Affiliate networks ranked by payout reliability
Public letter grades for every major network. Updated quarterly. Free, no signup.
Every affiliate network gets a public reliability grade A through F based on community payout reports, network history, and our own monthly checks. As of April 2026: Impact and PartnerStack hold A grades. ShareASale at A-. CJ Affiliate and Awin at B+. Rakuten at B. ClickBank at B-. MaxBounty at C+. AdmitAd at C. Each grade has a written explanation on the network's page detailing the underlying data.
The grades, current as of April 2026
| Network | Reliability | Programs hosted | Payout schedule | Sample size | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Impact | A | ~12,000 | Monthly | n=87 | Largest tracked network, NordVPN, ConvertKit, Bluehost, Notion, Semrush, Synthesia |
| PartnerStack | A | ~3,500 | Monthly | n=64 | SaaS focus, ActiveCampaign, Surfer SEO, Frase, Jasper |
| ShareASale | A- | ~16,000 | Monthly | n=72 | Long history, e-commerce focus, generally reliable, occasional delays on smaller programs |
| CJ Affiliate | B+ | ~3,000 | Monthly (net 30) | n=58 | Surfshark and other big brands, slow dispute resolution, payment thresholds higher |
| Awin | B+ | ~25,000 | 2x monthly | n=43 | European focus, lots of programs, account approval process is strict |
| Rakuten Advertising | B | ~3,500 | Monthly | n=39 | Big brand programs, slow approval, decent payment reliability with occasional delays |
| ClickBank | B- | ~10,000 | Weekly | n=51 | Info products, frequent payouts, quality of programs varies wildly |
| FlexOffers | B- | ~12,000 | Monthly | n=29 | Aggregator, mixed quality, sample size limited |
| MaxBounty | C+ | ~3,500 | Weekly | n=44 | CPA focus, weekly payments fast but commission scrubbing has been reported |
| Avangate (2Checkout) | C+ | ~5,000 | Monthly | n=22 | Software focus, payment delays reported in 2025, recovering |
| AdmitAd | C | ~2,000 | Monthly | n=19 | European/Russian programs, payment reliability mixed since 2024 |
| JVZoo | C+ | ~8,000 | Instant to 30 days | n=37 | Info products and software, instant pay option, but delayed pay common for new affiliates |
| Creem | A- | ~1,200 | Monthly | n=18 | Newer payment platform, FreeTTS uses this, sample small but data clean |
Sample sizes shown next to every grade. n=87 carries more confidence than n=18. Grades update quarterly unless something major (network announces a payment delay, large program closes, multiple new payout reports change the picture) triggers an immediate update.
What the grades mean
| Grade | Meaning | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| A | Excellent reliability, no significant issues | 95%+ on time payments, zero unreported delays in trailing 12 months, n >= 20 |
| A- | Strong reliability, minor isolated issues | 90%+ on time, occasional 1 to 3 day delays, n >= 15 |
| B+ | Good with isolated incidents | 85%+ on time, 1 to 2 reported issues handled within 30 days |
| B | Acceptable, watch closely | 80%+ on time, multiple isolated incidents but no systemic issues |
| B- | Trending down or recovering | 75%+ on time, recent improvement or recent decline |
| C+ to C- | Concerning, recommend caution | 60 to 75% on time, multiple unresolved disputes, slow CS response |
| D | Multiple unresolved payment issues | Below 60% on time, pattern of delayed or partial payments |
| F | Do not recommend | Multiple confirmed cases of non payment, network closing, or affiliate terms violations |
How to use these grades when choosing programs
The reliability score is one input, not the whole decision. A high commission program on a B network can still be worth promoting if the underlying product is strong and the network has reasonable history. A low commission program on an A network might not be worth it if the absolute earnings don't add up.
That said, three rules of thumb help:
Start with A and A- networks if you're new. Building affiliate income is hard enough without payment reliability concerns. Impact, PartnerStack, ShareASale, and Creem are good defaults. Once you have steady income, you can branch into B and B+ networks for specific programs.
Avoid C and below for big bets. If you're going to pour months of content effort into a program, the underlying network needs to be reliable. C grade networks can be fine for opportunistic short term promotions but not for building long term content positions.
Watch in house programs separately. Some of the strongest programs in our directory run in house tracking (Kinsta, ClickFunnels, Builderall, FreeTTS via Creem). These don't get a network grade per se but are tracked individually for reliability. Their program pages include their own reliability assessment.
Featured network sponsorship
Affiliate networks can pay $1,500 a month for a "preferred network" placement on this page. Featured slots are tagged "Sponsored" and appear in a separate section above the editorial ranking. Featured does not influence reliability grades, which are computed from community data and our own checks. The day a sponsorship affects a grade is the day this directory loses credibility, so the rule is firm.
For network sponsorship inquiries, email [email protected].
How to submit payout data
The reliability scores depend on community data. If you're an active affiliate and want to contribute to the dataset, submit a payout report via the contact form. Required: program name or network, payment date, scheduled date if it differed, payment method, and any notes. Personal information is not required and individual reports stay confidential. Aggregated stats feed the grades.
The full data submission process and confidentiality protections are described in the methodology page.