How to Start Affiliate Marketing in 2026
To start affiliate marketing, pick a topic you know, choose where you will publish, join programs that will approve you now, and write content that helps a reader decide what to buy, with a clear note that you earn a commission. This guide walks through each step and shows how real programs in the OpenAffiliate registry pay, using terms we verified and dated.
How we make money: some links on this page are tracked so we can see which programs readers choose. Rankings are never paid for.
How affiliate marketing works
A brand gives you a tracking link. When a reader clicks it, the brand records the visit, often with a cookie, and if the reader buys within the cookie window the sale is credited to you. You then earn the commission the brand's terms set.
Some programs pay once per sale, some pay a share of every payment for a set period, and some pay for as long as the customer stays. Programs are run either by the brand itself or through an affiliate network that handles tracking and payouts for many brands.
What the registry shows
- Pay a recurring commission
- 382 of 566
- Pay for the customer's lifetime
- 137 of 566
- Pay once per sale
- 131 of 566
- Publish a cookie window
- 327 of 566
- Median cookie window
- 60 days
- Middle half of cookie windows
- 45 to 90 days
- Approve every applicant automatically
- 63 of 566
- Review applications by hand
- 252 of 566
- Pay by PayPal
- 260 of 566
Steps to start
Pick a topic you already know
Readers trust a recommendation from someone who uses the product. Start with a topic you can write about for months, such as the software you use at work or a hobby you already spend money on.
Choose where you will publish
A blog, a newsletter, a video channel or a social account can all carry affiliate links. Each program sets its own rules on where you may promote it, so read them before you commit to a program.
Join programs that will approve you now
Many programs review every application, and a new site with little traffic can wait days or be turned down. Programs that approve automatically give you a link the day you sign up.
Programs for beginnersCheck how and when a program pays
Before you write, look at the commission type, the cookie window and the payout minimum. A recurring commission keeps paying while the customer stays, and a high payout minimum can keep your first earnings waiting until you reach it.
Programs with no payout minimumWrite content that helps a reader decide
Reviews, comparisons and best-of lists work because they answer the question a buyer has right before buying. Say who a product is not for as well as who it suits.
Disclose, then keep what works
Tell readers you earn a commission, near the link and before they click. Then check which posts and programs bring sales, and do more of what works.
Programs to start with
These programs approve new affiliates automatically, on terms we verified, so you can get a link the day you sign up. Each block shows how it pays and the day we last checked it.
vidIQ
Best for YouTube creators
vidIQ is a YouTube growth tool with keyword research, an AI coach, daily video ideas, an AI thumbnail maker, video audits and a browser extension that shows video and channel stats. It pays a share of net receipts on the subscriptions referred users buy, at a higher rate as your sales grow, in US dollars by PayPal, electronic funds transfer or check, a set time after each month ends.
Not for: Brand-term PPC: bidding on vidIQ, its domain names or misspellings is not allowed.
- You earn
- 15% to 25%, tiered
- Cookie
- 90 days
- Payout
- Net 60
- Runs on
- Its own program
Lunacal
Best for small business and booking content
Lunacal provides calendar scheduling, appointment booking and customizable booking pages for businesses. It pays a recurring commission on eligible paid subscriptions from new customers you refer, with no expiry on the commission window, and pays out once your accrued commission reaches its minimum.
Not for: Coupon sites: adding your coupon code to coupon websites disqualifies your membership and commissions.
- You earn
- 30% recurring for Lifetime of the referred subscription
- Cookie
- 90 days
- Payout
- $100 minimum
- Runs on
- Tolt
WordAI
Best for content writers and SEO blogs
WordAi is an AI text rewriter for content writers and SEO work. It rewrites text the way a human would, fixes spelling and grammar as it goes, and adds related keywords. It pays a share of every subscription payment from each customer you refer, for life, and your affiliate link comes with your WordAi account, along with banners, email swipes and a dashboard.
- You earn
- 20% recurring for life
- Cookie
- Not published
- Payout
- Not published
- Runs on
- Its own program
TrueProxies
Best for developer and data audiences
TrueProxies provides residential and datacenter proxies for web scraping, data collection, ad verification and multi-account automation. It pays a share of every eligible payment for as long as a referred customer stays, with no cap. Each commission is held for a period before approval, and anyone with a verified TrueProxies account can join from the dashboard.
Not for: Self-referrals and brand-term search ads: neither is allowed.
- You earn
- 20% recurring for life
- Cookie
- 30 days
- Payout
- Monthly, $50 minimum
- Runs on
- Its own program
Rules that trip people up
Every program sets rules, and breaking one can cost you the commission. These come from the programs above, in their own terms:
- Lunacal: adding your coupon code to coupon websites disqualifies your membership and commissions. Terms
- vidIQ: no bidding on vidIQ, its domain names or misspellings in pay-per-click campaigns, and no unsolicited commercial email. Terms
- TrueProxies: no self-referrals, and no spam in email, messages, comments or forums. Terms
Disclose every affiliate link
In the US, the FTC's Endorsement Guides say that a connection your audience would not expect, such as being paid for a sale, must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. Their own example is a blogger whose reviews include affiliate links: the reviews should clearly and conspicuously disclose the compensation. Source: FTC Endorsement Guides, 16 CFR § 255.5.
FAQ
Can I start affiliate marketing with no money?
You need a place to publish and time to write; the programs pay you, not the other way round. Programs that approve automatically, like the ones on this page, give you a link without a review, so a new site is not a barrier to joining.
Do I need a website to start?
Not always. A newsletter, a video channel or a social account can carry affiliate links, but each program decides where you may promote it. Read its restrictions before you choose a channel: some ban paid ads, coupon sites or links outside your own content.
How long until my first commission?
It depends on each program's terms. The cookie window decides how long a click counts, some programs hold a commission through a waiting period, as TrueProxies does, and a payout minimum can delay the first payment. Each program block shows its cookie and payout terms.
Which commission type is better for a beginner?
A recurring commission keeps paying while the referred customer stays, so early referrals keep earning. A one-time commission pays once per sale. The registry figures on this page show how verified programs split between those types.