10 Best Affiliate Platforms And Networks Compared (2022)

[Affiliate]

10 Best Affiliate Platforms And Networks Compared (2022)
You probably started your blog with the goal of making some money somewhere down the line.
And when it comes to making money from your blog, affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to turn traffic into cash.
But affiliate marketing is only a viable strategy if you can find quality products that your visitors are interested in ( and that you can feel proud to recommend ).
To help, we've collected the 11 best affiliate platforms and networks. Collectively, they'll give you access to tens of thousands of merchants and millions of products.
Whether you want to promote physical products or digital products, or big brands or small brands, you'll find an affiliate platform on this list that can connect you to something that fits.
Let's dive in, starting with one of the biggest affiliate platforms out there...
1. ShareASale.
ShareASale is one of the most popular affiliate networks out there.
Whereas Amazon Associates is focused entirely on Amazon products, ShareASale houses affiliate programs for 4,500+ merchants, both big and small.
From one spot - the ShareASale dashboard - you can sign up to all these merchants, generate links, and view your statistics.
Note, you'll need to individually apply to merchants and be approved by each merchant, which is a pretty standard approach for an affiliate network like this .
Overall, ShareASale is a great option for both digital and physical products.
For example, on the digital side, you'll find plenty of WordPress theme and plugin shops, hosting providers, etc.
And on the physical side, you'll find plenty of big and small merchants. For example, there's Warby Parker ( sunglasses ), Sun Basket, Wayfair, Reebok, NFL Shop, plus thousands of other small and large businesses.
Basically - no matter what niche your website or blog is in, you can probably find some offers worth promoting.
What you need to know about ShareASale.
Niche/product types: A little bit of everything, including both physical and digital products. Average commission rate: Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Cookie duration : Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Minimum payout: $50.
ShareASale pros and cons.
Pros :
Thousands of merchants for both physical and digital products, including lots of well-known merchants Trustworthy - They've been around for many years and work with lots of big brands Lots of exclusive merchants. Over 1,000 of the merchants at ShareASale only work with ShareASale Has a bookmarklet that makes it easy to generate custom affiliate links.
Cons :
The dashboard design is a little clunky, though it's gotten a lot better.

[Affiliate]

2. Awin (Formerly Affiliate Window)
Awin, a shorter rebrand of the original Affiliate Window, is another popular affiliate network that gives you access to over 13,000 different merchants .
Awin actually acquired ShareASale back in 2017, though the two are still run as separate entities and have different merchants.
With 13,000+ merchants, you'll find a lot of options for both physical and digital products at Awin.
Some of the notable big names are:
Etsy AliExpress HP XE ( money transfer ) StubHub Under Armour Gymshark.
You'll also find lots of smaller merchants across a range of niches.
Awin was founded in Germany, so you'll find a little bit more of a European tilt to the merchant list, though there are also plenty of US/global companies.
Like ShareASale and CJ, you'll need to individually apply to merchants within the network. Then, you can generate your links and start tracking statistics.
What you need to know about Awin.
Niche/product types: With over 13,000 merchants, you'll find both physical and digital products for almost every niche. Average commission rate: Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Cookie duration : Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Minimum payout: $20.
Awin pros and cons.
Pros :
Lots of merchants to choose from Dedicated WordPress plugin to help you import products Low minimum payout (only $20)
Cons :
$5 sign up fee ( it's refunded if you're approved, but you'll lose it if you're not approved )
3. Amazon Associates.
If you want to promote physical products on your website, Amazon Associates is a good option.
With Amazon Associates, you can earn a commission on pretty much anything sold at Amazon.com.
What makes this program even more valuable is that you earn a commission on everything new that someone you refer purchases, even if it's not the product you linked to.
For example, if you link to a $5 toothbrush but that person ends up buying a $500 TV, you still get the commission ( as long as it's within the cookie duration, of course. Also, the product can't have already been in that person's cart ).
In the past, Amazon Associates paid you a commission rate based on how much revenue/sales you drove. However, since 2017, Amazon has moved to a flat-rate commission structure where you're paid a flat percentage based on the category that each product is in:
While some high-volume affiliates didn't like the change, this shift makes Amazon Associates even more attractive for smaller sites as you no longer need to worry about hitting a certain amount of sales volume to earn a higher commission.
What you need to know about Amazon Associates.
Niche/product types: Anything sold on Amazon's website ( including products from third-party vendors ). Average commission rate: Ranges from 1% to 10% depending on the category. Cookie duration : Cookies last for 24 hours. However, if you have people directly add a product to their carts, you'll get a 90-day cookie but only for the specific product that's in their carts . Minimum payout: $10 for Amazon gift card or direct deposit.
Amazon Associates pros and cons.
Pros :
Massive selection of products Universal cookie, so you get credit for everything people buy within the cookie duration Amazon is by far the biggest name in eCommerce Very low payout threshold - only $10.
Cons :
The universal cookie only lasts for 24 hours Some categories - like video games - have very low commissions (1%) You need to register for each country individually Amazon has been known to slash commissions every so often.
4. CJ Affiliate (Formerly Commission Junction)
CJ - formerly known by the lengthier name of Commission Junction - is another affiliate network that brings together thousands of different merchants under one roof ( a lot like ShareASale ).
Along with ShareASale, CJ is one of the biggest affiliate networks out there, which means that you'll be able to connect with thousands of both big and small merchants. Currently, the exact number is 2,696 different merchants .
Some of the big physical and digital companies using CJ are:
Lowes Overstock Office Depot Priceline GoPro IHG (Hotels) Grammarly.
You'll also find lots of smaller merchants, as well.
Like ShareASale, you'll individually apply to these merchants from the CJ dashboard. Then, you'll be able to generate links and view statistics.
I think CJ's affiliate dashboard has a bit of a higher learning curve than ShareASale, but I prefer it to ShareASale once you figure out how everything works.
What you need to know about CJ.
Niche/product types: Like ShareASale, CJ covers a range of niches and both physical and digital products. Average commission rate: Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Cookie duration : Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Minimum payout: $50 for direct deposit or $100 for check.
CJ pros and cons.
Pros :
Huge range of big and small merchants to choose from A nice back-end dashboard to help you manage your affiliate marketing efforts Has a deep link generator bookmarklet that makes it really easy to generate links.
Cons :
The dashboard is a little complicated when you're just getting started ( though I like it overall ).
5. Rakuten Marketing (Formerly LinkShare)
Rakuten Marketing ( formerly known as LinkShare ) is a popular affiliate network that includes a lot of big merchants. Notable merchants are:
Walmart Best Buy Macy's Papa Johns.
They also have some smaller merchants, though their network isn't as large as ShareASale, CJ, or Awin ( it's "only" around 1,000 merchants ).
So if you want access to a huge variety of merchants, you might be better off with one of the other networks. But Rakuten is a good option for getting access to the big guns, and they also have some nice features like the ability to rotate ads without the need for an external solution ( like a WordPress advertising management plugin ).
What you need to know about Rakuten Marketing.
Niche/product types: With 1,000+ merchants, you can probably still find offers in most niches. Average commission rate: Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Cookie duration : Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Minimum payout: $50.
Rakuten Marketing pros and cons.
Pros :
Gives you access to big-name merchants like Walmart and Best Buy A trusted name (Rakuten is a billion dollar company) Nice-to-have features like easy ad rotation.
Cons :
The back-end dashboard looks a little dated in my opinion Not as big a selection as some other affiliate networks.
6. Avangate Affiliate Network.
Avangate Affiliate Network is an affiliate network that's focused on digital goods and software, rather than physical products.
For example, you'll get access to popular software merchants like:
Bitdefender Kaspersky Hide My Ass ( the VPN ) Awario.
In total, Avangate Affiliate Network gives you access to 22,000+ pieces of software, so if your site promotes a lot of digital products, you'll definitely want to join this one.
Note: Avangate acquired 2Checkout back in 2017, so you'll see some confusion between the names. The original Avangate tool was merged into 2Checkout, while Avangate Affiliate Network is the affiliate platform that you'll want to join.
What you need to know about Avangate Affiliate Network.
Niche/product types: Avangate Affiliate Network focuses on digital goods and software products. You can browse the full merchant marketplace without needing to sign up. Average commission rate: Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with, but Avangate advertises up to an 85% commission rate and Avangate Affiliate Network's digital products usually have a higher commission rate than the physical products you'll find at other networks. Cookie duration : Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Avangate Affiliate Network lets merchants set their cookie length anywhere between 30 to 180 days, so you're guaranteed at least 30 days at a minimum . Minimum payout: $100.
Avangate Affiliate Network pros and cons.
Pros :
You can opt to be paid via PayPal Lots of unique software products to choose from Most merchants offer pretty high commissions. It's not uncommon to see 50%+ commissions.
Cons :
The $100 minimum payout is higher than most other affiliate networks.
7. ClickBank.
Like Avangate Affiliate Network, ClickBank is another affiliate network that has a lot of digital products, though it also offers physical products as well.
Whereas platforms like ShareASale and Awin have a lot of big, nationally known merchants, ClickBank is definitely more on the "smaller" end of merchants.
For example, you'll find a lot of merchants who are selling eBooks, online courses, or membership sites. These merchants might not have the name recognition of a national or international brand, but they can be great offers if they fit your niche.
There's also a downside, though - some of the ClickBank products just aren't very high-quality products. And while ClickBank has gotten better with its review process to filter out the bad merchants, you'll still want to be careful about which merchants you choose to promote.
What you need to know about ClickBank.
Niche/product types: ClickBank definitely leans towards digital products, but you'll find some physical products as well ( and ClickBank makes it easy to filter between the two). Average commission rate: Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with, but usually pretty high. You'll find both percentage and flat-rate commissions. Cookie duration : Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with, but usually ~60 days. Minimum payout: $10.
ClickBank pros and cons.
Pros :
Lots of smaller niche offers that you won't find at other affiliate platforms Pretty high commissions for most merchants $10 minimum payout makes it easy to get paid Offers weekly payments.
Cons :
ClickBank's generous refund policy means you might lose commissions after the fact You have to wade through some low-quality products.
8. FlexOffers.
FlexOffers is a long-standing, popular affiliate platform that gets you access to 12,000+ different advertisers/merchants.
It has one of the better-looking dashboards, in my opinion, and FlexOffers adds 50+ new merchants per day, so you can always find new offers.
FlexOffers has lots of offers from both small brands and big brands, including well-known names like priceline.com, Macy's, Skechers, Lenovo, and more. You can browse a full directory of all the merchants before signing up if you want to see what's available.
Like the other big affiliate platforms, FlexOffers has been around for years, so you can trust that they aren't going anywhere.
Additionally, FlexOffers assigns every publisher a dedicated account manager, which is a nice touch. Your account manager can help you find the best offers to promote and otherwise work to improve your affiliate marketing.
What you need to know about FlexOffers.
Niche/product types: With over 12,000 merchants, you can find physical and digital products across all niches. Average commission rate: Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Cookie duration : Depends on the specific merchant you sign up with. Minimum payout: $50 within the USA or $100 outside the USA.
FlexOffers pros and cons.
Pros :
Huge selection - 12,000+ merchants to choose from Nicely designed backend dashboard You get a dedicated affiliate manager.
Cons :
If you're outside the USA, the only payment option is PayPal ( unless the payment exceeds $5,000 - then you can use a wire transfer )

[Affiliate]

9. Walmart Affiliates.
Walmart's affiliate program is technically part of Rakuten Marketing, but I'm still giving it its own section because I think it makes a valuable contrast to Amazon Associates .
If you're selling physical products, Amazon Associates is definitely the biggest name in the affiliate game. And yeah - there's a reason for that. Amazon holds almost 50% of the US eCommerce market.
Compared to that, Walmart has just 3.7% of the online retail market ( eBay, which you'll see next, is actually in second place at 6.6% ).
However, when Amazon Associates switched from its old commission structure to its new category-based approach, the Walmart affiliate program became a little more attractive because it offers higher commissions than Amazon in some categories.
For example, Walmart will give you a 4% commission on toys, while Amazon only gives 3%.
Additionally, Walmart's tracking cookie lasts for three days , whereas Amazon's only lasts for one day (24 hours).
In the end, this is something you really just need to test if you sell a lot of physical products.
If you're already using Amazon, and Walmart offers higher commissions in your category, see if switching to the Walmart affiliate program moves the needle on your revenue ( in either direction ).
What you need to know about Walmart Affiliates.
Niche/product types: Anything sold on Walmart's website ( which includes some third-party vendors ) Average commission rate: Ranges from 1% to 18%. Most categories are 4% or 1%. Cookie duration : Cookies last for three days.
Walmart Affiliates pros and cons.
Pros :
Huge product selection Higher commissions than Amazon in some categories A well-known, trusted brand Longer cookie than Amazon.
Cons :
$50 minimum payout, which is higher than Amazon While the product selection is bigger than almost every other store, it still doesn't come close to Amazon.
10. eBay Partner Network.
As the name suggests, eBay Partner Network is eBay's own affiliate network. With it, you can earn a commission for promoting eBay listings.
Yes - anything that's listed on eBay, which is obviously going to give you access to a huge selection.
The only downside is that many of eBay's products are transient due to the auction approach ( though you can also find plenty of permanent listings ).
What you need to know about the eBay Partner Network.
Niche/product types: Mostly physical products, though you can earn for anything on eBay so you'll find digital products as well. Average commission rate: The exact commission depends on the product category, but you'll earn anywhere from 50%-70% of eBay's revenue. Note: This is not the total purchase price of the product - you're earning a percentage of eBay's own commission. Cookie duration : 24 hours, but you can still earn a commission even if the auction takes up to 10 days to end ( as long as the person placed a bid within the first 24 hours ). Minimum payout: $10.
eBay Partner Network pros and cons.
Pros :
Huge variety of products because you can promote anything on eBay Can sell used products, which is unique Low payout - just $10.
Cons :
The cookie only lasts for 24 hours.
Which affiliate network should you use?
Here's the great thing about affiliate platforms and networks - you don't have to choose just one!
So this is kind of a trick question...
Rather than choosing a single network, sign up for all the ones that interest you so that you can find the best advertisers and payouts.
Really, the only reasons to limit the number of platforms that you use are:
Convenience - You probably don't want to have to log in to 11 different dashboards on a regular basis. Minimum payouts - If you spread your traffic too thin, it might be hard to regularly hit each platform's minimum payout.
Other than that, have at it and find some awesome offers to promote to your site's visitors!
Once you've signed up for some affiliate platforms, grab some of the best affiliate marketing plugins to help you manage and promote those merchants.
And, if you haven't already, be sure to check out our guide to promoting a blog if you need to grow your traffic.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means we may make a small commission if you make a purchase.