Affiliate marketing can be a practical way to monetize a blog, newsletter, social channel, or niche website. But beginner-friendly does not always mean highest-paying. The best affiliate programs are usually the ones that match your audience, explain their terms clearly, offer realistic commissions, and make payouts manageable.
In this article, you’ll find a refreshed list of affiliate programs for beginners, plus a quick framework for comparing commission rates, payout terms, cookie windows, product fit, and brand trust before you apply.
Affiliate terms change often, so use this guide as a starting point and always check the official program page before joining.
Key takeaways
- Affiliate marketing is a practical way to monetize various platforms, but the best programs match the audience, have clear terms, realistic commissions, and manageable payouts.
- To succeed in affiliate marketing, choose programs carefully based on platform type, eligibility criteria, product relevance, brand reputation, commission rates, payment methods, and market saturation.
- Affiliate programs like Selzy, HubSpot, Kit, Elementor, Moosend, Leadpages, Shopify, Capitalist Exploits, Fiverr, ClickBank, eBay Partner Network, CJ Affiliate, and Dorik are suitable for beginners.
What is an affiliate program and how does it work?
An affiliate marketing program aka an associate program is a business arrangement between a brand and an independent marketer (an affiliate/associate) where the latter gets a commission for each customer or lead they attract to the brand.
The idea has been around for decades, but it keeps evolving as more creators, SaaS companies, ecommerce brands, and service marketplaces use partners to reach new customers. For affiliates, the opportunity is attractive because you can earn from products your audience already needs instead of creating a product from scratch.
So, how exactly does it work? Pretty simple.
- First, you choose an affiliate program and check if you meet the eligibility criteria.
- Then, you sign up for the program and get unique trackable links or promo codes for the products you want to promote.
- Next, you create promotional content that incorporates these links or codes and publish it on your marketing channels, such as a website or a social media blog.
- When people click on your links or use your codes and then perform the target action (for example, make a purchase or sign up for a trial period), you earn a commission. Even if they don’t take action immediately, you can still get a commission thanks to tracking cookies. For this to happen, your lead has to return to the company’s website and perform the target action within the “cookie life” period, which can range from several days to a year.
Commission rates can vary significantly, usually falling within a range of 5-50%. For example, Selzy’s affiliate program publicly advertises 40% commission. On the other hand, commissions lower than 5% also exist. For instance, in the Amazon Associates program, rates start from just 1%.
With engaged audiences and carefully picked brands to promote, affiliate marketing can be very lucrative. But where do you begin? Here’s what to look into firsthand.
Choosing the best affiliate program: What to consider
Type of platform
Some brands manage their affiliate programs themselves. Such programs are known as in-house affiliate programs.
But it is also common for businesses to outsource affiliate programs to third-party platforms — affiliate networks. These networks offer multiple programs from different brands and act as mediators between brands and affiliates, handling all aspects of affiliate programs they feature — tracking, payments, customer service, etc.
For the affiliates, both in-house programs and networks have pros and cons. Generally, you might prefer networks if you’re looking to sign up with several brands, and in-house programs — if higher commissions are a priority.
Eligibility criteria
Once you have a shortlist of suitable programs, check the eligibility criteria. While there are no universal requirements for affiliates, each brand or network usually has some criteria you have to meet to join a program.
The most common requirements include a specific type of platform (for example, a website), minimum traffic volume, audience type and quality. To make sure you meet all the criteria, carefully study the requirements and guidelines provided by a brand or platform before applying for a program.
The products
Picking the right product is essential for your efforts to be successful. So, make sure the products you promote are A) relevant to your audience and B) familiar enough to you to highlight their value.
For example, it doesn’t make sense for a beauty blogger to promote automobile tires — but a makeup guide could be a good fit. Likewise, promoting a product you’re never tried yourself can be tricky, especially if you’re a beginner in affiliate marketing.
The company’s reputation
As trust goes, brand names often speak for themselves. For example, MAC is known as a top beauty brand, and Goodyear is a leading tire manufacturer. These brands are popular and respected, so promoting their products is easy and safe.
But there are also brands with controversial reputation, either because of the quality of their products or bad practices such as greenwashing. Naturally, it’s best to stay away from them. To avoid controversy, always research the company before joining its affiliate program.
Commission rates
As mentioned earlier, commission rates vary significantly across programs. Typically, in-house programs offer higher commissions than networks, but that is not always the case — plus commissions can change over time. To pick the best deal, research the programs you’re most interested in and compare their commission rates before signing up.
Also, make sure you’ve considered other factors mentioned in this section. For example, joining one high-commission program without any knowledge of the product is probably a worse strategy than picking several lower-paying programs from brands you and your audience are familiar with.
Payment methods and terms
Payment methods and terms also vary depending on the brand or network offering the program. The most common payment methods across programs include PayPal and direct deposit (direct transfer to the affiliate’s bank account). But other options, such as virtual wallets, wire transfer, check, and more, are also available in some programs.
Other things to consider in terms of payments include minimum balance requirements for money withdrawal, available currencies, and processing times. Typically, in-house programs process payments faster, while networks offer more payment methods — but it depends on the specific company, so yet again — do your research.
Market saturation
Some markets are more popular with affiliates than others. For example, the health and wellness niche is one of the most saturated, making it harder for affiliates to promote products from this category. The home improvement and DIY market is less popular, so it might be easier to get to your audience by promoting these products.
Yet, it is always possible to narrow down to a smaller niche, or find a unique angle, or target lower-frequency keywords to beat the competition in a saturated market. So, if the niche suits you, go for it — but make sure you adjust your strategy accordingly.
To help you choose your ideal affiliate marketing deal, we’ve put together a list of 13 affiliate programs and platforms that are a good fit for beginners. Read on to learn about the key features each of them offers.
If you are choosing your first affiliate program, do not start with the highest headline commission alone. Prioritize a product your audience already understands, clear public terms, realistic payout rules, a trustworthy brand, useful promotional materials, and a commission model you can explain confidently.
13 best affiliate marketing programs to try out if you’re a beginner
| Program | Best for | Commission | Cookie/attribution | Payout threshold | Beginner fit |
| Selzy | Email marketing audiences | 40% commission on every referral | 30 days | Check current program terms | Strong fit for marketers, agencies, and creators with business audiences |
| HubSpot | CRM and marketing software audiences | 30% recurring for up to 1 year; custom tiers may apply | 180 days | $10 | Good fit if your audience buys business software |
| Kit | Creator and newsletter audiences | Up to 50% recurring for 12 months | 90 days | Not publicly highlighted on the affiliate landing page | Good for creator-focused publishers |
| Elementor | WordPress and website-building audiences | Up to 50% CPA | 90 days | $200 | Good if your readers build WordPress sites |
| Moosend | Email marketing and automation audiences | Up to 40% recurring | 90 days | $5 | Beginner-friendly for email marketing content |
| Leadpages | Landing page and small-business audiences | 10-50% recurring, depending on tier | 90 days | $5 | Good when your audience creates lead-gen pages |
| Shopify | Ecommerce creators and educators | Up to $150 per qualified referral, depending on plan and region | 30 days | $10 | Good for ecommerce-focused audiences |
| Capitalist Exploits | Investing and finance audiences | High-ticket commissions are advertised by the program | Check official partner terms | Check official partner terms | Only for publishers with finance/investing credibility |
| Fiverr | Freelance and business-service audiences | 25%/70%/fixed $30 plus 10% RevShare for 12 months, depending on referred product | 30 days | $100 | Good for broad business and creator audiences |
| ClickBank | Digital and physical-product affiliates | Varies by offer; vendors can set high percentages on some offers | Usually set by vendor/offer | Default $100 threshold; lower settings may be available depending on account setup | Beginner-accessible but requires careful product vetting |
| eBay Partner Network | Product-review and deal audiences | Varies by category and qualifying transaction | Generally short window tied to qualifying transactions | 10 units of chosen currency | Accessible, but commissions and cookie window are less generous |
| CJ Affiliate | Publishers who want many advertiser programs | Varies by advertiser | Varies by advertiser | Usually based on CJ payout settings and currency | Good after you are ready to manage multiple advertiser relationships |
| Dorik | Website-builder and AI-site audiences | 40% on new sales plus 10% recurring on renewals | 90 days | $200 | Good for website-building content |
Selzy
Key features
40% commission on every referral, payments on purchases within the first year, promotional materials provided by the company.
Selzy is a powerful yet easy-to-use professional email marketing service covering all essential features for businesses: bulk emails, email analytics, automated campaigns, personalization and individualization features, and more. The service is especially popular with small and medium-sized companies as well as with beginners in email marketing.
Selzy’s public affiliate page offers 40% commission on every referral. It also states that affiliates can earn 40% commission on every purchase a referred customer makes within one year after registering through their referral link.
The program is great for individuals such as bloggers, content creators, freelance marketers and email marketers, and for digital marketing agencies with audiences interested in growing their business through digital marketing. To become an affiliate, you don’t have to use Selzy yourself, but we recommend that you at least sign up for a free plan to get an impression.
Commission: 40% commission on every referral and every purchase a referred customer makes within one year after registration.
Payments: Payout methods and thresholds are defined by the current affiliate program terms and dashboard.
Note: Program terms can change, so check the official page before joining.
More details: Selzy Affiliate Program
Hubspot
Key features
3 affiliate tiers, bonus to new partners, 180 days cookie duration, promotional materials provided by the company.
HubSpot is a powerful CRM platform that helps thousands of businesses worldwide to attract, engage, and convert customers using its marketing, sales, customer service, content management, and operations software.
HubSpot affiliates get a 30% commission on all sales generated by their referrals, but you can increase earning potential by moving on to higher tiers, getting bonuses and custom commissions. The program also offers a bonus of up to $80 to new partners, plus challenges with opportunities to earn more. Also, the cookie life is remarkable: 180 days instead of the 30 days typical for the industry.
The program is great for content creators, software reviewers, educators, and businesses with products that integrate with HubSpot. As an affiliate, you’ll get access to hundreds of promotional assets, the Affiliate Resource Center, and more perks.
Commission: 30% commission recurring for 1 year plus bonuses and custom commissions for higher affiliate tiers.
Payments: Direct deposit (EFT) or PayPal. The minimum balance for payout is $10.
Cookie duration: 180 days.
More details: HubSpot Affiliate Program
Kit
Key features
Up to 50% recurring commissions for 12 months, 90-day cookie window, and creator-focused promotional resources.
Kit, formerly ConvertKit, is an email-first operating system for creators. It includes email marketing, automations, landing pages, forms, and commerce features for newsletter writers, educators, podcasters, and other creator businesses.
Kit’s affiliate program now advertises tiered recurring commissions for 12 months. Partners can earn up to 50% commission depending on volume, with a 90-day cookie window and affiliate resources for promoting the platform to creator audiences.
Being an affiliate for ConvertKit is especially beneficial for creative professionals — writers, bloggers, musicians, podcasters, etc., who can promote the platform to a similar audience.
Commission: Up to 50% recurring commission for 12 months, depending on partner tier.
Payments: Handled through the affiliate platform after approval.
Cookie duration: 90 days.
More details: ConvertKit Affiliate Program
Elementor
Key features
Up to 50% commissions, 90 days cookie life, support and promotional materials provided by the company.
Elementor is a software company primarily known for its free, no-code page builder plugin for WordPress which users cite as one of the best out there. Other products the company offers include WordPress hosting, Elementor AI, and more.
Elementor’s affiliate program offers generous commissions of up to 50% CPA. As the company claims, the program has a high earning potential: some affiliates earn over $10,000 a month. However, the details are only available via email.
This program is best fit for content creators of all sorts, web educators, and digital entrepreneurs as well as for WordPress developers, marketers, and marketing agencies. If you don’t fall into any of these categories but have “something unique to offer”, the company is ready to consider your ideas.
Commission: Up to 50% CPA on every new sale. Custom commissions for high-volume affiliates.
Payments: PayPal or other preferred method. The minimum threshold for withdrawal is $200.
Cookie duration: 90 days.
More details: Elementor Affiliate Program
Moosend
Key features
5 affiliate tiers, lifetime recurring commissions, $5 minimum balance for commissions withdrawal, 90 days cookie life, promotional materials provided by the company.
Moosend is a professional email marketing and marketing automation platform that helps businesses grow their audience and increase sales through email campaigns. The platform has some big corporate clients but is more popular with small businesses and individual entrepreneurs.
The Moosend affiliate program offers the whole 5 tiers with commissions increasing a few percent with every tier. Affiliates can use a variety of promotional materials provided by the company, but you are free to create your own if you please.
This program is best for bloggers, content creators, email marketers, advertising agencies, and everyone with an audience that might be interested in promoting products or services via email. Though being a Moosend customer is not required, the company encourages its affiliates to at least try the service before recommending it.
Commission: 30-40% lifetime recurring commissions depending on your affiliate tier.
Payments: PayPal or Stripe. The minimum threshold for withdrawal is $5.
Cookie duration: 90 days.
More details: Moosend Affiliate Program
Leadpages
Key features
3 affiliate tiers, lifetime recurring commissions, $5 minimum balance for commissions withdrawal, 90 days cookie life, promotional materials provided by the company.
Leadpages is a landing page builder helping businesses connect with audiences, generate leads, and drive sales through landing pages and websites. The tool is one of the most popular on the market, especially with small to medium-sized companies which are its core target audience.
The company’s affiliate program has 3 tiers with commissions ranging 10-50% depending on the revenue each of your new referrals generates. The tiers are calculated every 30 days, and the system might seem complicated at first. Luckily, the company provides clear instructions, as well as ample resources for affiliates, including promotion ideas.
The program is a great fit for content creators and educators with expertise in marketing and entrepreneurship — YouTubers, social media influencers, email marketers, etc. Using Leadpages is not a requirement for affiliates, but the company claims partners who are also its customers earn more.
Commission: 10-50% lifetime recurring payments, depending on the affiliate tier.
Payments: PayPal or Stripe. Monthly payouts with a $5 minimum threshold for withdrawal.
Cookie duration: 90 days.
More details: Leadpages Affiliate Program
Shopify
Key features
Flexible commissions, promotional materials provided by the company.
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows businesses to create and manage their own online stores as well as sell across many channels including web, mobile, social media, and more. Featuring millions of merchants worldwide, Shopify is one of the major players in the e-commerce industry out there.
The Shopify affiliate program is a good fit for content creators, educators, and influencers looking to earn money promoting a well-known and trusted brand. The platform provides support to its associates through access to promotional materials. The best-performing partners can level up, gaining access to the invite-only program with higher commissions and other benefits.
Shopify now describes its affiliate commission as a fixed bounty of up to $150 per qualified referral, depending on the merchant’s location and plan. The program also has eligibility requirements, including an active website or established audience and original content related to ecommerce, entrepreneurship, or Shopify.
Commission: Fixed bounty of up to $150 per qualified referral, depending on plan and region.
Payments: Direct deposit or PayPal. The minimum balance for withdrawal is $10.
Cookie duration: 30 days.
More details: Shopify Affiliate Program
Capitalist Exploits
Key features
50% commission rates on all sales, support and resources from the company, 365 days cookie life.
Capitalist Exploits is an investment service that provides guidance to its clients through its free blog and paid newsletter, offering information and expert advice on the most lucrative opportunities out there.
Currently, Capitalist Exploits has one of the highest-paying affiliate programs with a potential earning of a minimum of $788 and up. According to the company’s claims, many of its affiliates earn $2,000 and more on a regular basis. As a partner, you’ll get support and guidance from the company plus product samples and promotional materials.
The program is best fit for individuals and businesses with expertise in finance and investments as well as everyone with an established audience interested in managing their finances and growing their wealth. Channels you can use as an affiliate include websites, social media, and email.
Commission: 50% on every referred sale.
Cookie duration: 365 days.
More details: Capitalist Exploits Partners Program
Fiverr
Key features
Multiple services to promote, several commission tracks, 30-day cookie window, multiple payment methods, 3 available currencies.
Fiverr is a global online marketplace connecting freelancers with potential customers. Using Fiverr, businesses and individuals can find contractors to complete a wide range of tasks, from writing to software development. The company also provides other services through its tools and platforms such as Fiverr Learn, Fiverr Workspace, and more.
The Fiverr affiliate program is great for website owners, bloggers, social media influencers and content creators with audiences that might be interested in the company’s services. As an affiliate, you’ll get access to promotional materials and support from affiliate managers.
Fiverr’s affiliate program now uses several commission tracks. Depending on the referred product, affiliates may earn 25% of the first order plus 10% revenue share for 12 months, 70% of the first order plus 10% revenue share for 12 months, or a fixed $30 commission plus 10% revenue share for 12 months.
Commission: 25% or 70% of the first order plus 10% RevShare for 12 months, or a fixed $30 commission plus 10% RevShare for 12 months, depending on product.
Payments: Direct deposit, PayPal, Payoneer. The minimum amount for withdrawal is $100. The available currencies are USD, EUR, and GBP.
Cookie duration: 30 days.
More details: Fiverr Affiliates Program
ClickBank
Key features
Many products to promote, flexible commissions, multiple payment methods, support and resources from the company, 60 days cookie life.
ClickBank is a global online marketplace featuring thousands of digital and physical products from ebooks to food supplements. The company has its own affiliate network, one of the oldest in the industry. Established in 1998, the platform now boasts a vast partner network of over 10,000 sellers and marketers worldwide.
The ClickBank affiliate program is known for its high commissions (up to 90%), reliability, and ease of use. The company provides support from free guides and video courses to promotional materials and tracking tools.
Overall, the platform is good for all affiliates with little to no experience due to an abundant choice of products and support from the platform. However, competition is strong there, so it might take you extra effort to get yourself noticed.
Commission: Varies depending on the commission group, type of product, and other factors.
Payments: Check, direct deposit, wire transfer, Payoneer. The default minimum threshold for withdrawal is $100.
Cookie duration: 60 days.
More details: ClickBank Affiliates
eBay Partner Network (ePN)
Key features
Many products to promote, support and resources from the company, payments are available in many currencies.
With over a billion products across thousands of categories, eBay is one of the biggest global online marketplaces out there. Once perceived as a used items “flea market”, it is a go-to place to buy products of all sorts these days for customers around the globe.
The wide range of products available for promotion, and the platform’s global coverage makes the ePN affiliate program a good place to start for all aspiring affiliates. The program also has a relatively low joining threshold, plus eBay offers support and ample materials to its affiliates.
Yet commission rates are on the lower side here, as compared to other networks. The cookie life is not awesome as well, but the company claims 90% of sales are completed within 24 hours anyway.
Commission: 1-4%, depending on the type of product.
Payments: Direct deposit, PayPal. Payments are available in different currencies. The minimum amount for withdrawal is 10 units of your chosen currency.
Cookie duration: 24 hours.
More details: eBay Partner Network
CJ Affiliate (ex-Commission Junction)
Key features
Many products to promote, support and resources from the company, payments are available in many currencies.
CJ Affiliate (ex-Commission Junction) is one of the oldest affiliate networks out there, as well as one of the largest ones. It serves as a mediator between brands (advertisers) and affiliates (publishers) and features a huge pool of associates, including the likes of CNN and BuzzFeed.
But you don’t have to be a media company to sign up for the program. The entrance barriers are relatively low — however, the company does require its publishers to have an active website to be eligible.
Other details of this affiliate program may also be difficult to grasp for a beginner, but the company offers guidance and support throughout the process. But the choice of advertisers on the platform, as well as its reliability and convenience, still makes it a good fit for affiliates who are just starting out.
Commission: Varies depending on the merchant.
Payments: Two monthly payouts via Payoneer or other method specified in settings. Multiple currencies available.
Cookie duration: 1-120 days, depending on the merchant.
More details: CJ Affiliate
Dorik
Key features
40% commission on every new sale, 10% lifetime recurring commission on renewal, $50 cash bonus for referring the first 10 new customers, an affiliate can recruit new affiliates and earn 10% commission from their earnings.
Dorik is a cutting-edge AI website builder that allows anyone to create a website with zero coding or web design knowledge. You can create any type of website (from landing pages to blog websites to full-fledged business websites) using Dorik AI with just a prompt. Dorik also offers white-label CMS dashboards so you can easily run a web design agency from here.
Dorik’s affiliate program offers a 40% commission for every new paying customer you bring to the platform as an affiliate. On top of that, you’ll enjoy a 10% lifetime recurring commission when the customer renews their purchase. Dorik also has a special referral bonus of $50 for its affiliates when they bring their first 10 new customers. There are no tiers in the affiliate program so everyone can earn an equal amount of cash from this website-building platform. You’ll also get a decent cookie duration of 90 days.
This affiliate program is a great fit for any professionals whose audience might be interested in creating a website. Bloggers, content creators, online business coaches, web educators, and AI tool testers are some examples of potential affiliate candidates. But again, anyone can join the affiliate program because everyone needs a website nowadays no matter the background.
Commission: 40% commission on every new sale and 10% lifetime recurring commission.
Payments: Bank transfer. The minimum threshold for withdrawal is $200.
Cookie duration: 90 days.
More details: Dorik Affiliate Program
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is an affiliate program and how does it work?
An affiliate program is a partnership where a brand pays an independent marketer a commission for generating a customer or lead. You sign up, get trackable links or promo codes, promote them, and earn when someone clicks and completes the target action. Tracking cookies can still credit you later if the action happens within the cookie window.
What makes a good affiliate program for beginners?
A good beginner-friendly program usually matches your audience, has clear terms, realistic commissions, and manageable payouts. It also helps if the brand has strong trust and the product fits naturally with your content. Use the official program page to confirm current terms before applying.
What should I compare before joining an affiliate program?
Compare commission rates, payout terms, cookie windows, product fit, and brand trust. These factors matter as much as the headline commission because they affect how practical and profitable the program is. Terms can change often, so always check the official page first.
What is a good commission rate for beginners?
Commission rates can vary widely, typically from 5% to 50%, depending on the program and product. Some programs offer lower rates, such as Amazon Associates starting from 1%, while others advertise much higher rates. Selzy’s public affiliate program page advertises 40% commission.
Do I need a website to join an affiliate program?
Not always, but many programs do have eligibility criteria that can include a specific type of platform, such as a website. Requirements vary by brand or network, so you need to check each program’s rules before applying. A website is common, but it is not a universal requirement.
How does referral tracking work in affiliate marketing?
Affiliate programs use unique links or promo codes to track referrals. If someone clicks your link or uses your code and completes the target action, you earn a commission. In some cases, cookies allow you to get credit even if the person returns later within the cookie life period.
In conclusion
Affiliate marketing is one of the oldest and most popular forms of marketing out there. Today, it’s also one of the simplest ways for businesses and individuals to generate extra revenue — and it can be quite lucrative once you learn the ropes.
In this article, we’ve covered the essentials of affiliate marketing for beginners, from defining the term to comparing programs by audience fit, commission model, payout practicality, cookie or attribution window, and promotional resources.
The right program is rarely the one with the biggest advertised commission alone. Choose a product your audience trusts, read the official terms carefully, check when and how you can withdraw commissions, and promote only offers you can explain honestly. Affiliate terms can change, so revisit program pages before you apply or update your recommendations.
New and noteworthy on our blog 
