No matter what type of internet marketer you are, affiliate programs are the best way to increase your income. It is the future of both physical and digital marketing. This is why many people are starting to do affiliate marketing and searching for the best affiliate programs.
When you’re just starting out in the online marketing world, you’ll find there are many things to learn. Choosing the affiliate program that is most suitable for your needs is one option.
I’ve compiled a list of some of the best affiliate marketing programs for newbies.
ShareASale
I recommend ShareASale as one of the top affiliate programs. No matter if you are a blogger, vlogger, journalist, or you have a podcast, this would be a good choice. They have been a trusted network since they were founded for the last 21 years.
The easy enrollment process and smooth payment system are the main reasons for choosing this program. With over 4,000 products on the website and more being added every day, this ought to be enough for you to start browsing.
However, you need to add a website that you will use to promote their offers, as ShareASale will use it to verify your account. So if your website has high-quality content and massive traffic, you are likely to get their approval.
Highlighted Features
- Over 39 categories of offers to choose from.
- Real-time reporting of clicks and sales.
- Earring by pay per lead, pay per sales and also pay per clicks
- Multiple Parameters to sort out offers, including 7 to 30 days EPC, Highest Commission for Sale, Lead or Click, and an internal metric Power Rank.
Payment Method
Shareasale pays its affiliates by mailed check, Payoneer, or, in our opinion, by direct deposit to your bank account. Typically, you’ll receive your payment on the 20th of every month. Meaning, you will get the money you earned on 20th October on 20th November. However, before you can withdraw funds, you need 50 dollars in your account.
FlexOffers
Flexoffers has been around the affiliate program arena for over 12 years. In comparison to their competitors like Amazon Associates or ClickBank, they have never been so active in promotion since they started in 2008. There are more than 12000 advertisers and 63 networks in the affiliate network.
You will surely like their partners. Among the brands they work with are Reebok, Nike, H&M, Kohls, and many more. The signup process is simple and straightforward.
You can both sign up as a Publisher and an Advertiser. The support system is so active that if you accidentally sign up as an advertiser instead of a publisher, they will notify you right away. Moreover, the payment methods are quite convenient.
Highlighted Features
- Works with a variety of well-known brands
- Plugin for WordPress
- Over ten thousand offers and multiple categories for niche marketing.
- Multilevel filtering of offers in categories and subcategories.
- Four-step signup and high acceptance rate.
- Two-factor authentication for added security.
- Convenient payment options.
Payment Methods
You need to earn a minimum of 25$ in order to get paid by this network. Bank deposits, wire transfers, checks, and PayPal are all options for getting your money. Typically, they charge a fee for different payment systems and international transfers.
Impact
The Impact affiliate network is a well-known affiliate program for experienced marketers. You may know this network as Impact Radius, but both mean the same thing.
The impact has seen over 1000 advertisers sharing offers on this platform since its establishment in 2008. Affiliate publishers also appreciate this platform for its ease of enrollment and multiple offers on a wide variety of niches.
You can search for your preferred niche and join recommended affiliate programs or join private affiliate programs. They usually accept new sign-ups quickly, but they might reject your website if it doesn’t have enough content or traffic. The payment methods are quite convenient for new marketers.
Highlighted Features
- Simple signup process.
- You can add multiple users to the same program.
- Joining a new program is simple
- Easy manual and automatic payout.
- Highly accurate and efficient tracking
- Banner Ads Code and HTML code affiliate links
Payment Methods
Impact pays you via ACH transfer, wire transfer, check, bank deposit, and PayPal. Once you reach a minimum threshold of 25$, you can request a manual or automatic payout. Payment is made either on the 1st or 15th of each month.
CJ Affiliate
CJ, formerly known as Commission Junction, is one of the oldest affiliate networks. They have dominated internet marketing since 2008. There are thousands of brands partnered with the network.
So you can imagine how much money you can make if you’re a publisher. It is a bit complicated for complete beginners, so you should know some things before joining. The acceptance process here is strict.
You must be at least 18 years old and have a quality website. To get approved, you must also provide the necessary information, such as your tax documents.
Highlighted Features:
- Real-Time tracking tool for sales, commissions, and clicks
- Different categories and companies to choose from.
- Automatic deep linking via website integration or browser extension.
Payment Method
While you can add Payoneer or Bank Deposit to your account, if an international bank transfer is not an option for you, then Payoneer is your only option. You will receive your payment after you have reached $50.
PartnerStack
They started in 2015 and made it simple for affiliates to join. The UI is very user-friendly and I liked it very much. This is a smart choice for you if you do not want much hassle with affiliate networks.
Another great feature of this program is the rewards system. As a reward, you may receive 15% of every sale depending on the product. Other rewards include: earning 100$ for every sale, or 25$ for every 10 signups, etc.
Highlighted Features
- An affiliate program with all-in-one features
- Easy-to-use interface, superb tracking system
- Integration with multiple business systems such as Shopify and Woocommerce
Payment Method
“PartnerStack Payout” and “Rewards” allow you to withdraw every 13th of the month with Stripe or PayPal. To withdraw, you must earn a minimum of 5$.
ClickBank
Although ClickBank is not available in every country, it remains one of the most popular affiliate networks. Recently, they have started selling physical products, but they focus mainly on digital products.
To join ClickBank, you don’t need a ton of traffic or high SEO metrics. While they do not have the prettiest interface, they have kept it simple and have been doing well for 23 years.
All you have to do is fill out the form with your email, website, and other basic information for the initial sign-up. You can promote both reputed brands and unknown ones. Another thing you should note is that you can keep the threshold lowered to 10$.
Highlighted Features
- Trusted by affiliate marketers and buyers
- Thanks to its clean interface and well-organized dashboard
- Dedicated training programs to help you succeed
- Multiple filters to select the best offer.
Payment Method and Threshold
ClickBank only allows payouts by check, direct deposit, Wire transfer, Payoneer. You can request payouts every two weeks or every week. The minimum withdrawal is 10$.
Amazon Associates
Amazon is the largest affiliate program network of all time. Most of their eCommerce business is based on affiliate marketing. A lot of the successful affiliate marketers began with this platform.
Even though this one has become harder than before, the wide range of products and categories is still a beginner’s game. It has a form for bloggers with websites and a separate form for influencers.
One of the best things about Amazon is that it keeps track of its buyers with its cookies algorithm. If someone makes a purchase from Amazon within 24 hours of clicking on your link, you get a commission.
Highlighted Features
- Easy-to-use platform with a well-organized dashboard.
- Integrates tools to help publishers maximize their success
- Offering a wide range of products in every niche
- Trustworthy and secure
Payment Methods
They pay a minimum of $10 automatically if you set an ACH bank transfer method. Once you reach 100 dollars, you can request to pay via check. Payment is made every 30 days.
GiddyUp
Every beginner would love Giddyup’s easy-to-use features and features-filled affiliate program. To join, you must verify your email address. Even if you don’t have a website yet, it’s okay. They will still accept you.
You can promote these offers on your YouTube channel or even contact other bloggers to promote them. According to the company, they have scaled their affiliate products up to 1 billion dollars worth. The tracking and marketing tools in the dashboard will save you a lot of money that you would otherwise need to pay a third party.
Highlighted Features
- Excellent filtering to choose a product
- Dedicated library of images and videos of products for promotional purposes
- Conversion funnel creation by adjusting price and much more
- Data in real-time can help you figure out what is working and increase conversions.
Payment Method
For Giddyup to pay you, you need to make at least 50$ on the platform. Your payments are only sent by Wire Transfer and ACH.
Rakuten Advertising
Before Rakuten took over in 2005, the network was called LinkShare. Rakuten is an immensely popular brand. If you follow football/soccer you probably know that they are FC Barcelona’s official entertainment partner. We know enough about Microsoft, NordVPN, Lego, and Monster to know who is advertising on this platform.
The signup process is similar to that of other affiliate networks. They only ask for your name, email, website, and some bank documents. To get approved by companies, you must have decent traffic to your website and a premium domain.
Highlighted Features
- Easy-to-use interface for both novice and experienced publishers
- Easy-to-generate banner and text links
- Huge brands and categories
Payment Method
Rakuten Advertising’s minimum threshold is $50. To withdraw payments, you must have a bank account or a PayPal account.
VigLink
You may be aware that some affiliate programs pay in CPC, and others in CPS. In 2009, the company was called VigLink, but in 2013 it was purchased and rebranded as “Sovrn // Commerce.” So these are the same networks.
If you want to avoid link creation hassle, this affiliate program might be the best for you. It’s one of the best things about VigLink that it monetizes almost every outbound link on your website. And the most comforting thing is it’s fully automated.
The only requirement to create an account is an email account, and they approve almost every website that has a decent amount of traffic. If you are registered with VigLink, you do not need to sign up with multiple affiliate programs.
Highlighted Features
- Signup with the least amount of harassment
- Automatically generate affiliate links
- Hybrid action depends on monetization (CPA & CPC)
- Instant Payments
- Converts almost all non-monetized links into money-making links
Payment Method and Threshold
They pay their publishers by check, wire, PayPal, or direct deposit. To withdraw your affiliate earnings, you must earn 10$.
Ace Hardware Affiliates
If you are interested in Home Improvement and Tools, Ace Hardware affiliate program is the one to consider. All the renowned brands of Home Decors and Tools are on their advertiser list.
You will be able to make a good sum of money because the products have already established a reputation. You will need to register with the online form, and Impact will provide your username and password. Once you have applied, Ace Hardware will accept your application and send you the necessary tools.
Once you are approved, you will receive a commission of 2% – 4% depending on the products. With the 14-day cookie history, you will earn a commission on any product your visitor buys after clicking your affiliate link.
Highlighted Features
- It’s the best program for home decor and tool marketers.
- Ideal for blogs, YouTube, and social media.
- No sales required.
Payment Method
As this affiliate program is a partner of Impact, you will be paid according to Impact’s payout methods. Read our Impact affiliate review from the above.
Freemius
If you’re a new affiliate blogger, your first choice is going to be WordPress. WordPress is convenient because it has different plugins for different purposes. In addition, Freemius allows you to earn by promoting the plugins and themes you use on your site.
Although the UI and UX may not be perfect, this platform has better conversion than the Envato marketplace. Signing up is easier than you might think.
Highlighted Features
- 2100+ highly rated plugins and themes.
- Higher conversion rate than many other platforms
- Detailed reporting system
Payment Method
Freemius pays after the 10th of the month and before the final day of the month. To get paid, you must earn 100$. The only payment gateway is Paypal.
Partnerize
Partnerize, formerly Performance Horizon, is an affiliate network based in the US that has been operating since 2010. The platform is not highly popular, but it has a positive reputation among affiliate marketers.
They have over 200 advertisers on their platform and are growing rapidly. The network provides a comprehensive training manual to help you succeed.
The company is currently a leading affiliate program in the travel sector, but its approach to retail and finance is remarkable. With just an email address and a residential address, you can join this program.
Highlighted Features
- Easy to generate referral and custom affiliate links
- Multiple-scale tracking (affiliate tracking, cookieless tracking)
- Individual dashboards and role-based management
Payment Methods
This affiliate program has a minimum threshold of 30$ and you can get paid via wire transfer, checks, credit cards, or Paypal. They pay on a weekly or monthly basis.
Which Affiliate Platform Is Perfect For Beginners?
Suppose you want to be an affiliate marketer and earn some income online. In that case, the first thing you will need is an affiliate platform. There are many affiliate platforms, but not all of them are suitable for beginner affiliates. To decide which platform is perfect for you, you need to consider your needs and answer the following questions:
- How much money do I want to make?
- What type of products should I promote?
- Which features should my affiliate platform have?
- What kind of commissions do I need?
- Does the platform have a negative reputation?
- How easy is it to use?
In my experience, the best affiliate platform for beginners is ShareASale. It’s easy to use, has a wide range of products to promote, and offers high commissions.
Below are the top 3 affiliate platforms that I highly recommend joining.
- Impact
- ShareASale
- Amazon Associate
Conclusion
Many affiliate platforms are available, but some are better than others for beginners. Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and Rakuten Marketing are all great options for those new to affiliate marketing. They are all easy to use and have various products to choose from.
The above list of affiliate platforms can also be an excellent resource for those looking to increase their affiliate marketing earning. In addition, if you have been doing some research on the top affiliate programs, you can compare them to each other.
If you sign up with one of the above programs, make sure you use your links so others can benefit from your affiliate knowledge.
What other platform do you use for affiliate marketing? Is there one you are looking to try out? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
