A network sells you two things: tracking and access to its publishers. Software sells you only tracking. The question is whether access to the network’s publishers is worth what it costs at your volume.
What each option costs
| Option | Published starting price | Per-sale fee |
|---|---|---|
| Awin Access | $49 a month | 3.5% of sale value |
| Awin Accelerate | From $99 a month | 2.5% of sale value |
| Impact.com | Plans from about $30 a month; Essentials about $500 | 2.5% of partner-driven transactions, per its pricing |
| Rewardful, FirstPromoter | $49 a month | None on entry plans |
| Tapfiliate | $74 a month, billed annually | None |
Prices as published in November 2026. Plans change often; check the vendor before deciding. Our networks and software page lists more options.
A worked break-even
A store sends 100 affiliate orders a month at $120 each: $12,000 of partner-driven revenue.
- On Awin Access: $49 plus 3.5% of $12,000, which is $420. Total: $469 a month, before commissions.
- On in-house software: $49 to $150 a month, before commissions.
The network costs about $320 to $420 a month more. The question is whether its marketplace brings partners who generate more than that in profit. In year one, for a brand with no partners, the answer is often yes. Once most revenue comes from partners you recruited yourself, the fee is paying for access you no longer use.
Choose a network when
- You need partners you don’t have, especially content sites and coupon or cashback publishers that live on networks.
- You sell to consumers across many countries and want one payout system for all partners.
- You want publishers to find you without outreach.
Choose software when
- Your partners are customers, creators, agencies or integration partners you can reach directly.
- You bill through a subscription platform such as Stripe and need accurate recurring commissions.
- Your volume makes per-sale network fees larger than the cost of recruiting yourself.
Many brands do both
A common path: launch on a network to find the first productive partners, then move top performers to direct terms on your own software while the network keeps feeding new publishers. If you do this, agree attribution rules carefully so the same sale isn’t paid twice.
Want the math done for you? Send your order volume, average order value and partner goals. We’ll reply with a costed recommendation for your first year. Get a free growth plan.