Amazon Affiliate Program: How to Join, Rates and Rules
Published 5 min read
The Amazon affiliate program, called Amazon Associates, pays you a commission when people buy on Amazon after clicking your link. Joining is free: you sign up in Associates Central with an Amazon account, list the sites or social profiles where you'll share links, and add your tax and payment details. You then need three qualified sales within 180 days for Amazon to approve the account. Rates depend on the category of what the buyer purchases, mostly between 1% and 4% in the US.
Below: how it works, the signup steps, the rates, the rules that close accounts and what changed in April 2026. Sources were checked in October 2026.
How does the Amazon affiliate program work?
Amazon gives you a tracking ID. Every link you make carries it. When someone clicks your link and buys, Amazon records the purchase and pays you a share of the price. The buyer pays the same price as anyone else.
Three things to know from the start:
- You earn on the cart, not just the product. If someone clicks your link to headphones and also buys a book, both can count, each at its own category rate.
- The window is short. Amazon's operating agreement ties a purchase to your link for 24 hours after the click, or longer if the item goes into the cart in that time.
- Each country is a separate program. amazon.com, amazon.co.uk and amazon.com.br have their own Associates accounts and fee schedules. Join the one where your audience shops.
How do you join Amazon Associates, step by step?
- Go to Associates Central (affiliate-program.amazon.com in the US) and sign in with an Amazon account.
- List your sites. Add your website, YouTube channel, Instagram, TikTok or Facebook profile: every place you'll post links.
- Describe your content. Say what you post about and how you'll send people to Amazon.
- Add tax and payment details. Amazon asks for a tax interview and a payment method.
- Make your first link with the SiteStripe bar on product pages or the Amazon app. Our guide on how to get an Amazon affiliate link shows both.
- Make three sales in 180 days. Amazon reviews the account once you get there.
How much does the Amazon affiliate program pay?
Amazon publishes its US fee schedule inside Associates Central. Third-party copies of it, such as Lasso's 2026 guide, list these rates:
| Rate | Example categories |
|---|---|
| 20% | Amazon Games |
| 10% | Luxury Beauty |
| 5% | Digital music, physical music, handmade, digital video |
| 4% | Amazon devices, fashion, jewelry |
| 3% | Furniture, home improvement, pets, toys, sports, outdoors |
| 1% to 2.5% | PC components, grocery, health and personal care, consoles |
| 0% | Gift cards |
The rate is on the price before shipping and tax, and returns are taken back out. A $40 home item at 3% earns $1.20.
When and how does Amazon pay affiliates?
Amazon pays about 60 days after the end of the month in which you earned the commission. Third-party guides list a $10 minimum for direct deposit or an Amazon gift card, and $100 for a paper check.
Which rules get Amazon affiliate accounts closed?
Most closed accounts break one of a few rules in the Associates Program Policies and the operating agreement:
- No disclosure. You must say clearly that you earn from qualifying purchases. See our affiliate disclosure examples, including Amazon's exact sentence.
- Links in places you didn't list. Add every site and profile to your account before posting there.
- Links in emails, e-books or offline material. Amazon doesn't allow them, except emails to people who opted in to hear from you.
- Hiding that the link goes to Amazon. Shortened links are fine only if people can tell where they lead.
- Prices you don't update. Amazon prices change all the time. Don't copy them into posts that stay up for months.
What changed in the Amazon affiliate program in 2026?
Amazon's What's Changed page lists an update effective April 14, 2026:
| Change | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| 180-day limit on qualifying purchases | The order has to be shipped and paid for within 180 days to count |
| Paid and boosted ads disqualified | Purchases from people who came through a paid or boosted ad that links to Amazon don't earn commission, with limited exceptions |
| Onsite commission narrowed | Commission on videos and content inside Amazon counts only for the same product variant you linked |
| Original content defined | Your content needs commentary, analysis or something you added, not just copied product info |
| Storefront for all registered creators | Registration gives access to a Storefront and a Unique Creator Link, not only Influencer Program members |
The last change matters for creators. Since April 2026, a regular Associates account can get an Amazon Storefront. Our guide on how to create an Amazon storefront walks through it.
Where should you share Amazon affiliate links?
Where your audience already watches you:
- YouTube descriptions, with a link to each product you show.
- Your link in bio on Instagram and TikTok, since captions can't hold clickable links.
Keep a disclosure next to the links in every place, and track which links get clicks. Our guide on how to track affiliate link clicks covers dashboards and UTMs.
Where does Zelect fit?
Zelect is the storefront tool we build, so weigh this with that in mind. It isn't an affiliate program. It doesn't create Amazon links, approve your account or take any commission. You make the link in Amazon and paste it into Zelect.
It helps when you recommend products from more than one store. Paste a link from Amazon, Walmart, AliExpress or a brand's own site, and Zelect builds a product card with the photo, title and price when the page exposes them; if it doesn't, you type them. You group products into categories with their own links, and one product can carry two buttons, like "Amazon" and "Walmart". Add your Zelect URL to the site list in your Associates account and keep the Amazon disclosure on the page.
The Free plan has 1 storefront with 25 products and 3 categories, with no time limit. Pro is $4.90 a month and Ultra $5.90 a month, with click analytics on Ultra. If everything you recommend is on Amazon, its own Storefront is the simpler choice; our Amazon storefront alternative guide explains when a second page makes sense.
What should you do this week?
- Sign up in Associates Central and list every profile you post from.
- Pick ten products you actually use, in categories that pay 3% or more.
- Post three of them, with the link in your bio or description and a disclosure.
- Check clicks and orders in Associates Central after a week.
Start a free Zelect storefront to keep your Amazon links next to the ones from other stores. No card needed, so you can try it with the links you already have.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Amazon affiliate program free to join?
Yes. Amazon Associates charges no fee. You sign up in Associates Central with an Amazon account, list the sites and social profiles where you'll share links, and add your tax and payment details.
How much does the Amazon affiliate program pay?
A percentage of the price, set by the category of what the buyer purchases. Third-party copies of the US fee schedule list about 1% to 4% for most everyday categories, 10% for luxury beauty and 20% for Amazon Games. The current schedule is in Associates Central.
How many sales do I need to stay in Amazon Associates?
Three qualified sales within 180 days of signing up. Amazon reviews your account after them. If you don't reach three in that window, the account is closed and you can apply again later.
Do I need a website to join Amazon Associates?
No. You can sign up with social profiles such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Facebook, as long as they're yours, public and have content. Add every place you'll share links to your account.
When does Amazon pay affiliates?
About 60 days after the end of the month in which you earned the commission. Third-party guides list a $10 minimum for direct deposit or gift card and $100 for checks. Check the payment settings in Associates Central for your country.
