Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize your site’s traffic – but with hundreds of affiliate programs to choose from, how do you decide which ones are worth your time?
That’s where our handy list comes in.
We’ve hand-picked the affiliate programs with the best reputations and highest payout potential. These companies offer competitive commission rates across major niches, including software, e-commerce, and more.
Whether you’re an experienced affiliate marketer or a beginner, this list will make it easy to identify partners aligned with your brand and audience.
So, save yourself hours of research, bookmark this list, and use it when you need fresh ideas on lucrative affiliate programs to join.
How Backlinko Can Help You
To truly succeed as an affiliate marketer, you’ll need to master some key digital marketing skills – especially search engine optimization (SEO).
That’s why we’ve created in-depth guides to help you, including:
The Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing
How to Learn SEO
How to Create an Effective SEO Strategy
How to Conduct Keyword Research (+ a Free Tool)
How to Get High Quality Backlinks
Implementing what you learn can help your website or blog rank higher and drive more qualified traffic. This means more commissions earned.
Top Affiliate Programs
Deciding on the best affiliate program doesn’t have to be tough. But “the best” is subjective.
For each of the programs below, we considered the commission rates, cookie duration, perks, and who it is best for to help you decide which program to sign up for.
1. Semrush
Industry: Marketing
Best for: Agencies, publishers, course creators, paid search specialists
Commission rate: $200 per sale, plus $10 for referrals to the free trial
Cookie duration: 120 days
URL: Semrush affiliate program
Perks: Proven high-converting marketing materials; Extra-bonus incentives; Dedicated support team
Semrush is an all-in-one digital marketing tool designed to enhance your online visibility and unveil valuable marketing insights. Marketers can leverage Semrush’s wide range of toolkits to help them with their:
SEO
PPC advertising
Social Media Management
Keyword research
Competitive analysis
PR
Content marketing and campaign management
Trusted by over 10 million users globally, Semrush is a no-brainer for marketers. So hopping on board with their affiliate program just makes sense.
The commission structure is very generous. If one of your referred visitors starts a free trial or makes a purchase, you get a hefty commission:
$10 for the free trial
$200 for each sale
And with a 120-day cookie length (meaning if someone signs up for a subscription within 120 days of clicking your affiliate link), the odds of converting your audience is high.
As it is such a great affiliate marketing program, Semrush doesn’t just allow anyone to sign up. You must meet the following criteria:
Website with a minimum of 1,000 monthly visitors, or
Social media page with at least 1,000 organic followers or likes
With Semrush being an SEO tool, they also keep a keen eye on the construction of the websites that wish to sign up, including the keyword rankings, content frequency, relevance, audience, and traffic sources. You’ll only be approved if your content is relevant to the Semrush tool.
2. Amazon Associates
Industry: e-commerce
Best for: e-commerce businesses, beginner affiliate marketers
Commission rate: Up to 10% on sales
Cookie duration: 24 hours
URL: Amazon Associates
Perks: International brand; More than 385 million products to choose from; Simple affiliate dashboard
The Amazon Associates program is without a doubt one of the largest affiliate marketing programs in the world.
If you’ve ever spent any amount of time on Amazon, you know there are millions of products on the site.
Associates can easily tap into this affiliate network and use Amazon’s link-building tools to direct their readers to their recommended products.
If your readers make a purchase, you get to earn up to 10% commissions.
So, if you can find something on Amazon to sell, you can earn money.
There’s a caveat though:
Your site must have original content (at least 10 posts)
Your site must be publicly available (not locked behind a paywall)
You can’t have any harmful, false, or obscene content on your site
Amazon also offers an Influencer Program. This program extends the affiliate program to social media influencers. You get the same benefits, as well as an Amazon page (called a “storefront”) where you can showcase your recommended products.
3. Shopify
Industry: e-commerce
Best for: Bloggers, course instructors, influencers with a business-minded audience, video marketers
Commission rate: Up to $150
Cookie duration: 30 days
URL: Shopify affiliate program
Perks: Trusted brand; Great marketing tools
Shopify is the go-to e-commerce website. It hosts millions of retailers from over 175 countries, including major brands like Kylie Cosmetics, Fashion Nova, Nestlé, Staples, and Redbull.
Since Shopify is such a Big Deal, they’ve got some strict requirements for their affiliate marketers.
To be eligible for the Shopify affiliate program you need to:
Manage your own website
Have an up-to-date site
Create original content
Have prior experience with Shopify or other e-commerce platforms
With Shopify, you’re able to earn as much as $150 for any full-priced plan referrals. The actual amount will depend on the merchant’s location.
They’re a little bit hush on the actual commission structure, but $150 per referral sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
4. HubSpot
Industry: Digital marketing; CRM
Best for: Saas reviewers, content creators, digital educators
Commission rate: Up to 30% recurring commission
Cookie duration: 180 days
URL: HubSpot Affiliates
Perks: Dedicated support team; Vast library with more than 400 promotional assets and training guides; Performance Reports
HubSpot offers digital marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) services to help businesses grow.
HubSpot really takes care of their affiliate marketers.
This affiliate program is unique since HubSpot has a tiered affiliate structure:
HubSpot affiliate: Earn a 30% recurring commission for a year, as well as a $80 welcome bonus.
Super affiliate (after 100-200 monthly signups): Earn the same bonuses as a HubSpot affiliate, as well as additional bonuses, access to giveaways, and guest blogging opportunities.
Elite affiliate (more than 200 signups/month): Receive a custom commission, detailed performance reports, check-ins with a dedicated affiliate manager, and co-branded landing pages.
The more signups you refer, the better the rewards.
The only downside is that you won’t be getting your audience to click on your referral links every day. HubSpot’s prices come at a premium – e.g. their Marketing Hub costs a minimum of $800 a month – and people need a lot of convincing to purchase these premium services.
5. Elementor
Industry: Website building
Best for: Marketers, bloggers, entrepreneurs, small business owners
Commission rate: Up to 50% on new sales
Cookie duration: 90 days
URL: Elementor affiliate program
Perks: Professional support; Creative library for marketing campaigns; Very active affiliate marketing community
Elementor is a popular WordPress page builder plugin that enables users to create and customize websites with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. The plugin is widely used by website developers and designers to create responsive and visually appealing websites.
And in the current era where almost everyone has a website, this is an affiliate marketing niche that’s sure to convert.
With the Elementor affiliate program, you get to earn up to 50% cost-per-action (CPA) for each new sale. High-volume affiliates can even earn custom rates – so the more conversions you earn, the better.
Elementor targets its affiliate program at:
Content creators
Web educators
Digital entrepreneurs
WordPress developers
Marketers and agencies
But you’re also encouraged to reach out to them if you offer something unique.
What makes Elementor great is the variety of products on offer, including website building, WordPress hosting, and Elementor AI.
This gives you an increased chance to convert your users through your affiliate link.
Their most popular product, the Expert Plan for the Page Builder Plugin, is $199/year. So sell a couple of those, and the 50% commission will result in some nice extra money in your pocket.
It’s worth noting that there is a minimum payment threshold of $200.
6. Capitalist Exploits
Industry: Finance and investing
Best for: Financial bloggers
Commission rate: Up to 50% revenue share
Cookie duration: 365 days
URL: Capitalists Exploits Partners Program
Perks: Dedicated partner manager; Video guides; Product samples to promote
Capitalist Exploits recommends unique investments and trading strategies to their users. They do this through selling their two newsletters: Insider and Resource Insider.
What’s in it for you?
Up to $1,750 per sale.
In fact, they report minimum earnings of $750 per sale thanks to their 50% revenue share commission rate. The 365-day cookie duration makes this an extra lucrative affiliate program.
There’s an Individual and Corporate Partner Program on offer. The main difference is that corporate partners receive more bespoke content and guidance to introduce Capitalist Exploit’s products into their existing range of offerings.
Capitalist Exploits have such a tempting program because they prefer to spend all their time researching investment opportunities, leaving the marketing campaigns to their affiliates. A real win-win, if you ask me.
Affiliate payments are only processed through PayPal, and there is a minimum payment threshold set at $100.
If you’re looking for other financial products to promote, check out our list of top financial affiliate programs.
7. Skyscanner
Industry: Travel
Best for: Travel bloggers
Commission rate: Up to 20% on bookings
Cookie duration: 30 days
URL: Skyscanner Partners
Perks: Trusted brand; Helpful tools for integration (text links; widgets; banners)
Skyscanner is one of the go-to sites for all things travel. More than 100 million avid travelers visit the site each month to plan their flights, book hotels, and sort out their car rentals.
What does this mean for you as an affiliate marketer?
Each time someone books through your link, you can earn up to 20% of the booking fee.
And with more than 1,200 supply partners in 180 countries, you’ll definitely find an offering that will appeal to your audience.
But, Skyscanner doesn’t just let anyone with a website join the affiliate program. You need:
A working website with HTTPS status
5,000 or more visitors each month
Up-to-date and relevant content
Good user experience
If you happen to tick all these boxes, then I believe Skyscanner is one of the best affiliate marketing programs for travel content creators.
8. AWeber
Industry: Email marketing
Best for: Experienced affiliate marketers
Commission rate: Up to 50% recurring
Cookie duration: 365 days
URL: AWeber Customer Referral Program
Perks: Plenty of resources and newsletters; Real-time tracking of your stats; Free to join.
AWeber is one of those high-ticket affiliate programs aimed at affiliate marketers who really know their stuff. If you approach your affiliate marketing correctly, you can earn big bucks.
AWeber is an email marketing and automation platform. Their services and tools are used by entrepreneurs and business owners to connect with their audiences.
The AWeber Customer Referral Program is aimed at those who want to help their audience succeed with their email marketing efforts.
If you recommend less than 10 new accounts, you earn 30% recurring commissions. Recommended between 10 and 50 accounts? That’s a nice 40% commission waiting for you. And if you’re able to convert more than 50 users to sign up for a 12-month subscription at AWeber, you’ll earn the desired 50% commission.
Here’s an example to show you why this is considered a high-ticket affiliate program:
If you get 50 people to sign up for $29.99 a month, and they remain subscribed, you get to pocket $9,000 for the year.
Amazing.
9. ConvertKit
Industry: Email marketing
Best for: Bloggers; Content creators
Commission rate: Up to 30% recurring
Cookie duration: 90 days
URL: ConvertKit affiliate program
Perks: Trusted brand; Resources for affiliates; Integration tools
ConvertKit is another email marketing platform.
This site allows users to increase their customer base through the creation of landing pages, forms, and email drip campaigns.
There is a massive need for this kind of service, which makes it an easy product to promote.
ConvertKit’s affiliate program pays you a 30% commission recurring for 24 months each time someone becomes a paying customer through your affiliate link (and remains subscribed).
Their pricing ranges from $9/month to over $2,000/month, so the potential to earn a lot of income is there.
10. Unbounce
Industry: e-commerce, SaaS, digital marketing
Best for: Marketers; Agencies
Commission rate: Up to 35% recurring
Cookie duration: 60 days
URL: Unbounce Partner Program
Perks: Dedicated affiliate managers; Dashboard to track real-time progress; Promotional and training materials
Unbounce is an incredibly popular landing page platform. Some major companies that use Unbounce in their tech stacks include LinkedIn, KAYAK, edX, and Hootsuite.
Impressive.
By signing up for the Unbounce Partner Program, you get to earn 25-35%% each time one of your referrals pays their Unbounce account.
Your referrals will also receive a 20% discount on their first three months.
Everybody wins.
Unbounce specifically targets its affiliate program at:
Agencies or marketers
Bloggers or content creators with a marketing audience
Users of Unbounce
11. Typeform
Industry: Surveys and forms
Best for: Content creators; Bloggers
Commission rate: $20 fixed and 15% monthly
Cookie duration: Not disclosed
URL: Typeform Partners
Perks: Helpful marketing materials; Uses PartnerStack as their platform (a trusted and user-friendly program)
Are you looking for an affiliate program for beginners? Look no further than Typeform.
Not only do they offer a rewarding commission structure, but the surveys and forms are quite easy to market.
You’ll earn an instant $20 as soon as someone uses your affiliate link to subscribe to a paid plan. Then, for each month they remain subscribed, you’ll earn 15% of their subscription fee. Easy money without any effort.
Typeform is super versatile. It can be used to create surveys, quizzes, lead generation forms, contact forms, videos, and data collection. The service is also quite cheap, with the Basic plan priced at $25/month.
12. Brevo
Industry: Digital marketing
Best for: Publishers, bloggers in email marketing niche
Commission rate: ~$5 (€5) per free account referral; ~$100 (€100) per paid subscription
Cookie duration: 90 days
URL: Brevo Affiliates
Perks: PayPal or bank transfer payments; Tracking through PartnerStack
Brevo was formerly known as Sendinblue.
It’s an all-in-one customer relationship management (CRM) tool that can automate marketing efforts through emails, SMS, and WhatsApp.
It’s safe to say, a lot of people might be interested in Brevo’s offerings.
Their payouts are in euros, but any blogger, content creator, influencer, or publisher who owns a business is eligible – even if you’re in the US.
You can earn €5 each time someone signs up for a free product through your link. And if they subscribe to a paid plan, you’ll earn an added €100. Not bad, especially with the euro-to-dollar conversion rate (that’s $107 USD).
Because this is one of the best affiliate programs, Brevo doesn’t just let anyone sign up. Each application is individually assessed and approved, and must comply with the following rules:
The website must generate traffic
For companies, applications must come from someone who works for or owns the company
No pyramid schemes or multi-level marketing
No self-help or get-rich courses
These requirements are pretty easy to comply with, in our opinion.
However, it’s important to note that there is a minimum payment threshold of $100.
13. CJ Affiliate
Industry: Affiliate network
Best for: Content creators, bloggers, entrepreneurs
Commission rate: Depends on merchant
Cookie duration: Depends on merchant
URL: CJ Affiliate
Perks: Trusted by major global brands; Lots of resources
CJ Affiliate was previously known as Commission Junction. CJ is one of the largest and oldest affiliate networks in the world, helping affiliate marketers connect with global brands.
CJ is used by major brands, including CNN, Barnes & Noble, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Office Depot. You’ll be able to work with a brand in almost any niche.
Although there is a slight difference between affiliate networks and programs, CJ Affiliates kind of acts like both.
You can either partner with a single brand, allowing CJ to act as an affiliate program, or connect with various brands in the network.
14. GetResponse
Industry: CRM, email marketing, website design
Best for: Marketing consultants, bloggers who publish content for SMEs and freelancers
Commission rate: 33% recurring or $100 per sale
Cookie duration: 120 days
URL: GetResponse Affiliate Program
Perks: Discounts on GetResponse tools; Full suite of selling materials
GetResponse offers marketing, CRM, webinar hosting, and automation tools. These products are relatively easy to market if your audience includes freelancers or small-medium business owners.
There are two affiliate programs to choose from:
Affiliate Recurring Program: Receive 33% recurring commissions per month.
Affiliate Bounty Program: Earn up to $100 per sale.
With 12-month plan prices going as high as $999/month, 33% is a substantial commission amount.
The program provides affiliate marketers with all the tools they require to create successful marketing campaigns, including selling guides, content materials, and banner ads.
15. Pabbly
Industry: Marketing
Best for: Website owners, social media experts, bloggers with audiences interested in email marketing
Commission rate: Up to 30% commission lifetime recurring
Cookie duration: 365 days
URL: Pabbly Affiliate Program
Perks: Large affiliate community; Useful dashboard to track sales; Can promote Pabbly on social media, YouTube, websites, or newsletters
Pabbly offers business management and marketing tools, including:
Workflow automation
Form building
Email marketing and verification
App integration
Subscription-billing
As an affiliate marketer, you’re able to earn up to 30% recurring commission… forever.
That’s right.
For each sale you bring, you will earn a lifetime commission.
Amazing.
Pabbly’s products are priced from $47 to $379 per month, meaning you can earn up to $113.70 per month for a single subscription, for the rest of your life.
If your content is within the B2B niche, then Pabbly can be a lucrative affiliate program for you.
16. Constant Contact
Industry: Email marketing
Best for: Bloggers and content creators in the SME niche
Commission rate: $105 for new sign-ups
Cookie duration: 120 days
URL: Constant Contact Affiliate Program
Perks: Wide range of promotional resources; Dedicated program managers; Reliable tracking and reporting
Constant Contact provides email marketing tools specifically aimed at small businesses and entrepreneurs – of which there are a lot. If this sounds like the people in your audience, then this affiliate program is a good option to earn some extra income.
Each time someone new signs up to Constant Contact using your referral link, you’ll earn a fixed $105. There’s no cap on commissions, so the more successful referrals you have, the more you’ll earn.
You can promote any of the following Constant Contact tools to your users:
Facebook and Instagram ads
Email marketing automation
e-commerce tools
Leadpages integration
17. Systeme.io
Industry: Online business building platform
Best for: Video marketers, content creators, bloggers
Commission rate: Up to 60% lifetime commissions
Cookie duration: 365 days
URL: Systeme.io Affiliate Program
Perks: No requirements to join; Strong affiliate tracking
Systeme.io is a marketing tool that helps audiences launch successful businesses. It offers products to launch, manage, and grow online businesses.
With more than 500,000 users happy with Systeme.io, it won’t be too hard to market their products.
These products include:
The free plan (which can convert into paying customers, earning you a commission)
Annual plans
Lead magnets
Online courses
When you successfully market the Systeme.io tools and courses, you’ll be able to earn up to 60% on the amount of the sales, although their online courses only offer a 50% commission.
The Unlimited plan costs $97/month, which means you stand to earn up to $58.20 per month for a single sale.
18. Instapage
Industry: Landing page creator
Best for: Content creators and bloggers with an SME audience
Commission rate: 50% for the first month, then 30% recurring
Cookie duration: 120 days
URL: Instapage Partner Program
Perks: Integration tools; Large affiliate community for collaboration
Instapage is one of the best landing page creators on the market, with brands from across the world using the platform.
And they readily use affiliates to market their products.
Affiliate marketers will receive a 50% commission for each new sale as part of the revenue share commission structure. After that, you’ll earn 30% recurring for every month.
With Instapage’s prices ranging from $79 to $239 per month, you can quickly make some healthy profits by getting a couple of people to convert.
19. Leadpages
Industry: Website and landing page builder
Best for: Bloggers with content aimed at freelancers and startups
Commission rate: Up to 50%
Cookie duration: 90 days
URL: Leadpages Affiliate Program
Perks: Promotion assets; Training materials
Leadpages offers tools to help its users create websites and high-converting landing pages.
The affiliate marketing program invites both experienced and beginner affiliates to promote Leadpages. You’ll earn between 10% and 50% recurring for each new Leadpages customer, for as long as they remain subscribed.
That could be up to $49.50 for a single conversion for the Pro Plan.
Not bad.
And thanks to how popular and reliable Leadpages is, you’re sure to convert more than one user.
20. eBay Partner Network
Industry: e-commerce
Best for: Reviewers, content creators, bloggers
Commission rate: Depends on rate card
Cookie duration: 24 hours
URL: eBay Partner Network
Perks: International brand recognition; Various niches
You’ve heard of eBay, right?
Who hasn’t?
But in case you’re not acquainted, eBay is the biggest e-commerce site in the world, after Amazon.
eBay’s affiliate network has more than a billion listings from every industry imaginable. You can find almost everything here, from luxury brand Balenciaga to vintage sports memorabilia and magazines.
Affiliates on the eBay Partner Network can promote affiliate links and content in any of the following ways:
Blogging
Email marketing
Online shopping comparison
Deal & coupon offerings
Social sharing
Loyalty rewards & incentives
But, how do you earn money?
eBay uses a “rate card”. Affiliates will earn a certain percentage of the price for a qualified transaction:
You can earn anywhere from 1-4%, however, each category is capped with a maximum amount you can earn.
21. Teachable
Industry: Online courses
Best for: Entrepreneurs, coaching businesses
Commission rate: Up to 30% recurring
Cookie duration: 30 days
URL: Teachable Affiliate Partner Program
Perks: Coaching materials to help you convert; Monthly email updates on sales
Cons: No commission should your referral unsubscribe within 2 months
Teachable is the leading platform for online course creation and coaching. It currently has more than 100,000 users.
Teachable’s affiliate program offers up to 30% recurring commission (for 12 months) for each course creator you successfully refer.
Teachable states that on average, their affiliates earn up to $450 per month – with the high-earners raking in $1,000!
It’s worth noting, though, that you won’t receive any commission if your referral unsubscribes within 2 months.
22. ClickBank
Industry: Affiliate marketing network and e-commerce platform
Best for: Marketers; Reviewers; Content creators
Commission rate: Depends on merchants; CPA or revenue share
Cookie duration: 60 days
URL: ClickBank Affiliates
Perks: Plenty of resources; Vast and active affiliate community
ClickBank calls itself a “marketplace” where you can get in contact with entrepreneurs and businesses from across the world.
They offer more than 4,000 products that affiliates can promote, including items from brands like Teaburn, Organifi, and Voluum.
The commission rate depends on the merchant or products you promote, with ClickBank claiming you can earn as much as 75% CPA on a single sale. But, from experience, we can say the average rate is 10 – $20.
How to Choose the Best Affiliate Program
Not all affiliate programs are created equal. And what might be the best for me, is maybe not the best for you.
This is why you need to know how to choose the right affiliate marketing program for your niche.
Most Profitable Programs
Profits are about more than just commission rates (although it’s important, too).
You also need to consider the cookie duration and the lifetime value of the products or services you plan to promote.
Here’s some handy tips:
Consider commission rates exceeding 30%
The longer the cookie duration, the better
Opt for products or services with a high average order value
You should also consider once-off payments versus recurring commissions to determine which will be most profitable to you.
Top Commissions vs. Conversions
Maximizing your earnings will depend on the balance between two important metrics:
Commission rate
Conversion rate
A lower payout can result in a greater volume of conversions.
So would you rather promote a high-ticket product with a small chance of converting, or lower-value items with a mid-range commission rates but more conversions?
Only you can decide which is best for you, so think carefully.
Niche Fit and Audience
There’s no point in starting your affiliate marketing business if your existing audience won’t relate to or benefit from the products/services you recommend.
You want to sign up for an affiliate program that relates to your niche, by taking your audience’s pain points and interests into account.
Make sure to ONLY promote products your customers will actually benefit from. That way, you’ll earn their trust.
For example, if you own a travel blog, don’t sign up for a financial affiliate program. It will just confuse your readers and make you come across as spammy.
Final Thoughts
The world of affiliate marketing offers a promising avenue for individuals seeking to generate income through online ventures.
However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that affiliate marketing is not without its challenges. The competitive landscape and ever-changing market trends present hurdles that demand adaptability and continuous learning. Building a sustainable income stream requires dedication, strategic planning, and a keen understanding of your target audience.
Aspiring affiliate marketers should approach this dynamic field with realistic expectations, recognizing that success is a journey, not an overnight achievement. While the potential for financial rewards is significant, it’s essential to embrace the learning curve and stay informed about industry developments.
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