Good affiliates are always on the search for top high paying affiliate programs that will help them make the most out of their niche. There has been quite a buzz around high-ticket affiliate marketing, but many companies still don’t hit the mark.
Joining high paying affiliate programs is tempting, but most do not even try because the idea of being able to instantly earn $1,000 sounds too good to be true.
Well, it actually isn’t. Success stories of aspiring affiliate marketers have not come from the closets leading to Narnia…they are happening around us at this very moment. Within each niche, companies are consistently increasing their commission payout to be competitive.
The no. 1 myth is that high paying affiliate programs are only for seasoned marketers.
You’ll be surprised to find that in reality, a low-paying affiliate marketing program for a veteran and a high paying affiliate program for beginners, requires about the same amount of work.
The difference only lies in one’s state of mind.
So if you are ready to discard those shackles of misconception, start with locating the best high paying affiliate programs on the web.
Table of Contents
What are high paying affiliate programs?
High paying affiliate programs are those in which the affiliate is paid a big commission for each sale that they generate. There are a number of factors that go into determining how high a commission an affiliate will receive:
- price of the product
- the popularity of the product
- number of sales that the affiliate is able to generate.
Generally speaking, high paying affiliate programs tend to be more competitive, as affiliates are competing for a limited number of sales. As a result, it is important for affiliates to carefully select the products that they promote, and to focus on generating high-quality traffic.
However, if an affiliate is able to find a high paying affiliate program and generate strong results, it can be an extremely lucrative way to earn money online.
How to find the high paying affiliate programs to join.
Start with doing a simple Google search for the “best of” for the niche. For example, if your niche is Web Hosting, you would search “best web hosting” and find the top companies in existing affiliate listicles. Consistent names like Bluehost and WP Engine will show up, but ultimately you will have to make your own opinions.
Most affiliate programs are free to join, so join as many as your like to see what they will offer. Some programs will pay more, but their product conversion rate will be lower. Good affiliates know to look for high earnings per 100 clicks (EPC) to decide on whether this is a good program to join.
Affiliate marketing only works once you fully endorse a product and do some heavy-duty promotions. Stunts like leaving a sidebar ad occasionally on your site and a link to the product in your blogs have extremely low conversion rates.
5 tips on locating the best affiliate programs.
Now, let’s examine some ways in which one can find the most fruitful affiliate programs.
- Target a product relevant to your niche. Sales will convert only if your audience finds the need and desire to buy your products. Also, it will be easier to rank on Google if you are an authority in that niche.
- Keep an eye on your competitors. You can either do what they do or think of ways you can outperform other low-quality marketers in lucrative verticals.
- Consider the commission rates and payment models. A 30% commission that only converts at 2% will generate less revenue than a 20% commission rate that converts at 6%. Also, not every program offers recurrent payments for the lifetime of a referral’s account. Programs that do are typically more profitable.
- Don’t forget about cookie duration. Cookies are bits of information stored on your computer that allow sites to track your sales. Their duration can range from anywhere between a day and a decade. Make sure the program is ITP compliant as well.
- Look for programs with an affiliate manager. Most smaller programs come with one. Working with a smaller but tightly knit team will help you work your way up by negotiating rates, special coupons, and other benefits. You can also customize these advantages to align with your promotional stints.
Public versus private high-paying affiliate programs.
Each brand must create an affiliate program that suits its needs. There are benefits and downfalls to all of the best affiliate networks for both brands and affiliates alike.
Public networks like Shareasale have a wide range of high-paying affiliate programs that affiliates can apply to with just a click of a button. Tax collection info is done one time and affiliates can rely on consistent payments on the same day each month. In addition, these networks highlight programs in niche verticals and provide affiliates with vetting information like EPC.
On the other hand, direct programs are run on platforms like Refersion. Each program is individual from all others you might have previously joined; with that, you have to apply and provide tax information to each program. On the upside though, direct programs save money on network fees and can afford higher commissions.
You can look up any affiliate program by simply typing the name of the brand+ affiliate program in a search engine.
20+ top high-paying affiliate programs to join in 2022.
Affiliate programs are not all built the same. Every brand that creates an affiliate program has a budget and vision.
I've been managing and joining affiliate programs for 12+ years and here are some of the staples I like to see in a good affiliate program:
- Generous payouts
- Proper tracking platform
- High EPC
- Dedicated affiliate manager
- Marketing assets for affiliates to use
If you want the shortlist, here is a video for high paying affiliate programs for beginners:
Simply rummaging Google to locate the best affiliate programs could cost you time and energy.
Do not worry though! I’ve got your back with a super-sleek list of high-paying affiliate programs in 2022.
WP Engine.
The leading hosting name for WordPress, WP Engine offers its affiliates some pretty hefty commissions at $200 for every new referral!
This translates into 100% of the first payment coming from the referral. The commission increases if the referral joins a more expensive plan. In some cases, affiliates have earned up to $7,500 for a single referral!
WP Engine also has a sick two-tier program set up. Start by referring an affiliate to the program with your two-tier link. Every time they make a commission, you pocket around $50.
Not familiar with WP Engine and their platform? Check out my full review here and ask their stellar affiliate managers to hook you up with a free account.
Jotform.
JotForm is an online form builder and survey maker company with 15+ years of presence and 10M+ active users. Yet, JotForm’s services are not just limited to that – they have built additional products for utility, data management, and workflow automation process, and so on.
In addition to that, JotForm is offering a great affiliate program for those looking for a side hustle. For every sale brought to the table, they are granting a 30% recurring commission. By providing hands-on assistance to its partners especially in terms of communication and content creation, JotForm is standing out with the affiliate program, too.
Appointlet.
Weebly.
Weebly is a fast-soaring website building platform. You can also experiment with its tools to create online stores, digital newspapers, and any other self-generated platform to ensure an online presence.
Weebly’s affiliate programs are quickly gaining traction. By signing up with them you can earn yourself a commission ranging from anywhere from $14 to $136 for one referral.
The commission varies based on which business plan your referrals sign up for.
Weebly is pretty straightforward and is a good place to start for beginners.
Wix.
Overnight digital sensation Wix has left the world gaping with its staggering 100 million users. Its affiliate program is equally stunning. With every sale you make, you can earn a commission of $100.
Setting up a website on Wix is pretty straightforward. From there, it is only a matter of adding and monetizing your affiliate links.
BigCommerce.
BigCommerce is a SaaS e-commerce enterprise that provides its clients with various tech-related products.
These include SEO, web-hosting, headless commerce, and segmentation across a wide variety of industries.
BigCommerce also boasts one of the most lucrative affiliate platforms currently in operation. It grants affiliates a 200% commission rate for a singular referral and $1,500 for an enterprise referral.
Its affiliate policy is quite simple and doesn’t stab you in the back with commission caps and over-the-top obligations. Sign up for the program here.
Shopify.
The Canadian e-commerce company allows users to leverage its excellent retail point-of-sales network.
Shopify is used by managers to supervise virtually every feature of their business from products to customer management.
You can also become a successful Shopify affiliate and earn on average $58 per every referral that signs up a paid plan.
From entrepreneurs to influencers and educators, anyone can create a drop-shipping store on Shopify and begin monetizing.
| Platform | Cloud, WordPress |
|---|---|
| Price | $29 – Enterprise per month |
| Promotion | Sign up for the affiliate program here |
Brosix.
Brosix is a powerful and easy-to-use instant messaging platform designed with team communication in mind. It comes with a package of unique features and tools aimed at boosting team collaboration and streamlining communication.
The Brosix sales-based affiliate program is highly rewarding and the perfect solution for affiliates in search of a steady income stream.
You can earn a recurring 30% commission for each new customer who signs up via your link and uses a paid plan.
Every Brosix customer creates a private instant messaging network. A single customer could have hundreds of users, all of which result in commission payments.
Commissions are paid to partners for the first client payment period.
The cookies last 60 days.
Brosix has a variety of payment plans for customers, which allows you to tailor your offers to meet the needs of your audience.
In addition, for every visitor led through the Affiliate program, they offer 1-Month Free after their first purchase.
Cloudways.
Cloudways provides solid hosting product and great people to work with. Big payouts for big volume.
Leadpages.
Leadpages has managed to strike a competitive name for itself in the world of landing page builders.
But it goes above and beyond creating simple land pages.
The page builder helps you set up a successfully functioning website with its amazing built-in analytics.
The Leadpages affiliate program is an equally thriving high-ticket marketing venture.
You can generate a recurring revenue amounting to 50% of your referral’s payments.
This offer is valid for as long as the referral is a Leadpages customer.
ClickFunnels.
ClickFunnels is your sales and marketing team all compounded into one. This sales funnel builder works equally well for novice and serial entrepreneurs.
ClickFunnels prides itself on its ability to help create high-converting funnels but its affiliate programs are equally lucrative.
With this funnel builder’s high paying affiliate program, you can land yourself a monthly recurring commission of up to 40%.
The affiliate program also offers a $100 commission on the sale of its exclusive offerings: One Funnel Away and 30 Days.
One unique part of their program is that all affiliates must be customers first. You must buy something, even as small as a book so that you are versed in their products. I would suggest starting small with a $10 investment, absorbing the knowledge they offer (all really great material), and then you are allowed to join the club.
Another route is to invest in the Clickfunnels affiliate bootcamp. This is 100 days of intensive training to make you an affiliate marketing expert.
SEMRush.
It would be a glaring sin to overlook the name of SEMRush when speaking of top-notch SEO solutions. Their product is an industry-leading SEO value package that every affiliate should be testing out. They offer a 7-day free trial to test it out for yourself.
The software boasts acknowledgments from over 60 million marketers worldwide for its content, social media, PPC, SEO, and research services.
SEMrush offers equally competitive offers to its marketing affiliates. You can earn $200 for a single sale through their program. The great thing about SEMRush is that it offers some additional incentives to marketers for each new trial activation and registration!
I also like their creative contests, giving big prizes for affiliates turning up the volume.
LiquidWeb.
Mission-critical apps, websites, and cloud professionals unanimously hail Liquid Web as a reliable and sustainable hosting solution.
With Liquid Web’s dedicated hosting server, you are in for a hassle-free website and WordPress hosting.
Lately, the hosting solution has gained traction for its equally efficient high-ticket affiliate programs.
You can earn up to $5,000 in referral commissions. With each new referral directed to their website through your link, you make around $150.
LearnDash.
Learndash is the WordPress plugin that has everything you need to succeed with your online course. It is the one I personally use for my online affiliate management course.
As a partner, you'll earn 35% commissions on the initial purchase and upgrades, maxing out at $115 per sale! If you are a WordPress affiliate, this a must-join program.
Combin.
Combin is an amazing Instagram marketing tool that helps creators find, analyze, engage, and grow a new audience with their accounts.
Instagram is becoming a hot platform for affiliate marketing as many influencers are recognizing that they can make more money with commissions than fast sponsorship cash. Combin is the hub that will organize all your Instagram efforts and tell you what is really working.
The affiliate program generously gives away 50% recurring revenue. This is an easy win for influencers to suggest and collect.
IPVanish.
IPVanish is a best-in-class VPN service, specializing in providing end-to-end network encryption to clients across 75 different locations. This is a non only a program that affiliates should be joining, but it is also a service every affiliate should be using to stay safe on the internet.
This affiliate program is on CJ network. The conversion rate is top in the VPN vertical and the payouts are juicy at $30-50 per referral.
If you can produce good volume and high-quality sales, you can also earn incentive bonuses and higher commissions. I might know a guy that can hook you up with a free account too (spoiler alert, I run this program :).
ConvertKit.
ConvertKit is a popular email service provider (ESP) with an impressive range of automation tools and integration features.
The software offers affordable pricing, smooth integrations, and the opportunity to create professional-looking landing pages.
The ESP provides its affiliates with custom links. By strategically distributing these links, affiliates can earn themselves a sizable revenue.
For each new signup, ConvertKit offers its affiliates a 30% commission. This commission is recurrent for as long as the account is active.
GetResponse.
In the world of email marketing, webinar hosting, and landing pages, GetResponse is emerging as a viable force. In fact, it is what I personally use for Dustinhowes.com and some of my other websites.
It offers users the chance to create marketing lists of valuable clients, leads, and partners.
GetResponse has also secured great success in related domains. They also offer free marketing resources and real-time analytics.
Affiliates can opt for anyone (or both) of its two main programs: Affiliate Bounty Program and Affiliate Recurring Program. GetResponse offers a very rare option for affiliates to choose their commission structure. Take your pick between a generous $100 commission for each sale referral OR 33% recurring payments.
Hubspot.
Hubspot is one of the finest and most affordable CRM solutions on the planet. Their award-winning growth platform gives thousands of companies the tools they need to manage the customer experience — all the way from awareness to advocacy.
When you join the Hubspot affiliate program, you greeted with a top-notch resource center to help you succeed. you gain access to a large creative inventory, including demo videos, banners, and copy examples, all designed to help you earn the most commission possible. The affiliate management team is responsive and helpful.
Commissions for this program are juicy and there are three commissionable items:
- Starter: $250
- Professional/CMS: $500
- Enterprise: $1,000
On a personal note, Hubspot makes an incredible CRM for any affiliate program. It is an outstanding tool to keep programs organized.
AWeber.
Like GetResponse, Aweber is a leading email marketing software.
What’s cool about this service provider is its impressive range of poIrful automated tools that users can benefit from free-of-cost. The software also offers a free 30-day trial to its affiliates.
AWeber has begun to gain traction with its rewarding affiliate plans. By directing referrals through the links you provide, you can earn up to 30% of the recurring commission.
Teachable.
Teachable is a one-of-its-kind digital learning platform. It allows users to create, teach, and sell online courses, manage student data, and control their brand.
One of Teachable’s best features is its high paying affiliate program.
Once you sign up with Teachable as an affiliate, you’ll be able to make a 30% recurring commission with a 90-day cookie.
Teachable offers easy-going marketing with unique codes that can be scattered across any page. They offer a free 14-day trial of their product that converts very well.
Amazon Associates.
Even though I have strong opinions on the Amazon affiliate program, it’s not possible to wind our list of high paying affiliate programs without mentioning the e-commerce tycoon Amazon.
Amazon Associates is the company’s affiliate program open to virtually anyone with a blog or a website.
This commission rate with Amazon has dramatically fallen over the last few years. Some products have as low as 1%, which has decimated the affiliates that have built their business on driving traffic to only Amazon (I highly suggest diversifying). On the other side, there are still products that have huge commissions; the highest I have found at this point is 19% commission.
Here’s the real deal…I hate having Amazon Associates on this list. I always try to talk affiliates into joining direct affiliate programs rather than Amazon. But the catch is Amazon has the highest converting site in the world! So even at 1% commissions, it is worth promoting some products that have the lowest prices on the market and the best conversion rate of any site.
Affiliate networks: are they worth the hype?
While affiliate programs are run in-house and conducted by the owners, affiliate networks act as aggregators of multiple affiliate programs.
Think of these as the middlemen in typical vendor-customer transactions. In an affiliate network, multiple companies come together and bid their products for promotion to influential marketers.
These affiliates can therefore choose from a large and varied range of products to endorse and monetize. Major networks are the only place you can find a large amount of high paying affiliate programs in one place.
At the moment it is tough to decide which is better for marketers: in-house affiliate programs or affiliate networks.
The latter comes with its own set of pros and cons.
Affiliate Networks: A Few Pros.
The greatest perk that comes with joining an affiliate network is that you don’t have to scour the web for hours to land the best deals.
An affiliate network is a shared hub of some leading in-house ecommerce names. So this can be a good place to start.
Most networks brief visitors with a simple overview of the commission rates, EPCs, and cookie durations. This makes it easier for marketers to compare and contrast program features.
Affiliate networks: What Are the Cons?
Well, for starters, no component in the affiliate marketing network is under your control.
Competition is also rife and the actual selling process could be a lot tougher with too many affiliates targeting the same audience.
This is why you must consider your target niche, choose your products wisely, and make sure that you don’t join networks that ask for a fee upfront.
Here are a few affiliate networks you can begin with.
ShareASale.
Join this platform first. Boasting a grid of 1 million affiliates and over 3900 merchants, Shareasale is the leading brand in the world of affiliate networks. And most of these brands know how to run an affiliate program because they chose wisely with Shareasale.
Their promotion verticals include, but aren’t limited to, B2B, fashion, real estate, food, and beverages, etc.
The affiliate network has earned a reputation for being one of the veterans in the industry. Their reputation invites high paying affiliate programs to run their campaign on the platform.
It is also home to some common in-house names such as Grammarly, Weebox, Weebly, WP Engine, Deluxe, and others. ShareASale complements its network with affiliate training, webinars, high-tech distribution, and great products.
ClickBank.
Founded in 1998, ClickBank is another retail and affiliate marketing mogul. This platform is one of the easiest ways for affiliates to find products to promote instantly.
With more than six-million clients from across the world, Click Bank has earned itself the 87th spot for the largest online retailer in North America. Having generated over $4 billion in commissions, the affiliate network now carries out its operations in 190 different countries.
Merchants on this platform usually give away very high commission rates for sales. Digital products see as much as 90% commission rates.
It also promotes across a wide range of industry verticals ranging from families and parenting to gaming, arts, and entertainment.
If you want to learn more about being a top-tier affiliate of Clickbank, take the course CommissionHero from their #1 affiliate to master the techniques.
CJ Affiliate.
Known previously as Commission Junction, CJ Affiliates boasts a networking experience on par with those of ShareASale and with hundreds of high paying affiliate programs.
From their impressive returns of $15 billion generated in sales, around $1.8 million go to their affiliates annually.
Over the years CJ Affiliates has partnered with some of the biggest merchants and publishers. The list includes names like LoIs, GoPro, Overstock, Buzzfeed, and CNN.
With such great names in the market, competition can be rife. The more expansive your market reach, the greater your chances to be approved as an affiliate.
How to find high ticket items to promote.
In affiliate marketing, the common rule of thumb is to promote items tailored to your audience’s needs.
Targeting an audience of aspiring or novice freelancers with a high-ticket fashion item may not be the best idea. Promoting an email outreach tool on the other hand would be a no-brainer.
The point is, make a thorough assessment of your audience’s needs before opting for an item to promote.
Once you are past that stage, you can refer to some affiliate search engines to locate high-ticket affiliate programs.
Search engines for affiliate programs are different from affiliate networks. You cannot join an affiliate program on these sites.
These are not the marketing middlemen but a platform to help you find some profitable and high paying affiliate programs. The cool thing about these search engines is that they also list some lesser-known but high paying affiliate programs. For this reason, competition may be less intense here.
3 tips for getting approved to join high paying affiliate programs.
Once you find a digital or physical product that closely aligns with your niche, you must fill out the program’s affiliate application for approval.
Here are some ways you can optimize your approval chances.
Get a super sleek site up and running.
With a high-end website flashing top-quality content and design you can dramatically improve your acceptance chances.
Top brands must like the look and feel of your site so they can handover their links for your usage.
Only target relevant sites.
You are probably thinking this has been said too many times, but I just can’t state this enough.
Signing up with a program that doesn’t align with your website’s metrics will fail to convert, waste your time, and leave you frustrated.
Pay Close Attention to the Details in the Application.
Take your time. Get to the core of a program’s marketing plan. Prepare a review of their product in advance.
And simply let them know why hiring you as an affiliate would be the best decision they could make.
Make the Most of Your Marketing Skills with a High Ticket Program.
Setting up a passive income for oneself off an affiliate stunt is a dream for many.
While sites such as Amazon, Fiverr, and eBay are great, they are also intensely competitive.
You should diversify your affiliation options and try out promising high paying affiliate programs that overlap with your niche.
Opting for recurring affiliate plans that work well with your website’s metrics can be a game-changer in the long run.
Custom affiliate plans are equally rewarding if they closely align with the needs of your target audience.
You can optimize these programs for greater sales conversion and maximize your revenue the way you deserve.
Do you have a program that should be on this list?
If you are an affiliate or affiliate manager and love a program not listed, please fill out this form and I'll consider it on my next update. Or you can add your thoughts to the comments below.
