The Ranking of The Best Affiliate Programs in 2023

Some top affiliate programs come and go, others stand the test of time. But the most important things is what’s profitable now & what suits your business needs at the moment.

What Are Affiliate Marketing Programs?

This is an awesome tactical flashlight, and in my opinion, you should buy it.

To do so, click the following affiliate link for the most updated prices.

BUY NOW

Once you complete the purchase, I will get a small commission from the flashlight producer. I didn’t make it myself, I’m not that crafty. But by sharing my opinion about this flashlight I’ve helped the producer. So they pay me money.

These are affiliate programs in a nutshell.

Affiliate marketing programs, similarly to affiliate networks, provide you with offers you can promote online. Unlike the latter, affiliate programs serve as additional sales channels for big companies. People can just sign up to these programs, get a link, and convince others to click it on their blog/videos/review sites.

You can identify these links because of the ‘ref=’ or ‘referrer=’ part embedded in them. Hover over such links with a mouse button on landing pages and you will easily identify this type of links.

This parameter tells the product owner who they owe this sale to. Like any good businessmen, the product owner has to track sales to manage their business effectively.

P.S. Don’t buy this flashlight. And that is a dummy link to prove a point.

Or is it?

Disclaimer: There are no actual affiliate links in this article.

Types of Affiliate Marketing Programs

Affiliate programs vary in terms of how and where they are advertised. Based on that, we can distinguish the following types of affiliate programs:

• Social – These programs work best when advertised on social media either via paid traffic or influencers. 
• Search – Affiliate offers are discovered via the search engine, organically or by paid advertising.
• Content – This type of affiliate program is advertised on articles, review sites or blogs, hidden in a text.
• Coupon – Many sites gather coupons and discounts, and an affiliate program may offer exactly that.
• Email – You have probably received hundreds of these. Email affiliate programs are still a big contender.

Everything that I have just described should be taken into consideration to make a fully informed decision.

Or you can simply read my ranking.

The Ranking of the Best and Highest Paying Affiliate Programs

You can read the following ranking in the voice of the WatchMojo lady or people from WhatCulture: “And here are our top picks for the e-commerce vertical”:

E-commerce Affiliate Programs

1 – CJ Affiliate

It’s the go-to place to find offers from various vendors. Many of the programs from other verticals are partnered with CJ Affiliate. They claim that they have a record 400-day cookie lifetime, but an affiliate marketer has to remember that many partner programs use a shorter lifetime.

Cookie duration: 400 days

Minimum payout: $50 (Direct Deposit) / $100 (Check)

When you get paid: 20th of each month

Pros:

• Large network of advertisers: CJ has one of the largest networks of advertisers in the affiliate marketing industry, with over 4,000 brands to choose from. This means that you have a wide variety of products and services to promote, and you can find a program that is a good fit for your audience.
• High commission rates: Many of the advertisers on CJ offer high commission rates, which means that you can earn a good amount of money for each sale that you generate.
• Easy-to-use platform: CJ’s platform is easy to use and navigate, even for beginners. You can easily find affiliate programs to join, create tracking links, and view your earnings.
• Good customer support: CJ offers good customer support to its affiliates. If you have any questions or problems, you can contact their support team for help.

Cons:

• High minimum payout threshold: CJ has a high minimum payout threshold of $50. This means that you need to earn at least $50 before you can request a payout.
• Slow approval process for affiliate programs: The approval process for affiliate programs on CJ can be slow. It can take several days or even weeks to get approved for a program.
• Limited reporting and analytics tools: CJ’s reporting and analytics tools are limited. This can make it difficult to track your progress and identify areas where you can improve your campaigns.

2 – ShareASale

It shares a similar business model to our number one. ShareASale has even more offers to choose from than CJ Affiliate (6000 to 3000). The only reason it has fallen short of the first place is the ridiculously long cookie lifetime CJ Affiliate claims to have.

Cookie duration: 365 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: 20th of each month

Pros:

• Large network of merchants: ShareASale has a large network of merchants.
• High commission rates: Many of the merchants on ShareASale offer high commission rates, which means that you can earn a good amount of money for each sale that you generate.
• Easy-to-use platform: ShareASale’s platform is easy to use and navigate, even for beginners. You can easily find affiliate programs to join, create tracking links, and view your earnings.
• Good customer support: ShareASale offers good customer support to its affiliates. If you have any questions or problems, you can contact their support team for help.

Cons:

• High minimum payout threshold: ShareASale has a high minimum payout threshold of $50. This means that you need to earn at least $50 before you can request a payout.
• Slow approval process for affiliate programs: The approval process for affiliate programs on ShareASale can be slow. It can take several days or even weeks to get approved for a program.
• Limited reporting and analytics tools: ShareASale’s reporting and analytics tools are limited. This can make it difficult to track your progress and identify areas where you can improve your campaigns.

3 – Ebay Partner Network

Having even more offers than Amazon, it would seem like the perfect place for any affiliate. However, because of the auction model used by the majority of sales and the ridiculously short cookie lifetime, it cannot go any higher than the fourth place.

Cookie duration: 1 day

Minimum payout: $10 (Direct Deposit) / $100 (Check)

When you get paid: end of the month

Pros:

• Massive brand recognition: eBay is a well-known brand with a large customer base.
• Wide range of products: Over 300 product categories and billions of items to promote.
• Affiliate tools and creatives: eBay provides a great range of affiliate tools and creatives.
• Easy to use dashboard: The dashboard is user-friendly.
• Low payout threshold: The eBay affiliate payout threshold is one of the lowest.

Cons:

• Complicated commission structure: The commission structure can be complex and difficult to understand.
• Commission cap: There is a cap on the commission that can be earned.
• Low commission rates: The commission rates can go up to 7%, which might be considered low compared to other affiliate programs.
• Short cookie duration: The 24-hour cookie duration is relatively short, which means if a referred customer makes a purchase after 24 hours, the affiliate won’t get the commission.

4 – ClickBank

It is a decent affiliate program that sells digital products. Because of this, their commission for an affiliate marketer is very generous (40%) and it is calculated not as a percentage of what ClickBank earns (which is 7.5% plus 1$) but as a percentage of the offer owner’s revenue. Additionally, the payout is made twice a month, which is always welcome.

Cookie duration: 60 days

Minimum payout: $100

When you get paid: on Friday

Pros:

1. High commission rates: Some sellers offer a very high commission rate, sometimes above 50%.
2. Ease of use: It’s really easy to get started with affiliate marketing on ClickBank.
3. Weekly or bi-weekly payments: ClickBank offers weekly or bi-weekly payments.
4. Low payment threshold: ClickBank has a low payment threshold.
5. Easy link creation: ClickBank provides an easy way to create affiliate links.
6. Diverse product categories: ClickBank offers diverse product categories for affiliates to choose from.

Cons:

1. Fees: Marketers and sellers might incur some fees.
2. Penalties: If your account goes dormant or you fail to make any sale, you might be penalized.
3. Dated interface: Some users find the interface of ClickBank to be dated.
4. Low-quality products: Some low-quality products on the platform can harm its reputation.

5 – Amazon Associates

One of the biggest affiliate programs on the planet. It has all the offers there are (around 12 million). The only problem is Amazon Associates program short cookie lifetime. Amazon had also recently cut down its commission rates by half, hence the relatively low rank. Chek out our article on advertising on Amazon and the other one about Amazon Associates program alternatives.

Cookie duration: 1 day

Minimum payout: $100

When you get paid: 60 days after end of the month

Pros:

1. Easy to set up links: It’s quite easy to set up links.
2. Free and easy sign-up: Signing up is easy and free.
3. Wide range of products: There are plenty of products for you to sell.
4. User-friendly interface: Amazon Associates has a user-friendly interface.

Cons:

1. Low commission rates: The commission rates are extremely low, making it hard to make a profit.
2. Short cookie window: They have a ridiculously short cookie window which can affect your sales.
3. Frequent changes: Amazon frequently changes its policies and commission structure, which can affect your earnings.
4. Limited payment options: Amazon Associates has limited payment options.
5. Account suspension: If you don’t make a sale within 180 days of opening your account, Amazon may close your account.

Crypto Affiliate Programs

1 – Paxful

Paxful is a crypto marketplace where you can trade your currency with other people. What Paxful offers their affiliates is the option to build your own network of affiliates. You earn a recurring fee for people you have invited (50%) and a smaller fee for people they have invited (10%). Note that this percentage is only from escrow fees but, on the other hand, they last a lifetime.

Cookie duration: 1 day

Minimum payout: $10 in the affiliate wallet can be transferred to the Paxful wallet. Once the amount in the Paxful wallet reaches $300, it can be withdrawn at any time.

When you get paid: At any moment, provided that there’s a minimum payout amount in the wallet.

Pros:

1. High commission rates: Provides better commission rates of 50% and 10% for Tier – 2.
2. Massive brand awareness: Paxful has a vast customer base and people already trust them.
3. No cookie period: Paxful doesn’t have a cookie period, so you don’t have to pressure your referrals to trade in a specific time period.
4. Low withdrawal threshold: The threshold payout is very low.
5. Worldwide availability: Paxful is available worldwide.

Cons:

• High minimum payout threshold: Paxful has a high minimum payout threshold of $10. This means that you need to earn at least $10 before you can request a payout.
• Slow approval process for affiliate programs: The approval process for affiliate programs on Paxful can be slow. It can take several days or even weeks to get approved for a program.
• Limited reporting and analytics tools: Paxful’s reporting and analytics tools are limited. This can make it difficult to track your progress and identify areas where you can improve your campaigns.

2 – CoinMetro

It offers a varied commission rates of 10 – 40% of their fees (which are varied, but usually around 1.5%). The good news is that those fees are recurring. On top of that, CoinMetro runs a prize-pool raffle of 2% of all affiliates earnings and each month, one lucky affiliate gets the pool.

Cookie duration: N/A

Minimum payout: 1$

When you get paid: Immediately

Pros:

1. High commission rates: CoinMetro offers a 2 Tier Affiliate Program that pays 40% on direct referrals and 10% on indirect referrals.
2. Lifetime commission: Many exchanges only allow affiliate commission for the first 12 months (or sometimes an even shorter period of time) of a referral’s activity on the platform. But not CoinMetro. Here, your potential affiliate commission is for life.
3. Low fees: CoinMetro has one of the lowest trading margins.
4. Regulated: The crypto exchange operates under the licenses of the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (the FIU), license nos. FVR000143 and FRK000121. It is also licensed by the US regulator Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

Cons:

1. Limited analytics.
2. Limited cryptocurrencies: There are not many cryptocurrencies and tokens at your fingertips.
3. Low trading volume: On the date of last updating this review (18 January 2023), CoinMetro’s 24-hour spot trading volume was only USD 687,000 according to Coinmarketcap.

3 – CryptoHopper

It allows you to earn a steady 10% commission of each referred subscription. This is a recurring commission that you will get for as long as the referred user pays for their account. For signals, there is a 15% commission rate.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: Cryptohopper offers a 2 Tier Affiliate Program that pays 10% on direct referrals.
2. Lifetime commission: Cryptohopper offers lifetime commissions.
3. No cookie period: Cryptohopper doesn’t have a cookie period, so you don’t have to pressure your referrals to trade in a specific time period.
4. No minimum sales requirements: The affiliate program is free to join with no monthly charges and no minimum sales requirements.
5. Support and resources: Cryptohopper is committed to the success of affiliates and offers industry-leading commission, support, and resources.

Cons:

1. Cryptocurrency Volatility: Cryptocurrencies can be highly volatile, and their value can change rapidly. This volatility can make it challenging to attract and retain users in the long term, especially if the market experiences significant fluctuations.
2. Competition: The cryptocurrency affiliate market is highly competitive. You may face challenges in standing out among numerous other affiliates promoting similar services.
3. Regulatory Concerns: Cryptocurrency-related businesses can be subject to changing regulations and legal challenges in different jurisdictions. This can create uncertainty for both the platform and its affiliates.
4. Limited Conversion Rate: Not everyone who signs up for Cryptohopper through your referral link will necessarily become a paying customer. The conversion rate can be relatively low, meaning you might need to refer a large number of users to earn substantial commissions.

4 – LedgerWallet

Similarly to the number 3 on our list, you get a 10% commission for all referred sales. The lower spot is a result of lack of another threshold, like for signals with CryptoHopper.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: €50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: LedgerWallet offers a 2 Tier Affiliate Program that pays 40% on direct referrals.
2. Lifetime commission: LedgerWallet offers lifetime commissions.
3. No cookie period: LedgerWallet doesn’t have a cookie period, so you don’t have to pressure your referrals to trade in a specific time period.
4. No minimum sales requirements: The affiliate program is free to join with no monthly charges and no minimum sales requirements.
5. Support and resources: LedgerWallet is committed to the success of affiliates and offers industry-leading commission, support, and resources.

Cons:

1. Security concerns: There have been concerns raised about the security of the affiliate program.
2. Personal information required: The program requires not just your name and address but also ID and proof of residence.
3. Potential for leaks: There are concerns about potential data leaks.
4. Customer service issues: Some affiliates have reported issues with the customer service department.

5 – Coinbase

Coinbase gives its affiliates 50% of their fees of referred users. The fees vary but they oscillate around 1.5%, The only problem is that you will get this commission for the first 3 months only. This is a huge downside when comparing to other higher ranked platforms.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $10

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: Coinbase offers a 2 Tier Affiliate Program that pays 50% on direct referrals.
2. Lifetime commission: Coinbase offers lifetime commissions.
3. No cookie period: Coinbase doesn’t have a cookie period, so you don’t have to pressure your referrals to trade in a specific time period.
4. No minimum sales requirements: The affiliate program is free to join with no monthly charges and no minimum sales requirements.
5. Support and resources: Coinbase is committed to the success of affiliates and offers industry-leading commission, support, and resources.
6. Deep linking: Coinbase is offering deep linking which means you can send your referrals to any page.
7. Low payout threshold: The payout threshold is very low.
8. Real-time tracking: You can track your performance and revenue in real time.

Cons:

1. Approval not easy: Getting approval is not easy compared to other affiliate programs.
2. Active blog or website required: You need an active blog or website to join the Coinbase affiliate program.

Dating Affiliate Programs

1 – Cupid media

Not the winner you expected, huh? They are not a well-known brand, such as their lower-ranked competitors. But they run a lot of niche dating services, which makes them a better choice than the mainstream dating programs. Both the commission and cookie lifetime is above average in this vertical.

Cookie duration: N/A

Minimum payout: no minimum

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. Niche Market: Dating websites target a specific and often lucrative niche market. Many people are looking for dating services, making it a potentially profitable area for affiliates.
2. Diverse Portfolio: Cupid Media operates a wide range of dating websites, each catering to different demographics and interests. This diversity allows affiliates to choose a specific niche that aligns with their target audience.
3. Recurring Commissions: Some Cupid Media sites offer recurring commissions, which means affiliates can earn money not only when a user first signs up but also when they renew their subscriptions. This can result in more consistent income over time.
4. Global Reach: Cupid Media dating sites are available internationally, providing affiliates with a broad potential audience to target.
5. Marketing Support: Cupid Media often provides marketing materials and support to help affiliates promote their dating platforms effectively.

Cons:

1. Competition: The online dating affiliate market is highly competitive, with many affiliates vying for the attention of potential users. This can make it challenging to stand out and generate referrals.
2. Changing Industry: The online dating industry can be subject to changes in user preferences, market trends, and even regulatory challenges. These factors can affect the long-term viability of the affiliate program.
3. High Churn Rate: The online dating industry often experiences a high user churn rate, as people may find a partner and no longer need the service. This can affect the continuity of recurring commissions.
4. Dependence on Platform Reputation: The success of your affiliate efforts can be closely tied to the reputation and performance of the specific Cupid Media dating sites you are promoting. Negative incidents or reviews could impact your conversion rates.
5. Privacy Concerns: Some potential users may have concerns about privacy and security when using dating websites. Addressing these concerns in your marketing efforts can be challenging.

2 – People media

The close runner-up. The thing that prevented it from gaining the first spot was a slightly lower commission rate (50% to 75%). Like its winning competitor, People media also operates niche dating services.

Cookie duration: 120 days

Minimum payout: $100

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. Niche Dating Sites: People Media operates a range of niche dating websites catering to various interests and demographics. This diversity allows affiliates to choose specific niches that align with their target audience, potentially increasing their conversion rates.
2. Recurring Commissions: Some of People Media’s dating sites offer recurring commissions, meaning affiliates can earn ongoing income when users renew their subscriptions. This can lead to more stable and consistent earnings over time.
3. Broad Audience: People Media dating sites are accessible to users in different parts of the world, providing affiliates with a global audience to target.
4. Marketing Resources: People Media often provides affiliates with marketing materials and support to help them effectively promote their dating platforms.
5. Trusted Brand: People Media’s dating sites, such as OurTime and BlackPeopleMeet, are established and trusted brands in their respective niches. This can make it easier for affiliates to attract users, as people may be more inclined to sign up for well-known platforms.

Cons:

1. Competition: The online dating affiliate market is highly competitive, with numerous affiliates vying for the attention of potential users. This competition can make it challenging to stand out and drive referrals.
2. User Churn Rate: The online dating industry often experiences a high user churn rate as people may find a partner and no longer need the service. This can impact the continuity of recurring commissions.
3. Regulatory Challenges: The online dating industry can be subject to regulatory changes, particularly concerning privacy and data protection. Affiliates may need to stay updated with evolving regulations, which can be complex and vary by location.
4. Platform Reputation: Your affiliate success may be closely tied to the reputation and performance of the specific People Media dating sites you are promoting. Negative incidents or reviews related to these sites could affect your conversion rates.
5. Privacy Concerns: Some users may have concerns about privacy and security when using dating websites. Addressing these concerns in your marketing efforts can be a challenge.

3 – Eharmony

The commonly recognized brand. Their 20% commission rate is a modest one but the 45 day cookie lifetime may be of some consolation. 

Cookie duration: 45 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: 20th of each month

Pros:

1. High commission rates: eHarmony offers a 30% commission for every referred person that signs up to their account plans.
2. Additional earnings: You’ll also gain $10 when your referral orders and completes eHarmony’s relationship questionnaire.
3. 45-day cookie duration: Your referral cookies last for 45 days.
4. Updated advertising materials: You’ll obtain updated advertising materials and special offers from eHarmony.
5. Broad audience: Since eHarmony holds a high level of trust and authority within its industry, convincing people about its legitimacy shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Cons:

1. Need to sign up through affiliate partner: You’ll need to sign up through eHarmony’s affiliate partner.
2. Limited to certain regions: For the general eHarmony site, you’ll need to sign up on CJ Affiliate.

4 – EliteSingles

A tough niche to operate, but this may be an advantage if you feel confident enough. They use a fixed commission, 7$, but it is rewarded not on sale, but on a completed personality test. So the conversion rates should be higher. This program can be found on CJ Affiliate.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates earn a commission of $7 per lead.
• The cookie duration is 45 days, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase within that time frame.
• You are paid for each new registration.

Cons:

• The customer has the right to validate leads, and there may occur refusal leads, in the case of fraudulent traffic.
• You can only see your compatibility rating and those of your matches when you use the desktop version.
• Minimum search radius is 50 miles, which means you may be paired with people who live far away.

Web Hosting Affiliate Programs

1 – WPengine

Like with all programs from this vertical, commission is fixed for every subscription plan they have. The minimum 200$ payout value is nothing when compared to the staggering 7,500$ maximum. The half-year cookie lifetime is very good and the brand is recognizable.

Cookie duration: 180 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• It provides a lot of flexibility for setting up your affiliate program exactly as you want it to be.
• You can earn a 10% commission for every referral for the lifetime of that referral.
• It has a comprehensive number of tracking connectors.

Cons:

• While it offers one-click integrations with popular plugins, if you’re not using one of those platforms, you have to set up tracking yourself using the affiliate conversion script shortcode.
• Some users might find the number of features overwhelming and the setup process complicated.

2 – Liquid web

It has slightly worse conditions than the winner (still rather impressive $150 – $3,000) but it’s still a very good and popular affiliate program.

Cookie duration: 90 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• LiquidWeb offers some of the biggest affiliate earnings potential in the web hosting industry.
• They have a fantastic 90-day cookie window with a strong sales funnel and support.
• The program provides multiple referral channels and top-notch creative & management.

Cons:

• The pricing of LiquidWeb is way higher than most competitors, which could potentially deter some customers.
• They have fewer customers and managed sites under management, which might limit the potential for referrals.

3 – Cloudways

Another solid affiliate program with much more modest commission ($50) but a very long cookie lifetime.

Cookie duration: 90 days

Minimum payout: $250

When you get paid: 10th of each month

Pros:

• The CloudWays Affiliate Program aims to provide greater flexibility for earning higher commissions, access to resources, and dedicated support to affiliates.
• It offers a 90-day cookie window which is quite long compared to many other programs.
• The program provides multiple referral channels and top-notch creative & management.

Cons:

• The actual commission rate might not be as high as some other affiliate programs.
• While it provides access to resources and dedicated support, the effectiveness of these resources and the quality of support can vary.

4 – Siteground

The fourth and fifth place should be shared ex aequo between Siteground and Kinsta affiliate programs. The thing that elevated Siteground a tad higher are customer-friendly weekly payouts.

Cookie duration: 60 days

Minimum payout: no minimum

When you get paid: weekly

Pros:

• SiteGround offers high commission rates. You can earn up to $125 per sale if you referred 21+ customers per month.
• The program has a high conversion rate.
• Commissions are paid weekly.
• There’s no minimum monthly sale threshold.
• SiteGround has a very good reputation since they’ve been offering decent web hosting for a couple of years now.

Cons:

• The hosting prices are a bit high, which is why some people might be wary of trying SiteGround.
• In November 2020, SiteGround suspended a huge number of affiliate accounts based on the account’s country. That means many affiliates who have invested time and money promoting their service and publishing content on their websites will make ZERO return on that investment.

5 – Kinsta

Last but not least but not first. Same commission (50$) and a cookie lifetime (60 days) as Siteground, but you have to wait a whole month to receive your payout.

Cookie duration: 60 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Kinsta offers high commission rates. As an affiliate, you can earn a one-time commission of $50 to $500 for each referred customer. In addition, the company also provides its affiliates with 5% to 10% commissions for each successful sale.
• The program administers a generous and lengthy 60-day duration and last-touch attribution to their tracking cookies.
• Kinsta offers lifetime recurring commissions. The churn rate for Kinsta is very low, with a rate of only 2%. As a result, lifetime recurring commissions of 5% to 10% hold real value.
• They offer support for all commonly used frameworks and languages, such as PHP, NodeJS, Python, Ruby, and more.

Cons:

• There is a lack of payment method diversity as they only offer PayPal withdrawals.
• The response of the affiliate support team can be slow at times.

Educational Affiliate Programs

1 – Coursera

Sometimes the most recognizable are the best, and that is the case of Coursera. The average 32.5% commission rate is the best in the industry and a cookie life is a reasonable 30 days. They don’t have as many courses as Udemy, but I will stick with a more generous commission structure.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• The Coursera affiliate commission rate is one of the first that we can mention. There are not a lot of similar services that can pay you a 45% rate.
• The 30-day cookie is another reason to join the program.
• All transactions done through your Coursera affiliate link are tracked within 24 – 48 hours, and your commission can take up to 60 days to get confirmed.

Cons:

• The Coursera affiliate program offers single-tier commissions, which means the affiliates earn commissions only on sales they generate.
• The affiliate program offers a fixed commission structure, with a minimum payout of No minimum payout.

2 – Udemy

The online platform with the biggest number of courses available. Shame that they couldn’t outbid Coursera’s commission. 20% is still ok though.

Cookie duration: 7 days

Minimum payout: N/A

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates earn a commission rate of 15-20% per online course sale.
• The cookie duration is 7 days, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase within that time frame.
• All transactions done through your Udemy affiliate link are tracked within 24 – 48 hours, and your commission can take up to 60 days to get confirmed.

Cons:

• The courses you will recommend aren’t that expensive, so even if the rate is, at 20%, pretty generous, you run the risk of earning just 1-2 dollars per generated purchase.
• Some affiliates feel that they’d probably earn more money if the cookie were longer than 7 days.
• Udemy pays a low commission. Gone are the days where it paid affiliates 40-50% per sale. It has lowered its commission rate to 20%.

3 – Skillshare

The skill-learning platform with fixed commissions, $10 per signup. It doesn’t sound like much but the big number of courses makes it easy to advertise. 

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $10

When you get paid: 16th of each month

Pros:

• Skillshare is a reputable education platform and it is easy for the affiliates to convince referrals.
• Affiliates can take advantage of the deep links to send their referrals to different Skillshare’s pages.
• It offers a high commission with a 30-day cookie duration.
• Being among the top online learning platforms, it has a lot of courses which means a lot of keywords you can target.

Cons:

• The range of course subjects is much smaller compared to Udemy.
• The Skillshare subscription might be too expensive for many people.

4 – DIY.org

Formerly known as Jam, this platform hosts courses aimed at kids. It’s a smaller market than, for example, Coursera, but it’s also a less explored one. You get $5 for every sign-up.

Cookie duration: 14 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates earn a commission of $5 per sale.
• The cookie duration is 14 days, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase within that time frame.
• DIY.org provides data on your referrals, conversions, and earnings.

Cons:

• If you don’t have a website, it will be difficult to be a successful DIY.org affiliate.
• To get a more comprehensive view of your performance, you might need to use a third-party tool like Voluum.

5 – Teachable

This platform actually targets teachers. If you feel comfortable with this market, you will get 30% commission for every signup done within 90 days.

Cookie duration: 90 days

Minimum payout: N/A

When you get paid: daily/weekly/monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates earn a commission rate of 30% for all sales generated via their affiliate link.
• The Teachable affiliate cookie lasts for 30 days.
• Recurring commissions are paid for one year if the user’s subscription remains active.
• The built-in payment processing system handles transactions for you.

Cons:

• For sales funnel building, you will need to use a third-party platform (e.g., ClickFunnels or LeadPages).
• Email is the only way to reach Teachable support.

Gaming Affiliate Programs

1 – Razer

If you are a gamer, there is not much to say. The company that is synonymous with gaming accessories and equipment. For every purchase you facilitate, you get a 5% commission. And those gaming products are not cheap. It’s a 5% slice of a big cake.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: N/A

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• The Razer program is very flexible and a great fit for gamers.
• It offers tiered commissions, paying more for higher performers.
• It has a huge, high-quality product catalog with a massive install-base.
• Affiliates can earn commissions of up to 10% on the sale of Razer products.
• No fees are required to join the Razer Affiliate Program.
• Special incentives such as offers and promotions are provided to help you drive traffic.

Cons:

• Commissions are capped at 1% if referrals are incentivized.
• Higher-end commissions are for software, not hardware products.
• If a customer returns a product, requests a refund, cancels an order, or if credit card charges are reversed due to dispute or credit card fraud, that transaction will not be eligible for a commission payout.

2 – Logitech

Known mainly for manufacturing gaming mouses and keyboards, yet they do so much more. Logitech is a more mainstream company than a specialized Razer, which should make promoting their offer easier. Their commission rate is only one percent lower than Razer’s.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: N/A

When you get paid: 45 days after the end of each calendar month

Pros:

• Logitech is a well-known brand with a broad catalog of products, which makes it easier for affiliates to promote.
• Affiliates earn a commission rate of 4-10% for all sales generated via their affiliate link.
• The cookie duration is 30 days, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase within that time frame.
• Affiliates have access to a robust product catalog, seasonal promotions, and specially-designed banners and text links.
• All transactions done through your Logitech affiliate link are tracked within 24 – 48 hours, and your commission can take up to 60 days to get confirmed.

Cons:

While the Logitech Affiliate Program offers a variety of benefits, it might not be suitable for all affiliates. For instance, if you don’t have a website, it might be difficult to be a successful Logitech affiliate.

3 – Alienware

Part of the Dell empire, this company specializes in making gamer-oriented laptops. Very, very expensive laptops. 4% of the 3,000$ makes it worth the trouble. This program can be found on CJ Affiliate.

Cookie duration: 3 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates earn a commission rate of 1% – 6% per sale.
• The cookie duration is 3 days, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase within that time frame.
• All transactions done through your Alienware affiliate link are tracked within 24 – 48 hours, and your commission can take up to 60 days to get confirmed.

Cons:

If you don’t have a website, it will be difficult to be a successful Alienware affiliate.

4 – Nvidia

If you’ve never heard of Nvidia, then you must be a Muggle. Or a console player. They are willing to share with you 2% of their revenue for a sale. The 90-day cookie lifetime leaves plenty of wiggle room to finalize a deal. 

Cookie duration: 45 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• The cookie duration is 45 days, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase within that time frame.
• All transactions done through your Nvidia affiliate link are tracked within 24 – 48 hours, and your commission can take up to 60 days to get confirmed.
• Nvidia provides data on your referrals, conversions, and earnings.

Cons:

• A website is needed.

5 – Microsoft

Their gaming affiliate program offers similar conditions to Nvidia’s but a longer cookie lifetime (60 days). But everyone knows the brand for sure.

Cookie duration: 60 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• The commission rates for the Microsoft Affiliate Program are generally competitive, ranging from 1% to 10%, depending on the product and the country.
• The program helps distinguish partners through public recognition and enables their growth through exclusive training, technical, marketing, and sales resources.
• All transactions done through your Microsoft affiliate link are tracked within 24 – 48 hours, and your commission can take up to 60 days to get confirmed.

Cons:

• You can’t promote their flagship Windows products as a Microsoft affiliate.

Online Marketing Tools Programs

1 – GanttPRO

A tool for project management and team collaboration offers great terms for their affiliates. Their commission is solid and recurring (50% for the first purchase, 20% for the recurrent ones). The 90-day cookie lifetime, support, and training for all new affiliates make it a noteworthy program to try.

Cookie duration: unlimited

Minimum payout: no minimum

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates earn a commission of 50% from a purchase.
• The cookie duration is unlimited, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase, no matter when it happens.
• GanttPro provides ready-to-use banners, videos, and texts in several languages.
• You can track the results of work and withdraw money in your personal account.
• You can choose from 70 different payment methods including PayPal, Credit card, Trustly, etc.

Cons:

• The GanttPro affiliate program offers single-tier commissions, which means the affiliates earn commissions only on sales they generate.
• The affiliate program offers a fixed commission structure.

2 – PromoRepublic

It’s a platform for managing social media channels that offers over 100,000 post templates. The average commission rate is 25% and they claim that affiliates typically reach between $40-$1500/month.

Cookie duration: 90 days

Minimum payout: no minimum

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• PromoRepublic’s affiliate program offers a lot of perks for those who decide to join, such as a 30% commission as soon as you join.
• You can also earn anywhere from $110-1,500 a month as a partner, as well as extra bonuses for those who are top performers¹.
• The cookie duration is unlimited, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase, no matter when it happens.
• PromoRepublic provides ready-to-use banners, videos, and texts in several languages.
• You can track the results of work and withdraw money in your personal account.
• You can choose from 70 different payment methods including PayPal, Credit card, Trustly, etc.

Cons:

• The PromoRepublic affiliate program offers single-tier commissions, which means the affiliates earn commissions only on sales they generate.
• The affiliate program offers a fixed commission structure, with no minimum payout.

3 – Combin

This Instagram-focused marketing platform offers a 50% commission of its revenue for the first 6 months of membership.

Cookie duration: 180 days

Minimum payout: $400

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates earn a commission of 50% from a purchase.
• The cookie duration is unlimited, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase, no matter when it happens.
• Combin provides ready-to-use banners, videos, and texts in several languages.
• You can track the results of work and withdraw money in your personal account.
• You can choose from 70 different payment methods including PayPal, Credit card, Trustly, etc.

Cons:

The Combin affiliate program offers single-tier commissions, which means the affiliates earn commissions only on sales they generate.

4 – 4K Video Downloader

This simple tool proposes simple terms. you get 50% of what the platform’s earnings are. Refer a more expensive solution, get more money. Simple as that.

Cookie duration: 180 days

Minimum payout: $500

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• The 4K Video Downloader affiliate program offers a high commission rate of 50% This commission is much higher than many other affiliate programs, making it a great opportunity for those who want to earn a significant amount of money promoting the software.
• The cookie duration is unlimited, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase, no matter when it happens.
• 4K Video Downloader provides ready-to-use banners, videos, and texts in several languages.
• You can track the results of work and withdraw money in your personal account.
• You can choose from 70 different payment methods including PayPal, Credit card, Trustly, etc.

Cons:

• The 4K Video Downloader affiliate program operates on a single-tier commission structure, meaning that affiliates earn commissions solely on the sales they generate.
• The commission structure of the affiliate program is fixed and does not have a minimum payout threshold.

VPN Affiliate programs

1 – NordVPN

Probably the most recommended VPN service on the web. Affiliates can earn a percentage of what the company gets after a user subscribes. 1-month plans are even rewarded with 100% commission rate! Commissions on renewals also apply. Having access to over 5,000 servers scattered around the globe, NordVPN affiliate program can be advertised globally. The affiliate cookie lifetime is industry’s average 30 days.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• NordVPN is a top-rated VPN with a high affiliate acceptance rate.
• Affiliates can earn high recurring commissions. NordVPN pays 100% on monthly plans and 40% on term plans. Renewals generate a 30% commission.
• The cookie duration is 30 days, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase within that time frame.
• NordVPN provides ready-to-use banners, videos, and texts in several languages.
• You can track the results of work and withdraw money in your personal account.
• You can choose from 70 different payment methods including PayPal, Credit card, Trustly, etc¹.

Cons:

The NordVPN affiliate program offers single-tier commissions.

2 – PureVPN

PureVPN boasts over 6,500 servers that ensure global coverage, and by implication, global conversions. The company makes sure that you won’t be left empty-handed by providing you with plenty marketing materials and a support from dedicated affiliate managers.  The commission rate is 40% of the price of each sold plan.

Cookie duration: 90 days

Minimum payout: for payment via PayPal is $100 and for payments via bank wire transfer is $500

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates receive a flat 35% recurring commission for lifetime on all plans.
• The program offers special commissions and bonuses for high achievers.
• Affiliates can multiply their earnings by referring more affiliates with PureVPN’s two-tier program.
• The cookie duration is 90 days, providing more opportunities for conversion.
• Real-time tracking with last-click contribution is available.

Cons:

The affiliate program offers a fixed commission structure, with a minimum payout of threshold for payment via Paypal is $100 and for payments via bank wire transfer is $500.

3 – ExpressVPN

The company’s 3,000 plus servers located in 94 countries are enough to ensure, that you can use and market ExpressVPN in all GEOs. The average commission rate is 24$ and it depends on the volume of traffic you send and the type of a subscription plan your visitors will choose. A 90-day cookie lifetime is a great outlier in the industry.

Cookie duration: 90 days

Minimum payout: $100

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• The program offers competitive commissions with fast payouts. The base commission can go up to $36 per sale.
• The commission structure is flexible and can vary depending on sales volume.
• ExpressVPN provides affiliates with marketing collateral and specialized landing pages tailored for their campaign.
• The cookie duration is 90 days, providing more opportunities for conversion.

Cons:

• The ExpressVPN affiliate program offers single-tier commissions, which means the affiliates earn commissions only on sales they generate⁴.
• The affiliate program offers a fixed commission structure, with no minimum payout.

4 – Surfshark

Surfshark is one of the slightly lesser known but still popular VPN providers that puts a strong emphasis on user’s privacy and the unlimited number of devices you can use its services on. For its affiliates, Surfshark offers help in the form of tips and optimization support. 40% commission rate and 30-day cookie lifetime are industry’s standard.

Cookie duration: 90 days

Minimum payout: $100

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

• Affiliates can earn a commission of 50% from a purchase.
• The cookie duration is unlimited, which means you’ll still receive a commission if a user clicks your link and makes a purchase, no matter when it happens.
• SurfShark VPN provides ready-to-use banners, videos, and texts in several languages.
• Affiliates can track their performance and withdraw money in their personal account.

Cons:

The program accepts traffic from all sources except incentivized and barring some promotional approaches.

5 – PrivateInternetAccess

The ‘globally-scattered-but-US-focused’ VPN provider is another company that relies heavily on affiliates to promote its services. They offer a decent 33% commission plus recurring commissions that last the whole lifetime of a consumer. It also provides its affiliates with banners and other marketing materials.

Cookie duration: unlimited

Minimum payout: for payment via PayPal is $100 and for payments via bank wire transfer is $500

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: PIA offers up to 80% commission on monthly plans.
2. Long cookie duration: The affiliate program has a cookie duration of 90 days.
3. Free to join: The affiliate program is free to join.
4. Integrates with Affilimate: Data integrates with Affilimate.

Cons:

Dubious business perspective: The parent company of PIA, Kape Technologies, has come under scrutiny for its business practices.

Recurring affiliate programs

1 – SEMrush

Semrush is a leading digital marketing toolkit for SEO, PPC, SMM and Content Marketing professionals worldwide.

Through the Semrush Affiliate Program, you can promote a reliable and in-demand solution while earning substantial commissions for each successful referral: earn $200 for the initial sale and $10 for trial activations, with additional avenues to enhance your earnings also accessible.

Cookie duration: 120 days

Minimum payout: $10 (PayPal or  Electronic Funds Transfer)

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: SEMrush offers up to 80% commission on monthly plans.
2. Long cookie duration: The affiliate program has a cookie duration of 90 days.
3. Free to join: The affiliate program is free to join.
4. Integrates with Affilimate: Data integrates with Affilimate.

Cons:

1. Limited payment options: Payments are limited to PayPal or wire transfer.
2. First cookie wins: The “first cookie wins” cookie could lead to snipped commissions.

2 – LongTailPro

Loved by marketers and SEO specialists, LongTailPro is a useful tool for anyone that wants to make their presence in an online world. Its affiliates get an easy to understand commission scheme: you get 30% of all sales and recurring transactions.

Cookie duration: 1 year

Minimum payout: $100

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: LongTailPro offers up to 30% commission for every person who subscribes through your affiliate link and for all future recurring payments.
2. Long cookie duration: The affiliate program has a cookie duration of 90 days.
3. Free to join: The affiliate program is free to join.
4. Integrates with Affilimate: Data integrates with Affilimate.

Cons:

1. Limited payment options: Payments are limited to PayPal or wire transfer.
2. First cookie wins: The “first cookie wins” cookie could lead to snipped commissions.

3 – Shopify

If you work in ecommerce, you know Shopify. A powerful solution for anyone that wants to set up an online store in minutes, it rewards an affiliate with 20% recurring commissions, or up to $2,000 per sale.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $25

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: Shopify offers up to $2,000 per sale for their enterprise plan.
2. Long cookie duration: The affiliate program has a cookie duration of 30 days.
3. Free to join: The affiliate program is free to join.
4. Integrates with Affilimate: Data integrates with Affilimate.

Cons:

Low commission rates for basic plans: Shopify offers only $58 per sale for their basic plan.

4 – SocialPilot

A budget option for social media management software, SocialPilot is also a great fit for its affiliates who can earn up to 30% on all sales.

Cookie duration: 30 days

Minimum payout: $50

When you get paid: monthly

Pros:

1. High commission rates: SocialPilot offers up to 20% commission for every person who subscribes through your affiliate link and for all future recurring payments.
2. Long cookie duration: The affiliate program has a cookie duration of 90 days.
3. Free to join: The affiliate program is free to join.
4. Integrates with Affilimate: Data integrates with Affilimate.

Cons:

1. Limited payment options: Payments are limited to PayPal or wire transfer.
2. First cookie wins: The “first cookie wins” cookie could lead to snipped commissions.

Best affiliate program for beginners

Feeling a bit lost? Still not sure where to start? No problem. Below you will find the list of the best affiliate marketing programs for beginners. They are very profitable and easy to run.

1. Eharmony. Dating vertical is a typical starting point for most affiliates. Offers from this niche are easier to promote than, for example, web hosting services that may require using some tech language. And Eharmony is a recognizable brand.
2. Coursera. The reasons for choosing this affiliate program are the same as above. Easy vertical and a recognizable brand, what more a newbie may ask for?
3. Clickbank. Although their UI falls behind the current design standards and may be hard to master, they have a lot of tools that are helpful for newbies. On top of that, the offers are all newbie-friendly.
4. CJ Affiliate. They are not the easiest platform to start with, for sure, but a lot of interesting offers should justify a steeper learning curve. 
5. Lemonads. With over 10,000 partners that include most recognizable high-tech companies, lemonads is a platform that is a great place to start for beginners that haven’t decided yout on the niche or vertical.

Affiliate Program FAQ

If you are not sure what cookie lifetime or affiliate commission is and how do these things matter, I will go over some affiliate program characteristics to address any doubts.

What is Affiliate Programs Commission?

The commission itself is usually a percentage of a sale. On some occasions, especially for web hosting products, the commission is a fixed price per sale.

There may be several additional factors that shape a commission of an affiliate marketer:

• The commission may increase if you sell more.
• There may be some promotions for new program joiners.
• The commission rate may be different for each product within one program: harder-to-sell products may have a higher commission.

Here’s the catch I’ve mentioned earlier: sometimes, often for metasearch engines such as Booking.com, the affiliate commission is calculated as a percentage of what this intermediary company (Booking.com in this example) earns, and not of what a customer pays. 

It’s not such a sweet deal anymore. Think about it:

If Booking.com brags about the 20% average commission rate, it is not of the $2000 price for a 5-star hotel in Bali, but of the percentage that this hotel pays to Booking.com.

Booking.com takes 15% of their partners’ earnings. In this example, it would be $300. Your final commission of the price a customer pays is around 3%.

But I’m not mad.

3% of the $2000 hotel is still $60 just for putting one link on a web page. I can live with this, so can other affiliates and so can you.

What matters in my ranking is the final percentage of what a customer pays.

What is Cookie lifetime?

The second crucial factor of each program is the referral cookie lifetime. This rather technical term describes the time window from the initial click to the purchase in which you are eligible for the commission. 

The rule of thumb is: the longer the time window the better for affiliates

A short cookie lifetime can make any program less appealing.

Take eBay.

An affiliate marketer can promote any product they have for a solid 5% commission. 

Sounds good?

Not with the absurd 1-day cookie lifetime.

It’s eBay, they have auctions. The majority of them last for 7 days. It means that someone would have to click your affiliate link and make a purchase on the last day of the auction. Otherwise, you don’t get any commission.

Affiliate programs still tend to use the cookie technology, not like trackers such as Voluum that has introduced the direct tracking method. A method that is immune to:

• clearing cookies
• changing browsers
• cookie dying out.

eBay is an exception from the average lifetime of 60 days. Pay close attention to the cookie lifetime policy when choosing an affiliate program. I know I did in my ranking.

Why do payout conditions of affiliate programs matter?

Companies usually pay their affiliates on a monthly basis, with a few exceptions. If cash flow is a problem, you may be interested in joining an affiliate program that pays up more often than the rest.

The other condition for a payout is the requirement to reach a certain amount of money. 

Yep, you not only have to earn something (and some companies even charge you if you don’t earn anything for a few months) but you have to earn above a certain threshold (usually $100) to access your money.

Companies don’t want to be bothered with small few-dollar payouts.

My ranking of the best affiliate programs rewards companies that make payouts more than once a month with extra points.

Take that, the majority of companies!

What are acceptance criteria?

Most companies welcome all affiliates. You just have to have any thematically-related web page that you may post their affiliate links on. But when some companies do impose restrictions they may do it with a bang.

The prime example is Airbnb. Their initial requirement for affiliates is to own a website that has at least one million visitors per month.

One million or they won’t even talk to you.

That’s where their generous (10% allegedly, although the exact value is kept a secret) comes from.

As I think that companies should give all affiliates a shot at promoting their stuff, I deducted some points based on the severity of acceptance criteria.

What business criteria I should take into consideration?

The points made above shine a light…

…shine… like the flashlight…. Get it? Here’s the link again: BUY NOW

Ok, moving on.

There are other things that matter but are harder to measure. The general business stuff such as:

• The size of a market. Most of the markets’ are worth millions or billions on a global scale. YoY growth is a much better indicator of market’s potential profitability. It’s not the size that matters, it’s the number of niches with low competition.
• The competition. Some competition is good, it is an indicator of a healthy market. But strong competition… yeah, you don’t need strong competition.
• Average EPC. This depends heavily on the market. For example, gaming computers and accessories cost a lot of money, so even a small percentage of commissions are worth a lot. 

How to track affiliate programs?

Even top paying affiliate programs need to be tracked to make sure that the audience you target responds well to the program you promote. 

Affiliate ad trackers such as Voluum can put your marketing efforts into hyperdrive mode, as they record and present all the important data that allow you to fine-tune:

• Traffic targeting options
• Ads and landing pages
• Campaign funnels

Moreover, Voluum allows you to automate various tasks to save you time to get more offers from our ranking. If you think that you don’t need an affiliate ad tracker, check out the article on how Voluum can help marketers with various use cases and scenarios.

What about referral programs?

A referral program is like an affiliate program. The goal is also to advertise a service, but this time, an advertisement is done by a service or product user, not by an external marketer.

Think about the platforms, services and applications affiliate marketers use. Many of them have referral programs. You can advertise them to your fellow marketers for some extra cash.

How do I create an affiliate marketing program?

It’s easy. If you have a product or a service of your own, you only need a way to track its success. You can use Voluum to create a partner network of your own. We know a thing or two about tracking!

Affiliate program opportunities to choose from

There are of course many more affiliate programs than just the ones I’ve listed. But the point was not to list them all but to find you the best affiliates programs from niches that are profitable even during or after pandemic.

All programs still should be tracked to correctly count your payouts. For that, I recommend Voluum – the best affiliate ad tracker on the market.