1. How affiliate programs actually work
An affiliate program is a deal between a brand and a promoter. You send a customer to the brand using a unique tracking link tied to your account. If that customer signs up (or buys, or funds an account), the brand pays you a commission — anywhere from a few dollars to several hundred, depending on the program.
Every affiliate link is personal. You can't use someone else's — the brand tracks the sale to whoever owns the link. This directory sends you to the brand's official application page so you apply and get your own link.
2. Why we filter to $20+ per referral
Low-payout affiliate programs (think 4% on a $25 item — one dollar) burn traffic. To make meaningful revenue you'd need thousands of clicks per month. Programs paying $20–$500 per referral let a modest audience generate real income: 50 conversions a month at $100 per referral is $5,000.
Everything in this directory clears the $20 bar. Many clear $100. A few clear $500.
3. Flat vs percent vs recurring — pick your model
- Flat CPA — a fixed dollar bounty per approved signup (e.g. Bluehost pays ~$65 no matter which plan). Best for beginners: predictable and easy to forecast.
- Percent — a % of the sale (e.g. Farfetch pays 3–7% of luxury orders). Best when you drive high-AOV traffic.
- Recurring — a % of every payment for as long as the customer stays (e.g. Kit pays 30% lifetime). Best long-term: compound income.
- Hybrid — flat + recurring (e.g. Cloudways, GetResponse). Best of both worlds.
4. Networks vs direct programs
Some brands run their affiliate program in-house ("direct"). Others use a network like Impact, ShareASale, CJ, Awin, or PartnerStack — the network handles tracking and payments across thousands of brands. Signing up with the big networks unlocks huge catalogs at once. See our Affiliate Networks hub.
5. FTC disclosure — you must disclose
US law (FTC 16 CFR Part 255) requires you to clearly disclose affiliate relationships. Rule of thumb: disclose before the link, in plain language your audience understands. "This post contains affiliate links — I earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you" works fine. UK, EU and AU have similar rules (ASA, Omnibus Directive, AANA).
6. Applying and getting approved
- Have a live site, YouTube channel, newsletter or social profile with real content in your niche. Empty "coming soon" sites get rejected.
- Fill out the application honestly. Tell them your audience size and promotion methods.
- For big brands (Shopify, HubSpot), expect a review. For most networks, approval is instant.
- If rejected, build 3–6 months of content and re-apply.
7. Best practices that actually move revenue
- Contextual placement beats banners. A link inside a tutorial converts 10–100× a sidebar banner.
- Compare, don't just list. "Best web hosting for beginners" beats "Bluehost review".
- Update old content. Refreshing your top posts every 6–12 months keeps them ranking and converting.
- Track everything. Use each network's sub-IDs to see which page or video drives which sale.
Glossary
- CPA
- Cost per acquisition — flat payout per signup/sale.
- AOV
- Average order value — matters when payout is a %.
- EPC
- Earnings per click — how much you make per 100 clicks (rough).
- Cookie window
- How long after a click the sale still counts as yours.
- Reversal
- A sale that was later refunded or flagged as fraud — you don't get paid.