Amazon Associates vs. ShareASale- Which One Pays More?
And affiliate marketing is a hot way to make money online, using the perfect network for your audience and earning while selling products or services. There are two of the largest and best-known affiliate networks: Amazon Associates and ShareASale.
Comparing earnings potential from both networks, however, depends on several other elements, such as commission rates, cookie duration, type of product, and payout threshold. In case you were curious which network pays higher, reading this comparative study will benefit you in choosing one for your affiliate marketing program.
1) Commission Rates:
One of the crucial aspects of file which determines the income that you may earn as an affiliate will be commission rates. Thus, let us compare these two-a-amazon Associate vs. ShareASale regarding the commission percentages.
✅Amazon Associates:
Amazon pays different commissions according to category, thus ranging between 1 and 10 percent.
There are some parts like electronics and gaming consoles offering as low as 1%, which is quite low on the spectrum of affiliate networks.
On the other end of the range, luxury beauty categories will see commissions as high as 10%, making those products far more lucrative.
Commissions rely upon the final amount of purchase for a given product.
✅ShareASale:
ShareASale does not have fixed commissions because it can host thousands of merchants..
Commissions can be between 5% and 50%+, depending on what brand and product type you promote.
Some of them offer lifetime commissions, which you continue earning when a customer renews or a second purchase is made.
Digital products and SaaS usually have higher commissions up to 75%.
🚀Winner: ShareASale
ShareASale has a much higher commission potential, especially for those promoting high-ticket items or digital products.
2)Cookie Duration
While the cookie duration indicates the time in which an affiliate-generated link will be repeated and a period where an affiliate gets paid if a sale was made, this indicates how long it takes for the link to be followed.
✅Amazon Associates:
Amazon cookie lasts for 24 short hours.
If a user clicks on your link but does not spend any money within 24 hours, you will not earn a commission.
If they add the product to their shopping cart within 24 hours, you are entitled to a commission if they complete the purchase within 90 days.
- ShareASale:
The cookie duration at ShareASale differs per merchant, but most merchants usually have their cookies valid between 30 and 90 days.
That means you can earn commissions longer after someone clicks your affiliate link.
There are also some merchants in this site that have lifetime cookies so that even future purchases can earn you these commissions.
🔥 Winner: ShareASale
The longer cookie period gives you better opportunities for earning commissions, and on that point, ShareASale wins out over that of Amazon Associates.
3)Product Variety
Another great measure for narrowing down which affiliate program to join is the type of product you can promote.
✅Amazon Associates:
Amazon has millions of products across all specialties, such as electronics, home and garden, apparel, books, and so much more.
For bloggers, niche website owners, and influencers who tend to review products-this is great.
People trust Amazon, which leads to higher conversion rates.
Share-as-More:
Share-as-More mix of physical-only and digital products from over 4,500 brands.
High-ticket sales, software subscriptions, financial services, fashion brands, and others.
There are many ShareASale merchants who offer stuff that carry tendencies toward higher price points and, with those, much larger commissions.
Winner: Tie
Amazon has more products within with a wider reach but ShareASale, instead, provides better commissions on high-ticket or digital goods.
4. Payment & Payout Threshold
Getting paid on time is important to affiliate marketing; so how do Amazon and ShareASale work on payments?
✅Amazon Associates:
Minimum payout of $10 for gift cards, $100 for wire transfer. Payment methods include direct deposit, check, gift card with Amazon.
Payment schedule: Net-60 (pays you 60 days after the end of the month when you earned commission). Receipt of payment from Amazon is reliable though it is somewhat slow.
✅ShareASale:
Minimum payout is $50. Payment methods: direct deposit, PayPal, check.
Payment schedule: Net-30 (ShareASale pays you 30 days after the end of the month when you earned commissions).
Payments are processed faster at ShareASale compared to Amazon.
💰 Winner: ShareASale
With faster payments and a much lower payout threshold, ShareAsale is the better option for affiliates who wish to have quicker access to their profits.
Final Verdict: Who Pays More?
Thus, in comparison between Amazon Associates and Share ASale on account of the various aspects such as commission rates, cookie duration, product variety, and payout system, here is our outcome:
Feature
Amazon Associates
ShareASale
Winner
Commission Rates
1%-10%
5%-50%+
ShareASale
Cookie Duration
24 hours
30-90 days
ShareASale
Product Variety
Millions of products
4,500+ brands, digital & physical products
Tie
Payout Threshold & Speed
$10-$100, Net-60
$50, Net-30
ShareASale
✅ Best for Beginners: Amazon Associates
Well satisfied to join, features huge products, and gets a good conversion rate to join.
Best for Higher Earnings: ShareASale
Higher commissions, longer cookie durations, and quicker payouts-all make ShareASale a superior choice for affiliates looking to succeed.
In fact, get both programs going: promote small-ticket items on Amazon; ShareASale for big-ticket or recurring commissions.
