Affiliate Program: What Is It & How To Choose The Best One

Kristen Chung

Writer

April 09, 2024

43 min read

Even though there are a lot of different affiliate marketing affiliate programs out there, you need to be aware that they're not all the same. They're not all created equally as well as they don't all pay well. This is why it is so important to pick only the best affiliate programs. After all, if you're looking for extra income, you want to make sure that you do everything right from the start.

Why Do Companies Have Affiliate Programs?

You may be thinking about why a popular company needs to have an affiliate program in the first place. The truth is that popular companies haven't always been popular, not to mention that even though they're already popular, they still need to continue to grow. For these companies, it's important to keep increasing sales but also create some brand awareness. According to Statista, the affiliate marketing industry was evaluated at $8.2 billion back in 2022.

Why You Should Become an Affiliate Marketer?

As we already mentioned above, one of the main benefits of becoming an affiliate marketer is that you don't need any previous experience. No matter if you want to promote a product or two using your social media accounts, your blog, create a specific website, or any other, you can do it. But you need to pick the best programs. This means looking for easy affiliate marketing programs but also for the top paid affiliate program to get started.

Ultimately, you want to make money online but, at the same time, you need to be careful with some questionable affiliate marketing programs that are available. So, you need to look for the best affiliate offers.

One of the first things that you'll notice when you start reading about this subject is that you can search for the best programs directly on specific networks or you can opt to promote companies and products that have independent affiliate programs.

Even though most people will tell you that you should go with a network, it truly depends on the independent referral partner program and on the company that is running it. As long as the company with affiliate programs is reputable, you shouldn't have any problem promoting its products or services.

But What Is An Affiliate Program?

Simply put, an affiliate program is a deal or partnership made between a company and the affiliate marketer. The company accepts to pay the affiliate marketer a commission for sales or referrals.

As you can easily understand, both parties win with this deal: while the company can make more business, the affiliate marketer can make a commission on each sale or referral he makes.

How Can You Make Money?

Notice that joining an affiliate marketing program is always free. You don't need to pay anything. This means that if a company wants you to pay to start promoting them, you should see this as a red flag and move on to the next company on your list.

When you join an affiliate marketing program, you'll have access to your link that you can use to promote the products or services to your network. In most cases, companies will have many different materials you can use to promote their products and services. From emails to messages, banners, images, and many other materials you may use to earn your commissions. But how can you actually earn money?

Ultimately, there are 4 different ways you can make money as an affiliate marketer:

• Pay per sale: This is the most common type of commission. You will get a percentage of any sale you make for the company. Notice that this percentage may be for selling a product or for a recurring subscription, for example.

• Pay per lead: Some companies are more interested in getting interested, targeted leads than in making more sales. In this case, you will be paid for any lead that signs up with the company. It may be signing up for a newsletter, asking for more information, a landing page submission, or anything similar.

• Tiered commissions: More and more companies are opting for this type of commission. Ultimately, your earnings will increase as you refer more customers. This is a way companies have to make sure their affiliates continue to bring more customers to them.

• Pay per click: This is the least common way you have to make money as an affiliate marketer. Simply put, all you need to do is to make sure that you get people to click on your affiliate link to earn your commission. Even though you don't make any sales or the person doesn't sign up for anything, you'll still get your commission.

How to Find Affiliate Programs

One of the main difficulties you have when you're starting as an affiliate marketer is determining the best companies to do affiliate marketing for. After all, there are many different online affiliate marketing programs not to mention they all have different paying schemes and are from different industries and niches.

If you already read about affiliate marketing, you know some people advocate you should only promote products or services that you use or like. Others say that as long as you are ok with the commissions and the terms of the program, you can go ahead and promote. Another question you may have is whether you should promote only one company or several.

Overall speaking, and trying to answer all these questions, it depends on you and your goals. It depends on how you're going to promote the companies, the time you have available, and your strategies. Although, there are some key points you should keep in mind:

• You should only look for free affiliate marketing programs; if someone wants you to pay a fee upfront or a deposit just to start promoting a product or service, you should move on to the next company on your list.

• Not only the highest commission affiliate programs are good. There are some affiliate products and affiliate services that may not be so attractive due to their low commission but they're nearly risk-free. So, you should evaluate the risk-reward of promoting a specific product and service.

• There's no such thing as the best affiliate product; there are many great affiliate products. You just need to find the right ones for your network.

• Affiliate network programs are no better or no worse than independent website affiliate programs. It all depends on the companies you're looking at.

To make sure that you can start making money using affiliate programs, and if you're wondering where to find affiliate programs, we will share with you the best 36 affiliate advertising programs in 2024. You will discover many companies that use affiliate marketing that you had no idea about.

Top 36 Affiliate Marketing Programs in 2024

#1: Flowlu

Flowlu's referral partner program is one of the best, especially if you're just starting. With many different materials that you can use, promoting Flowlu's is extremely easy. After all, you start with a good basis since its online CRM with project management tool is a great product that has lots of positive feedback. Flowlu also offers tools to manage team collaboration, knowledge sharing, invoicing, financial management, order tracking, dashboard, reporting tools, client portal—all in one single spot.

To join Flowlu's affiliate program, you just need to sign up to get your referral link. When a user clicks the affiliate link and completes a purchase, the affiliate receives a commission. You can then use this link to promote Flowlu's business management solution wherever you want. You can put it on your social media accounts, use your blog to promote it, or you can even create a website to promote it. It's completely up to you.

Anyone with a passion for promoting Flowlu and a desire to earn passive income can join the partner affiliate program. Flowlu referral partner program offers competitive commission rates, with affiliates earning up to 20% recurring commission on every sale referred. You can rest assured that you'll get your commission on all sales you make since the program is supported by the FirstPromoter site.

While there are no strict restrictions, affiliates are encouraged to adhere to ethical marketing practices and comply with Flowlu's terms and conditions when promoting the product. To learn more details, feel free to reach out to the Flowlu support team. This is, without any question, one of the best free affiliate programs in 2024.

#2: SE Ranking

SE Ranking is another great affiliate program. It’s transparent, easy to promote, and offers solid payouts. It has an innovative and reliable suite of tools for SEO professionals and agencies, including a robust Rank and AIO Tracker, Keyword and Competitive Research, Website Audit, Content and Local Marketing packs, and much more.

As an SE Ranking affiliate, you'll earn recurring 30% commissions for every sale you refer. There's no cap to how much you can earn, and you'll keep receiving commissions for as long as the customer you referred stays with the platform. With a 14-day free trial, it's easy to get users started with no upfront cost. Plus, the 120-day cookie duration gives you plenty of time to convert referrals into sales. Payouts happen twice a month via PayPal once you hit the $50 threshold.

Promoting SE Ranking is as easy as pie, with tons of promotional banners and widgets available. The support team is always on hand to help fine-tune your campaigns for the best results.

SE Ranking has a proven track record, with over 1 million users. Its competitive pricing and powerful features appeal to SEO professionals of all levels. If your followers are interested in quality SEO tools, this is an exceptional program to join.

#3: ThemeSelection

ThemeSelection is an online store that offers fully coded admin Dashboard Templates and UI kits for designers, developers, and agencies to kick-start their projects easily. It has been Trusted by over 270k+ providing them with cutting-edge technology products with a wide audience and a growing market. If you join the ThemeSelection Affiliate Program, you can start earning a 30% commission on every sale. They also offer a generous 60-day cookie period, ensuring you get credited for your referrals even if the purchase is made two months later.

Track your earnings and referrals easily through the Affiliate Dashboard, and access all the necessary resources, including product images and descriptions, on a dedicated Notion Page. Payments are processed monthly, ensuring you receive your hard-earned commissions regularly.

#4: Ling

Ling’s affiliate program is designed to help content creators monetize their passion for language learning and education. By joining, affiliates earn 50% commission on every sale they drive through their unique referral link. Ling provides a generous lifetime cookie duration, meaning you’ll earn commission whenever your referral makes a purchase—even if it’s months later!

The Ling affiliate program is a great fit for bloggers and influencers whose audiences love language learning, travel, education, or tech content. Ling affiliates can promote the app however they prefer, from sharing on social media to writing blog posts, to ads, or creating dedicated content. With a month of free access to Ling for testing and content creation, affiliates get firsthand experience to produce engaging, authentic content.

In addition to competitive commissions, Ling provides promotional materials and dedicated support to ensure your success. This program is undoubtedly is one of the best choices for 2024 and beyond, offering both high rewards and meaningful content for your audience.

#5: HubSpot

When you're looking to start making money online as an affiliate marketer, you want to make sure that you're promoting the right products and the best companies only. Well, one of the best affiliate programs you can join is HubSpot.

HubSpot is a very popular company that allows you to get a 30% recurring commission for up to one entire year for selling their online CRM platform. Besides, the company also works with tiered plans which are great to increase your earnings.

With many different materials, guides, tips, and tricks, HubSpot gives you all the tools you need to promote the company and make a lot of sales. And in case you run into any problem, you can count on their support team to help you out. No matter if you're a blogger, consultant, digital educator, a social influencer, or if you have a review website, this is a great program for you.

#6: Shopify

With more and more people looking to have their own website, Shopify is a great solution. And this can be a huge opportunity for you to make great commissions.

Shopify is a great eCommerce platform that is already very popular. So, it won't be very difficult to sell it. However, you need to be original with the content that you write about it.

As soon as you sign up with Shopify's referral partner program, you'll get your link. You can then use it to refer to the paid plans. Notice that you need to get in touch with the company to know more about the commissions you can make.

#7: GiddyUp

If you're just starting as an affiliate marketer, you want to find a good program that delivers all the materials you need to promote the product or service. Well, this is the case of GiddyUp.

One of the best things about GiddyUp is that you can promote up to 150 brands from one single place. From wellness to health, electronics, or travel, you have a lot to choose from. With this referral partner program, you have access to many different materials as well as you can keep track of your commissions. You can check real-time data and your performance. In case you need it, GiddyUp also has affiliate managers ready to help you out.

#8: Teachable

Many affiliate marketers prefer to earn recurring commissions instead of keep promoting different products to different people. If this is your case, then Teachable's program may be perfect for you.

With Teachable, you can make up to 50% on each sale not to mention that you may also make a recurring commission. Notice that this last commission is always 30% and you get it up to one year.

To promote Teachable, you'll have access to a wide range of materials that have been used by other affiliates with a lot of success. In addition, you'll always be updated on what concerns any changes or new features added.

#9: BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a direct competitor of Shopify. So, if you're considering promoting one, you should also consider promoting the other.

As a SaaS platform and an ecommerce hosting company, BigCommerce has its affiliate program in-house. One of the things that has been attracting so many affiliates to this program is the possibility of earning 200% of a customer’s first monthly payment. In case you refer an enterprise customer, you may earn up to $1500.

With BigCommerce, you'll have access to a wide range of promoting materials as well as you can have an account manager working with you.

#10: WP Engine

Not everyone is comfortable signing up for an affiliate program directly with a company without having a third party control everything. If this is your case, you'll be glad to know that WP Engine's referral partner program is managed by ShareASale.

Providing a lot of deals and discounts for their customers, WP Engine is a leading company. Even though this isn't a new referral partner program, when you're promoting WP Engine, you'll have the possibility of earning a commission on WordPress themes and plugins as well as you may also get a bonus commission if you send at least 5 referrals per month. You may also promote WP Engine's hosting plans.

From landing pages to banners and texts, you have plenty of materials to promote this company.

#11: Canva

If you're into graphic design, you know Canva. This is one of the most popular tools for beginners and, as you can imagine, it's also a huge success among affiliates.

All you need to do is to sign up with Canva and access the affiliates' material. From a guide to help you get started to tips and ad templates, you have plenty of different materials to use to promote this popular software.

One of the best things about becoming an affiliate of Canva is their commission scheme. Just to give you an idea, you'll get an 80% commission per month if you get a user to sign up for the monthly plan. In case you can get a user to sign up for the annual plan, you'll get a 25% commission.

#12: SiteGround

With more and more people looking to have their own blog or website, SiteGround is a good option. After all, the company offers hosting services.

One of the best things about promoting SiteGround's services is that you can get paid by the week. But more than this, SiteGround increases your payout per sale that you make as you make more sales per month. So, as soon as you discover the best way to promote their hosting services, the more you can receive.

#13: SEMrush

Since we're already talking about building and managing blogs or websites, we have to mention SEMrush since this is considered one of the best web affiliate programs. This popular SEO and marketing software is incredibly attractive not only to blog and website owners but also to affiliates.

With the SEMrush referral partner program, you can not only get a commission on the sign-ups of paid plans but also on the new trials. Since the company knows they offer a good product, they are willing to pay a commission even for users who sign up for a trial.

In case you decide to sign up to become an SEMrush affiliate, you can expect to get $10 for every user who signs up for a new trial and $200 for each new subscription sale.

With a wide range of materials available and an account manager to help you get started, SEMrush is a good option for a new affiliate marketer.

#14: Rakuten

When you're looking for affiliate networks, you may want to take a closer look at Rakuten. With more than 2500 brands, you'll certainly find products you want to promote here. Besides, you don't need to worry about the payouts since they are all made by Rakuten itself.

Even though this is a great affiliate network, you must have a good plan to promote a specific product. The reality is that you need to be approved by the retail brand as an affiliate and if you don't suit their needs, they won't accept you as an affiliate.

Since you have so many different brands, your commissions and types of commissions vary a lot.

#15: Leadpages

If you're a marketer, you may want to take a look at Leadpages. After all, this is one of the most popular website builders.

With more and more solopreneurs from all around the world, it's only natural that Leadpages is making more sales than ever. People are looking to save money and do more on their own and this website builder is perfect. This also makes it a huge opportunity for you.

To start promoting LeadPages you just need to sign up for free with these internet affiliate marketing programs and get your affiliate link and materials. You can make up to 50% on each sale you make no matter if it's a one-time purchase, a plan renewal, or even an update.

#16: Awin

With more than 25,000 advertisers, Awin is an incredibly popular affiliate network that aggregates many affiliate deals from popular brands including Samsung and Under Armour, for example. It's also one of the biggest affiliate marketing companies.

No matter if you have your own affiliate marketing website or if you have a blog, you can sign up for any of the programs offered in this network. However, depending on how you intend to promote and on your experience, you may be accepted or declined.

One of the things that you need to know about Awin is that you'll need to pay $5 to sign up for the network. However, as soon as you make your first sale and get a commission, Awin will reimburse this amount.

#17: ClickBank

Another option for those who prefer to deal with an affiliate network instead of with in-house affiliate programs is ClickBank.

With thousands of affiliate merchant programs from all over the world, ClickBank is one of the oldest affiliate networks. One of the best things about using this network is that it's very fast to get accepted as well as you have plenty of different products, both digital and physical, to promote.

At ClickBank, the commission you get for each sale you make depends on the product you promote. However, you need to know that this is one of the places where you can find top affiliate marketing products to promote.

#18: Impact

If you're looking to start promoting more popular brands, you may want to take a closer look at Impact. This affiliate network aggregates a wide range of brands from many different industries including fitness, retail, financial service, travel, and retail, among others. You can find Adidas, Lenovo, and Levi's here, for example.

Depending on the brands and products you decide to promote, your commission varies. However, applying and getting your affiliate link is free.

#19: Fiverr

If you have already taken a few jobs as a freelancer or know someone who did, Fiverr isn't certainly new to you. This freelance website is a great place to find the best freelancers for different tasks you may need.

One of the best things about becoming an affiliate of Fiverr is that the company offers different commission plans depending on the category of the purchase. For some categories, Fiverr provides a flat commission while for others you get a fixed commission and then a percentage of the revenue if there is a subscription involved.

It's important to keep in mind that you'll only be paid when you reach a balance of $100.

#20: FreshBooks

All businesses need an accountant. But with the Internet, many businesses opt for online accounting software and one of the best options is FreshBooks.

One of the best things about the FreshBooks referral partner program is that you will get a commission not only for referring paying customers but also for referring users to a free trial.

In case your network includes many business founders and owners, you should certainly take this golden affiliate opportunity to promote FreshBooks.

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#21: Partnerize

Partnerize is another huge affiliate network that you can use to get in touch and promote brands such as Nordstrom Rack, Bath & Body Works, and Puma, just to give a couple of examples.

Within your affiliate area, you can check many different stats including clicks. But more than this, you can use your affiliate area to create coupons as well.

Just like most business affiliate programs and affiliate networks, you can get paid by PayPal. The commission structure within Partnerize affiliate programs can vary depending on the agreement between advertisers and publishers. Partnerize provides support resources for both advertisers and publishers, including account management, technical support, and educational materials.

#22: Skillshare

One of the great benefits of the Internet has always been the ability to educate yourself. Well, Skillshare helps you do just that by providing almost 30,000 courses available online. As you can imagine, they cover each and every industry and niche you may be thinking about.

With Skillshare's referral partner program, you can get a 40% commission on any course that you sell using your affiliate link. However, you need to know that your maximum commission is $67 per referral.

#23: Target

If you're someone who only likes to promote the things you can see, try, and use, you may consider becoming an affiliate of Target. In case you decide to apply, you will be able to make a commission on many different products of luggage, home décor, sporting goods, appliances, and others.

Even though the commissions offered by Target may seem low for many (around 8%), the truth is that this is also a unique opportunity to promote products from a well-known company. If you live in the US this may be a program to consider.

Notice that if you want to sign up for Target's referral partner program, you'll need to sign up using Impact's affiliate network.

#24: Etsy

Etsy is a great platform and marketplace for artists and crafters. But you can now promote their different products and make a commission. Well, the truth is that you won't get rich with only a 4% commission on each sale you make but it is certainly easy to start as an affiliate marketer here.

One of the things that you need to know about Etsy's referral partner program is that it is managed by Awin and is a unique affiliate program. After all, it's difficult to find crafts and vintage products to promote elsewhere.

#25: MaxBounty

MaxBounty is one of the oldest affiliate networks and is Canadian. If you're just starting as an affiliate marketer and looking for companies that need affiliate marketers, then MaxBounty provides one of the best opportunities for you. Most of their offers are CPA. This means that you get paid when a user performs an action. It may be filling out a form or installing software, for example.

MaxBounty is a completely different affiliate network from all the others we have been mentioning here because they don't pay per sale or subscription. They pay you for taking a specific action.

#26: ShareASale

Don't let ShareASale's interface fool you. Even though it's dated, the truth is that this affiliate network continues to work really well for both affiliates and publishers. This is an affiliate network with many make money referral partner program to choose from.

With about 5,000 different affiliate programs available, you need to apply to the ones you want to promote. As always, you'll need to be accepted and, in most cases, you will.

One of the best things about ShareASale is that you may end up promoting products that pay you nearly $300 per sale.

#27: Shutterstock

With more than 2 million customers, Shutterstock is a huge website that delivers stock music, stock footage, and stock photography. When looking for images to display on websites and blogs, Shutterstock is where you need to go. Plus, with a library of millions of images that keep being added daily, users can find everything they need here. So, as you can imagine, this is a great affiliate program to sign up for.

The good news is that with this sales affiliate program, you can make up to 20% on commissions for each music, footage, or image purchase that you refer to using your affiliate link. Besides, you'll get access to plenty of promotional materials.

#28: Grammarly

Everyone needs to write from time to time. No matter if you're a teacher, a student, a business owner, a blogger, or any other professional, you want to make sure that your writing is perfect. This involves making no grammar errors, sending a clear image with the right tone, and even using better words. As you can easily understand, this is a service that is easily sold to practically anyone.

Grammarly's referral partner program pays you $0.20 for each signup and $20 as soon as the user purchases the premium plan.

One of the best things about this program is that there's no payout threshold and you have access to an affiliate support team.

#29: Logitech

If you're into computers, you know Logitech. After all, this is one of the top brands in computer accessories such as headsets, keyboards, and mice.

Always improving their products and releasing new ones, Logitech always has something worth promoting. So, this is a great brand to start promoting as an affiliate marketer. Besides, they don't have only the Logitech brand; they also have Blue, ASTRO, Logitech G, and Ultimate Ears which are also part of the deal.

To start promoting Logitech's products, you just need to sign up and get your affiliate link.

#30: Thinkific

Thinkific is a website designed for anyone looking to learn with an online course. Here, you can find thousands of high-quality courses in many different industries and niches.

When you join Thinkific's referral partner program, you'll be able to make a 30% recurring commission on both annual and monthly paid subscriptions. The company will pay you by Stripe or PayPal and you can access exclusive promotional material and brand assets.

#31: Sephora

The beauty industry is a very successful one. From fragrances to skincare, makeup, and cosmetics, there are many different products to promote. And more... There are so many special occasions that selling these kinds of products can be very easy. So, you should consider Sephora's referral partner program.

With this program, you can expect to get a 5 to 10% commission on each sale you make using your affiliate link.

#32: Adobe

Adobe stands for one of the most popular and reputable software tools. From tools to editing videos and photos to document management and web development, the company has it all. Who hasn't heard about Acrobat or Adobe Photoshop? Now, you can profit from these software tools by joining the company's affiliate program. Businesses looking to create visually compelling and functional online stores can collaborate with Magento experts to ensure seamless integration of Adobe’s creative tools with the technical foundation of their eCommerce platforms.

If you join Adobe's referral partner program, you can get an 8% commission on annual subscriptions and an 85% commission on the first month of a monthly subscription.

With a wide range of promotional materials including texts and banners, you can start promoting Adobe's products right away.

#33: Constant Contact

If you can access website owners, bloggers, business owners, digital marketers, or content creators, Constant Contact's affiliate program may be perfect for you.

As an online marketing and email marketing platform, users can easily send and keep track of different emails to their customers, potential leads, and more.

The company's affiliate program is a great option for those starting as affiliate marketers. You can get $105 on each purchase through your link.

#34: TripAdvisor

If you're a fan of traveling, you may want to take a closer look at TripAdvisor's affiliate marketing partner program. This is a great program for those who already have a blog or website related to traveling, for example.

One of the things we like about this program is that it works differently. After all, there are no sales to be made here. To get a commission, you need someone to use your link to book a specific hotel.

Even though this may be a great way to earn a commission, the truth is that this program only allows you to make money from hotels. However, if you prefer to use an affiliate network instead of dealing with a proprietary referral partner program, TripAdvisor's program may be a good option. Its program is run by Commission Junction or AWIN and you have access to many different materials.

#35: Amazon Associates

If you're just starting in affiliate marketing, Amazon Associates is another program. All you need to do is display your own link and make a sale so you can get a commission.

Participating in this program can be a great experience since everyone knows Amazon which makes it a lot easier to make a sale. However, it's also important to keep in mind that you won't be the only one thinking this way. This means that you may have a lot more competition promoting Amazon than promoting other companies.

Depending on the products you want to promote, you may get a commission between 1 and 20%. Notice that payments are held until you earn $10.

#36: Coursera

With thousands of courses available on its website, Coursera is a great option for those looking for affiliate programs related to this industry.

As soon as you sign up with Coursera, you'll get your affiliate link. One of the best things is that you can not only start using it right away as you can make several commissions from one single user. As long as this user buys multiple products, you'll get a commission every single time.

With Coursera, you can expect a commission between 10 to 45%, depending on what you decide to promote.

How to Optimize Your Affiliate Earnings

To maximize your affiliate earnings, it's essential to continuously optimize your strategies and adapt to market trends. Here are some tips to help you boost your affiliate revenue:

• Focus on Quality Over Quantity: Instead of bombarding your audience with numerous affiliate links, prioritize quality content that genuinely addresses their needs and concerns. Build authentic relationships with your audience, and recommend products or services that you genuinely believe in.

• Diversify Your Income Streams: Explore multiple affiliate programs within your niche and diversify your income streams to mitigate risks and maximize earning potential. Experiment with different types of content and promotional strategies to identify what resonates best with your audience.

• Stay Updated on Industry Trends: Keep abreast of industry trends, product launches, and consumer preferences to stay ahead of the curve. Adapt your content and promotional efforts to align with emerging trends and capitalize on new opportunities.

• Optimize for Conversions: Continuously optimize your content, landing pages, and promotional tactics to improve conversion rates. Test different calls-to-action, headlines, and visual elements to identify what drives the most conversions.

• Engage with Your Audience: Foster meaningful interactions with your audience through comments, emails, and social media engagement. Address their questions, concerns, and feedback promptly, and use their insights to refine your content and offerings.

Bottom Line

With more and more companies looking for affiliate marketers, it won't be difficult to start as an affiliate marketer. The tricky part is related to how you will decide on the best products and services to promote. While with some affiliate accounts, you need to make a minimum in commissions, with others you don't. You can withdraw your money immediately.

With so many affiliate programs to make money and top affiliate products to promote, we listed many different programs above. From companies with their own affiliate programs like Flowlu to affiliate networks that you can join and access multiple programs at the same time, you have everything you need to get started.