If you’ve decided to try affiliate marketing, congratulations — you’ve picked a beginner-friendly way to earn passive income online. You don’t need a product, a team, or a big budget. You need a platform (a blog, a Pinterest account, a YouTube channel), an affiliate link, and content that helps people make a decision.
The tricky part isn’t affiliate marketing itself. It’s figuring out which programs are actually worth your time when you’re just starting. Most affiliate program roundups are written by people who already have hundreds of thousands of visitors — and they recommend programs that pay well but require an established audience before you even get approved.
This list is different. Every program here is either genuinely easy to get into as a beginner, pays well enough to be worth the effort, or both. I’ve organized them from most beginner-accessible to slightly more selective — so if you’re just starting, begin at the top and work your way down as your site grows. And if you haven’t started your blog yet, this is the strategy that pays for it: How to Make Money With a Blog: The Three Routes and When to Use Each.
One thing before we dive in: affiliate income is not instant. It’s a reliable form of passive income available to online beginners — but the keyword is beginners, not overnight. Plan for 3–6 months of consistent content creation before you see meaningful commissions. That’s normal, and it’s worth it.
Jump to a Program:
- Amazon Associates
- ShareASale
- ClickBank
- CJ Affiliate
- Impact
- Canva Affiliate Program
- Fiverr Affiliates
- Kit (ConvertKit) Affiliate Program
- Hostinger Affiliate Program
- Bluehost Affiliate
- TubeBuddy Affiliate Program
- Teachable Partner Program
- Awin
- Digistore24
- FlexOffers
1. Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is almost always the first affiliate program beginners join — and for good reason. Amazon is trusted everywhere, sells nearly everything, and has a simple signup process with no traffic requirements. You can apply with any website, even a new one, and start adding affiliate links to your content immediately.
Amazon’s commission rates are lower than many programs on this list and vary by product category (check its current fee table), but buyers already trust the platform, so a recommendation is easy to act on. If you write content about products — home goods, tech gear, books, fitness equipment, craft supplies — Amazon Associates is a natural starting point. The 24-hour cookie is shorter than most programs, but the volume of buyers often makes up for it.
Good for: product review blogs, niche sites, listicles about physical products
Click here to join the Amazon Associates affiliate program →
2. ShareASale (now part of Awin)
Via Awin
ShareASale was a marketplace of affiliate programs rather than a single program: one login, then you apply to individual merchants inside the network. It has since been folded into Awin, its sister network, and shareasale.com now sends you to Awin’s sign-up page. If an older guide tells you to join ShareASale, this is where you end up.
The idea still holds for bloggers who aren’t sure what direction their niche will take: a network lets you test different merchants without signing up to a dozen separate programs. Commission rates and cookie windows are set by each merchant, so read them on the merchant’s page inside the network before you apply.
Good for: bloggers in lifestyle, fashion, home, finance, or any content that touches products or services
Join Awin, which now runs the former ShareASale network →
3. ClickBank
Via ClickBank
ClickBank specializes in digital products — ebooks, online courses, software — and each vendor sets its own commission, shown in the marketplace before you promote; on digital products it is often 50% or more, and some subscription products pay recurring commissions. There is no application process: anyone can create a ClickBank account and start promoting products immediately.
The platform is especially popular in niches like health and fitness, wealth building, self-development, and online business. This aligns well with most income or productivity blogs. The only caveat: not every product on ClickBank is high-quality, so you’ll want to research what you’re promoting and only recommend products you actually believe in.
Good for: digital product niches, infoproducts and courses, health and self-improvement
Click here to sign up for ClickBank and start promoting high-commission digital products →
4. CJ Affiliate
Via CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction)
CJ Affiliate is one of the oldest affiliate networks online, and a trusted one. It hosts affiliate programs for hundreds of well-known brands like Overstock.com, PartsGeek, Angi Services, and more. The application process is straightforward, and while merchants review your site individually, many approve smaller sites.
CJ’is particularly useful for bloggers who want to work with household-name brands rather than unfamiliar ones. This can make your affiliate recommendations feel more natural and relevant to readers who already trust those brands.
Good for: bloggers in shopping, tech, and services niches; content creators looking to partner with larger brands
Click here to join CJ Affiliate and access major brand programs →
5. Impact
Via Impact
Impact (formerly Impact Radius) is a premium affiliate platform hosting programs for some of the biggest names online: Airbnb, Adobe, Lift, Angi, Lyme, and thousands more. It’s not as easy to get into as some other networks — Impact reviews your site, and individual merchants make their own approval decisions — but when you get in, the commissions and resources are worth it.
If your blog is in a niche where the brands you naturally cover are already on Impact, it’s worth applying early so you’re set up by the time your traffic grows. The platform has a learning curve but one of the better tracking and reporting dashboards in the industry.
Good for: bloggers in lifestyle, travel, and tech niches with growing traffic
Click here to apply to Impact and access premium affiliate programs →
6. Canva Affiliate Program
Via Canva’s affiliate help page
If you blog about creating content, social media, or online business, Canva is worth knowing about, because most of your readers already use it or could. Be aware that the program has changed: Canva now gives affiliate benefits only to members of its Canvassador program, a community ambassador program for people who make Canva tutorials and courses, and existing affiliates had to reapply. Links are still tracked through the Impact network.
That makes it a poor first program for a brand-new blog, and applications are not always open. Check Canva’s help page for the current status and terms before you plan content around it. It is still a good example of what to look for: a product you already use and can recommend honestly.
Good for: content creators, social media bloggers, online business niches
Read Canva’s current affiliate and Canvassador terms →
7. Fiverr Affiliates
Fiverr’s affiliate program is well-suited to anyone whose readers might need freelance help of some kind — graphic design, writing, logo creation, video editing, business support, and more. They pay a fixed amount per first-time buyer that varies by service category, with a hybrid model for some categories; check the current table on Fiverr’s affiliate site.
Fiverr doesn’t require a minimum number of page views, but your site should have some content already published and you need a clear audience fit. If you blog about starting a business, online income, or any creative niche, Fiverr is worth adding to your mix.
Good for: blogs about online business, side hustles, creative entrepreneurship
Click here to join Fiverr Affiliates and start earning on freelance referrals →
8. Kit (ConvertKit) Affiliate Program
Kit (previously ConvertKit) is an email marketing platform built specifically for creators — bloggers, podcasters, course creators, and anyone building an audience online. Kit’s affiliate page currently lists 50% commission for the first 12 months of each referred paying customer, plus 10–20% recurring after that once you reach its Bronze tier by referring at least 10 paying customers a year.
There’s no formal application process — you just need a Kit account to get started. That makes it a straightforward recurring-commission program to enter as a beginner. It pairs well with any content about email list building, creator tools, or passive income for bloggers.
Good for: bloggers writing about email marketing, creator tools, and audience growth
Join the Kit Affiliate Program →
9. Hostinger Affiliate Program
Hostinger is a popular web hosting provider for beginners, so it’s a natural fit for blogs about starting a blog or website. Hosting programs usually pay a one-off commission per new customer, and because hosting plans are paid a year or more in advance, a single referral can be worth more than in most software programs. Check the current rate and cookie length on Hostinger’s affiliate page, since hosts change them often.
Approval is relatively easy if your site is in the blogging, online business, or tech niche — and it’s especially relevant if your audience includes people in the process of starting their own site or blog. Beginner affiliates often overlook hosting, even though their own readers are the ones buying it.
Good for: blogs about starting a blog, online business, or any audience likely to need hosting
10. Bluehost Affiliate
Via Bluehost Affiliate Program
Bluehost is a widely recommended hosting provider in the blogging world, and its affiliate program pays a flat amount per referral. This is a CPA-style program, meaning you get paid a set amount when someone buys, whichever plan they choose. Check the current amount on Bluehost’s affiliate page before you write about it.
Bluehost’s program is well known because bloggers have recommended it for years, so many readers already recognise the name. Approval is straightforward for blogging-and-income-niche sites.
Good for: blogs about starting a blog or website, blogging income niches
Join the Bluehost Affiliate Program →
11. TubeBuddy Affiliate Program
Via TubeBuddy Affiliate Program
If your audience includes YouTubers or aspiring content creators, TubeBuddy fits naturally. It’s a YouTube management and SEO tool, and its affiliate program pays a recurring commission on the subscriptions you refer, which suits an audience that is actively building a channel. Check the current rate on TubeBuddy’s affiliate page.
Approval is straightforward — you sign up through TubeBuddy’s own program and start promoting right away. If you cover YouTube strategy, faceless or content creation on any platform, or passive income from video, this fits in naturally.
Good for: YouTube content creators, blogs about faceless content and scaling a YouTube channel
12. Teachable Partner Program
Teachable is an online course platform used by thousands of creators to sell courses online. Its partner program pays 30% recurring commission for the first year a referred creator stays on Teachable, with a 30-day cookie. This makes it particularly good for bloggers in the online business or online income niche who write about course creation. If your audience is likely to sell their own courses, Teachable is a natural recommendation.
The application process is relatively fast, and Teachable provides good affiliate resources when you’re approved. It pairs well with other digital-product tool programs.
Good for: online business blogs covering digital products and course creation
Click here to join the Teachable Partner Program and earn 30% recurring commissions →
13. Awin
Via Awin
Awin is a global affiliate network with strong coverage in Europe and a growing US presence. It hosts affiliate programs for brands like Etsy, HP&M, AO.com, and many more. Awin requires a $5 deposit to apply — which is refunded once you’re approved — but otherwise has a straightforward onboarding process.
Awin is a good choice if your audience is international or if you want to work with European brands. They also have a niMTE merchant directory that makes it easy to browse programs by category.
Good for: bloggers with international or European audiences; lifestyle and shopping niches
Click here to join Awin and access affiliate programs from major global brands →
14. Digistore24
Via Digistore24
Digistore24 is a European-originating marketplace similar to ClickBank — specializing in digital products and online courses. Like ClickBank, anyone can sign up without a formal application, and commission rates are set by each product’s vendor, so check them product by product. While it’s bigger in Europe, it’s expanding globally and has payouts available for creators worldwide.
Digistore24 is worth mentioning for beginners because it has no minimum requirements and pairs well with ClickBank as a second digital product marketplace option. Always vet the products you’re promoting before pushing them to your audience.
Good for: digital product promotion, info-marketing niches, especially for bloggers with an international audience
Join Digistore24 as an affiliate →
15. FlexOffers
Via FlexOffers
FlexOffers is an affiliate network with over 12,000 advertisers and a reputation for being welcoming to newer affiliates. The network covers a wide range of niches, including finance, insurance, tech, and e-commerce. It’s useful for affiliates who want access to programs that aren’t available on the bigger networks.
One notable thing about FlexOffers is their dedicated affiliate manager support — something that can be hard to find when you’re starting out and need actual help getting set up with the right programs. Their openness to newer publishers and their broad supplier base make it a solid round-out option for bloggers in many niches.
Good for: finance, tech, and niche sites where ShareASale or CJ doesn’t have good options
Click here to join FlexOffers and explore a marketplace of 12,000+ programs today that you can use →
Where to Start With Affiliate Marketing
If you’re a beginner, don’t try to join all 15 of these at once. Start with one or two programs that fit your niche and your current content. Get accepted, add your links to anything you’ve already published, and see what your audience responds to.
When affiliate income is one part of a larger online income picture, it works well. If you’re still figuring out which income streams make sense for your site, this guide will help: 14 Passive Income Ideas for Beginners.
And if you’re interested in skipping the need for massive traffic entirely, check out these strategies too: How to Make Money Online Without Showing Your Face and Sell Digital Products Online: The Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide.
Affiliate marketing is a long game — but it’s one of the few strategies that keeps paying you long after you publish the content. Pick one, get approved, and start.
Start with the full guide: The Content-to-Income System
You Might Also Like:
- 14 Passive Income Ideas for Beginners
- How to Make Money With a Blog
- How to Make Money Online Without Showing Your Face
- Sell Digital Products Online
- Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest Without a Blog
- How to Turn Content Into Income
Get the next build in your inbox
How I actually grow content sites, one practical email at a time. Sign up and get my free guide, Claude in Production. Just want the Starter Kit? Download it here, no sign-up needed.
Discover more from VivaMomentum
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.