Best Affiliate Programs for Creators: Amazon to AliExpress
Updated 6 min read
The best affiliate programs for creators are the ones your audience already buys from. For most product-finds creators that means Amazon Associates in the US, Shopee and Mercado Livre in Brazil and Latin America, plus AliExpress for cheap imported items. Pick by where your followers shop first. Compare the fine print after.
What makes an affiliate program good for creators?
The headline rate is the least useful number on a program page. Your followers have to actually shop there: a generous rate on a store they never open pays nothing, while a lower rate on the app they use every week pays something.
Four things matter more than the rate:
- Audience fit. The store should sell and ship fast in your followers' country.
- Tracking window. This is how long after a click a purchase still counts for you.
- Payout rules. Look at the minimum balance and how long commissions stay pending.
- Link rules. Where you are allowed to post links, and what you must disclose.
Here is how the four big marketplaces compare on what their official pages say today. Terms change, so treat this as a starting point and check each program before you join.
| Program | Best for | Commission | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Associates | US and global audiences | Fixed rate by category | 24-hour window, 3 sales in 180 days |
| Shopee Affiliates | Brazil and Southeast Asia | Varies by category and campaign | Minimum payout, Sub_id reports |
| Mercado Livre Afiliados | Brazil and Spanish-speaking Latin America | Varies by category | Eligible sellers and items |
| AliExpress Portals | Cheap imported finds, global | Varies by category | Current rates inside the dashboard |
Are these high paying affiliate programs?
Marketplace programs are not high paying by percentage. Lists of high paying affiliate programs are mostly software and subscription services, which advertise large rates or recurring commission. Marketplaces pay a smaller cut per order: Amazon's US commission table tops out at 10%.
What a marketplace gives you instead is volume. Shoppers already have an account, the checkout is familiar, and Amazon, for example, credits other qualifying items in the cart too. For a creator who posts product finds, a lower rate on a store followers use every week often earns more than a high rate on a service few of them need.
A fair way to compare programs is earnings per click, not the advertised rate:
| Factor | Why it changes what you earn |
|---|---|
| Commission rate | The share of each order you keep |
| Conversion | How many clicks turn into orders at that store |
| Order value | What the average buyer spends |
| Reversals | Returned or cancelled orders that never pay |
If you want more options for product finds, our guides cover the Temu affiliate program, the SHEIN affiliate program, the Walmart affiliate program and the TikTok Shop affiliate program. None of them publish one fixed rate that beats the rest, so check each dashboard.
How does Amazon Associates work for creators?
Amazon Associates pays a fixed rate per product category. The standard commission table tops out at 10% for a few categories such as Luxury Beauty, and some categories, like gift cards, pay nothing.
The tracking window is short. A purchase counts if it happens within 24 hours of the click. It also counts later if the buyer added the item to their cart in those 24 hours and orders before the cart expires (usually after 90 days).
New accounts are on probation. Amazon gives you 180 days to refer three qualifying sales, then reviews your application. Miss that and the account can be closed.
Two policy points trip up creators. The Program Policies say you may only show Amazon prices if the data comes from Amazon or its API. You also may not cloak or hide the fact that a link goes to Amazon. Keep both in mind when you build a page of Amazon picks. If you want to know how Amazon's own storefront compares with a page you control, read this guide on an Amazon storefront alternative.
Is the Shopee affiliate program worth joining?
If your audience is in Brazil or Southeast Asia, Shopee is often the first program to join, because many of your followers already have the app. Commission varies by category, and Shopee runs campaign periods where some rates go up. Check the current rates inside the affiliate dashboard.
Payout rules are clear in Brazil. Shopee's payment page says individual affiliates are paid into ShopeePay by the 10th of each month, and you need at least R$30 in commission to receive a payment. Business accounts are paid by bank transfer after sending an invoice.
Shopee also gives you a free way to see which post sold what. When you generate a link you can add a Sub_id, a short label such as "tiktok" or "giftguide". The click and conversion reports then split results by that label. This pairs well with the methods in our guide on how to track affiliate link clicks.
How does the Mercado Livre affiliate program work?
Mercado Livre (Mercado Libre in Spanish-speaking countries) runs a program for affiliates and creators. On the Brazilian program page, the basic requirements are a Mercado Livre user account and active social media profiles. You generate links from inside the program.
Not every listing earns a commission. The program limits links to eligible items, such as new products from sellers with a good reputation, and rates vary by category. Read the current terms on the program page before you plan a whole series of posts around one product.
Mercado Livre is a strong fit for home and tech finds across its markets, where shoppers already trust its delivery. For niche ideas that work well there, see our guides to the beauty and skincare niche and the tech and gadgets niche.
Should you join AliExpress Portals?
AliExpress Portals is the official AliExpress affiliate program. It suits creators who post cheap, unusual finds: phone accessories, desk gadgets, craft supplies, small home items.
Portals sets the rate per product, with higher rates on products it marks as Hot Products, and shows each rate next to the product in the dashboard. Third-party sites quote different numbers, so read the current rate there. Our full AliExpress affiliate program guide walks through joining and payouts.
The tradeoff with AliExpress is shipping time. Long delivery windows can lead to more cancellations, and a cancelled order usually does not pay. Say the estimated delivery time in your post so buyers are not surprised.
AliExpress works best as a second program next to a local store. Use it for items that are hard to find elsewhere, and send buyers to the local option when the same product ships faster there.
Can you join several affiliate programs at once?
Yes, and most product creators end up doing it. The same air fryer may be sold on both Amazon and Shopee, and different followers trust different stores.
The hard part is presentation. Three links per product in a bio list gets messy fast. A storefront solves this by giving each product one card with several labeled buttons. In Zelect, for example, a product can carry links labeled "Amazon", "Shopee" and "Mercado Livre", and the visitor picks. If you are new to the idea, start with what an affiliate storefront is, then see how to organize affiliate products into categories.
Disclosure applies to every program. The FTC says you should disclose affiliate links near the links themselves, in plain words, wherever you post them.
How do you pick your first affiliate program?
Look at where your followers already buy
Check your comments and DMs. If people ask "is it on Shopee?", that is your answer. Your platform analytics will also show the top countries in your audience.
Join one program and learn its rules
Start with one. Learn its tracking window, its payout rules and its link policy before you add a second.
Add a second store where it helps buyers
Once the first program is working, add a second store for the products where it has better price or shipping. Keep both links on the same product card.
Give every link one home
Put all your links on one page you can share everywhere, including your Instagram affiliate links and your bio. Zelect's Free plan covers one storefront with 25 products, and Zelect takes no commission from your sales. See the current plans if you need more. When you are ready to plan the content side, our guide on how to make money with affiliate links walks through it.
Frequently asked questions
Which affiliate programs pay the highest commission?
Software and subscription programs usually advertise the highest percentages, often with recurring payments. Marketplaces like Amazon pay lower rates per order but convert well because shoppers already trust them. For a product-finds creator, the program your followers actually buy from usually pays more in total.
Do I need a website to join an affiliate program?
Usually not. Most marketplace programs accept social media accounts, as long as they are public and you list them in your application. Amazon asks you to identify every site or account you will use. A storefront page helps because it gives your links one stable home that reviewers and followers can see.
Can I share affiliate links in WhatsApp or Telegram groups?
It depends on the program. Amazon allows Special Links in messages only when the recipient opted in, and it bans offline promotion. Shopee and Mercado Livre have their own rules on groups and spam. Read the current terms of each program before you post links in chats.
Are affiliate commissions taxed?
In most countries, yes. Commissions are income, and some programs withhold tax before paying you. Shopee Brazil, for example, lists deductions for individual affiliates on its payment page. Rules differ by country and by how you are registered, so ask a local accountant.
What happens to my commission if the buyer returns the product?
Returned or cancelled orders usually do not pay. Programs credit a commission only after the order is completed, and some reverse it if the buyer returns the item within the return window. That is why the pending number in your dashboard is often higher than what you finally receive.
