Affiliate marketing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to earn passive income online even if you’re just starting out. The idea is simple: you promote other people’s products or services, and you get paid a commission whenever someone makes a purchase through your link.
But here’s the challenge: the affiliate programs aren’t necessarily equal. Some have great products but tiny commissions, and others pay well but may be difficult to get approved for, especially if you are new.
So if you’re wondering what affiliate programs actually pay for and are beginner-friendly, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will break everything down for you. We will go over the best affiliate programs with earning potential, a good reputation, and a straightforward onboarding process great for beginners that are looking to earn.
1. Amazon Associates
Best for: Beginners looking to promote physical products in any niche.
Commission rate: 1% – 10% (depending on category)
Cookie duration: 24 hours
Amazon Associates is where most new affiliates will start. It is very easy to join, and with almost everyone shopping on Amazon, conversions are typically high.
As a member, you can promote almost any product on the site — from books and kitchen supplies to electronics and home goods. You just need to post your affiliate link, and if someone buys within 24 hours, you earn commission on everything in their shopping cart (not just an item that you linked to).
Pros:
• Recognized global performer, people are already used to buying on Amazon
• Massive selection across every category
• Simple to plug into blogs, video content, and social media
Cons:
• Short cookie duration (24 hours)
• Commission rates are lower compared to most other programs
Best Strategy:
Create niche content! For example, if you run a fitness blog, then create reviews for specific equipment, such as resistance bands or smartwatches, because those people searching for those things already have buying intent, so the conversion comes easy.
2. ShareASale
Best for: Bloggers looking for variety and flexibility
Commission rate: Varies (typically 5% to 50%)
Cookie duration: Typically 30-90 days.
ShareASale is a large affiliate network that connects you to thousands of merchants selling products and services in almost every industry – fashion, tech, finance, home wares, etc.
Rather than having to sign up for each individual program individually, ShareASale presents you with one platform, one dashboard to control all of them. This is a great choice for beginners, as it allows you to try out a variety of niches and see which ones perform best.
Pros:
• Thousands of trustworthy merchants are located on one platform.
• An easy-to-use dashboard with transparent reporting.
• Consistent payments and help with their network.
Cons:
• A few merchants need manual approval.
• The interface is a little dated.
Best Strategy:
Choose 2–3 merchants that are close to your blog or audience. For instance, if your blog is home improvement-focused, you could promote Wayfair or Cricut (both found on ShareASale). Write thorough reviews or “best-of” comparison blog posts with affiliate links.
3. ClickBank
Best for: Promoting digital products such as Courses, ebooks, or software.
Commission Rate: 40% – 75% (very high rate!)
Cookie duration: 60 days
ClickBank is an experienced company that has been selling digital products since the late 1990s. Click Bank remains one of the most popular platforms for endorsement of digital affiliate products. Commissions are much higher than most physical-product programs, furthermore; you will not be required to obtain approval for most items.
Cons:
• Extremely large commissions.
• Immediate access to promote (no approvals).
• Very large selection of digital products across many niches.
Pros:
• Few products are low-quality, so you will need to weed out these products in advance.
• Refund rates can be high in the digital niche.
Ideal Strategy:
Focus on selling products that have a decent gravity score (around 20–100) and good reviews. The gravity scores indicate that other affiliates are successfully selling the product. Additionally, look for products with recurring commissions, such as membership websites or subscription-based software.
If you run a YouTube channel or a blog about skills, such as “How to Start a Keto Diet” or “Learn Graphic Design Online” there are plenty of high-paying and ethical offers available on ClickBank.
4. Commission Junction, or CJ
Ideal for: Affiliates who want to partner with big brands.
Commission rate: Varies widely (5% – 50% depending on advertiser)
Cookie duration: 30 – 45 days
CJ Affiliate is another large platform that partners with name brand merchants such as Lowes, GoPro, Expedia, and Grammarly. The platform is a little more advanced than ShareASale, but the learning curve is not overwhelming. If you are sincere and committed to building an affiliate business long-term, CJ Affiliate is a great option to consider.
Cons:
• Leverage global reputable brands.
• Reliable tracking and effective payment.
• Excellent analytics and reporting.
Cons:
• Approval can be stringent (need to be a decent site).
• Can be quite confusing at first.
Best Strategy:
To start, go with smaller or mid-level advertisers who approve new affiliates quite quickly. After you have experience and traffic built up, then you can apply to the bigger names. CJ gives you so many options that you can smoothly branch into multiple niches without having to leave the platform.
5. Impact
Best for: Beginners who want to promote some of the top online brands.
Commission rate: Average 5% – 30%
Cookie duration: 30–120 days
Impact (previously Impact Radius) is another affiliate program that boasts brands such as Shopify, Airbnb, and Canva, and Walmart among others. This platform is new, fast, and easy to navigate, making it appealing to the novice affiliate partner as well.
Pros:
• Great for promoting popular name brand companies.
• Great tracking and reporting features.
• manage multiple programs in one dashboard easily, with no issues.
Cons:
• Some brands can take time to approve.
• The minimum payout threshold is slightly higher than other platforms.
Best Strategy:
Promote digital tools first that people actually use like Canva or Skillshare or other digital tools. These companies often offer free trials, therefore, they are easier to convert — after all, everyone loves to try before you buy!
6. Advertising on Rakuten
Ideal for: Affiliates looking for steady revenue from reputable companies.
Commission rate : 5% – 20% (dependent on retailer)
Cookie duration: About 30 days
Rakuten Advertising (previously called Rakuten Marketing) is a global affiliate network that collaborates with premium retailers including Sephora, New Balance, and Best Buy. It is not as congested as competitors, which can lead to less competition for affiliates.
Cons:
• Associates with well-established and trusted brands.
• Reliable payouts and analytics.
• Excellent customer support.
Pros:
• Some programs are selective about who can promote it.
• Fewer retailers than ShareASale or CJ.
Best Strategy:
Utilize Rakuten if you’d like to promote established but still niche products or services. For example, if your audience is interested in fitness or fashion, Rakuten has strong offerings in that area.
7. PartnerStack
Best for: Affiliates focused on Software (SaaS), such as email marketing tools, CRM platforms, design tools, etc.
Commission rate: 20% – 50% recurring
Cookie duration: 90 days or more
PartnerStack focuses on software companies that pay monthly or yearly recurring commissions, which can make it ideal for promoting these types of products. If you are promoting a new design tool or email platform, this is the best affiliate network to use.
Cons:
• Recurring commissions (which are great for passive income).
• A professional dashboard with real time tracking.
• The brands have excellent communication and quick integration for direct linking.
Cons:
• Many offers belong to the software niche.
• You need to know the product to sell it effectively.
Best Strategy:
Target business owners, freelancers, and content creators that need tools to run their business processes efficiently. For instance, programs such as ConvertKit, FreshBooks, and Airtable are popular programs on the PartnerStack platform, with great commission payouts.
8. Affiliates on Fiverr
Best for: Bloggers, YouTube creators, or freelancers that also talk about the topic of online work.
Commission Rate: $15 – $150 per first time buyer.
Cookie Duration: 30 Days.
The Fiverr affiliate program is a great addition to your content if your audience contains freelancers, small business owners, or people looking to pay others to outsource their work. You will earn a flat rate for your referral when a user signs up and spends money on their first gig.
Pros:
• Higher flat-rate commissions.
• Wide variety of services to promote (design, writing, video, etc).
• Popular global brand.
Cons:
• You will only earn money from the first gig a new user purchases, and not subsequent gigs.
• Your payout is dependent on the service category.
Best Strategy:
Promote Fiverr in your content that helps your reader solve a problem. For example, if you published a post about “How to Start a Blog”, you can share how someone can hire a designer or logo creator from Fiverr.
9. The Bluehost Affiliate Network
Ideal for: Bloggers and other content creators focusing on online business.
Commission rate: Approximately $65 – $150 for each sale.
Cookie duration 60 days.
Bluehost is clearly one of the top options for web hosting, and the pay-per-sale affiliate program is a great match for beginners blogging about online business, online entrepreneurship, or creating a website.
Cons:
• Strong pay-per-sale amounts.
• Well-respected hosting company with simple onboarding.
• Recurring promotions and bonuses.
Pros:
• You only get paid for someone purchase hosting (not free trial).
• You need some traffic to generate consistent sales.
Best Strategy:
Post tutorials such a “How to Start a Blog in 2025” or “Best Web Hosting Service for Beginners.” Again, that gets all the traffic read and primed to spend money on hosting which is typically an easier sell.
10. The Affiliate Program for Canva
Ideal for: Designers, marketers, and creators.
Commission rate: 25%.
Cookie duration: 30 days.
Canva’s affiliate program enables you to generate money by promoting their widely popular designing software. The program is beginner-friendly and also perfect for bloggers, YouTubers, or educators who teach about digital designing, marketing, or social media.
Pros:
• Established and popular.
• Easy to sign up and manage links.
• Good conversion rates when it comes to free trials.
Cons:
• Does not pay as high of a commission as SaaS.
• Will be most valuable if your audience is creative-related or related to marketing.
Best Strategy:
Create tutorials or templates showing people how to use Canva — for example, “How to create a logo for free.” Then include your affiliate link to the free trial of Canva Pro.
11. Awin
Best for: Affiliates wanting access to worldwide merchants.
Commission rate: It depends on the merchant (5% – 50%)
Cookie duration: Usually 30 days
Awin (previously Affiliate Window) is a global affiliate network with over 20,000 advertisers worldwide – including Etsy/Under Amour/AliExpress. It’s friendly to beginners and sells everything from dropshipping to digital related niches.
Pros:
• A large selection of merchants around the world.
• Excellent support and training for new affiliates.
• Reliable payment.
Cons:
• Small sign up fee (refunded if/once approved).
• Some programs require website approval.
Best Strategy:
Use Awin to promote popular brands that your audience already trusts. You can easily create blog posts as well as email marketing and social media marketing to increase your reach and conversion rate.
How to Select an Affiliate Program That Works for You
Selecting an affiliate program is dependent upon your niche, your content type, and your audience. Here’s some helpful guidance to help you make a decision:
1.Understand your audience:
Aim to advertise products or services that they will actually want or need. Promoting a random product typically won’t work.
2.Understand the commission structure:
While high commission percentages are good, it’s important to consider the price of the product and how often it is sold. For example, 5% of $1,000 could potentially be more profitable than 50% off a $10 sale.
3.Recurring payments vs one-time payments:
Recurrence programs generate long-term income that isn’t as affected by new referral actions. (examples include PartnerStack or ClickBank subscriptions)
4.Brand trust:
Buy from brands that you trust. It is best to always advertise products that you actually believe in to maintain the credibility you have with your audience.
5.Read the cookie policy:
The longer cookies last, the longer you have time to get paid for your referral.
Conclusion
Beginning affiliate marketing shouldn’t feel complicated for you as a beginner. Just ensure you choose reliable, fairly-paying programs that suit your content.
To keep things simple, you can initially consider Amazon Associates or ShareASale until you learn the basics. Then with confidence, expand to places with higher payouts like ClickBank, PartnerStack or Impact.
Affiliate marketing will take time and dedication, but the rewards will be worth it. Select the best programs for your style of content, create honest and educational content, and you can turn your blog or channel into a sustainable income stream through education – no tricks, no hype, just value.
