When it comes to Affiliate Marketing, choosing the right affiliate network can make all the difference in your success.
Two of the most popular networks in the industry are ClickBank and ShareASale, each offering its own unique features and benefits.
But which one comes out on top? In this blog, we’ll compare ClickBank vs ShareASale in terms of their commission rates, product offerings, ease of use, and more to help you determine which network is the best fit for your affiliate marketing needs.
Read- ShareASale vs Commission Junction Affiliate Marketing Network
Whether you’re a seasoned affiliate marketer or just starting out, read on to find out which network reigns supreme.
What is ClickBank?
ClickBank is one of the oldest and most established affiliate marketing networks in the world. Founded in 1998, ClickBank has been providing digital products and services to affiliate marketers for more than two decades.
The company is headquartered in Boise, Idaho, and has more than 200 million customers worldwide.
ClickBank’s primary business is connecting product creators with affiliate marketers.
Product creators can list their digital products on ClickBank’s marketplace, and affiliates can promote those products to their audience in exchange for a commission on each sale.
ClickBank takes care of the payment processing and delivery of the product, making it a seamless experience for both product creators and affiliates.
ClickBank offers a wide range of digital products in a variety of categories, including health and fitness, business and investing, self-help, and more.
Some of the products available on ClickBank include e-books, software, online courses, and membership sites.
One of the biggest advantages of using ClickBank is its high commission rates.
Affiliates can earn up to 75% commission on each sale, which is significantly higher than many other affiliate marketing networks.
ClickBank also offers a variety of tools and resources to help affiliates succeed, including tracking and reporting tools, marketing materials, and customer support.
Overall, ClickBank is a reputable and reliable affiliate marketing network that has helped countless product creators and affiliates achieve success online.
Whether you’re a product creator looking to reach a wider audience or an affiliate marketer looking to monetize your audience, ClickBank is definitely worth considering.
What is ShareASale?
ShareASale is an affiliate marketing network that connects merchants with affiliates. It was founded in 2000 and has since grown to become one of the largest affiliate networks in the world.
The network is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and serves as a platform for merchants to sell their products and services to a global audience.
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy that involves the use of affiliates to promote products and services.
Affiliates are individuals or companies that promote products and services on behalf of merchants in exchange for a commission.
Read- How to Get Approved on ShareASale (In 13 Minutes)
ShareASale provides a platform for merchants to find and recruit affiliates who will promote their products and services.
Merchants who sign up with ShareASale can access a large pool of affiliates who are interested in promoting their products and services.
ShareASale also provides tools and resources that merchants can use to manage their affiliate programs.
These tools include tracking and reporting software, which allows merchants to track the performance of their affiliate programs and optimize them for better results.
Affiliates who join ShareASale can browse through the network’s database of merchants and choose products and services to promote.
ShareASale also provides tools and resources that affiliates can use to promote the products and services of the merchants they choose to work with. These tools include banner ads, text links, and data feeds.
ShareASale charges merchants a one-time setup fee to join the network and a transaction fee for each sale that is made through their affiliate program.
Affiliates do not pay any fees to join ShareASale or promote the products and services of the merchants in the network.
ClickBank vs ShareASale (In-Depth Battle)
1. Commission Rates: Which offers the Better Deal?
ClickBank:
ClickBank is known for offering some of the highest commission rates in the affiliate marketing industry.
The platform’s commission rates typically range from 1% to 75%, with the majority of products offering commissions of 50% or more.
This means that publishers can earn a significant amount of money by promoting ClickBank products.
ClickBank’s commission rates are set by individual product owners, so the rates can vary widely depending on the product.
This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage for publishers. On one hand, publishers have the potential to earn high commissions from products with attractive commission rates.
Read- 10 Best Alternatives to ClickBank for Affiliate Marketers
On the other hand, they may need to spend time searching for products with high commission rates and may need to promote multiple products to earn a steady income.
ClickBank also offers various tools and resources to help publishers maximize their earnings.
The platform provides real-time tracking and reporting, as well as a range of promotional tools such as banners and text links.
Overall, ClickBank’s high commission rates and helpful resources make it an attractive option for publishers looking to earn a significant income from affiliate marketing.
ShareASale:
ShareASale is another popular affiliate marketing platform that offers a wide range of products and services for publishers to promote.
However, the platform’s commission rates are generally lower compared to ClickBank.
ShareASale’s commission rates typically range from 4% to 20%, although some programs may offer higher rates.
While these rates may be lower than ClickBank’s, ShareASale offers a diverse range of products and services to promote, including fashion, health and wellness, home and garden, and more.
One advantage of ShareASale’s lower commission rates is that publishers can potentially earn more consistent income by promoting a variety of products with moderate commission rates.
Additionally, ShareASale provides a user-friendly dashboard, affiliate link generators, and detailed reporting tools to help publishers track their earnings and optimize their campaigns.
Overall, ShareASale’s diverse range of products and user-friendly resources make it a solid choice for publishers looking to earn steady income from affiliate marketing.
While the commission rates may be lower compared to ClickBank, the platform’s variety of products and helpful resources can make up for this difference.
2. Product Offerings: Which has more to choose from?
ClickBank and ShareASale are both affiliate marketing networks that offer a wide range of products for affiliate marketers to promote.
ClickBank:
However, when it comes to the total number of products available, ClickBank has a much larger selection than ShareASale.
ClickBank has been around since 1998 and focuses on digital products, such as eBooks, software, and courses.
As of 2021, ClickBank has over 6 million unique products available for affiliates to promote, making it one of the largest affiliate networks in the world.
ShareASale:
On the other hand, ShareASale has been around since 2000 and offers a mix of digital and physical products across various niches, such as fashion, home goods, and beauty.
As of 2021, ShareASale has over 4,500 merchant programs with over 100,000 active affiliate marketers.
Read- How To Make Money With ShareASale Affiliates In 5 Steps
While both platforms offer a wide range of products to choose from, ClickBank’s sheer number of products available gives it the edge over ShareASale in terms of product offerings.
However, it’s worth noting that the quality of the products and their potential for generating revenue for affiliates is ultimately more important than the quantity of products available.
3. Ease of Use: Which is more User-Friendly?
In terms of ease of use, both platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and intuitive navigation, but there are a few differences worth noting.
ClickBank:
ClickBank is known for its simplicity and ease of use.
It has a clean, uncluttered interface that makes it easy for publishers to find products to promote and for advertisers to manage their affiliate programs.
ClickBank’s dashboard is well-organized, with all the important metrics and reports easily accessible.
It’s easy to search for products based on keywords or categories, and there are filters available to help narrow down the search results.
ShareASale:
ShareASale, on the other hand, has a more robust feature set, which can make it a bit overwhelming for new users.
However, once you get used to the interface, it’s easy to navigate and find what you’re looking for.
ShareASale offers a comprehensive dashboard that allows you to manage your affiliate campaigns, track performance metrics, and access reports.
It also provides a lot of resources, including tutorials and a dedicated support team, to help new users get started.
Overall, both ClickBank and ShareASale are user-friendly platforms, but ClickBank may be more appealing to those who want a simple, straightforward interface, while ShareASale offers more advanced features for users who want to take their affiliate marketing efforts to the next level.
4. Tracking and Reporting: Which provides better Analytics?
In the battle of ClickBank vs ShareASale, we also need to compare both on the Tracking and reporting performance, which is a main factor.
Here’s a comparison of the two networks based on their tracking and reporting capabilities:
- Tracking: Both ClickBank and ShareASale offer tracking features that enable merchants to track their affiliate sales and commissions. They use cookies to track affiliate referrals and ensure that the right affiliates get credit for their sales. However, ClickBank also offers advanced tracking features like sub-IDs and conversion tracking, which enable merchants to track the performance of individual campaigns and keywords.
- Reporting: Both networks offer detailed reporting features that enable merchants to monitor their sales and commissions. ClickBank offers a variety of reports, including sales reports, refund reports, and payment reports, which provide insights into the performance of individual products and affiliates. ShareASale also offers a range of reports, including sales reports, commission reports, and transaction reports, which enable merchants to track their performance over time.
Read- 25+ Best Merchants on ShareASale Affiliates (High Paying)
Overall, both ClickBank and ShareASale offer robust tracking and reporting features that enable merchants to monitor their performance and earnings.
While ClickBank offers more advanced tracking features, ShareASale offers a wider range of reports, including detailed transaction reports.
Ultimately, the choice between the two networks will depend on the specific needs of the merchant.
5. Payouts: Which offers faster and more reliable Payments?
ClickBank and ShareASale both offer payouts to their affiliates. However, there are some differences in their payout structures and processes.
ClickBank:
ClickBank is known for offering high commission rates to its affiliates, with some products offering as much as 75% commission.
ClickBank payouts are made every two weeks, and affiliates can choose to receive their payments via check or direct deposit.
ClickBank also offers a “delayed payment” option, where affiliates can choose to receive their payments on a later date.
ShareASale:
ShareASale, on the other hand, offers a more flexible payout structure.
Affiliates can choose to receive their payments via check, direct deposit, or through a Payoneer account.
ShareASale payouts are made on a monthly basis, and the minimum payout threshold is $50. ShareASale also offers a “hold payment” option, where affiliates can choose to delay their payment until the next payment cycle.
Overall, both ClickBank and ShareASale offer competitive payout structures, with ClickBank offering higher commission rates and ShareASale offering more flexibility in terms of payment options.
6. Support: Which provides better customer service?
Both ClickBank and ShareASale offer customer support for their users, but there are some differences between the two platforms.
ClickBank:
ClickBank offers support through their Help Center, which includes a knowledge base with articles and tutorials, as well as a contact form for submitting support tickets.
They also have a phone support line and a live chat option available for certain types of issues.
ShareASale:
ShareASale also offers a knowledge base with articles and tutorials, as well as a contact form for submitting support tickets.
They also have a phone support line, but they do not offer a live chat option.
In terms of response time, ClickBank claims to respond to support tickets within 24 hours, while ShareASale does not provide a specific timeframe for their support responses.
Read- Top 10+ ShareASale Alternatives To Make More Money
Overall, both platforms offer similar support options, but ClickBank has the added benefit of a live chat option for certain issues, and they have a stated response time for support tickets.
7. Security: Which offers better fraud protection?
Both ClickBank and ShareASale offer robust security measures to protect against fraud, but there are some differences between the two platforms.
ClickBank:
ClickBank has a comprehensive fraud prevention system that includes multiple layers of security, including fraud detection algorithms and manual review of transactions.
ClickBank also offers a chargeback protection program, which helps protect merchants from chargeback losses resulting from fraudulent transactions.
ShareASale:
ShareASale also has a strong focus on fraud prevention and offers multiple security measures to protect against fraud, including a fraud detection system that analyzes transactions for potential fraud, as well as manual reviews of suspicious transactions.
In terms of which platform offers better fraud protection, it is difficult to make a definitive statement as both platforms offer comparable levels of security.
However, it is important to note that no system is completely foolproof, and both platforms rely on merchants to be vigilant in monitoring their accounts for fraudulent activity and taking appropriate action when necessary.
Read- 8+ Best CPA Marketing Free Traffic Methods (Get X2 Traffic)
FAQ’s reagrding ClickBank and ShareASale:
1. Which one is better for beginners, ClickBank or ShareASale?
Both ClickBank and ShareASale can be great for beginners in affiliate marketing.
However, ClickBank is more focused on digital products like eBooks, courses, and software, while ShareASale has a wider range of products including physical products like clothing, beauty products, and home goods.
2. How do I find products to promote on ShareASale?
You can search for products to promote on ShareASale by browsing their merchant directory or using their search function.
You can also join affiliate programs directly from a merchant’s website if they use ShareASale to manage their affiliate program.
3. How do I get paid as an affiliate marketer on ClickBank and ShareASale?
Both ClickBank and ShareASale offer various payment methods, including direct deposit, check, and wire transfer.
Payment schedules and thresholds may vary depending on the merchant and platform, so be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully.
4. What percentage of commission can I expect from ClickBank?
The commission percentage varies depending on the product you are promoting.
However, ClickBank offers some of the highest commission rates in the industry, with some products offering up to 75% commission.
5. Can I use both ClickBank and ShareASale at the same time?
Yes, you can use both ClickBank and ShareASale at the same time. In fact, many affiliate marketers promote products from multiple platforms to increase their earnings potential.
Just make sure to read and follow the terms and conditions of each platform to avoid any conflicts or violations.
Last statement
In conclusion to ClickBank vs ShareASale, when it comes to choosing between ClickBank and ShareASale, it ultimately depends on your specific needs and goals as an affiliate marketer.
ClickBank is a great option for those who want to focus on digital products and have a larger commission payout.
On the other hand, ShareASale offers a more diverse range of products, including physical goods, and has a more user-friendly platform.
Both networks have their pros and cons, and the best way to determine which one is right for you is to consider your target audience, the types of products you want to promote, and your overall marketing strategy.
Ultimately, the success of your affiliate marketing efforts will depend on your ability to create quality content, build a loyal audience, and choose the right network that aligns with your goals.
