Hey there sea changers, as many of you may be aware, one of the main focuses of this site is to assist those within to fund that sea change via the development of an online affiliate marketing business. Today however I am going take a step to the other side of the fence and run 8 affiliate program management service options for program managers.

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Affiliate marketing is a booming industry, especially in recent times when the world has been changed dramatically forever where more and more out there are attempting to ‘pandemic proof' their incomes in preparation for the next world changing event that comes along. Hence, more and more companies are establishing and/or reenergising their affiliate programs to keep up with this new demand.

As they do this, they are generally required to make a decision as to whether they plan to manage the program themselves, or implement the assistance of an Affiliate Program Management Service.

  1. ShareASale
  2. CJ Affiliate
  3. Rakuten
  4. Avantlink
  1. linkconnector
  2. AWIN
  3. Commission Factory
  4. PayDotCom

What is an affiliate program management service?

In simple terms, affiliate program management company (often referred to as affiliate network programs) work as intermediaries between merchants and affiliates. The main advantage of affiliate network programs is that they assist and take care of many of the strategic requirements that program managers are required to look after including:

  • Support in setting up and maintaining the affiliate program
  • Tracking and reporting tools
  • Marketing tools – product feeds and hosting of creatives etc.
  • Affiliate payment solutions

Advantages of using an affiliate network

  • Program management and tracking services undertaken.
  • High visibility to affiliates looking to promote programs.
  • Affiliates are vetted and ‘policed' by the affiliate network.
  • Integration services for other marketing processes are often included.
  • No need for extra tracking software or even an affiliate web page (although this is probably recommended).

Disadvantages of using an affiliate network

  • Initial costs can be quite high – As the programs manage affiliate commissions, vendors are usually required to inject an initial cash amount into a ‘pot' to cover future payments – usually before sales are even generated.
  • Affiliate networks take a ‘cut' of commissions.
  • Some affiliates do not like working via network arrangements.

At the end of the day, affiliate networks and their affiliate program managers can provide a great service for those who are looking to set up an affiliate program, or if they do not have the time to fully manage the process themselves. Let's now take a look at my 8 options for program managers and check out:

  • Application requirements
  • Fees
  • Top up requirements

Most programs require merchants to maintain a positive account balance in order to cover commission payments to affiliate marketers. These must generally be topped up once minimum thresholds are met and merchant accounts that reach a balance of $0 are usually taken temporarily offline until funds are replenished. Affiliates are also often notified if one of the program has ‘low funds' in their commission accounts.

1. ShareASale

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Shareasale

ShareASale offers a large network that connects “online retailers to over 211,000+ affiliate partners around the world” and offers access a multitude of companies large and small. Part of the AWIN group, ShareASale prides itself over the use of cutting edge technology that guides merchants and publishers alike to success. It is a little cheaper to join than many of the others listed here making it a good option for smaller businesses and startups.

Tools Provided:

  • Performance reporting
  • Recruitment tools
  • Influencer activation
  • Attribution solutions
  • Custom links
  • Storefronts
  • Make-A-Page
  • Compliance
  • Product discovery
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To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information and must have a valid and operational website. Costs involved include:

Sign up fee: $550

Transaction fee: 20% of the commission amount

Minimum monthly fee: $35 (i.e. if the merchant does not generate enough sales to reach a $35 fee minimum, then a top up is charged to meet this amount).

Upfront account sum required?: Yes – Accounts must always be in credit. Initial $100 is taken from sign up fee then top ups required based on individual thresholds as commissions are paid.

Join the ShareASale affiliate management program here


2. CJ Affiliate

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate is another large and well-known affiliate network that allows merchants to “drive more sales and reward world-class publishers for successfully promoting their products/services”. CJ (also often referred to as Commission Junction) promotes that merchants who join their program in will realise on average a 2x growth in sales over 5 years.

Tools Provided:

  • Performance reporting
  • Affiliate personalisation
  • Cookieless tracking
  • Affiliate customer insights
  • Vertical integrations
  • Content certification and expertise
  • Influencer campaigns
  • Compliance
8 Affiliate Program Management Service - CJ Affiliate Stripe

To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information and must have a valid and operational website (that does not contain adult or gambling content). Costs involved include:

Sign up fee: $3000

Transaction fee: around 30% of the commission amount

Minimum fee: $500 (i.e. if the merchant does not generate enough sales to reach a $500 fee minimum, then a top up is charged to meet this amount).

Upfront account sum required?: Yes – Accounts must always be in credit with an initial deposit of $3000 required. Top ups are then required based on individual thresholds as commissions are paid.

Join the CJ Affiliates affiliate network program here


3. Rakuten

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Rakuten

Promoting themselves as the world's #1 affiliate marketing network, Rakuten offers “unparalleled expertise and distinctive marketing solutions that influence and activate audiences across the many paths and platforms of their digital journeys”. Publishers on Rakuten have access to over 1.2 billion members worldwide.

Tools Provided:

  • Performance reporting
  • Mobile App tracking
  • Customized product showcases
  • Matchmaking AI for faster partnership opportunities
  • Strategic Guidance
  • Multiple commissioning options
  • Compliance
8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Rakuten stripe

To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business model and demographic details. As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:

Sign up fee: $2500

Transaction fee: Not stated

Monthly fee: $500 + based on sales volume

Upfront account sum required?: Yes – Accounts must always be in credit with an initial deposit of $50 required. Top ups are then required based on individual thresholds as commissions are paid.

Join the Rakuten affiliate network program here


4. Avantlink

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Avantlink

As with the first three sites above, Avantlink is a well-established and well-known affiliate network platform that is “focused on working with both established, and up-and-coming organizations who see eye-to-eye with our core values”. Merchants with Avantlink however are offered a tiered system allowing them to either:

  • just launch for exposure with self management of their programs ongoing
  • Opt in to a full program management agreement.

Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option):

  • Guided Launch & Onboarding Experience
  • Placement Negotiation & Implementation
  • Expert Support & Education
  • Program Strategy & Goal Execution
  • Weekly or Bi-Weekly Reviews
  • Ongoing Performance Reporting & Insights
  • Active Affiliate Recruitment
  • Quarterly Strategic Review
  • Consistent Communication to Affiliates
8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Avantlink stripe

To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business model and demographic details. As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:

Sign up fee: N/A

Transaction fee: Not stated

Monthly fee:

  • $1000: Merchant Activation program – self managed ongoing
  • $2000: Launch and Ongoing managed services
  • $4000: Merchant Manual Services Program – Personalised program management

Upfront account sum required?: No – Payment required each month via invoice

Note: As it is with Affiliate Marketers, Avantlink is well-known for its rigorous vetting processes and only accepts around 30% of advertising applicants.

Join the Avantlink affiliate network program here


5. linkconnector

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Link connector home

linkconnector prides itself as being selected as “a top network year after year” and like the major players listed above, is an all-inclusive affiliate management platform linking vendors and affiliates for increased sales . It boasts industry-leading technologies that address issues such as coupon leakage and maintaining a fraud free program.

Tools Provided :

  • Brand Control
  • FraudFREE Promise
  • Coupon Compliance
  • Coupon Attribution
  • Infinity Codes
  • Adaptive Attribution
  • SEO & SEM Integration
  • Shareable Offers
  • Cross Platform Tracking
8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Link connector

To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information and must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:

Sign up fee:

  • $500 for Self-Managed Accounts
  • $2,000 for Co-Managed Accounts
  • $0 for Fully Managed Accounts.

Transaction fee:

  • Self-Managed Accounts is 20% of Commissions owed to Affiliates
  • Co-Managed Accounts is 25% of Commissions owed to Affiliates
  • Fully Managed Accounts is 30% of Commissions owed to Affiliates

Monthly fee:

  • Self-Managed Account – $100
  • Co-Managed Account – $1,000
  • Fully Managed Account – $1,000

Upfront account sum required?: No – Payment required each month via invoice

Note: There are also extra fees for product feed setup and various other administrative functions (such as payment collection etc.)

Join the linkconnector affiliate network program here


6. AWIN

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - AWIN

Part of the same family as ShareASale and Commission Factory, AWIN is another large and well-known affiliate network that is “driven by a relentless desire to connect advertisers and publishers together for mutual success”. It boasts access to over 211,000 affiliate marketers across a number of solid, lucrative niches. It's low costs and minimal joining fee also make this a good one for new startups etc.

Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option:

  • Bounceless and Cross Device tracking
  • Coupon attribution
  • Commission Flexibility
  • Promotional tools
  • Extensive reporting
  • Compliance
8 Affiliate Program Management Service - AWIN stripe

To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business traffic and website sales value details. As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:

Sign up fee: Sign Up Deposit required but amount not listed (returned after first sale)

Transaction fee: Not stated but negotiated with publishers.

Monthly fee: Not stated (I could find no referral to a monthly fee on any searches either)

Upfront account sum required?: Not Stated

Join the AWIN affiliate network program here


7. Commission Factory

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Commission Factory

Our next site, Commission Factory, is an Australian Based Affiliate Network platform that connects “affiliates to brands and brands to customers”. It deals with mainly with companies based in Australia but does ranch out into New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore as well. It is popular in that region and provides access to many, many local options for affiliates who know the area and can sell them well.

Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option:

  • Reliable and accurate tracking
  • Real-Time reporting
  • Compliance
  • Full integration with most major shopping marketplaces
8 Affiliate Program Management Service - Commission Factory stripe

To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business traffic, website sales value details and shopping cart software used (if applicable). As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:

Sign up fee: Not Stated

Transaction fee: 8 – 10% of commission amount

Monthly fee: Tailored to needs, budget and service level

Upfront account sum required?: Not Stated

Join the Commission Factory affiliate network program here


8. PayDotCom

8 Affiliate Program Management Service - paydotcom home

And finally, if you are in the world of software program development, then PayDotCom may be a good one to check out. To use their own words, the platform is a “safe trusted space in which digital content and software creators can sell their products in a fully hosted environment, using their own payment portals, and tap into an army of affiliates who can promote your product” (very similar to ClickBank). The advantage here is that for advertisers, it is free to join meaning that you can start selling without any initial outgoings.

Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option:

  • Smart 1-Click upsells
  • Partial refunds
  • Suspend / reactivate subscriptions
  • Proprietary Enhanced JvPay System
  • Multiple prices for same product for A/B sales conversion testing
  • Proprietary Affiliate Motivation Algorithm
  • 30+ Autoresponders, Webinars & Zapier Integrations
8 Affiliate Program Management Service - paydotcom stripe

To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide contact information only. Costs involved include:

Sign up fee: N/A

Transaction fee:

  • Sale price $.01 – $10 has a $1 fee
  • Sale price of $10.01 – $20 has a $2 fee
  • Sale price over $20 has a $3 fee
  • $0.01 flat fee for transactions if there is no affiliate or vendor JV partner involved

Monthly fee: N/A

Upfront account sum required?: Not Stated

Join the PayDotCom affiliate network program here

Conclusion

So… There are 8 of the best affiliate program management companies for program managers. I hope it has been helpful for you as you work on your own affiliate marketing program and as usual, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, need some advice or have any experiences to share. Oh, and especially comment if you have any experience with these, or any other programs as well.

Until next time

Have fun

Paul

Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it – these commissions do not increase your sale price.

Do you want further assistance with any of the above or need help to build your own online business?

Are you looking for a comprehensive training platform that can give you step by step training, 24/7 support, tools to develop and host your very own website, ongoing assistance with SEO and social media and access to some of the best affiliate marketing minds on the planet, then click on the following link to read more about Wealthy Affiliate.

Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, My #1 Recommendation for Setting Up Your Own Online Business

wealthy affiliate new home page

When I started, I knew I wanted to work online, but had absolutely no idea where to begin! You see I had watched friends of mine run a sales party to sell essential oils and someone asked if they could just sell them online?

Then, as I sat on the bus heading into my office job, I started to wonder if I could do just that, sell essential oils online.

Anything to stop having to catch this bus to and from work every day right!

The trouble was, as I mentioned above, I had no idea how to even start.

So of course I started to look around online and found all these courses! They all promised me riches then took my money but left me with no riches!

Then I stumbled across the program that didn’t promise me riches, but told me it could help me get started even with no experience!

So I did that, joined Wealthy Affiliate that was it, and the rest as they say, is history!

But it doesn’t come without work!

That is the key here! I began on their starter membership and did the training! I then joined as a member and did some more training!

Each night after work, I would do a little more, then a little more.

And to cut a long story short, after 10 months I realized I didn’t really like writing about essential oils, so I sold the site for about $2000. But I had learned so much that I started another – about fishing and camping!

Then, after 18 months (by which time it had earned me close to $10k), I was offered $17k for the site, so I sold it too.

Now, through my travel blog, I’ve been able to fund my passion for travel and explore different places around the world.

In the past few months, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to some amazing destinations, including Bali, Los Angeles, Dallas, Vancouver and Las Vegas.

The success of my travel blog has allowed me to fully fund my travels and explore new destinations with my family.

Steps to Creating a Successful Travel Blog - Me at Whistler

Try the Wealthy Affiliate as a Starter Member and Build your First Hub!

As you start your journey, Wealthy Affiliate is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And as I have mentioned, I have used a few in my professional career trust me.

To get you started, Wealthy Affiliate has recently introduced the Hub.

The Hub

The hub is an AI based niche and website creation tool that will get you up and running with the foundation of your OWN business in just a few minutes. This includes:

  • Your website – hosted and inclusive of a WordPress editor
  • Your brand
  • Your ‘done-for-you’ research
  • Your blueprint
  • A task list that is going to help you drive the creation and growth of your business moving forward.
Wealthy Affiliate Review 24 - Hub screen

The hub makes the website creation process simple which allows you to get started on the training with a solid base and understanding of the processes.

All you need to do is choose your subject – which is known as your ‘niche’ – and follow the steps on the screen.

Oh, and as you run through the training below you may realize that what you created above is not exactly what you want. That’s ok, you can just create a new hub!

Wealthy Affiliate Training

Then as you continue your journey, the Wealthy Affiliate Hub is there for you with the most comprehensive training package I have ever seen – And I have used a few in my professional career trust me.

Above we discussed the use of the Hub to set up a website. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the “Step-by-Step Core Training”.

This is available to all members including starter members and will give you everything you need to know to continue to create your online business.

Wealthy Affiliate Review 24 - step by step core training

Member Training

There are also Live weekly classes taught by REAL industry experts on a range of topics like artificial intelligence (AI), SEO, YouTube, WordPress, PPC marketing and more.

wealthy affiliate master training

Great, What Else Does Wealthy Affiliate Have To Help You?

So, let’s keep this short, Wealthy Affiliate is a one-stop-shop platform that provides:

  • The Hub – this is the starting point and uses AI processes to assist you in determining your niche and creating your brand.
  • Complete training programs to assist with the development of your own affiliate marketing website in your own niche.
  • Website creation and publishing tools including access to WordPress editors and themes.
  • AI Content article design and content creation
  • Domain name purchasing (you get a free domain when you upgrade to the Premium membership).
  • Website hosting, security and backup.
  • Online help and chat forums.
  • Weekly live training events.
  • 24/7 support.
  • Keyword access tools.
  • SEO assistance.

The platform has been active for over 15 years with the original developers and owners, Kyle and Carson, still extremely active in its day to day operations – especially as they rollout their AI capabilities.

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You Can Try it Yourself For Free

Now of course I can tell you all about how Wealthy Affiliate works (because it does) until I am blue in the face. But every other program out there – including the shams and scams – will tell you the same thing!

So how about you just try it for free yourself. The Wealthy Affiliate Starter membership is free to join and gives you access to everything you need to get started – all without the need to spend a cent!

With the starter membership, you get:

  • 1 Limited Business Hub
  • 1,500 AI Word Credits
  • Try the AI Author Platform (BETA)
  • 1 Practice Website
  • Jaaxy Starter
  • Limited Help & Support
  • Core Niche Training (8 Classes)

And of course I will be there to help you every step of the way as well!

Look, in the interest of transparency, whilst Wealthy Affiliate does offer a free starter membership, this is designed to give you a look around, have a practice and see if it is worthwhile for you – which is a really great option.

However, as with all new businesses, you will need to make some investment so if you are serious about making money online , you will need to upgrade to a premium membership as this will give you access to all the tools you need in the one spot to succeed!

Afterall, every business needs tools to grow!

So How Much Does This Really Cost?

Wealthy Affiliate does not use upsells once you join – but as I mentioned in the video, to succeed here you will need to invest in a membership. There are a couple of options that provide access to all the tools, training and assistance that you could need – and a free domain as well.

Wealthy Affiliate offers a trio of membership tiers, as detailed on their pricing page.

You can opt for the Starter membership at no cost, the Premium membership for $49 per month or the Premium Plus+ membership for $99 per month. That’s the full extent of it – and you can absolutely build your website without having to spend another cent.

You won’t encounter any unexpected additional charges or covert fees and as a Premium member, you’re equipped with all the essentials to initiate, develop and expand a thriving online enterprise.

Those who opt for the Premium membership are provided with

  • Hosting for their websites
  • A complimentary domain name
  • Access to hundreds of hours of current expert tutorials
  • Various marketing and research tools
  • Personal guidance from seasoned professionals in the field
  • And much much more

And for those of you who want to make a serious investment into your future, there are some yearly options as well below to give you peace of mind that you have a whole year ahead of you to get stuff done!

And Don’t Forget the Personal Coaching

Once you join, not only do you get plenty of assistance from me, but you also have access to expert coaching, support and mentorship from real industry experts.

I mean, you can have access to all of the top-tier affiliate marketing training in the world, but inevitably, questions arise, particularly during the initial stages.

With an exceptionally dynamic and engaged community that boasts over 2.7 million members, Wealthy Affiliate offers an environment where you, as a member, can fully immerse and leverage this network.

You’re never alone; you have the collective wisdom of an entire community at your fingertips, ready to assist at any moment.

Plus, there’s always-on, rapid-response website support to handle any technical queries you may encounter.

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Wealthy Affiliate Works: Real Results From Real People

As I have mentioned a number of times, Wealthy Affiliate has helped me make real money online though its training and tools.

I have made money each month as well as a sale for $17,000.

But again, those promoting other programs will tell you the same thing!

So let’s get away from me and see what others are saying:

To start with, Wealthy Affiliate has a 4.9 out of 5 Star TrustPilot rating, which is a remarkable accomplishment in any industry, let alone the online business industry.

WA trust pilot image

And here are some of those reviews:

wealthy affiliate trust pilot

And this is what people are saying within Wealthy Affiliate as well:

home page - success at WA

So, Let’s Make a Decision!

Let’s be frank, you have read this far so why not go all in, click on the button below to get started on the way to your very online business.

And once you are in and have had a play around with the hub, look for the little envelope on the top right and there will be a message from me. It is of course automated so respond to let me know you are there and we can start this journey together.

(oh, and the profile is mine so you can find me that way as well)

wealthy affiliate envelope

See you there

Paul

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