Affiliate marketing is the fastest way for most new blogs to start earning, and affiliate networks are the easiest way in. A network sits between you and thousands of companies with affiliate programs: you get one account, one dashboard, one set of reports, and one payment, and the network handles tracking and makes sure merchants pay. This list covers the 10 best affiliate networks for bloggers in 2026, what each is best for, and their payment terms.
Updated October 2026: ShareASale completed its move into Awin in 2025, VigLink is now Sovrn Commerce, and Rakuten Marketing is now Rakuten Advertising. New to affiliate marketing? Start with our step-by-step guide to monetizing a blog with affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Networks Compared
| Network | Best For | Merchants | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awin (incl. ShareASale) | Almost every niche | 25,000+ | Easy |
| Amazon Associates | Physical products | Millions of products | Easy, sales required to stay |
| Impact | Software, hosting, big brands | Thousands | Per program |
| CJ Affiliate | Large retail brands | Thousands | Per program |
| Rakuten Advertising | Retail and fashion | About 1,000 | Selective |
| PartnerStack | B2B SaaS, recurring | Hundreds of SaaS tools | Per program |
| ClickBank | Digital products, courses | Thousands | Instant |
| Sovrn Commerce | Automatic linking | 50,000+ | Site review |
| eBay Partner Network | New and used products | eBay listings | Easy |
| Refersion Marketplace | DTC ecommerce brands | Thousands of Shopify brands | Per brand |
1. Awin (formerly ShareASale)
ShareASale was the first network most bloggers joined, with easy approval and programs in nearly every niche, including WordPress companies such as WP Engine and OptinMonster. Awin bought ShareASale years ago and completed the merger in 2025: every ShareASale advertiser and publisher now runs on the Awin platform, which has more than 25,000 advertisers worldwide. Approval is easy, you can apply to programs from one dashboard, and Awin pays twice a month once you pass the minimum threshold, by bank transfer in many currencies, which helps international bloggers.
Key features:
- 25,000+ advertisers in nearly every niche
- Easy approval for new blogs
- Twice-monthly payments, many currencies
- Former ShareASale programs included
- Link builder and browser extension
2. Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates gives you access to almost every product Amazon sells, and Amazon converts visitors into buyers better than anyone. You also earn on anything else the visitor buys within 24 hours. The downsides: commission rates are low (1 to 4 percent in most categories, up to 10 percent in a few), the cookie lasts only 24 hours, and you must make three qualifying sales within 180 days of joining or the account is closed. Payment is about 60 days after the end of the month, by direct deposit or gift card.
Key features:
- Millions of products
- Very high conversion rate
- Earn on the whole cart
- Low commission rates, 24-hour cookie
- Three sales in 180 days to stay approved
3. Impact
Impact (formerly Impact Radius) hosts many of the programs bloggers in tech and online business actually promote: HostGator, Bluehost, Canva, Shopify, Semrush, and hundreds of other software, hosting, and consumer brands. It is a partnership platform rather than an open marketplace, so you apply to each brand individually, but the dashboard, link tools, and reporting are the best of any network. Payments are made per brand, usually monthly once you pass a low threshold. See our HostGator affiliate program review for one program that runs on Impact.
Key features:
- Major software and hosting brands
- Modern dashboard and reporting
- Apply per brand
- Contracts with clear terms
- Monthly payments by brand
4. CJ Affiliate
CJ (formerly Commission Junction) is one of the oldest and largest networks, strong on major retail, travel, and financial brands such as GoPro, Overstock, Priceline, and many banks. You apply to each advertiser from the dashboard. Reporting is detailed, but the interface has a learning curve, and accounts with no activity for an extended period can be deactivated. Minimum payout is $50 by direct deposit or $100 by check.
Key features:
- Large retail, travel, and finance brands
- Detailed real-time reporting
- Deep link generator
- $50 minimum by direct deposit
- Learning curve for beginners
5. Rakuten Advertising
Rakuten Advertising (formerly Rakuten Marketing and LinkShare) works with about 1,000 premium retail brands, particularly fashion, beauty, and home: Walmart, Best Buy, Macy\’s, and many others. It is more selective about publishers than Awin or CJ and better suited to established content sites. Payments are made once advertisers pay Rakuten, usually around 60 days after the sale, with a $50 minimum.
Key features:
- Premium retail and fashion brands
- Selective, quality-focused
- Good for established sites
- $50 minimum payout
- Payments after advertisers pay
6. PartnerStack
PartnerStack is where many B2B software companies run their partner programs: Notion, Monday.com, Webflow, Grammarly Business, and hundreds of SaaS tools. Commissions are often recurring (you earn every month the customer stays), which makes it the best network for blogs about software, marketing, and productivity. Join the marketplace once and apply to each program; payouts are monthly via PayPal or Stripe with a low minimum.
Key features:
- B2B SaaS programs
- Recurring commissions are common
- One account for many programs
- PayPal and Stripe payouts
- Strong fit for tech and business blogs
7. ClickBank
ClickBank is the oldest marketplace for digital products: courses, ebooks, software, and supplements, with commissions often 50 to 75 percent. Approval is instant. Quality varies widely, so check each product\’s sales page, refund rate, and gravity score before promoting, and avoid anything you would not recommend to a friend. Payments are weekly or every two weeks by direct deposit once you meet the minimum.
Key features:
- High commissions on digital products
- Instant approval
- Huge range of niches
- Weekly or biweekly payments
- Product quality varies, vet carefully
8. Sovrn Commerce (formerly VigLink)
Sovrn Commerce turns your existing outbound links into affiliate links automatically across more than 50,000 merchants, with no need to join each program. Add a script and it handles the rest, including linking product names in your content if you allow it. Sovrn keeps a share of each commission, so you earn less per sale than joining directly, but it is ideal for blogs that mention many different products across many stores.
Key features:
- Automatic affiliate linking
- 50,000+ merchants
- No individual applications
- Lower rate than direct programs
- Works alongside direct programs
9. eBay Partner Network
eBay Partner Network pays a share of eBay\’s revenue on sales you refer, across new, used, collectible, and refurbished items. It is especially good for niches Amazon handles poorly: collectibles, vintage, auto parts, used electronics, and rare items. Commission rates vary by category, the cookie lasts 24 hours, and payments are monthly by direct deposit or PayPal.
Key features:
- New, used, and collectible items
- Strong for collectibles and parts
- Category-based commissions
- Monthly payments, PayPal available
- Easy approval
10. Refersion Marketplace
Refersion is the affiliate software behind thousands of direct-to-consumer ecommerce brands, many on Shopify, and its marketplace lets you browse and apply to those brands in one place. It is a good source of smaller, independent brands in fashion, beauty, wellness, food, and home that are not on the big networks and often pay higher commissions to win new affiliates.
Key features:
- Thousands of DTC and Shopify brands
- Independent brands not on big networks
- Often higher commissions
- Apply per brand
- Free for affiliates
How to Choose an Affiliate Network
- Start with your niche: software and online business blogs belong on Impact and PartnerStack; general lifestyle blogs on Awin, Amazon, and CJ; digital product niches on ClickBank.
- Check where your favorite products live: search “[product] affiliate program” and see which network runs it.
- Look at payment terms: minimum payouts, schedule, and methods matter if you live outside the US. Many bloggers outside the US receive payments through Payoneer.
- Join two or three, not ten: more accounts means more dashboards to check and smaller balances that take longer to reach the payout threshold.
Once you are set up, pay-per-free-signup affiliate programs are an easy way to earn while traffic is still small.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which affiliate network is best for beginners?
Awin, because approval is easy and it covers almost every niche, plus Amazon Associates if you write about physical products.
What happened to ShareASale?
Awin, which owned ShareASale, moved all ShareASale advertisers and publishers onto the Awin platform in 2025. Your old ShareASale programs and history are available in Awin.
Do I need traffic to join affiliate networks?
Most networks accept new blogs with a few quality posts. Individual brands may decline you until you have traffic, and Amazon requires three sales within 180 days to keep the account.
Is it better to join a network or a company’s own program?
Both are fine. Networks are easier to manage and safer for payments; in-house programs sometimes pay more. Choose based on where the product you want to promote is offered.
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