What is an Affiliate Network?

Hey there, savvy marketer! If you’re looking to boost your online income, you’ve probably heard the term “affiliate network” thrown around a lot. But what exactly is an affiliate network, and why should you care? Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s break it down together!

What is an Affiliate Network?

Simply put, an affiliate network is a service that connects brands with publishers (that’s you, the affiliate marketer). These publishers create content for blogs, social media, podcasts, and other channels, promoting products and earning commissions. The affiliate network acts as a middleman, making it easier for brands and publishers to find each other and work together seamlessly.

Why Brands Love Affiliate Networks

Brands often turn to affiliate networks when they:

• Need more outbound sales support: More affiliates mean more people promoting their products.
• Want to use their marketing budget efficiently: Pay-for-performance marketing ensures they only pay for actual sales or leads.
• Want to reach a new audience: Affiliates can tap into their unique audiences, bringing in new customers.

Why Publishers (Like You) Love Affiliate Networks

For publishers, affiliate networks are a goldmine because they:

• Provide a variety of programs: Instead of signing up for multiple individual affiliate programs, you get access to dozens (or even hundreds) of brands in one place.
• Simplify commission payouts: No more chasing down payments from multiple sources. The network handles it all.

How Do Affiliate Networks Work?

So, how does this all come together? Let’s walk through it.

1. Sign Up: As an affiliate, you start by signing up for an affiliate network. Some networks have admission criteria, like owning an active website or social media channel. Networks like AvantLink and ShareASale even perform a human review of your content.
2. Access Programs: Once you’re in, you get access to a plethora of affiliate programs. You can browse through different brands and choose the ones you want to promote.
3. Promote Products: After joining a program, you get unique affiliate links to share on your blog, social media, or other channels. When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.
4. Get Paid: The network handles tracking sales and paying out commissions, usually on a regular schedule.

Top 11 Affiliate Networks for Marketers

Ready to dive in? Here are some of the best affiliate networks out there:

1. Shopify Collabs
2. ShareASale
3. AWIN
4. ClickBank
5. FlexOffers
6. Avangate Affiliate Network
7. Rakuten Advertising
8. Impact
9. affiliaXe
10. GiddyUp
11. CJ Affiliate

Exploring the Top Affiliate Networks

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these networks and what they offer:

1. Shopify Collabs

Shopify Collabs is perfect for content creators and influencers looking to partner with successful Shopify brands. With at least 1,000 social media followers, you can find relevant brands, enter partnerships, and get affiliate links, automatic payouts, gifts, and discount codes to promote to your audience.

• Getting Paid: Automatic payments after a 30-day hold
• Payment Method: PayPal or bank transfer
• Affiliate Support: Yes

2. ShareASale

ShareASale is a free, reliable affiliate network with a vast selection of over 30,000 brands. Whether you’re a beginner blogger or an influencer, you can sign up with either a website or a social media account.

• Getting Paid: Every 1st or 15th of the month
• Payment Method: Bank account via Payoneer
• Affiliate Support: Yes

3. AWIN

AWIN, the owner of ShareASale, boasts more than 25,000 brands. It’s especially good for UK-based affiliates and offers great customer service.

• Getting Paid: Twice monthly, on the 1st and 15th
• Payment Method: BACS, international wire transfer, or ACH
• Affiliate Support: Yes

4. ClickBank

One of the oldest and most reliable affiliate marketing networks, ClickBank has paid out more than $6 billion in commissions since 1999. Signing up and getting verified on ClickBank doesn’t require you to provide a website or social media handle. Instead, you simply provide your contact information and you can start browsing the affiliate marketplace and generate links right away. ClickBank has a large selection of digital and physical products—more than 4,000 vetted items in total—so there are plenty of product categories to choose from. ClickBank also offers sales tracking tools and a resource center for ongoing affiliate support and opportunities to bolster revenue through upsales.

• Getting Paid: Weekly or bi-weekly
• Payment Method: Check, direct deposit, wire transfer, or Payoneer
• Affiliate Support: Yes

5. FlexOffers

With more than 10,000 advertisers, including household names like Samsung, Sephora, and Wayfair, FlexOffers provides an extensive affiliate network that includes partnerships with other platforms and affiliate networks such as AWIN, ClickBank, and ShareASale. Similar to other affiliate networks, FlexOffers accepts blogging websites, including WordPress, Wix, Blogger, and BlogSpot for traffic sources. It offers a cookie duration of 30 days.

FlexOffers is a good option for those who want to promote big brands, but it’s also a great option if you want to include smaller brands as part of your marketing strategy to maximize partnership opportunities.

• Getting Paid: Standard payouts are net 60; an advanced payment option is available but may incur a fee
• Payment Method: Bank transfer, wire transfer, ACH, check, or PayPal
• Affiliate Support: Yes

6. Avangate Affiliate Network

Founded in 2006, Avangate Affiliate Network is home to more than 1,200 affiliates. If your niche focuses on software or digital products, this network can help you build passive income from product promotion. Note that Avangate requires affiliates to have a website. What helps set Avangate Affiliate Network apart from its competition is that it offers publishers the ability to use a geo-targeted shopping cart. That means if you’re trying to reach a specific market location, you can “deep link” them directly to a localized cart.

• Getting Paid: Monthly, 20 days from the end of the month for which the commission is due
• Payment Method: Wire transfer, check, PayPal, or Avangate Mastercard (in partnership with Payoneer) after reaching a $100 threshold
• Affiliate Support: Yes

7. Rakuten Advertising

Rakuten Advertising has more than 25,000 advertisers, publishers, and marketing agencies. For brands, the affiliate marketing network offers innovative tools such as Affiliate Conversion Journey, which provides transparency in the user journey through the funnel and conversions. Meanwhile, publishers gain access to tools such as Audience Engine, which supports personalizing for your audience to drive more sales.

Participating brands include:

• Hilton
• Ashley Furniture
• JanSport
• ASICS
• AllSaints
• Getting Paid: Net 60 days
• Payment Method: Direct deposit, check, or PayPal
• Affiliate Support: Yes

8. Impact

Impact was voted the best cost-per-sale affiliate network of 2024 in North America, offering affiliates the chance to partner with an array of brands, including Adidas, Fabletics, L’Oréal, and American Express. You can also find partnerships with technology brands such as Shopify.

The network has garnered more than 800 reviews on G2, which include callouts for its partnership development. Another plus for Impact and its network? There is a Mobile App Partner Marketplace to help publishers optimize for mobile traffic and bolster revenue. It also offers a suite of automation tools to help affiliates manage their partnerships.

• Getting Paid: Customizable by day or threshold, or on the 1st or 15th of the month
• Payment Method: Direct deposit, BACS (bank transfer), or PayPal
• Affiliate Support: Yes

9. affiliaXe

Marketing affiliate network affiliaXe, a global network, offers affiliates tools to strengthen their rankings and get insights into their traffic. The affiliate dashboard tracks clicks, conversions, invoices, and more. Approved affiliates also gain access to a dedicated affiliate manager that can help curate the best programs for them, based on their audience. Brands receive support through the network’s vast offerings of anti-fraud systems and screening tools to ensure campaign integrity—and collaborations include experienced affiliates.

AffiliaXe offers diverse traffic monetization options, such as pay per view, pay per click, social media, and email marketing/feeds.

• Getting Paid: Bi-weekly, on the 15th and end of the month, with a payout threshold of $100
• Payment Method: PayPal, Payoneer, ACH, checks, or bank wire via Tipalti
• Affiliate Support: Yes

10. GiddyUp

GiddyUp is an affiliate network platform dedicated to helping you make money online, whether that’s from your website or social media platform. Since 2013, GiddyUp has paid more than $200 million in commissions to its affiliate partners. As a new affiliate, GiddyUp can help you maximize your earnings with innovative tools and real-time data. An affiliate partner manager will also help answer all of your digital marketing questions. You’ll get access to fresh creative assets such as videos, images, and campaign copy, no matter what channel you’re driving traffic from.

GiddyUp has completed more than 150 direct-to-consumer (DTC) product launches across a variety of verticals. So if you’re interested in promoting physical products, GiddyUp may be a good fit.

• Getting Paid: Request information from GiddyUp
• Payment Method: ACH, check, or foreign bank transfers
• Affiliate Support: Yes

11. CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate features over 3,800 brands globally. You’ll need to complete several steps to create an account, including filling in your contact information and adding your promotional property (website or social media accounts).

• Getting Paid: Commissions are generally paid on the 20th or 28th
• Payment Method: Direct deposit or Payoneer
• Affiliate Support: Yes

Conclusion

Affiliate networks are a fantastic way to start earning money online. They offer a wide range of programs, simplified commission payouts, and the opportunity to partner with some amazing brands. So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring these top affiliate networks today and see which ones fit your content or brand best. With the right strategy, affiliate marketing can become a lucrative earning opportunity. Happy earning!