Affiliate marketing networks are the easiest way to grow your affiliate marketing business quickly.  Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn a passive income stream if you can find quality products that your visitors are interested in and can confidently recommend.

 Affiliate marketing networks give you access to thousands of the best affiliate programs and help you get paid on time. Choosing a solid affiliate network is crucial to success in affiliate marketing, especially when you are just starting out. 

In a recent survey, nearly 90% of advertisers stated that affiliate programs are essential to their global marketing strategies. and Affiliate programs are the most important client acquisition method for 40% of US firms.(Backlinko)

 There are many affiliate marketing  networks for beginners that you can join and start making sales. 

This article will outline what affiliate marketing networks are and what differentiates them from affiliate marketing programs, why you should consider joining one, and a list of the best affiliate marketing networks available.

Read more: 

How to Get Started in Affiliate Marketing Step by Step

How To Do Affiliate Marketing With Blogs

14 Best Niches for Affiliate Marketing

40 Best Affiliate Marketing Tools to Build a Successful Online Business

11 Most Effective Affiliate Marketing Strategies to Generate Sales

 But first, let’s start by knowing what they are and how they work.

 What Is an Affiliate Marketing Network?

 An affiliate marketing network is a service that connects affiliate marketers (publishers) with brands offering affiliate programs. Affiliate networks help brands quickly find and contract affiliates to promote their products and allow publishers to find programs and arrange payment of affiliate commissions.

 The leading players in affiliate marketing are the seller, the affiliate, and the customer. 

 – The seller 

 The seller may be a business, small retailer, or entrepreneur who creates products or services and markets them through the affiliate network. 

 – The Affiliate 

 Often referred to as a publisher or affiliate, this is responsible for promoting the products and encouraging a target audience for whom they are intended and whose interests they meet to buy. Affiliates receive one-time or recurring commissions for each sale. 

 – Customer

 A customer is a person who purchases a product or service through an affiliate.  Affiliate networks function as a marketplace for affiliate programs and connect you with thousands of brands. Affiliate networks are one of the easiest ways to monetize a website or earn passive income.

Affiliate marketers who sign up for affiliate networks can choose the products or services they want to promote and receive customized links that track the number of people who buy from their site.

 Most affiliate marketing networks offer training, tracking, reporting tools, and other resources to help you become a successful affiliate marketer. Plus, with affiliate marketing  networks, you don’t have to worry about chasing payments; the platform takes care of that for you.

 What Is the Difference Between Affiliate Networks and Affiliate Programs?

 The difference between an affiliate network and an affiliate program is that an affiliate program is an in-house program managed and operated by the product or service seller. In contrast, an affiliate network, on the other hand, is made up of thousands of programs that affiliate marketers can discover and join.

 Once you join affiliate networks, you can join several programs at once and make large-scale affiliate sales. In other words, affiliate networks provide a third-party platform that allows affiliate marketers and brands to find each other and work together. Both parties join the platform, discuss collaboration and start working with each other.

 Affiliate networks are usually free to join and provide you with an affiliate manager.  But some networks have strict affiliate requirements and may deny you access. Most affiliate programs are Net 30, but some are Net 60 and even Net 90. In other words, they also pay after a certain period, i.e., 30 days, 60 days, or 90 days.

 You also have to reach a specific payment amount for your payment to be validated. Therefore, read all the terms and conditions before signing up for an affiliate program. 

13 Best Affiliate Marketing Networks 

 Let’s go through the list of best affiliate networks that you can explore to make your best choice.

 1. Amazon Associates

 Amazon Associates, established in 1996, is one of the world’s oldest and most well-known affiliate networks. Its global trust and millions of products to choose from allow content creators to earn money from their traffic. As the world’s largest e-commerce store, Amazon provides access to 385 million various products for all audiences. And nearly 200 million people access Amazon every month.

No matter what niche you’re interested in, the variety of products Amazon offers is unmatched, and you can take advantage of its vast global reach. Amazon is an e-commerce store, not an affiliate network. Your relationship is only with the marketplace brand, not the sellers. 

 The Amazon Associates program is free and easy to sign up for, making it one of the best affiliate programs for beginners. When an Amazon affiliate shares a link that leads to a sale, they earn a commission on the transaction.

 They offer a 24-hour window for cookies, and you can earn up to 10% of each customer you refer. In addition, you receive a commission on any product purchased within 24 hours, even if it’s not the one you referred. There are hundreds of tutorials and courses on using this network to make a comfortable living. 

 – Cost of membership: Free

– Commissions: 1% to 10% on purchases. Commission rates are subject to change.

 – Cookie duration: 24 hours

 – Payment threshold: Direct deposit of $10 or check for $100 (Amazon also holds payment until you earn at least $10 as an Amazon Associate).

– Payment cycle: 60 days after the end of the current month

 – Payment Method: Check, direct deposit, or Amazon gift card.

 – Program Requirements: 3 qualified sales in 180 days.

 Advantages:

 – A trusted company with millions of products to promote. 

 – The company places a high value on customer service, which you benefit from.

 – Link creation and management are effortless

 – Easy-to-use affiliate dashboard

 Disadvantages:

 – Low commission rate and short cookie duration.

 2. ShareASale

ShareASale is a network that has been around for over 20 years and hosts nearly 4,000 different merchants(1,000+ of which are exclusive). It was acquired by Awin in 2017 but still operates today under the ShareASale brand.

The platform has over 16,000 merchants to choose from in the marketplace. So whatever your niche, you’ll find an affiliate product category or product for you. And while it may not have the most attractive or interactive interface, it stands out from other affiliate networks because of the breadth of its offerings.

 It offers innovative technology to help affiliates and merchants find a place to work together on profitable marketing campaigns. The network’s customer services include tools that can help you create and grow your affiliate business, and it also offers a wide range of brands and products to choose from.

To join the network and apply for programs, you must pay a $5 security fee. But, once you are accepted, you get your $5 back. Once accepted into the network, you must register for each merchant you wish to promote. You can sign up with your website or a social media account, making this an excellent option for beginning bloggers or influencers.

A big incentive for new affiliates to sign up with ShareASale is that they welcome newbies and don’t kick you out of the network if you don’t make sales in the first 180 days, unlike most affiliate networks.

 – Cost to join: $5, which you get back

 – Commission rate: Varies depending on the merchant; on average, between 5% and 20%.

 – Cookie duration: Varies depending on

 – Payment methods: Check, direct deposit, Payoneer

 – Products: Various

 -Payment threshold: 50

 -Payment Cycle:  The 20th (or closest business day) of each month for the previous month’s commissions.

 – Program Requirements: You must have your website to enroll

 Advantages:

 – Thousands of products and services to promote

 – The registration process for ShareASale is also straightforward, 

 – The “PowerRank” metric shows you where an affiliate program ranks in the ShareASale top 1000.

 Disadvantages: 

 – The portal interface is outdated, making it challenging to navigate the dashboard to understand the metrics provided.

 – High payment threshold

 – You have to apply for individual programs.

 3. AWIN

 Awin (formerly known as Affiliate Window) and owner of ShareASale, is a global affiliate network platform with access to over 16,500 advertisers and 225,000 publishers. AWIN was voted the best CPS (cost per sale) network in 2022 in North America. 

 The products and services covered by AWIN’s affiliate network are divided into four different categories but also exclusive to Awin, so much so that many advertisers do not mention their affiliate program on their website. Like ShareASale, you can sign up with a website or social media handles, but you have to pay a small $5 deposit to join the network. 

 You get that deposit back once you reach your first payment threshold.  All affiliates who sign up with Awin are subject to a compliance check verifying their contact information. If your business is located outside the US, Canada, and UK markets, you can take advantage of Awin’s higher commission rates with an assortment of overseas partners.

 You also have to sign up for each program separately, which can be a bit of a hassle. A great feature of the Awin affiliate program is a Chrome extension that allows affiliates to generate links to all their partners quickly.

 – Cost to join: $5

 – Commission rate: Varies depending on the rates decided by individual sellers.

 – Cookie duration: Varies

 – Payment Methods: Direct deposit, bank transfer

 – Payment threshold: Starting at $20.

 – Payment Cycle:  The 1st and 15th of each month for the previous month’s commissions. 

 Advantages:

 – Accelerated payments mean you don’t have to wait for commissions.

 – Wide selection of affiliate marketing programs and many great brands to work with.

 – Easy-to-use platform with clear and consistent labels and layouts.

 – Dashboards make tracking easy to follow and understand.

 – Simpler interface than most networks.

 Disadvantages

 – Although the network has a global presence, it primarily focuses on UK and EU advertisers.

 4. CJ Affiliate

 CJ Affiliate (formerly known as Commission Junction) is an extensive affiliate marketing network that works with companies and promotes products worldwide.  With over 20 years of experience in the affiliate business, they are known for providing exceptional customer service to affiliates.

 Their platform is easy to use, has the largest selection of products, and makes it easy for you to increase your commissions. Creating an account with CJ is simple. To become an active member, you must complete seven steps, including filling out your contact information and adding your “promotional property,” which is your website or social media accounts. 

 The interface is also intuitive, and Commission Junction University offers plenty of training materials. You also get paid on a net 30 basis, so you won’t have to wait months to earn the affiliate commissions you’ve worked so hard for. CJ also has an open developer portal for API access. 

 – Cost to join: Free

 – Commission: Varies by product

 – Cookie duration: They use cookie-free tracking

 – Payment threshold: $50 for direct deposit and $100 for checks.

 – Program Requirements: You must have your website to join

 – Payment Cycle:  after 60 days

 – Payment Method: Direct deposit or Payoneer.

 Advantages:

 – Intuitive and easy-to-use interface and dashboard.

 – Many great brands under one roof.

 – Direct display advertising opportunities.

 -Excellent customer service, reliable follow-up, and training materials. 

 Disadvantages:

 – You must get approval from each merchant before you can start promoting. Some brands and trading companies may grant instant access, while others may take weeks or months to respond.

 – High Payment Threshold.

 5. Impact

Impact Radius affiliate marketing network has been present in the market since 2008 and has proliferated since then.  It is known for its automation tools that help streamline your campaigns and generate more sales. With an intuitive interface that offers detailed tracking and performance reports, this program is perfect for those who want more performance metrics to help them make business decisions.

Brands cover a variety of categories, including beauty, travel, retail, fitness, and more. You can join and manage partnerships with these companies for free. After signing up with Impact, you can access a marketplace where you can find the best brands and contact their affiliate managers directly.

 Impact usually pays by CPA (cost per action), Ovid, which means you will receive a commission when your audience buys something via your affiliate link.  An added benefit of Impact is its marketplace of mobile app partners, which you won’t find elsewhere.

 Commission rate: Varies depending on the brand.

 Payment Method: BACS, PayPal e or direct transfer.

 Payment threshold: $25 minimum

 – Payment Cycle:  Either when you reach the minimum or custom payment threshold, either on the 1st or 15th of the month. 

 Advantages:

 – Easy to find brands are offering instant approvals.

 – Large selection of affiliate programs and many great brands.

 – Smart interface is more intuitive than older networks

 -Known for offering one of the best user interfaces and reporting dashboards.

 – Impact’s customer service is also excellent for beginners and seasoned affiliates because they support every person within their program.

 Helpful information and detailed “how-to” articles accompany your support requests, making you feel like the program cares about your success.

 Disadvantages

 – Impact’s affiliate program is not as easy to join. 

 – The learning curve to get familiar with the program is something many have also complained about due to the additional features of the dashboard.  

 6. ClickBank

 ClickBank is one of small businesses’ oldest and most trusted affiliate marketing networks.  You can find unique products within their network that you won’t find anywhere else. It is well known for offering one of the highest commission rates to its affiliates (some offer up to 75%) and for making it easy to join.

 To become a ClickBank affiliate, you need to create an account, enter your personal and payment information, and then finalize your account to get started. You don’t need to provide a website or social media handle. ClickBank offers a much more comprehensive range of digital products than physical products. 

As a result, delivery is instantaneous, initial costs are virtually nil, and it is possible to work directly with the creators. Their free training resources are also somewhat limited, although they offer a paid training platform called ClickBank University.

In addition, many of these programs also offer a recurring revenue model, meaning that you sell once and get paid multiple times, all because of a visit to your affiliate site.

 – Cost of membership: Free

 – Commission: Up to 75%.

 – Cookie duration: 60 days

 – Payment threshold: 50

 – Payment Cycle:  Net 60

 – Payment method: Check, direct deposit, bank transfer, or Payoneer.

 – Program Requirements: You must have a tax or social security number (for US affiliates).

 Advantages:

 – You will rarely need to be approved by a merchant to start promoting their offer.

 – You will have many opportunities to promote programs with recurring commissions.

 – Most merchants on its dashboard also provide the marketing material and copy you’ll need, such as presale pages, product images, and brand logos. 

 – Digital products can work hand in hand with email marketing and social media.

 – Creating your affiliate link is very simple.

 – Specializes in information products for small businesses.

 – High commissions, two-month cookie duration, recurring commissions, low payment threshold.

 Disadvantages:

 – Some programs may have very high payback rates

 – The biggest drawback to ClickBank is that it has been so popular over the years, and the competition for these products is fierce.

 – ClickBank’s interface was also considered outdated and offered less performance tracking than some of the other options already covered. 

 – The products are not as well known, many poor quality products.

 7. FlexOffers

 FlexOffers is an affiliate network with over 12,000 affiliate programs in 25 different categories to choose from. FlexOffers offers special sub-affiliate programs if you want, so you sign up as a FlexOffers affiliate using their link and share the commission you earn, making it easy to get into that merchant’s program.

 You can also earn money by referring other affiliates to their program. Another great way to take advantage of FlexOffers is to find out if a company has an affiliate program that they don’t advertise on their homepage but offer through this network. Plus, it has an impressive 30-day cookie duration.

 FlexOffers is a good option for those who want to promote big brands, but it’s also great if you want to get into affiliate marketing without money.

 – Cost of membership: Free

 – Commission rate: Variable

 – Cookie duration: Varies

 – Payment methods: Check, PayPal, direct deposit, bank transfer

 – Products: Various

 – Payment cycle: Net 60

 – Program Requirements: You must have your website to register

 Advantages:

 -It offers special sub-affiliate programs. 

 – You can also earn additional income through the Flex-Rev$hare program. This program allows you to receive a portion of what your sub-affiliates earn.

 – They also allow applications from affiliates using Wix or Blogger.

 -they are known to pay their affiliates faster than any other network on this list.

 Disadvantages:

 – A complex sign-up process is a deterrent, as partners are very selective about whom they allow into their programs, which may explain the need for a sub-affiliate program.

 – No in-house training, not suitable for all niches, and high payment threshold.

 8. Rakuten Advertising 

 Rakuten Advertising is a Japanese affiliate marketing service provider with over 150,000 publishers and brands worldwide. Rakuten Advertising entered the affiliate marketing network space in 2005 with the acquisition of LinkShare.

 The company was known as Rakuten LinkShare for several years before being renamed Rakuten Advertising. Rakuten was voted the #1 affiliate network for eight years. In 2018, they facilitated over 110 million sales worldwide. 

 Their user-friendly platform, outstanding performance, and features make them a fantastic affiliate program for beginners. But it’s not easy to sign up. First, you must join the affiliate network, sign up, and be approved by each merchant program you wish to join. You must also have a well-established site.

 This process can take time, and acceptance is not guaranteed. However, you do have the opportunity to work with some of the biggest brands around the world. This network is home to several major brands in several verticals, but it also represents thousands of smaller merchants with a wide range of products.

 As a result, there is a wide variety of products and services to promote in dozens of categories, catering to most niches.

 – Cost of membership: Free

 – Commission: Varies by product

 – Cookie duration: Varies by product

 – Payment cycle: Net 60 days.

 – Payment method: Direct deposit, check, or PayPal.

 – Payment threshold: 50

 – Program Requirements: You must have your website to register

 Advantages:

 -A very easy-to-use dashboard that provides performance metrics and “out of the box” reports that make it easy to promote offers within your business model.

 – Many extensive brand affiliate programs are present here.

 Disadvantages

 -Lack of reporting and other performance metrics that are not tracked.

 – The approval rates for this network are not the best for beginners. You will likely need to be a larger affiliate rather than a brand-new partner to be approved under this affiliate program. 

 The commission rates in this program are also not the best – often around 20%, which means you will need a lot more traffic to convert these offers compared to other network options. 

 9. Sovrn (VigLink)

 Sovrn is an affiliate marketing network that takes a new approach to traditional affiliate marketing tools.  Sovrn acquired VigLink, which began in 2009 to help publishers monetize their content by automatically inserting affiliate links.  Sovrn connects publishers with hundreds of merchants by automatically using natural language processing to match you with the merchant that offers the highest commission. 

The platform also connects publishers with sponsored content opportunities and provides access to detailed performance metrics to help you increase conversions. Automating this affiliate network means you don’t have to worry about manually generating, tracking, and organizing your affiliate links. 

 Add the VigLink code to your website header or footer. VigLink automatically scans each site page and converts domains or URLs that businesses can be associated with into the VigLink affiliate network. The software also tracks particular keywords, including names, locations, interests, and other words that may relate to a specific partner’s offering in its network.

 This way, affiliate links will be automatically placed on your pages without any work, and you will only have to choose between a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-acquisition (CPA) offer. The best way to find out if the automatic link-building tool is right for your business is to try it out and see if manual link placement results in higher conversion rates.

 – Commission rate: Varies by the merchant

 – Types of products: Some digital products, but primarily physical products like skin care, home goods, sports equipment, clothing, and accessories.

 10. eBay Partner Network (EPN)

eBay offers one of the highest-paying affiliate programs on the Internet. The eBay Partner Network is where you can sign up to become an eBay affiliate. Commissions are in the range of 50-70%. eBay provides affiliates with the tools they need to promote eBay products with minimal effort. However, you choose to market products, the eBay affiliate program can be leveraged.

 You will work directly with eBay and its products as an eBay affiliate. While you will be working to some extent to help sellers, the primary relationship is between you and eBay. And just like Amazon, you’ll work with a platform on which businesses want to sell products. By using opportunities like eBay dropshipping, you are virtually guaranteed growth.

 Plus, eBay doesn’t require you to work exclusively with them.  You can be an eBay affiliate and still work with other merchants and programs for additional revenue.

 To get started, you need to apply to join their affiliate program, which will take about five minutes. It is by far one of the most straightforward procedures to implement.

 eBay’s commission rates are roughly equivalent to those offered by Amazon, but keep in mind that the top-selling products on eBay are new electronic items. You will work with a commission rate of no more than 2% as an eBay affiliate.

That said, signing up for the eBay partner network is easy, with approval often taking only 24 hours. They have hundreds of millions of different products to promote, reasonable commission rates, and a relatively simple application and approval process.

eBay also runs its affiliate program, so there is no intermediary – you work directly with them. You can build a relationship with their affiliate management team, which could be very useful for you in the future. In short, this affiliate program – officially called eBay Partner Network (EPN) – can provide a great starting point for new affiliates. Signing up is easy and free; fellows are usually accepted within hours.

 – Commission rate: Up to 4%.

 – Payment Method: PayPal and direct deposit 

 – Payment threshold: 10

– Payment cycle: Net 30

 – Cookie duration: 24 hours

 Advantages:

 – EPN actively welcomes beginners – the barrier to entry is shallow.

 – Globally recognized brand

 – Hundreds of millions of products for sale

 – You can offer your visitors real value for their money, often better than Amazon.

– You can receive payments via PayPal

Disadvantages

– 24-hour cookie

11. Avangate Affiliate Network

Avangate Affiliate Network started in 2006 and promoted only digital products like software and digital courses. What distinguishes Avangate Affiliate Network from others is that it offers the possibility of using a geo-targeted shopping cart. You can link it directly to a localized shopping cart if you are trying to reach a specific market.

 The cookie lifetime is one of the longest in the market, up to 120 days, and allows affiliates to create coupons, which helps drive sales. However, the reporting tools are a bit limited.

 – Cost of membership: Free

 – Commission: Varies by product

 -Payment method: Bank transfer, check, PayPal, or Avangate MasterCard (in partnership with Payoneer).

 Payment terms: Net 30

 Payment threshold: 100

 Advantages:

 – You also enjoy deep linking tools, geo-targeted shopping carts, the ability to use free software trials as a promotion, you can visualize EPC data, and you may even generate your coupons.

 – The ability to apply for programs – simply click “Apply for Partnership,” and you’re in business.

 Disadvantages

 – Too many of the programs they represent are very specialized, so I’m not sure how big of a market they are. 

 12. Link Connector

 Link Connector is another one of those affiliate networks with a wide range of merchants to choose from, including many big brands. So you have a good mix of physical and digital products to promote.

It comes overlooked by most affiliate marketers and has a wide range of merchants that tend to pay slightly higher than average commission rates. You have the option of working with a dedicated affiliate manager.

 – Commission rate: Variable

 – Cookie duration: Varies

 – Payment method: Check, PayPal

 – Products: Various

 – Offer Types: CPS, CPL, Per Click, and Pay Per Call

 – Payment cycle: Net 30

 – Payment threshold: 100

 Advantages:

 – Application to a given campaign only needs three clicks; therefore, loyalty points are marked here.

 – Naked link feature allows you to simply redirect traffic to the advertiser’s domain without using a custom affiliate link.

 Disadvantages

 – The limited number of advertisers could be an inconvenience 

 – LinkConnector also shares the usually dated interface that seems to come with the old networks.

 13. GiddyUp

GiddyUp is another modern affiliate network platform dedicated to helping you make money online, whether from your website or social media. Since 2013, GiddyUp has paid over $200 million in commissions to its affiliate partners. 

 An affiliate partner manager will also help answer any questions you have about digital marketing.  You’ll have access to new creative resources to help you, regardless of which channel you’re generating traffic from.

 GiddyUp is appropriate for beginners as it offers an affiliate manager and valuable tools to help you with the different aspects of its program. You can partner with over 150 DTC (direct-to-consumer) brands across various verticals, including travel, electronics, health, and wellness. 

 GiddyUp affiliates enjoy exclusive access to these e-commerce companies. The company also provides a creative library to help your digital marketing campaigns, robust tracking, and real-time data so that you can analyze your performance every month.

Tracking your performance can help you identify opportunities for improvement and earn more commissions in the future.

– Commission rate: Varies depending on the type of referral.

 – Getting Paid: On the 1st and 15th of each month, you must reach the $25 minimum to get paid.

 – Payment Method: Foreign bank transfers, ACH, and checks.

 How To Choose The Best Affiliate Marketing Network?

There are a few key factors you should consider when choosing the best affiliate networks:

 – Products/services and several merchants: The network you choose should connect you with brands that interest your audience. Consider each network’s offerings, the niches they cover, and the quality of digital and physical products.  The number of merchants a network or affiliate program currently has should also be considered when choosing the best solution. 

 – Ease of use: Read feedback on how other affiliates like the programs’ dashboards and how they support their comrades.

 – Approval requirements: Some networks require an existing website with unique, high-quality content, and some have minimum traffic requirements.

 – Commission rates: Networks’ commission rates can vary widely. Your affiliate marketing network should also have a detailed and precise payment structure for its affiliates.

 – Cookie Duration: Durations can vary considerably between platforms. Cookie duration refers to the length of time a program tracks and credits you for a potential buyer

Conclusion

We hope the best affiliate marketing networks presented in this article will give you enough choices to start working with them.  The affiliate network makes it much easier to connect with merchants and the best brands in your niche and can offer you a profitable outlet.

 Take the time to explore them for yourself.  The trick is to choose the right offers and promote them to the right audience to generate quality traffic for your website. 

Now it’s time to start choosing the affiliate networks that best fit your business goals and desired niche.