The best affiliate networks by need and use case

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

Between evolving tracking laws, new tech capabilities, and shifting fee structures, the best choice depends on your business model and goals. 

This guide breaks down top affiliate networks by use case, so you can make a smarter, more strategic decision.

The data-driven approach to choosing an affiliate network

If you’re ready to launch an affiliate program – a marketing channel where others promote you on a revenue-sharing or performance basis – but aren’t sure which affiliate network to choose, I’ve got you covered.

Over the last 20+ years, I’ve worked as an affiliate, an in-house affiliate manager, managed a network, and now run an agency that offers affiliate management services and program audits across multiple platforms.

A few of our clients were curious whether they should change networks, given the substantial technology updates over the last few years, new tracking laws at both the state and country levels, and increasingly competitive pricing.

I spent hours talking to platforms on their behalf and used more than 70 data points – including features, software functionality, pricing, and even bedside manner – to identify the best affiliate networks for their unique needs across different industries.

Our clients range from lead-gen programs and service-based businesses to ecommerce shops. 

Some networks are designed specifically for apps or niche markets, specializing in tools for those spaces. 

Others are more all-encompassing and offer broader capabilities without the enterprise-level price tag.

Instead of a top 10 list, I’m sharing my top picks based on specific business needs – including an overall best. 

That was the hardest one to choose, as more than one network could’ve earned the spot.

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

What to know before choosing an affiliate network

There are a few things to know before selecting an affiliate network. 

These are some of the most common questions or myths we get from clients – or that I’m asked about at trade shows and conferences where I speak. 

Knowing this information ahead of time can help you avoid making the wrong decision, especially since you’re potentially stuck for at least a year if you choose the wrong system.

• An affiliate network’s purpose is to provide a tracking and payment platform that also keeps you informed and compliant with local, national, and international advertising laws.
• It is your job as a brand or affiliate manager to bring affiliates to your program. If the network has affiliates and a marketplace, that can be a bonus, but it isn’t their job.
• Affiliate networks that have marketplaces also mean the partners you recruit will be exposed to your competitors who are also on the same network.
  • Many networks will reach out and introduce the partners you recruited to your competitors. You cannot stop this from happening, so the work you put into recruitment benefits your competitors.
• All affiliate networks give bad advice on who you should approve into your program. It is your job to make sure your company or your clients’ goals are being met.
  • Affiliate networks make their money off the number of transactions that go through the platform.
  • This incentivizes them to encourage you to work with low-value and zero-value partners. In some cases, they give these partners awards at industry events to add credibility – causing confusion when your data doesn’t line up and you realize the partner actually hurts your bottom line.
  • It is your job as the brand to patrol, remove, and ensure the partners add value if you want a revenue-generating program vs. one that just shows numbers.
• You should always negotiate an out clause into the network contract and agreement.
• If you are big enough, you can negotiate preferred rates, software upgrades without additional fees, and lock in pricing for exclusivity on the platform or for being featured in network case studies.

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

This doesn’t mean others aren’t good – so talk to more and make a decision based on your company’s needs.

Best overall affiliate network

This one was not easy because every network has pros and cons, but when it came to the details that matter, AWIN Global takes the cake as the best affiliate network. They:

• Launch brand new toolsets constantly.
• Create software partnerships to ensure you have the latest and greatest tools.
• Consistently build new software if no partnership is necessary.

Unlike other affiliate networks, AWIN does not charge upsells on new features or have hidden fees to access software after you sign the dotted line. 

They’re incredibly flexible when you’re a larger brand on override fees, so you can negotiate down from the industry standards of 20% and 25%. 

I get incredibly fast responses from both the agency and the merchant support team when I reach out as a brand, and the responses tend to be accurate.

In the past, when we needed to consider other platforms because the client was shopping, AWIN didn’t like to see a program leave, but they allowed for flexibility in their contracts. 

Other networks get legal and try to scare you. AWIN is there for you as a brand, and that goes far in my book.

They are one of the few affiliate platforms that back off when you let them know they’re being too aggressive sales-wise, which is very nice. 

It doesn’t mean they don’t overstep a boundary, but they’re more respectful than other enterprise-level and large networks.

Pros

• Elite software capabilities and tracking, including server-based.
• Offers multi-channel tracking and attribution.
• Transparency in pricing.
• The ability to expand globally vs. needing a new platform in the EU, APAC, LATAM, etc., makes it appealing if you ship worldwide.
• Easily tag and group affiliates in unlimited ways for better communications, stronger commissioning and attribution options, and to make it easier to see performance by type of publisher, top performers, and content niches or promotional strategies (social, blog, newsletter, YouTube, etc.).

Cons

• The in-house management and publisher teams recommend low- and no-value publishers.
• The in-house management team lacks the ability to get top-funnel partners going (based on my experience auditing when the in-house team was co-managing with an in-house affiliate manager).
• They favor big brands vs. smaller companies, so you won’t get the attention you want unless you pay.
• No space to keep detailed notes about specific partners on the partner’s page for other team members to reference – making it hard to know why decisions were made.
• Cannot leave public feedback or scores on partners, making it harder to detect fraud in the application process.
• There is no PPC and trademark bidding monitoring tool, but there was on ShareASale.
• Unlike a majority of other networks, AWIN does not let you combine multiple stores into the same program account – you have to keep them separate. I was surprised by this because it was available on the platforms they purchased like Buy.at and ShareASale.

Best enterprise-level network

Impact is the go-to for enterprise and global brands. 

It comes at a cost, as everything is an upsell – and it isn’t cheap. 

However, when you’re an enterprise-level brand, their tiered-down commission structure can actually make more financial sense than a traditional network with a flat override fee. 

(The override is the amount of money the network takes on top of the affiliate commission.)

Impact was the first to use this model – and it’s brilliant. 

When it comes to innovation, Impact is always first to market. 

They were the original network with cross-channel reporting in the affiliate space and built it into an easy-to-absorb report. 

With Impact, you can see if PPC referred a sale, then SEO had a click, and an affiliate came in at the last second to take credit. 

You can also automate not commissioning that partner or bounce the commission back up to a high-value touchpoint.

My favorite feature in Impact is the by-URL commissions. 

If you want to be featured on a specific page – like a listicle in a media company – you can make sales from that listicle worth 20% and the rest of the domain 10%. 

If that same publication also builds a page that ranks for your brand + coupons, you can set commissions from that coupon page to 0% while keeping the rest active. Impact was the first affiliate network I worked on that offered this level of flexibility.

Impact also acquired an influencer software system. 

Although I haven’t heard great things yet, I’ve heard it’s always improving. 

And if there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that Impact invests heavily in software. 

They won’t just get it right – they’ll take it to the next level and beyond. 

That commitment to tech is why they’re considered a top-tier, high-caliber affiliate network.

Pros

• Big brands bring on tons of publishers, giving you more exposure as you grow.
  • Smaller brands benefit from affiliates brought in by the larger brands.
• Heavy investments into technology and continuous advancement.
• Very quick response times and excellent bedside manner when solving issues.
• You can keep notes on specific publishers for other team members to reference.
• Includes a PPC trademark bidding monitoring tool.

Cons

• The price – everything is an upsell, and new software always comes at a cost (where other networks may include it).
• It’s extremely difficult to break your contract or leave if things aren’t working out.
• The sales team could be overly aggressive, often failing to respect boundaries.
• You must get everything in writing to protect your brand – or be prepared to jump through hoops and deal with more red tape than other platforms.
• It’s critical to have a lawyer review your contract and confirm all terms – including promised software, pricing, out clauses, and anything else that matters to you.

Best B2B and SaaS platform

PartnerStack came out of nowhere and built one of the coolest systems for B2B, lead gen, and SaaS affiliate programs. 

You get all the transparency offered by other networks, along with powerful logic systems that support custom tracking, commissioning, and reporting features tailored to your program’s goals.

Much like Impact, where you can assign commissions based on a specific referring URL, PartnerStack takes this ten steps further. 

You can assign commissions based on virtually any trackable or reportable event – and it’s all incredibly user-friendly.

Here’s an example: one configuration can commission 20% only if the sale is an annual or quarterly purchase, while excluding all other sale types. 

You can do this with just a few simple selections – no IT support or advanced coding required.

PartnerStack’s simplicity is a thing of beauty. 

You don’t have to second-guess anything, as the tools are clearly labeled and intuitive. 

Their support team is highly responsive and offers straightforward, easy-to-follow guidance on how to use the platform effectively.

Pros

• Extremely simple to use with tools named for exactly what they do.
• Flexible reporting with digestible charts and graphs.
• Advanced commissioning options.
• Built specifically for SaaS, lead gen, and B2B programs – tools and features are optimized for these use cases.
• Includes a clean, easy-to-use email tool to communicate with the full program or segmented partner groups.

Cons

• No datafeed support – makes it a poor fit for ecommerce, which can be a drawback for software companies that also sell guides, ebooks, manuals, etc.
• Not all support reps are fully familiar with all features – you may need to escalate to get the right help.
• The platform isn’t designed for ecommerce. While you can run an ecommerce program on it, it won’t be easy or intuitive.
• You can’t leave public feedback on partners – this would be helpful for identifying or flagging violations of terms of service.
• There’s no plugin for server-to-server tracking – only cookie-based tracking, which is now considered obsolete. You’ll need someone with technical expertise to get around this.

Best CPA network

Everflow wins the best CPA network – hands down!

CPA networks are different from affiliate networks in that a CPA network has products or services as a single offer, whereas an affiliate network lists a company with multiple SKUs. 

CPA networks are ideal for financial offers like credit cards, insurance leads, or subscriptions to platforms like hosting.

Some niches are suitable for either a CPA network or affiliate network, such as hosting, but CPA networks are the right choice for bundles, lead gen, offers, supplements, or gambling. 

There are a few reasons why Everflow stands out.

The first reason is that your program is self-managed versus network-managed, giving you control over who has access to your offers, unlike networks that hide them from view. 

This allows you to ensure your brand is cared for, promotions follow company guidelines, and you can remove violators from the program.

With Everflow, you can also see referring URLs from partners and turn them off if they are hiding what they are actually doing. 

Commissioning tiers are simple to set up, and you can create private or public offers, as well as time-stamp commissions to prevent end-of-sale interceptions.

Pros

• Hands-on customer support that works with you to find solutions.
• Detects parameters from the URL when using server-side tracking, so if an affiliate forgets to use the correct affiliate link, sales may still track.
• Ability to private-label their system to make it appear in-house.
• Access to all affiliate contact information within your program.
• Built-in email template creator for newsletters and program-wide communications.
• No annual fees on top of other fees.

Cons

• Only two levels of commissioning for multiple partners with a click (compared to other networks that offer five or more).
• No advertising options within the platform to bring awareness to new publishers.
• Lacks tools for tracking TOS violators, like PPC bidding and monitoring.
• Six-month minimum contract length (which isn’t a bad negative, considering most programs take a year to get going).
• There is a setup fee if you do not sign an annual contract (but it’s minimal).

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

Two other networks worth mentioning

I didn’t know exactly where to place these two, but CJ and MobIdea deserve a mention.

Revitalizing a legacy platform with modern tools

I wasn’t sure where to place CJ. It’s been years since I considered them, but a few clients are using the platform, and I’ve been impressed by what they’ve done. 

I had assumed CJ was a legacy, outdated platform, but I was wrong. 

Much like the networks mentioned above, they’ve invested in their technology and now offer the tools needed for modern affiliate programs and management.

The team is incredibly responsive, which is crucial for affiliate programs. This has been my experience with them for roughly 20 years. 

I may not always like their answers, but they provide quick and efficient responses. Their network show, CJU, is high-end, and you truly feel like royalty. 

While it may not seem important, having a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere at networking events makes a significant difference. 

It lowers the barriers for introverts like me and encourages meaningful connections. 

Mobile-first CPA network with verification tools

MobIdea also took me by surprise. They are a CPA network that typically keeps affiliates in a hidden box, so you don’t have visibility into what’s happening.

This is standard for all CPA networks, which is why our clients generally don’t work with them. 

But MobIdea has a major difference. 

It’s the only CPA network I know of (outside of Everflow) that allows an advertiser to require a referring URL to be passed back in order for a sale to be commissionable.

You can then verify if the referred website actually drove the sale by checking social sharing and seeing how well the page performs for SEO. 

You can also check if PPC keywords are driving visitors to the page. If the information doesn’t check out, you can turn off that publisher and void their commissions.

MobIdea is also one of the few networks that specializes in mobile apps and app tracking. 

After a private demo with their team, I loved the protections and technology they’ve built to make the process run smoothly.

If you have an app and don’t want a traditional affiliate network, they’ve created a CPA network tailored for you.

While you won’t get the transparency of a traditional network or as many protections, their team will help get your offer in front of top partners.

Everyone I met at MobIdea was friendly, helpful, and responsive. They won me over!

Final thoughts

Choosing the right affiliate network isn’t about picking the biggest name – it’s about aligning features, pricing, and support with your business model. 

Whether you’re running a lead-gen campaign, scaling a SaaS program, or growing global ecommerce sales, there’s a platform built to support your goals. 

With the right fit, your affiliate program won’t just run – it’ll thrive.