The best affiliate networks by need and use case

Affiliate networks aren’t one-size-fits-all. 

Between evolving monitoring legal guidelines, new tech capabilities, and shifting payment constructions, your best option will depend on your small business mannequin and targets. 

This information breaks down high affiliate networks by use case, so you may make a wiser, extra strategic choice.

The info-driven strategy to selecting an affiliate community

When you’re able to launch an associates program – a advertising and marketing channel the place others promote you on a revenue-sharing or efficiency foundation – however aren’t certain which affiliate community to decide on, I’ve acquired you lined.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve labored as an affiliate, an in-house affiliate supervisor, managed a community, and now run an company that provides affiliate administration providers and program audits throughout a number of platforms.

Just a few of our purchasers had been curious whether or not they need to change networks, given the substantial expertise updates over the previous couple of years, new monitoring legal guidelines at each the state and nation ranges, and more and more aggressive pricing.

I spent hours speaking to platforms on their behalf and used greater than 70 knowledge factors – together with options, software program performance, pricing, and even bedside method – to establish the very best affiliate networks for his or her distinctive wants throughout completely different industries.

Our purchasers vary from lead-gen applications and service-based companies to ecommerce outlets. 

Some networks are designed particularly for apps or area of interest markets, specializing in instruments for these areas. 

Others are extra all-encompassing and provide broader capabilities with out the enterprise-level price ticket.

As an alternative of a high 10 record, I’m sharing my high picks based mostly on particular enterprise wants – together with an total finest. 

That was the toughest one to decide on, as multiple community may’ve earned the spot.

Dig deeper: Affiliate managers – It’s time to shift your focus beyond media

What to know earlier than selecting an affiliate community

There are some things to know earlier than deciding on an affiliate community. 

These are a few of the most typical questions or myths we get from purchasers – or that I’m requested about at commerce exhibits and conferences the place I converse. 

Figuring out this info forward of time might help you keep away from making the fallacious choice, particularly because you’re doubtlessly caught for at the very least a yr should you select the fallacious system.

• An affiliate community’s function is to supply a monitoring and fee platform that additionally retains you knowledgeable and compliant with native, nationwide, and worldwide promoting legal guidelines.
• It’s your job as a model or affiliate supervisor to convey associates to your program. If the community has associates and a market, that may be a bonus, nevertheless it isn’t their job.
• Affiliate networks which have marketplaces additionally imply the companions you recruit will likely be uncovered to your opponents who’re additionally on the identical community.
  • Many networks will attain out and introduce the companions you recruited to your opponents. You can not cease this from taking place, so the work you place into recruitment advantages your opponents.
• All affiliate networks give dangerous recommendation on who you must approve into your program. It’s your job to ensure your organization or your purchasers’ targets are being met.
  • Affiliate networks make their cash off the variety of transactions that undergo the platform.
  • This incentivizes them to encourage you to work with low-value and zero-value companions. In some circumstances, they offer these companions awards at trade occasions so as to add credibility – inflicting confusion when your knowledge doesn’t line up and also you understand the associate really hurts your backside line.
  • It’s your job because the model to patrol, take away, and make sure the companions add worth in order for you a revenue-generating program vs. one which simply exhibits numbers.
• You must all the time negotiate an out clause into the community contract and settlement.
• In case you are large enough, you’ll be able to negotiate most well-liked charges, software program upgrades with out further charges, and lock in pricing for exclusivity on the platform or for being featured in community case research.

Now let’s go into who I’ve chosen for the highest affiliate networks and why. 

This doesn’t imply others aren’t good – so speak to extra and decide based mostly in your firm’s wants.

Greatest total affiliate community

This one was not straightforward as a result of each community has professionals and cons, however when it got here to the main points that matter, AWIN International takes the cake as the very best affiliate community. They:

• Launch model new toolsets always.
• Create software program partnerships to make sure you have the most recent and biggest instruments.
• Constantly construct new software program if no partnership is important.

Not like different affiliate networks, AWIN doesn’t cost upsells on new options or have hidden charges to entry software program after you signal the dotted line. 

They’re extremely versatile while you’re a bigger model on override charges, so you’ll be able to negotiate down from the trade requirements of 20% and 25%. 

I get extremely quick responses from each the company and the service provider assist staff after I attain out as a model, and the responses are usually correct.

Prior to now, after we wanted to think about different platforms as a result of the shopper was procuring, AWIN didn’t wish to see a program depart, however they allowed for flexibility of their contracts. 

Different networks get authorized and attempt to scare you. AWIN is there for you as a model, and that goes far in my guide.

They’re one of many few affiliate platforms that again off while you allow them to know they’re being too aggressive sales-wise, which may be very good. 

It doesn’t imply they don’t overstep a boundary, however they’re extra respectful than different enterprise-level and enormous networks.

Execs

• Elite software program capabilities and monitoring, together with server-based.
• Affords multi-channel monitoring and attribution.
• Transparency in pricing.
• The flexibility to develop globally vs. needing a brand new platform within the EU, APAC, LATAM, and so forth., makes it interesting should you ship worldwide.
• Simply tag and group associates in limitless methods for higher communications, stronger commissioning and attribution choices, and to make it simpler to see efficiency by sort of writer, high performers, and content material niches or promotional methods (social, weblog, e-newsletter, YouTube, and so forth.).

Cons

• The in-house administration and writer groups suggest low- and no-value publishers.
• The in-house administration staff lacks the power to get top-funnel companions going (based mostly on my expertise auditing when the in-house staff was co-managing with an in-house affiliate supervisor).
• They favor massive manufacturers vs. smaller corporations, so that you gained’t get the eye you need except you pay.
• No area to maintain detailed notes about particular companions on the associate’s web page for different staff members to reference – making it exhausting to know why selections had been made.
• Can not depart public suggestions or scores on companions, making it more durable to detect fraud within the utility course of.
• There isn’t any PPC and trademark bidding monitoring instrument, however there was on ShareASale.
• Not like a majority of different networks, AWIN doesn’t allow you to mix a number of shops into the identical program account – you need to maintain them separate. I used to be shocked by this as a result of it was accessible on the platforms they bought like Purchase.at and ShareASale.

Greatest enterprise-level community

Influence is the go-to for enterprise and international manufacturers. 

It comes at a value, as every thing is an upsell – and it isn’t low cost. 

Nonetheless, while you’re an enterprise-level model, their tiered-down fee construction can really make extra monetary sense than a standard community with a flat override payment. 

(The override is the amount of cash the community takes on high of the affiliate fee.)

Influence was the primary to make use of this mannequin – and it’s good. 

In terms of innovation, Influence is all the time first to market. 

They had been the unique community with cross-channel reporting within the affiliate area and constructed it into an easy-to-absorb report. 

With Influence, you’ll be able to see if PPC referred a sale, then SEO had a click on, and an affiliate got here in on the final second to take credit score. 

You can too automate not commissioning that associate or bounce the fee again as much as a high-value touchpoint.

My favourite function in Influence is the by-URL commissions. 

If you wish to be featured on a particular web page – like a listicle in a media firm – you may make gross sales from that listicle value 20% and the remainder of the area 10%. 

If that very same publication additionally builds a web page that ranks to your model + coupons, you’ll be able to set commissions from that coupon web page to 0% whereas conserving the remainder energetic. Influence was the primary affiliate community I labored on that provided this degree of flexibility.

Influence additionally acquired an influencer software program system. 

Though I haven’t heard nice issues but, I’ve heard it’s all the time bettering. 

And if there’s one factor I do know for sure, it’s that Influence invests closely in software program. 

They gained’t simply get it proper – they’ll take it to the subsequent degree and past. 

That dedication to tech is why they’re thought-about a top-tier, high-caliber affiliate community.

Execs

• Huge manufacturers convey on tons of publishers, providing you with extra publicity as you develop.
  • Smaller manufacturers profit from associates introduced in by the bigger manufacturers.
• Heavy investments into expertise and steady development.
• Very fast response instances and glorious bedside method when fixing points.
• You may maintain notes on particular publishers for different staff members to reference.
• Features a PPC trademark bidding monitoring instrument.

Cons

• The worth – every thing is an upsell, and new software program all the time comes at a value (the place different networks might embody it).
• It’s extraordinarily tough to interrupt your contract or depart if issues aren’t figuring out.
• The gross sales staff might be overly aggressive, usually failing to respect boundaries.
• You could get every thing in writing to guard your model – or be ready to leap by way of hoops and cope with extra crimson tape than different platforms.
• It’s essential to have a lawyer evaluation your contract and make sure all phrases – together with promised software program, pricing, out clauses, and anything that issues to you.

Greatest B2B and SaaS platform

PartnerStack got here out of nowhere and constructed one of many coolest techniques for B2B, lead gen, and SaaS affiliate applications. 

You get all of the transparency provided by different networks, together with highly effective logic techniques that assist customized monitoring, commissioning, and reporting options tailor-made to your program’s targets.

Very similar to Influence, the place you’ll be able to assign commissions based mostly on a particular referring URL, PartnerStack takes this ten steps additional. 

You may assign commissions based mostly on just about any trackable or reportable occasion – and it’s all extremely user-friendly.

Right here’s an instance: one configuration can fee 20% provided that the sale is an annual or quarterly buy, whereas excluding all different sale varieties. 

You are able to do this with just some easy choices – no IT assist or superior coding required.

PartnerStack’s simplicity is a factor of magnificence. 

You don’t should second-guess something, because the instruments are clearly labeled and intuitive. 

Their assist staff is very responsive and provides simple, easy-to-follow steerage on use the platform successfully.

Execs

• Very simple to make use of with instruments named for precisely what they do.
• Versatile reporting with digestible charts and graphs.
• Superior commissioning choices.
• Constructed particularly for SaaS, lead gen, and B2B applications – instruments and options are optimized for these use circumstances.
• Features a clear, easy-to-use e-mail instrument to speak with the complete program or segmented associate teams.

Cons

• No datafeed assist – makes it a poor match for ecommerce, which generally is a downside for software program corporations that additionally promote guides, ebooks, manuals, and so forth.
• Not all assist reps are totally accustomed to all options – chances are you’ll must escalate to get the correct assist.
• The platform isn’t designed for ecommerce. Whilst you can run an ecommerce program on it, it gained’t be straightforward or intuitive.
• You may’t depart public suggestions on companions – this could be useful for figuring out or flagging violations of phrases of service.
• There’s no plugin for server-to-server monitoring – solely cookie-based monitoring, which is now thought-about out of date. You’ll want somebody with technical experience to get round this.

Greatest CPA community

Everflow wins the very best CPA community – fingers down!

CPA networks are completely different from affiliate networks in {that a} CPA community has services or products as a single provide, whereas an affiliate community lists an organization with a number of SKUs. 

CPA networks are perfect for monetary provides like bank cards, insurance coverage leads, or subscriptions to platforms like internet hosting.

Some niches are appropriate for both a CPA community or affiliate community, similar to internet hosting, however CPA networks are the correct selection for bundles, lead gen, provides, dietary supplements, or playing. 

There are a couple of the explanation why Everflow stands out.

The primary motive is that your program is self-managed versus network-managed, providing you with management over who has entry to your provides, in contrast to networks that conceal them from view. 

This lets you guarantee your model is cared for, promotions observe firm tips, and you may take away violators from this system.

With Everflow, it’s also possible to see referring URLs from companions and switch them off if they’re hiding what they’re really doing. 

Commissioning tiers are easy to arrange, and you may create personal or public provides, in addition to time-stamp commissions to stop end-of-sale interceptions.

Execs

• Arms-on buyer assist that works with you to search out options.
• Detects parameters from the URL when utilizing server-side monitoring, so if an affiliate forgets to make use of the proper affiliate hyperlink, gross sales should still observe.
• Skill to private-label their system to make it seem in-house.
• Entry to all affiliate contact info inside your program.
• Constructed-in e-mail template creator for newsletters and program-wide communications.
• No annual charges on high of different charges.

Cons

• Solely two ranges of commissioning for a number of companions with a click on (in comparison with different networks that provide 5 or extra).
• No promoting choices throughout the platform to convey consciousness to new publishers.
• Lacks instruments for monitoring TOS violators, like PPC bidding and monitoring.
• Six-month minimal contract size (which isn’t a nasty damaging, contemplating most applications take a yr to get going).
• There’s a setup payment if you don’t signal an annual contract (nevertheless it’s minimal).

Dig deeper: Why are so many affiliate sites losing organic traffic?

Two different networks value mentioning

I didn’t know precisely the place to position these two, however CJ and MobIdea deserve a point out.

Revitalizing a legacy platform with trendy instruments

I wasn’t certain the place to position CJ. It’s been years since I thought-about them, however a couple of purchasers are utilizing the platform, and I’ve been impressed by what they’ve performed. 

I had assumed CJ was a legacy, outdated platform, however I used to be fallacious. 

Very similar to the networks talked about above, they’ve invested of their expertise and now provide the instruments wanted for contemporary affiliate applications and administration.

The staff is extremely responsive, which is essential for affiliate applications. This has been my expertise with them for roughly 20 years. 

I could not all the time like their solutions, however they supply fast and environment friendly responses. Their community present, CJU, is high-end, and also you really really feel like royalty. 

Whereas it might not appear necessary, having a relaxed and welcoming ambiance at networking occasions makes a major distinction. 

It lowers the obstacles for introverts like me and encourages significant connections. 

Cellular-first CPA community with verification instruments

MobIdea additionally took me unexpectedly. They’re a CPA community that sometimes retains associates in a hidden field, so that you don’t have visibility into what’s taking place.

That is normal for all CPA networks, which is why our purchasers usually don’t work with them. 

However MobIdea has a significant distinction. 

It’s the one CPA community I do know of (outdoors of Everflow) that permits an advertiser to require a referring URL to be handed again to ensure that a sale to be commissionable.

You may then confirm if the referred web site really drove the sale by checking social sharing and seeing how effectively the web page performs for search engine optimisation. 

You can too test if PPC key phrases are driving guests to the web page. If the data doesn’t try, you’ll be able to flip off that writer and void their commissions.

MobIdea can also be one of many few networks that focuses on cellular apps and app monitoring. 

After a personal demo with their staff, I liked the protections and expertise they’ve constructed to make the method run easily.

When you’ve got an app and don’t need a conventional affiliate community, they’ve created a CPA community tailor-made for you.

Whilst you gained’t get the transparency of a standard community or as many protections, their staff will assist get your provide in entrance of high companions.

Everybody I met at MobIdea was pleasant, useful, and responsive. They gained me over!

Last ideas

Choosing the proper affiliate community isn’t about selecting the most important identify – it’s about aligning options, pricing, and assist with your small business mannequin. 

Whether or not you’re operating a lead-gen marketing campaign, scaling a SaaS program, or rising international ecommerce gross sales, there’s a platform constructed to assist your targets. 

With the correct match, your associates program gained’t simply run – it’ll thrive.