I follow various content creators on social media and visit their platforms frequently. I often notice that some people mention affiliate links in their content and how purchasing through these links helps them earn commission.
Before I worked in marketing, I wasn’t sure what that meant. I know that these YouTubers participate in affiliate programs, and if you are a YouTuber or a business, you can also benefit from these programs.
Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to monetize your content, especially if you don’t sell products or services.
There are many affiliate programs, from online courses to Website creator to marketing and business partners.
Here we will examine:
What is an affiliate program?
An affiliate program is an agreement where one company pays another company or influencer a commission for referring traffic and/or sales. This can be achieved through web content, social media or product integration.
To better understand affiliate programs, I’ll use an example.
Wirecutter.coma New York Times company, is a website that lists product recommendations for shoppers. Wirecutter earns most of its commissions based on affiliate relationships with retailers.
The publication’s affiliate monetization model might make you doubt the legitimacy of its recommendations – but in reality, it’s quite the opposite.
Wirecutter only charges a commission if a reader purchases a product from an affiliate retailer and does not return the product. So Wirecutter has no incentive to promote inferior products.
If they did, they would make less money and turn readers away – and who wants that?
What is an Affiliate Partner?
An affiliate partner is the creator, influencer, or business that works with a company and earns commissions by promoting the company’s products or services.
Although there are different types of affiliate partnerships, you only want to be one type of affiliate partner – a good one. So what makes a quality affiliate partner? Don’t worry. I asked the expert for his input.
What makes a good affiliate partner?
According to Nancy Harnett, head of affiliate marketing at HubSpot, a great affiliate partner is someone who is committed to mutual growth, has a proven track record of driving high-quality leads or sales, and prioritizes transparent communication.
“At HubSpot, we value someone who closely aligns with our brand values, understands our audience, and brings valuable expertise and resources,” says Harnett.
She says, “Remember, a great affiliate partner is not just a promoter, but a trusted extension of a brand’s marketing team.”
The do’s and don’ts of working with an affiliate partner
According to Harnett, affiliate partnerships are complex. It can often take time to build trust and find synergies when two entities work together, but transparency can make the process smoother.
“At HubSpot, we like to set clear expectations and mutually agreed-upon goals from the start, provide affiliate partners with the necessary tools, resources and support to be successful, and maintain open lines of communication,” she says.
She says: “We also share regular updates, insights, metrics and data. This was a huge win for us and our program.”
Harnett says companies should avoid micromanaging affiliate partners.
“Trust their expertise and give them creative freedom,” she explains. “Don’t forget to regularly assess performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize the partnership. Don’t ignore feedback or concerns. Address any issues promptly and work together to find solutions.”
So if you are an affiliate partner and feel like the brand doesn’t trust your process or manage your workflow down to the last detail, it might be time to reconsider that partnership.
How do affiliates make money?
Many affiliates start their journey with Creating a website to have a basis for their marketing efforts.
The affiliate receives a unique link (an “affiliate link”) through which clicks can be tracked – typically using cookies. The cookie then tracks the user to see if they make a purchase.
If they do this within the allotted time, the affiliate will receive a commission.
Each cookie has a “length” or “cookie lifespan” that defines how long the cookie tracks the user’s online activity.
For example, if a cookie has a lifespan of 30 days, your referral must make a purchase within 30 days of clicking your affiliate link in order to get paid – otherwise the lead will no longer be traceable.
If you are interested in starting an affiliate program, there are different types of affiliate programs. I recommend you choose the most suitable one for your business. Next, let’s talk about the types of affiliate programs.
Types of affiliate programs
If you want to promote products or services, I am happy to tell you that there are some affiliate programs you can consider.
When choosing an affiliate program, you should remember the avenues or platforms where your audience spends most of their time.
For example, does your buyer persona typically read blog posts, scroll Facebook, or use search engines when researching new products?
Alternatively, is your buyer persona always looking for a good deal and would appreciate a link to a coupon page?
Or are they more interested in learning more before buying to make your promotional efforts on a review site more worthwhile?
While these are questions for you to think about on your own, let’s take a look at some common types of affiliate programs so you can start brainstorming possible avenues for your marketing efforts:
Search for partners
In this program, marketers pay their own money to promote affiliate offers in search results or on other online advertising platforms such as Facebook Ads.
This is an excellent option for marketers with an SEO background who want to conduct A/B testing to see which ads drive the most referrals – and ROI.
Influencer programs
If you are a blogger or social media influencer engaging with a specific audience, I recommend working with a company whose products appeal to that audience.
For example, if I am a food blogger or YouTube influencer who creates recipe content, I would partner with a company that sells kitchen appliances by featuring their product in your content and in return receive a commission for each product sold through your affiliate link .
I would also look for ways to make the most of my content and reach a wider audience Content marketing tools. For example, this would help improve search engine optimization and convert blog content into different formats such as social media posts.
Ideally, this would result in greater content exposure and additional revenue if my audience likes the products you promote.
Check websites
Blindly purchasing products online can be daunting for consumers. That’s why they often turn to review sites during the buyer’s journey so they can do research before purchasing.
Review sites work with individual companies or Affiliate networks to review products and services in exchange for an affiliate link.
Coupon Sites
Like review sites, coupon sites work with companies to offer shoppers discounts on products and services in exchange for a kickback.
Email marketing
This works best in small doses. You don’t want to send mass emails to an audience that isn’t interested in advertised products or services. However, considering who is receiving the email, this could be an effective method.
For example, if you work for a marketing agency, you might work with a company that sells design tools and list a partner in emails you send to design clients.
This could help your customers create higher quality content while creating an additional source of income.
Either way, Marketing analytics software is a must here. It helps track email open and click-through rates, providing you with the insights you need to optimize campaigns for maximum efficiency.
Affiliate networks
Instead of offering products from just one company, affiliate networks act as a marketplace and provide a larger pool of brands and offers to choose from.
This option might be interesting for beginner affiliate marketers because you don’t have to manage as many partnerships at the same time. Plus, there is no limit to how many affiliate networks you can join, so the options are endless.
Best Affiliate Marketing Networks
- Impact.com
- Amazon affiliate
- eBay Partner Network
- Rakuten advertising
- PartnerStack
- CJ Partner
- ShareASale
- FlexOffers
Getting started with affiliate marketing as a beginner can be overwhelming. There are just so many options to choose from! Below, I explore the best affiliate programs you can join as a beginner.
In particular, I’ll look at commission (how much you can earn per sale) and cookie lifespan (how long the cookie tracks user activity) so you can figure out which affiliate program will give you the best ROI.
1. Impact.com
Commission: Depends on the dealer
Cookie life: Depends on the dealer
Impact.com, formerly known as Impact Radius, was named the best affiliate marketing platform in the industry by independent sources And G2.
Over the past few years, Impact.com has led the industry to create a new category around partnerships that includes affiliate partners, influencers, customer referrals, brand-to-brand partners, and more.
As a result, many of the world’s largest companies have adopted the Impact.com platform, including Walmart, Target, Uber, Airbnb, Nordstrom, Temu – and HubSpot.
Impact.com has over 2,000 brand customers and hundreds of thousands of partners worldwide, including influencers. This allows brands to easily discover new partnerships, contract with them, collaborate, create reports and pay commissions directly through the platform.
What I like: Impact.com has excellent tracking and reporting features. You have a “contribution report” that shows which partners are adding value throughout the funnel, so you can continue to incentivize the best-performing partners.
2. Amazon affiliate
Commission: 1-10% (depending on product category)
Cookie life: 24 hours
Amazon is one of the most popular online shopping platforms. So if you want to buy something, you’ll probably find it on Amazon.
Amazon affiliates receive commissions between 1% and 10%, depending on which category the purchased product falls into. The most valuable items to promote are clothing and luxury beauty products you can get a 10% discount.
A major benefit of affiliate marketing with Amazon is that people already know the company and enjoy shopping there, so it’s not a hard sell. The company has very high conversion rates, especially around the holidays.
And the wide range of products makes it suitable for most companies.
If you write about animals, you can promote things like cat treats or dog toys. If your audience is interested in cars, you can recommend jumper cables – you get the idea.
Additionally, if someone comes to Amazon through your link and purchases something other than what your content links to, you will still receive a commission on the user’s entire cart.
The only downside is that some categories like video games and electronics have particularly low commissions.
For businesses with large audiences, Amazon recently launched its new version Amazon Influencer Program as an extension of the Associates program for social media influencers.
You get similar benefits to the online affiliate program and your own page on Amazon with a unique URL to showcase the products you recommend to your followers.
Pro tip: Currently you must have a YouTube, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account to qualify.
Amazon checks the number of followers on your social media accounts and other engagement metrics to determine whether you are eligible for the program.
3. eBay Partner Network
Commission: 1-4%, depending on the category
Cookie life: 24 hours
The eBay affiliate network pays a commission of 1% to 4%. Based on the product category, you will earn a percentage of eBay sales from that purchase.
High-priced items you can promote fall under Parts & Accessories or Fashion. You can view the full price list here.
The only downside to this program is that it offers a cap on each category – with most being well under $1,000. Your earning potential is therefore limited.
What I like: With over a billion listings across a variety of product categories, eBay’s affiliate program offers many of the same benefits as Amazon’s – a well-known brand, high conversion rates, and a diverse product selection.
4. Rakuten advertising
Commission: Depends on the dealer
Cookie life: Depends on the dealer
Rakuten, formerly known as Linkshare, is one of the oldest affiliate networks in the game.
Because Rakuten has long been a trusted name in affiliate marketing, the company has been able to build partnerships with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Sephora, New Balance, and JetBlue.
Despite Rakuten’s impressive partner list, the company only has partnerships with around 1,000 merchants – far fewer than other competing networks.
Pro tip: If you’re a small business or new to affiliate marketing, it’s beneficial to sign up with Rakuten so you can get access to affiliate offers from brands your audience knows.
Like many other affiliate networks, commission rates vary depending on the product and retailer.
5. PartnerStack
Commission: Depends on the dealer (average 25% recurring)
Cookie life: Depends on dealer (usually 90 days)
PartnerStack is the affiliate network of choice for B2B technology partnerships.
If you’re new to B2B affiliate marketing, it works very similarly to B2C affiliate marketing – except the commissions are usually higher and usually paid over a longer period of time.
Imagine recurring revenue of 20-100% of a sale over the lifetime of the customer you helped create.
The in-app dashboard makes it easy to monitor your performance across all the programs you’re currently participating in.
Built-in partner engagement features such as challenges, in-app messages, learning materials, etc. enable better connectivity and interaction with partner program managers.
As with other affiliate networks, you must apply for each affiliate program separately. However, withdrawal occurs once a month via Paypal or Stripe once you reach the network’s withdrawal threshold of $5.
If you want to work with top B2B companies that offer higher commission and conversion rates, the PartnerStack network should be the first place you can start looking for affiliate marketing programs.
What I like: When you join the network, you get exclusive access to some of the most reputable and highest paying B2B affiliate marketing programs in the world such as Gorgias, Sendoso and Webflow.
6. CJ Partner
Commission: Depends on the dealer
Cookie life: Depends on the dealer
CJ Affiliate (formerly known as Commission Junction) is one of the most popular affiliate networks around.
What I like: One of the benefits of using CJ Affiliates is the selection of brand partnerships that cover many industries, including retail, travel, finance, and network and home services.
CJ currently works with over 3,800 brands, including household names like Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, J.Crew and Blue Apron.
7. ShareASale
Commission: Depends on the dealer
Cookie life: Depends on the dealer
ShareASale works with thousands of merchants of all types, so finding the right affiliate product is a breeze – no matter your niche. The best-known brand partners include Etsy, Reebok and Warby Parker.
After joining the network, you will need to apply to the individual merchants you want to use. Once approved, you can generate affiliate links and view sales statistics in the ShareASale dashboard.
Due to the wide variety of products and retailers available, commission rates vary.
8. FlexOffers
Commission: Depends on the dealer
Cookie life: Depends on the dealer
FlexOffers has an impressive affiliate database that includes over 10,000 advertising partners from over 65 networks. It works with some of the largest retailers, including Samsung, Nike, Microsoft and Macy’s.
FlexOffers’ easy-to-use dashboard provides access to over 650 million products to find the best deal for you.
Once you find the product you’re looking for, you can use the automated affiliate links so you don’t have to create it manually.
Commission rates vary by merchant and publishers are paid monthly on NET 60 terms, meaning each month’s commissions are processed 60 days after the last day of the month.
Examples of affiliate marketing websites
1. Wire cutters
Let’s look again at my earlier example: Wirecutter, an affiliate marketing site of The New York Times.
“As a former journalist, I value Wirecutter for reviews and recommendations because the content has a journalistic approach,” says Erica Santiago, a HubSpot contributor and Wirecutter reader.
According to Santiago, the company’s association with The New York Times gives it some credibility.
“I also like the variety of content on the website,” she explains. “I usually gravitate toward the Style and Kitchen tabs, but there is so much on offer, from home and garden to tech, shopping and more.”
Diversity and credibility are two things the site does right. As Santiago said, the content varies depending on the affiliate type. Their authors also emphasize their specialist knowledge.
For example, a post with affiliate links to Treadmills was written by Seth Berkman, whose byline reads:
“Seth Berkman is a fitness writer. He showered goggles and lugged thousands of pounds of weights into the subway to test their durability.”
2. That’s why I’m broke
As the name suggests, This Is Why I’m Broke is not your average affiliate website. The site’s focus is on sharing fun, novelty and unique products – even if there is no partnership with the product developer.
This Is Why I’m Broke’s website layout is also unique in that it functions like an “infinite scroll.” Users can endlessly scroll through unusual and unique finds.
3. Dog food consultant
Dog Food Advisors provides dog food recommendations based on breed, health status and buyer preferences. What sets Dog Food Advisory apart is that product reviews are clearly divided into helpful categories:
- Best dog food
- Best budget friendly
- Best dry dog food
- Best wet food for dogs
- Best fresh dog food
It also includes food recalls and alerts, as well as a pop-up window that sends text notifications about recalls directly to users’ phones. Dog Food Advisor stands out because it offers added value to its target group, dog owners.
4. Headphone addict
Headphones Addict establishes the credibility and purpose of the website right on the landing page:
“We have been testing headphones since 2015. We create in-depth, authentic reviews of headphones that have been carefully tested by audio experts using specialized testing equipment and methods.”
The About page builds trust by assuring readers that its content consists of “free and impartial” opinions on headphones from the perspective of music lovers, audiophiles and headphone fans.
Headphones Addicts ensures authenticity by sharing this information and being transparent in its reviews.
5. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a partner website that serves as a trusted source for travelers looking to compare hotels, flights and car rentals.
A key to Skyscanner’s success is its metasearch engine, which incorporates results from other search engines to compile a comprehensive price list.
This allows users to easily compare their results and book the accommodations they need.
6. Controlled me
Ruled.me is an affiliate website for consumers following a ketogenic diet. It offers keto-friendly recipes for consumers who are transitioning to the diet but don’t want to miss out on fun and delicious meals.
A highlight of the site is the built-in tool that allows users to calculate the amount of proteins and carbohydrates they need to include in their diet to achieve their weight loss goals.
This tool makes Ruled.me a valuable resource for keto dieters and strengthens the site’s authority and trust.
7. secure
Safewise offers products and reviews related to home safety, family safety, and senior safety. The site is excellent because it is well organized and easy to navigate.
8. The Hoops Geek
The Hoops Geek provides reviews of basketball shoes and equipment for coaches and players. What makes The Hoops special is that it provides tools that increase value for consumers. These tools are:
- Vertical jump analyzer
- Dunk calculator
- Standing range calculator
These tools add value by allowing players to track their progress and pinpoint where they need improvement.
9. GearLab
GearLab provides outdoor gear reviews and features. This website creates trust with visitors by placing this transparent statement at the top of their website:
“GearLab reviews are ad-free and fully reader supported.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission to help us with our testing.”
10. Modern castle
Modern Castle’s niche is household appliances and furniture. Its standout approach is to compare products from top companies to help consumers decide which is right for them.
Don’t have time to look through all the programs? I’ve divided this list into several subsections:
Let’s get started.
Best Marketing and Business Affiliate Programs
1. HubSpot
Commission: 30% recurring for 1 year
Cookie life: 180 days
Withdrawal methods: Direct Deposit (EFT) or PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
I may be a little biased, but HubSpot stands by its mission to help millions of organizations grow better.
HubSpot’s award-winning CRM platform consists of Marketing Hub, Distribution center, Service Hub, CMS Huband operations hub and a powerful free CRM.
Get HubSpot’s free CRM software
It also gives thousands of companies the tools to manage the customer experience, from awareness to advocacy.
As a HubSpot partner, you have room for growth and higher payouts. The program has three affiliate levels that progress in terms of earning potential and rewards:
- HubSpot Partners – Get a 30% recurring commission on every sale for up to 1 year
- Super Affiliate – Get 30% recurring commission on every sale for up to 1 year, plus additional bonuses
- Elite Affiliate – Get an individual commission
HubSpot’s plans range from $50 to over $3,000 per month and are fully managed through the company Effects.
It is not uncommon for customers to purchase more than one product at a time. So these payouts could add up quickly.
When you join HubSpot’s affiliate program, you’ll gain access to an extensive creative inventory with over 400 advertising assets, including a copy bank, demo videos, banners, and more – all designed to help you earn the most commission possible.
This affiliate program is best for
Content creators who share marketing, sales, service, website, and operations content for small businesses, corporations, and individual professionals.
This can include any subtopics such as: B. Social media marketing or inbound sales tactics.
Some examples are:
- SaaS reviewers who provide informative reviews on various business solutions
- Content creators who share their business knowledge through blog articles, YouTube videos or podcasts. Look around for inspiration this expert review from Drift Kings Media.
- Digital educators who teach others how to build successful businesses through online courses and other educational materials
- Companies that offer a digital solution that integrates with the HubSpot platform
If you have a large business audience or want to monetize your content, our affiliate program is probably a good fit.
2. Elementor
Commission: 50% per sale
Cookie life: 45 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or your preferred method
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $200
Elementor is a dynamic drag-and-drop website builder that can be used to create more than 7% of all websites worldwide.
With hundreds of widgets, integrations, website templates, and design tools, Elementor users can customize and scale their WordPress website building process without writing a single line of code.
Unique among WordPress website builders, Elementor also offers the following Cloud hosting Features.
But Elementor is more than just simple software – it has 100,000 members in its online community where web developers share advice, host meetups and encourage each other to grow professionally.
Elementor partners earn 50% per sale. The software has five pricing packages ranging from $49 to $999 per year. This wide range of pricing tiers makes it easier for affiliates to strategically market different plans to specific audiences.
With big-name affiliates earning more than $10,000 per month, Elementor is an attractive option.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, publishers and content creators who share web design, WordPress and digital creation content.
It’s also great for agencies, educators, entrepreneurs, and even developers who want their clients to purchase a version of Elementor.
3. Moosend
Commission: 30% to 40% lifetime recurring benefits
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: Bank transfer, PayPal or Stripe
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $5
Moosend is a cost-effective, all-in-one email marketing automation solution that enables marketers to promote their business and grow their customer base with engaging campaigns.
In addition to the easy-to-use email editor, you get access to online forms, landing pages, audience management tools, segmentation, and personalization features to turn your subscribers into loyal brand ambassadors.
With Moosend’s affiliate program, you can earn a lifetime recurring commission of up to 40% for every plan your contacts purchase.
Additionally, the 90-day cookie gives your audience the time they need to make a purchase, while allowing you to earn additional commissions when your contact upgrades their plan.
Moosend affiliates can benefit from the pre-built materials (banners, templates, etc.) and available resources found in their affiliate dashboard. The affiliate team is also ready to help you resolve any issues that arise.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, publishers, and content creators who share content about email marketing and automation.
Due to its budget-friendly pricing, we highly recommend Moosend if your target audience consists of entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses.
4. AWeber
Commission: Up to 50% recurring throughout life
Cookie life: A year
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $30
AWeber has been the autoresponder of choice for over a million companies and entrepreneurs since 1998. It is an excellent tool for newsletter and email drip campaigns.
AWeber offers a tiered affiliate program. The more you sell, the more you can earn. If you refer up to 10 accounts in a year, you will receive a 30% commission.
If you refer 10 or more customers, you earn 40%. And if you refer 50 or more customers, you get 50%. Pretty sweet, right?
AWeber partners can earn significant revenue through two different channels:
- Her In-house program offers a 30% lifetime commission. Plans typically range from around $20 to $150 per month, so the payout can increase.
- Alternatively, you can earn up to $300 per account CJ Partner. However, the cookie lifespan with this option is only 45 days instead of a year.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, publishers, and content creators who share content about email marketing and automation.
5. Brevo
Commission: €5 when a referred user creates a free account + €100 when that user purchases a subscription
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or bank transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
Brevo is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that helps businesses connect with customers through email marketing, SMS, chat, marketing automation, CRM, and more.
This easy-to-use tool is growing in popularity with over 175,000 users worldwide.
Brevo’s partner program includes three different streams: one for bloggers, one for agencies, and one for incubators and venture capitalists.
For most, I recommend the Blogger option unless you are an agency looking to use Brevo with clients.
In the Blogger program, you get a flat rate of €5 for every free signup – so you earn even if the customer doesn’t purchase a subscription! You can also track your earnings in real time and get paid monthly.
Additionally, you will receive €100 every time you refer a paying customer and join a network of top partners such as WPBeginner, Capterra, CodeinWP, emailvendorselection, emailtooltester and many more.
Note: Even if the payout is made in Euros, the program is open to the United States and your commission will be converted based on the exchange rates at the time of payment.
This affiliate program is best for
Brevo’s free and affordable pricing plans make it a very attractive revenue opportunity for bloggers and publishers in the email marketing space.
I especially recommend it if you’re writing for freelancers or part-time professionals who want to try email marketing without paying for a tool.
6. Kit
Commission: 50% for 12 months
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
Kit, a new entrant in email marketing, helps its clients grow their customer base through landing pages, forms, and email drip campaigns. (You can learn more about Kit (formerly ConvertKit) by reading reviews.)
Kit’s affiliate program is primarily aimed at existing ConvertKit users who believe their audience could benefit from email marketing products.
The program offers a 30% lifetime commission for each paid customer or webinar subscriber referred.
With plans starting at $25 per month, the income potential is a very attractive proposition, and it costs you absolutely nothing to join the program.
However, the Program does not offer special offers or discounts on any products that the Affiliate may promote.
This affiliate program is best for
Authors, bloggers, and content creators whose audience is interested in starting their own newsletter or side business.
Kit’s free and affordable subscriptions make it a great choice for anyone just starting out with email marketing.
7. GetResponse
Commission: $100 for each referred sale or 33% of recurring subscriptions
Cookie life: 120 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, USD check, ACH, Eurotransfer or other payment method
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
In addition to email marketing, GetResponse offers Landing pagesOpt-in forms, webinar hosting, a CRM tool and many other marketing automation tools.
(You can learn more about GetResponse by reading reviews.)
The product has two enrollment levels: For everyone, including individuals, and medium to large companies.
Of the two, the “Everyone” tier is easier to market to the public. So when you sign up for this program, think about how you can mention GetResponse plans for individuals and small businesses.
Like AWeber, GetResponse has two affiliate programs you can choose from (or you can join both!):
- Their self-hosted program offers a 33% recurring commission. The payout can be quite high, with plans ranging from $15 to $1,200 per month.
- You can earn $1090 for each referred sale CJ Partner. However, the cookie lifespan is only 30 days, instead of the 120 days offered in the in-house program.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, content creators, publishers, marketing consultants and online marketing experts who publish content for small businesses and freelancers.
8. Fiverr
Commission: $15-$150 per referral; or $10 + 10% recurring for 12 months; or another commission option depending on the product
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: Your preferred method
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $100
Fiverr offers a few products that you can promote on your own website or blog, including:
- Fiverr – the freelance marketplace offering digital services for everything from marketing to technology
- Fiverr Pro – Access to hand-picked talent trusted by major brands
- Fiverr Learn – Courses for freelancers and companies looking to expand their skills
If you work with clients who may need to hire a freelancer for marketing, design, or technology skills, or if you write a blog for entrepreneurs and want to promote Fiverr Learn, consider partnering with Fiverr.
The popular site, with over 5.5 million users, provides partners with a dashboard to manage and monitor campaigns and creative assets to help you promote their services.
Of course, the commission varies depending on the service you want to promote. Check out theirs You can find the full offer here.
This affiliate program is best for
Content creators whose audience might use Fiverr’s services – for example, if you create YouTube videos for small businesses that would benefit from hiring freelancers.
I recommend checking out Fiverr’s product library to find what resonates best with your audience.
9. Pabbly
Commission: 30% recurring throughout life
Cookie life: 365 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, bank transfer or both
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
Pabbly is an online platform that offers multiple marketing and business management tools for email marketing, form creation, subscription billing, email verification, workflow automation, and app integration.
The most popular package is Pabbly Plus — an affordable package of all Pabbly applications.
The unique features of their affiliate program include:
- You can promote all or some of their products to earn a 30% commission within 40 days of the sale.
- They track the sales of all their products using a single cookie. No matter what product you promote, you will receive a commission from the sale of any products purchased through your affiliate link. This also saves you from having to recommend each product separately to your audience.
- A single sale of Pabbly products can earn you a minimum commission of $183.
Additionally, they provide a single dashboard for monitoring sales, so you can view all your commission-related details – such as sales, referrals and payouts – in a single place.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, website owners, or social media professionals whose audience wants to try email marketing. Because of its subscription billing tool, Pabbly is particularly useful if your audience is interested in starting a subscription service or newsletter.
10. Unbounce
Commission: Up to 35% recurring for 1 year
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, bank transfer or both
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
This popular landing page platform, used by brands like Campaign Monitor and Zola, helps users design high-converting landing pages for SaaS companies, e-commerce websites, and agencies.
Unbounce’s affiliate program is impressive and offers you the opportunity to earn up to 35% of recurring revenue for each customer you refer in the first 12 months.
Additionally, your website visitors or social media followers will receive a 20% discount for the first three months they use Unbounce, making the exchange valuable for them too.
Unbounce provides you with numerous tools to successfully use its affiliate program, including an affiliate coach, a custom dashboard to track progress, and training and promotional materials to ensure you’re promoting your business as effectively as possible.
If you’re a marketer looking to help clients increase conversions on their landing pages, this partnership could be a win-win for both of you.
This affiliate program is best for
Marketers, agencies and bloggers who share marketing-related content with a highly engaged and qualified audience.
If you are an agency, you can refer them to Unbounce, and if you are a blogger or content creator, you can share contextual information with your readers and viewers.
11. Constant contact
Commission: $5 for each referral that signs up for a free trial and $105 when your referrals pay for a new account
Cookie life: 120 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, electronic transfer, check or direct deposit
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
Constant Contact offers powerful email marketing tools for small businesses, bloggers, and entrepreneurs.
Constant Contact users can, among other things, create Instagram and Facebook ads, automate their email marketing campaigns, target new eCommerce customers, and send follow-up emails to increase sales for their online stores.
The company’s affiliate program allows you to earn $5 for all qualified leads and $105 when the referral becomes a Constant Contact customer.
Additionally, you will receive promotional materials, a tracking dashboard, and personalized support to help you succeed in the affiliate program. Constant Contact is used by major brands including Facebook, WordPress and Shopify.
If you think your customers or prospects could benefit from it Email marketing toolsthis is a good partnership to consider.
This affiliate program is best suited for
Bloggers and content creators whose target audience consists of small and medium-sized businesses. Since Constant Contact doesn’t offer free plans, it’s ideal for you if your audience is ready to commit to a paid purchase.
12. Systems.io
Commission: 50% recurring throughout life
Cookie life: 180 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or bank transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $30
Systeme.io is a quick and easy marketing tool that offers everything you need to start, grow and scale your online business.
There are over 200,000 customers who use Systeme.io to build sales funnels, send unlimited emails, create and manage online courses and blogs, run affiliate programs, build websites, and automate almost every aspect of their marketing.
Systeme.io offers 6 different pricing packages ranging from $27 per month to $828 per year.
In addition to their extensive pricing tiers, they have multiple lead magnets and online courses that can help affiliates attract the maximum number of leads into their funnels.
Partners can use all six pricing plans and onboarding materials to acquire new users.
Systeme.io partners earn 50% lifetime commissions on all subscriptions and course sales. Additionally, they earn 5% second-tier commissions when their referrals successfully promote the platform themselves.
This affiliate program offers attractive income potential – with over $100,000 in monthly payouts to its affiliates and over $2,000,000 in total affiliate commissions earned to date.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, video marketers and content creators whose target audience consists of freelancers and entrepreneurs. Systeme.io’s course creation tool makes it great if your audience is interested in starting their own online course.
13. Written form
Commission: $20 per referral
Cookie life: Unknown
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or Stripe
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
Typeform offers conversation forms and surveys, including contact forms, employee satisfaction surveys, and event lead capture forms, and offers a $20 commission for referrals.
This means that when a referred customer subscribes to Typeform, you earn $20, regardless of whether they stay on the subscription.
This adds up quickly and the service is relatively inexpensive, so your referrers can easily make a purchase. If you refer 100 customers who sign up for a basic monthly plan, that’s already $2,000.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers and content creators whose audience might use a forms tool – for example, if your audience is small business owners or customer service representatives.
But Typeform is such a versatile tool that it can even be used for non-professional purposes, allowing you to even refer family and friends.
14. Outgrow Affiliate Program
Commission: 20% upfront and 20% recurring
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: Unknown
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: Unknown
Outgrow is an interactive content builder that helps marketers create personalized content including calculators, viral tests, eCommerce recommendations, forms, surveys, chatbots, polls and reviews.
Personalized solutions such as interactive content create real value for the customer and increase user engagement, improve conversions and generate leads that marketers can then use for segmentation and retargeting.
In addition to 20% upfront commission and 20% on recurring payments, Outgrow partners receive 24/7 chat support and the opportunity to be featured on Outgrow’s webinars and podcasts.
This affiliate program is best for
Marketers, content creators and bloggers whose target audience could use interactive content tools.
Whether you write for a company blog or create independent content on LinkedIn, you can market Outgrow as a unique follower engagement solution.
You can also create interactive content with Outgrow and encourage others to get started.
15. Castos
Commission: 25% recurring for the term of the referral account
Cookie life: 60 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
Castos is an all-in-one podcasting platform for new and experienced podcasters. With more than 65,000 podcasts, it is a powerful platform for podcasts at every stage of their journey.
Castos allows users to create as many podcasts as they want (either public or private) and publish as many episodes as they want, all with unlimited downloads.
You’ll also get automatic distribution to major listing apps, automatic republishing to YouTube, free episode transcriptions, in-depth analysis, and more.
Additionally, Castos offers an industry-leading WordPress plugin called Seriously Simple Podcasting that allows you to manage your shows from your WordPress dashboard.
Users love Castos because it helps them generate income. Castos Commerce allows listeners to send donations to the podcaster. Castos Ads allows users to choose whether to dynamically insert ads into their show.
This is easy money without work.
Castos has three pricing tiers, from $19/month to $99/month. There is also an Enterprise tier for large organizations or high-volume publishers. These affordable prices make it easier for affiliates to promote the platform. All plans include a 14-day free trial.
This affiliate program is best for
Anyone with an audience of content creators who might be interested in podcasting. It’s also great for podcast production companies, marketing agencies, or studios that help their clients launch or manage podcasts.
Castos affiliates earn 25% commission as long as your referral remains active. This means that if the referrer uses Castos for three years, you will receive 25% of their spending for every 36 months.
16. Instapage
Commission: 30% to 40% recurring in the first year, then 15% recurring for life
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or Stripe
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
Instapage is the most powerful landing page platform on the market, enabling companies like Verizon, HelloFresh and Lattice to launch powerful digital campaigns.
Partners are an integral part of Instapage’s continuous innovation and development. The affiliate program offers a generous commission structure – with a recurring commission of 30-40% for each paying customer.
Instapage gives partners all the tools they need to succeed, including a dedicated one-stop shop, promotional materials that are updated regularly, and the ability to earn more through special contests and limited-time offers.
The program rewards partners with profit sharing opportunities and supports their efforts with social media assets and messaging. Instapage affiliates can earn:
- 40% off the first year of a customer’s annual subscription
- 15% of a customer’s annual subscription after the first year
- 30% off the monthly subscription
Sign up for Instapage affiliate program here.
This affiliate program is best for
Content creators and bloggers whose target audience consists of medium to large companies.
Since Instapage pricing starts at $199/month, it is less accessible to freelancers or hobbyists, but well suited to audiences with larger budgets.
Best Affiliate Programs for Online Courses
17. Pensive
Commission: 30% recurring throughout life
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or Stripe
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $25
Thinkific’s powerful all-in-one platform makes it easy to share your knowledge, grow your audience, and grow the business you already love.
The platform allows users to create, market and sell online courses and membership sites under their own brand.
You are an ideal candidate for Thinkific’s affiliate program if your target audience consists of any of the following:
- Content creators with skills and knowledge to share;
- Business leaders who want to create courses for customers or
- Entrepreneurs looking to develop new sources of income
As an affiliate partner, your benefits include a 30% lifetime recurring commission, a competitive 90-day cookie window, and access to post-ready creative and promotional content.
Thinkific affiliate partners earn up to $1,700 per referral each year.
This affiliate program is best for
As mentioned, Thinkific’s affiliate program is great if you create content for other content creators and entrepreneurs.
Thinkific’s subscriptions start at $0/month, making them a great fit for your audience if they’re interested in experimenting with course creation. Keep in mind that of course you will need to upgrade before you can start earning.
18. Kajabi
Commission: 30% recurring throughout life
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: Unknown
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that allows users to create online courses, launch marketing campaigns, create landing pages, and design the perfect website.
The Kajabi Affiliate Program is currently only open to Kajabi users. As an affiliate, you will receive a 30% lifetime commission for every new member you bring to Kajabi that remains active beyond the trial period.
In addition, you will receive special rewards as you progress.
Each level unlocks exciting bonuses that are only available to Kajabi partners.
This affiliate program is best for
Current Kajabi users who are a fan of the product and want to share it with other content creators.
19. Teachable
Commission: Up to 30% recurring throughout life
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: Unknown
Teachable helps you create and sell beautiful online courses. With over 18 million students and 186,000 active courses, Teachable is one of the most renowned e-learning platforms.
It also has strong support from Pat Flynn Smart passive income.
From Facebook ads to cake decorating tips, Teachable is suitable for a variety of niche topics. Teachable’s affiliate program pays a recurring commission of 30% on the referrer’s monthly subscription fee.
Plans range from $29 to $499 per month, meaning you can earn up to $150 per sale.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers and content creators who target other freelancers and content creators on a budget. Teachable subscriptions start free.
20. iSpring
Commission: 10% per sale
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: Unknown
iSpring is an international software development company that produces tools for creating e-learning content and online training.
Its flagship product is iSpring Suite, an award-winning authoring tool that enables the creation of interactive online courses, quizzes, video tutorials, role-playing games and e-books.
iSpring Suite has an intuitive interface familiar to everyone (the tool works as a PowerPoint add-in) and offers solutions for every learning need.
And that’s why it has become popular among people from different backgrounds: from university professors to corporate instructional designers.
The affiliate program includes iSpring Suite and iSpring Suite Max, which cost $770 and $970, respectively. This means you can earn between $77 and $97 on a single purchase, and around $1,000 per month if you serve more than 10 customers each month.
You will receive verified commissions quarterly.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers and content creators targeting online teachers willing to opt for a paid plan. Since iSpring’s pricing starts at the high end, you’ll want to think about pricing when sharing it with your audience.
Best Website Builder Affiliate Programs
21. Shopify
Commission: $150 for all full price plan referrals
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or direct deposit
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $10
Shopify is a comprehensive trading platform that allows you to start, grow and manage a business.
With nearly 20 million merchants on Shopify, merchants can create and customize an online store and sell in multiple locations including web, mobile, in-person, brick-and-mortar locations, pop-up shops, and across multiple social media channels to online -Marketplaces.
Millions of entrepreneurs have chosen Shopify to build their business from Hello World to IPO.
The Shopify Affiliate Program is comprised of thousands of global content creators, instructors, influencers, and review sites who help their audiences launch successful businesses on Shopify while earning competitive referral commissions and establishing themselves as industry leaders.
The program is free to join and offers professionals the opportunity to monetize their audience and earn commission.
Shopify partners get access to a global creative library, lead magnets, monthly newsletter, and curated email programs, all designed to support content creation and conversions.
Through measured performance and referral quality, eligible partners have the opportunity to participate in Shopify’s invite-only Commerce Coach program, which offers higher commission rates and a variety of other exclusive benefits.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, instructors, video marketers and influencers whose target audience is interested in launching an eCommerce brand.
22. Leadpages
Commission: Up to 50% recurring throughout life
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or Stripe
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
Leadpages is an online tool that allows you to easily create customizable websites and landing pages to collect contact information and increase your conversion rates. (You can learn more about Leadpages by reading reviews.)
Their affiliate program is open to anyone who applies. Each paid customer referred receives a lifetime commission of up to 50%. Membership prices range from $49 to $399 per month.
Leadpages sometimes offers special offers, such as a $5,000 bonus for affiliates who make more than 10 sales by a certain date. All partners get access to banners, sidebar images, and social media-friendly links.
You also have the option to share a unique link to a free content page (such as a blog post or video) instead of a product page.
This affiliate program is best for
Current Leadpages customers whose target audience would benefit from a dedicated landing page tool – for example, experienced freelancers and startup owners.
23. Wix
Commission: $100 per premium sale
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: Bank transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $300
If you’re interested in unlimited withdrawals with minimal hassle, Wix could be right for you.
The web development company is one of the most popular web hosting platforms and offers $100 per premium referral with no limit on the number of people you can refer (that is, if you refer 10 people, you have already earned $1,000).
Additionally, Wix provides links and creatives, including banners and landing pages, in all languages so you can easily add the link to your website.
However, it’s important to note that you must meet a minimum sales goal to get paid – $300 per month (if you earn less, your earnings will stay in your account until you reach this benchmark).
If you feel like your website, blog or social channel is regularly visited by prospects who may be interested in creating their own website on a hosting platform, this could be a good program for you.
However, if you’re not sure you’ll be able to meet the minimum sales goal for a while, you might want to reconsider.
This affiliate program is best for
Bloggers, content creators and review website owners whose target audience would be interested in starting their own website. It’s particularly fitting if your audience identifies as beginners.
Because of its code-free builder, Wix is a good starting point for new website owners.
Best Web Hosting Affiliate Programs
24. Kinsta
Commission: Up to $500 per referral + 10% monthly recurring discount for WordPress hosting referrals, 5% monthly recurring discount for application hosting and database hosting referrals
Cookie life: 60 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
Kinsta was founded in 2013 by experienced WordPress developers “with the goal of creating the best WordPress hosting platform in the world.”
Since then, Kinsta has not only become one of the best managed WordPress hosting platforms, but has also expanded its services to host applications, databases, and static websites to support users’ entire development stack.
Supported by The fastest machines on Google Cloud PlatformKinsta is committed to providing hosting that is fast, secure, reliable and scalable.
With the Affiliate programKinsta offers lifetime recurring commissions on all of its paid hosting services.
For WordPress hosting recommendations, Kinsta offers an initial signup commission and a lifetime recurring monthly commission of 10%. Affiliates can initially earn up to $500 depending on the type of plan the referrer purchased:
- Starter: $30 ($50 sign-up commission)
- Pro: $70 ($100 sign-up commission)
- Business: from $115 ($150 sign-up commission)
- Enterprise: from $675 ($500 sign-up commission)
For application hosting and database hosting referrals, Kinsta offers a 5% recurring commission.
While 5% and 10% may not seem like much, your recommendations will likely have a high lifetime value thanks to Kinsta’s high customer retention rate of 95%.
Additionally, when a referred customer signs up for multiple services with Kinsta, the recurring commissions add up, which can result in lifetime recurring commissions of up to 20%.
This affiliate program is best for
Web agencies, developers, content creators and bloggers whose target audience is interested in launching and managing their own WordPress website or web application on one platform.
25. DreamHost
Commission: Up to $200 per referral
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: Direct transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: No
DreamHost’s affiliate program offers the opportunity to earn up to $200 per referral, which is attractive to those who want to recommend DreamHost’s hosting services, including:
- Shared hosting
- VPS hosting
- Dedicated hosting
- Managed WordPress hosting
The program is structured to ensure easy promotion with advanced tracking URLs, no earning cap, fast and secure payments, and a variety of creative resources such as banners. Affiliates can track their progress through an easy-to-use dashboard, making the program accessible to both beginners and experienced marketers.
26. WP engine
Commission: $200 per sale or 100% of the first month’s subscription
Cookie life: 180 days
Withdrawal methods: Unknown
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
There are millions of websites on the internet and More than 40% are based on WordPress. WP Engine offers super-fast web hosting for thousands of WordPress websites around the world.
WP Engine’s affiliate program runs on the ShareASale network. By promoting WP Engine plans, you can earn $200 per signup or 100% of the customer’s first monthly payment – whichever is greater.
You get access to exclusive affiliate discounts to offer to your audience.
You can also advertise StudioPress Themes and earn 35% of the sales generated. These purchases receive 60 days of cookie tracking.
It’s important to note that WP Engine’s affiliate program is two-tier, meaning you get paid not only for referring customers, but also for referring partners. You will receive $50 for each of their referrals.
While it may not be easy to find an audience that wants to create a new WordPress website, the profits from finding these users can be huge.
This affiliate program is best for
Content creators and bloggers whose audience is interested in starting their own WordPress website.
27. Bluehost
Commission: $65 per sale
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or electronic bank transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: Unknown
Bluehost, a web hosting platform that supports more than 2 million websites, offers a phenomenal affiliate program for every business and entrepreneur looking to monetize their blog or website.
If you promote Bluehost’s products or services on your own blog or website (either through custom banners or links), you can earn between $65 and $130 per sale generated on your site – an incredibly high fee.
The best part is that their affiliate program is free to join and Bluehost offers reliable tracking to ensure you receive credit for every lead you provide to them. Additionally, Bluehost offers affiliate managers who can provide support or personal advice.
With such an accessible program there is a lot Bluehost Reviews with the advantages and disadvantages.
This affiliate program is best for
Content creators and bloggers whose audience would be interested in purchasing hosting or a domain name.
28. Hostgator
Commission: $65 to $125 per application
Cookie life: 60 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, wire transfer or ACH transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A registration
Hostgator offers both web hosting and creation tools and is incredibly affordable for startups or eCommerce businesses on a budget – a starter plan costs just $3.84/month, for example.
It’s free to become a Hostgator partner, and the tiered payouts are significant – you can earn $65 per signup if you provide Hostgator with 1-5 signups per month, and up to $125 per signup if you host Hostgator more than Provide 21 logins.
You can either embed tracking links on your website or create a custom coupon code. Since Hostgator offers a 45-day money-back guarantee, there is little risk for your website visitors to try it out.
This affiliate program is best for
Content creators and bloggers whose audience would be interested in purchasing hosting or a domain name.
29. GreenGeeks
Commission: Up to $100 for up to 10 sales; Individual commission for more than 10 sales
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A sale
With GreenGeeks, an eco-friendly, secure web hosting platform, you can earn up to $100 per sale. Their tiered program pays generously: $50 for just one sale and $100 for six or more.
Additionally, the company offers a selection of creative assets, content and banners to ensure you are proud of the link or banner you include on your website or blog.
If you think your blog readers or website visitors are interested in exploring web hosting platforms (e.g. if you write content for freelancers), this could be a good option to explore.
Best of all, the company promotes eco-friendly alternatives, so you can rest assured that you’re conveying a positive, “green message” to your website visitors.
This affiliate program is best suited for
Content creators and bloggers whose target audience would be interested in purchasing hosting from an environmentally friendly perspective.
The best retail affiliate programs
Disclaimer: Retail commissions are much lower because the purchase price is much lower.
But this also means it’s easier to get your audience to buy these items (low price = low engagement), which can lead to high conversion rates and higher returns.
30. Goal
Commission: 1-8% (depending on product category and sales volume)
Cookie life: 7 days
Withdrawal methods: Unknown
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A sale
Although the selection is not as large as Amazon or eBay, Target remains a highly recognizable brand with a variety of different products.
Target’s affiliate program is based on a volume-based commission structure, meaning your commission increases with the number of items purchased.
One product category that unfortunately does not benefit from this model is health and beauty products – the commission for this category is capped at 1% regardless of volume.
It’s also important to note that most people prefer to purchase Target products in person rather than online, so this could impact your return on investment.
31. Hammacher Schlemmer
Commission: 8% on every sale
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: Direct deposit, check or Payoneer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
Hammacher Schlemmer is America’s longest-running catalog with a lifespan of over 150 years and continues to successfully sell items from electronics to outdoor living gear.
Additionally, the company offers an impressive affiliate program with the opportunity to earn incredibly high commissions.
They offer an 8% commission on any product you can sell through your own website or blog.
While 8% might not sound like much, consider some of the more expensive items they sell, including a Muhammad Ali signed photo collage for $5,000 or the Full Immersion Professional Racer’s Simulator for $65,000.
If you find products or services on Hammacher Schlemmer’s website that fit well with your own core offerings or that might interest your buyer persona, you might consider partnering with the brand.
Additionally, this affiliate program could be a good idea for an eCommerce company that wants to expand its offerings.
Hammacher Schlemmer offers tools (including password-protected online reports) and content to help your online store succeed.
32. Spocket
Commission: 20% per Bronze subscriber; 25% per Silver subscriber; 30% per Gold subscriber (up to 445.50 per subscriber)
Cookie life: 90 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal or Stripe
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $25
Spocket, a Dropshipping Supplier, wholesaler and distributor of high-quality American and European products allows entrepreneurs to sell products from thousands of dropshipping suppliers around the world.
They also offer an incredibly impressive affiliate program – you can earn up to $450 for each customer you refer to Spocket, and you will continue to receive a commission from your referral account’s Spocket account for as long as that customer stays.
Your program will also provide you with the tools and resources you need to successfully grow your business. If your website visitors are entrepreneurs or eCommerce businesses, this is a good affiliate program to explore.
Best Beauty and Cosmetics Affiliate Programs
33. Ulta
Commission: 1-5%
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, Check, Wire Transfer, Direct Deposit or ACH Transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $10
Ulta is a popular brand for beauty enthusiasts looking for both affordable and prestigious skincare, makeup, and personal care products. Ulta is known for its diverse offerings that can cater to the tastes of a large readership.
Ulta’s affiliate program pays 1-5% in commissions. Although this number may seem low, the company is 2nd place in the online beauty and cosmetics space, meaning your readers have probably heard of it and may even be current customers.
You’ll receive dynamic banners and text links to promote Ulta’s products. The company offers ongoing promotions, including free shipping and free products, to help you increase your sales.
34. Sephora
Commission: 5%
Cookie life: 24 hours
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, check or direct deposit
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
If you serve a more affluent readership, Sephora is the affiliate program for you. The retailer offers a wide range of high-quality beauty products including skin care, body care, makeup and fragrances.
Additionally, they offer a top-notch customer experience – for example, they offer a free gift with every purchase and have a strong rewards program.
Sephora’s affiliate program offers a 5% commission rate on all sales, which is higher than the commission rate offered by Ulta and most online retailers.
Like most programs, Sephora gives its partners access to banner ads and other creative assets to use on your website and social media accounts.
The only downside to this program is that the cookie length is unusually short: the cookie expires only 24 hours after the user clicks on the affiliate link.
35. FragranceNet.com
Commission: 1-5%
Cookie life: Unknown
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, check or direct deposit
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
FragranceNet.com is a leader in the online fragrance space, giving you access to hundreds and thousands of top designer fragrances and aromatherapy products. It also sells other products such as skin care and makeup.
However, due to its specialization in scents, I think it is best suited for bloggers who write primarily about scents.
Affiliates earn 1-5% for every purchase made through their link. The brand gives you access to links and banners, current blog content, seasonal ads and coupon codes to drive your referral to a conversion.
The program runs through the Rakuten platform.
36. BH Cosmetics
Commission: 8%
Cookie life: 60 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, check or direct deposit
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
BH Cosmetics was born and raised in LA. It is one of the leading companies in the beauty industry.
They are passionate about creating new and innovative beauty trends and strive to offer their customers the best in cruelty-free cosmetics. They also regularly run promotions and special offers to help convert these leads.
BH Cosmetics affiliates receive an 8% commission on purchases made within 60 days of the user’s visit. The site has an average order value of $38 and an on-site conversion rate of 6.46%.
As an affiliate, you get exclusive access to coupons and banners that you can use on your website, blog, or emails.
You will also receive monthly affiliate newsletters. Additionally, the dedicated in-house affiliate team hosts monthly incentives and affiliate contests to encourage you to promote your affiliate link.
Best Travel Affiliate Programs
37. Boat bookings
Commission: 20% + 10% for returning customers
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: Bank transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: A sale
If you think your website visitors might be interested in chartering yachts, you may want to join the Boatbookings affiliate program. Boatbookings specializes in luxury yacht charters, boat rentals and sailing and motor yacht holidays.
On the charter value of a boat, Boatbookings receives a commission on the net charter value (excluding APA or additional items ordered).
Affiliates receive a base interest rate of 20% on this commission, with the option to increase the interest rate if they refer multiple customers.
When customers return to Boatbookings, partners receive an additional 10% commission on the second purchase.
38. KAYAK affiliate network
Commission: Up to 50% per click
Cookie life: meeting
Withdrawal methods: Bank transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $500
Cheapflights is a travel comparison site that helps users find the cheapest airline tickets.
Cheapflights is another company that rewards its partners not for getting paying customers, but for referring traffic to their partners.
Partners receive a flat fee when a user clicks through – $0.45 per click for desktop and tablet and $0.25 for mobile.
As an affiliate, you get access to various creative assets, from banners to search boxes to travel widgets, allowing your visitors to search your website and view flight results on the Cheapflights page.
This is their most popular travel affiliate tool and generates the highest revenue per visit.
39. Sandals Resorts
Commission: 4%
Cookie life: 60 days
Withdrawal methods: Direct deposit, check or Payoneer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $50
Sandals is one of the most well-known names when it comes to Caribbean vacations. All Sandals Resorts offers luxurious vacations for couples and families traveling to Jamaica, the Bahamas, Barbados and more.
The Sandals Affiliate Program pays you a commission for referring users to either book a stay at one of the Sandals resorts or book an activity.
While 4% may seem like a small percentage, these luxury resorts have daily rates that range from $150 to over $2,000 per person.
So if a couple books a romantic week at a Sandals resort for $500 per person per night, they will receive a commission of $280!
However, this program is only worth it if your website and audience have a genuine interest in luxury travel to the Caribbean.
The best personal finance and investing affiliate programs
40. Acorns
Commission: $10 per qualified lead
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: PayPal, Check, Wire Transfer, Direct Deposit or ACH Transfer
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: $10
Acorn is a “micro-investing” mobile app that helps people between the ages of 25 and 35 invest their money wisely.
If you own a financial advice blog that serves this audience – especially if they have not yet accumulated capital or wealth – this is the affiliate program for you.
Partners receive $10 for each customer referred. You’ll receive a variety of creative resources to help you promote the app, as well as a dedicated account manager to help you boost your marketing efforts.
41. Sage financial data
Commission: 7% per sale and $5 per free trial
Cookie life: 30 days
Withdrawal methods: Direct deposit
Minimum turnover threshold before payout: Unknown
Sage Financials is a Salesforce-based cloud accounting solution that provides accounting, analytics and reporting tools for small and medium-sized businesses.
It has an impressive affiliate program that includes a dedicated support team, commissions paid directly to your bank account (in the currency of your choice), and detailed reports on your performance and earnings.
Best of all, you can even earn commission on free signups that Sage receives through your website or blog.
If you feel like your website visitors or blog readers are interested in accounting tools, this could be a good partnership to explore.
Now that we’ve gone through some of the best affiliate programs overall, let’s go over the programs that pay the highest commissions.
Best high paying affiliate program
- SEMrush: $200 per subscription
- Liquid Web: $150 per sale
- Coursera: Up to 45% per sale
- BigCommerce: 200% per sale
- Shift4Shop: $5-$25 per signup
- Flywheel: 300% per registration
- TripAdvisor: Minimum 50% per booking
- Volusion: 200% per signup
- Billing Ninja: 50% per signup
1. Semrush: $200 per subscription
Commission: $200 per subscription and $10 per free trial
Cookie life: 120 days
SEMrush is the software that enables marketers to create, manage and measure campaigns across all channels to improve their online visibility.
The Semrush Affiliate program offers $200 for each sale and $10 for a free trial activation. Additionally, they offer a very generous cookie lifespan of 120 days.
As a partner, you will receive access to comprehensive training materials, including webinars, tutorials, and educational resources.
You also have access to a dedicated support and partner manager team to help you with any questions or concerns.
The SEMrush Partner Program is open to bloggers, social media influencers, YouTube creators, course creators, and all-in-one marketers. You can monetize your traffic and increase your revenue regardless of your niche.
2. Fluid web: $150 per sale
Commission: $150 per sale or 150% of managed hosting costs
Cookie life: 90 days
Fluid web is a web hosting and cloud management service provider. They offer a range of dedicated servers, WordPress server plans and virtual private servers (VPS) to 45,000 customers in 150 countries.
Liquid Web affiliates earn 150% of monthly hosting costs, minimum $150. Depending on the plan chosen, affiliates can earn several hundred dollars per sale.
For example, if you sign up a Dedicated plan customer for $400 per month, you would earn $600 Commissioncompared to $150 if you recommended a managed WordPress site plan for $29. There is also a 50% bonus for prepaid tariffs.
Partners also have access to a dedicated support team, custom landing pages, and receive extended exclusive promotions.
3. Coursera: Up to 45% per sale
Commission: 10-45%
Cookie life: 30 days
Coursera offers over 1,000 courses and specializations ranging from digital marketing to applied data science and personal development. Each course consists of pre-recorded videos, puzzles and tasks.
Coursera’s affiliate program runs through the Linkshare network and offers commission between 10% and 45% as well as bonuses for strong performance. Courses and specializations generally cost between $29 and $99.
As a Coursera partner, you get access to professionally designed banners and a monthly partner newsletter with curated content recommendations.
4. BigCommerce: 200% per sale
Commission: 200% or $1,500 per enterprise customer
Cookie life: 90 days
Founded in 2009, BigCommerce is an online store builder that powers thousands of eCommerce stores in over 150 countries. It serves a variety of industries including
Fashion, automotive, manufacturing, food and health.
When you refer visitors to BigCommerce, you earn 200% of the customer’s first monthly payment (that’s up to $500 per referral!) or $1,500 per enterprise customer.
5. Shift4Shop: $5-$25 per registration
Commission: $5-$25 per registration
Cookie life: 120 days
Shift4Shop is an eCommerce platform with a high focus on SEO. It gives you all the tools you need to build, promote and grow your online store.
Users can use Shift4Shop to start an online business, add a shopping cart to an existing website, or replace their current shopping cart platform.
Affiliates earn a commission of $5 to $25 for each customer referred and have access to a wide range of marketing tools and content, including banner images, affiliate marketing-specific newsletters and more.
Affiliates are also put in touch with a dedicated affiliate manager for advice. The Shift4Shop partner program runs on the ShareASale Network.
6. flywheel: 300% per registration
Commission: 300%, up to $500 per referral
Cookie life: 90 days
Another dedicated WordPress hosting solution, Flywheel aims to eliminate all the hassle that comes with web hosting, allowing users to focus on what they do best – building and designing websites.
Flywheel partners can earn up to $500 per referral. Get access to tons of creative assets, from banners to co-branded landing pages to stylish social media images.
The Flywheel team will even work with you to create custom images that can take your orders to the next level.
It should be noted that there is no minimum threshold for receiving a payment.
7. TripAdvisor: At least 50% per booking
Commission: At least 50% per booking
Cookie life: 14 days
As the “world’s largest travel site,” TripAdvisor empowers travelers with the wisdom of the crowds to help them decide where to stay, how to fly, what to do and where to eat.
The site helps you compare prices from over 200 hotel booking sites so you can find the lowest price for the hotel that suits you.
TripAdvisor’s affiliate program, operated by Commission Junction, pays a 50% commission on sales generated when a user clicks on links and/or ads that direct them to a TripAdvisor partner site.
This means that unlike most other affiliate programs on this list, you don’t have to wait for your referral to make a purchase and earn your commission.
Once someone visits your website and clicks on one of the ads or links on the TripAdvisor website, you get paid.
On average, affiliates earn between $0.15 and $0.75 per click. While it may not seem like a lot since your revenue only depends on clicks (not purchases), it can definitely add up.
8. Volusion: 200% per registration
Commission: 200% per registration
Cookie life: 45 days
Volusion is an eCommerce solution that enables small businesses to create, manage and grow their online stores.
They provide their customers with exports that help them every step of the way, including help with domain purchasing, web design, shopping cart integration, SEO, and security.
Affiliates receive a 200% commission on the referred customer’s first monthly payment, which can range from $29 to $299 (or even higher with their custom Prime tier).
As an affiliate, you will receive access to marketing materials to help you with your promotional efforts.
9. Bill Ninja: 50% per registration
Commission: 50% off all referrals for four years
Cookie life: N/A; Instead of cookies, Invoice Ninja tracks account creation based on referral URL (for four years).
Invoice Ninja, a free, open-source invoicing app for freelancers and businesses, offers a Ninja Pro plan for just $10 per month – and as an affiliate partner, you can earn 50% on all referrals for four years. This means that if you refer 100 Pro users, you will receive $5,000 every year for the next four years.
What’s more, any user can start for free and upgrade if they decide it’s worth it, making it easy for your website visitors to try out the tool.
You can include their affiliate link in your Email signaturein a blog post or email newsletter, and Invoice Ninja provides both logos and advertisements to help promote their tool.
If your social media followers or website visitors are typically online entrepreneurs or freelancers, this could be a good partnership to consider.
Resources for getting started with an affiliate marketing program
Here are some helpful resources and tools to help you get started with affiliate marketing and monetizing your blog. Additionally, I have included some guides that can help you create engaging web content and marketing campaigns.
- Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: What You Need to Know: A detailed guide that explains exactly how affiliate marketing works and how to get started.
- How to do affiliate marketing on Instagram: This post is specifically about how you can make money with affiliate marketing on Instagram, as well as some real-world examples.
- Amazon Associates Program: How to Become an Amazon Associate to Increase Your Income: All the Details You Need to Know About Joining the Amazon Associates Program.
- How to use ShareASale and generate money from your WordPress site: Everything you need to know about the ShareASale affiliate program, how it works and how to get started.
- 9 Best Affiliate Marketing WordPress Plugins to Increase Sales: This post discusses various affiliate plugins that you can use on WordPress. It includes details on pricing and what each plugin is best suited for.
- The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing: An in-depth look at content marketing, what it is, different types, examples and how to start a strategy.
- The Ultimate Guide to Content Creation: A deep dive into content creation ideas, content planning and strategy, the content creation process, content analysis, and content creation tools.
- The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Campaigns: Details on what a marketing campaign is, types of marketing campaigns, components of marketing campaigns, how to create a marketing campaign, and examples from experts
- HubSpot CMS: A set of free tools to help you create, host, manage and monitor your blog or review site. You can set up a website and upload content via a drag-and-drop builder with customizable themes, as well as track page views, clicks, and more.
- HubSpot Marketing Analytics: Provides additional free analytics tools to identify top-performing content, monitor how visitors interact with your site, and track conversions. For greater transparency, you can create marketing reports and share them with your partners.
Choose the right affiliate marketing program for you
Ultimately, you need to keep many key elements in mind when deciding which program to choose, including how established your online following is and how much you want to earn.
And most importantly: who is your audience and what are they interested in?
Think about what your website visitors or your social media followers need and would benefit from, and choose an affiliate marketing program that allows you to promote products that support that.
Once you do that, you’ll be well on your way to exponentially multiplying your affiliate income.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2019 and has been updated for completeness.