Affiliate marketing has become one of the top ways bloggers make money, and it’s easy to see why. A solid affiliate plan enables you to promote products that resonate with your audience and earn commissions on any sales you generate.
Among the popular affiliate platforms, Amazon Associates and ShareASale stand out in distinct ways.
If you’re caught between the two—or wondering whether to use both—this comparison will help clarify things and set you up for the best results.
Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers: Why It’s Such a Big Deal
Blogging has always offered the opportunity to earn money, but affiliate marketing has significantly boosted earnings over the last decade. You no longer have to rely solely on display ads or sponsored posts.
With affiliate marketing, you can earn a piece of each sale made through a link on your blog—and you don’t have to worry about keeping inventory or managing customer complaints.
Amazon Associates and ShareASale both enable bloggers to monetize recommendations, but they approach it from very different angles. Amazon Associates is Amazon’s in-house affiliate platform and gives you access to nearly every product listed there. At the same time, ShareASale acts as a hub connecting you to thousands of independent merchants. I’ve worked with both, and they each shine depending on your blog’s direction and what kind of monetization you’re aiming for.
What Are Amazon Associates and ShareASale? How Do They Work?
Amazon Associates is the affiliate program tied directly to Amazon. Once you’re accepted, you get special tracking links that you can add to reviews, gift guides, top product lists, or anywhere you’d recommend an item. Your reader clicks a link, buys anything on Amazon (not just what you linked), and you get a cut of the sale.
ShareASale works differently. It’s not a retailer, but a system that lets you join thousands of businesses—from small niche companies to major brands and digital services. You select specific merchants you’re interested in, apply, and after approval, you get their affiliate links or banners for your posts.
The core distinction is about scope and matchmaking: Amazon is a massive one-stop shop, while ShareASale helps you build connections with many individual merchants tailored to your site’s focus.
Getting Started: Sign-Up and Approval Process
Setting up an Amazon Associates account is usually straightforward, but there’s a catch. After signing up, you need to make at least three qualifying sales in your first 180 days. Miss that mark, and you’ll have to reapply after your account gets shut down. Amazon also wants to ensure your site follows their rules, so keep your disclosures clear and avoid creating thin-content blogs. The process is streamlined, but if you’re starting and your site doesn’t have much traffic, it can feel like a race against the clock to nab those first sales.
ShareASale requires an extra step or two. First, you’ll need to join the network, then apply separately to each merchant you’d like to represent. Some affiliates are accepted right away; others may take days or require proof of audience or website traffic. Occasionally, you’ll run into a merchant with stricter requirements or who really wants a niche focus, so expect a little paperwork and prep when you apply.
Product Selection and Niche Flexibility
Amazon really shines with its variety. You can link to nearly anything—gadgets, appliances, books, clothing, pet products, holiday gifts, and more. If your blog is lifestyle-focused, tech-based, or covers a broad swath of day-to-day topics, Amazon makes it super easy to find relevant products for your readers.
ShareASale, on the other hand, is ideal if you want to delve into a niche or cultivate in-depth relationships with specific brands. There’s everything from eco-friendly stores to SaaS tools, subscription boxes, boutique apparel, travel services, online courses, and loads more. Digital downloads and other high-precision products are especially accessible, meaning you can find products that are a perfect (and sometimes exclusive) match for specific blog audiences.
So, if you’re running a broad or general-interest blog, Amazon’s catalog makes sense. However, for specialized sites or bloggers seeking to get granular or promote digital products, ShareASale offers significantly more flexibility in its lineup.
Comparing Commission Structures and Earnings
Amazon’s rates are straightforward, but not super high. Most categories offer a rate of between 1% and 4.5% per sale, with the possibility of higher percentages on select Amazon-branded products. While tech and popular categories are usually lower, specific niches like luxury beauty pay a bit more. The upside is that if your link leads to a shopping spree, you receive a share of the total qualifying cart, not just the product you specifically mentioned.
ShareASale allows merchants to set their own commission rates, which typically range from 10% to 50%, depending on the product being promoted. Some services, especially digital products, offer even higher payouts and can include recurring commissions when you refer customers to subscriptions or tools. For example, if you refer someone to a software-as-a-service product and they stick around, you’ll rack up monthly payments as long as they stay signed up. This can quickly add up, making ShareASale a lucrative choice for those prepared to make a few extra upfront moves.
Payout thresholds also differ: Amazon pays out once you reach $10 via direct deposit or $100 for checks, whereas ShareASale sends funds after you get $50. ShareASale payouts combine all your merchants, which is a handy feature. Both programs are dependable, but ShareASale’s longer cookie windows and occasional delays from individual merchants can stretch the timeline before you see that money hit your account.
Cookie Duration and How It Impacts Revenue
Cookies matter because they define how long you have to earn commissions from a click. Amazon uses a standard 24-hour cookie, but if a visitor adds your recommended product to their cart during that window, you get up to 89 days to help them check out and still snag your commission. It works well for quick, low-cost purchases, but if your audience needs time to ponder pricey buys, that short timeframe is limiting.
With ShareASale, most merchants offer cookies that last from 30 to 90 days—sometimes longer. That gives you a massive advantage if you’re driving traffic to more expensive or B2B products where shoppers aren’t buying on a whim. People can take their time, and you’ll still see the sweet payout if they complete the purchase weeks later.
Affiliate Tools, Widgets, Integration
Amazon’s toolset is user-friendly, and even beginners will be up and running in no time. The SiteStripe overlay lets you generate text and image links as you browse Amazon, while special plugins or their APIs can automatically add product boxes, tables, and price updates. All-in-one affiliate plugins, like Pretty Links, integrate with Amazon and streamline your link management workflow.
ShareASale comes with its own robust set of tools, including a deep linking generator for any page on a merchant’s site, dynamic banners, customizable product datafeeds (great for building product tables or comparison charts), and occasional pop-ups or coupon integrations. WordPress tools help you keep track of your links and manage updates, making it easy to fold Amazon and ShareASale into your publishing routine.
Reporting, Analytics, and Optimizing Results
Amazon Associates provides a basic dashboard that shows clicks, purchases, and earnings. It’s enough for a quick overview, but digging into top-performing posts or tracking patterns across devices or categories isn’t really possible. This can make planning content feel like flying blind unless you supplement with your own site data.
ShareASale takes things up a notch. You can analyze performance by merchant, campaign, or individual link, track EPC (earnings per click), and isolate which items, posts, or banners make the most impact. This is incredibly valuable for adjusting strategies, split-testing products or placements, and spotting trends as they emerge.
Rules, Restrictions, and Staying Compliant
Amazon is known for tight compliance. You’re required to post complete affiliate disclosures, avoid putting links in emails or downloadable content, and refrain from using specific link shorteners or cloaking tools. Missing any of these can result in your account being closed with little recourse. Carefully reading the fine print is a must—especially before running Pinterest or private Facebook group campaigns.
ShareASale is generally more relaxed, but you’ll still need to check each merchant’s terms. Some ban paid search, coupon sites, or specific advertising channels. Individual brands may also periodically review your site. While being dropped by one merchant isn’t the end of the world, you still want to keep a clean record across the network to avoid setbacks.
Support, Community Access, Building Relationships
With Amazon Associates, support is provided through help articles and a trouble ticket system. Because the scale is so large, there’s not much room for custom advice or tailored support unless you’re in the super high-traffic crowd. Most issues are handled through generic responses, and you typically won’t get an affiliate manager.
ShareASale’s human touch stands out here. Many merchants assign a dedicated affiliate manager who’s there to answer questions, share exclusive promotions, and even negotiate higher payouts if you perform well. There’s also a community space inside the dashboard that lets you swap notes with fellow affiliates and learn from others’ experiences.
Which Affiliate Platform Makes Sense For Your Blog?
If you crave simplicity and want to earn from any mainstream blog, Amazon Associates is the quickest way to start making money. Its catalog is vast, and you can roll out affiliate links with minimal setup. The lower rates and tight compliance rules are the trade-off, mainly if your blog uses email lists or relies on private communities.
ShareASale is ideal when your blog has matured, your niche has become well-defined, or you want to establish closer relationships with brands. Bigger commissions, recurring payments, and longer cookies all work in your favor but also demand a bit more effort upfront. Reading merchant policies, applying, and building connections can be time-consuming, but in the long run, it is much more rewarding.
Many well-established bloggers use both. They rely on Amazon for everyday products and plug in ShareASale for high-ticket, niche, or subscription products that pay out over time. Starting with Amazon gets you going quickly, and layering ShareASale later can help protect your income from unexpected changes or declining conversion rates. Mixing up your affiliate approach is the safest game plan, no matter your niche or audience.
Frequently Asked Questions about Amazon Associates and ShareASale
Do you think I can use both Amazon Associates and ShareASale on my blog at the same time?
Answer: Absolutely. Most blogging platforms and ad networks let you combine programs freely, as long as you stick to each program’s rules and avoid exclusivity restrictions where they apply.
Question: Which program pays faster: Amazon or ShareASale?
Answer: Amazon’s payouts are usually pretty speedy once you hit the minimum threshold—generally within about 60 days of a sale. ShareASale’s timeline varies by merchant and only pays once your total hits $50. Both are reliable, but expect a bit more lag with ShareASale, especially if you’re waiting on a merchant lock period.
Question: Are there countries where either Amazon Associates or ShareASale doesn’t work?
Answer: Amazon Associates accepts bloggers from many places, but only offers payment in certain currencies, and some Amazon country stores don’t cover every location. ShareASale is open globally, but some of its merchants may place country restrictions. Always double-check the policies and availability for your region.
Question: Is it harder to get approved for ShareASale?
Answer: Joining ShareASale is straightforward if your site has solid content, some traffic, and a privacy page. Gaining approval from premium or small merchants might take more time or require more information, so plan on waiting a few days in some cases.
Choosing your affiliate platform comes down to what you want to achieve, how specific your blog’s focus is, and what sort of partnerships you’re after.
Amazon Associates provides instant access and easy links for broad content, but ShareASale takes it a step further with higher commissions and more options for niche or digital products.
Combining the two is usually the clever play for stable, expanding earnings—and as you experiment, you’ll figure out precisely what your readers love and what works best for your bottom line.