Finding the right software affiliate network enables affiliates to earn money by advertising reputable brands and high-quality products, while also allowing brands to promote their products to a larger audience more affordably. The best affiliate networks host high-demand products, attractive commission models, and marketing support, presenting a lucrative opportunity. Revpanda showcases the top software affiliate programs and networks, and why you should consider this business model.
What Are Affiliate Software Networks and How Do They Work?
Most software affiliate programs fall under the sub-affiliate program model. Sub-affiliates provide service and support to both affiliates and brands. They help affiliates monetise their social media, website, or blog on a cost-per-action basis while acting as the affiliate of record in a brand’s affiliate program. These programs provide centralised communications, reporting, payments, and link-building to affiliates on their platforms. Instead of having affiliates join their own affiliate programs, brands partner with sub affiliate networks. These networks act as hubs that connect publishers, like bloggers, with brands.
The sub-affiliate programs work through brand partnerships by joining the brand’s affiliate program. Once accepted, the sub-affiliate network gets promotional materials from the brand. The sub-affiliate program then provides these resources to the affiliates on the platform. If a sub-affiliate drives a conversion for the brand, the brand compensates the sub-affiliate program.
Consequently, the sub-affiliate program transfers a significant portion of the compensation to the responsible affiliate. However, different sub-affiliates take different portions of the sale, thus, before partnering, an affiliate should understand the commission split. Sub-affiliates allow both brands and affiliates to scale their businesses efficiently.
How Can Affiliates Benefit from Affiliate Software Programs?
Software affiliate programs provide affiliates with a cost-effective way of monetising their content. Joining an affiliate program allows an affiliate to work on topics they enjoy while earning a living. Once an affiliate joins an affiliate network, they get access to a dashboard that shows the performance of each affiliate campaign in their affiliate marketing efforts, allowing them to adjust strategies accordingly.
Setting up an affiliate link on your website is free. The most significant benefit of affiliate networks to affiliates is their flexibility. They allow content creators to be freelancers or work full-time or part-time. Also, affiliates get to choose the products they promote to their audience. Success in this business model requires access to the internet and a computer, coupled with good affiliate marketing efforts.
Advantages of Affiliate Software Programs
Using software affiliate programs has numerous advantages. Firstly, it’s a lucrative market. Considering that most software affiliate programs do not require affiliates to write professional reviews, create hyperlinks, or design banner ads, affiliates only need to focus on quality content creation and market the software to the right audience. All the tools an affiliate needs for campaigns, such as marketing material, are provided. Although affiliates rarely handle anything for the brands they promote, they get an opportunity to develop valuable partnerships in the long term.
Diverse Product Selection
Affiliate software products cater to different industries and niches. Therefore, whether your niche is technology, design, business or any other, the software industry has products that align with your audience’s interests. Affiliate programs have a diverse selection of affiliate software products, allowing you to promote relevant software and increasing the likelihood of earning commissions. In addition, software affiliate programs often have a higher commission rate than most affiliate programs offering products in many other niches.
Earning Potential with Recurring Revenue Models
The software niche is arguably the best affiliate marketing program in terms of revenue share. Most software products, especially those with a subscription model, provide affiliate marketers with the best opportunity for recurring commissions. In general, the recurring commission varies between 20% and 50%. Unlike one-time commission models, where an affiliate earns a commission for each successful sale, recurring revenue models offer the potential for a steady income as long as the referred customers continue their subscriptions. This results in a stable and predictable income stream for an affiliate marketer.
Access to Marketing Resources and Support
Usually, software affiliate programs offer affiliates necessary marketing materials like banners, email templates, and landing pages. In addition, they give affiliates the support and resources they need to succeed in their affiliate marketing campaigns. It becomes easier for affiliates to create compelling content that drives conversions. Besides, the best affiliate programs provide advanced marketing tools to improve your affiliate marketing strategies. The tools help you manage promotional content such as widgets and banners to optimise conversions and potentially outperform others in the industry.
Performance Tracking and Analytics Tools
Most affiliate programs provide real-time data-tracking capabilities. These allow affiliates to monitor the performance of their affiliate marketing campaigns. If you promote different software, the affiliate management platform will give you access to the different statistics. The statistics will show which software referral program performs best, your affiliate sales, the number of effective affiliate links and your audience data. The analytics will help optimise your campaigns and will save you time by avoiding inefficacious strategies.
18 Best Affiliate Marketing Software Programs
Selecting the right affiliate program is an essential factor that underpins the success of the affiliate marketing business model. The best software affiliate programs make it simple for affiliates to make money from their blogs or websites. To establish profitable and convenient software affiliate partnerships, an affiliate must evaluate different platforms, considering factors such as ease of use, commission rates, diversity of product catalogue, and the platform application and acceptance process. We handpicked the best affiliate networks and programs in the software niche to help you avoid the hassle.
InviteReferrals
InviteReferrals is a powerful referral marketing software that enables businesses to grow through customer referrals. It offers a complete referral strategy that covers various events like sharing, subscribing, registration, installation, sales, and conversion.
Our Verdict About InviteReferrals
InviteReferrals is a versatile and powerful tool for businesses looking to leverage referral marketing. It offers a comprehensive suite of features, including in-depth analytics and multi-platform support, making it an excellent choice for businesses of various sizes. However, it has a steep learning curve and limited templates, which may be challenging for beginners.
Top FeaturesSupports multiple platforms, in-depth analytics, fully customisable campaigns, multi-referral and social sharing options
Pros
Cons
14-day free trialDetailed data analyticsCustomisable campaignsSimple third-party app integration
Limited templatesSteep learning curve
Post Affiliate Pro
Post Affiliate Pro is a comprehensive affiliate marketing software that offers a range of analytics and promotional tools. It supports various payment models, including commission per sale, per click, and recurring commissions.
Our Verdict About Post Affiliate Pro
Post Affiliate Pro is a robust platform ideal for businesses looking to manage affiliates or create an affiliate network. It offers a wide range of features, including advanced tracking methods and detailed reports. However, it comes with relatively high costs and may not be beginner-friendly.
Best ForAffiliate networks for small and medium-sized businesses
Top FeaturesPromotional materials, robust reports and analytics, advanced tracking methods
Pros
Cons
Free trial24/7 customer supportCloud software with free updates170+ ready integrations
Relatively high costsNot beginner-friendly
Affise Reach
Affise is a comprehensive affiliate marketing solution designed for affiliate networks and digital agencies. It offers tools like automation, advanced analytics, and anti-fraud capabilities, making it easier to manage and expand affiliate partnerships.
Our Verdict About Affise
Affise is a powerful platform for affiliate networks and agencies looking to scale their marketing efforts. It offers advanced features like performance marketing and anti-fraud capabilities, but it comes with a steep learning curve and relatively high pricing.
Best ForBusinesses that want to manage and expand their affiliate partnerships
Top FeaturesPerformance marketing, automation, in-depth reports and analytics, anti-fraud capabilities
Pros
Cons
User-friendly interfacePerformance-based marketingSupports different software nichesPartnership automation
Relatively high pricesSteep learning curve
Income Access
Income Access is a well-established affiliate marketing platform that specializes in iGaming, Forex, and lottery industries. The platform offers comprehensive tracking and reporting tools, as well as affiliate management and digital marketing services.
Our Verdict About Income Access
Income Access is a trusted platform for businesses in the iGaming and Forex sectors. It offers excellent tracking and reporting tools, but the user interface is outdated, and public pricing information is not available.
Niche/Product TypesAffiliate marketing software for iGaming, Forex, Lottery
Average Commission RateN/A
Cookie DurationN/A
PricingNot available
Best ForBusinesses in the iGaming, lottery, and Forex industries
Top FeaturesAdvanced tracking and reporting, commission management, affiliate management
Pros
Cons
Comprehensive affiliate softwareRecognised worldwideExcellent tracking and reportingEasy integration
Outdated user interfacePublic pricing information not available
FraudScore
FraudScore is an anti-fraud platform that helps ad networks and agencies clean up traffic by identifying and eliminating fraudulent sources. The platform supports various traffic types and provides detailed reports and smart rejection features to ensure cleaner performance data.
Our Verdict About FraudScore
FraudScore is a highly effective anti-fraud platform that offers detailed traffic analysis and smart rejection features. It’s a valuable tool for ad networks and agencies, though it has limited payment methods.
PayKickstart is a global solution for checkout, recurring billing, affiliate management, and retention. The platform allows businesses to create and manage affiliate programs and offers a variety of pricing models and payment methods.
Our Verdict About PayKickstart
PayKickstart is a versatile platform that supports various pricing models and payment methods, making it ideal for course creators and SaaS businesses. It’s easy to set up and use, but there’s no lifetime pricing option.
Niche/Product TypesCheckout, billing, and affiliate management software
Average Commission RateN/A
Cookie DurationN/A
PricingStarter $99/month
Best ForCourse creators, software, and SaaS businesses
Top FeaturesAffiliate management, subscription management, reporting and analytics, support integrations
Pros
Cons
Simple to set upFlexible pricing modelsScalable solutionAffiliate marketing friendly
No lifetime pricing
LeadDyno
LeadDyno is an affiliate program management and tracking software that offers a wide range of features, including affiliate recruitment, management, and mass payouts. It’s ideal for businesses in the SaaS, lifestyle, and health niches.
Our Verdict About LeadDyno
LeadDyno is a versatile platform that offers extensive features for managing affiliates and tracking performance. However, the platform has been criticized for poor customer service.
Niche/Product TypesAffiliate management and tracking software
Average Commission RateN/A
Cookie DurationN/A
PricingLite $49/month
Best ForBusinesses in the SaaS, lifestyle, and health niches
Top FeaturesAffiliate recruitment, affiliate management, mass payouts, lead conversion, reporting & analytics
Pros
Cons
Reasonable pricingEasy to understandSeamless integrationDiverse features
Poor customer service
Voluum
Voluum is an ad-tracking platform that integrates with over 70 ad platforms. It offers advanced tracking and optimization features, making it ideal for affiliate marketers at both individual and business levels.
Our Verdict About Voluum
Voluum is a powerful ad-tracking platform that integrates with a wide range of ad platforms. It offers advanced features but comes with high pricing and no free plan.
Niche/Product TypesAd tracking and optimization software
Average Commission RateN/A
Cookie DurationN/A
PricingIndividual $199/month
Best ForAffiliate marketers, both at an individual and business level
Top FeaturesAd tracking and optimization, automation of affiliate marketing
Pros
Cons
Integrates with 70+ traffic sourcesAdvanced ad trackingSupports individual and business accountsMobile app
Expensive pricingNo free plan
AffiliateWP
AffiliateWP is a WordPress plugin that helps businesses create and manage affiliate programs. It offers features like advanced tracking, multi-tier commissions, and 1-click payouts.
Our Verdict About AffiliateWP
AffiliateWP is an excellent choice for businesses running on WordPress. It offers advanced tracking and a wide range of features, but it’s limited to WordPress.
Advanced affiliate trackingDiverse payment methodsSupports 30+ languagesGood customer support
Only for WordPress
PartnerStack
PartnerStack is a B2B network for SaaS companies, offering a wide range of tools for managing partnerships and earning commissions. It supports multi-currency payouts and offers strong analytics and tracking tools.
Our Verdict About PartnerStack
PartnerStack is an excellent platform for SaaS companies looking to manage partnerships and scale their revenue. It offers a wide range of features but is dedicated solely to B2B SaaS, which may limit its appeal to other industries.
Top FeaturesAutomatic partner payments, partner analytics, multiple marketing channels
Pros
Cons
Easy setupAttractive user interfaceGood customer serviceSupports multiple payment methods
Dedicated to B2B SaaSDifficult to navigate
Referral Rock
Referral Rock is a referral and partner program software that supports small to medium-sized businesses. It offers fast setup, built-in landing pages, and real-time metrics, making it ideal for businesses looking to launch referral programs quickly.
Our Verdict About Referral Rock
Referral Rock is an excellent choice for businesses looking to quickly launch referral programs. It offers a wide range of features and integrations but may have minor functionality errors.
Fast setupPrebuilt marketing templatesDedicated member portalBuilt-in reporting
Minor functionality errors
UpPromote
UpPromote is an e-commerce affiliate network that provides tools for building and managing affiliate programs. It supports multi-store integration and offers dynamic commission structures, making it ideal for Shopify merchants.
Our Verdict About UpPromote
UpPromote is a user-friendly and affordable platform for Shopify merchants looking to build and manage affiliate programs. However, it has a limited user interface and payment options.
Top FeaturesDynamic commission structure, multi-level marketing, tracking and management
Pros
Cons
Easy to useOffers affiliates marketplaceMulti-language supportGood customer support
Not a great UILimited payment options
AiTrillion
AiTrillion is an all-in-one marketing platform that combines various marketing channels, including email marketing, SMS marketing, and loyalty programs. It’s ideal for marketing managers and store owners looking to streamline their online marketing efforts.
Our Verdict About AiTrillion
AiTrillion offers excellent value for online businesses looking to manage their marketing efforts in one place. However, the user interface is outdated.
Easy to useResponsive customer supportOffers multiple featuresValue for money
Outdated user interface
Tapfiliate
Tapfiliate is an affiliate marketing software that supports SaaS, e-commerce sites, and online services. It offers accurate tracking, flexible commission structures, and customisation options, making it ideal for businesses looking to expand their reach.
Our Verdict About Tapfiliate
Tapfiliate is a successful affiliate management software that integrates with popular e-commerce solutions. It’s affordable and easy to use but has limited language support.
Best ForE-commerce merchants interested in expanding their reach
Top FeaturesAccurate tracking, flexible commissions, real-time reporting, automation, and customisation
Pros
Cons
Affordable with a free trialEasy to set and useCustomisable interfaceGood customer support
Limited language support
TUNE
TUNE is a partner marketing platform that helps businesses manage marketing efforts on the web and mobile. It offers advanced automation, real-time data streaming, and fraud prevention, making it ideal for advertisers and networks.
Our Verdict About TUNE
TUNE is a powerful platform for managing performance-based marketing efforts. It offers a wide range of features but lacks pricing models and has a cluttered user interface.
Best ForAffiliates promoting performance-based marketing software
Top FeaturesAdvanced automation, real-time data streaming, infinite scalability, fraud prevention
Pros
Cons
User-friendly interfaceFeature-rich platformSupports advertisers and networks
Lack of pricing modelsCluttered user interface
Freedom
Freedom is a software that helps users block digital distractions to enhance productivity. It supports multiple devices and platforms, making it ideal for professionals like writers, students, and marketers.
Our Verdict About Freedom
Freedom is an effective tool for blocking distractions and improving productivity. It offers a high commission rate and long cookie duration but operates in a low ROI niche.
Best ForWriters, students, executives, marketers, software developers, and researchers
Top FeaturesScheduling focused sessions, sync blocks across devices
Pros
Cons
High commission rateLong cookie durationMarketing materials
Low ROI niche
My Choice Software
My Choice Software is an online retailer that offers a wide range of software products, including Microsoft Office and antivirus software. Its affiliate program provides competitive commissions and dedicated support for B2B audiences.
Our Verdict About My Choice Software
My Choice Software is a trusted retailer of top productivity software products. It offers a variety of products and competitive commissions but is limited to B2B products.
Dedicated affiliate managersCompetitive commissionsVariety of products
B2B products only
Phonexa
Phonexa is a marketing attribution platform that helps businesses manage strategic partnerships and optimise lead generation. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for tracking, automation, and reporting.
Our Verdict About Phonexa
Phonexa is a comprehensive marketing attribution platform that offers a wide range of tools for tracking and optimizing campaigns. It’s relatively affordable but lacks a free trial.
Criteria to Choose the Best Affiliate Program for Software
Globally, software products are in high demand thanks to living in a digital world. According to Statista, revenue in the software market is projected to reach over $698 billion in 2024. By tapping into this demand, an affiliate can promote the right software products and services to their audience and earn commissions. While compiling the top software affiliate programs, we considered several factors. The goal was to ensure we recommended the best possible affiliate programs based on your affiliate marketing needs. Here are the factors we recommend an affiliate consider before joining any software affiliate network.
1
Commission Structure and Rates
The first thing to consider in an affiliate program is its commission structure. Look for an affiliate marketing program that provides competitive and fair commission rates. Some top affiliate programs provide a flat fee but most offer a percentage of the revenue. The best affiliate programs offer recurring commissions, which earn affiliates a share of the ongoing revenue from the subscription. Double-check an affiliate program to understand how it calculates its commissions for successful marketing campaigns. To maximise your profit, the higher the affiliate commission rate, the better. Also, check if the affiliate program supports your preferred payment methods.
2
Target Audience Fit
Before you dive into an affiliate program, ensure the software products the affiliate program offers resonate well with your audience and niche needs and preferences. Choose software affiliate partners that address your audience’s unique challenges or enhance their experience in that niche. The best software affiliate programs allow you to promote products that align with your content, resulting in genuine recommendations that increase the likelihood of conversions from your affiliate campaigns.
3
Reputation of the Network and Affiliate Program
As an affiliate, research the reputation of the software affiliate program in the affiliate marketing community. Make sure the affiliate program you join offers a robust network of reputable vendors. This will positively impact your affiliate marketing efforts and the products you promote. Reputable affiliate marketers result in quality traffic and conversions. Some ways of establishing the reputation of what an affiliate program offers are by reading its reviews and seeking recommendations from businesses to gauge the program’s reliability. By doing this, you establish the reliability of the software as well as customer support and overall satisfaction.
4
Compliance and Regulations
Several regulations and best practices, such as data protection and privacy laws, underpin affiliate marketing. Thus, consider the regulations or compliance standards that apply to the software. Ensure the program complies with relevant regulations, especially in industries with strict legal requirements. It will help avoid potential legal problems and sustain the trust of your audience. Understand the terms and conditions of the affiliate program since some restrict the use of promotional techniques such as email marketing and paid ads.
5
Customisation and Scalability
Ensure the software affiliate program features and customisation capabilities align with the needs of your business. Some things to look out for include advanced tracking, reporting, marketing material distribution, affiliate onboarding, and commission management. The customisation options let you adapt the software to your unique needs and brand identity. Also, assess the scalability of the affiliate program to determine if it accommodates the growth of your business without limitations or additional costs. Software affiliate programs that adapt to various business sizes or specialised requirements have a broader appeal.
6
Integration Capabilities
Establish if the affiliate marketing software integrates with your existing systems and tools. Compatibility and ease of integration are significant selling point for certain industries. Thus, look for compatibility with your platform, CRM systems, email marketing software and payment gateways. Integration capabilities in software affiliate programs facilitate automation and smooth data flow, resulting in positive collaboration between affiliates and their internal teams.
Final Thoughts on Software Affiliate Networks
With thousands of software affiliate partners available, choosing the right one is not easy, and we have covered the most important factors to consider while choosing one. Revpanda, a leading digital marketing agency with years of experience, has evaluated and identified the 18 best software affiliate programs from which both affiliate marketers and brands can benefit. Check our list of top software affiliate programs and choose the ones with the most suitable products for your target audience. Invest in original content to engage people and grow your income.
If you need help, contact our marketing professionals to get a consultation on how you can optimise your marketing campaigns and increase conversion rates!
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Yes. Promoting software as an affiliate can be extremely profitable, especially when partnering with membership based sites. Often, in such cases, software affiliates earn recurring commissions.
It would be best to have software that lets you track commissions and create custom affiliate links. Depending on whether you want to promote a single product or many products, you can choose to use an affiliate program or network. An affiliate network hosts many products to monitor and analyse your campaigns on one platform.
You need affiliate management software to create an affiliate marketing program. The software allows you to create affiliate links, track affiliate performance, and make payments to marketers. Affiliate management software helps free up time for high-impact tasks.
A good software affiliate programme is determined by a variety of factors. Some examples include commission models, marketing materials, monitoring and analysis tools, product variety offered, and brand reliability. Affiliates should also consider the suitability of the products they market to their target audience in order to maximise the effectiveness of their campaigns.
