20+ Best Affiliate Programs To Help Build A Passive Income Empire

Welcome to the 20+ Best Affiliate Programs of 2020, I truly hope you find valuable information. All the programs listed in this blog post will help you earn money online. If you you'd like to understand the fundamentals of Affiliate Marketing then please head on over to our "Affiliate Marketing Guide"

All programs cover many categories:

• Hosting
• VPNs
• E-commerce platforms
• Blogging platforms
• Website Builders
• Twitch

Don't have a website yet? I recommended using Bluehost + Wordpress. You can be set up in less than half a day!

Hosting is a must have for any online business, in fact you'd be hard pressed to find any affiliate marketing business without some form of hosting. 

Starting from £3.14/month - $3.95/month and undeniably affordable! 

Get Started With Bluehost

What are the best affiliate programs of 2020?

1. BLUEHOST

Bluehost affiliate program is among one of the greats, having hundreds of affiliates around the world and this is no surprise, considering hosting can be less than to cost of a latte. The cost is low, and commissions are high.

Because of this, they are one of the convenient ways for affiliate bloggers looking to make money online. 

Promote Bluehost, and in reward you'll have high commissions! Not to mention to be enjoyed each month - for the life of the customer, Why not start your passive income dream with Bluehost?

2.HOSTINGER

Hostinger is an outstanding and reputable company offering numerous plans, from shared, dedicated and cloud. 

You can make a lot of money with the Hostinger affiliate program. The affiliate program doesn’t charge you a single penny/cent. The same with any affiliate program all to do is refer customer to Hostinger and enjoy high commissions.

After signing up as an affiliate, Hostinger will contact you to confirm the affiliate request and ask further questions to ensure you promote in an ethical manner.

The approval process may task a few days but this is vital to ensure the success of the program.

3.CLOUDWAYS

The Cloudways web hosting affiliate program offers generous payouts, a long side recurring commissions, and three flexible payout models..

Cloudways comes with real-time tracking, a performance dashboard that displays clicks and conversions.

1. Performance-based Slabs

Earn up to $125 per sale based on the Performance Slabs

2. Instant Commissions

Get high commission instantly on every customer you refer. The more you refer the more you earn.

3. Flexible Models

Flexibility to move to Hybrid or Custom Plan at any time so no lock-ins.

4. Double Your Earnings

Bring sales regularly and be a part of high incentives and bonus campaigns.

5. Earning with Consistency

Take advantage if you are an affiliate who can bring customers with consistency.

6. Works best for

Performance marketers, bloggers & media publishers

4. HOSTGATOR

"A dedicated team of Affiliate specialists are available to assist you with our affiliate program. There is absolutely no cost to you to be a HostGator Affiliate, and the earning potential is substantial!"

By promoting HostGator, you can earn up to (£/$) 80+ per sign up!

Not to mention, the more affiliates you refer the more you earn! Choose either performance based or an hybrid commission model.

5.WP ENGINE

WP Engine has one of the highest affiliate payouts, starting at (£/$)160!

WP Engine is undeniably a powerful web hosting platform and built for high performing bloggers.

Oh, and a industry-leading 180-day cookie duration! So six months after a click you can be earning!

1. Award winning program.

Pinnacle Award winner for Merchant of the Year & ShareASale Top 100 PowerRank Program.

2. Novel affiliate strategies.

Custom and optimised funnels to help you maximise revenue and delight the visitors you refer.

3. Aggressive commissions.

Earn progressively higher payouts by referring more customers to the WP Engine platform.

E-commerce, Blogging and Website Builder Platforms

Whilst hosting is the leader in affiliate marketing, we also have other contenders! and these are Ecommerce, blog and website builder platforms, all having recurring commissions!

So by promoting the likes of:

• Wix
• BigCommerce
• Shopify

You could be in for a huge passive income empire. 

1.BIGCOMMERCE

1. Promotion made easy

Promote BigCommerce anywhere via our referral link, or use our pre-made banners, emails and more. Save time and money on content creation by linking to blogs, webinars and more with content developed by BigCommerce for your audience.

2. Industry-leading commissions

Receive a 200% bounty per referral and $1,500 per Enterprise referral, with no commission caps, obligations or minimum commitments. Plus, the more referrals you drive through the program, the higher your commission tier can go.

3. Powerful tracking

Our affiliate dashboard offers a comprehensive look at your clicks, trials, sales and commissions. You can view your earnings, track performance, and will get paid at the same time every month.

4. A dedicated account manager

BigCommerce provides unique strategies to help you grow, increase your website’s visibility, and drive more sales. You’ll have direct access to an affiliate expert who understands your business and your goals.

2. SHOPIFY

3. WIX

VPN Affiliate Programs

Recurring commission and VPNs is most certainly an area you'll need to visit, with a low churn rate and monthly payments, you can be closer to your dream than you think.

For over a decade, more than 20% of internet users have used VPNs! Now more than ever most users are concerned with security and dread being spied upon.

With year on year growth, this is an avenue you should explore.

1. IPVANISH

IPVanish is an outstanding service and an even better partner, boasting fantastic commissions.

1. As an IPVanish affiliate partner, you'll earn:

• Up to 100% of all new sales generated
• Up to 35% of all subscription renewals

There's no maximum to your payouts and recurring commissions continue for as long as the referred subscriber remains a customer. All initial commissions are approved on the 31st day from the original signup date, (IPVanish offers a 30-day money-back guarantee,) while recurring commissions are approved on the 31st day after the subscription renewal date.

2. High Conversions
IPVanish is a proven service, trusted and recommended by customers around the globe. We deliver world-class VPN performance with highly-sought features at a low price. Simply put, the value of our service translates to conversions for your affiliate campaign. In fact, we have among the highest conversion rates in the industry.

3. Dedicated, Professional Support
We have an elite team of affiliate sales managers, SEO strategists, designers, and email specialists that are here to proactively help you develop your marketing campaign to success. You'll be in direct contact with a dedicated Affiliate Groove account manager who will get you all the resources, training, and answers you need to make the best of your affiliate partnership with IPVanish.

4. Real-Time Report
Get 24/7 access to your Affiliate Groove affiliate panel for managing your affiliate campaigns and reviewing on-demand statistics.

5. Payouts
Every month, all commission balances of $100 or more are processed automatically via PayPal or direct deposit. For non-US citizens or businesses, only PayPal is available.

2. EXPRESSVPN

Founded in 2009, ExpressVPN is one of the most popular options for users looking to protect their privacy online.

ExpressVPN  pay the best commissions in the industry. The commission structure is flexible: The more sales you drive, the more they pay.

Also having the fastest payouts among VPN providers and provide you with easy-to-use reporting and tracking tools.

Based in the BVI and founded in 2009, ExpressVPN is the world’s #1 trusted VPN provider. We offer 24/7 customer support through live chat and an unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN is an anonymous VPN service with best-in-class encryption and a strict policy to keep no activity logs and no connection logs.

ExpressVPN operates thousands of servers in 160 VPN server locations in 94 countries and offers apps for all devices and platforms, like Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and routers, in addition to browser extensions like Chrome, and Firefox.

3.NORDVPN

NordVPN’s commissions are based on the subscription plan ordered by the customer, including 100% at one month, and 40% for 6 months, one year, and two year plans. They also have strong conversion rates and dedicated account managers to help you drive sales.

1. High conversion rate

Our trusted brand & effective promo material means the traffic you send to NordVPN will convert!

2. Dedicated account manager

Get individual support with any inquiries you might have. Set-up, best practices, you name it – we’re here to help.

3. Generous commissions

One of the highest commissions in the VPN market. Lifetime revenue share!

4. We convert all geos & types of traffic

We take it all and convert into revenue for you. We offer global campaigns, so the world is your customer base.

4.STRONGVPN

StrongVPN has been around since 2006 and has a popular affiliate program. They pay every month and offer up to a 200% payout for sales generated.

1. Reliable and trusted VPN service

StrongVPN has been providing VPN service to users globally since 2006. We are one of the longest-standing and most trusted VPN providers on the market.

2. Make up to 200% Commissions

We offer the best commission rates in the industry. All balances of $100 are paid out automatically every month.

3. Dedicated affiliate support

Contact us anytime to discuss ideas and get feedback on how to optimize your StrongVPN affiliate campaign. We are here to help!

4. Advanced affiliate reporting

Our affiliate software gives you 24/7 reporting to monitor and manage your sales and commissions.

5.PUREVPN

PureVPN has one of the most fun programs, with contests, a reward system, and custom notifications letting you know when you’ve made a sale. Similar to others on this list, they offer 100% for month one, and 40% for longer plans.

High CPA or Revenue share won't be enough unless you get the best conversion rate, optimised to multiply your earnings per clicks. When you join PureVPN Affiliate Program, they will gear you up with the top converting deals and tried-n-tested content ideas, so you can take home more earnings than ever before.

Best recurring affiliate platforms

While many of the best affiliate programs offer one-time CPA payouts after a sale, others provide a recurring payout every month. 

1. PABBLY

With the Pabbly Affiliate Program you can earn 30% recurring commissions i.e you can earn every month for the approved sales. Thereby, as long as the customer stays with us, you'll continue to get commissions.

You will receive the commission amount without any delay on the given payout date. Payments are processed via PayPal or bank transfer.

See your progress & commission details in an intuitive client dashboard. Consequently, you can effortlessly track your clicks and referrals

Become a Pabbly Affiliate

2.BUZZSPROUT

Buzzsprout has an affiliate program where you and the person you recommend to Buzzsprout will both get a $20 Amazon.com gift card when they upgrade to any paid plan.

This affiliate program also doubles as Buzzsprout’s refer-a-friend program, but you don’t have to have a podcast to include affiliate links in your content.

3.THINKIFIC

With the  Thinkific affiliate program you’ll get the following benefits:

• 20% recurring commission on all monthly or annual paid plans for as long as the new subscriber pays for Thinkific.
• Access to exclusive creative and promotional material created by Thinkific.
• A 90 day cookie period*.

4.IPVANISH

IPVanish makes this recurring list as well since: 

1. You'll earn:

• Up to 100% of all new sales generated
• Up to 35% of all subscription renewals

5.AMOCRM

amoCRM is a messenger-based customer relationship management (CRM) software. Their program offers a 35% recurring commission!

6.LEADPAGES

The Leadpages Affiliate Partner Program allows you to market our suite of lead generation tools, which have helped hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs create sustainable small businesses online.

That's why they offer 30% recurring commission on all sales you generate, for as long as your referrals remain customers, including renewals and upgrades of their Leadpages plan. They also support your referrals with marketing education, tech support, and great software to keep them excited to use our product (which means more commissions for you!).

7.GETRESPONSE

With GetResponse you can earn an extra income by recommending a solid product used by thousands of marketers around the world. You’ll get generous commissions every time someone buys a GetResponse account using your affiliate link. No cap. 33% Commission!!!

8.SEMRUSH

SEMRush is a show stopping SEO tool entrepreneurs can use to track keywords and much more! 

The standard commission for BeRush affiliates is 40% for Pro, Business, and Guru plans – it is one of the highest commissions on the market!

All BeRush partners have a super-long affiliate cookies lifespan – 10 years, along with a first-click attribution model. This means if a user arrives at SEMrush.com for the first time through an affiliate's reference link, they will be recorded as an affiliate user. Even if a user doesn't buy instantly, they will remain as an affiliate user for the next 10 years. 

Affiliates can access transparent statistics and reporting of their earnings. Commission is paid twice a month via PayPal or Wire Transfer.   

"Performance Incentives" are your chance to earn more with the exclusive, time-limited, both monetary and non-monetary rewards. For example, make two sales in March and get 100% commission instead of a standard 40%.

9.AWEBER

Aweber is email marketing software and you can expect:

• Recurring 30% referral payments
• No cost to sign up
• Payments sent monthly

Business email marketing can be a powerful income stream for you. Set up your free advocate membership and start referring businesses and earning customer referral payments!

10.CONVERTKIT

ConvertKit is probably the best email marketing tool ever. Without me going into detail you should really check them out. This one is not to be missed, check it out.

ConvertKit is used by affiliate marketers, bloggers and dropshippers a-like, it's hugely popular!

11.CLICKFUNNELS

New ClickFunnels Affiliates will earn 20% commission on purchases of ClickFunnels subscriptions that your front end buyers sign up for.

Best part is this is a monthly recurring commission. Meaning as long as they continue paying for their ClickFunnels account you receive a commission.

What's the recurring model?

When the payment is “recurring,” it doesn’t just occur once, but repeatedly as long as your commissioned user is still a paying customer. Recurring income programs pay their commissions monthly because of the customer retention rate. 

Source: saasmetrics.co/

With monthly subscriptions, a customer’s lifetime value is much higher than the monthly sale price, as they continue paying every month until they decide to leave.

Because of this, the advertiser can afford to pay one of two ways: a one-time commission higher than the monthly price, or a smaller recurring percentage over the lifetime of the customer.

One time payout pros and cons:

Pro: You get a more substantial payment upfront, sometimes as high as 500-1,000% of the monthly subscription cost.

Con: You lack consistency in your affiliate revenue stream, and may make less over the lifetime of the customer.

Recurring commission pros and cons:

Pro: You generate consistent revenue each month and can better predict how much money you’ll make. Additionally, you may also make more over the lifetime of the customer if there are low churn rates and high retention rates.

Con: You make a smaller amount up-front, and the customer could churn quickly, eliminating your earnings.

Twitch Affiliate Program

The Twitch Affiliate Program Streaming is not only fun, but it’s also hard work. Twitch recognises streamers’ dedication and talent, and taking another step forward to ensure Twitch continues to be the best streaming platform in the world for everyone. Introducing… the Twitch Affiliate Program.

The Twitch Affiliate Program puts qualified streamers one step closer toward the dream of making a living from their passions. Twitch Affiliates can start earning income on Twitch while they build their audience and work toward the coveted status of Twitch Partner

Affiliates can earn on Twitch by accepting subscriptions from their viewers. Affiliates will have access to all subscription options: $4.99, $9.99, $24.99, and the Twitch Prime free subscription. Affiliates also get one global subscriber emote for all subscribers, with the options of adding two additional for $9.99 and $24.99 subscribers.

What to look for in Affiliate Programs in 2020

Four things to look for in the best high paying programs:

1. Commission Rate

The percentage of a sale that’s funded by an advertiser to an affiliate for referring a new customer.

2. Average Order Value

The average dollar/pound amount spent every time a customer completes an order. 

3. Earnings Per Click

The income an affiliate earns for each click to an advertiser’s website from an affiliate link. 

4. Cookie Duration

A cookie is a value stored on an end user’s computer and is used to track affiliate sales. The duration is the length of time the cookie stays on the computer after clicking an affiliate link. For example, with a 30-day cookie duration, this means that if a user clicks an affiliate link and makes a purchase within 30 days, the affiliate receives credit for the sale.

Affiliate Marketing Tips for 2020

Affiliate marketers don’t want to only focus on those four affiliate concepts and blindly recommend any product just because of their high affiliate payouts.

1. Promote products you understand!

Internet marketers, general web users and quickly spot misleading, fake products and/or recommendations - be sure to understand your product, never create "fluff". Be authentic and most importantly be true.

2. Emerging Categories

Current trends suggest that fashion is taking the forefront of affiliate marketing and this is primarily driven by influencer marketing.

Other Emerging trends:

• Virtual Reality 
• Augmented Reality
• Internet Of Things

It appears that technology is propelling us into uncharted waters, taking the bull by the horns now, will ensure recursive growth in the future.

What is an Affiliate Program?

Simply put, an affiliate program is an agreement in which a business pays another business or influencer ("the affiliate") a commission for sending traffic and/or sales their way.

This can be achieved through web content, social media, or a product integration. The affiliate gets a unique link (an "affiliate link") from which clicks can be tracked 

You will often come across the terms "cookie length" or "cookie life", which simply define how long the cookie will be tracking the user's online activity.

For example, if a cookie has a 30-day life, your referral needs to make a purchase within 30-days of clicking your affiliate link in order for you to get paid -- otherwise the lead will no longer be trackable.

Of course, there are different types of affiliate programs, and you'll want to ensure you pick the one best-suited for your business. Let's dive into types of affiliate programs, next.

Why Affiliate Marketing?

1. Passive income.

The day-to-day grind requires you to trade time for money, whether that be remotely or place of work. Passive Income gives you the opportunity to make money while you sleep. By investing an initial amount of time and money into building an empire, you will see daily returns. Make no mistake this requires a phenomenal amount of time and hard work. Every business needs solid foundations! Whilst here, you will be able to find all the resource you need, but ultimately your life is in your own hands - You can generate a passive income stream!

2. Work from home or anywhere in the world!

Well, Work from home, work on a beach, who does not want that?! Never the less, having an empire can really deliver a 4-hour week. Employment is never going to be fun if you're trading time for money. Working from home or on the beach with a passive income empire is the goal. So, lock yourselves into a 12 month learning curve and get that money rolling in. You'll be able get up when you want and stay in your pyjamas OR slip into some shorts and head to the beach with your laptop. Anything and Everything is possible!

2. Low risk and minimal investment.

Don't be fooled into thinking it's FREE to start a business, everything costs but it's minimal compared to traditional business's. What will you need? Well, to begin with, a domain, hosting provider and a blog. The monthly expenditure will be minimal and the risk, what risk? In-fact, starting an Affiliate Marketing Business requires so little financially it's not worth worrying about. If the first attempt fails, try again. The failure rate is typically due to giving up!

Read more with our Affiliate Marketing Guide

Types of Affiliate Programs

If you're looking to promote your products or services, there are a few affiliate programs you can consider. When choosing an affiliate program, you'll want to keep in-mind the avenues or platforms your audience spends the majority of their time — for instance, does your buyer persona typically read blog posts, scroll Facebook, or use search engines when researching new products?

Alternatively, is your buyer persona someone who's always looking for a good deal, and would appreciate a link on a coupon site? Or are they more interested in doing tons of research before purchasing, making your promotion efforts more worthwhile on a review site?

While those are questions you'll have to consider for yourself, let's take a look at some general types of affiliate programs so you can begin brainstorming potential avenues for your own marketing efforts:

Search affiliates: With this program, you'll have freelancers or entrepreneurs pay their own money to promote your offer on search results or other online advertising platforms like Facebook Advertising. While you'll want to ensure your partner is following search and advertising guidelines, this could work in your favor if your partner has an SEO background and wants to A/B test to see which ads result in the most referrals for you — and most ROI for them.

Bloggers/influencers:If there are impressive bloggers or social media influencers in your industry who engage with your ideal buyer persona on a regular basis, you might consider partnering with them. For instance, if you sell kitchen appliances, it might be good to reach out to bloggers or YouTube influencers who post recipes, and ask if they'd feature your product as a "recommended tool" in their next recipe post. Ideally, this would result in your target audience taking a look at your website, and if they like the products you offer, could provide additional revenue for the influencer.

Review sites: If you offer a product or service that is more expensive or niche, it's likely that most of your buyers need to conduct research on that topic before purchasing — if that's the case, it might be a good idea to research the top review sites related to your product or service, and reach out to the business or writer who published the piece, asking whether they'd be interested in providing an affiliate link to your product or service in the text.

Coupon sites: If you're offering a new product or service that isn't popular in the marketplace, you might try creating an affiliate partnership with a coupon site for a limited time. While you don't want to lose money by giving your product away at a discount, it could be effective at getting some first-time buyers to check out your website and become brand advocates.

Email marketing: This is best in small doses. You don't want any partners sending out bulk emails to customers who aren't interested in your products or services, but with proper consideration for who's receiving the email, this could be an effective method. For instance, if you sell design tools, you might reach out to marketing agencies and ask, if they're working with a specific client on a design project, whether they might consider sending a URL from your site within the body of the email. This could help their clients leverage your tools to create higher-quality content, while giving agencies an added source of income.

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