affilate 13 of the Best Affiliate Networks in 2021

Rakibul Hasan · September 22, 2021

Best Affiliate Networks 2021

We have compiled a list of the best affiliate networks, with pros and cons for each. Take a look and consider your goals for your blog or website so you can decide which network will work best for you.

1. ShareASale

ShareASale is one of the biggest affiliate networks in the U.S., with more than 3,900 affiliate programs and more than 1,200,000 participating affiliates.

One of the first affiliate networks, ShareASale was founded in 2000 and acquired by global affiliate network Awin in 2017. Throughout the years, it has maintained a stellar reputation as an honest and fair business.

The acquisition helped ShareASale expand its international affiliate opportunities.

Pros:

Long and excellent track record
Large database of affiliate programs
Affiliate programs available in home & garden, green products, business, and fashion
Payment options include check and direct deposits
Low payout amount of $50

2. Rakuten

Another of the oldest affiliate networks, Rakuten was founded in 1997 as Buy.com and acquired by Japanese company Rakuten in 2010. It primarily offers physical products, and is a strong alternative to Amazon Affiliates.

Although they have only about 1,000 partners making them smaller than many other affiliate networks), Rakuten includes many industry leaders among its affiliate programs, such as Walmart, New Balance, Sephora, and more. It also gives you high-tech options such as flexible linking, rotating ads, and great optimization features.

Pros:

Long history of connecting publishers and merchants
Many household names in its network
Better Business Bureau gives it an A- rating
Payment options include direct deposit, PayPal for certain markets, and check
Intuitive user interface
Offers a great system of reporting

Cons:

Smaller directory of affiliate programs
Longer payout because they pay you only after the merchants pay them

3. ClickBank

ClickBank was founded in 1998, making it another of the longest-standing affiliate networks on the web. It focuses mainly on digital products created by entrepreneurs around the world, which allows ClickBank to offer one of the highest commission rates.

A lot of ClickBank’s offerings target the digital marketing and e-commerce niche. So if your blog caters to these topics, you can find a huge selection of vendors from Clickbank.

Pros:

One of the largest databases of over 6 million affiliate offerings
Fast response time, earning it a Better Business Bureau A+ rating
Payment schedule options including a weekly or monthly basis.
Very low minimum payment amount of $10
Payment options include direct deposit, wire transfer, check, and Payoneer.
Solid network reputation

Cons:

Does not have PayPal option for payout
You will need to confirm individual merchant reliability.

4. CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction)

CJ was founded in 1998 as part of Fortune 500 company Alliance Data Systems. They claim that their access to unparalleled data allows them to offer “a truly customer-centric approach to affiliate marketing.”

Pros:

Over 3,000 merchants to choose from
Includes premium partners like Apple, Home Depot, Zappos, and TurboTax
Better Business Bureau gives it an A+ rating
Offers combined monthly payment for all affiliate commissions
Payment options include checks or direct deposit
Minimum payment of $50 for direct deposit
Offers powerful real-time reporting for monitoring activity

Cons:

Does not offer payout through PayPal
Accounts get deactivated after 6 months of earning no commission.
Merchants tend to be picky about whom they accept.
Minimum payment of $100 for check payouts.
Approved websites who fail to get results in the first six months may get deactivated

5. Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates, founded in 1996, is one of the oldest and largest affiliate networks available, offering both physical and digital products.

Pros:

One of the largest collections of products for earning commissions
Amazon products often rank in the top Google search results.
Payment options include checks, direct deposit, or Amazon gift certificates.
Very high conversion rates

Cons:

Payment schedule is estimated at 60 days after the month-end of when you earned your commission.
Payment by check includes a $15 processing fee for US-based affiliates
Does not allow affiliate links to be included in e-mails
Commission rates are not as high as other networks

6. ReviMedia

Who says affiliate marketing has to be limited to physical products? ReviMedia’s offerings focus on the insurance industry, financial verticals in global markets, and home services.

Pros:

Offers services in the insurance and financial service industries
Payment methods include check, PayPal, and wire transfer.
Low minimum payment of $50

Cons:

Very limited niche

7. 2checkout

Partnering with more than 4,000 digital businesses in over 180 countries, 2checkout focuses on digital goods, eCommerce software, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions.

Pros:

Strong support from their community of publishers
Payment methods include check, PayPal, and wire transfer.

Cons:

Minimum payment amount of $100

8. MaxBounty

MaxBounty is a cost per action (CPA) network, wherein the advertiser pays for specific actions performed by customers. It offers affiliate programs for the diet, market research, real estate, and dating industries.

These actions could range from form submissions, to downloads, sales, or any other action that a site visitor performs, which the advertiser then pays for.

This network is great for experts at conversion rate optimization.

Pros:

Offers programs in the dating, dieting, and real estate industries
Payment methods include wire transfer, direct deposit, check, Payoneer, PayPal, and Bitcoin
Received a Better Business Bureau rating of A+

Cons:

Minimum payment amount of $100
Niches are limited

9. eBay Partner Network

The eBay Partner Network was established in 2008, but its parent company eBay has been a major player in e-commerce from as early as 1995. You get to promote the 1.1 billion physical products listed on eBay.

Pros:

A very large offering on parent company’s site
A very stable parent company
Received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau
Very low minimum payment of $10, paid monthly
Payment options include direct deposit and PayPal
Allows you to promote unusual products not found elsewhere

10. Pepperjam

Pepperjam joined the fray only in 2015, despite the company’s presence in digital marketing since the 1990s. Although it has a relatively low number of options compared to its competitors, the company believes in promoting only brands that they believe in.

Pros:

A very transparent company that prioritizes communication
Allows publishers to communicate with merchants inside its system
Low minimum payment of $25 and twice a month payment
Payment options include check, direct deposit, or PayPal

Cons:

Limited offerings with only 1,500 merchants in its list
Received a C+ rating from Better Business Bureau

11. MoreNiche

Founded in 2002, MoreNiche does not have as many products in their collection, but they do offer a high commission rate of between 30–40%. They focus on the health, weight loss, and bodybuilding niches.

Pros:

Offers a high commission rate of 30–40%
Has a team of affiliate managers to provide proactive support, including advice on SEO and website audits
Organizes Mastermind events
Prioritizes relationship-building with their affiliates
Payment methods include Payoneer, Bitcoin, Skrill, and direct deposit

Cons:

Minimum payment of $100

12. MarketHealth

MarketHealth focuses on the beauty and health industry. Their program is also available for affiliate marketers outside the US, with global reach to over 100 countries.

Pros:

Offerings in local languages across the world
A robust tracking software that offers free advertising tools like banners and landing pages
Payment methods include check, wire transfer, Skrill, and prepaid debit cards
Very low minimum payment amount of $20

13. Affiliaxe

Many bloggers view Affiliaxe as the best network for those with extensive experience in affiliate marketing. It has an unusual thrust for exclusivity, but also delivers on its promise of great niche products to choose from.

Pros:

Has more than 700 programs in profitable niches such as dieting, entertainment, wellness, and mobile content.
Affiliate managers offer assistance and guidance in creating and improving campaigns.
Works with big brands including Mcafee, Norton, Omega XL, Marley Spoon, and TruthFinder
Very intuitive platform
Payment methods include wire transfer, check, PayPal, and Payoneer

Cons:

Uses an invitation-only process for approving affiliates
Minimum payment of $100

How Do I Join Affiliate Marketing Networks?

Most affiliate marketing networks already have a clear-cut sign up process that you just need to follow. These generally include the following steps:

Identify your industry and niche.
Sign up for the affiliate program(s) matching your chosen industry and niche.
In your content, use the link that lets the merchant track clicks.

If you find a company that does not seem to have clear instructions for affiliate marketing, you can contact their support team to ask if they offer affiliate programs or are part of a network.

What Is the Highest Paying Affiliate Program?

Below are some examples of the types of benefits you might expect from different affiliate programs. However, these are just a few examples, so remember that terms and benefits will vary by program,

ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels offers at least 40% commission on all front end offers.
Fiverr: According to Fiverr’s commission plan, you can potentially earn up to $150 for referring a first-time buyer to the world’s largest marketplace offering digital services.
WealthyAffiliate: The WealthyAffiliate website estimates the average commission for a single sale to be $121, making it one of the highest paying affiliate programs available.