel proud to recommend). The affiliate network must link influencers to the product or brand their audience is familiar with.
- User Interface: Some affiliate programs are more straightforward to utilize than those offered by others. When choosing an affiliate network, evaluate the amount of technical skill of the bloggers and influencers you’ll be working with.
- The customer base: Investigate the demographics of your subscriber and user base. Publishers can choose the best online tool and analytic platform for their niches to reach their target audience.
- Cookie life span: The cookie duration of an affiliate program influences the amount of credit given to potential buyers. Cookie durations vary greatly depending on the platform. The cookie duration on Amazon, for example, is one day.
- Rate of commission: Publishers can receive differing amounts of affiliate income from different affiliate networks, so it’s important to double-check before joining one. An audit of how affiliate networks manage payments by Bank Deposit, PayPal, and other methods is required.
- Requirements for Approval: Some affiliate networks demand a quantity of traffic (at least 50k views) to be considered authoritative.
- Added Charges: Some affiliate networks may charge customer support, setup, and training separately.
Which Affiliate Network Should You Use?
When it comes to choosing an affiliate network, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one option.
Instead, consider signing up for multiple platforms so that you can find the best advertisers and payouts.
The only reasons to limit the number of platforms you use are for convenience and minimum payout requirements.
To make the process easier, consider using affiliate marketing plugins to manage and promote your merchants.
Additionally, if you’re still unsure, take a look at affiliate marketing statistics and guides to help you make a decision.
Conclusion.
there are numerous affiliate networks available to choose from, each with its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages.
When deciding which network to join, it’s important to consider factors such as niche/product types, average commission rate, cookie duration, and minimum payout.
To maximize your earning potential, it’s also recommended to sign up for multiple networks and use affiliate marketing plugins to manage and promote your merchants.
Ultimately, your specific needs and goals will determine the best affiliate network for you.
Choosing the right affiliate network will definitely help you in your affiliate marketing journey.
