Want more information? Just keep reading to learn more about each plugin.

My WooCommerce Affiliate Plugin Review Process

I’ve been on both ends of affiliate marketing programs. On the one hand, I am very familiar with best practices for managing affiliate links because we use ThirstyAffiliates to manage our affiliate content on WPBeginner.

On the other hand, seeing how we run affiliate programs for our WordPress businesses has also taught me that success goes beyond just getting people to promote products. It’s about creating sustainable partnerships and providing the right tools for both merchants and affiliates.

For most of the WooCommerce plugins on this list, I tested them thoroughly by setting up demo sites. This hands-on approach gives much better insights than simply reading feature lists or user reviews.

While I tested most plugins on demo sites, we’ve used tools like AffiliateWP in our own business for years, which has given me deep familiarity.

For each tool, the first thing I checked was how easy it was to get started. For example, AffiliateWP automatically creates registration forms and affiliate dashboards when it is activated. This reduces the amount of setup you need to do.

I also paid close attention to commission flexibility. Can you set different rates for products? How about recurring commissions for subscriptions? The best plugins, like Easy Affiliate, let you create various commission structures to match your business model.

On top of that, a good plugin should offer accurate performance reports. This will allow you to see how successful your marketing efforts are and which affiliates are bringing the best results.

Next, I also looked at how each plugin handles affiliate payments. Some plugins like YITH WooCommerce Affiliates provide multiple payment methods, automated payouts, and flexible payment schedules.

Finally, I looked at pricing structures and what you get for your money. While most affiliate plugins require an investment, I made sure to highlight which essential features are available in free versions and which are locked behind premium tiers. 

For example, the free version of Coupon Affiliates offers an auto-apply coupon code via affiliate URLs. This feature is rarely available in free plugins.

Now, let’s look at the best WooCommerce affiliate plugins I’ve tested and reviewed.

1. AffiliateWP – Best Overall WooCommerce Affiliate Plugin

AffiliateWP is the best plugin for starting and running an affiliate program in your WooCommerce store. Many of our partner brands have used it on their websites because it’s easy to set up and works well for managing affiliate partners.

What’s more, AffiliateWP offers a ton of features for online stores. You can create special affiliate landing pages, set up fraud protection, and customize your affiliate dashboard. I’ve covered the plugin more extensively in my detailed AffiliateWP review.

Getting started with AffiliateWP is super easy. Once the plugin is active, it automatically adds a sign-up form and creates a dashboard for your affiliate partners.

This beginner-friendly setup is one of the reasons why I put AffiliateWP at the top of my list.

I especially love the AI feature that helps review affiliate applications. It can look at each application and tell you whether to accept or reject it, along with clear reasons why.

Another thing that makes AffiliateWP really useful is its flexibility with payments. You can choose to pay your affiliates once, set up regular payments, or create different payment levels.

Plus, it sends automatic emails to keep you and your partners updated about sales and important changes.

Pros of AffiliateWP:

• The plugin setup process takes less than 5 minutes, with the registration form and dashboard created automatically.
• Affiliates can create their own affiliate links right away through their dashboard, so they can start promoting your business.
• I love the AI Affiliate Review feature, which screens applications and accepts or rejects recommendations automatically.
• I’ve found the custom commission rules to be incredibly flexible. You can easily switch between one-time, recurring, or tiered payments, depending on what works best for your business.
• The automated email system keeps both you and your affiliates updated about new sales, payments, and important changes.
• The affiliate leaderboard feature has been great for encouraging partners to stay active.
• The fraud detection system protects you from fake sales by automatically blocking self-referrals.
• You can enable reCAPTCHA on your registration form to prevent spambots and scripts from signing up for your affiliate program.
• The reporting dashboard shows clear statistics about your total earnings, average referral amount, and paid or unpaid referrals.
• No matter which plan you use, you get multiple payout options, including one-click payouts and store credits.

Cons of AffiliateWP:

• You’ll need to pay to use the plugin, as there’s no free version available.
• Some useful features, like multi-currency support, are only available in higher-priced plans. So, you need to choose a plan based on the features you need, not the number of websites the plugin will be used for.

Why I recommend AffiliateWP: I picked AffiliateWP as my top choice because it’s powerful enough to handle big affiliate programs. But it’s still easy enough for beginners to use, making it perfect for most WooCommerce store owners.

Pricing: AffiliateWP has 3 main plans, ranging from $149.60 to $299.60 per year. The cheapest plan works great if you only have 1 website. You will get all the basic features you need: unlimited affiliates, 30 AI reviews, and tools to track sales.

I totally understand if this pricing seems steep for new small business owners. That’s why I am happy to share that WPBeginner readers can get up to 50% off their first purchase with our AffiliateWP coupon code!

2. RewardsWP – Best for Refer-a-Friend Programs

RewardsWP is a beginner-friendly plugin for setting up and running a refer-a-friend program in your WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads store. It rewards your existing customers for recommending your online store, which is a low-effort way to drive more sales and conversions.

It’s incredibly easy to get started. The plugin automatically enrolls customers into the referral program right after they make a purchase, making the entire process hands-off for store owners.

One feature I like is the customizable Rewards Widget, which appears automatically when a user logs in to your site. It displays a unique discount code that the customer can share with their friends, making it super easy for them to start referring right away.

You can personalize the widget by choosing your brand colors with a color picker, adjusting the launcher display settings, and selecting which social networks customers can use to share.

It’s a simple but highly effective way to boost customer engagement and word-of-mouth referrals.

With RewardsWP, I like that you’re not limited to offering just one reward or focusing on a single audience. It gives incentives to both the referring customer and the friend they invite.

This double-sided reward system is built right in, which boosts participation and encourages faster conversions. The referring customer gets rewarded for each successful referral, while the invited friend gets rewarded on their first purchase.

I was also really impressed with how the plugin automatically connects guest purchases to customer accounts. This ensures customers don’t lose their referral history or earned rewards if they later decide to create an account.

Pros of RewardsWP

• It includes built-in email notifications, which let you automatically send a welcome email, notify advocates when their friends make a purchase, and alert referred friends once they claim their rewards.
• You can easily track rewards and referrals right inside your WordPress dashboard.
• RewardsWP comes with powerful fraud protection features like duplicate detection, IP filtering, and email validation.
• It pairs effortlessly with AffiliateWP, which makes it simple to run both an affiliate and refer-a-friend program together.
• The plugin has a smart self-referral detection system that blocks users who try to refer themselves using the same or modified email addresses.

Cons of RewardsWP

• The plugin does not have a free plan.

Why I recommend RewardsWP: If you’re looking to create a refer-a-friend program for your WooCommerce or EDD store, then I recommend RewardsWP. It’s secure, beginner-friendly, and packed with powerful features that make running a referral program super easy.

Pricing: RewardsWP offers three paid plans, starting at $79.60 and going up to $159.60. The Basic plan is a great option if you simply want to create a refer-a-friend program on one website.

It includes unlimited members, unlimited rewards, and no monthly fees, making it an affordable way to get your referral program up and running.

3. Easy Affiliate – Best for Subscription-Based Products

Easy Affiliate is the ideal WooCommerce affiliate plugin for subscription-based businesses. It stands out because it offers a one-time commission option when affiliates drive new customers, as well as a commission option for all sales.

This way, you can create a commission structure that encourages affiliates to bring in quality, long-term customers. You can learn more about its features and capabilities in my complete Easy Affiliate review.

The affiliate dashboard is another standout feature. Unlike other plugins that can feel cluttered, Easy Affiliate organizes everything neatly in tabs.

Your partners can easily check their earnings, track their performance, and access marketing materials without getting overwhelmed.

What’s more, affiliates can generate their own tracking links and monitor how well each campaign performs. The dashboard shows everything from conversion rates to estimated payouts, keeping your partners engaged and motivated to promote your subscription products.

Easy Affiliate also integrates smoothly with popular email marketing services like Kit and ActiveCampaign. You can automatically add new affiliates to your email list and keep them updated about your products.

This helps you maintain good communication with your partners without extra work.

Pros of Easy Affiliate:

• The setup process automatically detects your eCommerce platform and helps you integrate it in minutes.
• During testing, I found that you can migrate your data from another affiliate plugin to Easy Affiliate in a few clicks. This way, you don’t need to set up your program from scratch.
• The affiliate registration system lets you choose between public signups, manual approvals, or invitation-only access.
• The Commission Levels add-on is useful for creating tiered rewards that keep top affiliates motivated.
• The PayPal Mass Payment feature makes it easy to pay multiple affiliates at once without manual processing.
• The plugin sends automatic email notifications whenever someone applies or earns a commission.
• The affiliate reporting system clearly shows your program’s performance, including subscription metrics and conversion rates.
• You can track affiliate campaign performance in Google Analytics by enabling UTM parameters with one click.

Cons of Easy Affiliate:

• You need to purchase an additional add-on to get protection against self-referrals.
• The plugin only supports PayPal or manual payments, which might limit your payout options.

Why I recommend Easy Affiliate: I recommend Easy Affiliate for subscription-based businesses because it offers the most comprehensive tracking and commission options for recurring payments.

Pricing: Easy Affiliate offers three pricing tiers from $99.60 to $199.60 per year. The cheapest Basic plan includes everything you need to start: unlimited affiliates, secure tracking, WooCommerce integration, and PayPal payments.

4. Advanced Coupons – Best Affiliate Coupon Builder

Advanced Coupons is primarily designed for managing online store coupons. But its integration with affiliate plugins makes it an essential tool for running successful WooCommerce coupon campaigns through your partners.

For a complete breakdown of its features, take a look at my in-depth Advanced Coupons review.

The timing of affiliate promotions can make or break their success. That’s why I love how Advanced Coupons lets you schedule campaigns in advance. Your partners can plan their promotions better when they know precisely when coupons will go live.

I was also very impressed with the auto-apply URL feature (since nobody likes typing in complicated codes, especially on mobile devices).

Your affiliates simply share a link, and when customers click it, the discount applies automatically. No copying and pasting is required.

The plugin also gives you a lot of control over your promotional strategy through its detailed rule system. This helps protect your profit margins while running affiliate campaigns.

Whether you want to set minimum purchase thresholds or limit usage per customer, Advanced Coupons lets you fine-tune every aspect of your affiliate coupon campaigns.

Pros of Advanced Coupons:

• You can create new coupons in just a few clicks through the simple dashboard interface.
• Instead of typing codes, customers can apply discounts by clicking a special URL link.
• You can set exact rules, such as minimum spending amounts or limiting coupons to specific products.
• Cart conditions let you create offers like “spend $50 to get free shipping” or “buy 3 items to get 20% off.”
• The coupon scheduling system automatically activates and deactivates coupons at preset times.
• The plugin offers multiple coupon types, including BOGO deals, percentage discounts, and free gifts.
• You can start with the free version to test basic coupon features before upgrading.
• The plugin works seamlessly with AffiliateWP and other major affiliate plugins, without any conflicts.

Cons of Advanced Coupons:

• You’ll need to purchase a separate affiliate plugin to access affiliate-focused settings.

Why I recommend Advanced Coupons: It’s my favorite pick for affiliate coupon management because it makes creating and managing affiliate coupon campaigns simple.

Pricing: Premium plans start at $59.50 and go up to $149.50 per year. The cheapest plan, Growth, includes essential features such as auto-apply coupons, URL sharing, and campaign scheduling tools.

I also have a special Advanced Coupons discount code for WPBeginner readers.

5. YITH WooCommerce Affiliates – Highly Flexible Affiliate Plugin

YITH WooCommerce Affiliates gives you complete control over how your affiliate program runs. I’ve tested many YITH plugins before, and they’ve always been reliable and user-friendly, and this one is no exception.

The reason I call it the most flexible is simple. There’s just one paid plan that includes all the features. Unlike other plugins that spread features across different tiers or add-ons, YITH gives you everything in one package.

Plus, you can add other YITH plugins if you need extra functionality for your WooCommerce store. For example, you can install a YITH plugin for creating a multi-vendor marketplace.

Creating affiliate forms is also super simple. You can ask for any information you need, from basic contact details to social media profiles.

Simply add these forms to any page on your site using a shortcode, and then review the applications from your dashboard.

Managing commissions is straightforward, too. You can set a basic commission rate for everyone and then create special rates for specific products or affiliates.

For instance, you could offer 10% on most products but give 15% on your premium items.

I also love the plugin’s payment system. You can choose to pay affiliates manually or automatically, set minimum payout amounts, and use PayPal, Stripe, or bank transfers.

You can even schedule payments for specific days of the month or when affiliates reach certain earnings.

Pros of YITH WooCommerce Affiliates:

• You can build registration forms that ask exactly what you want to know about potential affiliates, like their social media profiles, website URLs, or marketing experience.
• The dashboard clearly shows all affiliate activity, including clicks and sales, to help you identify which marketing channels are most effective.
• There is a feature that lets you decide whether the first or last affiliate click gets the commission. This way, you can fairly reward either the affiliate who initially introduced the customer or the one who made the final sale.
• During my tests, I found that you can use this plugin together with WooCommerce’s built-in coupon feature. Then, you can assign each coupon to different affiliates.
• The plugin handles payments automatically based on your rules, like paying affiliates monthly or when they reach $100 in earnings.
• You get clear WooCommerce reports showing which affiliates bring in the most sales.
• The plugin sends automatic updates to affiliates about their earnings through email notifications.

Cons of YITH WooCommerce Affiliates:

• The plugin doesn’t support multiple currencies.

Why I recommend YITH WooCommerce Affiliates: It offers an all-in-one solution that gives you complete control over your affiliate program without the complexity of multiple plans or add-ons.

Pricing: There’s a free version of YITH WooCommerce Affiliates that you can use to get started. But it lacks features like coupon assignment and commission notifications. You can also get the premium version for $179.99 per year, which includes all the features I mentioned in this review.

6. ShareASale WooCommerce Tracker – Best for Reaching Established Affiliates

ShareASale, now part of the Awin network, is one of the largest affiliate marketplaces in the world. This platform helps you connect your WooCommerce store with ShareASale’s vast network of pre-screened, professional affiliates.

The platform also handles everything from affiliate screening to payment processing, saving you countless hours of management work. This is why some of our partner brands use ShareASale and are satisfied with its performance.

One thing to note is that ShareASale is not a WooCommerce affiliate plugin. It is a third-party platform. However, it has a ShareASale WooCommerce Tracker plugin that lets you connect the platform with your website. The plugin makes integration surprisingly straightforward.

Once installed, you just need to enter your ShareASale Merchant ID in the WooCommerce Tracker settings. After that, the plugin automatically tracks all sales and commissions without any extra work on your part.

ShareASale’s reporting system gives you a clear view of your program’s performance. You can see which affiliates drive the most sales, track conversion rates, and monitor commission payouts, all from one dashboard.

Pros of ShareASale:

• You get instant access to thousands of professional affiliates looking for products to promote. Based on my research, this benefit is not offered by many affiliate plugins.
• The platform handles all the technical aspects, from hosting to tracking to payments.
• I found the analytics dashboard extremely detailed, showing everything from click data to conversion rates.
• ShareASale manages all affiliate payments automatically, saving you from having to process them manually.
• The platform screens all affiliates before they join, ensuring quality partnerships.
• The integration with WooCommerce works well with the official plugin.
• You can use the attribution tool to reward top-performing affiliates.

Cons of ShareASale:

• The initial setup cost of $750 and a 20% transaction fee on affiliate commissions paid might be steep for small businesses.

Why I recommend ShareASale: For businesses ready to scale their affiliate program, ShareASale’s established network and automated management system can make it worth the investment.

Pricing: ShareASale typically requires an upfront payment around $650 to $750, plus a deposit and monthly platform fee. There’s also a 20% transaction fee on affiliate commissions paid.

While these costs are significant, they give you access to one of the largest affiliate networks available.

7. Coupon Affiliates – Best Freemium Affiliate Plugin

Coupon Affiliates offers powerful affiliate features in its free version that you’d typically have to pay for in other plugins. Plus, you get 7 days to try all the premium features before deciding if you need them.

The free version gives you more than you’d expect. For example, you can create affiliate dashboards where your partners can view their stats, track the commission they’ve earned, and manage their own registration forms.

You can also choose how to pay them (either a percentage of sales or a fixed amount) and even set up recurring payments for subscription products.

I liked the referral link system that comes with the free version. Your affiliates can create their own tracking links, and when customers click these links, their coupon codes are automatically applied at checkout.

You can also view the most recent website visits via the affiliate coupon code URLs.

If you upgrade to the premium version, you get more special features. For instance, you can create groups of affiliates and assign them special commission rates.

This will be helpful if you want to reward your top performers with higher commissions or set up different rates for influencers versus regular affiliates. 

Pros of Coupon Affiliates:

• The free version displays important stats, such as total sales, clicks, and conversion rates.
• Affiliates can check their referral orders and filter them by date to track their performance.
• When affiliates share their referral links, their coupon codes are automatically applied at checkout.
• The premium version lets affiliates earn commissions from other affiliates they recruit. In my research, I’ve only seen a handful of plugins that have this feature.
• You can create different affiliate groups with their own commission rates and rules.
• The affiliate leaderboard feature helps motivate partners to sell more.

Cons of Coupon Affiliates:

• In my opinion, the dashboard design feels outdated and could use a modern refresh.

Why I recommend Coupon Affiliates: This WooCommerce affiliate plugin is perfect for businesses that want to start an affiliate program without a significant upfront investment.

Pricing: The free version of Coupon Affiliates includes core features like affiliate dashboards and commission tracking. Premium plans start at $19.99 per month or $12.99 per month with annual billing. There’s also a lifetime option at $599.99.

8. SliceWP – Simple, Easy-to-Use Affiliate Plugin

SliceWP makes managing affiliate programs feel effortless with its clean, modern dashboard design. During my tests of various affiliate plugins, I found SliceWP’s interface to be the most intuitive and easy to navigate.

The dashboard’s straightforward layout helps you evaluate your affiliate marketing performance without getting overwhelmed. You can see an overview of important statistics, including total referral revenue, the latest registered affiliates, and the latest commissions, among others.

The plugin strikes a good balance between simplicity and functionality. In the free version, you get essential features like unlimited affiliates, customizable tracking links, and basic commission management.

If you need more, the premium version adds powerful tools like custom commission rates and social sharing from the affiliate’s account page.

What I particularly like is how SliceWP handles add-ons. Instead of making you buy them separately, all add-ons with 24+ options are included with the premium plans. This means you get everything from PayPal mass payouts to multi-level affiliate systems in one package.

Pros of SliceWP:

• The affiliate dashboard shows clear statistics about clicks and sales.
• You can add unlimited affiliates, even in the free version.
• The affiliate plugin lets you review applications before accepting partners.
• The premium version includes all 24+ add-ons at no extra cost.
• You can set different commission rates for specific product pages or affiliates.
• Email notifications keep affiliates updated about their earnings automatically.

Cons of SliceWP:

• Based on my testing, I feel that the free version’s manual payout system could lead to errors since you have to select affiliates and amounts individually.
• Compared to other affiliate plugins, SliceWP’s core plugin doesn’t have as many features.

Why I recommend SliceWP: This plugin is great for businesses that want a clean, professional-looking affiliate program that’s easy to manage.

Pricing: There’s a free version of SliceWP to get you started. Premium plans range from $169 to $259 per year, and both include access to all add-ons.

What Is the Best WooCommerce Affiliate Plugin?

After testing numerous WooCommerce affiliate plugins, AffiliateWP is my top overall recommendation. Its combination of powerful features and a user-friendly interface makes it perfect for both beginners and experienced users alike.

Plus, the AI feature that helps you review applications is a game-changer for saving time on program management.

On the other hand, if you want to create a refer-a-friend program in just a few minutes, then RewardsWP is the ideal choice. It is powerful, beginner-friendly, and secure.

If you run a subscription-based business, then Easy Affiliate might be a better choice. It’s specifically designed to handle both one-time and recurring commissions, helping you reward affiliates for bringing in long-term customers.

For businesses focusing on coupon-based affiliate marketing, Advanced Coupons works great alongside these plugins. While it’s primarily a coupon management tool, its scheduling features and auto-apply URLs make running affiliate coupon campaigns much easier.

WooCommerce Affiliates: Frequently Asked Questions

After reviewing the best WooCommerce affiliate plugins, let’s answer some common questions about running an affiliate program on WordPress.

Does WordPress allow affiliate links?

Yes, WordPress fully supports affiliate links. You can add them to your posts, pages, or anywhere else on your website. Just make sure to follow proper disclosure guidelines and mark affiliate links as ‘nofollow’ for SEO best practices.

Can I use WooCommerce for affiliate marketing?

Yes, you can create an affiliate marketing program with WooCommerce. However, you’ll need a dedicated affiliate plugin because WooCommerce doesn’t include affiliate tracking features by default.

The best plugins are AffiliateWP for overall management, Easy Affiliate for subscription products, or Advanced Coupons if you want to run coupon-based campaigns.

How do you create affiliate links in WooCommerce?

The process depends on which plugin you use. With AffiliateWP, affiliates get access to a dashboard where they can generate their own referral links instantly.

They don’t need to wait for you to create links. Instead, they can start promoting your products right after being approved. Other plugins like Easy Affiliate also offer similar features.

Discover More WooCommerce Tips and Tricks

Looking to learn more tips and tricks for managing your WooCommerce store? Check out these beginner-friendly guides:

I hope this article has helped you choose the best WooCommerce affiliate plugin for your business. You may also want to check out our ultimate guide to WooCommerce SEO and our expert picks of the best WooCommerce product grid plugins.

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