If you are an aspiring affiliate marketer, then you might have realized that choosing a niche and affiliate program is no easy task. That’s why we have put together our picks for the best affiliate programs for making money in 2023 and given you our best insight into why we find these so attractive.
If you have read our blog post 21 Niche Site Ideas You Need to Know, you may notice that a lot of these programs may seem familiar.
We took some of the most profitable niches we used in that article and found the best programs we could from them. These, along with other exciting new niches, make up our list.
Before we get into our list, let’s talk about how to tell the difference between affiliate programs and affiliate networks.
Affiliate Program or Affiliate Network?
These terms are often used interchangeably, so it can be hard to tell what affiliate marketing blogs are referring to a lot of the time.
To put it simply, an affiliate program provides a product (or service) to affiliate marketers for them to sell in exchange for a commission on each sale. Most companies create their own affiliate program to help their products get a wider reach in the marketplace.
An affiliate network is a provider or platform that also creates a program, but will create other programs for other companies too. The network is now the middleman in the transaction and can make things easier for both parties.
Affiliate networks are a method of outsourcing. They exist to provide tools that allow both the company and the marketer to work together easier.
Benefits of Affiliate Networks
You may be thinking: well, aren’t all affiliate networks better than programs because that’s all they do? The simple answer is, it’s complicated.
We will be mentioning several major affiliate networks like CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, and ClickBank.
These networks often have great benefits like branded ads, content guides, and marketer support options. These are all provided for one reason: to make it easier for you to sell.
Features like this make major affiliate networks worth it. Another benefit is that once you sign up for the network, you have easier access to many of the best affiliate programs for making money in different niches.
This cuts down on the time you spend on signup and applications, leaving you more time to create content for your site or blog.
But plenty of independent affiliate programs provide these benefits as well, so we can’t sweep these under the rug.
We don’t discriminate on programs or networks for this list, so keep an open mind and recognize the benefits of each when they appear.
Why We Like These Programs
We have chosen these programs based on several key factors.
First of all, we want to ensure that they can actually earn you money. There are many different commission structures on display here, and we will break down what makes these fair and profitable in the long term.
We have also listed each program’s cookie, which shows how long you have after a referral clicks on your link you have to collect off of any purchase they make.
We also chose programs with products and services that are of a high quality. Good affiliate marketing depends on legitimacy, and we would never recommend something we don’t use.
Finally, we want to inspire you to look for opportunities that are directly outside of your niche. Many of these programs work for any affiliate marketer, so don’t always settle for the obvious choice.
31 Best Niches
General Affiliate Programs
What does it mean to be a general affiliate program?
General affiliate programs are sites that sell a wide range of products and cover several niches along the way.
1. Amazon
Also called “Amazon Associates,” this program is free to start using and features commission rates that vary depending on the item sold.
Rates can be as low as 1% for video games, or higher than 8% for furniture, pet products, and luxury beauty products. There are over 3 billion different items for sale, and their affiliate programs also apply to online products like Amazon Prime Video.
But many of these commission rates are low for their industry. You will also be competing with many other affiliate marketers who are using this popular program as well.
We recommend using the Amazon Associates program as a way to learn about the process of starting out with an affiliate program. It likely will not be a large source of income.
Commission – 1-10% per sale
Cookie – 24 hours
2. Etsy
Etsy has become the go-to marketplace for crafty and creative goods. There are many different kinds of products offered by Etsy, and sales typically peak around the holiday shopping season.
Etsy’s commission rate is between 4-8% on sales. They offer a 30-day cookie for these sales.
One of Etsy’s most interesting features is their Convert-A-Link Tool. This allows you to place Javascript on your site that converts old, unused links to Etsy affiliate links. This saves you the hassle of changing these links yourself and creates more opportunities for revenue.
Commission – 4-8%
Cookie – 30 days
3. Hammacher Schlemmer
This American catalogue service has been running for over 150 years. They currently stock over 1300 products, with an emphasis on home living and electronics.
They offer an 8% commission on their products, which are typically higher priced than Amazon or Etsy’s offerings. The program provides you with password-protected online reports and content to help you sell.
Programs in the “General” space often get a bad rap for being so competitive and offering lower than average commission rates. It’s important to capitalize on programs like Hammacher’s because they sell at a premium.
A century and a half of brand recognition doesn’t hurt either, especially if you are in lifestyle or electronics niches.
Commission – 8%
Cookie – 30 days
Hosting
4. SiteGround
We recommend SiteGround as a hosting service for any beginner affiliate marketer. The other great thing about the service is that they have a fantastic affiliate program.
SiteGround’s commissions start out at $50 per sale and quickly increase once you are able to make an additional 5-10 sales per month. There are even custom rates for particularly successful affiliates.
These commission rates are some of the highest in the industry. Plus, the service is hot right now among many people looking to create a site, including your fellow affiliate marketers.
Commission – $50-125 per sale
Cookie – 60 days
5. WPX Hosting
WPX hosting is also a Brand Builders favorite. What sets it apart from SiteGround, is that it is our go-to for larger websites.
WPX Hosting is for WordPress websites and blogs and is a cost effective solution for bloggers and affiliate marketers.
It features industry-leading features like free unlimited site migrations and month-to-month hosting plans. It is much easier to sell a service with this many perks than any of its competitors.
Commissions range from $70-100 per sale, and the program is free to join. There is no limit to the earnings that you can make for this program.
Commission – $70-100 per sale
Cookie – 60 days
6. Flywheel
Flywheel has a reputation as another great WordPress-specific hosting platform. Users often comment about how it helps build beautiful websites, not just provide functional hosting services.
And, with a 300% commission rate, how could you say no? That’s right, Flywheel offers 3X the monthly payment plan that your referral purchases.
You can earn up to $500 per referral, and you will have access to co-branded landing pages, social creative, and banners.
Here’s the caveat: there are no long term commissions for referrals. You only earn a commission on the original purchase made by the customer.
Creating long term income from Flywheel hosting is more difficult due to this. But it’s still worth exploring due to its industry-high commission rates.
Commission – 300%
Cookie – 90 days
Web Services
7. Express VPN
VPN services are in demand as personal security on the internet continues to be a major concern for companies and individuals alike. Express VPN has been in the game for a long time, and they carry a lot of clout in the industry.
Their affiliate program is no different. Commissions top out at $36 per referral, and they feature a 90-day cookie.
Express VPN offers high-speed servers for secure browsing and pre-configured VPN routers. It’s a world leader for a reason, and this extends to the support they offer customers and affiliates.
Commission – Up to $36 per sign-in
Cookie – 90 days
8. Pure VPN
You may ask why we bring up another VPN service after calling Express VPN the “best in the industry.” Shouldn’t that be good enough advice to sign up and start promoting the service?
With the VPN niche (and all others), it is important to consider every option, and realize that the industry leader may not be 100% suited for you. Pure VPN has great client support and innovative features like DDoS-protected server addresses.
But what really sets Pure VPN apart is its commission structure. It is known as one of the most profitable affiliate programs in the VPN niche.
Commissions range from 35% to 100%. Yes, 100% commission. That isn’t a typo.
The program pays out 100% on the first invoice of a 1 month plan. This is PureVPN’s way of overcoming “first purchase stress,” which can be the hardest part of getting started with a program like this.
Commissions normalize after you have driven your first sales, but even then they are still high compared to the rest of the industry. If you want to benefit from a unique commission structure, Pure VPN could be for you.
Commission – 35-100%
Cookie – 90 days
9. Wix
This popular website-building tool offers $100 per Premium referral without limits. They also provide banners and creatives for you to use while promoting their service.
There is a $300 minimum monthly sales target that you need to ensure you hit consistently to remain a member of the program. If you can make this number, this is an excellent referral program for affiliate marketers in all niches.
We recommend staying on the lookout for programs like this once you have solid monthly traffic and a proven track record of driving sales. Although these commissions may not be as high as other programs, you can still drive passive income that comes in every month, without limits.
Commission – $100 per Premium Sale
Cookie Life – 30 days
Travel Affiliate Programs
10. Expedia
You can’t make a list of the best affiliate programs in travel without mentioning the giants.
Expedia is synonymous with deal hunting for travelling. They also have a strong affiliate program that is surprisingly profitable, considering how popular it is.
The program is part of the CJ Affiliate network. You will be provided dynamic widgets for your blog, which opens a world of bookable properties, airlines, hotels and more.
As an affiliate, you receive weekly updates for deals and seasonal offers. It is best to sprinkle these into your content as a tantalizing reward for your visitors to consume your content.
Success in the Expedia Affiliate Program comes from finding the right deals to promote and giving your visitors a sense of wanderlust. Remember, (almost) everyone wants to travel, and they want to save money doing it.
Commission – 2-6%
Cookie – 7 days
11. TripAdvisor
This site is another massive player in the travel space. What sets it apart from Expedia is its offerings for tours and tickets to activities that people enjoy exploring when on vacation.
TripAdvisor is also part of the CJ Affiliate program, so if you have already signed up for Expedia’s program, you can sign up for this just as easily.
Commission is set up so that you earn 50% off the revenue generated from a user clicking on links that send them to a TripAdvisor partner site. This means that you don’t have to wait for a purchase to earn money.
Amounts earned per click out are small ($0.15-$0.75), but with decent traffic from your site, this can add up over time.
Commission – 50%
Cookie – N/A
12. World Nomads
World Nomads is an Australian-based company founded by a traveler who wanted a safe and fair option for travel insurance. Today, World Nomads has clients all over the world and is one of the few affiliate programs in this industry.
As a member of the program, you can promote a variety of insurance services and earn 10% in commissions on sales made through your links.
This program isn’t just listed because it is a surefire way to earn high revenues. Rather, the company is so well-recommended by companies like Lonely Planet and Contiki, that it is building a strong reputation.
Affiliate programs like these make great safe bets, and should not be avoided if you are in the travel blogging niche.
Commission – 10%
Cookie – 60 days
Finance Affiliate Programs
13. Invoice Ninja
Invoice Ninja is an invoicing service for freelancers and small business owners. This slick platform features a great affiliate program with a recurring referral commission.
You will make 50% on all referrals made by a link for four years. Plus, with low entry rates for Invoice Ninja’s programs (like a $10 monthly pro plan), you can bring a lot of volume.
Invoice Ninja’s program is great for freelance photographers, writers for hire, or any kind of business owner. The great thing about a finance affiliate program like this is that it isn’t just for affiliate marketers in the finance niche.
Commission – 50% on referrals for four years
Cookie – N/A (account creation from referral URL tracked)
14. PocketSmith
The personal finance industry has seen growth from tech companies that help people track their spending. PocketSmith is a great example of this.
Their affiliate program features up to 30% recurring commission rates.
The Making Sense of Cents blog is an example for how to make money by blogging about personal finance. What makes a program like PocketSmith successful is simple: most people have debt and want to save more money.
PocketSmith helps people with these issues, and the large potential customer base means that you can earn money from a larger volume.
Commission – Up to 30%
Cookie – 30 days
15. Capitalist Exploits
Capitalist Exploits is a tool for investors that provides trade recommendations. Members sign up for a subscription to receive these recommendations.
Their affiliate program offers a 50% commission that does not include any limitations whatsoever. Products are priced at a minimum of $1,575, so there is a lot of money to be made using this program.
Capitalist Exploits is a great example of a program that allows you to leverage the expertise and success of your site’s visitors. If you have a blog that specializes in investing, with a high income audience, this is a great program to look into.
Keep in mind that with a higher price point comes a more difficult approval process. You will