30 Companies That Will Pay You to Promote Their Products

Ever scrolled past a product recommendation online and thought, “I could do that”? You’re not wrong and in 2026, you genuinely can.

There are hundreds of companies that will pay you to promote their products, and many of them don’t require a huge following, a business degree, or any upfront money. You just need a platform (a blog, an Instagram account, a YouTube channel, or even a group chat) and the willingness to recommend things you’d actually use.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how affiliate marketing works, what commission rates and cookie durations actually mean for your paycheck, and a curated list of 30 real companies, from Amazon to Semrush to LTK, that accept beginners today. By the end, you’ll know how to sign up, what to expect to earn, and how to stay FTC-compliant while doing it.

Let’s start with the basics.

What is Affiliate Marketing and How Does it Work?

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based partnership where a company pays you a commission for sales, sign-ups, or clicks you generate through a unique tracking link.

Here’s the simple version: a brand gives you a special link. You share that link on your blog, social media, or email list. When someone clicks it and buys something (or signs up for a service), you earn a percentage of that sale, or sometimes a flat fee.

As of 2026, affiliate marketing spending in the U.S. alone is projected to surpass $13 billion, and over 80% of brands now run some form of affiliate or referral program. It’s no longer a fringe tactic, it’s a mainstream marketing channel that companies of every size rely on.

How Do You Get Paid to Promote Products?

You get paid to promote products through one of four common models: pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, pay-per-click, or flat-fee brand ambassador deals.

• Pay-per-sale: You earn a percentage (or fixed amount) when someone buys through your link. This is the most common model.
• Pay-per-lead: You earn a set amount when someone signs up for a free trial, fills out a form, or creates an account, no purchase required.
• Pay-per-click: Rare today, but some programs pay small amounts just for driving traffic.
• Brand ambassador deals: Some companies pay flat fees or send free products in exchange for content, regardless of sales generated.

Most beginners start with pay-per-sale programs because they’re the easiest to join and the most widely available.

What is a “Cookie Duration”?

A cookie duration (also called a cookie window) is the amount of time you have to earn credit for a sale after someone clicks your link.

For example, if a program has a 30-day cookie, and someone clicks your link today but doesn’t buy until day 25, you still get the commission. If they buy on day 31, you don’t.

Cookie durations range widely, from 24 hours (Amazon Associates) to 120 days (Semrush). A longer cookie window generally means more forgiving earning potential, especially for products people research before buying, like software or travel.

Understanding How You Get Paid

Most affiliate programs pay through direct deposit, PayPal, or wire transfer, typically on a monthly schedule once you hit a minimum payout threshold (often $25–$100).

Payments are usually processed through one of two ways: directly through the brand’s own system, or through a third-party affiliate network like Impact, Awin, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, or Rakuten Advertising, which manages tracking and payouts for multiple brands at once.

One important detail: most programs hold your commission for a “validation period” (often 30–60 days) to account for returns or cancellations before releasing your payment.

30 Companies That Will Pay You to Promote Their Products

Below are 30 real programs, organized by category, that accept beginners in 2026. Rates and cookie windows change periodically, so always confirm current terms on the brand’s official affiliate page before publishing content.

Retail & E-Commerce

1. Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates is the largest and most well-known affiliate program in the world, letting you promote virtually any product on Amazon’s site.

• How to Start: Apply free at affiliate-program.amazon.com with an active website or social account.
• Commission Rate: 1–10% depending on category (up to 20% on Amazon Games digital purchases).
• Cookie Duration: 24 hours (extends to 90 days if the item is added to cart).
• Best For: Beginners with broad-niche content who want one program covering almost any product.
• Key Insight: The short cookie is offset by high conversion rates, once someone lands on Amazon, they often buy other items too, and you still get credit for the whole cart.

2. Target Affiliates (Target Partners)

Target’s affiliate program, run through the Impact network, lets you promote everything from home goods to electronics.

• How to Start: Apply through Impact.com’s Target Partners page.
• Commission Rate: Up to 8%, varying by category.
• Cookie Duration: 7 days.
• Best For: Home, lifestyle, and family-focused content creators.
• Key Insight: The short cookie window rewards content built around time-sensitive buying moments, like holiday gift guides.

3. Walmart Creator

Walmart’s affiliate program lets creators earn commissions promoting products across nearly every retail category.

• How to Start: Apply through the Walmart Creator platform (walmart.com/creator).
• Commission Rate: Typically 1–4%, varying by category.
• Cookie Duration: Around 3 days on standard links.
• Best For: Deal-focused and budget-shopping content.
• Key Insight: Walmart’s massive catalog and low prices make it a strong complement to Amazon links, especially for budget-conscious audiences.

4. Etsy Affiliate Program

Etsy’s program pays you to promote handmade, vintage, and craft-supply listings from independent sellers.

• How to Start: Apply through Awin (a $5 refundable deposit is required to join the network).
• Commission Rate: Around 4% on qualifying sales.
• Cookie Duration: 30 days.
• Best For: Gift guide, home decor, and craft-niche bloggers.
• Key Insight: The 30-day cookie is generous compared to Amazon’s, making Etsy ideal for “save this for later” style browsing content like Pinterest boards.

5. Wayfair Affiliate Program

Wayfair pays affiliates to promote furniture and home decor products across its site.

• How to Start: Apply through Wayfair’s affiliate page, typically managed via a major network like Rakuten Advertising.
• Commission Rate: Typically 1–7%, depending on category.
• Cookie Duration: Around 7 days.
• Best For: Home renovation, interior design, and moving/apartment content.
• Key Insight: High average order values in furniture mean even a modest commission rate can produce solid per-sale earnings.

Software & Digital Tools

6. Shopify Affiliate Program

Shopify pays affiliates to refer new merchants who sign up for a paid plan.

• How to Start: Apply through Shopify’s official affiliate page; approval favors applicants with existing content or an audience.
• Commission Rate: Up to $150 per standard referral, and up to $2,000 for Shopify Plus referrals.
• Cookie Duration: 30 days.
• Best For: Entrepreneurship, e-commerce, and side-hustle content creators.
• Key Insight: Because commissions are one-time bounties, not recurring, top affiliates focus on high-intent “how to start an online store” content rather than passive mentions.

7. Semrush Affiliate Program

Semrush pays some of the highest commissions in the SEO and marketing software space.

• How to Start: Apply through the Impact network.
• Commission Rate: $200 per paid subscription, plus $10 per free trial signup.
• Cookie Duration: 120 days, one of the longest available.
• Best For: Marketing, blogging, and SEO-focused creators.
• Key Insight: The 120-day cookie is a major advantage for a tool people often research for weeks before subscribing.

8. Canva Affiliate Program (Canvassador)

Canva’s program, now run through the Canvassador initiative on Impact, pays for qualifying Pro plan upgrades.

• How to Start: Apply through Impact.com; note that Canva periodically pauses new applications, so check current availability first.
• Commission Rate: Roughly $10 per monthly payment (first two cycles) or up to around $30–$36 per annual plan.
• Cookie Duration: 30 days.
• Best For: Design, productivity, and small-business content.
• Key Insight: Canva doesn’t pay on free-plan signups, so content should be built around upgrading to Pro, not just app downloads.

9. Grammarly Affiliate Program

Grammarly pays affiliates for referring users who subscribe to its premium writing assistant.

• How to Start: Apply through the Impact network.
• Commission Rate: Typically a flat rate per premium subscription, often in the $20–$25 range.
• Cookie Duration: Around 90 days.
• Best For: Student, writing, and productivity-focused blogs.
• Key Insight: The long cookie window fits Grammarly’s audience well, since students and professionals often delay upgrading until they hit a free-plan limit.

10. NordVPN Affiliate Program

NordVPN offers one of the most lucrative recurring commission structures in the VPN space.

• How to Start: Apply through the CJ Affiliate network.
• Commission Rate: 40% on initial sales plus 30% recurring on renewals.
• Cookie Duration: 30 days.
• Best For: Tech, privacy, and streaming/travel content creators.
• Key Insight: The recurring 30% on renewals means your earnings compound over time as your referred users keep their subscriptions active.

11. Bluehost Affiliate Program

Bluehost, the official WordPress-recommended host, is one of the most beginner-friendly hosting affiliate programs.

• How to Start: Apply through Impact or Bluehost’s own affiliate portal.
• Commission Rate: Around $65 per qualified sale, with top affiliates negotiating up to $120+.
• Cookie Duration: 30 to 90 days, depending on the tracking platform.
• Best For: “How to start a blog” and website-building tutorial content.
• Key Insight: Because the commission is flat (not percentage-based), Bluehost rewards volume-driven tutorial content more than high-ticket upsells.

12. Wix Affiliate Program

Wix pays affiliates for referring users who purchase a premium website plan.

• How to Start: Apply through Wix’s official affiliate page.
• Commission Rate: A flat bounty per premium plan sale, commonly cited around $100.
• Cookie Duration: Typically 30 days.
• Best For: Small business, portfolio, and website-building content.
• Key Insight: Wix converts especially well with visual “before and after” website builds, since the product’s drag-and-drop editor is easy to demo.

Online Learning

13. Coursera Affiliate Program

Coursera pays affiliates to promote its university-backed courses, certificates, and degree programs.

• How to Start: Apply through Coursera’s affiliate program on the Impact network.
• Commission Rate: Typically 10–20%, varying by course type and promotion.
• Cookie Duration: Around 30 days.
• Best For: Career development, upskilling, and education-focused content.
• Key Insight: Certificate and degree program promotions tend to convert better around January and September, aligning with new-year and back-to-school intent.

14. Udemy Affiliate Program

Udemy’s affiliate program lets you earn commissions promoting thousands of individual courses.

• How to Start: Apply through Udemy’s affiliate page (managed via a partner network).
• Commission Rate: Typically 10–15% per course sale.
• Cookie Duration: Around 7 days.
• Best For: Niche skill-building content (coding, design, business).
• Key Insight: Because Udemy runs frequent sitewide discounts, timing your promotions around sale periods can significantly boost conversions.

15. Skillshare Affiliate Program

Skillshare pays affiliates for referring new members who sign up for a paid membership.

• How to Start: Apply through Skillshare’s affiliate page, typically via Impact or Awin.
• Commission Rate: A flat bounty per new subscriber, commonly in the $7–$10 range, or a percentage of the first payment.
• Cookie Duration: Around 30 days.
• Best For: Creative hobbyist content, art, photography, writing, and design.
• Key Insight: Skillshare’s free trial makes it easy to convert lower-commitment audiences who aren’t ready for a full-price course purchase.

Travel

16. Booking.com Affiliate Partner Program

Booking.com pays affiliates commissions on hotel, flight, and rental bookings made through their links.

• How to Start: Apply through Booking.com’s official Affiliate Partner Program page.
• Commission Rate: Typically 25–40% of Booking.com’s own commission on the stay (translating to roughly 4% of the booking value).
• Cookie Duration: Session-based, usually credited if booked during that visit.
• Best For: Travel bloggers and destination-guide creators.
• Key Insight: Because the cookie is short, embedding a live search widget directly in your content converts better than a simple text link.

17. TripAdvisor Affiliate Program

TripAdvisor pays affiliates for referring users who book hotels, tours, or restaurant reservations.

• How to Start: Apply through TripAdvisor’s affiliate program via CJ Affiliate.
• Commission Rate: Typically 50% of TripAdvisor’s referral fee, varying by booking type.
• Cookie Duration: Around 14 days.
• Best For: Trip-planning and destination review content.
• Key Insight: Review-style content (best tours, best restaurants) tends to outperform generic destination guides for this program.

18. Expedia Affiliate Program

Expedia’s affiliate program pays commissions on flights, hotels, and vacation packages.

• How to Start: Apply through CJ Affiliate.
• Commission Rate: Typically 2–6% depending on booking type.
• Cookie Duration: Around 7 days.
• Best For: Vacation-planning and deal-roundup content.
• Key Insight: Package bookings (flight + hotel) tend to pay more per conversion than standalone hotel bookings.

Beauty & Fashion

19. Sephora Affiliate Program

Sephora pays affiliates to promote makeup, skincare, and beauty products.

• How to Start: Apply through Rakuten Advertising or ShareASale, depending on region.
• Commission Rate: Typically 3–5% per sale.
• Cookie Duration: Around 24 hours to 7 days, depending on the network.
• Best For: Beauty, skincare, and “get ready with me” content creators.
• Key Insight: Beauty affiliate content converts best when paired with tutorial or comparison formats rather than plain product mentions.

20. ASOS Affiliate Program

ASOS pays affiliates commissions for promoting its fast-fashion clothing and accessories.

• How to Start: Apply through Awin.
• Commission Rate: Typically 5–7%.
• Cookie Duration: Around 30 days.
• Best For: Fashion hauls, outfit inspiration, and style-guide content.
• Key Insight: Seasonal “capsule wardrobe” content tends to have a longer shelf life and keeps earning through the full cookie window.

Freelance & Service Marketplaces

21. Fiverr Affiliates

Fiverr pays affiliates for referring buyers or sellers to its freelance services marketplace.

• How to Start: Apply through the Fiverr Affiliates dashboard (free to join).
• Commission Rate: Hybrid models — flat CPA per first purchase (often $15–$50+ depending on category) plus revenue share on repeat orders.
• Cookie Duration: Around 30 days.
• Best For: Freelancing, side hustle, and small business content.
• Key Insight: Fiverr’s tiered commission structure means promoting higher-value categories like Fiverr Pro or business services pays significantly more than generic gig promotion.

Food & Subscription Boxes

22. HelloFresh Affiliate Program

HelloFresh pays affiliates for new customers who sign up for its meal-kit subscription.

• How to Start: Apply through a major network like CJ Affiliate or Awin, depending on region.
• Commission Rate: Typically a flat bounty per new customer, often $10–$20.
• Cookie Duration: Around 14–30 days.
• Best For: Food, family, and lifestyle content creators.
• Key Insight: Discount-code-driven content (“50% off your first box”) consistently outperforms generic meal-kit reviews for this niche.

Affiliate Networks (Gateways to Hundreds of Brands)

23. ShareASale

ShareASale (now part of Awin) connects affiliates to thousands of merchants across every niche imaginable.

• How to Start: Create a free ShareASale account and apply to individual merchant programs.
• Commission Rate: Varies by merchant, from 4% to over 50%.
• Cookie Duration: Set by each individual merchant.
• Best For: Beginners who want access to many brands through one dashboard.
• Key Insight: Because approval is per-merchant, new affiliates should apply to several complementary brands at once to build a diversified income stream.

24. CJ Affiliate

CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction) is one of the oldest and largest affiliate networks, hosting major brands across retail, travel, and finance.

• How to Start: Apply for a free CJ Publisher account, then apply to individual advertiser programs.
• Commission Rate: Varies significantly by advertiser.
• Cookie Duration: Set by each advertiser.
• Best For: Established content creators seeking access to enterprise-level brands.
• Key Insight: CJ’s application process for individual brands can be more selective than smaller networks, so a polished site helps approval odds.

25. Rakuten Advertising

Rakuten Advertising is a major affiliate network hosting well-known retail and lifestyle brands.

• How to Start: Apply for a free Rakuten publisher account.
• Commission Rate: Varies by advertiser.
• Cookie Duration: Typically 1–30 days, depending on the brand.
• Best For: Retail, fashion, and lifestyle bloggers.
• Key Insight: Rakuten’s dashboard makes it easy to compare commission rates across competing brands in the same category before choosing which to promote.

26. Impact

Impact is a modern affiliate and partnership platform used by brands like Shopify, Semrush, Canva, Airbnb, and Uber.

• How to Start: Create a free Impact account and apply to individual brand programs listed on the marketplace.
• Commission Rate: Varies by brand.
• Cookie Duration: Set by each individual brand.
• Best For: Creators promoting SaaS, tech, and modern DTC brands.
• Key Insight: Impact’s marketplace search tool makes it one of the faster ways to discover new, less-saturated programs in your niche.

27. Awin

Awin is a global affiliate network giving access to over 30,000 brand programs, including Etsy, ASOS, and Under Armour.

• How to Start: Apply for an Awin account (a refundable $5 deposit is required).
• Commission Rate: Varies by brand.
• Cookie Duration: Typically 30 days, though it varies by advertiser.
• Best For: Global creators wanting one network with international brand coverage.
• Key Insight: The small deposit filters out low-effort applicants, which can mean less competition for approval compared to free networks.

28. ClickBank

ClickBank specializes in digital products — courses, ebooks, and software — and is known for some of the highest commission percentages in affiliate marketing.

• How to Start: Create a free ClickBank account and browse the marketplace for products to promote.
• Commission Rate: Up to 75% on qualifying digital products.
• Cookie Duration: Typically 60 days, though it varies by vendor.
• Best For: Content creators in self-improvement, health, and online business niches.
• Key Insight: Because ClickBank hosts independently created products of varying quality, vetting a product’s refund rate and sales page before promoting it protects your audience’s trust.

Creator & Brand Ambassador Platforms

29. LTK (LikeToKnow.it)

LTK is a shopping app built specifically for content creators to turn their outfit and product recommendations into shoppable links.

• How to Start: Apply through the LTK Creator app; approval typically requires an existing social following.
• Commission Rate: Typically 5–20%, varying by retailer.
• Cookie Duration: Varies by connected retailer.
• Best For: Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle Instagram/TikTok creators.
• Key Insight: LTK connects you to hundreds of retailers through one profile, making it one of the most efficient tools for creators who don’t want to manage dozens of separate affiliate accounts.

30. ShopMy

ShopMy is a fast-growing creator commerce platform that connects influencers directly with brands seeking ambassadors.

• How to Start: Apply for a free ShopMy creator account and browse available brand partnerships.
• Commission Rate: Varies by brand, often 10–20%.
• Cookie Duration: Varies by brand.
• Best For: Emerging creators looking for direct brand ambassador opportunities, not just affiliate links.
• Key Insight: ShopMy has grown quickly among mid-size creators because brands often reach out directly with ambassador offers, rather than requiring creators to apply cold.

How to Start Promoting Products in 4 Steps

Step 1: Choose your platform and niche. Pick one platform you already use, a blog, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, and focus on a niche where you can speak with genuine authority.

Step 2: Apply to 3–5 relevant affiliate programs. Start with programs that match your niche and have beginner-friendly approval, like Amazon Associates, Awin, or ShareASale.

Step 3: Create honest, helpful content. Reviews, tutorials, and comparison posts convert far better than generic “buy this” posts because they build trust before the ask.

Step 4: Track performance and optimize. Use each program’s dashboard to see which links and content formats convert best, then double down on what’s working.

Disclaimers and FTC Compliance

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires clear, upfront disclosure whenever you’re paid or given free products to promote something.

This means adding a simple statement like “This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you” near the top of your content, not buried in fine print. Disclosures must also appear directly on social media posts, not just linked in a bio.

Failing to disclose isn’t just an ethics issue, it can get your account suspended by the affiliate network and result in FTC penalties for the brand and the creator. When in doubt, disclose clearly and disclose early.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are companies that will pay you to promote their products called?
These are typically called affiliate programs or brand ambassador programs. Affiliate programs pay a commission per sale or lead, while ambassador programs may pay flat fees or send free products in exchange for content, regardless of direct sales.

How much can beginners realistically earn promoting products?
Most beginners earn $0–$100 per month in their first 3–6 months while building an audience and content library. Earnings scale significantly after 12+ months of consistent content, with experienced affiliates earning anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars monthly.

How is affiliate marketing different from being a brand ambassador?
Affiliate marketing pays per sale generated through a tracked link, while brand ambassador roles often involve a flat fee, free products, or a longer-term partnership regardless of individual sales. Many creators do both simultaneously.

What’s trending in affiliate marketing for 2026?
As of 2026, creator-first shopping platforms like LTK and ShopMy are growing faster than traditional affiliate networks, as brands increasingly seek direct relationships with influencers over anonymous link-based tracking.

Final Thoughts

Getting started with companies that will pay you to promote their products doesn’t require fame, followers in the millions, or upfront investment, just a platform, some patience, and honest content.

Three things to remember: pick programs that genuinely match your niche, always disclose your partnerships, and focus on helpful content over hard selling. Commissions and cookie windows matter, but trust with your audience is what actually drives long-term income.

Start today by applying to two or three programs from this list that fit your content, and publish your first honest review or recommendation this week.