I often use affiliate networks to monetize my affiliate and niche sites. The biggest affiliate networks are especially useful because they have hundreds of affiliate programs under one roof — this makes it easy to quickly find the right product to promote.
Although an affiliate network offering hundreds or thousands of affiliate programs may sound appealing, you should note that there are many programs on the internet that you will not find in an affiliate network. Many of the programs I work with have their own in-house affiliate program and fall into this category.
However, when it comes to quickly searching for affiliate opportunities, nothing beats an affiliate network. You log in to your account, head to the program search, filter programs that best match your next niche, and compare their performance to pick the best one.
List of the biggest affiliate networks
Below, you'll find a list of affiliate networks with which I am more or less actively involved as an affiliate. Registration with all of these networks is free and non-binding. All of them have hundreds of programs that you can work with, either with or without prior application.
If an application is required, make sure you provide your best marketing channel, such as a website or an email newsletter. Advertisers carefully review new partners to determine if they are capable of effectively promoting their products and bringing in new potential customers.
1. Impact (impact.com)
Impact.com was founded in 2008 by industry veterans, including founders tied to early affiliate platforms. It is a modern partnership platform and affiliate marketplace. It is one of my current favorites because the platform is easy to use and has a huge catalog of premium programs.
Part of the larger affiliate ecosystem with thousands of merchants and enterprise brands globally — frequently cited as among the most-used platforms by brands and agencies.
Key Benefits:
- Modern partnership/platform approach (Affiliate + influencer + partner management)
- Strong tracking, analytics, and global scalability
- Used by many brands (high adoption among marketers)
2. CJ (Commission Junction / CJ Affiliate)
Founded as Commission Junction in 1998, making it one of the earliest and most established affiliate networks. Thousands of advertisers and programs spanning global retail, tech, and services — one of the largest affiliate networks worldwide.
Key Benefits:
- Deep integration with major global brands
- Advanced tracking and reporting
- Strong reputation with advertisers and experienced affiliates
3. ShareASale (now part of Awin)
Founded 2000 in Chicago; acquired by Awin's parent in 2017. The standalone ShareASale brand is being absorbed. Historically hosted ~16,500+ merchant programs across niches. It is now actively merging with the Awin program catalog, and the website will soon redirect to Awin.
Key Benefits:
- Very wide range of merchants suitable for many niches
- Beginner-friendly structure
- Large affiliate community
Note: ShareASale is being shut down/redirected under the Awin umbrella as of 2025–2026, so new affiliates will primarily work through Awin now.
4. Awin
Awin started in 2000 by merging several networks, including Affilinet, Zanox, and ShareASale. It is now one of the largest global networks, with 15,500–20,000 advertisers and hundreds of thousands of publishers.
Thanks to its continuous mergers with other major affiliate networks, it is currently the largest affiliate network in Europe, offering tens of thousands of programs.
Key Benefits:
- Very strong international presence (EU, US, LATAM, APAC)
- Huge program variety
- Multi‑industry merchant base
5. Rakuten Advertising
Originally acquired LinkShare (1996; Rakuten purchased in 2005) and rebranded over time to Rakuten Advertising. Hundreds to thousands of advertisers, with many premium/global brands. If you want to work with its advertisers, you need a premium advertising channel.
Key Benefits:
- Strong focus on high‑quality brands
- Advanced analytics and tools
- Well‑known premium merchant relationships
6. FlexOffers
FlexOffers is a performance-based affiliate network that consolidates offers from many sources. It has over 12,000 advertiser programs and tens of thousands of publisher opportunities.
Key Benefits:
- Very large variety of offers in many niches
- Clean UI, APIs, feeds & reporting tools
- Good support for publishers
7. Digistore24
Digistore24 is a global affiliate marketplace and platform that has emerged as a digital product and SaaS-friendly ecosystem. It is now one of the largest international marketplaces, and it is my go-to when I want to find a good offer in the digital products niche. The platform is easy to use, offers fast registration, and allows for a very quick start.
Digistore24 currently has over 6,000 German affiliate offers and over 1,500 English affiliate offers across 44 niches, as well as thousands of affiliates.
If you want more information on the platform, read this Digistore24 review.
Key Benefits:
- Focus on digital products, courses, SaaS, and info‑product niches
- Fast payouts and affiliate academy resources
- Large, conversion‑optimized marketplace
8. Admitad
Admitad is an international affiliate network with broad global acceptance and a strong presence in performance and emerging markets. It has approximately 2,000 advertisers worldwide, a number that fluctuates over time.
Key Benefits:
- Good for global affiliate traffic
- Multiple verticals supported
- Useful for content and international affiliate strategies
9. TradeDoubler
Founded in Sweden in 1999, TradeDoubler is one of Europe's earliest global affiliate networks. It has over 3,000 advertisers and more than 180,000 publisher sites worldwide.
Key Benefits:
- Very strong European presence
- Coverage in many verticals
- Long history in performance marketing
10. TradeTracker
TradeTracker is an international affiliate network with a broad merchant presence operating globally. It is often cited in industry reports and has thousands of merchants and affiliate programs worldwide.
Key Benefits:
- Wide regional reach
- Multilingual and broad vertical support
- Trusted option for publishers with international traffic
11. Adtraction
Founded in Sweden in 2007, Adtraction has since expanded through acquisitions and international growth. It has thousands of advertisers, with over 1,700 historically before acquisitions.
Key Benefits:
- Strong content/SEO affiliate support
- Active growth in Europe
- Multi‑market presence
12. Webgains
Webgains is a European affiliate network with a broad international reach. It has hundreds to thousands of active programs in many verticals, with an estimated 1,500–1,800 programs.
Key Benefits:
- Strong quality control of advertisers
- Good for experienced publishers
- International footprint
My favorite affiliate networks
I use the following affiliate networks very actively to monetize my websites:
- Awin — the biggest affiliate network in the European market. You'll find programs for most major brands here. Every professional affiliate should have an account.
- Digistore24 — a payment provider and an affiliate network. It has a huge amount of offers for niche digital products. It pays up to four times a month.
- Commission Junction — another large network. It has lots of premium programs with high commission rates. It's one of the first affiliate networks I made a four-digit income with.
These are the networks I prefer to use to monetize my sites or to look for ideas for new affiliate projects. That doesn't mean the other networks in the list above are bad – all of them are good enough to recommend.
At some point, you need to focus on the networks with which you work most productively. Since every affiliate approaches their business differently, their list of favorite networks may look different.
How does an affiliate network work?
For those who are just starting out in affiliate marketing and looking for affiliate networks to join, I want to briefly explain how networks work and what their advantages are. It's clear that there's no way around affiliate networks if you're serious about affiliate marketing.
An affiliate network actually works quite simple:
- Merchants/Advertisers join the network
Companies with products or services sign up to promote their offerings through affiliates. They create campaigns, set commission rates, and provide marketing materials. - Affiliates/Publishers join the network
Bloggers, influencers, or marketers register with the network. They get access to multiple merchant programs in one place. - Affiliates choose programs
Affiliates select merchants or campaigns to promote based on niche, commission, or audience fit. They receive unique tracking links for each program. - Promotion & Traffic generation
Affiliates promote products using their links via blogs, social media, email, YouTube, or paid ads. Every click or action is tracked through the affiliate network. - Tracking & Reporting
The network tracks clicks, leads, sales, and other actions in real-time. It ensures accurate attribution of conversions to the correct affiliate. - Commission payment
Affiliates earn a commission based on the agreed structure (CPA, CPL, CPS, or hybrid). The network handles payouts, usually on a regular schedule (monthly or bi-weekly). - Support & Compliance
Networks enforce rules (e.g., no spam, no false advertising) to protect advertisers and maintain trust. They provide support, analytics, and optimization tools for both merchants and affiliates.
The key benefits for an affiliate are:
- Access to many programs
Connect with hundreds or thousands of merchants in one place. - Reliable payments
Networks handle commissions securely and on time. - Performance insights
Track clicks, conversions, and earnings in real-time to optimize campaigns. - Variety & Flexibility
Promote products that match your niche or audience. - Marketing tools & support
Get banners, links, feeds, and analytics to boost performance.
As you can see, the function and benefits of affiliate networks are very transparent. Pick up to five networks that you like the best, register for a free affiliate/publisher account, and gain access to thousands of programs that you could theoretically start working with today.
Conclusion
Use this list of affiliate networks to find the right programs for your projects. The major advantage of affiliate networks is that you can usually join hundreds or thousands of programs with a single account, unlocking huge affiliate potential!
Some affiliate networks work exclusively with premium advertisers, allowing you to promote the best products in the market and earn high commissions on successful sales.
You should especially look for programs with lifetime commissions, because they can help you build stable, high, almost passive income over the long term.
It's also useful to know which exclusive programs a network offers. These programs are only available in that specific network. You can find real gems that are absolutely worth promoting. Do you want to promote Google, Nike, or Barnes & Noble products? Take a look at CJ.com, but note that they only accept premium affiliates.