Affiliate networks and software, compared
A network rents you an audience of publishers and handles tracking and payouts. Software gives you tracking and payouts, and you bring the partners. Here is what each costs, using published prices.
Networks and marketplaces
| Network | Strongest for | Brand pricing (published) | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awin | Retail, travel and finance; deep in the UK and Europe, now large in the US | Access plan from $49 a month plus 3.5% per transaction; 2.5% on Accelerate | ShareASale closed on October 6, 2025, and its advertisers and publishers moved to Awin. |
| CJ Affiliate | Enterprise retail, finance and travel brands | Custom contract | Large publisher base; approval for small publishers can be slow. |
| Impact.com | Partnership programs mixing affiliates, creators and B2B referrals | Essentials plan cited from about $500 a month | Tracks the HubSpot, Semrush and Shopify programs in our directory. |
| Rakuten Advertising | Premium retail, fashion and luxury; strong in Asia-Pacific and Japan | Custom, usually with managed services | Smaller merchant pool than the largest networks, with well-known brands. |
| PartnerStack | B2B SaaS affiliates, referral partners and resellers | From roughly $1,000 a month, billed annually | Marketplace of software partners, including Unbounce and Leadpages. |
| ClickBank | Digital products and information offers | Fees taken on each sale | Commissions can be high; check refund rates and claims before promoting. |
| Digistore24 | Digital products, courses and software, especially in Europe | Fees taken on each sale | Handles VAT and payouts across many countries. |
Software for running your own program
| Software | Strongest for | Starting price | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewardful | SaaS companies billing through Stripe | $49 / month | Fast setup and accurate recurring commissions on Stripe. |
| FirstPromoter | Subscription businesses with complex refunds | $49 / month | Handles refunds and clawbacks thoroughly; no partner marketplace. |
| Tapfiliate | SaaS and e-commerce, branded partner portals | $74 / month (annual) | Priced by traffic; white-label options. |
| Refersion | E-commerce brands | $99 / month | Built around online stores and creator programs. |
| Post Affiliate Pro | Multi-tier and highly customized programs | $139 / month | Deep configuration; also runs a free program directory. |
| UpPromote, GoAffPro | Shopify stores | Free tiers; paid from about $29 / month | Install from the Shopify app store. |
| Everflow | Performance marketing teams at scale | $750 / month | Core plan on a six-month contract; strong fraud tooling. |
| AffiliateWP | WordPress sites | Yearly license | No transaction fees. |
Prices as published by vendors or reported by independent reviews, November 2026. Vendors change plans often; check the current pricing page before you buy. Affilia has no commercial relationship with these companies.
Network or in-house: the short answer
Choose a network when you need partners you don’t have yet. You pay for access to its publishers, usually through a monthly fee plus a share of every commission. That share is the real cost: at 3.5% of order value, a network costs a $120 order about $4.20 on top of the commission itself.
Choose software when your partners already exist: customers, newsletter writers, agencies and creators who already talk about you. At $49 to $150 a month, software is usually cheaper once a program passes a few dozen sales a month, but every partner has to be recruited by you.
Many brands run both: a network for discovery in year one, and software for the partners who become top performers. Our guide to networks versus in-house software works through the break-even math.
For publishers
One account on a large network gives you access to thousands of brands with a single payout. Direct programs pay more often and sometimes better, but each needs its own application and has its own payout threshold. Start with one network that fits your audience, then add direct programs as you learn which products your readers buy.