16 Best Affiliate Marketing Programs For Beginners To Make Money In 2025

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Written by Margaret Dalton

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16 Best Affiliate Marketing Programs For Beginners To Make Money In 2023

Best Affiliate Marketing Programs

Best Affiliate Marketing Programs: Discover top-tier programs that boost your earnings! Explore lucrative opportunities and maximize your profits today.

One of the most difficult challenges that you’ll encounter when establishing an affiliate marketing company is locating the most effective affiliate programs for novices.

There are a multitude of high-paying affiliate programmes to select from.

Selecting the wrong affiliate program could delay your site for months, while the right one can see you earning the first affiliate buckaroos long before your site is “finished”.

This is a question that we are often – we’re going to spend our time in this blog post to discuss the most effective affiliate programs for novices.

We’ll attempt to give you a more balanced perspective of the reasons why signing up with affiliate networks can make more sense than having an internal affiliate program and the reverse is also true.

Affiliate Networks Vs. Affiliate Programs

The first hurdle you must overcome is the difference between internal affiliate marketing program (merchants) in addition to affiliate networks.

Some people see these terms as interchangeable however, they’re not.

It’s not even far from it.

Let’s imagine you develop an authoritative website around the outdoor sports equipment and promote products like trampolines and lawn sports, water slides and more.

You’d then have the option of signing up for many (or hundreds!) in affiliate marketing programs that cater to different producers and vendors.

You can join a group which connects you to all of the companies you’d like to collaborate with.

The best option for someone who is new on the path to affiliate marketing would be to join affiliate networks and then go from there.

However, affiliate networks aren’t any sort of magic bullet.

In reality, certain affiliate programs are only available outside the affiliate networks, and you’ll have to sign-up to them separately.

My personal favorite example was when I first started in the role of an affiliate marketer…focusing on replica lightsabres.

True story – I earned lots of money by selling toy lightsabers.

The company that was behind them was known as Master Replicas, and they operated a very successful affiliate program. Therefore, I had to join directly with them since they “owned” the prop and replica lightsabre market at the time.

Later, they switched onto an affiliate network however, the payouts were less, the terms were a bit shaky and, eventually, I let the affiliate website go down due to fractured heart…and broke affiliate links.

We’ll examine the two sides of the game.

The first is the top and most well-known affiliate programs, as well then an array of varied and surprisingly generic affiliate programs that can be applied to the majority of viewers.

What To Look For In A Good Affiliate Marketing Program

Ease Of Use

When you’re beginning your journey in affiliate marketing You should take as much of a break as you can on you.

This means joining affiliate programs that don’t just seem sensible, but also are equally great in terms of management and amazing design.

In the end, the most important thing you don’t would like to contend to deal with is an affiliate program that has a clumpf**k or interface.

This makes creating affiliate hyperlinks, or uploading banners a nightmare.

I’ve been there in tears over my keyboard, because the brains behind an affiliate program designed an interface that was so complex that anyone who could be capable to “solving it” would have to be a mix with Stephen Hawking and Doctor Strange.

Affiliate networks do not tend to face this problem Their goal is to make life with affiliate marketing as simple as it can be.

Because if you’ren’t earning money (i.e. passive income) the chances are they’re not earning money neither are their customers.

In that regard there are as many internal affiliate programs that serve as equivalent to the affiliate marketing equivalent of Sistine Chapel.

The reason we’re bringing this up the importance of user-friendliness to be a major factor any affiliate program you select.

It shouldn’t be as problematic with a bit more of a stake in the contest.

Point Of Contact

Things may happen at times.

Links won’t work and you’ll be faced with an inquiry about the reason why the sales report from last month appears like it’s upside-down.

This is exactly the time you’ll need assistance from an experienced affiliate administrator.

Affiliate networks generally benefit slightly because you can trust their support team as well as the affiliate manager for the program you’re having a problem about.

Be aware that affiliate managers aren’t different from face-to-face managers except that some are excellent and others are not so good.

Be sure to check the type of support you’ll receive before you sign up to any affiliate scheme i.e. do you have an assigned affiliate director.

“Jack the guy from IT takes care of that” isn’t an answer you want…or you should accept.

Commission & Payments

Learn not just how much you’ll earn through an affiliate program and when, but also the time you’ll actually receive your money.

The majority of affiliate programmes are net 30, however, certain are Net 60 or some are even net 90.

What does this mean in simple English is that the majority of affiliates get paid for 30 days after completing an offer, however some do not get paid for the full 90 days.

It’s an extended period to wait for your affiliate earnings, particularly when you have expenses to cover.

16 Best Affiliate Marketing Programs For Beginners
Let’s examine the most effective affiliate marketing programmes for newbiesthat offer you the greatest chances of earning money online by starting your own business.

1. Amazon Associates

Jeff Bezos is a quite clever man.

Also, he’s extremely wealthy His bank account appears like the name he converted into binary.

The riches are derived from the knowledge of others, like being among the very first online retailers to launch an affiliate program in 1996. but the sound could be heard if you dialed on the telephone. Ask your parents what it means if you’re not sure.

Amazon Affiliate Program (aka Amazon Associates Program) is among the earliest affiliate programs available. And it’s large, covering all the items they offer online. So If you see something on Amazon and sell it, you are able to offer it and take a share of the revenue.

You could certainly be connected to the Internet in 1996.

The Amazon affiliate marketing system is the most common location we’ll send our brand-new affiliates due to it being so simple to use, particularly when you’re creating your very first affiliate link(s).

Psssssst. Want to discover how to create an Amazon affiliate website free of cost? We give you step-by-step directions. You can also take a look at the Amazon Affiliate Program Reviews.

Pros

  • International brand recognition. Everyone knows the meaning of Amazon is.
  • 385 million items for Amazon Associates to promote
  • They place great importance in customer care.you can benefit from this
  • Link management and creation is extremely simple
  • Easy-to-use affiliate dashboard

Cons

  • Amazon alters their minds about commission rates every so often like they alter their clothes
  • A 24-hour-a day cookie isn’t ideal.

2. CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate which was previously called Commission Junction — is one of the longest-running affiliate networks that exist that I’ve used since around 2002.

What distinguishes them from Amazon is the fact that CJ Affiliate specializes in big brands in addition to smaller product and service providers.

As of the date that this article is being written, they are representing mahoosive businesses like Zappos, Walgreens, Verizon, Under Armour, Trip Advisor, Staples, Sonos, Disney Shops, Sears and Samsung.

There are around 2,473 additional affiliate marketing program.

In addition to the broad variety of products and brands You also receive all the tools that successful affiliate marketers requireFrom excellent assistance to easy affiliate linking.

However, what I really like with the affiliate network CJ Affiliate is their analytics that allow me to clearly determine whether the affiliate program is financially profitable or not.

It’s a significant time saver.

There’s no guesswork and you can figure precisely what affiliate programs you’ll advertise and how much you’ll make per sale.

Pros

  • A simple interface and dashboard perfect for affiliate marketing newbies
  • Many really huge brands under one roof
  • Display advertising (flat cost and commission) possibilities
  • It is possible to find lucrative affiliate programs without even having to speculate
  • Tutorials and support make it extremely simple

Cons

  • Big brands are introduced and disappear on this network at all times
  • There is a mild learning curve compared to Amazon

3. ShareASale

ShareASale can be one of the smallest affiliate networks that exist.

The reason is because the interface looks like it was designed in 2002. It hasn’t changed much since I first registered for my account several years ago.

The absence of an “Wow” factor puts some new affiliate marketers off.

My dear friends – ShareASale offers some of the most effective affiliate programs on the market. Some offer $300-$350 per sale. They’re not. affiliate programs have nothing to do with have anything to do with…umm “enlargement” products, or something like this.

In reality, they comprise approximately 5,000 distinct affiliate programs, however these focus more on smaller, but more profitable businesses instead of just big brands.

The affiliate marketing dashboard is simple but it’s functional. Sometimes the simplicity of it can be a positive thing.

ShareASale is a network that you must seriously think about enrolling in.

Pros

  • Many products and services to advertise
  • Little-known, less well-known but valuable affiliate programs
  • “Search for Merchants” function is superior to Commission Junction “Search for Merchants” function is much better than Commission Junction For instance.
  • Their PowerRank metric tells the user the place an affiliate program is in the top 1% of ShareASale’s affiliate programs. ShareASale
  • There is no need to wait months for the money you owe

Cons

  • A very old interface.
  • The process of approval for affiliate programs can be erratic at times.

4. ClickBank

ClickBank Is an affiliate network that falls under the “grandparent” category — they’ve been online since 1998.

This is a true rags to riches business tale, one that began by a group of friends in the garage, which turned into a company that generates US$3 billion annually in revenue.

As each affiliate program was attempting to figure out a way to deliver goods while earning a profit however, the folks at ClickBank have turned the idea to the side in focusing their efforts on selling digital goods.

This meant immediate delivery, with almost no overheads as well as the capability to collaborate direct with authors. While they might not had imagined that social media would become an actual thing, their array of products also works exceptionally well with these audiences.

You can locate all of their offerings on their clickbank Marketplace However, they also offer a few physical products now.

Its Marketplace Interface is working, but it appears like it’s not changed since 1998. It’s not a major issue however it’s time for to get a fresh look.

If you’re looking for more help to begin your journey as an ClickBank affiliate take a look at the (well Gael wrote it, therefore it’s a joint that we) post for how to earn money using ClickBank.

Pros

  • The attribute isn’t required to obtain approval for promoting an initiative
  • The most likely network for those who are working in affiliate marketing that does not have having a website
  • The top-tier offerings average for about $50 per sale
  • You’ll have plenty of chances to advertise programs through the possibility of recurring commissions
  • The majority of pre-selling is handled through the landing page of the merchant
  • Digital tools are a great tool to use to complement the use of social media marketing or email marketing
  • Making the affiliate link is very simple

Cons

  • The Marketplace hasn’t seen a change in the past 19 years. It’s practical, but it’s also very old-fashioned.
  • Certain programs could lead to very high rates of refunds

5.Rakuten Advertising

You may not have heard about Rakuten however they’re a Japanese affiliate marketing services provider.

They made their way to the market into the affiliate marketing scene by acquiring LinkShare in 2005.

Since then, they’ve grown their Rakuten Linkshare platform from being an active player on the market to securing awards over the years.

Therefore, ….is it appropriate for affiliates who are just beginning?

The simple response can be “Yes”, but let me clarify:

1. The interface looks pretty like other affiliate networks.

2. They represent more than 1,000 companies and brands.

3. The merchants offer everything from flowers and gifts to consumer electronic and office equipment.

The only possible drawback would be the fact it is Rakuten is a major participant on the affiliate marketing scene, which means that the approval process may be slow, particularly in the case of sites with little or none of traffic.

In the end, Rakuten is a sleeping giant that a lot of affiliates new to the business do not pay enough attention to.

Some affiliates have said that the network isn’t quick to pay, however I’ve never had a problem with them.

Pros

  • Many big brand affiliate programs are available here
  • A logical and intuitive interface that can be used to accomplish the task
  • More than US$100 million worth of sales transactions per year
  • One of the earliest affiliate networks in the world is

Cons

  • A user interface so old-fashioned that it makes me look older
  • The absence of metrics data makes my stomach pain

6. Impact

Impact is basically another large affiliate marketing company ( despite claiming otherwise) however, it’s not as long-running as other affiliate marketing networks like ClickBank or ShareASale.

However, age is only a number, and Impact’s youthful appearance isn’t a reason to not sign to join. The company’s founders founded Commission Junction, so they have a good idea of what they’re doing!

Like like the other major-name networks There are a lot famous names in Impact such as Adidas, Airbnb, and HSBC. At the time of writing there were a total of 2,517 companies were making use of Impact to connect with out to new viewers, and new advertisers being added to the network every day.

It’s not surprising that for the (relative) brand newcomer in the field of affiliate marketing Impact’s user interface is better than other affiliate networks.

However, this isn’t only about aesthetics It also includes certain user-friendly and smart functions.

One of my top picks is my favorite is the “brands to work with instantly” section which includes all companies that provide instant approval. This is a great function that can make it simple for aspiring affiliate marketing professionals to be their business up and running quickly.

Pros

  • It is not difficult to find brands that provide instant approval
  • There is a wide selection in affiliate programmes (more than 2,500 at the time of writing)
  • The Smart interface is much more user-friendly than traditional networks
  • It’s home to several prominent companies like Adidas as well as Airbnb.
  • Many categories available that range from apparel and footwear to B2B solutions
  • Many ways to cash your earnings, such as PayPal or direct deposit

Cons

  • The number of features be a bit confusing for those who are new affiliate marketers.
  • It’s a small one however it doesn’t boast the same number of big name brands as Commission Junction

7. Awin

While it’s not easy to measure, Awin can definitely claim to be the biggest affiliate network available that has more than 225,000 publishers at the time of writing.

In the year 2020 the platform racked up an astounding 182 million sales, and affiliates made 1 billion dollars in commissions which is a huge deal.

It’s not just big and popular, it’s also one the longest-running networks. Awin is technically only in existence since the year 2017, however its origins can be traced to the Zanox as well as the Affiliate Window networks Both of which came in the year 2000.

Not content with operating the company’s network on its own, Awin alsoacquired one of the networks listed that are listed called ShareASale in the past few years. But, they’re distinct entities that have their own merchants, which means there’s no reason to stop affiliates from joining both.

As you’d imagine, there are lots of major brands on Awin such as Emirates, Etsy, and Under Armour.

But, as I am an affiliate marketing professional, the most favorite feature of Awin is the fact that it guarantees rapid payment times. A majority Awin’s affiliate programs provide faster payments. You’ll also be paid for valid transactions regardless of the time Awin receives payment from the advertiser.

Pros

  • Accelerated payments mean that you do not have to wait for commissions
  • A huge selection of affiliate marketing programs
  • It is easy to use and has clear labeling and layouts that are consistent
  • The tracking process is simple to follow and understand using your Awin dashboards
  • A more user-friendly interface than the majority of networks.
  • Many big name brands to collaborate with

Cons

  • With more than 260 affiliate marketers joining the network each day, you’ll have to face plenty of competitors
  • While it’s global but it’s primarily focused upon UK and EU adverts

10. Fiverr Affiliate Program

Ask a lot of different affiliate marketers and they’ll say it’s typically much easier than selling physical goods.

Simply present an audience with a an inventory of service providers and they’ll take care the remainder.

Fiverr adopted the basic idea and took it to the next level and monetized the gig market for services that fall under the following categories graphics design, marketing Writing, animation and video, music, business, lifestyle, and various industries.

Although you can sign-up for their affiliate program through CJ.com We’ll concentrate on their internal affiliate program to make it easier.

It may be one of the most lucrative affiliate programs on the market. Fiverr’s Fiverr affiliate program provides up to $150 per referral according to the category of the service you’re advertising.

Contrary to others affiliate programmes, with Fiverr you have a variety of ways to earning affiliate revenues through Fiverr such as the ‘Learn from Fiverr courses, in which you are paid 30% of each sale.

Although the gig platform made its name on offering digital-related services like WordPress installation and backlink creation You can also get “lifestyle” services like arts and crafts, tarot readings, or even advice on relationships.

Oh And their affiliate program takes around 30 seconds to sign-up to sign up – simply input your email address, name and username and then choose your password.

Pros

  • Very nice affiliate interface. It’s refreshingly different in comparison to others.
  • Fiverr is the market leader, and there’s really no challengers
  • New services are made readily available for sale constantly – so there’s always something to offer
  • Possibility of deliciously high $150 referral commissions. It is possible to earn lots of money from this opportunity.

Cons

  • You aren’t the money for sales you make to customers who are already clients.
  • Similar to Etsy many more popular events may eventually make their way to their own site

11. Refersion Marketplace

Refersion refers to an affiliate network I came across recently.

One reason why I wasn’t aware of their existence was because they’ve been around for many years. However, in the time since they’ve been able to sign up 17,000 advertisers.

This isn’t an easy achievement in a field where other companies struggle to get only a few hundred merchants.

In essence, what the Refersion Marketplace lacks in style it more than makes up for in its massive quantity of advertisers.

The best suited for:New affiliate marketers who have a difficult time getting their message acknowledged by various platforms.

Pros

  • You’ll get a speedy simple interface, and thousands of merchants in almost every niche you can imagine.
  • They even send out weekly emails to the media with their new advertisers

Cons

  • Their interface for filtering advertisements is not working and requires lots of work. When you apply for an affiliate program, it opens the opening of a new window. You must fill out an application form.

12. PepperJam

PepperJam may not be one of the names you’re immediately acquainted with.

However, they’ve been a part of the affiliate marketing industry for quite a while now and are making enough of a impression to attract the attention of eBay in 2009.

The brand was relaunched with the PepperJam brand in the year 2016.

They are a mix of major brands, such as Puma, Nordstrom, Orion and Lindt and a host of smaller brands as well.

is best suited to: PepperJam is a excellent network for both affiliates with experience and new.

Pros

  • There are a few things about this platform that make them stand out from mass of competitors, like the easy-to-use affiliate dashboard as well as the tabbed interface for creating links (love this!) and you can contact advertisers to ask questions directly even if you’re associated with their program.
  • PepperJam simply feels a bit extra “cozy” than some of the larger affiliate marketing platforms

Cons

  • They have less than 1000 advertising partners on their roster
  • This isn’t a problem in and of itself but it could mean you’re out of opportunities in your area pretty quickly.
  • And the dearth of publicly available EPC data frightens me to death.

13. FlexOffers

FlexOffers make a statement against the crowd…by not being different from the crowd.

The affiliate marketing industry is filled with glitz, but FlexOffers isn’t a part of that.

Instead, they simply proceed with their work of running an affiliate network.

They do this despite the fact that they offer their affiliate marketing platform to companies like Macy’s, Walgreens, Kohl’s, Hulu, McAfee and AT&T and many more.

In total they have 12,000 advertisers to select from, but they just consider 500 being “premium” merchants.

Best suited for: Affiliates who need or desire access to the most extensive range of advertisers.

Pros

  • They offer a simple and easy onboarding process. they found a flaw in my application and informed me of it.
  • They also permit applications from affiliates that use Wix or Blogger This is a huge modern day novelty
  • Sorting through their tens of thousands of advertisers is effortless thanks to the user-friendly interface that is capable of sorting by day and 7 days. 
  • There is also the possibility to earn additional income through the Flex-Rev$hare programme. This is the place where you are an amount of the profits your sub-affiliates earn

Cons

  • The customer support options they offer are well-known, but they are also very limited. You have access to a knowledgebase as well as the option of email.
  • Additionally the color scheme can cause headaches.

14. Avangate Network

Avangate was established in 2006 In 2006, Avangate was founded. like ClickBank Avangate is a company that focuses on offer digital products.

However, unlike ClickBank their brands have in their portfolio include programs or digital courses, but the majority of them are software.

In the meantime, before we go farther, Avangate is basically two companies. Avangate represents the affiliate technology platform.

However, the affiliate system is 2Checkout This can be a bit confusing since they’re also a processor of payments.

In any case, 2Checkout has 22,000 software advertisers who have signed up as well as a few of online courses, like SuperReading.

Software-wise you’ll find everything that you need, from Hide My Ass, Bit Defender and Malware Bytes, SEO PowerSuite, and Filmora as well as FTP software.

Pros

  • 2Checkout is a simple way to pay
  • As for how they filter advertisements – it’s by far one of the basic user interfaces you could imagine, but you’ll be able to locate the program you’re looking for in a matter of minutes
  • Additionally, you get deep linking tools that are geo-targeted, such as shopping carts with geo-targeted features having the ability to use trial software for free as a promotion, and you can also view EPC data as well as make your own coupons
  • Another thing that works well is applying to different programs all you need be able to do is click “Request partnership” and that’s all there is to it.

Cons

  • Many of the software products they promote are extremely niche, and I’m not certain how big the market for them.

15. MaxBounty

MaxBounty is an Canadian network that has been in existence since the beginning in the world of affiliate marketing.

For 2004, to be exact.

While many other networks focus on offering a wide array of deals, MaxBounty focuses on what they excel at – CPA provides.

Affiliates earn money when they complete a particular step like installing software or filling out a questionnaire.

and typical CPA offers are generally significantly more profitable than Flat rate or CPS deals.

They have more than 2500 campaigns in their catalog that include campaigns for more prominent subjects like online dating diets, weight loss, etc.

Best suited for: Established affiliates with lots of traffic, who also require fresh CPA offers to promote.

Pros

  • You could earn a cash-back bonus of $1,000 if earn over $1,000 of legitimate affiliate commissions within the first 90 days of joining them
  • The result is a vibrant modern, sleek and clean dashboard. They’re also ahead of the pack with regards to some of the plain ugly interfaces that you’ll encounter on other platforms

Cons

  • Their process for submitting applications and approving them is a complete joke
  • I’ve never experienced such a complicated process in my entire life. 

16. LinkConnector

While LinkConnector has been in existence for a long time but they’re not often featured as part of round-ups like this.

That’s exactly the result when you duplicate the content of other affiliate marketing blogs to create creating your own blog content.

What distinguishes them from other networks?

They might not be popular however, they’ve managed to land some very famous names, like Reebok, Levi’s, Dockers, Omaha Steaks, Brain Sensei and Deposit Photos.

This gives you a adequate mixture of digital and physical products to market.

However, you’ll also find several other niche offerings in their directory of advertisers – it’s pretty diverse.

Pros

  • First thing I like about this network is that it’s less than the other networks.
  • There’s just about 400 total advertisers This means that I can locate the information I’m looking for (or not) fairly quickly.
  • I also enjoy having the ability to view EPCs of 7 and 90 days in one line for every advertiser
  • A campaign’s application takes 3 clicks and brownie points are earned here
  • Their basic linking function is to link traffic back to an advertiser’s site and not require the custom affiliate link in any way

Cons

  • The small amount of advertisers could be a challenge but it’s an option, is not an actuality.
  • It’s an edgy sword
  • LinkConnector has the standard outdated interface that appears to be commonplace with older networks.
  • I’m beginning to suspect that they’re all written by the same group of web developers who travel time.

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