The software industry has been around since 1955 and is now grossing over $500 billion. For some perspective, the global film industry stands at about $100 billion.
The figures show software is a massive market. You can get a slice of the market by promoting the right software affiliate programs.
There are too many software affiliate programs on the internet, and it’s not advisable to join all of them.
Joining all programs is a waste of your precious resources and time.
Plus, random advertising could confuse your readers.
Instead, we’ve curated a list of the best affiliate programs in the market so you can make a reasonable amount of cash in a short period!
If you are hunting for the highest-paying affiliate programs, the commission percentages below will impress you.
The standard commission in the software niche is between 10% and 30%, but you’ll see many brands offering up to 40%.
But the highest-paying is Adobe, with a commission rate of up to 85%.
Here’s a list of the best software affiliate programs by sub-niche to help you make money for your efforts:
The software industry has gone a massive revolution over the past four decades.
The industry is also the genesis of the wealthiest people in the world!
However, is the software industry a good niche to build a website around?
Yes, through affiliate commissions selling software services and products.
Affiliate marketing is a business model of selling products and services from other businesses.
You become a software affiliate promoting the products via your established channels and earn a commission for the effort.
Affiliates earn a commission for each product they sell, and brands only pay after verification of sales.
People are always looking for the best software to improve their efficiency, so selling reliable software as an affiliate is profitable.
This evergreen affiliate niche includes high-demand products such as antivirus, SEO, productivity, design, and marketing.
The global software products market will exceed $2 billion by 2026.
This segment will also grow further with the rise of hybrid and remote working and the adoption of paid and free tools that aid entrepreneurs with engagement, client management, and financials.
The software niche is also an excellent way for content creators to monetize their content.
You can work on diverse software topics you enjoy and get paid.
Plus, there’s a massive audience out there with little to lose by signing up and starting.
This section has a list of software affiliate programs with high-income potential.
We also offer you each program’s stats and reasons we recommend it.
Do you want to earn affiliate commissions for recommending Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools to readers?
Here’s a breakdown of the four best SEO Software affiliate programs.
Surfer SEO is an innovative content marketing tool that helps you understand why competitors rank and what you can do to succeed.
The company offers clients several tools, including Grow Flow, Content Editor, Content Planner, and Audit.
Affiliates in the program promote Surfer SEO plans.
The plans include Basic at $59/month, Pro at $119/month, and Business at $239/month.
Some reasons we love the Surfer SEO program include:
Semrush is a leading SEO set of tools that helps improve website performance.
Platform features include social media, link building, SEO, and keyword research services.
Semrush affiliates promote Pro, Guru, Business, and Custom plans on monthly and yearly subscriptions.
The best features of the Semrush affiliate program are:
SEO PowerSuite (Link Assistant) is a comprehensive SEO toolkit with tools for helping users study their competitors, track their ranking, carry out keyword research, build backlinks, and audit web pages.
You can download the platform to several machines but need a license for each user.
SEO PowerSuite has a free version and two paid licenses.
The professional plan is ideal for web admins and site owners, while the Enterprise kit is perfect for digital marketing agencies.
The SEO PowerSuite affiliate program pays you a 33% commission for each sale.
You also receive a commission for annual subscription renewals.
AccuRanker is a cloud-based tool for monitoring website keyword ranking.
AccuRanker supports third-party integration with digital marketing tools such as Google Analytics, Search Console, and Sheets.
You can add and manage multiple domains, tag landing pages, and organize large keyword data sets.
Users have only one plan that allows setting the number of keywords they want to track, and the monthly price goes up or down.
AccuRanker users can downgrade, upgrade, or cancel their subscriptions whenever they wish.
Over 25,000 SEO consultants, businesses, digital agencies, and consultants use AccuRanker.
The company claims they are the fastest keyword research tool in the world.
Affiliates have access to promotional materials and receive a custom link for promoting the platform on their social media platforms, newsletters, websites, and blogs.
Plus, you can generate as many affiliate links as you want and place them anywhere on your pages.
Check out these platforms if you’re looking for the best marketing software affiliate programs to boost your bottom line.
ReferralCandy is a refer-a-friend system or Shopify plugin that grows e-commerce sales through word-of-mouth marketing.
ReferralCandy has integrations with Shopify, Etsy, Amazon Webstore, and many other websites.
ReferralCandy has a 30-day free trial that lets you test the product and cancel at any time.
Customers paying for the annual subscription get a 20% discount on the monthly plans.
ReferralCandy boasts one of the highest one-time commissions among marketing software affiliate programs.
The platform is one of the leading referral marketing platforms for e-commerce, making its affiliate program an excellent option.
Affiliates get marketing tips and materials for promoting ReferralCandy and boosting earnings, while a responsive support team ensures quick problem-solving solutions.
AWeber is an email marketing platform that’s been around since 1998.
Customers get the tools and insights needed for communicating with their email lists via email broadcasts and newsletters.
AWeber helps customers build landing pages for their marketing campaigns and offers multiple integrations that expand the tool’s capabilities.
The platform boasts a drag-and-drop for creating emails and a chance to purchase a domain and set it up.
AWeber sells only one product.
The Pro plan pricing depends on the number of subscribers a customer has.
Affiliate marketers can earn up to 50% commission each month, depending on the number of referrals.
For instance, ten or more new customers each year earn you 40% commissions.
Registering through CJ Affiliate earns you $300 for each customer paying their second year.
The program has a high acceptance rate, and you get paid via PayPal or check.
ActiveCampaign is an automation tool helping over 180,000 clients send fewer emails but achieve better results.
Notable ActiveCampaign features include email marketing software for professional templates, a marketing automation builder for putting together campaigns, and list management.
ActiveCampaign has a simple pricing plan starting at $9 per month with limited email automation and features.
However, the costs scale up sharply as the customer list gets bigger.
Customers in the higher tiers also get advanced features, such as Salesforce integrations, conversion reporting, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) support.
ActiveCampaign offers a recurring commission, so you earn more for promoting the platform.
Affiliates receive their monthly payouts on time, while a tiered commission structure is a chance to make more money.
Voluum is cloud-hosted software customers use to track, analyze, and optimize their affiliate marketing campaigns in a single platform.
The Voluum tracking feature offers ad tracking across mobile and desktop devices of all campaigns.
Voluum has flexible plans for each user. Individual pricing plans are Discover at $89/month, Profit at $149/month, and Scale at $299/month.
Business plans are Start-up at $499/month, Agency at $999/month, and Enterprise at $1,999/month.
The Voluum affiliate program is a profitable option providing you a 20% lifetime commission for each deal.
Further, affiliates have a chance to earn extra one-off bonuses for new clients they bring to the platform.
You also get over 40 graphics and ready-to-use messages that make marketing Voluum easy through social posts and emails.
Design bloggers also have access to designing tools with profitable affiliate programs.
Here are a few design-related to watch out for.
Monotype is not the traditional design website where you can buy yarn, ribbons, or anything else in the category.
Instead, the brand creates unique fonts for sale.
Monotype boasts of hosting the highest density of fonts anywhere in the world.
Monotype has numerous preset typefaces, but they can also design custom fonts for businesses.
You can earn up to 15% commissions on all referred sales via the CJ Affiliate program.
Elementor is a premium WordPress page builder with built-in layouts and templates that make it easy to customize your website design in minutes.
The platform also has mobile-responsive templates if you don’t want to build an entire site from scratch.
Choose the Elementor Cloud product if you need a hosting service with easy site-building tools.
Elementor Pro has five plans your readers can choose from.
The website hosting and builder plan cost $99 per year.
Affiliates earn a 50% commission for each Elementor Pro plugin sale they make.
Plus, they get an extra $70 for every new subscriber for Elementor cloud.
If a reader buys an Elementor plan after clicking your tracking link within 90 days, you get a commission on the sale.
Snappa is a relatively new entrant in the online graphics creation category that helps people create images on a budget.
All websites and promotional materials require beautiful graphics design, making the platform a lucrative affiliate product to promote.
You promote plans for images to your readers.
Plan pricing is Pro at $15/month and Team at $30/month.
However, customers can choose annual plans that offer 33% savings.
What’s great about the Snappa affiliate program is that:
Pixlr is a cloud-based software where users can share photos and edits with advanced tools for all types of creators.
The Pixlr platform works on desktop and handheld devices, and users can edit 50 images at once.
Pixlr features Free, Premium, and Team plans.
Annual plans attract a 38% discount.
Pixlr has an excellent affiliate program for those who love image editing utilities and tools.
Affiliates receive a 25% commission when they refer customers who pay the premium subscription.
You also access many links, banners, and logos that help make promoting Pixlr a breeze.
Here are the four best security software affiliate programs that compensate you with cash.
McAfee was one of the first computer antivirus software suppliers using the pre-internet Bulletin Board System (BBS) back in 1984.
McAfee supplies multiple computer security solutions, including a Virtual Private Network (VPN), Total Protection software suite, and mobile security apps.
McAfee annual subscriptions you can promote to your readers are:
Offering software from the McAfee affiliate program helps safeguard your readers’ system daily.
Clients purchase with confidence knowing their programs have real-time anti-malware protection, the latest firewalls, and other options to aid in case of or after a disaster.
Norton is a powerful anti-malware engine using heuristics and signatures to identify viruses and threats to your computer systems.
Norton has a plan or product for almost all budgets.
Further, users get decades of experience from security experts.
Some Norton products you can promote to your audience include:
Norton is a recognized brand name that’s easy to market.
The 30% affiliate commission is above the average of big security brands, while affiliates get localized creative banners and text links for driving traffic from around the world.
You also have a chance to market unique Norton discount campaigns and coupons.
LastPass keeps all usernames and passwords in a secure digital vault.
Customers on phones or computers can access all the passwords and only need to remember one.
The service works for iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows devices, but you require a premium account to use with more than one device.
Services worth promoting from the LastPass service include:
LastPass has over 16.5 million users and is a trusted password manager for businesses and individuals.
Affiliates can earn up to $200 per referral, a figure that doesn’t include commissions from customers who use the service beyond the first year.
Bitdefender is the creator of an antivirus tool that helps keep new, undiscovered computer threats at bay.
The antivirus tools provide excellent protection and a host of features meant to secure your family and business systems and identities.
Affiliates can promote Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android and iOS devices and Bitdefender Box router that protects smart home devices and IoT devices from malicious internet traffic.
Bitdefender GravityZone provides enterprise-wide security to businesses.
The Bitdefender affiliate program features a tiered commission structure so you can increase earnings based on sales volume.
The 25% to 40% commission range is one of the highest in the software affiliate programs market.
Here is a list of the best productivity software affiliate programs that will help members of your audience focus on what is important, get things done, and improve their efficiency and effectiveness.
Loom allows you to record and share video messages on the screen and camera.
The service’s basic features are free, and users pay an annual fee for unlimited recordings.
Premium plans include critical features such as up to 4K ultra-high videos, custom recording dimensions, and drawing tools.
Loom makes it to our list of the best software affiliate programs because it offers business owners among your audience a user-friendly and fast online video messaging service.
The company provides you with a dashboard for tracking your payouts and commission.
On-time payments and a healthy commission rate are other reasons you should join the program.
Grammarly is an AI-based writing assistant that helps customers avoid grammatical and spelling mistakes.
Grammarly is also available for Android, iOS, and Chrome devices.
The tool helps with vocabulary enhancement and style checks.
Millions of people depend on Grammarly daily to make their social media posts, documents, and messages clear, impactful, and mistake-free.
The affiliate program helps you promote the company’s Free, Premium, and Business plans.
Why This Affiliate Program Made Our List
Grammarly’s incentive program gives you up to 10% monthly cash bonuses.
The returns are profitable because the platform’s products are leading in the education affiliate category.
Affiliates earn strong returns due to the excellent reputation Grammarly has with professionals and many educational facilities.
Asana is a web and mobile-based work management platform for people who need help organizing, tracking, and managing their projects.
The platform outperforms many other project management tools for simplicity, Kanban-style user interface, and ease of use.
Asana boasts many features and takes a few minutes to start and onboard a team.
Notable features include multiple project views, process management automation, team collaboration, and powerful integrations.
Products available on the Asana platform include:
Asana offers your audience a complete collaboration package. Affiliates also receive in-depth training and support to become experts in the tool.
You can also tap into new markets through Asana’s unique co-marketing opportunities.
Google Workspace is a famous online work collaboration platform offering premium access to services such as Google Meet, Gmail, and multiple document sharing services like Slides, Sheets, and Google Docs.
Customers also receive security, phone support, and other advanced features not available to Google free users.
Google Workspace plans you can promote as an affiliate include the following:
The Google Workspace affiliate program is suitable for anyone who can refer at least 100 individuals annually to engage and constantly use Google products.
This program targets individual and business users, making it an excellent example of a customer and client acquisition referral program.
The VPN niche is one of the most profitable and competitive in the affiliate marketing world.
Here are the four best VPN software affiliate programs to promote.
NordVPN is an affordable VPN service with over 5,300 servers in multiple countries.
The platform allows its users to choose servers in specific cities.
NordVPN can support popular streaming services and allows connecting up to six devices simultaneously in a single account.
The company has a no-logs policy and uses obfuscated servers, so data does not appear like it’s on a VPN.
The NordVPN affiliate program lets you earn different commission percentages depending on the program your reader signs up for.
The affiliate program is generous, with a commission range between 30% to 100%.
ExpressVPN offers VPN solutions for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows devices.
They also offer browser extensions for different products.
ExpressVPN also sells pre-configured VPN routers to beat a growing number of geoblocks.
The service has 160 servers in 94 countries offering unlimited bandwidth.
ExpressVPN offers apps for all types of devices and routers.
The company also has easy-to-use extensions for browsers.
The company runs its affiliate program in-house, so apply directly and get a response within two to three days.
Affiliates have a chance to earn up to $36 per sale each month through their PayPal accounts.
CyberGhost is another well-established company in the VPN industry that works on different devices, including PlayStation and Smart TVs.
The platform boasts over 6,000 VPN servers worldwide.
CyberGhost guarantees anonymity through a web proxy, VPN encryption, and its no-log policy.
You can connect up to seven devices to a single account simultaneously.
Customers can purchase coverage for $2.29 a month in the three-year plan.
You earn as much as 100% commissions with special offers for the best performers.
Affiliates receive creative graphics, customized landing pages, and real-time statistics.
IPVanish offers users a secure environment for their daily internet activity.
All online traffic passes through an encrypted tunnel while concealing the identity of your IP address.
IPVanish provides dependable streaming access to geo-blocked services such as Hulu and Netflix US.
Over 2,000 servers in 75 countries allow for compatible P2P gaming and sharing. IPVanish is ideal for beginner and experienced users.
IPVanish offers your audience three plans depending on length.
IPVanish affiliate partners work with a team of expert sales professionals.
You can earn 50% commissions on new referrals and renewals.
Plus, the company offers a trusted service with one of the highest conversion rates in the VPN industry.
In addition to the extensive list above, here are four more options worth considering.
Pipeline CRM (formerly PipelineDeals) is a cloud-based sales platform offering easy setup and intuitive tools.
The CRM solution also works as an account-management tool that can assist in the marketing and sales process.
Pipeline CRM boasts a straightforward user interface offering a visual pipeline of your deals.
Smart Contact Data and advanced user permissions are features the platform offers to help businesses stay organized.
Pipeline CRM has pricing tiers for all levels of businesses.
All plans have unlimited reports, dashboards, and free US-based phone support.
The Pipeline CRM affiliate program is an excellent chance to make a 20% commission for the lifetime of a paying customer.
Further, the 90-day cookie duration is an excellent offer.
Adobe is one of the world’s biggest computer software companies offering an extensive range of tools for video editing, graphic design, and web development.
Adobe is famous for many software products, including Photoshop, Adobe Express, Elements, Acrobat, and Premiere Pro.
Adobe affiliates promote a wide range of products, including Adobe Stock, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Adobe Document Cloud.
Adobe rewards affiliates with hefty commissions and exclusive offers.
Plus, you get promotional materials for marketing.
WP Rocket is a performance and caching optimization plugin that helps improve the loading speed of WordPress sites.
The plugin includes features to remove unused CSS to speed up load times and delay JavaScript execution until the user interacts with the website.
WP Rocket only sells their plugin.
However, your audience can purchase a license based on the number of websites they want to support.
WP Rocket boasts industry-leading ongoing innovation and performance.
Affiliates receive 20% commissions on all sales, with the average order coming in at $59.
QuickBooks is a provider of accounting software for small to medium-sized business owners with no experience in accounting.
The company offers an extensive product range that includes a cloud accounting solution.
QuickBooks affiliates promote multiple Intuit products, including:
The QuickBooks referral program rewards up to $50 per sale, and the brand name is synonymous with payroll and accounting software.
The flat-rate payment rate makes the affiliate program one of the best offers in this roundup.
Want to find an affiliate program you'll love? Browse our massive directory of individual affiliate programs now!
You can promote software affiliate links through multiple channels, even without a website.
Here are three methods to promote software affiliate products online.
Promoting software affiliate links through a blog or website is a lucrative way to make an income online.
Some ways to promote by blogging include:
A sizable following on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other platforms makes promoting software affiliate links easy.
Include a link in your bio and direct followers to click the link every time you post something related.
Also, consider promoting the links on YouTube.
Include the links in the video description and ask viewers to click them if they want to try out or purchase the software you mention.
Software affiliate marketing is easy when you have a highly engaged email list.
Like blog post links, you also need to disclose your affiliate link.
Are you wondering how to promote your software affiliate links?
Here are four proven affiliate marketing tips you can apply right now.
Spend time looking over reviews and researching the reputation of brands and the affiliate marketing tools they offer.
Also, check other bloggers promoting the same company and see whether they recommend the affiliate arrangement.
The worst thing you can do is jump on the bandwagon and promote a new software only to hear from followers that it is poor quality.
Your fans should not send you nightmare messages about their unpleasant experiences with a product you recommend.
It’s best practice to disclose your affiliate arrangements.
The disclaimer is a valuable and legal requirement in the US and other places.
Examples of affiliate disclosure disclaimers include:
All the products you advertise on your website should be relevant to readers.
For example, don’t advertise gaming software if your niche is accounting products.
Some people avoid affiliate programs because they require adding lines of HTML code to the page, installing a plugin, or a specific link.
However, most companies have support lines, and a representative can walk you through the process.
Signing up for software affiliate programs is exciting.
But what are the prospects of making money?
Looking at what others are doing is an excellent way to realize the potential in the industry.
Pat Flynn is a familiar name in the affiliate marketer circles, earning over $3 million from referral marketing.
Over 80% of his earnings come from marketing software products such as AWeber.
Pat is the Smart Passive Income blog founder and has been sharing his adventures in passive income on the platform with hopes others can achieve similar success.
However, Pat says it takes patience to build an audience to earn a six or seven-figure income.
He only promotes products after using them, and once he knows they will serve his audience well.
Here are other software buffs to help you understand how affiliate marketing can work for you.
The website focuses on how to make and edit videos for YouTube for a passive income.
Meredith Marsh is the founder of VidProMom.com and the associated YouTube channel.
Meredith uses her website and YouTube channel to promote many products, including video editing software, cameras, and her own course.
Her channel has over 6 million views, and she is also the founder of the Video Pursuit Society (a membership program).
The website is a product from Mathew Bailey that focuses on helping people make extra money from VPN affiliate sites.
Mathew is a renowned writer on internet privacy and security topics.
He uses the website as a means to sell affiliate links while helping others make a living from this software sub-niche.
Keep Productive is a YouTube account with a focus on productivity tools.
The platform has over 298,000 YouTube subscribers, 10,000 Twitter followers, and 2,438 Instagram followers.
With such high subscriber numbers, Francesco D’Alessio should be on your list of software affiliate marketing professionals.