34 Best Alternatives to the Amazon Associates Affiliate Program

Andrey Novoselov Andrey Novoselov
Updated:
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With Amazon Associates cutting its commission rates by up to 50% in April 2020, more and more partners are starting to look for alternative affiliate programs. In this post, we provide you with comprehensive advice on how to react to this situation along with over 30 of the best alternatives to the Amazon Associates affiliate program. We believe it is very important for affiliates to explore all available opportunities and monetize their websites through other channels, thus we rounded up a list of some of the top-earning methods.

best-alternatives-Amazon

Changes to the Amazon Associates Program (April 2020)

Amazon has one of the world’s largest e-commerce affiliate programs, Amazon Associates, which accounts for over 2 million active publishers. This is due to the fact that e-commerce has been gaining momentum for several years. More and more people have begun to shop online and make use of the lower prices and two-day delivery that Amazon offers. The platform has a strong reputation and two decades of experience, so customers trust it and prefer to buy there.

Naturally, all of Amazon’s affiliates were devastated on April 14 when they received the following one-week notice email announcing upcoming changes to the terms of the affiliate program:

Changes to the Amazon Associates Program (April 2020)

What Has Changed

As of April 21st, Amazon lowered commissions on many product categories, such as:

  • Furniture, Home, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden, Pets Products, and Pantry: from 8% to 3%
  • Headphones, Beauty, Musical Instruments, Business, and Industrial Supplies: from 6% to 3%
  • Outdoors and Tools: From 5.5% to 3%
  • Sports and Baby Products Categories: from 4.5% to 3%
  • Health and Personal Care: From 5% to 1%
  • Amazon Fresh: From 3% to 1%

But that’s not the full story. Amazon has also implemented the following changes:

  • Removing offers from affiliate networks, such as Skimlinks or Sovrn, and connecting with publishers directly.
  • Pausing a number of affiliate programs, such as BuzzFeed, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which led to some advertisers suspending offers of their own accord.

Why Amazon Cut Its Commission Rates

Odi, an affiliate marketing expert and entrepreneur from ODi Productions, commented on the reasons for the recent drastic changes to Amazon Associates:

During this time, essential products are flying off the shelves, and companies don’t really need advertising to help sell those products. So, it makes sense to cut on advertising spending, which is what affiliate marketing basically represents. As people are now buying things off the shelves because of the current world situation, Amazon doesn’t really need that much help.

ODi Productions

Amazon has not officially announced that these changes are related to the coronavirus outbreak. So we don’t know for sure if these changes were brought about by the pandemic or a number of factors.

However, one thing is certain, hundreds of thousands of affiliates have seen a huge drop in their revenue stream, especially those who relied solely on Amazon. Now, these affiliates are looking for a new livelihood.

How Commission Reduction Could Be a Great Opportunity?

Use this opportunity to look at things from a wider perspective and explore emerging opportunities, which may actually turn out to be more profitable than your existing strategy. For instance, you may encounter longer cookie lifetimes, higher commission rates, more freedom as an entrepreneur, and more.

Here is what you can do as an affiliate:

  • Switch to niches and products on Amazon that were unaffected by the pandemic.
  • Transition to other affiliate programs and networks.
  • Consider looking into alternative niches, which are still generating huge sales.
  • Explore monetization opportunities outside affiliate marketing, such as email marketing, or diversify your income stream and combine various options. However, it is best to try one thing at a time.

You can still break new ground in the tourism and travel market. This option is especially attractive, since the travel market is slightly smaller than the e-commerce market in the USA, while the average check is more than three times higher. Booking.com, GetYourGuide, and more than 100 other trusted global travel brands are available in the Travelpayouts partnership platform.

Join the Travelpayouts Partnership Platform

Access exclusive tools and the best travel partner programs, including flights, hotels, car rental, insurance, tours and activities, all in one place.

Join Today
480,000 partners already trust us
60+ travel brands
$63M+ total paid since 2011

34 of the Best Amazon Associates Affiliate Program Alternatives

If you find leaving Amazon links on your website downright thankless, start researching alternative programs, particularly from brands you already sell through Amazon. Here is our take on the 34 best Amazon Associates alternative programs.

Alternative Programs Similar to Amazon Associates in Every Way

Here are some online retailers that could be good alternatives to Amazon Associates.

1. eBay Partner Network

eBay affiliate program

eBay is another e-commerce giant and the second leading online marketplace in the US. It accounts for over 180 million active buyers and about 2 billion daily transactions. Through the eBay partner network, you can earn in the following niches:

  • Electronics
  • Collectibles and Art
  • Fashion
  • Home and Garden
  • Sporting Goods
  • Health and Beauty
  • Toys and Hobbies
  • Books, Movies, and Music
  • Business and Industrial
  • eBay Motors
  • Others (Kids, Office Supplies, Beauty, etc.)

Here is a list of the average commission rates within the network.

Product Category Commission Rate (average) Cap (USD)
Collectibles 3% $550
Business and Industrial 2,5%$225
Electronics 1.5-2% $550
Fashion 4% $550
Home & Garden 3% $550
Lifestyle & Media 3% $550
Parts & Accessories 3-4% $100-550
All Other 1-4% $550

Features

  • Easy to join. The network is open to beginners, so if you just started your blog, you still can partner with eBay.
  • Low minimum payout. You need to earn a minimum of ten units of your home currency ($10 in the US) in order to cash out, in contrast to Amazon Associates, which has a 100-unit threshold.
  • Competitive offers. Best Price Guarantee and free shipping for many products.
  • No membership fee for premium services, so you’ll always be able to offer your readers the best deals.
  • With its 25-year expertise, eBay is a strong brand and authority in the e-commerce niche and has already gained trust around the world.

2. Walmart affiliate program

Walmart Affiliate Program

Walmart is an American retail company and a great alternative to Amazon Associates. In most US states, Walmart is a trusted retailer. Its affiliate program includes physical products in categories such as clothing, electronics, health, photo, sports, and more.

Commission rates are as follows:

Category Commission
Baby 4%
Books 1%
Beauty 4%
Kitchen Appliances 4%
Clothing 4%
Contact Lenses 10%
Home 4%
Electronics 1%
Gifts & Registry 4%
Health 4%
Patio & Garden 4%
Jewelry 4%
Movies 1%
Music 1%
Video Games 1%
Photo 1%
Sports & Outdoors 4%
Toys 4%
All Others 4%

What Are the Features of the Walmart Affiliate Program?

  • Instant approval upon signup
  • Commission rates from 1% to 18%
  • Three-day cookie lifetime
  • Monthly payouts
  • Payouts through PayPal or bank transfer
  • Affiliate Tools: Banner ads, SDK, WordPress plugin, Chrome extensions

3. Target affiliate program

Target affiliate program

Target affiliate program is another great alternative to Amazon Associates, as Target is a well-established brand that is popular in the US.

Target has a performance-based commission model, so your reward will depend on the number of sales you make. Here is a breakdown of affiliate commissions at Target: 

Monthly Net Orders* Apparel & Accessories Home & Outdoor Living Baby Gear & Furniture Health & Beauty
010 5.00% 5.00% 3.00% 1.00%
1150 6.00% 6.00% 3.50% 1.00%
51300 6.50% 6.50% 3.75% 1.00%
3011,000 7.00% 7.00% 4.00% 1.00%
1,0012,000 7.25% 7.25% 4.25% 1.00%
2,0014,000 7.50% 7.50% 4.50% 1.00%
4,00110,000 7.75% 7.75% 4.75% 1.00%
10,001+ 8.00% 8.00% 5.00% 1.00%

At last count, the Target affiliate program is most beneficial for promoting home goods and outdoor living products.

What Are the Features of the Target Affiliate Program?

  • A wide range of physical products in various categories
  • Competitive commissions similar to Amazon: 1% to 8%
  • Seven-day cookie lifetime on any purchase, not just the first one
  • Affiliate tools, including banners (over 150 options), widgets, deep linking, and more
  • Your content must be directed to a US audience
  • You’ll receive maximum commissions when referring over 10,000 sales per month
  • Payouts are available through PayPal

Affiliate Networks

If you want to work with a few different advertisers and facilitate your communications, consider joining an affiliate network. You’ll be able to manage multiple programs in a single interface and withdraw all your commissions at once.

4. CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate, also known as Commission Junction, is one of the world’s leading affiliate networks with over 20 years of experience. It features over $1.8 billion worth of annual publisher commissions and 4.8 million annual partnerships.

Publishers can sign up for free, but they are required to have an active website with a valid domain and know the basics of JavaScript or HTML to insert the CJ code into their platforms.

With CJ, you can earn on physical and digital products, travel, non-profits, careers, and more.

The average commission is 7%.

Features of the CJ Affiliate Program

  • The extensive set of tools includes collage, grid, slideshow, deep link generator, and the automation tool (API)
  • $50 minimum threshold
  • Performer Program for publishers with a monthly income of $10,000
  • Your account will be blocked if you don’t generate sales within the first six months
  • Pay per call is also available
  • Payouts are sent through direct deposit, cheque, or online money transfer through Payoneer

5. ShareASale

shareasale affiliate network

ShareASale is a US-based CPA affiliate network with over 16,550 merchants and 225,000 publishers. Just like CJ Affiliate, ShareASale offers a variety of physical and digital products in a variety of niches, such as Home and Garden, Fashion, Green, and more. Commission rates vary for each advertiser.

What Are the Shareasale Features?

  • Real-time tracking
  • Payments are made through direct deposit to an affiliate’s bank account or via check (PayPal is not available)
  • The minimum threshold for payment is $50
  • You need to make transactions within six months of your activation date
  • Tools include text links, banners, custom links, deals, coupons, data feed, product showcase, and the Make-A-Page tool (depending on the advertiser)
  • You need to have a website, application, or service (including email service) or be a sub-network in order to join the network

6. Skimlinks

Skimlinks is a leading content monetization platform with 10 years of experience. Skimlinks offers access to 48,500 advertisers and 50 affiliate networks and accounts for over 60,000 affiliates, including well-known content publishers such as Conde Nast, Hearst, Yahoo!, Huffington Post, Trinity Mirror, and MailOnline.

The affiliate reward depends on the advertiser. Skimlinks prides itself on offering exclusive commission rates that are higher than those of other networks or direct partnerships.

With Skimlinks, you can earn in the following niches:

  • Automotive
  • Business
  • Coupons/Deals
  • Drugstore & Pharmacy
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion & Accessories
  • Food & Drink
  • Gambling
  • Gender – Female
  • Gender – Male
  • Gifts
  • Home
  • Interests
  • Medical Equipment
  • Multi-Category Retailers
  • Paid Social Networks
  • Personal Finance
  • Services
  • Technology
  • Tickets
  • Tobacco
  • Travel

What Are the Features of the Skimlinks\Naffiliate Program?

  • One of the widest selections of affiliate offers with over 48,500 merchants and 50 affiliate networks!
  • Payouts are sent no earlier than 90 days after the first sale
  • The payment threshold is $65/€55/£50
  • Payment methods include direct deposit to your bank account or PayPal (depending on your country of residence)
  • A 25% fee is deducted from each affiliate’s earnings
  • Affiliate tools include the price comparison app, shopping gallery, Chrome Extension Toolbar, and more
  • Skimlinks negotiates exclusive commission rates with advertisers

7. Awin

awin affiliate network

Awin is another major affiliate network, accounting for 21,200 advertisers across more than 70 niches and over 241,000 active publishers. The network is open to publishers, media partners, bloggers, vloggers, owners of social media pages, and anyone who wants to share content with an online audience.

With Awin, you can earn in one of the following niches:

  • Finance and Insurance (Credit Cards, Insurance, Loans, Property, etc.)
  • Retail and Shopping (Automotive, Clothing, Computers, Electronics, Health, Pharmaceuticals, etc.)
  • Telco and Services (Digital TV, Education, Online Gaming, Utilities, etc.)
  • Travel (Flight Tickets, Hotels, Trains, Vacation Packages, etc.)

The commission rate depends on the advertiser.

How Is Awin Different From Other Networks?

  • Payment processing takes 30 to 45 days after the sale
  • The network’s threshold for payouts is $20
  • The network’s in-house tools include creatives, link builder, browser extension, and WordPress plugin
  • Real-time statistics
  • Two payment days

8. Rakuten Advertising

Rakuten Advertising network-min

Rakuten Marketing, formerly known as LinkShare, is an award-winning affiliate marketing network and part of the Rakuten Group, which accounts for over 70 businesses and 1.4 billion members around the world. The company was founded in 1997 and is one of the oldest networks available.

Rakuten Marketing provides its 150,000 publishers with access to brands known around the world, such as June Jacobs, ECCO, Sixt, Jet Blue Vacations, DialogTech, and Sephora, accounting for over 1,000 merchants in the network.

Review the terms of each affiliate program to find the commission rate.

What Are the Features of Rakuten Marketing?

  • A wide set of promotional tools, including API for offer personalization
  • Educational support through webinars, video tutorials, and documentation
  • Customer support through phone and email
  • Payments available in 25 different currencies
  • Payment process may extend over two months
  • You can only get paid by direct deposit or check
  • You need to drive significant traffic to be approved

9. Clickbank

Clickbank

ClickBank is an online retailer with an in-house affiliate program. Currently, it accounts for 30,000 daily sales generated by over 100,000 publishers in more than 200 countries.

Commissions vary from 10% to 75% (and higher), depending on the advertiser. Some merchants provide recurring commissions.

What Are the Features of the Clickbank\Naffiliate Program?

  • 60-day cookie lifetime
  • 1,000 merchants
  • Both physical and digital products
  • Beginner-friendly
  • You need to refer five different purchases to receive your first commission
  • Clickbank provides upsales to maximize affiliates’ profits
  • Payouts are available through check, direct deposit, wire transfer, or Payoneer
  • $10 payment threshold

10. Infolinks

Infolinks

Infolinks is an online platform that connects advertisers to 350,000 publishers and over 1 billion users worldwide. It is compatible with other ad networks, so you can use Infolinks and AdSense links (for example) on the same page without a problem.

Infolinks

Commission rates vary for each advertiser.

What Are the Features of the Infolinks\Naffiliate Program?

  • Multiple ad unit options: InFold, InTag, InText, InFrame, and InArticle
  • Payments are sent within 45 days from the end of the month that you reached the threshold
  • Infolinks publishers receive 65% revenue share
  • You can receive payment through PayPal, Bank Wire, eCheck, ACH (only for US bank accounts), or Payoneer
  • Refer new publishers to Infolinks and get 10% of their income within 12 months
  • If you set ad code within 24 hours, you’ll be earning 20% more for six months
  • $50 minimum payout

11. VigLink

viglink affiliate platform

VigLinks stands apart from other affiliate networks. To start earning, you don’t need to sign up for an individual affiliate account on all networks, as VigLinks automatically converts your regular links into affiliate links with the help of JavaScript. All you need to do is just add a code to your blog. If you already have affiliate links on your website, VigLinks won’t change them.

VigLinks

Through VigLinks, you can partner with over 50,000 advertisers, including well-known brands such as eBay, Nike, Amazon, Target, Benefit, NordStrom, Uniqlo, TripAdvisor, and Walmart.

Affiliate commissions vary for each program.

What Are the Features of Viglink?

  • Fast acceptance
  • Easy to set up – just add a line of code to your website!
  • Automatic monetization of product mentions on your website by linking them to the highest-paying affiliate offers in the market
  • Progressive affiliate tools, including API and WordPress plugin
  • Multiple payment methods, including PayPal
  • Compatible with AdSense

12. Avangate

avangate affiliate network-min

Avangate is an award-winning CPS affiliate network for the global distribution of digital goods and services, accounting for over 22,000 products in total. With Avangate, you can partner with well-established and strong brands, such as Bitdefender, Movavi, IObit, Iolo Technologies, Kaspersky Lab, and more.

Merchants offer different commissions (up to 75%) and also reward publishers for great performance.

So, what are the features of the Avangate affiliate network?

  • #1 affiliate network for digital goods and software worldwide
  • Numerous affiliate tools and creatives, such as banners, data feeds, and more
  • Over 50,000 affiliates
  • Interface available in nine languages
  • Coverage in 180 countries

Niche Solutions

If you generate the most revenue by selling a particular product or a category of goods, it makes sense to join niche affiliate programs. Thus, your website visitors can buy the same products and you will still earn a commission without having to start from scratch.

Photo and Video Gear and Computers

13. BHPhotoVideo

b&h photo video audio affiliate program-min

The BHPhoto affiliate program allows publishers to monetize their content by promoting photography and videography gear, computers, mobile devices, TVs, surveillance cameras, optics, and more. In this network, you can partner with brands, such as Angler, Bolt, Genius, Helder, Impact, Luminesque, Magnus, Sound Device, Vello, Watson, Xcellon, and more.

The website is available in English and Spanish and accepts payments in 20 of the world’s most popular currencies.

To join the program, you need to have a multi-page fully functioning website, relevant content, and no broken links.

What Are the Features of the Bhphotovideo\Naffiliate Program?

  • Free to join
  • Commissions up to 8%
  • Low minimum payout of $80
  • Customizable tools and links

14. Focus Camera

Focus Camera

Focus Camera is an e-commerce retailer with an in-house affiliate program. You can promote photo and video gear, optics, musical instruments, studio recording equipment, TVs, computers, and more.

The store offers same-day shipping and free two-day shipping for selected areas. There is also a retail shop in Brooklyn.

The commission rate is 3% as with most affiliate programs in the niche.

Features of the Focus Camera affiliate program:

  • $12.89 earnings per click
  • Three-day cookie lifetime
  • Available through affiliate networks, such as Impact.

Home Appliances

15. Adorama

Adorama

Adorama is one of the world’s biggest and most credible retailers for consumer electronics with 40 years of expertise. Today, it accounts for over 250,000 products in categories such as Pro and Consumer Photo, Pro and Consumer Video, Lenses, Lighting, Tripods, Pro and Home Audio, TV’s, A/V, Home Theater, Computers Desktops and Laptops, Tablets, Printers, Optics, Forensic, and many more categories.

Adorama provides affiliates with a 2% base commission and offers performance-based incentives.

Features of the Adorama Affiliate Program

  • Free to join
  • $500 average check
  • 30-day cookie lifetime
  • Free shipping on most products
  • Worldwide shipping to 250 countries
  • Numerous affiliate tools: banners, buttons, deep-linking, product feeds, etc.

Health

16. iHerb

iHerb

iHerb has a great reward program. The platform offers over 30,000 products for promotion, provides content in 13 languages, and accepts 63 currencies. You, as an influencer, will receive a 5% discount and a 5% reward for sharing your code with clients. For exclusive brands, the discount and reward will go up to 10%.

What Are the Features of the Iherb Reward\Nprogram?

  • $100 minimum payout
  • Strong brand
  • Increased commission with Super Rewards
  • Cash out your rewards with Hyperwallet
  • 15 payment getaways and 37 shipping methods

17. MoreNiche

MoreNiche affiliate network

With MoreNiche, you can promote offers in niches, such as beauty, health, weight loss, bodybuilding, fitness, skincare, and male enhancement. This affiliate network provides a rather small choice of offers (just 27), prioritizing quality over quantity, but it stands out in many other ways.

Features of the Moreniche Affiliate Network?

  • Up to 40% commission as standard
  • Lifetime cookies
  • Conversion rates of up to 7.44%
  • Bi-weekly payments
  • 15 localised languages
  • Chargeback protection allows you to get rewarded on every single sale, regardless of what happens later on
  • Minimum payout £50/$100/€100
  • Payment methods: Skrill, Wire, Bitcoin, Paxum, UK Bank Transfer
  • Get paid in GBP, USD, or EUR
  • Customer support via Skype, Slack, email, or phone

18. MarketHealth

MarketHealth

MarketHealth is one of the leading affiliate programs in the health and beauty industries, operating since 1998. The company manufactures and distributes over 200 products in more than 100 countries.

Affiliate reward varies depending on the offer.

What Are the Features\Nof the Markethealth Affiliate Program?

  • Exclusive offers and top payouts
  • Recurring commissions
  • Affiliate tools, including banners, landers, and other creatives
  • $20 minimum payout
  • Payment methods: check by mail, bank wire, Skrill, pre-paid debit card via Payoneer

Outdoor

19. AvantLink

Avantlink affiliate platform

AvantLink is a unique combination of affiliate networks localised for target audiences in the USA, Canada, and the UK. AvantLink provides multiple products in over 60 niches from fashion and accessories to sports and travel. It also has a great choice of outdoor apparel and equipment.

Note that AvantLink has a low acceptance rate of only 30%.

Features of the Avantlink Affiliate Network

  • Transparent reporting
  • API
  • Coupons and promotional deals
  • Automatic conversion of links
  • Sell your website space directly to merchants
  • Access third-party tools with App Market
  • Big-name brands
  • Tools, including data feed, widgets, banners, and more
  • Great program for promoting outdoor activities and sports

20. Backcountry

Backcountry

Backcountry is an online store for outdoor gear related to camping, trail running, backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing, snowboarding, and more. Here, you can find international brands, such as Mountain Hardware, Patagonia, Mammut, The North Face, as well as stores available only in the US only, such as PeakPerformance, Houdini, Montane, Norrona, and more. Customers can take care of 100% guaranteed returns and great support service.

Backcountry offers 4% to 12% commissions on sales.

Features of the Backcountry Affiliate Program

  • 30-day cookie lifetime
  • Dedicated affiliate management
  • Affiliate tools, including banners, text links, and product data feed
  • The program is available through Impact Radius and AvantLink

Home and Furniture

21. Wayfair

wayfair affiliate program

Wayfair is an award-winning retailer of home goods as well as a family of brands, including Joss & Main, All Modern, Birch Lane, and Perigold. With Wayfair, you can promote over 7 million products across home categories, such as furniture, bedding, garden equipment, electric appliances, pet furniture, and more.

Wayfair offers a 7% commission on all sales.

What Are the Features of the Wayfair Affiliate\Nprogram?

  • Seven-day referral period
  • In-house management
  • Program available on Commission Junction
  • $300 average order value
  • $49.48 EPC

22. Pier 1

pier 1 affiliate program-min

Pier 1 is a manufacturer and a retailer of furniture, lighting, tableware, and decor for your home.

Affiliates can earn up to a 4% commission on sales.

What are the features of the Pier 1 affiliate program?

  • Seven-day cookie lifetime
  • $39.17 EPC
  • Dedicated affiliate management
  • Promotional tools, including data feeds
  • The program is available via Commission Junction

Affiliate Programs From Other Sectors

To maximize your earnings, it makes sense to look at niches other than e-commerce. People are currently at home, so they have likely already ordered everything they really needed from online stores.

There was a boost in home office furniture sales and other related items that turned out to be relevant in the changed environment, but this increase is already over and the marketplace will continue to experience a long-term decline. Other niches that experienced a spike in the face of the crisis will also gradually decrease.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of affiliate niches and programs that may be a good substitute for e-commerce (even at this point). Carefully examine your audience’s interests and maybe one of our ideas will work for you!

Travel

Even though the travel industry has been hit particularly hard, it still presents great earning opportunities for affiliates all over the world. Here is why:

  1. Quarantine will be over. In 2020-2021, the entire world was sitting at home and most trips had been canceled. But things are slowly returning to normal and, as they do, people are starting to travel again. In addition, they want to make up for the time spent at home and try to visit people that they haven’t seen for a long time. Thus, travel is bound to rise.
  2. Guaranteed deferred demand. Most airlines and hotels offered travel vouchers instead of paying back money. People will use these vouchers later, so they’ll also have to buy other travel services, such as travel insurance, car rentals, and excursions, which guarantees different levels of demand for autumn and winter within the tourism niche.
  3. Travel brings more profits. According to various sources, the US travel market is estimated at $160 billion, while the US e-commerce market accounts for $360 billion. The average order price in the travel niche is 3.5 times higher than in the e-commerce niche ($350 vs. $90).
  4. Diverse commission rates. Some affiliates are repelled by 1% commissions on flight tickets, but the travel niche has many other products to offer. For example, hotels offer 5% to 8% rewards, car rentals provide 10% revenue share, etc.

Right now, you have time to explore new opportunities and tailor them to your audience, and we’ve got the tools and information to help.

There’s one more thing you should know before we delve into the best travel affiliate programs. Depending on your content and audience, you may want to focus on different verticals in the travel market, but flight affiliate programs are often a lucrative choice. As competitive as the airline ticket market is, the right promotion strategy will help you drive traffic and conversions will be sure to follow. To find the right strategy for you, check out our free guide, which will teach you how to create content suitable for promotion, integrate flight offers to generate sales, and choose the best flight partner programs among major brands such as WayAway, Kiwi.com, CheapOair, and others.

Start earning on flights
Use our free guide to add flights to your affiliate marketing strategy.
Start earning on flights

There’s one more thing you should know before we delve into the best travel affiliate programs. Depending on your content and audience, you may want to focus on different verticals in the travel market, but flight affiliate programs are often a lucrative choice. As competitive as the airline ticket market is, the right promotion strategy will help you drive traffic and conversions will be sure to follow.

23. Travelpayouts

Travelpayouts affiliate network

Travelpayouts is a digital partnership platform. It partners with big international brands, such as Booking.com, Agoda, TripAdvisor, and more, as well as local companies that provide excellent service. Travelpayouts accounts for over 300,000 partners around the world and 100 brands in various categories. Here is a breakdown of available categories and commission rates:

Category Commission
Flight Tickets Up to 6%
Accommodations Up to 9%
Car rentals Up to 10%
Airport transfers Up to 15%
Tours and activities Up to 12.5%
Travel insurance Up to 20%
Universal SIM cards 8 EUR
Package tours Up to 4%
Bus transportation Up to 6%
Bike and scooter rentals Up to 6%
Cruises Up to 5%
Train tickets and passes Up to 6%
Travel Compensation Up to 32 EUR

To maximize your reward and provide the best experience for your audience, make sure to combine these categories. Watch this short video that explains how to do it right.

Features of the Travelpayouts Partnership Platform

  • Up to 70% revenue share
  • Up to 365-day cookie lifetime (varies per affiliate program)
  • Over 100 well-known trusted brands, such as Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Kiwi.com, and more
  • A large selection of simple, native, and help drive conversions tools: banners, widgets, links, and more advanced solutions like White Label, API, WordPress plugin, etc.
  • Easy-to-read real-time reports
  • 24/7 customer service (97% of requests processed within one hour)
  • Educational support: webinars, newsletter, blog, offline meet-ups, etc.
  • No website is required to join the platform (earn with newsletters, social media, etc.)
Join the Travelpayouts Partnership Platform

Access exclusive tools and the best travel partner programs, including flights, hotels, car rental, insurance, tours and activities, all in one place.

Join Today
480,000 partners already trust us
60+ travel brands
$63M+ total paid since 2011

24. KAYAK

kayak affiliate program-min

KAYAK is one of the leading meta-search engines for flights, hotel stays, and car rentals around the world. The platform is available in 20 languages and caters to a global audience. KAYAK also offers a price prediction tool so that customers can find the best price.

Affiliates receive 50% revenue share with KAYAK. More features of the KAYAK affiliate program:

  • 30-minute cookie lifetime
  • Affiliate tools, including widgets, links, and banners
  • Available via affiliate networks only

25. Agoda

agoda partners

Agoda is a popular online booking platform for flight tickets, hotel stays, and airport transfers.

Affiliates can earn up to 7% commission on completed bookings. Other features of the Agoda affiliate program:

  • Over 900,000 accommodation options around the world
  • Affiliate tools, including text links, search boxes, and banners
  • Available in 38 languages
  • Performance-based commission rates

26. Omio

Omio

Omio is a meta-search engine for flights, buses, and train tickets. It analyzes offers of 800 European companies and helps clients build the cheapest, most comfortable itinerary.

Omio offers performance-based rewards and affiliates get 5% of the booking value on average.

Features of the Omio Affiliate Program

  • $50 minimum threshold
  • Payouts are available through bank transfer
  • Applications are reviewed within 14 business days
  • Affiliate tools, including search API, widgets, banners, and deep links

Finance

Finance is a huge niche with a wide variety of products for individuals and businesses, thus many affiliate marketers find it appealing. There are many different earning opportunities: credit cards, insurance, loans, financial advising, online banking, etc. Thus, you can easily find relevant financial solutions for your audience.

With more and more businesses moving online, online financial services are gaining popularity at a high rate. Therefore, there are numerous opportunities for you to start earning within this niche. Below, we’ll discuss some of the best finance affiliate programs.

27. Discover Card

discover affiliate program

Discover Card is a part of the Discover company, which is a big name in the finance industry. As an affiliate, you can promote credit card offerings, which are particularly popular with students, and get rewarded each time your visitor is approved.

There are two types of commissions:

  • $20 per approved student card account
  • $40 per approved consumer account

The program is free to join and is available through Commission Junction.

28. SmartAsset

smart asset affiliate program

Partner with SmartAsset to help your US audience plan for their financial futures. SmartAsset is a financial advisor marketplace where clients can find the best solutions based on their location, financial assets, preferences, and more. Clients answer a questionnaire and the platform’s algorithm matches them with the right advisor.

This program will be beneficial for you if you target investors, retired or soon-to-be-retired people, or customers who are savvy about money.

Affiliates receive $70 per lead. Cookie lifetime is one day. The SmartAsset affiliate program is available via Commission Junction.

29. Personal Capital (Empower)

Personal Capital

Personal Capital is an online platform with finance advisory tools that helps people around the world plan their financial lives. The company’s advisors will assist in socially responsible investing as well as wealth and cash management.

Features of the Personal Capital Affiliate Program

  • Commission $50 to $100 per lead
  • 30-day cookie lifetime
  • Promotional tools, including banner ads and content
  • Payouts are sent via check
  • Affiliate applications are reviewed within three to five business days

30. PocketSmith

PocketSmith

PocketSmith is an online platform for managing financial assets. Using a special calendar, customers will be able to plan for their future 30 years in advance.

PocketSmith has a global reach. With over 12,000 supported institutions across 49 countries, anyone with a bank account can benefit from using PocketSmith.

Features of the Pocketsmith Affiliate Program

  • Free to join
  • Up to 30% recurring commissions
  • 30-day cookie lifetime

Software

How could software be a profitable niche for your business? Web hosting and software companies have rather small production costs, so they are able to pay out significant commissions. Furthermore, in contrast to other companies, software services usually charge customers on a monthly basis and pay affiliates recurring commissions. Thus, in the long run, these products are very profitable and require less effort.

31. Newegg

Newegg

Newegg offers products for promotion in niches such as computer electronics, gaming and e-sports, smart home, drones and tech toys, health tech, and more. Newegg claims to have access to over 30 million users around the world with a passion for computers, technology, and software.

Note that the company abides by the NEXUS Affiliate Law, which restricts affiliates’ geo-locations. Another important point to take into account is that Newegg allows affiliates to share links on their websites, but using of social media or email is prohibited.

Features:

  • Newegg is free to join
  • One of the leading tech-focused e-retailers in North America
  • 1.5-2.5% commission
  • Seven-day cookie lifetime
  • Multiple tools, such as text and banner links, RSS feeds, deep linking, etc.

32. HubSpot

HubSpot

With HubSpot, you can promote various software products, such as CRM, sales hub, marketing hub, and service hub. As one of the industry’s leaders, HubSpot has over 37,000 customers around the world.

Affiliates can earn 15% recurring commission up to one year or 100% flat rate of the first month revenue.

What Are the Features of the Hubspot Affiliate\Nprogram?

  • No minimum sales
  • 90-day cookie window
  • Large creative inventory: banners, videos, copy examples, etc.
  • Over 15,000 marketing content pieces available in six different languages

33. SEMrush

SEMrush affiliate program

The SEMrush affiliate program is open to bloggers, webmasters, SEO experts, agencies, educational resources, and anyone interested in earning money online. Affiliates can earn $200 for every new sale, $10 for every new trial and $0.01 for every new sign-up.

Features of the SEMrush affiliate program:

  • Easy to join, as SEMrush pre-approves all affiliate applicants
  • 10-year cookie lifetime
  • Promo materials in five languages: English, Spanish, French, German, and Russian
  • Bi-monthly payouts via PayPal or wire transfer

34. AWeber

AWeber affiliate program

With AWeber, you can earn commissions on email marketing services. What are the features of the AWeber customer referral program?

  • Recurring 30% referral payments
  • Free to join
  • Monthly payments

Manufacturer Direct Partnership

Many brands offer in-house programs, which often have higher commission rates. These programs may not belong to any network, as some companies accept partners who they know personally. However, you can contact the manufacturers that you already promote and offer direct cooperation. Compare the rates of in-house programs and affiliate networks and weigh their pros and cons.

If you generate significant sales, this can be an important next step for you. Affiliate networks and retailers like Amazon keep some percentage of each commission to themselves, but by cooperating directly with the manufacturer you’ll make sure you receive all of your pay.

More Ways to Earn Money

Affiliate marketing is only one of the ways to make money online. Whether you have a blog, social media page, or email newsletter, the methods below might help you take advantage of your traffic and generate income online.

  • Host a sponsored post on your website
    Get paid to host posts for other companies. With an audience of 5,000 people, you can earn $75 per post on average. The more traffic you have, the more you’ll be paid.
  • Sell ad space
    You can either apply for AdSense or sell your ad space directly to advertisers. To earn with AdSense, your website should be at least six months old and attract 100 unique visitors per day. But, to choose whose ads are shown on your website, you can contact the advertisers you like directly and negotiate cooperation terms.
  • Create a job board with paid submissions
    Use your online platform to share job offers relevant to your niche. You can charge employers for listing a job and/or job seekers for accessing your board. The cost of a listing is in the range of $50 to $500 per post.
  • Write paid reviews
    Test products and write reviews on your website or email newsletter. Some companies, such as Amazon, give out free product samples in exchange for reviews, while others share financial rewards.
  • Create restricted members-only content
    If your blog has a significant audience, consider monetizing your juiciest content by offering paid membership. To determine the subscription price, explore websites in your niche and relate their value to their membership cost. Some major publishers go one step further and make all their content “premium”.
  • Host a paid webinar
    Use your website as a leads source for your own webinar. Set the registration fee for a paid webinar or offer free webinar and use the exposure to sell your consultancy services.
  • Sell products
    You can sell anything from physical products to digital goods, such as ebooks and online courses. For example, you can create a training course for beginners based on your professional experience and sell it online. Selling information is really convenient, as you don’t need to worry about delivery.

When it comes to content monetization, the sky’s the limit. Try to explore different options that seem to align with your audience’s interests and promote whichever ones generate higher profits. Make sure to read our guides on how to make money writing and how to earn an extra $1,000 per month online.

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Life After Amazon: What Should an Affiliate Do?

Amazon is still a valid income source, but not the only one. What we recommend:

  • Diversify your income sources
  • Find advertisers with higher commissions on products you already promote
  • Explore other niches.

For example, you can apply your knowledge to parts of the travel, software, or finance industries that seem lucrative.

To earn on flights, hotels, car rentals and other travel services join the Travelpayouts partnership platform for free today.

Join the Travelpayouts Partnership Platform

Access exclusive tools and the best travel partner programs, including flights, hotels, car rental, insurance, tours and activities, all in one place.

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480,000 partners already trust us
60+ travel brands
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Also, don’t limit yourself to only affiliate marketing. Find other ways to monetize your traffic. The most important thing is to analyze the situation and make the most of your opportunities.