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Best Affiliate Programs for Your Content Monetisation

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You are here to find out more about affiliate programs. And, perhaps you had heard about affiliate marketing. Both are closely related in terms of concepts but they are not the same in meaning.

Hence, in this article, we shall discuss about the best affiliate programs. These programs help content (e.g. website, blog) owners like yourself to monetise and generate revenue from it by promoting advertisers (aka merchants) or their products/services. Thus, this act of promotion itself is affiliate marketing. Promotion often involves the placement of affiliate links, and/or banners in your channels. Subject to the affiliate program’s terms, the channels can include website, emails, social media, and even search engine ads.

Image Source: Getty Images

The world wide web is huge, and yet you had stumbled on my site looking for something. I hope you find it as we had taken huge efforts to create them. Best of all, its FREE! Hence, some of our content may include affiliate links (i.e. whenever you click on the links and purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra costs to you!). No worries! Some of these links may look like phishing, but I assure you they are not! Lastly, the affiliation does not affect my reviews towards them. Enjoy!

Without further, we will discuss all of these below. Which affiliate programs are the best? How are they different? What are the commissions they offer? Let’s go!

  1. Amazon Associates
  2. Avangate Affiliate Network
  3. Awin
  4. CJ Affiliate
  5. ClickBank
  6. FlexOffers
  7. PartnerStack
  8. ShareASale

1. Amazon Associates

Best Affiliate Programs: Amazon Associates
Image Source: Amazon

Amazon! Who doesn’t know about this brand which is considered as one of the big five in the world? Amazon started as an e-commerce in 1994. It has since branched its businesses horizontally and vertically across all sectors, at the same time, developing their own brands of products. Its over 40 subsidiaries operate in shipping, R&D, manufacturing, media, healthcare, video streaming and many more! As an affiliate of Amazon Associates, you will be part of this huge chain of network, and involved one way or another by promoting any Amazon products. Hence, what are you waiting for? Read on and find out more how this affiliate program can work for you!

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: Everything Including Subscription to Amazon’s Streaming and Other Services
  • Product Catalogue Size: 353 million
  • Commission: 1% to 10% Depending on The Category of Product.
  • Tracking Window: 24 Hours. 90 Days If Products Had Been Added to Cart.
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$10 For Amazon Gift Card or Direct Deposit

Use Factor

  • Amazon is America’s largest online marketplace with 49% of e-commerce share. Whatever you want or need, you can find it there. No illegal products though, and customers have to note about their country’s regulations for importing as well. Nonetheless, anyone who buys online would have arguably visited Amazon at least once. In fact, it boasts over 300 million active customer accounts! Hence, if your channel is publishing to a global audience, Amazon Associates is the affiliate program second to none!
  • Over 353 million products, e-goods, and even subscription-based services! Heard of Amazon Kindle, Amazon Prime, Prime Music, Prime Gaming, or even Amazon gift cards? Amazon develops their own product line too and they are very popular! Again, whatever one is looking for, Amazon sells it! Surely, your audiences too!
  • With a minimum pay-out of only US$ 10, Amazon Associates offers one of the most affiliate-friendly programs! Additionally, if you are an existing user, or keen to buy in Amazon, you can re-spend what you earn easily using the Amazon gift card! Simply convenient and double-edge!

Things to Note

  • Commissions are low starting from 1%, but product categories such as Luxury Beauty, Luxury Stores Beauty, Amazon Coins can earn up to 10%. If you are selling in any of these categories, this is a pro, not con.
  • The Amazon Associates Program Operating Agreement is complicated, and frequently updated. So, getting caught with not complying can cause inconveniences to business. Be sure to read carefully and consult legal advice if required before venturing fully into it.
  • Amazon Associates generates a product link for your placement. In other words, one unique link per product. There are also ready-banners of various sizes and seasons for downloads.

Commission Rates (Top 3 Highest Categories)

  • Luxury Beauty, Luxury Stores Beauty, Amazon Coins: 10%
  • Digital Music, Physical Music, Handmade, Digital Videos: 5%
  • Physical Books, Kitchen, Automotive: 4.5%

2. Avangate Affiliate Network

Next on our list is another US company, yet founded in 2006. Through the founders’ own experience, that selling software globally was hard, came birth to Avangate. The company focused on helping software companies to sell across borders and achieved various successes. Through a series of ventures and acquisition in Avangate itself, the company grew quickly. In 2017, Avangate acquire 2Checkout, a popular payment service provider, which sees them expand their market reach and payment options for their businesses. So, are you a publisher of software, and have an audience keen on it? Avangate Affiliate Network could just be what you need! Learn more about this affiliate program below.

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: Digital Goods, Including E-books, Software, and Online Services
  • Product Catalogue Size: 21,000 Digital Products
  • Commission: 1% to 85% Depending on Product
  • Tracking Window: 30 to 180 Days Depending on Product
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$ 100

Use Factor

  • A specialised network of digital goods merchants. Avangate’s 1,200 partners sell anything from e-books, and software, to online services. Making this affiliate program the top choice for any publishers of technology! Definitely reinforces your channel brand, that is, if it is technology-niche.
  • Over 21,000 digital products ranging from audio & video, business, education, security, apps and more. Avangate offers value to audiences who are keen in using worktech to boost their work output. Well, we do know that work from home had accelerated worktech adoption. Thus, Avangate is not just for the technology-niche channel, but any channel!
  • One-third of digital products in Avangate offers at least 50% commission, and a cookie window starting from 30 days. Getting commissions and even cashing out gets much easier. Something we are sure is your goal for taking up any affiliate programs!

Things to Note

  • A minimum pay-out of US$ 100 is not big, yet slightly higher than some affiliate programs.
  • There are a couple of top brands in the list. For those that are not, they might be harder to sell, and hence, have an impact on achieving commission. Unless, your channel could promote it in some way.
  • Product-unique banners and links are provided for placement on your channels.

Commission Rates (Popular Brands)

  • PDFZilla: 75%
  • Hide My IP: 75%
  • AVS4YOU Unlimited Subscription: 50%

3. Awin

Best Affiliate Programs: Awin
Image Source: Awin

Part of Axel Springer Group, a digital publishing house with a history dating back to 1946. Awin launched in 2000 in Berlin, Germany. Its 15 offices worldwide empowers more than 200k publishers and over 16k adverting merchants. Just in 2020 alone, Awin was able to amass 818 million euros in commission for their affiliates. Excited yet? You got to be! But first, read what we got to say.

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: All UK Brands
  • Product Catalogue Size: 200 million Products from 16,500 Brands
  • Commission: Varies According to Merchant & On Their Terms
  • Tracking Window: Varies According to Merchant & On Their Terms
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$ 20

Use Factor

  • Lots of UK brands for your UK-loving audience. Doesn’t matter where you are based as long as your audiences love that UK brand you intend to promote. Especially fashion brands, UK boasts a number of popular ones such as Nike, Dorothy Perkins, Clarks, and Lacoste.
  • The minimum pay-out of only US$ 20 is very competitive and ideal. Additionally, pay-out is on the 1st and 15th of the month.
  • Lots of tools for managing your affiliate programs on Awin. In fact, the experience will be top-notch! Merchants can post updates via ‘The Hub’, and even talk to you, the publishers, directly via ‘Opportunity Marketplace’! Now, we are talking business!
  • Regularly updated learning resources such as reports, talks, blogs, and even whitepapers! Whether you are new to affiliate programs or not, using Awin helps you up your game constantly!

Things to Note

  • Commission rates and terms varies according to the merchant. Can be flat-rate or percentage-based, and depending on discount or original price. Check the merchant directory, and read carefully before proceeding.
  • Awin provides a unique javascript code snippet that needs to be added to your website pages which will automatically convert merchant links to affiliate tracking links. The tool is called, ‘Convert-A-Link’. This procedure is not difficult, but still require skilled hands in order not to mess up the website. Alternatively, use their Link Builder tool. No banners are provided.
  • There is a registration fee of US$ 5, which is refunded upon reaching the first pay-out amount. However, this is only upon acceptance into Awin’s affiliate program.

Commission Rates (Popular Brands)

  • Dorothy Perkins UK: For content affiliates, 6% new customers, & 2% existing customers.
  • JD Sports UK: 6% on full-price items. 1% on sale items.
  • Udemy: 15%

4. CJ Affiliate

Best Affiliate Programs: CJ Affiliate
Image Source: CJ Affiliate

Already more than 20 years in the affiliate marketing industry. CJ Affiliate started as Commission Junction in 1998 in California, USA. It is part of the Publicis Media Groupe, which is the third largest communications group in the world. Year in year out, CJ paid over US$ 1.8 billion in publisher commissions! Still, being in the industry for so long is no small feat! For CJ Affiliate has consistently received industry accolades in recognition for their excellent services in performance and influencer marketing, and even best workplace! Thus, is inspiration what you seek? We say, you got to know about this affiliate program! Read on.

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: Physical & Digital Goods
  • Product Catalogue Size: 4,000+ Brands (est. 50 million products)
  • Commission: Varies According to Merchant’s Campaigns
  • Tracking Window: 30 to 120 Days Depending on Merchant
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$ 50 (Direct Deposit) & US$ 100 (Check)

Use Factor

  • Digital goods are available too, not just physical ones. Besides, it has lots of big brand merchants, namely Autodesk, GoPro, Grammarly, InterContinental Hotels Group, Office Depot, and Priceline.
  • You may not need sale to get commission with CJ Affiliate. Yes, you heard it right. Ultimately, how much commission you get depends on the merchant’s campaign. There may be pay-per-lead, or pay-per-call campaigns available for promoting.
  • CJ Affiliate’s system is able to track offline and cross-device analytics, providing purchase behaviour insights that enable publishers like you to tailor your promotion to your audiences’ liking.

Things to Note

  • Because there may be other Cost-per-acquisition (CPA) models available, CJ Affiliate’s publisher terms of user may differ from other Affiliate Programs. In fact, we know that CJ Affiliate does not allow a publisher’s website to be promoted via search engines. Check their use policy for the full details.
  • CJ Affiliate does not offer pay-out via PayPal or credit card. Although it does offer via Payoneer, direct deposit, and check.
  • Like Awin, CJ Affiliate requires the insertion of a tracking code into your website. HTML knowledge is required. Each merchant also provides their own banners for placement on website which are all preview-able prior.

Commission Rates

  • No public information

5. ClickBank

Best Affiliate Programs: ClickBank
Image Source: ClickBank

Also founded in 1998, ClickBank is headquarted in Idaho, USA. It has so far paid over US$ 4.2 billion in commissions, and recorded over 30k daily purchases! In ClickBank, the company believes in empowering entrepreneurs around the world. Whether you are trying to advertise on ClickBank, or promote one of their affiliate products, as long as you are an entrepreneur, you will miss out not knowing about this affiliate program! Let us tell you why!

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: Both Digital & Physical Goods
  • Product Catalogue Size: 4,000+ Products
  • Commission: Up to 90% Depending on Product
  • Tracking Window: Average 60 Days
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$ 10

Use Factor

  • There are two types of commissions you can expect to receive when using ClickBank. One is called “revenue share” and the other one is CPA. Either these are calculated as a flat rate or a percentage of the sale price set by the merchant themselves. In revenue share, it means that as long as a sale result after clicking your link, you get a share of the commission. It did not matter if the customer makes a purchase directly after clicking on your affiliate link, or after visiting many others after that.
  • ClickBank offers products on a subscription basis. This greatly adds to commission which you can keep generating as long as that customer remains a customer with that merchant.
  • Low pay-out amount of US$ 10 is attractive and suitable for publishers with audiences of any sizes.

Things to Note

  • Similar to CJ Affiliate, there may be specific terms and restrictions in how you can promote your products with ClickBank’s link.
  • There is no information on the merchants from ClickBank’s website. Check with them to know more about what products that you would be promoting.
  • Only affiliate links are generated. There are no banners. Hence, unless you can create the banners yourself, or obtain from the merchant, using ClickBank may be more suitable for email and content marketing only.

Commission Rates

  • No public information

6. FlexOffers

Best Affiliate Programs: FlexOffers
Image Source: FlexOffers

Consistently ranked in the top 10 affiliate programs, FlexOffers is founded in 2008 in Florida, USA. It offers access to millions of products via its 12,000 advertising merchants. Besides, if you are ever keen to introduce website monetisation, you can refer FlexOffers via its FlexRev-$hare program and earn a decent continual stream of commission revenue. Wait, what? Let’s cut to the chase on this. We discuss this more below.  

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: Both Physical & Digital Goods
  • Product Catalogue Size: 12,000 Merchants Selling Over 1 million Products
  • Commission: Up to 50% Depending on Merchant’s Affiliate Programs
  • Tracking Window: 7 to 60 Days Depending on Merchant
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$ 50 (in USA) & $100 (Outside USA)

Use Factor

  • FlexOffers has a range of physical and digital products with big brand names like Lenovo, Macy’s, and Sketchers. With over 12,000 merchants and 50+ merchants added every single day, you’ll never run out of products to promote on FlexOffers.
  • Unique Publisher referral program, FlexRev-$hare, allows you to make revenue from your referrals of publishers to FlexOffers. That said, the commission earned is tiered. If you wish to know roughly how much you can make from a sale in this program, check their calculator Here.
  • Datafeed feature allow publishers to display the latest promotions and content from approved merchants to your site automatically, and daily. In simple word, your site visitors will always get to benefit from the promotions as soon as they visit your channels. No more missing out!

Things to Note

  • The only pay-out method is PayPal. Unless you wish to use wire transfer, the minimum amount is US$ 5,000.
  • Although datafeed is a nice feature, thread carefully on this to prevent your whole site looking messy and fully packed with promotional content. Nonetheless, coding knowledge is required to add the script to your website.
  • FlexOffers only provide affiliate links for insertion into your content or your own banners. Merchant does not provide any banners. Unless you are promoting FlexOffers’ FlexRev-$hare program, then you can obtain their banner from them.

Commission Rates (No Public Rates. Popular Brands Below)

  • Hulu
  • JCPenney
  • LEGO

7. PartnerStack

Best Affiliate Programs: PartnerStack
Image Source: PartnerStack

The newest affiliate program company in our list! PartnerStack is founded in 2015, in Ontario, Canada. With a mission to connect companies and partners, PartnerStack works with nearly 200 software companies to grow their long-term, recurring revenue. This here offers a niche. In fact, after visiting PartnerStack’s website, we are actually attracted. It is nice, neat, transparent with their rates, and packed with decent “partnership relationship management” features. Hence, with PartnerStack, you are going to work hand in hand with software companies, not just promoting its products. Read on.

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: Software as a Service only (SaaS)
  • Product Catalogue Size: 170+ SaaS Brands
  • Commission: Fixed Amount or Percentage-Based (5%-100%) Subject to Merchant
  • Tracking Window: Minimum of 90 Days
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$ 25

Use Factor

  • Perfect fit for any technology or software niche content publishers. The SaaS features across HR usage, sales, marketing, accounting, productivity, social media and more. With worktech adoption increasing rapidly, arguably due to new norms in work arrangements post-Covid, demands for SaaS can only increase.
  • The rather high tracking window of 90 days is attractive and definitely enough time for any keen person to decide on purchase. Although note that this is the minimum, and some merchant may offer a larger window.
  • The low minimum pay-out of only US$ 25 is suitable for publisher channels of any audience sizes. Moreover, most SaaS are purchased on a subscription basis. That means your revenue every month will likely increase, beyond the minimum pay-out amount sooner than you think! So, keep focusing on your content and drive home that masterpiece!

Things to Note

  • A relatively small number of SaaS merchant at only 170+ may not be impressive. Numbers will grow though. Although as publishers, you may run out of promoting options quickly. However, that also means you can focus on more promotional-related content for that product.
  • Pay-out is via PayPal or Stripe only.
  • PartnerStack generates an affiliate link for each merchant only. You have to do it manually too. There are no merchant banners.

Commission Rates (Popular Brands)

  • Animaker: 20% per sale (yearly first purchase)
  • CloudTalk: 25% recurring reward
  • FreshBooks: Earn $25 on every qualified referral and $50 for each deal closed

8. ShareASale

Best Affiliate Programs: ShareASale
Image Source: ShareASale

ShareASale launched in 2000, in Chicago, USA. It got acquired by Awin in 2017, and had since share operations. Nonetheless, users of ShareASale still retain access to its own interface and tools. Likewise, as an affiliate, agreement to usage terms is to the affiliate company you chose. Besides, what other differences are there between ShareASale and Awin? Find out below.

Affiliate Program Features

  • Key Products: Lots of Physical & Digital Products
  • Product Catalogue Size: 16,500+ Merchants (est. 200 million products)
  • Commission: Depend on Merchant
  • Tracking Window: Typically 30 Days
  • Minimum Pay-Out Amount: US$ 50

Use Factor

  • If your channels are catered to an US audience, ShareASale is a good fit. With 39 categories of products to choose from, nearly everything from daily essentials, to health, food, and work-related are covered. Additionally, most of these are US-brands! Your audience will rejoice from the promotional information available for their benefits.
  • Attribution-based commission is possible subject to merchant.
  • Affiliate recruitment tool feature support merchant’s affiliate recruitment. Hence, your channel may be head-hunted to participate! With already so many brands to choose from, and new ones joining every now and then, this feature just value-add to your objective. No harm at all!

Things to Note

  • Mostly USA-based brands. Shipping may be to domestic addresses only. Thus, check the terms of each merchant’s affiliate programs carefully.
  • Pay-out is via check, direct deposit, and ACH only. No PayPal or other global payment providers.
  • When deciding to sign up for an affiliate program in ShareASale, you can check the banners available. If not, you can contact the merchant for it. An affiliate link will be provided for placement as well.

Commission Rates (Popular Brands)

  • Reebok: Up to 7%
  • SEMrush: Up to $10 every new trial activation. $200 every subscription
  • SHEIN: Up to 11% with performance incentives and special promotion opportunities

Final Comments

Choosing a suitable affiliate program for your content monetisation is not a matter of just selecting the one with the highest paying commission, or one with the most products. There should be a certain brand alignment and image consideration. That said, never ever flood your site with promotions! Flood with content, and quality ones instead! If your content is good, monetisation comes easier due to ranking higher in SERP, and reader buy-in. Yet, you got to start with ‘your’ best affiliate programs. So, choose wisely even though they are all free!

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Comment(1)

  1. Having read this I thought it was very enlightening.
    I appreciate you spending some time and energy to put this informatin together.
    I once again find mmyself spendinng a lot of time both reading and leaving
    comments. But so what, it was still worth it!

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