Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to generate passive income online. By promoting products and services and earning a commission for each sale you refer, it can become quite lucrative. However, finding the right affiliate programs that convert well and pay good commissions can be challenging, especially for beginners.
That‘s where affiliate networks come in. Affiliate networks connect publishers (affiliates) with advertisers and provide all the necessary tools and reporting to manage your campaigns effectively. They vet advertisers, ensure reliable tracking, handle payments, and have dedicated support teams. This allows you as the affiliate to focus solely on driving traffic and generating sales.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the 14 best affiliate networks to join as a beginner in 2023 across various niches.
1. ShareASale
ShareASale is one of the most popular affiliate networks, with over 4000 merchant programs and a strong reputation in the industry. Their intuitive dashboard and robust reporting make campaign management effortless.
Key Features
- 4000+ reputable merchant programs across all categories
- $50 minimum payout threshold
- Reliable tracking and on-time payments
- Powerful analytics and optimization tools
- Dedicated account managers provide support
With household names like Disney, TurboTax, and Sling TV, ShareASale should be your first stop as a beginner affiliate. Their straightforward application process and responsive support team also make getting started seamless.
2. CJ Affiliate
As one of the oldest affiliate networks, CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction) provides access to some of the largest brands. Their catalog spans over 3000 advertisers, including big names like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.
Key Features
- 3000+ top-tier exclusive brands
- $50-$100 minimum payout threshold
- Robust fraud protection and reliable tracking
- Customizable link types and widgets
- Dedicated account management
While CJ has a more thorough application process, they provide exceptional tracking, reporting, and support as an enterprise-level network. The commissions might be lower compared to other networks but make up for it in reliability and brand value.
3. Rakuten Advertising
Formerly known as LinkShare, Rakuten Advertising is a leading performance marketing network owned by the popular Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten. They provide access to over 2500 top retailers and strong partnerships across verticals.
Key Features
- 2500+ major brand partner programs
- $50 minimum payout
- Industry-leading attribution models
- Real-time campaign reporting
- Dedicated account management
While Rakuten has a steeper learning curve, the results make it worthwhile for intermediate to advanced affiliates. Leverage their sophisticated analytics, flexible linking options, and account support to maximize earnings.
4. Awin
Awin is a global affiliate network with over 15,000 advertisers across various niches. Their free-to-use platform, reliable payments, and robust features make Awin suitable for beginners.
Key Features
- 15,000+ international brands
- £20 minimum payout threshold
- Real-time performance tracking
- Built-in promo tools and special offers
- Multi-channel attribution
Awin has an easy signup process and is free to use. You also won‘t pay any additional platform fees. Combined with their scalability, Awin is undoubtedly one of the best networks for growing affiliate marketers.
5. ClickBank
Focused solely on digital products, ClickBank is a leading affiliate network in the ecommerce space. They have over 6 million clients worldwide and pay some of the highest commissions.
Key Features
- Digital products with up to 75% commission
- $10 minimum payout threshold
- Reliable tracking and weekly payments
- Built-in upsell tools to maximize AOV
- Dedicated account management
While ClickBank attracts a fair share of low-quality products, the catalog size and earning potential outweigh the risks for most beginners. Just be sure to thoroughly vet each offer before promotion.
6. FlexOffers
FlexOffers provides access to thousands of high-converting offers across several niches such as health, finance, ecommerce, and more. The network touts reliable tracking, on-time payments, and strong affiliate support.
Key Features
- 10,000+ offers across 25 categories
- $100 minimum payout threshold
- Weekly and bi-weekly payments
- Concise and intuitive reporting
- Account management support
FlexOffers straightforward interface and category filters make finding relevant offers effortless. Their consistent payments also provide peace of mind as a beginner affiliate.
7. Tradedoubler
Tradedoubler operates across Europe and Latin America, providing comprehensive solutions for both advertisers and publishers. Despite their global focus, the network still maintains reliable tracking and support for affiliates.
Key Features
- 2000+ international brands
- £40 minimum payout threshold
- Sophisticated tracking with purchase attribution
- Automated voucher feeds and dynamic links
- Multilingual account managers
While Tradedouble requires a bit more effort to get started, they provide in-depth analytics and optimization features worth mastering as an intermediate affiliate.
8. Everflow
An invite-only network, Everflow provides exclusive access to leading advertisers with top-tier offers across various verticals. Their granular analytics helps affiliates optimize for higher earnings.
Key Features
- Exclusive offers with high payouts
- Custom minimum payout thresholds
- Sophisticated anti-fraud algorithms
- Advanced analytics and segmentation
- Exceptional account management
Due to the strict application process, Everflow guarantees premium offers that convert well and pay extremely lucrative commissions. The advanced features do involve a learning curve but offer unmatched monetization potential.
9. Partnerize
Partnerize enables enterprise partnerships between leading brands and affiliates across the globe. Conversion-focused programs optimize earnings for publishers through sophisticated tracking and automation.
Key Features
- Global enterprise brands
- Custom minimum payouts
- Multi-channel attribution modeling
- Automated personalized creatives
- Accounts management and optimization
While Partnerize caters more toward established affiliates, beginners can leverage the same enterprise tools and reliable payments to amplify growth and scale earnings.
10. Impact
Impact combines industry-leading tracking, actionable analytics, and real-time optimization to power high-performing partnerships. Compliance protocols also ensure brand safety.
Key Features
- Premium brand partners
- $100 minimum payout threshold
- Fraud protection and compliance
- Real-time analytics and campaign management
- Exceptional account support
Impact strikes the right balance between automation and control over campaigns. Leverage the powerful platform and account management team to quickly master affiliate partnerships.
11. Algo Affiliates
Algo Affiliates provides access to 1500+ offers spanning various verticals like dating, crypto, insurance, subscriptions, and more. Their goal-oriented approach and AI optimization assist affiliates at any skill level.
Key Features
- 1500+ top converting offers globally
- $100 minimum payout threshold
- Smartlinks powered by AI optimization
- Weekly payments with Net 15 policies
- Campaign management experts
Besides easy signup and flexible payment options, Algo Affiliates offers dedicated account managers to provide strategy and increase your earnings. Their AI-based tools also simplify optimization.
12. AvantLink
AvantLink touts over 50,000 partner offers across diverse categories and matches affiliates with relevant recommendations using an intuitive AI engine. This allows beginners to find ideal products faster.
Key Features
- 50,000 diverse offers globally
- $50 minimum payout threshold
- AI-powered performance recommendations
- Robust fraud protection and tracking
- Exceptional support team
While AvantLink has struggled with payments in the past, they have since restructured leadership and processes to regain trust. Give them another shot to benefit from unmatched offer diversity and account management.
13. DFO Affiliates
DFO Affiliates provides access to an extensive portfolio of fashion and lifestyle brands. Custom tools and strategies tailored per program also optimize publisher performance.
Key Features
- Leading fashion and lifestyle brands
- £40 minimum payout threshold
- Custom reporting dashboards
- Strategic account management
- Onsite optimization and technical support
For affiliates focused on promoting apparel, accessories, beauty, travel, and similar verticals, DFO should undoubtedly be your go-to network. Signup does require manual approval to maintain program quality.
14. Admitad
Admitad has over 1500 partner programs and provides the requisite tools for effective tracking, analytics, and automation based on robust AI algorithms. Local account managers can also assist with strategy and optimizations.
Key Features
- 1500+ global partner programs
- $25 minimum payout threshold
- AI-based tools and automation
- Weekly payments via PayPal
- Dedicated account management
Given their global presence and enterprise-grade platform, Admitad makes an excellent option for beginners planning to scale affiliate efforts internationally.
Choosing the Best Affiliate Network for You
With so many great affiliate networks out there, choosing the right one for your needs can get overwhelming. Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating networks as a beginner:
Offer Catalog – The number and variety of offers matter when starting since you want options to experiment with. Focus on networks like ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, and Rakuten that provide thousands of partner programs spanning multiple categories.
Minimum Payout – Many networks set a minimum earned commission amount before they process payments. Ideal thresholds for beginners fall between $25-$100. Check if the network pays reliably above those amounts.
Tracking and Attribution – Ensure the network has reliable tracking in place to record sales and attribute them to you before choosing to promote an offer. More advanced attribution like multi-channel and AI-powered models are a plus.
Support – Having access to a support team for queries and optimizations is invaluable as a beginner affiliate. Prioritize networks that provide dedicated account management.
Payments Processing – Besides tracking sales accurately, ensure the network processes payments reliably and on time as per their policy. Checking online reviews can help validate payment consistency.
While these factors are a good starting point for evaluating networks, you shouldn‘t limit yourself to just one. Every program has unique offers and tools that may align better with your goals and audience.
Experiment across multiple networks to determine which ones drive the best results based on key performance indicators like EPC, CR, earnings per click, etc. You can then double down on the top networks and offers.
Final Thoughts
The affiliate networks discussed above have proven their mettle thanks to large partner catalogs, reliable tracking and payments, and exceptional support.
As a beginner, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Awin, and Rakuten Advertising make solid foundations given their reputation, tools, and resources to set you up for success.
However, I recommend testing across different programs to find the right fit according to your niche, audience, and campaign objectives. The process does involve some trial and error. Still, perfecting your strategy across the networks above can result in lucrative and consistent affiliate income.
So don‘t hesitate and pick one or more of these networks to start monetizing your audience today! Let me know your experience partnering with them so far.
