In my previous article: what is Affiliate Marketing, I introduced Affiliate Marketing for independent websites and discussed two methods for creating an affiliate program. Today, I want to delve into one of those methods: where to find the best affiliate networks and platforms to create your affiliate program by joining one of them.
Affiliate marketing is a prevalent and effective strategy for promoting online stores. Many e-commerce websites, in addition to advertising on Google, use these platforms to promote their products. Today, I’ve compiled a list of ten platforms, most operating on a CPA (Cost Per Action) model, though the focus is primarily on CPS (Cost Per Sale). Take a look and see if any of these might be a good fit for you.
This is not a ranking, and I’ve only used a few of these platforms myself. However, they are all very well-known, with companies like Walmart, Aliexpress, and Microsoft using some of them to create affiliate marketing programs for product promotion.
The advantage of creating an affiliate program on these platforms, rather than setting it up yourself with affiliate systems or plugins, is that you don’t need to recruit affiliates. These platforms have thousands of promoters, and as long as your product commissions are reasonable and attractive, you’ll start getting orders quickly.
If we’re talking about the largest affiliate network, Amazon certainly comes to mind. However, Amazon only supports affiliate marketing for its platform products and doesn’t accept third-party websites’ products. Therefore, Amazon Affiliates won’t be covered here.
1. impact.com
Impact is a powerful affiliate platform with a strong presence. It’s a platform with big-name brands, including TikTok, Hubspot, SEMrush, Levi’s, Lenovo, and many others! In this era of global economic downturn, this company has managed to thrive against the trend. Currently, Impact is likely the largest affiliate platform supporting third-party merchants, as I’ve personally seen many businesses switch over from other platforms.
Impact also supports affiliate marketing through mobile apps, enhancing closed-loop sales within the app. If your company has its own app, this is an excellent choice. Users can be directed to specific locations within the app through a single link. If they haven’t installed your app yet, they’ll be redirected to the mobile web or the app store. You can even set up incentives to encourage affiliates to drive app installations, thereby boosting your installation rates. This ties into the CPI (Cost Per Install) concept we discussed in previous articles.
You can request a demo trial, after which a dedicated service representative will contact you. They’ll likely offer a customized plan and pricing based on the scale of your business. Impact has offices in many countries. Here is the Pricing plan for the affiliate program on Impact:
| Starter | Essentials | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30/mo | $500/mo | $2500/mo | Contact sales for pricing |
| Basic Features | Everything from Starter, plus Unlimited Premium Features | Everything from Essentials, plus Dedicated Features |
It is recommended to first contact Impact’s customer support for more details and to try out their demo.
According to feedback from several users, Impact seems to be better suited for companies with a certain level of scale. As for whether it’s suitable for smaller companies, that would depend on the features required and your budget. Since the pricing isn’t readily available, you can start by requesting a trial and then negotiate with them. Small businesses should still be able to find suitable options.
2. Shareasale
ShareASale is a very well-known global affiliate network platform. Originally founded in North America, it has grown steadily over the years. In 2017, it was acquired by a new company, Awin. That’s right—Awin was established in 2017 through the merger of a German affiliate marketing platform and a UK-based affiliate platform. Shortly after its formation, Awin quickly acquired ShareASale, making it now a multinational affiliate network. They boast over 210,000 affiliate members, and according to official data, transactions through ShareASale have exceeded an astounding $12 billion.
For merchants who wish to promote their products on ShareASale, you can click on the “Merchants” tab on the homepage to register. Let’s take a look at the costs involved for merchants joining ShareASale:
| One-time network access fee | Deposit | Transaction Fee & Monthly Fees |
| $550 | $100 This fee is used to pay commissions to publishers/affiliates and cover other commissionable actions when the merchant hasn’t paid the publishers on time. | In addition to the commission you pay to affiliates/publishers, there is a 20% fee on top of that. For instance, if you set the commission for product promotion at 5%, you’ll need to pay an additional 1% transaction fee to ShareASale for each sale made. The monthly fee is $35, but if your transaction fees with ShareASale reach $35, this fee is waived. If it falls short, you will be charged the difference up to $35. |
The fees include the cost of ShareASale helping you create an affiliate program and setting up a dedicated affiliate program page for your website. While the initial fee might seem high, as you continue reading, you’ll realize that their rates are quite reasonable.
The transaction fee is 1% of the commission or a flat $35, and of course, you’ll also need to pay commissions to affiliates/publishers, as this is the nature of affiliate marketing. It may seem high at first glance, but if you compare it to Amazon’s fees, you’ll see that this is quite low. For most products, like clothing, a 5% sales commission is enough to attract many affiliates to help you sell your products.
Once you activate the Merchant Affiliate Program on Shareasale, the platform will list your company, brand, and website information in its merchant directory. This means that when any of their 210,000 affiliates search for your brand or product keywords, your information will be displayed, and interested parties can apply to join your affiliate program.
Additionally, you can place your Affiliate Program page directly on your website and highlight your advantages, such as commission rates, payout timelines, etc. This way, you can attract users to register and obtain exclusive links to promote your products.
From a pricing perspective, ShareASale is very suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. However, given the platform’s capabilities, it’s also a good fit for large brands, companies, and organizations. For small to medium-sized businesses that learn website building from this site, I highly recommend ShareASale.
3. Awin
Awin, as mentioned above when introducing ShareASale, was formed in 2017 through the merger of Germany’s Zanox and the UK’s Affiliate Window, and later acquired ShareASale, showing that Awin is a force to be reckoned with. According to Awin’s data, it slightly outperforms ShareASale in all areas. However, as ShareASale’s parent company, this isn’t a significant advantage since it’s essentially combined data from both companies.
Since Awin is now ShareASale’s parent company, it makes sense to introduce this platform after discussing ShareASale. If your primary market is in Europe, Awin might be the right platform for you, as it could be the largest affiliate network in Europe.
Awin’s fees vary by region, with specific costs not listed for North America. Here are the fees for Europe:
| Monthly Fee | Transaction Fee |
| €75/month + VAT Some regions offer the first month free. The contract only requires a three-month commitment, which isn’t long, so if you find it unsuitable, you can cancel after three months. | In addition to the commission you pay to affiliates, there is a 30% transaction fee. For example, if you set a 5% commission, you would need to pay an additional 1.5% transaction fee to Awin for each sale. |
I couldn’t find any additional discounts on the monthly fee on Awin’s website. From the overview, it looks similar to ShareASale—once your sales increase, ShareASale effectively waives the monthly fee, and Awin likely has similar terms. You can contact Awin’s customer service for more details.
Based on the current pricing information, Awin is very suitable for small to medium-sized businesses looking to start their affiliate programs. It’s also a good fit for larger merchants; for instance, Etsy has established its affiliate program on Awin.
4. Cj Affiliate(Commission Junction)
CJ Affiliate, formerly known as Commission Junction, was founded in 1998 and is one of the most established affiliate marketing platforms. In fact, they were already active when the concept of affiliate marketing first started gaining popularity online.
Many major companies have a strong presence on CJ, such as the well-known domain registrar GoDaddy, and even Google, which promotes Google Workspace through the CJ platform. Overall, CJ handles slightly more volume than ShareASale, with annual sales reaching around $14 billion.
Like Impact.com, CJ doesn’t have a specific fee structure listed for merchants. However, you can start by registering a free account and submitting your information. They will then assess your business and provide a customized fee based on your scale.
One of CJ’s advantages is that it has large organizations like CNN and BuzzFeed as affiliates. This means that if your product is profitable and attractive enough, it might even get promoted on platforms like CNN. In any case, you can start by signing up for an account, reach out to them to learn more about the fees, and then make a decision.
The business model of CJ is similar to ShareASale and Impact, though it seems that CJ has been somewhat outpaced by Impact and ShareASale in recent years. This could be due to a lack of innovation or other factors.
5. Admitad
Admitad is a German affiliate marketing platform that was initially established in Germany in 2009. It later expanded by opening an office in Belarus and then further into Russia. Now, it has over 20 offices worldwide, with a primary focus on Russian-speaking regions, the Middle East, and Europe, though its market has likely expanded further. Alibaba’s AliExpress conducts its affiliate marketing on this platform, though AliExpress also has its own affiliate marketing system.
You need to register an account with them to find out the costs. If your main business is in Russia or Russian-speaking regions, this platform is definitely one of the best affiliate marketing options available. The latest data shows that Admitad has over 800,000 affiliates promoting products, with sales exceeding $5 billion in 2020. This is quite impressive, especially considering that the platform has been around for a shorter time compared to some of the major affiliate marketing platforms in the U.S.
For those targeting the Russian and Middle Eastern markets, Admitad is worth considering. To get accurate pricing, it’s best to register an account and consult with their customer service.
6. Clickbank – for single-product
ClickBank is a very well-known and long-established online affiliate platform, and it’s one of the largest single-product affiliate marketing platforms in the world. The platform offers a wide range of products, including both physical and digital goods, for promotion. ClickBank has a global network of affiliates, with hundreds of thousands of members promoting products through various channels.
When sellers join ClickBank, their products undergo a review process, and there is a fee involved before they can start promoting. Here are the details for individual product fees:
| Product Approval (First-time product certification) | Sales/Stocking Fee (Sales + Fixed Fee) |
| $49.95 (One-time fee after product approval) | 7.5% + $1.00 per sale |
As shown above, the initial product certification fee is $49.95. After that, adding more products doesn’t incur additional fees, though there is a limit of 500 different products. However, they allow you to open multiple merchant accounts, with the second one costing $29.95 as a one-time fee.
In recent years, ClickBank has also introduced a new model:cost-per-action (CPA), moving closer to platforms like Impact.com and ShareASale. In addition to individual products, they now support the inclusion of brands and the creation of brand affiliate programs.
If you want to set up an affiliate program page on your website through ClickBank, you can do so via this link: https://go.clickbank.com/affiliate-program-guide, where you can leave your email to contact their service team.
However, for brand affiliate programs, I would still recommend Impact.com and ShareASale over ClickBank, which is more advantageous for individual product promotions.
7. Rakuten Advertising
Rakuten Group is likely familiar to most people. It’s a major Japanese conglomerate with Rakuten supermarkets located in many countries around the world. In addition to running a marketplace, Rakuten also has its own affiliate marketing platform, which allows third-party merchants to join, which is Rakuten Advertising.
However, it currently only supports nine countries, including Japan, five Western European countries(United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy), the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Rakuten Advertising operates similarly to Impact.com and ShareASale, supporting both brands and merchants in joining directly. Like Impact.com, Rakuten’s website does not list specific pricing, as it likely offers flexible pricing based on the size of the business. You can provide your information through their website to contact customer service and get a detailed quote.
8. PartnerStack – for SaaS and B2B system
PartnerStack is a modern affiliate marketing and partnership management platform designed to help SaaS companies and other B2B businesses grow through partnerships. Founded in 2015, PartnerStack is known for its user-friendly interface and robust features, making it easier for businesses to recruit, manage, and incentivize affiliates, resellers, and other types of partners.
PartnerStack supports a wide range of partnership models, including affiliate marketing, referral programs, and reseller partnerships. It integrates seamlessly with other business tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Stripe, making it easy to incorporate into existing workflows.
I didn’t see PartnerStack list their prices on the website, as they also use a flexible pricing model. To get precise pricing, it’s recommended to contact PartnerStack directly or request a demo through their website. This approach allows businesses to receive customized quotes based on their specific requirements and expected usage.
If you’re considering PartnerStack for your affiliate marketing needs, this personalized pricing can be beneficial, ensuring you only pay for what you actually use.
Overall, PartnerStack is an excellent choice for companies looking to leverage partnerships to drive growth, especially in the B2B sector.
9. Adsterra
Adsterra is a European affiliate marketing platform that was established in Cyprus in 2013, but it operates globally, making it a relatively new player in the market. Currently, it has around 18,000+ affiliates, and their products generate over 1 billion impressions per day on average, which is quite an impressive figure.
Merchants can promote their products on Adsterra using various models, including CPC (Cost Per Click), CPM (Cost Per Mille), CPL (Cost Per Lead), CPI (Cost Per Install), and CPA (Cost Per Action). If you’re opting for affiliate marketing, choosing CPA is sufficient, as it’s a more reliable model. The pricing for each model varies, and you’ll need to register an account to find out the specific costs. For those targeting a global market, Adsterra is a good option if you prefer a European platform over an American one.
10. JVZoo
JVZoo is another platform similar to ClickBank, focusing on individual products. It allows you to easily add products, though they still need to go through an approval process. Overall, the process for account registration and product promotion is much more lenient compared to ClickBank.
For certain niche markets, this platform can be a good choice. However, because of its leniency, JVZoo has attracted over 800,000 affiliates, making it feel more like a general marketplace, with products from various industries, and a significant portion being digital products, including some highly technical software and tools.
Looking at JVZoo’s fees, it’s clear that if you’re just promoting products, it’s one of the most affordable options compared to the other platforms mentioned:
| Network Access Fee (Account Opening Fee) | JVZoo Member (Affiliate Program Fee) | Transaction Fees |
| $0 | $397/year or $47/month (only required if you want to set up an affiliate program on your website to manage all your affiliates and products, otherwise not necessary) | 5% per transaction |
JVZoo operates similarly to ClickBank but with much lower barriers to entry. For small companies or individual merchants, this can be an excellent platform to start with, especially since there are no upfront fees. I personally recommend it for beginners.
JVZoo also supports brand entry and allows merchants to create their own affiliate programs. However, if you’re considering using JVZoo to establish your own affiliate marketing program, you might want to think twice. The platform has a low entry barrier, but its features may not be as robust as those offered by other platforms. For beginners or small sellers looking to do brand affiliate marketing, I would still recommend ShareASale as a more reliable option.
Conclusion
Based on our research, Impact, ShareASale, and CJ are among the leading affiliate marketing platforms in the U.S. that cater primarily to small and medium-sized businesses and brands. Most of these platforms operate globally. If you have a large number of products, you can choose one of these three based on your specific needs. However, if you have fewer products and are focused on a niche market (such as virtual products, weight loss, fitness, etc.), ClickBank and JVZoo might be better options. In Europe, Awin is the best choice, while in Asia, Rakuten is commonly used for promotion.
Some of you might still feel that the costs are high, but the advantage of affiliate marketing is that you don’t have to promote the products yourself—you pay commissions only after sales are made. Although there is an upfront fee, which might seem like a few hundred dollars, it’s actually lower than many other costs in the long run. Moreover, you could save money by learning how to build your website through my site and then invest those savings into affiliate marketing, which could be a smart choice. For example, the fees for ShareASale are affordable for most small and medium-sized businesses.
