I spent my first year in affiliate marketing signing up for every program I could find. Most of them rejected me. The ones that accepted me paid pennies. Looking back, I was solving the wrong problem. The easiest program to join is not always the best one to promote. Here is what actually matters.
Why “Easy to Join” Is the Wrong Filter
Most beginners ask this question because they want to start fast. That makes sense. But the programs with zero barriers often have zero support too.
Think about it this way. A program that accepts anyone usually pays low commissions. They can afford to because they have thousands of affiliates promoting them. Your individual success does not matter to them.
The better question is: which program gives me the best chance of actually making money as a complete beginner?
That depends on three things:
- How fast you get approved
- How much you earn per sale
- How much help you get after joining
Let me break down the top options by those three factors.
The 5 Easiest Affiliate Programs for Complete Beginners
1. Amazon Associates
Amazon accepts almost everyone. You sign up, get your links, and start sharing them immediately. There is a 180-day window to make your first 3 sales. If you do not hit that number, they close your account. But you can reapply the same day.
Commission: 1% to 10% depending on product category.
Best for: People who already create content about physical products. Review blogs, YouTube channels, comparison sites.
Downside: Commissions are low. A $50 product earns you $2-5. You need volume to make real money here. The cookie window is only 24 hours.
2. ClickBank
ClickBank is a marketplace for digital products. Ebooks, courses, software, health supplements. No application needed for most products. You create an account and start promoting the same day.
Commission: 50% to 75% on most digital products.
Best for: People willing to start affiliate marketing with no money using free traffic methods like SEO or social media.
Downside: Product quality varies wildly. Some products have high refund rates. You need to vet what you promote or your audience will lose trust.
3. Digistore24
Similar to ClickBank but with better product curation. European-based but works globally. Instant approval. Clean dashboard. Good reporting.
Commission: 30% to 70%.
Best for: Beginners in the make-money-online, health, and self-improvement niches.
Downside: Smaller product selection than ClickBank. Payment threshold is $50 minimum.
4. ShareASale
ShareASale connects you with thousands of merchants across nearly every niche. Fashion, tech, home, finance, fitness. The approval process is merchant-by-merchant. Some accept instantly. Others review your website first.
Commission: Varies by merchant. Typically 5% to 30%.
Best for: Bloggers and content creators who already have a website with some content. Check out our guide on how to get approved for affiliate programs if you keep getting rejected.
Downside: Some merchants have strict requirements. You need a functioning website to get accepted by the better programs on the platform.
5. OLSP System (Done-for-You Affiliate Marketing)
This is different from the other options. OLSP is not just an affiliate program. It is a complete system that gives you the funnels, the training, the email sequences, and the products to promote all in one place.
Commission: Recurring commissions plus one-time bonuses.
Best for: Beginners who want a done-for-you affiliate marketing system instead of figuring everything out alone.
Downside: You are promoting the system itself, which limits your niche flexibility.
Start with one program. Not five. If you have no website and no audience, start with ClickBank or the OLSP system where everything is built for you. If you already write content about products people buy, Amazon Associates makes sense. The worst thing you can do is spread yourself across six programs and master none of them.
What Actually Makes You Money After You Join
Getting approved is step one. It is the easiest step. The hard part is what comes next.
Here is what separates affiliates who earn from those who quit:
They pick one program and go deep. Instead of juggling five dashboards, they learn one product inside and out. They create content around that product. They build trust with a specific audience.
They focus on traffic before everything else. The best affiliate link in the world earns nothing if nobody clicks it. Whether you choose SEO, YouTube, or social media, you need a traffic source you will stick with for 6 to 12 months. Our guide on free traffic for affiliate marketing covers the best options for beginners.
They track what works. Even basic tracking tells you which content drives clicks and which falls flat. That data lets you double down on what works instead of guessing. Learn more about how to track your affiliate links without expensive software.
Programs to Avoid as a Beginner
Not every affiliate program is worth your time. Skip these when starting out:
- Programs requiring minimum traffic: If they want 10,000 monthly visitors, you are not there yet. Come back later.
- Programs with 90-day payment delays: You need early wins to stay motivated. Wait three months for your first $20 and you will quit.
- Programs selling low-quality products: One refund request destroys more trust than ten sales build. Promote things you would actually use.
- Programs with no tracking dashboard: If you cannot see your clicks and conversions in real time, you cannot improve.
How to Get Accepted Even With No Experience
Some programs review your application. Here is how to get approved even when you are brand new:
- Have a website with at least 5 posts. They do not need to be perfect. They need to show you are serious and creating content in a relevant niche.
- Write a clear application. Explain how you plan to promote their products. Mention your traffic strategy (SEO, email, social media).
- Match your niche to their products. A fitness blog applying to a software affiliate program looks random. Apply to programs that fit your content.
- Start with the easy ones first. Build a track record on Amazon or ClickBank. Then use that experience when applying to selective programs.
For a deeper walkthrough, read our complete guide on how to get approved for affiliate programs even as a total beginner.
The Bottom Line
The easiest affiliate program to get into depends on what you need right now.
Need instant approval with physical products? Amazon Associates.
Want high commissions on digital products? ClickBank or Digistore24.
Want a complete system that does the heavy lifting? The OLSP system gives you funnels, training, and products in one place.
The program you join matters less than what you do after joining. Pick one. Learn it. Create content around it. Stay consistent for 90 days before judging your results. That is how beginners make their first affiliate sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
ClickBank pays weekly once you hit $50 in commissions. Amazon Associates pays monthly, roughly 60 days after the end of the month you earned in. For fastest payouts, ClickBank and Digistore24 are your best options as a beginner.
Not always. Amazon Associates, ClickBank, and Digistore24 let you sign up without a website. You can promote through social media, YouTube, or email. However, having a simple blog gives you more credibility and helps you get accepted by selective programs later.
Yes. There is no rule against it. But spreading yourself too thin is the number one mistake beginners make. Start with one program, learn how to drive traffic and convert clicks into sales, then expand to a second program once you have consistent results.
Zero for most programs. Amazon Associates, ClickBank, ShareASale, and Digistore24 do not require minimum traffic to join. However, you will need traffic to earn. Focus on creating content that ranks in search engines or builds an audience on one platform before expecting commissions.
Yes. The industry continues to grow because companies prefer paying for results over paying for ads upfront. What has changed is the quality bar. Generic content no longer works. Beginners who pick a specific niche, create genuinely helpful content, and stay consistent for 6 to 12 months still see real results.