Finding the right products or brands to promote through affiliate marketing can be tricky, especially if you are looking to stay Canadian specific.
It is in our experience, that the most effective way to find the best affiliate programs in Canada is by using an affiliate network. These networks are not only one of the easiest ways to find high paying offers, but they also have some great tools that can be used to enhance your affiliate search experience.
Affiliate networks will help you see what offers are available, which ones are converting well, and if there are any others that might work better for your business or niche. Though you will still have to apply to each merchant or company individually, these networks provide a wide variety of programs that you can scan through directly on their dashboard.
It doesn’t matter if you’re new to online marketing or a seasoned veteran, this article will provide you with the most effective affiliate networks you can use to find the best affiliate programs in Canada.
How to Find The Best Affiliate Programs in Canada
Affiliate Networks
Below are the top affiliate networks Canadian entrepreneurs can use in order to find affiliate programs that fit their niche and will help optimize their business:
Contents
1. Affiliaxe
Overview
Affiliaxe has proven itself to be one of the best affiliate program networks that a marketer could use. With an exclusive and comprehensive approval process, Affiliaxe has prided itself on only giving the top marketers access to their suite of products to promote.
Once approved, you are given access to a solid platform that is easily navigable and includes a lot of great features.
Marketers can also expect a wide array of benefits including access to incredible products in niches that have proven profitability. Some niches include entertainment, wellness, outdoor activity, and a whole lot more. They have segmented their top products into categories that you can easily search for and find directly on their site.
With affiliate managers available for marketing campaign assistance, Affiliaxe has everything a reputable marketer will need to truly succeed and start earning high-end commission.
Canadian Businesses with Affiliaxe
- Norton Security
- DoorDash
- Frost Air Cooler
- MyHeritage
- Torroband
Affiliaxe Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Plenty of profitable niche markets to choose products from
- High commission rates
- Affiliate managers available for marketing assistance
Cons:
- Some marketers have found their approval process to be a bit frustrating
2. FlexOffers
Overview
With over 12,000 advertisers and offers to choose from, FlexOffers is one of the largest affiliate networks out there. The quality and variety of their offerings have been vetted by plenty of affiliate marketers, as they are home to some of the most recognized brands in the world.
Due to the large amount of already sought after products, their commission rates are not as competitive as some of the other networks on this list. However, they do have a second-tiered program where affiliates can earn money by sharing affiliate links to others.
Well-Known Brands with FlexOffers
- Skechers
- Kohls
- Macys
- Barnes & Noble
FlexOffers Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Large suite of 12,000 programs to choose from
- The quality of their programs are of the highest
- Two-tier affiliate program
Cons:
- Not the bets commission rates
3. CJ
Overview
CJ (Commission Junction) has a reputation for being one of the household names for affiliate programs in Canada. The network contains thousands of various products and brands for Canadian entrepreneurs to choose from. They are one of the largest networks in the world, housing almost 3,000 different programs from both small and large businesses.
Canadian Businesses with CJ
- BestBuy
- The Source
- Home Depot
- Lowe’s Canada
- Keurig Canada
- Indigo Books and Music
- Reitmans
CJ Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Over 3,000 merchants available across a variety of industries
- Large selection of Canadian businesses to work with
- The dashboard provides valuable insights and reports to help you monitor performance
Cons:
- With so many features, the dashboard can be overwhelming for beginner marketers
4. MaxBounty
Overview
With over a decade of experience, MaxBounty is one of the most reliable affiliate networks out there today. With products in markets such as real estate, dating, health, and many more, there are some very profitable niche products to be found.
What MaxBounty is known for is being a CPA (Cost Per Action) network. What this means is that they don’t just reward you if your visitor makes a purchase, but they also reward you for other actions they make including; downloads, file shares, clicks, form submissions, leads, etc.
On top of that, their minimum payments and commission rates are top notch. For marketers looking for new ways to convert their readers and optimize their content, MaxBounty is the place to start.
Read this post if you are interested in Pet Affiliate Programs in Canada
Globally Recognized Brands from MaxBounty
- Uber
- American Express
- McAfee
- Microsoft
MaxBounty Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Leading network in cost-per-action marketing
- Globally recognized brands
- Helpful team of marketing managers
Cons:
- Website could use some touching up
5. Rakuten Marketing
Overview
Formerly known as Linkshare, Rakuten Marketing has made a name for itself early by being the home of some of Canada’s most established and popular brands. While the pool of just over 1,000 companies and programs to choose from is smaller than other networks on this list, Rakuten packs a punch with their high-profile merchants.
Canadian Businesses with Rakuten Marketing
- Walmart
- Macy’s Canada
- Shoppers Drug Mart
- Joe Fresh
- Forever 21
- Lego
- Microsoft
Rakuten Marketing Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Exclusive access to programs from some of the top brands in Canada
- Well established company with a trusted name
- Large variety of Canadian programs
- The backend provides the ability to rotate advertisements without the need for an extra WordPress plugin.
Cons:
- Smaller selection of national companies to choose from compared to competitors
Overview
ShareASale affiliate network is a web-based service that allows companies to connect with affiliate marketers in an integrated, customized environment. It is one of the biggest affiliate networks on the market today because it has been providing affiliates and merchants alike with their services for more than two decades.
With over 4,000 affiliate programs, ShareASale’s catalogue ranges from physical goods, online courses, digital services, SAAS (Software As A Service), and many others.
- Wayfair
Pros:
- Over 4,000 merchants available across a variety of industries
- Reputable network with over 2 decades of experience
- One of their merchants; WP Engine was an honourable mention in our list of the best high ticket affiliate marketing programs
Cons:
- Small list of Canadian companies to choose from
7. Avangate
Overview
Seeing as they don’t have any Canadian specific brands to promote, we were a little hesitant to put Avangate on this list. But the fact of the matter is, they are too good of a network not to be mentioned.
For 8 years in a row, they have been recognized globally as the #1 Worldwide Affiliate Network for Digital Goods. Their vast list of digital and software products are top notch, and it makes it incredibly easy for marketers to advertise the products.
With over 22,000 pieces of software to choose from, any marketer looking to promote or advertise digital products should look no further!
Well-Known Businesses with Avangate
- Bitdefender
- Malwarebytes
- Movavi
- Wondershare
- mondly
Avangate Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Incredibly large selection of digital and software products
- Recognized globally as a leader in the affiliate network space
- Commission rates for many of the affiliate programs are competitively high
Cons:
- No Canadian companies to choose from
8. Clickbank
Overview
With almost 25 years of experience, Clickbank is one of the most well-known affiliate networks on the planet. They are home to millions of different affiliate products, and have primarily focused on the digital goods market (though they do have physical products to promote as well).
While Clickbank isn’t home to any large Canadian companies, they’re on this list because they give opportunities to smaller, more niche companies and entrepreneurs in Canada. This provides a unique opportunity for Canadian business owners that none of the other competitors on this list can match.
With that being said, because Clickbank has millions of affiliate products in their repertoire, there have been some reports of mediocre products being sold. Like all things that have to do with online sales, be sure to do your research.
Canadian Businesses with Clickbank
- Smaller more niche companies
Clickbank Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Millions of unique offers from smaller merchants
- Relatively high commission sales
- Flexible payment schedule
Cons:
- With millions of products available to promote, marketers will have a lot of companies to sift through in order to find valuable ones.
Other Ways to Find The Best Affiliate Programs in Canada
While Affiliate Networks are the primary source for the most reputable and profitable affiliate programs, we have compiled a couple alternatives for those who would like to take a different approach. These alternatives are:
A search engine like Google is the perfect place to find affiliate programs for your niche. Simply start by typing in ‘affiliate programs for [enter your niche here].’ This should provide a good array of different programs for you to choose from, and some of them are bound to be Canadian.
Competitors
If you have a competitor in your niche, try looking at programs they have on their site. The chances are that they are promoting products/services that are of high value, and pay pretty decent commissions.
If you combine the Google search and the analysis of competitors, you could discover programs that your competition doesn’t have and that will help you further distinguish yourself from them.
Go Directly to the Merchant
You might know of a company that falls in your niche, has high quality products, and shares your values, but you aren’t seeing them in any affiliate network. In this case, travel to their website or email someone in the marketing department directly, and see if they have an affiliate program available.
This could provide you with a great opportunity to establish a great relationship with a brand, and help your brand become an authority in your niche.
Conclusion
The process of finding the best affiliate programs in Canada shouldn’t be difficult, and we hope we made it that much easier for you. Affiliate networks provide you a great opportunity to partner with great Canadian companies, and get you on the way to making a great level of passive income.
For more information on affiliate marketing and other online business topics, check out our other articles and start building the knowledge you need to build a successful online business in Canada.
