Best Affiliate Networks (2026): 11 Networks for Brands

Running your own affiliate programme from scratch means finding partners, tracking every sale and paying everyone on time. A network does a lot of that heavy lifting, and it brings publishers who are already looking for products to promote, which is the hardest part to build alone.

The eleven affiliate networks below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the network's own website, read this week. If you haven't launched yet, my step-by-step guide on how to create an affiliate programme walks through the groundwork.

Affiliate networks compared

I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free allowance or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Admitad	Global partner marketing platform	Onboarding and paying partners worldwide	Not stated
Awin	Global affiliate marketing platform	UK and European retail brands	Not stated
CJ	Affiliate and partnership network	Scaling a programme with big publishers	Not stated
ClickBank	Affiliate network for digital products	Courses, ebooks and digital offers	Not stated
Commission Factory	Affiliate network for brands and agencies	Running several client programmes	Not stated
Daisycon	Performance marketing network, part of Linehub	Lead generation as well as sales	Not stated
Digistore24	Sales and affiliate commission platform	Selling courses with automated commissions	Not stated
FlexOffers	Performance-based marketing network	Reaching a wide pool of publishers	Not stated
Rakuten Advertising	Global affiliate network	Large brands across many countries	Not stated
Tradedoubler	European affiliate and partnership network	Brands targeting several European markets	Not stated
Webgains	Affiliate network for brands and publishers	Retailers wanting a guided start	Not stated

Eleven affiliate networks to consider

Admitad

Best for: Brands selling internationally that want help finding partners, handling onboarding and compliance, and paying them across borders.

Awin

Best for: Retailers and brands in the UK and Europe that want a large affiliate network with publishers already signed up and ready to promote.

CJ

Best for: Established brands that want to grow an affiliate programme at scale, with influencer partnerships available alongside it.

ClickBank

Best for: Creators selling digital products who want an ecommerce platform where affiliates can browse and promote their offers.

Commission Factory

Best for: Agencies and brands that want an affiliate platform with tools for managing several client programmes in one place.

Daisycon

Best for: Advertisers that want affiliate marketing plus lead generation through one performance network with publishers across many industries.

Digistore24

Best for: Course creators and digital sellers who want checkout and affiliate commissions handled automatically in one platform.

FlexOffers

Best for: Advertisers who want a performance-based network connecting them with a broad range of publishers and content sites.

Rakuten Advertising

Best for: Large brands running programmes across several countries that want a long-established global network with regional teams.

Tradedoubler

Best for: Marketers targeting the Nordics, DACH, France, Spain and other European markets through one long-running partnership network.

Webgains

Best for: Retailers who want a guided walkthrough of an affiliate platform before they commit to launching a programme.

Where to start for your situation

• A UK or European retail brand: Awin or Webgains.
• Several European markets at once: Tradedoubler or Daisycon.
• Selling courses and digital products: ClickBank or Digistore24.
• A large brand across many countries: Rakuten Advertising or CJ.
• Agencies running client programmes: Commission Factory.
• Paying partners in many countries: Admitad.
• A broad pool of publishers: FlexOffers.

Your affiliates' posts are your adverts

The Advertising Standards Authority's advice on online affiliate marketing says affiliate marketing must be obviously identifiable as marketing, under rule 2.1 of the CAP Code. In other words, a regulator treats an affiliate's post about your product as your marketing, not an independent opinion.

So give partners clear guidance on labelling from day one, and check how each network helps you monitor what they publish. It protects your brand and your affiliates.

Affiliate networks versus in-house programmes

A network gives you access to publishers already signed up, plus tracking and payments handled for you. It's the quickest way to get a programme moving.

An in-house programme uses your own tracking software and recruits partners directly. It takes longer to grow, but you own every relationship. Many brands start on a network and add direct partners later.

Questions to ask an affiliate network before you join

1. Which countries and sectors are its publishers strongest in?
2. How does it track sales and leads?
3. How and when do affiliates receive their commission?
4. Can I approve or decline each partner?
5. What help does it give with compliance and labelling?
6. What does the contract say about leaving?

Signs you're ready for an affiliate network

• Customers already recommend you. Reward them for it.
• Your conversion rate is steady. Partners can send more traffic.
• You can't recruit partners alone. Use a network's publishers.
• Tracking sales by hand is a mess. Let the network do it.

Do you make an affiliate network or partnership platform? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing an affiliate network

Choose the network your ideal partners already use. Look at the sites and creators you'd love to work with, find out which network they promote through, and start there, because a network full of the wrong publishers won't sell anything for you.

Then set your commission structure before you launch, so every partner knows exactly what they earn and when. My affiliate commission structure cheat sheet sets out the common models side by side.

Frequently asked questions

What is an affiliate network?

An affiliate network connects brands with publishers and creators who promote their products, and it handles tracking and commission payments between them.

What's the difference between an affiliate network and affiliate software?

A network brings its own publishers and handles payments. Affiliate software tracks a programme you run yourself, so you recruit every partner directly.

Is an affiliate network better than running my own programme?

A network is quicker to start because publishers are already there. Your own programme gives you more control but takes longer to grow.

Do affiliates have to label their posts as adverts?

Yes. In the UK, the ASA says affiliate marketing must be obviously identifiable as marketing.

Can small businesses join an affiliate network?

Many networks work with smaller brands. Ask about minimum requirements and how much support they give new advertisers.

Can I use more than one affiliate network?

You can, but watch for the same sale being claimed twice and keep your tracking consistent across networks.