ShareASale Explained: How the Network Works for New Affiliates

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• How the network connects you to merchants: what ShareASale does between a store and a promoter, and where it fits in the money flow.
• What the cookie window means for your earnings: how the tracking period decides whether a sale counts.
• Why the Awin move matters: what the closure means for programs you might join now.
• What to check before you apply: commission, approval rules, minimum requirements and payout terms, in that order.
• A step-by-step way to apply and start: from picking a program to placing your first tracked link.

If you are new to this, ShareASale can look like a maze of merchant names, rates and terms. Most of the confusion comes from not knowing which details actually decide whether you get paid. You may have read that affiliate marketing needs little money to start, and you may be wondering whether a network like this is worth your time at all. That is a fair question, and it deserves a plain answer.

This guide gives you one. You will learn how the network works, what to look for in a program, and how to apply without wasting effort on the wrong ones. The steps are the ones I would follow myself if I were starting from zero, and I have kept the advice to what you need to act on. I have not tested every program on the network, so where I describe what to expect, I say so.

What ShareASale Is and How the Network Model Works

ShareASale is an affiliate network. It is a platform that lists merchants, the businesses selling products or services, and connects them with affiliates, the people who promote those products. The platform handles tracking, approvals and payments between the two sides, so you do not have to build any of that yourself.

If you are new to this, it helps to know the three parties involved:

• The merchant runs the store or service and pays the commission.
• The affiliate (that is you) shares a tracked link and earns a commission when it leads to a sale or another agreed action.
• The network keeps the tracking running and records results so both sides can see what happened.

How does the money actually move?

Here is one simple example:

1. Click. A reader clicks your ShareASale link on your blog or in an email.
2. Cookie. The platform drops a tracking cookie in that reader's browser. This is how the sale can be linked back to you later.
3. Purchase. The reader buys something from the merchant within the cookie window, which the merchant sets.
4. Merchant approval. The sale shows up as pending. The merchant checks it, often to rule out returns or cancellations.
5. Payout. Once approved, the commission is added to your account and paid out on the platform's schedule, once you reach its minimum payout threshold.

The pending step is worth remembering. Commissions can take time to appear as confirmed, so do not judge a program by its first few days of reports.

The Shutdown and the Move to Awin

ShareASale is owned by Awin, and it is scheduled to shut down by the end of 2025. Its business is moving to Awin. That is the part you can rely on.

What is not public yet is most of the detail. We do not know the exact dates for each step, how individual accounts will be moved, or whether every feature will carry over. Anyone who gives you a firm answer on those points is guessing. Awin's own communications are the place to get the accurate version, so read them directly rather than relying on summaries, including this one.

If you already have a ShareASale account, here is what to do now:

1. Check your account messages. Look at the inbox inside your account and the email address linked to it. Important notices about the move will arrive there.
2. Confirm your programs are carried over. Find out which merchants you are approved with and whether each one has a clear path to Awin. Do not assume.
3. Keep your own records. Save copies of your links, your tracking IDs, and your earnings reports. Note the commission rates and payout dates. Good records make it much easier to check anything that looks wrong later.

If you are new and thinking about signing up, the same advice applies. Before you apply to any program, read the merchant's terms and the platform's current notices. The network you join may change, so keep your own notes on every program you use. Starting that habit early will save you time on any platform.

How to Join a Program and Get Approved

Before you can promote anything on ShareASale, you need an affiliate account. Signing up is free, and the process is straightforward. What takes more care is the next step: applying to individual merchant programs. Each brand decides for itself who gets approved, so the platform does not guarantee you access to anything.

Here is the usual order of steps:

1. Create your affiliate account and fill in your profile with your real website or audience details.
2. Browse the merchants and choose programs that fit your content.
3. Apply to each program you want to promote, and answer the application questions clearly.
4. Wait for the merchant to review your application. Approval times differ.
5. Once approved, get your tracking links and start placing them on your site or in your email.

Merchants look at your application with a simple question in mind: will this publisher send us good customers? They often reject sites that look thin, cover unrelated topics, or say nothing about how they plan to promote the product. A site with a handful of empty pages is a common reason for a rejection.

What should I have ready before I apply?

Prepare first. Make sure your site has real content, a clear focus, and a reason the product suits your readers. If you are writing about running, a running shoe program makes sense. A random gadget with no connection to your content does not. Be specific in your answers.

Minimum traffic requirements and approval times vary by merchant. Some programs have no minimum, while others want a set amount of visitors per month. Read each program's terms before you apply, so you do not waste a request on a program that will turn you down.

What to Check Before You Apply to Any Program

Before you sign up for a program on ShareASale or anywhere else, check a short list of terms. These details decide how much you actually earn, so it is worth reading them first.

What is the commission? Look at the rate and whether it is a percentage or a flat amount. A 10 percent cut on a $50 product pays $5, the same as a flat $5 per sale, but a percentage on a $500 item pays $50, which is a very different number again. Then check whether the commission applies to the whole order or only to the product you referred.

How long does the cookie last? A cookie is the tracking record that connects a sale to the link someone clicked. Cookie length is how many days after that click a purchase still counts for you. Thirty days is a common figure in the examples you will see, but check the program's own page, because it varies.

What happens when someone returns the item? Find out whether commissions are reversed on returns and how long the refund window lasts. If the window is long, a sale you were paid for can be taken back later.

When and how do you get paid? Check the payout threshold (the minimum balance before you are paid) and the schedule. Also look at whether the merchant is established and has a clear product that people actually search for.

Compare earnings per click, not just the headline rate. A high rate on a product nobody buys can earn less than a modest rate on a popular one. Earnings per click or per visitor tells you more about whether a program is worth your time.

Keep a simple note for each program you consider. It takes a few minutes and saves you from joining the wrong ones.

Pros, Cons and Who the Network Suits

ShareASale is an affiliate network. It sits between merchants, who sell products, and affiliates, who promote them with tracked links. Instead of joining each brand's program on its own, you join the network and reach many merchants from one place. Before you decide whether it fits, look at what it does well and where it falls short.

What works in its favor

• Many merchants in one place. You can browse a wide range of programs without setting up a separate account with each brand.
• Central tracking and payouts. Clicks, sales and commissions are recorded in one dashboard, and payments come through the platform.
• One account to manage. Once you are set up, you can apply to several programs and keep an eye on all of them together.

What to watch out for

• Approval is per merchant. Joining the network does not mean you can promote everything. Each program can accept or reject you, and some ask about your site before approving.
• Some programs are slow or strict. Approval can take a while, and a few merchants set conditions you may not meet yet.
• The 2025 shutdown matters. ShareASale is moving to Awin, so relying on it long term carries transition risk. Check which programs have moved and how your account will carry over.

Who it suits

ShareASale is a reasonable starting point if you have a website or blog and can match products to a clear audience. If you can say who your readers are and what they need, you can pick programs that fit them. Choose a few merchants you would genuinely recommend, rather than applying to everything.

It is less suited to you if you want a stable platform you can rely on for years without paying attention to the Awin migration. In that case, compare the network options and the direct programs more closely before you sign up. You can find a broader comparison of programs on the hub page, Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for Beginners.

ShareASale at a glance

Alternatives and Frequently Asked Questions

ShareASale is one option among several, and it is not the only way in. Other affiliate networks you may see include Awin, Impact and Everflow. Each one hosts programs from different merchants, and each has its own sign-up steps and approval rules. Many brands also run their own direct affiliate programs, so you can apply straight through the brand's website. If a brand you like is not on ShareASale, check its site for an affiliate page before you assume it is not available.

Is ShareASale still active?

Yes, but not for long. ShareASale is operating until its scheduled shutdown at the end of 2025, with its business moving to Awin. If you are starting now, it makes sense to look at where your programs will end up and keep your links and account details organized so the move does not catch you out.

Do affiliates really make money?

Some do, but most beginners earn very little at first. Your earnings depend on how much traffic you send, whether your audience wants what you recommend, and whether you keep publishing over months. The platform itself matters less than those three things. Choosing a program is a starting point, not a shortcut.

For a side-by-side look at which programs suit beginners, see the hub's comparison page. If you have little or no money to spend, the guide to free programs covers what costs nothing to join and what to watch for.

Frequently asked questions