The 6 Highest Paying Affiliate Programs for 2023

Affiliate marketing has become an extremely popular way for bloggers, website owners, influencers and online businesses to generate revenue. As an affiliate, you essentially earn commissions for promoting products or services for other companies. This win-win arrangement provides advertisers access to your audience and channels, while you receive a percentage of any sales or leads generated.

With affiliate networks and programs continuing to grow, it's overwhelming to know where to start. The purpose of this post is to provide an overview of 6 top affiliate programs to consider joining as a beginner or experienced affiliate marketer. Whether you want to monetize your website through affiliate links, make money by posting affiliate offers on social media, or create email marketing campaigns that convert – these programs offer great opportunities across a variety of verticals.

Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates is likely the largest and most well-known affiliate program worldwide. As an Amazon affiliate, you earn referral fees by linking to Amazon products in your content. With over 12 million products in every category imaginable and a trusted household name, Amazon is appealing to marketers and customers alike.

Some key facts about the Amazon Associates program:

• Available worldwide to websites that get traffic from most countries.
• No approval process – easy to get started.
• Referral rates vary by product category from 1% to 10%
• Pays out commissions monthly if thresholds met.
• Offers high converting native ads, product links and coupons.
• Products range from electronics, books, fashion, to groceries.
• Access to performance tracking and optimization tools

Amazon provides great resources, and support to make it easy for even beginners to start earning commissions. You can find product links to insert on your site, discounts and coupons to share with audiences, and banner/native ads to help drive clicks and sales.

The major pros of Amazon Associates are the trusted brand name, immense product selection, high conversion rates and name recognition among consumers. The main con is that the commission rates are lower compared to more niche affiliate programs. However, the volume of traffic and sales opportunities help offset this.

In 2020, Amazon reported paying out over $9 billion in commissions to Associates worldwide. With high consumer demand and new shoppers continually joining Amazon, it continues to be a high-potential affiliate program for monetization. I recommend Amazon Associates as one of the first programs affiliates join to take advantage of Amazon’s dominance as an ecommerce leader.

ShareASale

If you want to join an affiliate network with thousands of reputable merchants across nearly every vertical, ShareASale is a great choice. This platform provides a centralized dashboard to manage multiple affiliate programs under one roof.

Here’s an overview of ShareASale and what it offers:

• Founded in 2000, headquartered in Chicago.
• Over 4000 merchants across categories like fashion, home & garden, health/beauty
• Commission rates from 5% to 20%+; pay per sale or action.
• Offers two-tier affiliate commissions.
• Payments via PayPal, check or direct deposit.
• Detailed reporting on transactions, clicks and earnings.
• Provides marketing materials and promo tools.
• Recurring commissions from repeat customers

The main benefits of ShareASale are the extensive merchant marketplace, detailed analytics, and excellent reputation. The platform interface itself could be improved with more intuitive design and advanced features. However, ShareASale remains highly regarded in the industry.

In 2021, ShareASale facilitated over $731 million in affiliate sales. It has over 4000 brands, indicating the strong partnerships and scale as an intermediary affiliate network. I recommend exploring ShareASale early on, as you’ll likely find relevant merchants that match your niche and target audience.

Rakuten

Formerly known as Ebates, Rakuten has established itself as a leader in online cashback rewards and coupons. For affiliate marketers, Rakuten Affiliate provides generous commission rates by paying you per new referred member and earning from their purchase activity.

Here are some key details on Rakuten's affiliate program:

• Founded in 1999, rebranded to Rakuten in 2014
• Headquartered in San Mateo, CA
• Over 2500 stores like Walmart, eBay, Macy's available
• New Member Bonus – earn $30 for each signup.
• Earn cashback from referred member purchases.
• Access to coupons, promo codes, deals
• Quarterly payments with $5 minimum payout

Rakuten is beneficial for earning passive income from loyal membership base and promoting big-ticket items with higher commissions. However, the program is focused solely on online shopping cashback, no support for other types of affiliate products or services.

In 2020, Rakuten paid over $100 million in commissions according to its website. For deal-seeking audiences, Rakuten Affiliate can be a great recurring income stream by promoting online shopping through the portal. The key is to attract targeted, high-intent users to maximize conversion and retention.

CJ Affiliate

Formerly known as Commission Junction, CJ Affiliate by Conversant is one of the largest affiliate marketing networks with over 3000 advertisers across verticals like retail, finance, travel, and more.

Here are some of the notable features of CJ Affiliate:

• Part of Conversant media company, member of Rakuten group
• Access to established brands like Best Buy, Verizon, Walmart
• Commission rates are from 1% to over 50%
• Pay per sale, lead or other actions like email submits.
• Robust reporting on clicks, impressions and conversions
• Searchable creatives like text links, banners, coupons
• Mobile-optimized affiliate links

The major advantage of CJ Affiliate is the breadth and diversity of advertisers on the platform across industries. This makes it easy to find relevant products to promote for any niche. The flip side is that some advertisers may have complex approval processes for new affiliates.

While CJ doesn’t disclose its annual payouts, it's estimated to be in the hundreds of millions based on its ad spend. I recommend CJ Affiliate once you have some experience and want to expand your advertiser portfolio. The pre-built creatives and brand name partnerships make it easier to start monetizing.

ClickBank

If you're in the business of selling digital products like eBooks, online courses, software or SaaS products, then ClickBank is a long-standing affiliate network to leverage.

Here are some key details on Click Bank:

• Founded in 1998, based in Idaho.
• The largest digital marketplace with over 6 million clients
• Primarily offers digital/info products.
• Average commission rates from 50% to 75%
• 2-tier affiliate commission structure
• Pays twice per month once $10 threshold met.
• Marketplace splits into categories and sub-categories
• Links are pre-configured with analytics tracking built-in.

The main appeal of Click Bank for affiliates is the generous commission rates on digital products with a higher perceived value. This enables larger affiliate payouts per sale. However, some products may make misleading claims to quality or earnings potential.

As one of the first networks focused on info products, Click Bank continues to dominate the digital marketplace with millions of clients. I recommend Click Bank for anyone looking to boost affiliate earnings through digital/info products. Just be selective of the advertisers you choose to work with.

Impact Radius

Impact Radius is a newer performance marketing platform but is quickly becoming regarded as one of the best tracking and attribution partners. With over 1000 brands, Impact Radius covers a global footprint.

Here are some key features that make Impact Radius stand out:

• Founded in 2008, headquartered in San Francisco.
• Over 1000 brands like Uber, Lenovo, Nike
• Commission rates are competitive from 1 to 25% or higher
• Proprietary cross-channel tracking and attribution
• Optimization for mobile, native ads and influencer campaigns
• hyper targeting tool for personalized recommendations
• International affiliate programs are available

The biggest value of Impact Radius is moving beyond just affiliate links into powerful insights with multi-touch attribution. This allows marketers to truly optimize campaigns across channels. However, the platform may be overwhelming for newcomers.

In 2019, Impact Radius delivered over $2 billion in partner payouts. For larger and more sophisticated affiliate programs, Impact Radius brings unique advantages through its dataset and optimization capabilities. I recommend exploring Impact Radius once you've mastered the basics of affiliate marketing.

In summary

Affiliate marketing continues to present an appealing way for businesses, publishers and influencers to monetize their platforms through commission structures. As highlighted in this post, top affiliate programs provide the foundation to start earning from your best recommendations to loyal audiences.

My advice for getting started is to research programs relevant to your niche and preferred monetization model. Weigh the costs and benefits of each before applying. Consider starting with just 1-2 programs to focus your efforts before expanding. Look for high converting products or services that align with what your audience already buys.

Execute campaigns on channels you can leverage, like your website, email subscribers, social media or YouTube. Track performance to double down on what works. Provide genuine value and recommendations vs overly promotional content.

I hope this overview gives you a better lay of the affiliate marketing landscape and top programs to consider for monetization. Please share any feedback on other great affiliate platforms worth looking into! I look forward to hearing your experiences working with any of these established networks.

FQA

Q: What are the highest paying affiliate programs for 2023?

A: The top 6 highest paying affiliate programs for 2023 include a variety of options, such as VPN affiliate programs, email marketing platforms, and digital marketing tools.

Q: What is an affiliate program?

A: An affiliate program is a partnership between a business and an affiliate marketer. The affiliate promotes the business's products or services and earns a commission for each successful referral or sale made.

Q: What makes an affiliate program the best?

A: The best affiliate programs are those that offer high commission rates, a wide range of products or services to promote, reliable tracking and reporting systems, and excellent support from the affiliate manager.

Q: Are these high paying affiliate programs suitable for beginners?

A: Yes, some of these high paying affiliate programs are beginner-friendly. They provide resources, training, and support to help beginners get started in the affiliate marketing industry.

Q: What are recurring affiliate programs?

A: Recurring affiliate programs are affiliate programs that offer recurring commissions. This means that once you refer a customer, you will continue to earn a commission for every recurring payment or subscription that customer makes.

Q: Which are the best affiliate networks to join?

A: The best affiliate networks to join for 2023 include several high-paying affiliate programs, such as VPN affiliate programs, email marketing platforms, and digital marketing tools. These networks offer a wide range of affiliate program offers to choose from.

Q: How do I become an affiliate partner?

A: To become an affiliate partner, you need to sign up for the affiliate program of your choice. You will usually be required to provide some basic information and agree to the terms and conditions of the program. Once approved, you can start promoting the products or services and earning commissions.

Q: Can I make a significant income from affiliate marketing?

A: Yes, you can make a significant income from affiliate marketing if you put in the time and effort. However, it is important to note that success in affiliate marketing requires hard work, dedication, and effective marketing strategies.

Q: What are the advantages of joining high-paying affiliate programs?

A: Joining high-paying affiliate programs allows you to earn higher commissions for each sale or referral. This can result in a higher potential income for you as an affiliate marketer. Additionally, these programs often provide excellent support and resources to help you succeed.

Q: Can I join multiple affiliate programs at once?

A: Yes, you can join multiple affiliate programs at once. In fact, many affiliate marketers often promote products or services from multiple programs to diversify their income sources and maximize their earnings.