Best Affiliate Programs: Top 10 Options for 2023

Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn extra income, and it’s not just bloggers who can benefit from it. Freelancers can also take advantage of affiliate programs to boost their earnings. However, it’s important to find the best affiliate programs for your audience or clients.

One type of affiliate program to consider is those with recurring commissions. These programs provide payouts more than once, usually monthly or annually, over the lifetime of the customer. This means you can earn a predictable income over time without having to manage much beyond the promotional aspect. In this article, we will explore the best affiliate programs with recurring commissions and how you can promote them through your freelance business.

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

Affiliate marketing is a great way for freelancers to earn extra income.
Finding the best affiliate programs for your audience or clients is key.
Affiliate programs with recurring commissions provide a predictable income over time.

What is an Affiliate Program with Recurring Commissions?

An affiliate program with recurring commissions is a type of referral program where affiliate marketers earn commissions on a recurring basis for promoting a particular product or service. This means that affiliates earn money not just once but repeatedly for every sale made through their unique affiliate link.

These programs are also known as residual or lifetime affiliate marketing programs. They offer a great opportunity for affiliate marketers to earn passive income by promoting products that offer recurring commissions.

To participate in these programs, affiliates usually need to sign up for free and receive a unique affiliate link. They can then promote the product or service through various channels such as social media, email marketing, or website content.

Affiliate marketing software is often provided to affiliates, which includes marketing support, a member dashboard, tracking, payout time frames, payment type, and cookies to ensure that affiliates receive credit for sales made even after the first website visit.

To help affiliate marketers succeed, many programs offer marketing support and resources such as suggested playlists like the “Affiliate Marketing” playlist on Spotify. This playlist is packed with actionable advice from the pros to help affiliate marketers make money online by sharing relevant products and services with their audience.

Suggested Playlist: Affiliate Marketing

The “Affiliate Marketing” playlist on Spotify is a great resource for affiliate marketers looking to improve their skills and increase their income. It offers actionable advice from industry experts and covers a range of topics such as finding the right products to promote, creating effective content, and optimizing affiliate links.

By following the tips and strategies shared in this playlist, affiliate marketers can improve their marketing efforts and increase their chances of success in the world of affiliate marketing.

Why Consider Affiliate Programs with a Recurring Commission Structure

Affiliate programs with a recurring commission structure offer repeated rewards for the effort you invest in your clients and the programs you market. These programs not only help your clients but also enhance your perceived value and improve your passive income possibilities. The more leads you convert, the higher your payout on a monthly or annual basis you’ll receive.

In addition, many of these programs offer a higher first month payment and additional bonuses, making them even more attractive and seemingly worthwhile. However, it is important to consider the potential negatives of recurring commission affiliate programs. For instance, one-time payment programs may offer higher payouts, and it may take longer to earn what a one-time payment provides upfront. Additionally, your commissions may decrease as customers cancel, and you rely on the company, the program, and the service to remain active and favorable.

Despite these potential drawbacks, recurring commission affiliate programs are worthy of consideration due to their passive income potential and ability to enhance your clients’ experience while increasing your value as a service provider. By choosing the right program and commission structure, you can make money and build a sustainable income stream over time.

How to Promote Affiliate Programs Through Your Freelance Business

As a freelance or service-based business owner, promoting residual affiliate programs can be a great way to monetize your traffic and earn additional income. Here are some ideas on how to incorporate the best affiliate programs with recurring commissions into your business.

Resources Page

Creating a “resources” page on your website is a good place to house helpful information, including some of the affiliate services you recommend. This page can be a great resource for your audience to find helpful tools and services that you use and trust.

Blog Posts

Integrating affiliate programs into your existing blog posts naturally and where appropriate, especially within posts that are popular and receive high traffic, can help you promote the programs to your readers. You can also work the affiliate program into your new blog posts. Research the existing content that’s available and write an even better, more robust blog post on the topic to attract more visitors faster.

Product/Service Review

Writing a review of the affiliate product or service can be an effective way to share more about it with your audience. Comparing, contrasting, or simply discussing the features and benefits of another company’s offering helps readers better understand the value. Readers today appreciate candidness and transparency, so be honest with your review.

Case Studies

Writing an in-depth case study can be highly effective since it provides social proof. If you or people you know have had great success with the affiliate’s product/service, consider sharing a case study. Include video and data to make the case study more compelling and effective.

Email Funnels

Determine how the programs you’re promoting fit into your email strategy, and add your affiliate links in your emails as appropriate. This can be a great way to promote the programs to your email subscribers.

Email Signature

Another idea for promoting your best affiliate programs is to include them in your email signature. Cloak the link using a URL shortener so that it looks nice and not too long. This can be a subtle way to promote the programs to your email recipients.

As Part of Your Services

Consider affiliate services as potential add-ons in your business, proposals, and conversations. Incorporate them into your business by setting up and managing the affiliate add-ons for your clients. This can be a great way to serve your clients in a bigger capacity while also earning recurring commissions.

How-to Videos and Tutorials

Creating a how-to blog post with video can be a great way to help your clients understand how an affiliate service solves their problems. Tutorials take your readers step-by-step through the how’s and why’s of any product and service. Tutorial videos promote your affiliate program in an understated manner by educating your audience.

Online Course

Creating a free online course may be more appropriate and better received than a tutorial if you’re promoting an affiliate program that is more complex and technical. Taking a deep dive into the affiliate product familiarizes your audience and provides them with more details as to why they need the solution and how it works.

Exclusive Deals for Your Community

Negotiating an exclusive deal for your community can be a great way to promote the affiliate program. Special deals encourage sales and may inspire more trust in the company. After all, your client has a relationship with you, not the business you’re promoting.

One Tip to Remember

It’s easier to promote and sell when you’ve used an affiliate product or service yourself. Select affiliate programs from companies that you use now or you’ve done business with in the past. This will make your promotions and content more authentic, compelling, and persuasive.

In conclusion, promoting affiliate programs through your freelance business can be a great way to earn additional income. Incorporating the programs into your existing content, email strategy, and services can help you promote the programs to your audience. Remember to select affiliate programs from companies that you use and trust, and be honest and transparent in your promotions.

1. The Best Affiliate Programs for Email Marketing

Email service providers offer email marketing services like sending emails to subscribers who’ve opted in to a list. They are easy to promote because they often offer free trials and nearly every business needs one. Businesses usually stick with one ESP for a long time, so the churn rate is low.

For those in marketing or technology, including an ESP setup as part of your service offering is a simple way to sign people up under your affiliate link. Many ESPs have additional options, such as landing pages, popups, and minimal marketing automation.

There are several ESPs that offer affiliate programs. Aweber offers a free 30-day trial and 30% monthly recurring commission. Benchmark offers 25% recurring commission. ConvertKit offers a 14-day free trial and 30% monthly recurring commission. GetResponse offers a free 30-day trial and 33% monthly recurring commission. MailerLite offers 30% monthly recurring commission and a $120 payout threshold. Sendlane offers a 14-day free trial and 30% monthly recurring commission. Sendloop offers 10% monthly recurring commission.

Of these ESPs, ConvertKit and GetResponse offer the most attractive affiliate programs for email marketing. ConvertKit offers a 30% monthly recurring commission, while GetResponse offers a 33% monthly recurring commission. Both ESPs also offer a free trial, making it easy for potential customers to try out their services.

2. The Best Affiliate Programs for Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is a powerful tool that can assist businesses in automating repeated tasks and increasing efficiency. Multichannel marketing, which involves both direct and indirect communication with customers, is made easier with the use of marketing automation platforms. These platforms are web-based and do not require any software installation.

There are many marketing automation platforms available, each with its own unique features. Here are some of the best affiliate programs for marketing automation:

ActiveCampaign offers a 20-30% recurring commission and has powerful automation tools that can help businesses manage their marketing and customer communications.

ONTRAPORT offers a 25% recurring commission and provides advanced campaign tracking, split testing, and complex funnels.
ActiveTrail offers a 15% monthly commission and provides email marketing and marketing automation tools.
Wishpond offers a 30% recurring commission and provides a suite of marketing tools, including landing pages, pop-ups, and email marketing.

Builderall SEO offers a 30% recurring payment and provides a comprehensive suite of marketing tools, including website builders, email marketing, and social media tools.
Hubstaff offers a 30% recurring commission for life and provides time tracking, project management, and team communication tools.

These affiliate programs offer a variety of commission rates and features, making them a great choice for businesses looking to automate their marketing and increase their efficiency.

3. The Best Affiliate Programs for Hosting

Web hosting is a highly competitive market that offers a range of services to store website data on servers connected to the internet. While businesses and individuals require hosting providers, they tend to stick with their chosen provider once they have made a decision, making recurring commissions lucrative.

Affiliate programs for web hosting providers offer commissions based on pricing, quality, and customer service. Shared and virtual private servers have lower costs than dedicated and managed servers, and commissions reflect this.

Bluehost is a popular web hosting provider that offers a lucrative affiliate program. They offer a flat rate commission of $65 for each referral, and their services start at $2.95 per month.

Liquid Web offers a high commission rate of up to $1500 per sale, making it one of the best affiliate programs for hosting. They offer a range of hosting options, including dedicated and managed servers, and their services start at $15 per month.

Kinsta WordPress Hosting offers an initial payout of $50-$500 plus a 10% recurring commission. They offer managed WordPress hosting services, making them a great option for WordPress users.

Other notable affiliate programs for hosting include RoseHosting with a 50% commission for the first month and 10% recurring plus bonuses, Beyond Hosting with a 40% recurring commission, JixHost with a 20% recurring commission, Nestify with a $50 signup bonus and undisclosed recurring commission, PureVPN with multiple commission opportunities, and VirMach with a 15% recurring commission on popular plans and 20% on gaming plans.

Overall, the best affiliate programs for hosting offer competitive commissions, quality services, and excellent customer support.

4. The Best Affiliate Programs for Landing Pages

For businesses that don’t want to host an entire website or hire a web designer/developer to create a single page/sales funnel to promote an offer, there are apps that handle funnel creation for opt-ins and purchases so that you don’t need to develop an e-commerce website with transactional capabilities. Landing page apps offer the very simplest of options, such as hosting an opt-in page, thank-you page, and even email collection. Some of these apps also provide more advanced functionality, such as payment processing and email marketing. In fact, some businesses use landing page apps rather than a website since there are easy-to-use page templates, user-friendly interfaces, and e-commerce options built in. No tech skills needed!

Here are some of the best affiliate programs for landing pages:

LeadPages – 30% recurring commission, 14-day trial, paid monthly or annually, must be a member/customer.
ClickFunnels – 40% recurring commission.
Instapage – 50% revenue share on first payment, 30% recurring commission.

Landingi – 15% to 30% recurring commission.

LeadPages is a popular landing page app that offers a 14-day trial and recurring commission of 30%. ClickFunnels offers a 40% recurring commission and is known for its funnel-building capabilities. Instapage offers a 50% revenue share on the first payment and a 30% recurring commission. Landingi offers a recurring commission of 15% to 30%.

These top affiliate programs offer great commission rates and are user-friendly for businesses looking for landing page options.

WordPress Themes

Several companies offer WordPress themes that can be used for various purposes. Thrive Themes provides a 25% recurring commission, while Elegant Themes offers a 50% recurring commission. CSSIgniter Themes and Plugins offers 50% commission for every sale plus renewal commission, and Premium Coding Themes offers 35% to 50% recurring commission.

Premium Plugins

MemberMouse Membership Plugin offers a 20% recurring commission, while MemberPress Membership Software offers a 25% recurring commission.

WordPress Maintenance and Support Services

Access WP offers a 10% recurring lifetime commission, and Zen WP offers an 8% lifetime recurring commission, plus a $3000 bonus for every 100th referral. Both companies provide maintenance and support services for WordPress-related products and services.

These affiliate programs provide an opportunity for individuals and businesses to earn commissions by promoting WordPress-related products and services. By partnering with these companies, affiliates can earn a percentage of the sale or a recurring commission, depending on the program. It is important to choose the right program that aligns with the audience and the content being promoted.

6. The Best Affiliate Programs for Live Chat and Phone Systems

Live chat and phone systems are essential components of customer service, allowing businesses to interact with their customers in real-time. They are becoming increasingly popular, with more than half of consumers expecting businesses to be available 24/7.

Live Chat

Live chat is a website tool that enables visitors to interact with a brand in real-time for customer support and lead generation. It is usually integrated with offline customer service, making it easier to collect inquiries online that can be supported at a later time. Live chat can be embedded on a website with code snippets, making it straightforward and relatively quick to implement.

The following are some of the best affiliate programs for live chat:

Provide Support – offers a 30% recurring commission.
JivoChat – offers a 30% recurring commission.

PureChat – offers a 25% to 35% recurring commission.
LiveChat Inc – offers a 20% recurring commission.
LiveAgent – offers a $5 signup bonus and a 20% recurring commission.

Online Chat Centers – offers up to 50% of initial payment commission and a 20% recurring commission.

Virtual Phone Systems

Virtual phone systems allow businesses to manage their phone systems remotely. They are ideal for businesses that want to project a professional image while keeping costs low.

The following are some of the best affiliate programs for virtual phone systems:

Talkroute – offers a 30% recurring commission.
CallHippo – offers a 25% recurring commission.

Customer Service

Customer service is a vital aspect of any business. Answerbase is a Q&A software that enables businesses to provide excellent customer service.

The following is the best affiliate program for customer service:

Answerbase – offers a 50% commission for the first month and a 15% recurring commission.

In conclusion, live chat, virtual phone systems, and customer service are critical components of any business that wants to provide excellent customer support. The affiliate programs mentioned above are some of the best in the industry and offer excellent recurring commissions.

With over 3 billion people on social media, businesses are increasingly interested in managing their social media content and engagement effectively. Social media management tools are essential for this purpose. Here are some of the best affiliate programs for social media management:

Crowdfire: This tool offers content scheduling, content discovery, analytics, and more. Influencers and marketers can earn 35% of new customer billings for the first year, up to $420 per customer.
AgoraPulse: This social media management service covers all major networks and offers a 20% recurring commission for sending customers their way.

SocialPilot: This tool offers a 30% recurring commission for its social media management services.
SocialOomph: This tool offers a 40% recurring commission for its social media management services.
Tailwind: This Pinterest marketing and automation software offers a 15% recurring commission.

These affiliate programs offer great commissions and are highly recommended for anyone interested in social media management.

8. The Best Affiliate Programs for Graphic/Image Apps

Creating graphics is an essential part of marketing, selling, and promoting, but not everyone is a graphic designer. Fortunately, there are web-based apps available that make designing graphics less painful for both the non-designers as well as the creatively inclined. These apps provide templates, fonts, and image options that are not too restrictive but limited enough to avoid spending hours agonizing over images.

Here are some of the best affiliate programs for graphic/image apps:

Design Pickle – This unlimited graphic design service offers a 15% recurring commission for sending customers their way. Founder Russ Perry grew the service to over $400k a month in under 3 years.
PicMonkey – This tool provides a 50% commission for initial purchases and a 25% commission for renewals. It is a popular choice for creating Pinterest graphics.
Snappa – This app offers a 30% recurring commission. Co-founder Christopher Gimmer bootstrapped the software company to over $30k in monthly recurring revenue.

Stencil – This app provides a 30% recurring commission for affiliates.

These affiliate programs offer attractive commissions and are highly recommended for content creators looking to monetize their graphic design-related content.

9. The Best Affiliate Programs for SEO Tools

SEO tools are essential for digital marketers and businesses who want to succeed online. They help identify areas of improvement and provide insights into keyword research and competitive analysis. Here are some of the best affiliate programs for SEO tools:

SEMRush offers a popular SEO keyword and competitive research tool with a 40% recurring commission.
SpyFu also offers a 40% recurring commission for their SEO tool.
SerpStat offers up to 30% recurring commission for their SEO tool.

LongTailPro offers a 30% recurring commission for their SEO tool.
SEOPressor offers a WordPress SEO plugin with keyword insight and content analysis, and affiliates can earn a 50% recurring commission.
Linkody offers a 30% recurring commission for their SEO tool.

Linkredible offers a commission rate of 20% to 30% for their SEO tool.
LoveClients offers a white-label digital marketing provider and affiliates can earn $50 to $75 a month per client.

These affiliate programs offer a variety of SEO tools at different commission rates, making it easy for digital marketers and businesses to find the right fit for their needs.

10. The Best Affiliate Programs for E-commerce

As global e-commerce sales are projected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2021, running an e-commerce store is a lucrative business. However, setting up a shop can be a challenging and expensive task, especially for those without technical skills. Therefore, choosing an affordable solution that doesn’t require extensive web development knowledge is essential.

Several affiliate programs offer recurring commissions for promoting e-commerce platforms. Among them, Shopify stands out with its 20% recurring commissions or up to $2000 per sale. Shopify runs both a “partner program” and an affiliate program that target different users. Samcart, another popular platform for digital products and services, offers up to 40% recurring commission. SendOwl and Payhip also focus on digital products, offering 20% and 50% recurring commissions, respectively. Wholesale2b offers a 30% recurring commission, while EasyStore provides a 100% commission for the first month and a 20% recurring commission.

These affiliate programs offer a great opportunity for those who want to earn money by signing up new e-commerce store owners. Additionally, these platforms are user-friendly and do not require extensive technical skills, making them an excellent option for beginners. By promoting these e-commerce platforms, affiliates can earn a steady stream of income while helping others set up their online businesses.

11. The Best Affiliate Programs for E-learning Software

The e-learning market is projected to exceed $243 billion by 2022, making it a lucrative industry to tap into. Web-based e-learning platforms are gaining popularity as they provide an intuitive and user-friendly way to deliver online training and courses.

Several e-learning software companies offer affiliate programs with recurring commissions. Teachable, for instance, offers a 30% recurring commission, while Thinkific offers a 20% recurring commission. Academy of Mine offers a 10-20% recurring commission.

Teachable is a popular choice among Side Hustle Show guests for hosting their courses. Ankur Nagpal, the founder of Teachable, has shared tips on how to quickly create an online course.

Partnering with these e-learning software companies can help individuals and companies set up their course sales pages and earn recurring commissions.

12. The Best Affiliate Programs for Payment Processing

Businesses that want to process credit card transactions and other forms of payment require a payment processing service, also known as “merchant services.” With the rise of digital commerce, offline and point of sale transactions are becoming less necessary. In the United States alone, digital commerce is estimated to have a transaction value of over $800 million.

Affiliate programs in this niche offer different payout structures and attributes. Two of the best affiliate programs for payment processing are Authorize.Net and Merchant Focus. Both programs offer a 30% recurring commission on ongoing revenue.

Other popular payment processing options include PayPal and bank transfers. It’s important to review each program’s unique features and benefits to determine which one best suits the business and its clients’ needs.

13. The Best Affiliate Programs for Chatbot Builders

For those who have a talent for building chatbots for businesses, there are several affiliate programs that offer recurring commissions. These chatbot-building apps make it easier and more affordable for the average person to create and maintain chatbots.

One of the best affiliate programs for chatbot builders is ChitChatChimp, which offers a 50% one-time commission on front-end and upset sales, as well as a 10% recurring commission. Another excellent option is Collect.chat, which provides a 30% recurring commission and offers $50 for every 10 referral customers. Tars is also a good choice, offering a 30% recurring commission.

These affiliate programs are ideal for those who want to earn recurring commissions by implementing chatbots for businesses. By partnering with these chatbot-building apps, chatbot builders can help businesses improve their customer service and increase customer satisfaction.

14. The Best Affiliate Programs for Time Tracking

For those looking to keep track of their time, two affiliate programs stand out. RescueTime offers a basic version for free and provides weekly and monthly reports on how time is spent. TimeDoctor offers up to 30% recurring commission and allows users to track time spent on specific tasks, as well as monitor employee productivity. Both programs offer valuable insights for those looking to improve time management.

15. The Best Affiliate Programs for Virtual Private Networks

Virtual Private Networks (VPN) are essential for browsing securely and privately. They encrypt your data and protect your passwords and personal information while using public Wi-Fi networks. Additionally, VPNs allow you to change your virtual location, enabling you to access content that may be restricted in your country.

Two of the best affiliate programs for VPNs are Hide My Ass and ZenMate. Hide My Ass offers a 30% – 35% renewal commission, making it an attractive option for affiliates. ZenMate also offers a 30% – 35% recurring commission, making it a great option for long-term affiliate partnerships.

16. The Best Affiliate Programs for Content Marketing

For those who want to monetize their content without ads, Repixel offers a 15-30% recurring commission. Sumo provides a suite of tools for email capture, social sharing, and more, with a 30% recurring commission. Ninja Outreach offers a 50% monthly recurring commission for running influencer outreach campaigns. If you’re looking for a conversion and traffic tool, Snip.ly offers a 20% recurring commission. Sales Handy provides a sales engagement platform with a 20% recurring commission. For YouTube optimization, TubeBuddy offers up to 50% recurring commission. Lastly, GetSiteControl provides website pop-up and floating bar widgets with a 30% recurring commission.

17. The Best Affiliate Programs for Cloud Storage and Backups

Cloud backups provide security for computer files, and affiliate programs allow individuals to earn ongoing revenue by signing up for a cloud backup account. Two popular options are pCloud, which offers 20% recurring commission, and Backblaze, which provides 10% lifetime commissions starting at $5 per month.

18. The Best Overall Affiliate Networks

Affiliate networks offer a one-stop-shop for affiliate programs, making it easy to find and join multiple programs. Some of the best overall affiliate networks include:

ShareASale: Offering over 4,500 affiliate programs across a range of categories, ShareASale is a popular choice for bloggers and content creators.
CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction): With over 3,000 advertisers and 70,000 publishers, CJ Affiliate is one of the largest affiliate networks, offering a wide range of programs across various verticals.

Rakuten Advertising (formerly Rakuten Linkshare): With a focus on partnerships and long-term relationships, Rakuten Advertising offers a range of programs across various categories, including fashion, home, and electronics.
ClickBank: Focused on digital products, ClickBank offers high commission rates and a range of products across various categories, including health and fitness, self-help, and business.
Awin: With over 13,000 advertisers and 100,000 publishers, Awin is a global affiliate network offering programs across various verticals, including fashion, travel, and technology.

Overall, these affiliate networks offer a range of programs and opportunities for affiliate marketers to earn commissions through partnerships with various brands and products.

Your Turn

Affiliate programs are a great way to offset business costs and earn passive income. Entrepreneurs and publishers can choose from a variety of niches, including travel, beauty, fitness, fashion, and finance. Affiliate managers can provide exclusive access to products and services, while reporting tools can help track performance. Fiverr offers investing and domain services, while TripAdvisor offers sandals and trip planning. Don’t forget to sign up for monthly newsletters to stay up-to-date on the latest opportunities. The sky’s the limit!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some high-paying affiliate programs?

There are many high-paying affiliate programs available. Some of the most popular ones include Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and Commission Junction. These programs offer a wide range of products to promote and can provide high commissions for successful referrals.

What are some good affiliate programs for beginners?

For beginners, it is recommended to start with affiliate programs that are easy to use and have a low barrier to entry. Some good options include ClickBank, Rakuten Marketing, and eBay Partner Network. These programs offer a variety of products to promote and have user-friendly interfaces.

How do I choose the best affiliate program for my website?

When choosing an affiliate program for your website, it is important to consider factors such as the commission rate, product relevance, and program reputation. You should also consider the program’s payment methods and the level of support provided to affiliates. It is best to research multiple programs and read reviews from other affiliates before making a decision.

What are some popular fashion affiliate programs?

Fashion is a popular niche in the affiliate marketing world. Some of the most popular fashion affiliate programs include ShopStyle Collective, RewardStyle, and LinkShare. These programs offer a variety of fashion products to promote and can provide high commissions for successful referrals.

Are there any free affiliate programs worth joining?

Yes, there are many free affiliate programs that are worth joining. Some of the most popular ones include Amazon Associates, eBay Partner Network, and ClickBank. These programs offer a variety of products to promote and have user-friendly interfaces. However, it is important to note that some programs may require a website with a certain amount of traffic or other qualifications.

What are some of the best affiliate marketing websites to join?

There are many affiliate marketing websites that offer a variety of programs to choose from. Some of the most popular ones include ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank. These websites offer a variety of products to promote and have user-friendly interfaces. It is recommended to research multiple websites and read reviews from other affiliates before joining.