12 Best Affiliate Programs for YouTubers

With over 2 billion users worldwide watching over one billion hours of videos daily, YouTube continues to be the most popular video-sharing website. This means access to free traffic that can bring YouTubers money if they know how to monetize it properly.

This is when affiliate marketing comes into play. Joining the best affiliate programs can help you monetize your channel and earn extra income. As long as you have an audience interested in the products or services you promote, you can make money while sleeping.

What we’re getting at here is that you have to choose the right affiliate program for your YouTube channel so you can actually benefit from it. However, this can take you days or even weeks, as there are hundreds of affiliate programs out there.

To make things easier for you, we’ve done the research and compiled a list of the 12 best affiliate programs for YouTubers available right now. But before we review each of them, let’s explain what YouTube affiliate marketing is and how to get started.

What Is YouTube Affiliate Marketing?

YouTube affiliate marketing is a type of online marketing where YouTubers promote products or services from other companies through affiliate programs. The process of YouTube affiliate marketing typically involves the YouTuber creating content that features a product or service, such as a review or demonstration.

The YouTuber will then include a unique affiliate link in the video description or in the video itself, which directs viewers to the company’s website or the product page. If a viewer clicks on the affiliate link and makes a purchase from the company, the YouTuber earns a commission on the sale.

How to Become a YouTube Affiliate?

To become a YouTube affiliate, you must join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and meet its eligibility criteria. For starters, you need to have an active YouTube channel with videos that follow YouTube’s community guidelines.

To enter the YouTube Partner Program, your channel has to have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months or 10 million public shorts views in the past 90 days.

Once you meet the eligibility requirements, you can apply for the YouTube Partner Program by going to the monetization tab in your YouTube Studio and following the instructions. YouTube will review your channel to ensure that it complies with its policies.

After being accepted into the YPP, you can set up monetization for your videos. This includes enabling ads, as well as other options like merchandise and channel memberships. You will need to meet the payment threshold of $100 in earnings before receiving payment from YouTube.

Read more about how you can make money YouTube without making videos.

Full Providers Review

If you have an active YouTube channel and a decent number of views, joining some of the following affiliate programs can help you earn money. Read our short but detailed reviews carefully to find out which program fits your niche and other useful information that will help you pick the best for you.

1. Pawns.app

Pawns.app is a free desktop and mobile app that lets people worldwide earn some additional income in their free time. You can use it to share your internet connection with others and take short online surveys in exchange for cash. The app is powered by the reputable company IPRoyal which cares about users’ data privacy and security, so you can use it without worries.

The low payout threshold and ease of use make it an attractive option for anyone looking for a simple way to earn extra money. So if you have a YouTube channel about making money online or taking paid online surveys, joining its affiliate program is definitely worth it. With impressive 20% lifetime commissions from referrals’ earnings, it can be a regular source of passive income for you.

Other features that make the Pawns.app affiliate program great for YouTubers are the low payout threshold of $5 and daily payments.

• Commission rate – a 20% commission per referral’s earnings for life.
• Getting paid – one month after your referrals start using the app.
• Payment methods – PayPal, banks, crypto, and more.
• Cookie duration – 90 days.

2. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is another site that helps people earn some side money in their free time. Once you register an account, you can do some easy online tasks like playing games, watching videos, or completing surveys. Each activity will give you a certain number of points once you complete it. The points can be redeemed for cash or gift cards.

Promoting Swagbucks on your YouTube channel can be an excellent way to increase your earnings. Whenever someone uses your link to sign up on the site, you get a flat $2.20 commission. Even though the commissions are neither high nor recurring, it’s still worth considering if you talk about making money online in your videos.

• Commission rate – a flat $2.20 commission per sign-up.
• Getting paid – N/A
• Payment methods – PayPal and bank transfer.
• Cookie duration – 30 days.

3. PrizeRebel

PrizeRebel is another survey site that allows you to earn passive income in your spare time. As a user, you can get points by completing surveys and a chance to redeem your points for cash or gift cards. This makes PrizeRebel an option to consider if you want to promote easy ways to make money online to your subscribers or viewers.

Joining its affiliate program is free and easy. If someone uses your link to sign up on the platform and starts using it, you get up to 30% of their earnings. You’ll get your commission if they make cash with PrizeRebel. And, there’s no limit to how much you can earn from each referral, which is a plus.

• Commission rate – up to 30% commission of the referrals’ earnings.
• Getting paid – N/A
• Payment methods – gift cards and PayPal (direct deposit and crypto coming soon)
• Cookie duration – N/A

4. Awin

Awin is a global affiliate marketing network that connects advertisers with publishers to promote their products or services. Publishers can apply to any of the thousands of affiliate programs available, and once approved, they can access a range of promotional materials to promote the advertiser’s products on their platform.

Awin allows using affiliate links on YouTube, so you can use the platform to find the right brand or product to promote on your YouTube channel. With more than 21,000 advertisers available on the platform, there’s something for every niche. You must, however, pay $5 to join the program, but this sum will be reimbursed once you earn $20.

• Commission rate – depends on the program/advertiser.
• Getting paid – on the 1st or 15th of the following month for earnings from the current month.
• Payment methods – international wire transfer, BACS, and ACH.
• Cookie duration – 30 days.

5. TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy is a browser extension and mobile app designed to help YouTube creators manage and grow their channels. It offers a range of tools and features to make the process of creating and optimizing videos easier and more efficient. This means it’s a great service to promote if your channel is focused on helping YouTubers grow their channels.

Joining the TubeBuddy in-house affiliate program is free and allows you to promote the app or extension on your YouTube channel. If someone uses your affiliate link to make a purchase, you’ll earn a recurring 30% commission. This means that you’ll get paid every month as long as your referral remains a paying TubeBuddy customer.

• Commission rate – a 30% recurring commission per sale.
• Getting paid – once you reach the $10 payout threshold, you’ll get paid between the 1st and 15th of the month.
• Payment methods – PayPal.
• Cookie duration – 365 days.

6. VidIQ

VidIQ is a video analytics and optimization tool suite for YouTube creators and businesses. It provides insights and data to help creators optimize their videos for search and increase their views and engagement. All this makes it the perfect service to promote if you aim to help your viewers or subscribers grow their own YouTube channels.

The commission rates of the VidIQ affiliate program depend on the number of sales you make. They range between 15% and 25%. If you make up to 10 sales, your commission will be 15%. If you make at least 11 sales, your commission will increase to 20%. For more than 50 sales, you’ll get a 25% commission and free access to the company’s boost package.

Just remember that to apply to the VidIQ affiliate program, the company requires you to send its review of VidIQ.

• Commission rate – between 15% and 25%, depending on the number of sales you make.
• Getting paid –monthly, once you reach the $10 payout threshold.
• Payment methods – PayPal.
• Cookie duration – 90 days.

7. Zygor Guides

Zygor Guides is a software program that provides in-game guides for popular massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), such as World of Warcraft. The guides provide players with step-by-step instructions on how to complete quests, level up characters, and obtain rare items.

So if you have a YouTube channel for WoW gamers or fans worldwide, promoting a service that can help them level their characters and do a lot more in less time is a fantastic idea. Not only that you can attract more views, but you can also earn a fantastic 50% commission per sale. 

And if someone uses your link to register for a monthly subscription on Zygor Guides, you’ll get an extra commission every time they are rebilled.

• Commission rate – up to 50% commission per sale and an additional recurring commission for monthly subscriptions, up to $42.99 per referral.
• Getting paid – the sales are handled through the affiliate network ShareASale.
• Payment methods – international direct deposits, wire transfers, Payoneer, and checks.
• Cookie duration – 60 days.

8. Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates is Amazon’s affiliate marketing program that allows website owners, bloggers, YouTubers, and social media influencers to earn commissions by promoting Amazon products on their platforms. With millions of products across a wide range of categories, any YouTuber can find a product or service to promote on their channel.

The commission rates range between 1% and 20%, depending on the product category. Basically, whenever someone uses your affiliate link to go to Amazon and make a purchase, you get a certain commission per sale. 

Right now, the lowest commission of 1% is for products in the health and fitness niche, grocery, physical video games, and video game consoles. The highest 20% commission is for Amazon games.

• Commission rate – 1% to 20% commission per sale, depending on the product category.
• Getting paid – after reaching the $10 payout threshold, you’ll get paid two months from the current month’s earnings.
• Payment methods – direct deposit, check, or Amazon gift cards.
• Cookie duration – 24 hours.

9. Expedia

Expedia is an online travel agency that offers a range of travel booking services, including flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, and activities. The platform allows users to search for and compare prices from a range of travel providers, making it easy to find the best deals on travel.

So if you have a YouTube travel channel, you can monetize it by promoting flights and hotels to your viewers. Whenever someone uses your link to make a qualifying booking on Expedia, you’ll get a one-time 2% to 6% commission. The company has another affiliate program for travel agency owners, paying them up to 11% commissions.

• Commission rate – a one-time 2% to 6% commission per sale, or 3% to 11% for YouTubers who have travel agencies.
• Getting paid – once a month.
• Payment methods – direct deposit.
• Cookie duration – 7 days.

10. Shopify

Shopify is an e-commerce platform enabling individuals and businesses to create and operate online stores. It offers a range of features and tools to help users build, manage, and grow their online businesses. This includes website design templates, payment processing options, inventory management tools, marketing and SEO tools, analytics and reporting features, and more.

Shopify’s affiliate program is one of the best ways to monetize your YouTube channel if you create high-quality, long-form videos, product comparisons, and software reviews. It pays a $150 fixed commission for everyone that uses your link to subscribe to full-price Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans. 

This means you won’t get anything for referrals that pay only $1 for the first three months after the 2-week free trial.

• Commission rate – a fixed $150 commission per full-price subscription.
• Getting paid – after reaching the $10 payout threshold, you can withdraw your balance from Impact on a bi-weekly basis or when reaching a certain amount.
• Payment methods – PayPal or bank transfer.
• Cookie duration – 30 days.

11. ShareASale

ShareASale is one of the top players when it comes to affiliate marketing networks. It provides a platform that enables merchants to connect with affiliate marketers who promote their products and services in exchange for a commission on each sale or conversion. The platform has a large network of affiliate programs covering a wide range of industries and niches.

The ShareASale network is ideal for YouTubers who create videos aimed at B2C audiences. The commission rates depend on the program, but considering that ShareASale affiliates earned over a billion dollars last year, we guess it’s one of the best ways to monetize your channel and earn a good passive income.

• Commission rate – varies, depending on the program.
• Getting paid – once a month.
• Payment methods – direct deposit, check, wire transfer, and Payoneer once you reach the $50 payout threshold.
• Cookie duration – varies, depending on the program.

12. eBay Partner Network

As one of the top eCommerce marketplaces in the world, eBay provides a platform for individuals and businesses to buy and sell products and services. It offers a wide range of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home and garden, and more. eBay has around 1.4 billion products right now, including those from popular brands like Nespresso, Adidas, and Philips.

The wide range of products makes eBay’s affiliate program known as eBay Partner Network a good option for any YouTuber. Even though the commissions and cookie duration are not impressive, with a top tier of only 4% and a cookie duration of only 24 hours, your viewers will most likely trust it, increasing the chances of making a purchase.

• Commission rate – ranging between 1% and 4%, depending on the product type.
• Getting paid – after making ten units of your country’s currency, you’ll get paid once a month.
• Payment methods – PayPal and direct deposit.
• Cookie duration – 24 hours.

Is Affiliate Marketing for Small YouTubers or Large YouTube Channels?

Affiliate marketing can be an excellent way for small and large YouTubers to monetize their channels. The size of a YouTube channel does not necessarily determine its ability to succeed with affiliate marketing.

Small YouTubers can start with affiliate marketing by partnering with companies that offer relevant products or services to their audience. They can use their channels to promote these products through reviews, tutorials, or other types of content. As their audience grows, they can potentially earn more commissions from their affiliate links.

Large YouTube channels can also benefit from affiliate marketing by partnering with multiple companies and promoting their products to their vast audience. They may have more negotiating power and the ability to secure exclusive deals or higher commission rates.

Ultimately, the success of affiliate marketing for a YouTube channel depends on the audience and the type of content being produced. Channels with engaged audiences who trust their recommendations and are interested in relevant products and services can potentially earn income through affiliate marketing, regardless of their size.

So whether you have a small or large YouTube channel, you can consider joining an affiliate program as long as you have an engaged audience and choose a program according to your niche.

YouTube Partner Program vs. Affiliate Programs

The YouTube Partner Program and affiliate marketing programs are two different ways to monetize content and earn income on YouTube.

The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is a program that allows creators to monetize their videos through ads served by YouTube. To join the YPP, creators must meet specific eligibility requirements, such as having 1,000 or more subscribers and 4,000 or more watch hours in the past 12 months.

Once accepted into the program, creators can earn revenue from ads served on their videos, as well as other monetization features like channel memberships and merchandise sales.

Affiliate marketing programs, on the other hand, allow creators to earn commissions by promoting products or services through affiliate links. When a viewer clicks on the affiliate link and makes a purchase, the creator earns a commission on the sale. Companies and e-commerce platforms often offer these programs, and creators can sign up for programs that align with their content and audience.

While both YPP and affiliate marketing can be effective ways to earn income on YouTube, they work differently and offer different opportunities for monetization. YPP primarily focuses on ad revenue, while affiliate marketing offers the potential to earn income through product recommendations and promotions. Creators can choose to pursue one or both options, depending on their goals and the needs of their audience.

Conclusion

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make passive income or even serious cash if you own a YouTube channel and have an established audience in a specific niche. All you have to do is choose the right affiliate program for you and your subscribers.

We hope our list of the 12 best affiliate programs for YouTubers will help you find the perfect one for your channel.

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