19 Awesome Affiliate Marketing Examples + Why They Work

Look, we’ve all been there – scrolling through endless digital marketing advice that promises the moon but delivers a pebble. But here’s the thing about affiliate marketing: when it’s done right, it’s basically money while you sleep. Who doesn’t want that?

Some huge brands are crushing the affiliate game right now – Amazon (obviously), Skillshare, Airbnb – and B2B players like ActiveCampaign and HostGator are quietly making affiliate marketers rich too. And no, I’m not exaggerating.

These affiliate powerhouses aren’t just throwing random commission rates at content creators. They’re building programs with recurring commissions (hello, passive income!), actually-helpful tracking tools, and enough flexibility that affiliates can promote stuff they genuinely like. Novel concept, right?

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But I’m not Amazon-sized!” Don’t worry – these big-league examples aren’t meant to be carbon-copied if you’re just starting out. Their commission structures might make your accountant have a heart attack. But they’re gold mines of inspiration you can adapt to your business’s reality.

What is an affiliate program?

In case you’re new here: Starting an affiliate program involves finding and recruiting high-quality content creators (affiliates or affiliate partners) to sprinkle links to your products in their own blogs, product reviews, podcast descriptions, or social media posts – basically anywhere your shared audience hangs out.

When someone clicks that magic link and buys your stuff, the affiliate gets a commission…They earn passive income recommending products they actually like, and you get sales without running another Facebook ad that nobody wants to see. It’s a beautiful thing when it works! 

To help your business start an affiliate program, we’ve rounded up 19 of the most successful affiliate marketing examples and case studies, from both B2C and B2B businesses. Let’s explore them in depth (P.S: stealing their best ideas isn’t just allowed – it’s encouraged).

Keep in mind: The affiliate program examples on this list are run by larger businesses, so the commission structures offered might not be sustainable for affiliate marketing beginners, startups, and smaller businesses. Still, these examples offer plenty for businesses of all sizes to learn from (you’ve got to start somewhere!)

Also, we’re focusing on examples of affiliate programs run by retailers, not affiliate marketing websites (affiliate sites) that are run by the affiliates themselves.

1. Amazon

Amazon’s affiliate program is basically the grandfather of all affiliate programs – it’s been around forever, gone through more identity crises than a teenager, and somehow still dominates. Currently, it’s known as the Amazon Associate program.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• It’s Amazon. People already trust it with their credit card details and darkest shopping secrets – so it’s super easy for affiliates to drive sales.
• Affiliates can promote literally MILLIONS of products. Craft blogger? Kitchen gadgets! Tech reviewer? Latest gadgets! Parenting influencer? All the baby stuff!
• Different linking tools for different types of creators – big websites, solo bloggers, and social media personalities all get what they need.
• Up to 10% commission (which varies by category, because Amazon’s gotta Amazon).
• The “entire cart” effect: If someone follows an affiliate link and adds the promoted product to their cart, the affiliate earns a commission on the customer’s entire cart. So if someone clicks an affiliate’s link for a $10 book but ends up impulse-buying a $500 TV too? That affiliate’s getting a cut of everything. Cha-ching!
• They’ve got a separate “Amazon Influencer” program for the big shots, with custom storefronts and more perks.

2. Skillshare

Skillshare offers online courses on a variety of topics, including photography, visual arts, and business management. Its affiliate program has gained prominence because many social media personalities use it to promote the brand on their channels.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Affiliates make money on free trial signups AND paid subscriptions. Getting paid for free stuff? Yes please, super motivating!
• Real-time dashboard lets affiliates track all their traffic, referrals, and payouts – it actually works and doesn’t make you want to pull your hair out.
• They actually pay on time every month (the easiest way to keep affiliates happy).
• Rotating exclusive offers that affiliates can share to make their audience feel special.
• Affiliates can promote any Skillshare courses they genuinely like – no being forced to hype the “course of the month.”
• The links’ 30-day cookie life means affiliates get credit even if someone takes their sweet time – like almost a month – deciding to purchase.

3. Airbnb

The rental brand that redefined vacation stays created a two-pronged affiliate program to grow its business from both sides – hosting and renting as a guest.

Note: Airbnb offers a renowned affiliate program example to draw inspiration from, but the program was closed as of 2021. Also, most of the program’s key features (including commissions) were kept under wraps and known to former affiliates alone.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• They were super clear about what they wanted in affiliates: passion, relevance, creativity, and at least a million monthly visitors (aim high, right?).
• They used a detailed questionnaire (check it out below) to filter out time-wasters.
• Two different program segments: one for referring hosts, another for guests. Targeted messaging for the win!
• Access to promote over 4 million properties across 191 countries = endless content possibilities.

4. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign’s customer experience automation platform offers email marketing tools, CRM tools, and marketing automation all under one roof.

The platform’s affiliate program stands out with lifetime recurring commissions, long-lasting tracking cookies, and a robust library of resources.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• 20-30% commission that scales based on performance (bring more customers in, earn more money).
• LIFETIME recurring commissions. As long as someone you referred keeps paying, you keep earning. That’s the passive income dream – and even more motivation to find ideal, repeat customers!
• Exclusive affiliate community where partners can network with (and learn from) other successful affiliates.
• Comprehensive affiliate portal that lets affiliates easily track their sales.
• Marketing resources that don’t suck – graphics, videos, whitepapers, and webinars you’d actually want to use.
• Average earnings of $1,350 per referral. Not too shabby!
• 90-day tracking cookie – they’re acknowledging B2B sales take time.
• Global program = worldwide money-making opportunities.
• ActiveCampaign practically sells itself through its suite of features and top software ratings, so it’s easy for affiliates to promote.

5. Leadpages

Leadpages offers tools for creating high-converting landing pages and lead forms. Their affiliate program makes affiliates feel like they’ve hit the commission jackpot.

For affiliates, Leadpages offers one of the most competitive commissions in the business – up to 50% on its proven suite of lead generation tools.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• 10-50% recurring commission that also applies to renewals and upgrades. Did someone say “passive income”?
• Tiered structure that rewards performance: 40% when monthly sales exceed $50, and a whopping 50% when they top $3,000.
• The product’s time-tested and easy to sell, so affiliates don’t feel uncomfortable pushing it.
• Special bonuses for hitting targets by specific dates keep things exciting.
• Leadpages shares their own best content with affiliates to use in promotions (this includes weekly Leadpages webinars!)
• Top performers (20+ customers monthly) can offer exclusive deals through their channels.
• Opportunity to host exclusive Leadpages webinars = instant authority boost.
• 30-day cookie window gives prospects time to decide.

6. AWeber

Email autoresponder AWeber’s affiliate program  is an interesting case. They actually refer to it as a “referral program” and “advocate program,” but it walks and talks like a top-tier affiliate program thanks to its recurring commissions.

The program is well-designed and has some great takeaways, which is why we’ve chosen to include it here as an affiliate program example.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Their call to action is irresistible: “Can we pay you every month?” Um, yes please!
• 30% recurring commission on subscription renewals for as long as customers stick around. Greater incentive to find best-fit customers!
• Simple tracking that actually tells  affiliates when they’ve made money.
• They give you a literal playbook for success, with everything affiliates need for successful promotion.
• Ongoing affiliate training via newsletters, not just “here’s your link, good luck!”
• Promotional resources – including banners, video ads, and badges – that don’t look like they were designed in MS Paint.
• A FULL YEAR cookie life – they understand B2B buying decisions take time.

7. ConvertKit

Just as ConvertKit helps creators grow their business through email marketing, their successful affiliate program has helped both their own business and the revenue of their affiliates grow.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Affiliates get training from a top-performing affiliate – yes, someone who’s actually succeeded with the program – and not a generic corporate trainer.
• 30% recurring commission on renewals – money that keeps coming long after a blog post is published and that encourages affiliates to bring in best-fit customers.
• Detailed qualifications (a trusted audience who might benefit from the product, a natural talent for promoting, and knowledge of how to connect people with their needs) ensure better chances of affiliate sales success
• The program call to action focuses on helpfulness before monetary benefits. This works well because ConvertKit understands how important it is for the content creators it recruits as affiliates to maintain audience trust, even after they start promoting.
• An affiliate dashboard where affiliates can easily track conversions from individual affiliate links
• Assets like videos, graphics, and even webinars help affiliates achieve conversions
• A commission calculator shows affiliates how much they stand to make in monthly commissions if they follow best practices and convert renewing customers – also a great tool for promoting the ConvertKit program!

8. Unbounce

Landing page and pop-up software Unbounce has designed their partner program (affiliate program) to focus on marketers helping other marketers, although anyone can sign up.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Unbounce clearly understands who makes their best affiliates – marketers and agencies who can recommend Unbounce to peers and clients at small/medium businesses
• A 20% lifetime commission: Affiliates earn more cash every time someone they referred renews their subscription. This incentivizes affiliates to promote to potential customers with the best product fit.
• A dedicated partner coach helps nurture successful affiliates, and is just an email away if affiliates have questions
• Custom dashboard that tracks everything without making your eyes bleed
• A wealth of promotional and training materials to help affiliates motivate even more conversions and grow as partners
• Flexible payment options in multiple currencies
• Customers who buy through an affiliate link also get special assistance, extra benefits, and an exclusive 20% off their first three months of Unbounce

9. BigCommerce

Ecommerce platform BigCommerce takes a human-centered approach to their affiliate program, while still offering commissions that make affiliates’ eyes pop.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• A 200% commission for affiliates on the first month of standard subscriptions purchased through their link, and a flat $1500 on enterprise purchases. No commission caps or minimum commitments.
• Higher commission tiers offered to top affiliates
• Reliable payment schedules keeps affiliates happy (because waiting for money is the worst)
• An affiliate dashboard gives affiliates a comprehensive look at their clicks, free trials, sales, and accumulated commissions
• Pre-made banners and email assets that don’t look like they were designed by your uncle who “knows Photoshop”
• The ability to link to BigCommerce blogs and webinars tailored to an affiliate’s audience
• A dedicated affiliate expert helps each affiliate reach their goals, with tailored strategies to help an affiliate increase sales and grow their own business

10. HostGator

If you’ve spent more than five minutes researching WordPress hosting, you’ve probably seen HostGator affiliate links. There’s a reason they’re everywhere.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Tiered commission scale: The more sales an affiliate refers in a given month, the higher commission they earn on each sale
• An attractive example of earning potential on the promotion page motivates affiliates to join
• The three-step explanation of the program makes joining feel non-intimidating.
• Affiliate program terms and conditions are easy to access, even before an affiliate joins the program – no nasty surprises.
• A team of experts help set affiliates up for success right away
• Affiliates can provide discount coupons to their audience
• An affiliate dashboard keeps affiliates updated with reliable referral tracking, and provides promotional resources
• Comprehensive knowledge base for DIY problem-solving.

11. Wix

Wix is a website design and publishing platform that makes site-building beautiful and ridiculously easy. When Wix users sign up to advocate the platform as Wix affiliates, the product often markets itself.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• A $100+ commission payout, with the potential to earn bonuses for a high numbers of conversions
• Affiliate terms and conditions are easy to access and review, long before someone joins the program
• Robust affiliate knowledge base with everything affiliates need to succeed
• An intuitive dashboard helps affiliates understand how successfully they’re driving conversions. Affiliates can “track traffic, view detailed statistics, customize reports, check payments, and more.”
• Promotional banners and affiliate landing pages are available in many languages, and are regularly updated so affiliates always have fresh promotional materials
• The product showcases itself through affiliates’ own Wix sites – meta marketing at its finest!

12. Acorns

The Acorns app helps users gradually save and invest spare money at a low cost. Although it’s most geared towards young professionals ages 24-35, it’s a great tool for anyone who wants to build their wealth intuitively. For affiliates who already market to the brand’s target audience, or who create content in the finance niche, Acorns’ affiliate program is a solid choice.

Among all these examples of affiliate marketing programs, Acorns stands out by showcasing some of the graphics provided to affiliates. If you’re planning on starting a finance affiliate program yourself, check out some of their outstanding creative materials below for inspiration.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Wealth of compelling branded creatives that Acorns regularly updates (that actually make people want to click)
• Seasonal promotions keep things interesting and keep affiliates motivated
• Generous 30-day cookie window
• Dedicated account management team is there to support affiliates whenever they need it
• Streamlined affiliate program page keeps things brief and beautiful, without information overload (including through the well-crafted graphics seen below)

13. Spocket

Spocket lets entrepreneurs purchase and drop-ship a variety of products from thousands of wholesalers across the US and Europe. Sellers can easily connect their online store, and even purchase a sample so they can better describe a product’s features.

The Spocket affiliate program lets store owners earn even more – in the form of passive affiliate income – by promoting Spocket to other entrepreneurs via their websites.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Tiered commissions of up to 30%, based on how well an affiliate performs
• Lifetime commissions on renewals – the passive income dream!
• Spocket explains how their affiliate program works in three easy steps, so prospective affiliates know what to expect
• Monthly “challenges” (extra commission bonus opportunities) gamify the affiliate experience and keep affiliates engaged
• Affiliates receive priority customer support  (because nothing kills motivation like waiting on hold).
• Affiliates are the first to find out about new Spocket updates, so they can promote new features to their audience right away and create buzz Custom dashboards make it easy for affiliates to track their sales
• Fast affiliate payouts through PayPal and Stripe (because waiting for money is torture).
• Plenty of marketing assets people actually want to use, all available to promote Spocket

14. Fiverr

Fiverr is one of the most popular marketplaces for hiring freelancers. Affiliates can promote nearly all of Fiverr’s offerings, including individual freelancer service purchases, business accounts, workspace plans, and even online courses.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Choice of payout options: Affiliates can receive larger fixed payouts based on the types of services their referred buyer purchases, or a smaller fixed payout plus a percentage of their buyer’s spending
• Affiliates can earn lifetime commissions on Fiverr subscription renewals
• Lots of seasonal bonus offers for affiliates to earn extra money
• Beautiful affiliate blog keeps affiliates updated on the program and its promotions
• Wealth of creatives available to help affiliates promote Fiverr, including banners, GIFs, and videos that don’t make your audience cringe
• Dynamic widgets let affiliates showcase individual Fiverr services right on their website – they can even embed a search bar and a banner that changes languages based on location
• Affiliate manager, tutorials, YouTube videos and other resources ensure affiliates have the help they need
• Intuitive tracking dashboards that don’t require a PhD to understand 
• Diverse range of services means many affiliates can find products to promote that fit their audiences

15. Kajabi

Online course sharing and business building platform Kajabi helps businesses and individuals share their knowledge with the world.

The brand offers an affiliate program with unique high-level perks and a proven track record of success. Kajabi started the affiliate program because its customers were already sharing the platform, and they wanted to recognize these advocates for helping them build their brand.

Even if you can’t afford to offer perks as expensive as car payments, Kajabi’s affiliate program example illustrates how brands can use tiered, exclusive rewards to keep their partners motivated.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• A 30% lifetime commission: Affiliates keep earning a recurring commission as long as the people they referred keep renewing their paid Kajabi subscription. This incentivizes affiliates to promote to potential customers with the best product fit.
• Tiered structure with increasingly juicy bonuses, culminating in monthly payments toward the car of your choice for elite affiliates. (Not a typo!)
• Early tiers feel attainable (just one referral is needed for the first tier bonus), while top tiers feel exclusive
• A newly revamped dashboard gives affiliates full access to Kajabi’s own best-performing marketing campaigns, including which audience types different campaigns are best for, and the best practices for sharing each campaign
• Affiliates can easily track their success via their dashboard
• An exclusive partner community invites affiliates to learn from other partners, support other affiliates, make connections, and find the best affiliate strategies
• Launch campaigns and contests coming soon, creating even more affiliate engagement

16. Hiver

Hiver offers a customer service platform that integrates with Google Workspace. They call their rewards program a “partner program” and offer three different types of programs to choose from: reseller partners, referral partners, and agency partners. Of the three, the referral partner program is the closest to the affiliate model.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Recurring commissions keep rewarding affiliates for bringing in customers who keep subscribing
• 24/7 support because affiliate questions don’t only arise during business hours
• Certifications and a demo account help affiliates become experts in Hiver
• Hiver sends regular email updates to affiliates on the status of leads they refer
• Commissions are based on the value of one month Hiver subscription, so affiliates earn more on higher-value plan signups

17. Moosend

Email marketing platform Moosend lays out all the key details on their affiliate program page. So, time-pressed potential affiliates know what’s in it for them as quickly as possible.

The business has opted for both a tiered and recurring commission structure, for maximum motivation for affiliates.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Up to 40% commissions on offer
• Tiered model encourages affiliates to bring in more sales
• Commissions are lifetime recurring, especially valuable if affiliates’ leads renew their subscription
• Dedicated affiliate resource center lets affiliates can access all the marketing tools they need, such as banners, video demos, social post templates, and swipe files
• 90-day cookie duration reflects the longer sales process and is very generous for affiliates
• Moosend provides account support for affiliates via email and chat
• Affiliates can track referrals and conversions themselves using their link, which gives real-time statistics and insights for improvement

18. NordVPN

NordVPN hosts one of the most well-known affiliate programs, with many YouTube channel owners promoting the brand’s affiliate links as a secondary revenue stream. No wonder, as this affiliate program has many attractive features, so much so that it’s one of NordVPN’s top sources of revenue.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• Generous affiliate commission structure: 100% commission on a single-month subscription, and 40% commission on a 1-year or 2-year offer
• Recurring commissions pay an extra 30% commission on renewals
• 30-day cookie window
• The brand offers a detailed onboarding guide that teaches affiliates how to be successful partners and generate high conversion rates
• A specialized account manager is available to answer affiliates’ questions
• Detailed SEO support helps affiliates get their offers seen ASAP, and maximize search engine optimization
• NordVPN provides lots of promo material options
• Opportunity to promote more of the company’s products, and not just NordVPN

19. Elementor

Many entrepreneurs and small business owners are as familiar with Elementor as they are with WordPress, since Elementor promises to make designing your WordPress site easy and effortless.

As for their affiliate program, Elementor offers many attractive incentives for its partners. The program offers a very generous 50% commission whenever an affiliate motivates a paid plan signup.

What makes this affiliate marketing example stand out?

• High commission (50% of paid plan signups) is very competitive and motivating
• Affiliates gain early access to the latest product developments and news
• Full professional support including a dedicated affiliate manager
• Affiliate community lets creators exchange tips and tricks
• Easy access for affiliates to track their own sales and campaign metrics
• Regularly updated creative library with evergreen and seasonal assets, content, and banners
• Elementor knows how to target its affiliate campaign: it focuses on mobilizing content creators in the website-making space, web educators, entrepreneurs, WordPress developers, and agencies

Use affiliate marketing examples as a springboard for your own program

After seeing these killer examples, you’re probably itching to start your own affiliate program. But here’s my advice: don’t surrender control to some generic affiliate network that treats your partners like numbers.

Instead, take control with an affiliate marketing program software like Referral Rock that lets you run the show on your terms. You’ll get:

• Complete control over your program and data
• Individual affiliate dashboards that actually make sense
• Streamlined communication tools
• Flexible commission structures including tiered and multi-step options

Time to turn your superfans into super-earners – and watch your business grow while you sleep!

Learn more about how Referral Rock can help you give your affiliates the best experience >