If you run a blog or website one of the easiest ways to make money from it is through affiliate marketing. There are lots of affiliate marketing networks and platforms to join. One of the most popular affiliate networks is Clickbank. But there are many higher quality alternatives. In this post we will list some of the best affiliate networks that can be used alongside or as an alternative to Clickbank.
What Is An Affiliate Network?
An affiliate network is a platform that combines multiple individual affiliate programs into one central location. They usually include programs centred around a particular niche or type such as digital only products.
It is worth remembering that even once registered with an affiliate network, many require you to still apply for each underlying affiliate program.
We will list below some of the best affiliate networks to use as an alternative to Clickbank and give an overview of the pros and cons of each one.
You may find the following blog posts worth reading;
What Affiliate Networks Are An Alternative To Clickbank?
First of all Clickbank is a great affiliate network and can still be used alongside other networks to allow you to find the right products to promote. It is easy to sign up and once registered you can automatically promote any product on the site. There is no requirement to be vetted by each individual program. This makes it very easy for beginners to get started quickly.
There are some great products to promote on Clickbank. However there are also a lot of more lower quality products. You will tend to find smaller and more niche brands with most products being digital.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list below of some sites to use as alternatives to Clickbank. These are among the best affiliate networks offering higher quality products, well known brands and a larger selection of products. So if you are looking for affiliate programs like Clickbank check these out below.
Best Alternatives To Clickbank
1. FlexOffers
We tend to favour FlexOffers as being one of the better affiliate networks. It is also one of the larger and more established platforms. To start it has an inviting and quite easy to use interface. We find this is an area often lacking with many affiliate networks, even the larger ones. It is very easy to navigate.
FlexOffers has a huge selection of over 12,000 affiliate programs covering most niches including; finance, health & beauty, home & garden, automotive and much more. It is a site suitable for affiliates of all levels of experience. It is among our favored sites if you are looking for an alternative to Clickbank.
Pros;
- Access to top quality brands such as Microsoft and Walmart.
- Thousands of products across all categories.
- Dedicated affiliate manager.
- Can earn more through referrals.
- Widgets and publisher tools available.
- WordPress plugin available.
Cons;
- There is a transaction fee for each withdrawal payment.
Visit FlexOffers or view our blog post for more information here; FlexOffers affiliate network.
2. ShareASale
One of the best alternatives to Clickbank is ShareASale. ShareASale is one of the largest and most established affiliate networks. It has been around since 2000 and is now owned by Awin. Get access to thousands of products across many categories.
There is a good mix of large well-known brands and smaller niche brands. So you will likely find the right products to promote. Payment is by direct deposit with a minimum payout of $50.
Pros;
- Very wide range of products – both digital and physical.
- Good tools to generate custom links.
- Large established network
Cons;
- The user interface can be a little bit clunky and difficult to use.
Visit ShareASale or view our blog post here; Make Money With ShareASale Affiliate Network.
3. CJ Affiliate
Formally known as Commission Junction, CJ affiliate is one of the most established affiliate networks, being founded in 1998. Like ShareASale and FlexOffers, CJ Affiliate offers access to thousands of top quality brands. Payout is by bank deposit, although Payoneer is available for some countries. Minimum payout thresholds vary by currency but for US dollars is $50.
Pros;
- Access to thousands of high quality brands.
- Opportunities to sell your ad space to advertisers.
- Tools and widgets available.
Cons;
- Accounts with no activity in 6 months are deactivated.
Visit CJ Affiliate or click here to read our full CJ Affiliate review.
4. Avangate Affiliate Network
Avangate is an award winning affiliate network dedicated to digital and software products. There are thousands of digital products available from top merchants such as Norton and Kaspersky. Products range across many categories including security, business, utilities, apps and more.
There is a higher minimum payout threshold of $100. Payout options are wire transfer, PayPal or check.
Pros;
- Good selection of digital products
- Quite high commission rates from digital products
Cons;
- Higher minimum payout threshold than most other affiliate networks.
Visit Avangate affiliate network
5. Amazon Associates
We all know Amazon – they are the world’s largest online retailer. They have an affiliate program called Amazon Associates where you can earn commission promoting products and services sold by Amazon.
Commission structure varies by product category and even country but can range from between 1-10%. Almost all product categories qualify for commission. Even if a customer clicks your link for one type of product but purchases another, you will still earn the relevant commission for that purchase.
The Amazon Associates program is one of the most popular affiliate programs and makes for a great alternative to Clickbank. It’s quite easy to use for both beginners and experienced marketers. It has the major advantage of brand recognition and trust with customers compared to lesser known brands.
Payment can be received by your choice of bank transfer, check or Amazon gift card. With a low payout threshold of just $10.
Pros;
- Huge range of products to promote across Amazon
- Great marketing materials provided such as native ads
- Promote products from one of the world’s largest brands.
- Low payout threshold.
Cons;
- Lower commission rates than other programs.
- Quite strict terms and conditions to follow.
- Must make at least 3 sales in the first 6 months for your account to be evaluated.
- You must register separately for different countries.
Read more in our blog post about the Amazon Associates program.
6. Awin
Awin is one of the largest affiliate networks and own other networks including ShareASale but are run separately. You’ll find thousands of merchants, some of which aren’t available on ShareASale. It also has a much lower payout threshold than ShareASale at just $20.
One thing worth mentioning is that Awin require a $5 deposit to be paid on account application. If successful you will be refunded but not if unsuccessful.
Pros;
- One of the most established affiliate networks
- Thousands of merchants
- Low payout threshold of only $20
- Good tools available including a dedicated WordPress plugin.
Cons;
- $5 fee payable on application can be a little off-putting.
7. Skimlinks
Skimlinks is a little different to other affiliate networks – it automatically affiliates product links from your content. They have over 48,500 merchant programs which you are automatically joined to.
When you register you simply need to copy and paste a small piece of Javascript code into your website. It works alongside existing affiliate links and doesn’t overwrite them.
Payment is made by bank transfer or PayPal and there is a minimum payout threshold of $65.
Pros;
- Easy to use as is automated.
- Huge amount of merchants available.
Cons;
- Some people may have issues adding the code to their websites.
- Less control over merchant programs.
8. Fiverr Affiliate Network
Fiverr is one of the world’s largest digital marketplaces for freelance services. They have an affiliate program that is very easy for anybody to join and promote services advertised on Fiverr.
There are a huge selection of services including web design, financial services, SEO services etc. Different commission structures are available such as CPA and revshare.
Pros;
- Lots of different services to promote.
- Good variation of commission structures to choose from.
- Easy to join and suitable for any experience level.
- Good marketing materials and tools such as widgets and deep linking.
Cons;
- Limited to services on the Fiverr platform.
- $100 minimum payout threshold is higher than other platforms.
Alternative To Clickbank Conclusion
There are lots of options for affiliate networks to join. But these can all vary greatly on product offering and product quality. We have provided the above list of what we feel are among the best affiliate networks to use as an alternative to Clickbank.
These affiliate networks are some of the largest and most established. Offering access to a wide variety of products from brands large and small. So you should be able to find the right products to promote.
You are not tied to one platform, use them as alternatives to Clickbank and select the best offers for your niche. Find more free affiliate programs like Clickbank.
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