Affiliate Marketing Tools for Creators and Brands
Affiliate marketing tools come in four kinds: programmes run by platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Amazon, affiliate networks, creator commerce programmes, and software brands use to run a programme of their own. Creators who sell through social posts mostly need the first three plus a link tagger; brands need software, a network or both. Everyone needs a clear disclosure.
Commission deals are one pay model in an influencer marketing strategy. Tools are described from their own pages, alphabetically, not ranked, with no commission rates: sellers and programmes set those.
Table of Contents
- Which affiliate marketing tools do creators and brands use?
- Can you do affiliate marketing without a website?
- Which networks and creator programmes can you join?
- What is the best affiliate marketing software for brands?
- How do you track affiliate links on social media?
- How do you add affiliate disclosures?
- Is Outfeed an affiliate marketing tool?
- Affiliate marketing tools FAQ
Which affiliate marketing tools do creators and brands use?
Creators mostly use platform and creator commerce programmes, brands use programme software, and networks serve both:
| Kind | Examples | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Platform affiliate programmes | TikTok Shop, Instagram and Facebook affiliate partnerships, YouTube Shopping, Amazon Associates | Creators selling through their own posts |
| Affiliate networks | Awin (now including ShareASale), CJ, impact.com, Rakuten Advertising | Brands and their partners |
| Creator commerce programmes | Later’s creator programme, LTK, ShopMy | Creators earning commission on links |
| Programme software | PartnerStack, Refersion, Rewardful | Brands running their own programme |
Can you do affiliate marketing without a website?
Yes. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube run affiliate programmes in their apps, each with its own rules.
- TikTok Shop (US): US-based creators aged 18+ Checked against TikTok Shop Seller University (US): Creator Eligibility Policy apply with at least 1,000 followers to promote Product Marketplace items; Checked against TikTok Shop Seller University (US): Creator Eligibility Policy under 5,000, they start in a pilot with posting caps for at least 30 days, Checked against TikTok Shop Seller University (US): Creator Eligibility Policy and each seller sets its products’ commission. Checked against TikTok Shop Seller University (US): Setting Up Affiliate Collaborations Other markets differ; see the TikTok affiliate program.
- Instagram: affiliate partnerships, rolling out gradually, let creators aged 18+ with a public professional account of over 1,000 followers in a supported market, who comply with Meta’s monetization and Partner Monetization Policies, add partner programmes’ product links to reels and feed posts; the partner, not Meta, pays. Checked against Instagram Help Center: About affiliate partnerships on Instagram Checked against Instagram Help Center: About affiliate partnerships on Instagram See the Instagram affiliate program.
- Facebook: creators connect an eligible affiliate account and add affiliate links to posts and reels; each partner programme sets its own follower, age and country rules. Checked against Meta Business Help Center: Promote products and earn commissions from Facebook affiliate partnerships
- YouTube: the Shopping affiliate program invites Partner Program channels that meet “the subscriber threshold for YPP”, are based in one of 14 listed countries and aren’t music or made-for-kids channels. Checked against YouTube Help: YouTube Shopping affiliate program overview & eligibility YouTube affiliate marketing covers tagging.
Amazon Associates is different: Amazon says it is for bloggers, publishers and content creators with a qualifying website or mobile app, and new associates must refer three qualifying sales within 180 days before review. Checked against Amazon Associates Central home page Checked against Amazon Associates Central Help: application review Its Influencer Program gives creators an Amazon storefront for products they recommend in YouTube videos or Instagram pictures. Checked against Amazon Associates Central Help: What's the Amazon Influencer Program?
Which networks and creator programmes can you join?
Networks connect many brands with many partners; creator programmes give creators links, shops and brand deals. Networks first:
- Awin, which has owned ShareASale since 2017 and now launches new customers directly, Checked against shareasale.com: ShareASale Is Now Awin has sign-up paths for advertisers, creators and influencers, affiliate partners and agencies. Checked against Awin home page (US) Its US advertiser plans start at $49/month plus a 3.5% tracking fee per transaction, with partner commissions on top. Checked against Awin: Pricing & Plans (US)
- CJ describes itself as a partnership-based performance marketing network for brands, publishers, agencies and creators. Checked against CJ.com home page
- impact.com runs a marketplace that creators, influencers and publishers can join, beside its Performance, Creator and Advocate products. Checked against impact.com: Sign Up & Get Started
- Rakuten Advertising describes itself as a global affiliate network of curated publishers, from payment programmes to influencers. Checked against Rakuten Advertising home page
Creator programmes:
- Later says its creator programme is free and open to anyone with an active social presence for affiliate links, while its brand campaigns typically need 5,000+ engaged followers. Checked against Later: Influencer Creator Program
- LTK, which now includes rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it, is a creator commerce platform and shopping app where approved creators earn commission on sales from their content. Checked against LTK: Company
- ShopMy says it gives approved creators digital shops, affiliate links and brand partnerships. Checked against ShopMy: Monetize Your Influence
What is the best affiliate marketing software for brands?
The one built for how you sell. Such software tracks and pays your affiliates, and some also help recruit them.
- PartnerStack says it is a partner platform for B2B companies to recruit, enable, track and pay affiliate, influencer, co-sell and customer-referral partners; Checked against PartnerStack home page Growth and Enterprise plans are priced in a demo by programme size, features and support. Checked against PartnerStack: Pricing See also B2B influencer marketing.
- Refersion is affiliate-tracking software for e-commerce brands, with a free marketplace listing, a first-party tracking domain and one-click payouts including PayPal. Checked against Refersion: Affiliate Management Pricing (plan features) Launch is $39/month plus 3% of affiliate-driven sales and Growth $199/month plus 2% ($29 and $159 a month billed yearly). Checked against Refersion: Affiliate Management Pricing
- Rewardful is affiliate and referral software for SaaS companies, built on a native Stripe integration. Checked against Rewardful home page Starter is $49/month for up to $7,500 a month in affiliate-attributed revenue, Growth $99/month for up to $15,000, and Enterprise from $149/month, each with a 14-day free trial and no transaction fee. Checked against Rewardful: Pricing
How do you track affiliate links on social media?
The programme tracks sales through its own links and codes; for links to your own site, add UTM parameters. Google Analytics says to always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign, Checked against Google Analytics Help: URL builders: Collect campaign data with custom URLs and recommends lowercase values, since they are case-sensitive. Checked against Google Analytics Help: URL builders: Collect campaign data with custom URLs The free UTM generator builds tagged links.
YouTube’s terms forbid routing traffic from outside YouTube to merchants through your YouTube affiliate links,
Checked against YouTube Help: YouTube Shopping affiliate program overview & eligibility and on a website you control, Google asks for affiliate links to be marked rel="sponsored".
Checked against Google Search Central Blog: A reminder on qualifying links and our link spam update (26 July 2021)
How do you add affiliate disclosures?
Clearly, next to the link or recommendation. In the US, FTC staff’s June 2023 FAQ says “affiliate link” on its own isn’t adequate, while “paid link” right next to the link should be. Checked against FTC: FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking Checked against FTC: FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking The UK’s CAP and CMA influencer guide (2023) treats affiliate content as advertising and says a general note that “some” links “might” earn commission is not sufficient, Checked against CAP and CMA: Influencers' guide to making clear that ads are ads (3rd edition, 2023), p. 5 and Canada’s Ad Standards 2025 guidelines suggest #affiliate, #AffiliateLink or #CommissionEarned. Checked against Ad Standards: Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines (Update: Fall 2025), pp. 7, 26
Platforms and programmes add their own: Instagram asks for its paid partnership label on posts with third-party affiliate links, Checked against Instagram Help Center: What is considered branded content TikTok’s Branded Content Policy, in effect since 31 August 2026, counts affiliate links and promo codes as branded content needing the commercial content disclosure toggle, Checked against TikTok: Branded Content Policy (published 4 August 2026, effective 31 August 2026) and Amazon requires the line “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases”. Checked against Amazon Associates Program Operating Agreement (updated October 15, 2025) Not legal advice; what sponsored posts must disclose goes further.
Is Outfeed an affiliate marketing tool?
Affiliate marketing tools FAQ
What tools do affiliate marketers use?
Four kinds: platform affiliate programmes (TikTok Shop, Instagram and Facebook affiliate partnerships, YouTube Shopping, Amazon Associates), networks such as Awin, CJ, impact.com and Rakuten Advertising, creator commerce programmes such as LTK and ShopMy, and programme software such as PartnerStack, Refersion and Rewardful. Add a UTM link builder for your own links.
Do I need a website for affiliate marketing?
Not always. TikTok Shop’s US programme, Instagram and Facebook affiliate partnerships and YouTube’s Shopping affiliate program work inside the apps, each with its own eligibility rules. Amazon Associates says it is for those with a qualifying website or mobile app, though its Influencer Program gives creators an Amazon storefront.
How do I track affiliate links on social media?
The programme tracks sales through its own links or codes. For links to your own site, add UTM parameters: Google Analytics says to always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign. Don’t route outside traffic through YouTube affiliate links, which YouTube’s terms forbid.
How do I disclose affiliate links?
Clearly, next to the link or recommendation. In the US, FTC staff say ‘affiliate link’ alone isn’t adequate, while ‘paid link’ right next to the link should be. The UK’s CAP and CMA guide treats affiliate content as advertising, and Instagram and TikTok require their own labels. This isn’t legal advice.