12 Free Affiliate Programs to Check Before You Join, and What to Watch For

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That sounds simple, and it mostly is. The catch is that "free to join" and "free to earn from" are not always the same thing, and beginners often find out the difference after they have already put in hours.

This guide covers 12 free affiliate programs to check before you join, along with what to watch for in each one. I chose them by looking at programs that open to new affiliates without an upfront fee, that are widely used for beginner-friendly products, and that publish their basic terms. I have not joined or tested all of them myself, so the notes focus on the terms you should verify rather than on promised earnings.

Let's dive in.

The 12 programs at a glance

A closer look at each

1. Amazon Associates: Amazon's program is free to join and the one most beginners have heard of. You earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through your links, so you can start with a simple product recommendation on your website. Check the rules on eligibility and payout before you rely on it.

2. Awin: Awin is a large affiliate network that hosts many merchant programs under one account. That makes it useful if you want choice across different brands and product types. Signing up is free, and each merchant sets its own commission and approval terms, so read them program by program.

3. Impact: Impact is another major network with established brand programs from well-known companies. It suits affiliates who want to work with recognisable names and track their results in one dashboard. Joining the network is free, but individual brands can still have their own approval criteria.

4. CJ Affiliate: CJ Affiliate, formerly Commission Junction, has been running for many years and carries many retail and service merchants. Its long history means plenty of established programs to compare. Creating an account costs nothing, though some advertisers may take time to approve your application.

5. Etsy Affiliate Program: This program suits writers covering crafts, gifts, or handmade goods, since your content already fits the products. You earn a commission when a reader buys a listing through your link. Check the current terms on the Etsy site, because cookie length and rates can change.

6. Fiverr Affiliates: Fiverr Affiliates lets you recommend freelance and digital services sold on the Fiverr marketplace. It is a good match if your content covers design, writing, or other online work people hire out. Joining is free, but read the program terms to confirm how commissions and payouts are calculated.

7. ClickBank: ClickBank is an open marketplace of digital products such as ebooks, courses and software, and anyone can pick a product to promote. Because it is open, quality varies widely, and commission rates can be high. Read the refund rate, the gravity score and the sales page before you promote, since the fine print decides what you actually get paid.

8. Shopify Affiliate Program: Shopify runs a free affiliate program that pays a commission when people you refer sign up for a paid Shopify plan. It suits writers who cover ecommerce, online stores and store-building tools. Check the payout terms and minimum thresholds before you join, and confirm how referrals are tracked and how long cookies last.

9. Walmart Affiliate Program: Walmart offers a free application route for content creators, and its program runs through an affiliate network. It suits sites that review consumer goods or home products. Approval is not guaranteed, so check the eligibility rules, the commission categories and the payout schedule before you apply and plan your content around them.

10. ShareASale: ShareASale is a long-established affiliate network that brings many merchants and affiliates together under one account. Many beginners sign up here first because it groups many programs in one place. Sign-up is free, but each merchant sets its own approval rules, so check each program's terms before you promote it.

11. Google Workspace Affiliate Program: Google Workspace, the business software from Google, runs its affiliate program through a partner network rather than a standalone sign-up page. That is a useful example of a known brand that still has its own rules. Look at the partner network's terms, the commission structure and the cookie window before you start promoting.

12. Travelpayouts: Travelpayouts suits readers with travel content, such as blogs about flights, hotels or destinations. It works as a platform that gives access to several partner programs from one dashboard, so you can use more than one program. Check which partner programs are included, how each one pays, and the minimum payout before you build a page around them.

Frequently asked questions