Category overview · 2026
Best sub-affiliate networks in 2026
We are one of the networks on this list, so read it with that in mind. What follows is written to be accurate rather than flattering, including the places where a competitor is clearly the better choice.
Last reviewed
Comparison
The category at a glance
Program count is the most advertised metric and the least useful one. Revenue share, payout threshold and geographic coverage decide what you actually earn.
- 1
LinkApprove
Our pickCreators and small publishers with UK, EU or mixed audiences
- Revenue share
- Up to 90%
- Min. payout
- $100 wallet
- Market
- UK / EU / US
- 2
Skimlinks
Large existing content archives, monetized automatically
- Revenue share
- ≈75%
- Min. payout
- $65 equiv.
- Market
- US / UK
- 3
Sovrn Commerce
Publishers wanting automated link monetization at scale
- Revenue share
- ≈75%
- Min. payout
- $25, $50
- Market
- US / UK
- 4
FlexOffers
Content and comparison sites wanting maximum catalogue depth
- Revenue share
- Not published
- Min. payout
- $50 PayPal
- Market
- US
- 5
ShopMy
Established fashion and beauty creators wanting gifting
- Revenue share
- Varies
- Min. payout
- Varies
- Market
- US
- 6
Mavely
US creators working primarily from a phone
- Revenue share
- Varies
- Min. payout
- Varies
- Market
- US
Competitor figures are drawn from each provider’s published terms as at August 2026 and may change. Where a provider does not publish a figure, we say so rather than estimating.
What actually separates them
Four things decide this, not program count
Every network in this category solves the same problem, advertisers will not approve small publishers individually. They differ mainly in who they were designed for.
- 01
Catalogue depth versus creator workflow
FlexOffers and Skimlinks were built for publishers with websites. Their tooling assumes a domain, a content management system and an interest in data feeds. ShopMy, Mavely and LinkApprove were built for creators, who have an audience instead of a domain and need a link they can put in a bio.
If you have years of archived articles, automated link conversion is worth more than any amount of creator tooling. If your content lives on Instagram or TikTok, an automated script has no page to run on.
- 02
Revenue share is the number nobody publishes
Most networks in this category will not state their revenue share publicly. The published range across the category is roughly 70% to 90%. Ask directly what the rate is for a partner at your volume, and treat an unwillingness to answer as an answer.
- 03
Payout thresholds matter more than they should
A $65 threshold on the only available payment method means a creator earning $20 a month waits a quarter to be paid. Combined with a 30 to 60 day hold period, the practical wait can exceed six months. Check the threshold on a rail you can actually use in your country.
- 04
Geography is the most common mismatch
The majority of platforms here are US-first. A creator with a German or British audience promoting US retailers is sending traffic that will not convert, and being paid through rails built for US banking. This is the single most common reason a creator concludes affiliate marketing does not work for them, when the real problem was program-market fit.
Where we fit, honestly
LinkApprove is smaller and newer than FlexOffers and Skimlinks. We do not publish per-program EPC data, which FlexOffers does and which is genuinely useful. We do not have a storefront product to match ShopMy’s, and our mobile app is still in development while Mavely’s is excellent.
What we are built for is the creator or small publisher with a UK, EU or geographically mixed audience who needs a low payout threshold, a payment rail that works outside US banking, and access to programs that decline individual applications. If that is not you, one of the others on this list probably is the better answer.
FAQ
Choosing a network
What is the best sub-affiliate network?
There is no single best sub-affiliate network, because the right choice depends on whether you are a creator or a publisher, where your audience is located, and how quickly you need to be paid. FlexOffers has the largest program catalogue, Skimlinks is best for monetizing existing content archives automatically, ShopMy and Mavely are strongest for US creators, and LinkApprove is built for creators with UK, EU or mixed audiences who need low payout thresholds and multiple payment rails.
Do sub-affiliate networks pay less than joining directly?
Yes. A sub-affiliate network keeps a share of the commission, typically 10% to 25%, in exchange for access, consolidated reporting and a single payout. If you can be approved directly by the advertiser or network, going direct pays more. Sub-affiliate networks exist because most creators and small publishers cannot be approved directly.
Are sub-affiliate networks worth it for small creators?
For creators below the thresholds that networks apply to direct applications, a sub-affiliate network is often the only route into affiliate programs at all. The relevant comparison is not full commission versus reduced commission, but reduced commission versus no access.
How do I choose a sub-affiliate network?
Check four things before you sign up: the revenue share percentage, the minimum payout threshold on a payment method you can actually use, whether the program catalogue covers your audience's country, and how long the hold period is before commission becomes withdrawable. Program count is the least important of these and the most heavily advertised.
Head to head
Direct comparisons
Test us against your current setup
No exclusivity means you can run LinkApprove alongside whatever you already use and compare validated earnings directly.