About ShareASale
ShareASale is an affiliate marketing platform designed to replace a stack of lighter point solutions. Two things keep it on shortlists: largest affiliate publisher network in US, plus managed service options. The two features you'll use most are Publisher network and Tracking. No free tier — paid plans start from $650 setup + 20% fee. A solid mid-market affiliate network. One thing it genuinely does best — mature fraud detection. In practice, the affiliate network of choice for mid-market e-commerce.
Available on
Integrates with
Who it's for
A quick filter before you spend time on ShareASale — read both sides before committing.
Use it if…
- Mid-market DTC + e-commerce brands
- Teams wanting access to a huge affiliate network
- Brands who want managed affiliate recruitment
Skip it if…
- SMBs on tight budgets ($650 setup)
- B2B SaaS (PartnerStack wins)
- Shopify-first stores (Refersion fits better)
Pros and cons
Pros
- Largest affiliate publisher network in US
- Managed service options
- Mature fraud detection
- Hits the core affiliate marketing workflow without forcing a hunt for second tools
- Pricing lands in the right band for its target buyer
Cons
- $650 one-time setup fee
- 20% commission override on all sales
- UI feels dated
- Not the cheapest option in the category — the free alternatives cover basics
- Advanced features sit behind higher-tier plans most small teams won't need
Features
The capabilities you actually get when you sign up for ShareASale.
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01
Publisher network
240K+ US + global affiliates
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02
Tracking
Standard affiliate link + coupon tracking
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03
Managed recruitment
Optional service to grow program
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04
Core workspace
The main editor or dashboard where day-to-day affiliate marketing work happens
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05
Integrations hub
Connects to the tools your stack already uses so data doesn't live in silos
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06
Reporting and dashboards
Built-in reports and exportable dashboards for stakeholder reviews
Pricing
No free plan — here's what you get at each paid tier.
Standard
$650 setup + 20% commission override
- No monthly fee
- 20% of each affiliate commission to ShareASale
Frequently asked questions
What people usually want to know before signing up for ShareASale.
How much does ShareASale really cost?
$650 setup + 20% commission override + whatever commissions you set.
Can I move my own affiliates to ShareASale?
Yes, but they'll pay the 20% override.
How do I prevent affiliate fraud?
Fraud filters (self-referrals, coupon abuse, cookie stuffing) catch 95%. The remaining 5% needs manual review of suspicious conversion patterns.
Should I use a network or self-host?
Networks (Impact, PartnerStack, ShareASale) scale faster. Self-hosted saves fees but needs 10x more operational effort.
How much commission is standard?
Digital/SaaS: 20–30% recurring. E-commerce: 5–15% per sale. Information products: 30–50%. Below those, recruitment gets hard.
Bottom line
Should you use ShareASale?
A solid mid-market affiliate network. SMBs should start cheaper (Refersion); enterprise should look at Impact.