Affiliate Network

An affiliate network is the middleware that connects creators to brand affiliate programs, handles click tracking, attribution, and monthly payouts in one currency. Without networks, every creator would need a separate W-9 and Stripe relationship with every brand they promote — networks aggregate that into one dashboard and one payment.

The 2026 network landscape sorts into four tiers by what they pay and who they serve.

The major networks and their commission norms in 2026

• Amazon Associates — Widest catalog, lowest rates. 1-3% electronics, 3-4% fashion/home, 10% luxury beauty, 20% Amazon Games. 24-hour cookie. Best for high-volume product reviewers; useless for high-ticket niches.
• Impact (impact.com) — Enterprise DTC and SaaS partnerships. Typical commissions 10-25% per sale, 20-30% recurring for SaaS. Used by Shopify, Airbnb, Canva, Levi's. Best UX for tracking and reporting.
• ShareASale — 25,000+ merchants, mid-market DTC and lifestyle. Commissions 4-50%, generous 30-90 day cookies, lower payout threshold than CJ. Strong fit for under-100K creators.
• CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) — Legacy enterprise. 3,000+ premium advertisers (Verizon, Lowe's, GoPro). High brand-name leverage, slower approval, $50 payout threshold.
• Skimlinks — Auto-converts standard product URLs into affiliate links across 48,500 merchants. 75/25 revenue split (you keep 75%), $65 payout minimum. Best for editorial-style content with frequent product mentions.
• ShopMy — Premium fashion + beauty. Curated invite-only roster. Higher commissions than LTK, native storefront integration with Instagram.
• LTK (formerly RewardStyle) — Fashion / lifestyle category leader. Commissions typically 5-20%; bonuses for top creators.

How to choose

Stack 2-3 networks, not one. Use Amazon for impulse-buy product mentions, a DTC-focused network (Impact or ShareASale) for higher-commission anchor partners, and Skimlinks as a catch-all so you don't leave money on the table on legacy posts.

For the link mechanics, see affiliate link.