Bankrate Affiliate Program
Explore endless opportunities with the Cabela’s Affiliate Program. Earn commissions promoting top-notch outdoor gear.
Commission
N/A
Cookie
N/A
Regions
United States
Website
bankrate.com
Niche
Credit Cards, Financial
Affiliate platform
In-house
About Bankrate
Bankrate is a leading financial data provider and online publisher established in 1976. Originally a print publisher of the “Bank Rate Monitor,” it has evolved into a massive digital authority in the personal finance space.
Now owned by Red Ventures, Bankrate aggregates and compares financial rates for mortgages, credit cards, loans, savings accounts, and insurance. They are widely trusted by consumers and major media outlets (like the WSJ and NYT) for their objective research, editorial content, and comprehensive rate tables.
Affiliate Earnings Calculator
Estimate your affiliate income based on Traffic, CTR, AOV, and Commission rate. Drag the sliders below to explore different scenarios.
Estimated Results
These figures are for illustrative purposes – feel free to adjust them to fit your specific niche.
- Conversion Rate here is defined as the percentage of traffic that buys.
- Does not account for refunds, cancellations, or varying commission rates by product.
Bankrate Affiliate Program Overview
The Bankrate Affiliate Program operates primarily as a financial affiliate network (Bankrate Credit Card Network), connecting publishers with top-tier financial institutions.
| Feature | Details |
| Industry | Personal Finance & Insurance |
| Product Type | Credit Cards, Mortgages, Personal Loans, Auto Loans, Banking (CDs/Savings), Insurance |
| Affiliate Program Type | CPA (Cost Per Action) & CPL (Cost Per Lead) Network |
Bankrate Affiliate Program Offers
Bankrate provides robust tools for affiliates to integrate financial offers into their content.
| Feature | Details |
| Promotional Materials | Banners, Text Links, Comparison Tables, Widgets, APIs, Co-branded sites |
| Affiliate Cookie Duration | Varies by offer (Typically 30 to 45 days) |
| Accepted Traffic Source | Blogs, SEO (Organic Search), Review Sites, Email Marketing (with restrictions), Fintech Apps |
| Accepted Countries | Global (Affiliates can be from anywhere, but traffic must usually be US-based) |
| Explicit Content | Prohibited (Strictly forbidden) |
| Religious or Political Content | Prohibited (Financial institutions require brand-safe environments) |
Bankrate Affiliate Commissions & Payments
Bankrate is known for high payouts because they work directly with major banks and lenders.
| Feature | Details |
| MLM | No (Single-tier program) |
| Commission Rate | Variable (e.g., $200+ per approved credit card, or percentage of loan value). Rates depend on the specific bank offer. |
| Commission Structure | Cost Per Action (CPA) – Paid upon approved application or funded loan. |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (typically Net 30 or Net 45 terms) |
| Payout Methods | Direct Deposit (ACH), Wire Transfer, Check |
| Minimum Payout | None (or very low, e.g., $25, depending on the specific payment method selected) |
Suitable Affiliates for Bankrate Affiliate
This program is highly competitive and compliance-heavy, making it best suited for professional content creators with high-intent traffic.
- Bloggers: Specifically in Personal Finance, F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early), Investing, and Travel Hacking niches.
- YouTubers: Creators reviewing credit cards, teaching budgeting, or explaining real estate/mortgages.
- Influencers / KOL / KOC: Financial educators on Instagram/LinkedIn who share money-saving tips.
- Review Sites: Websites dedicated to comparing financial products (e.g., “Best Travel Credit Cards of 2024”).
- News & Media Publishers: High-volume news sites looking to monetize their business sections.
Bankrate Affiliate Software
Bankrate largely uses its own proprietary platform, the Bankrate Credit Card Network. This allows them to offer specific data feeds and white-label solutions that standard affiliate networks cannot. However, they may also list specific sub-offers on major public networks (like Impact or FlexOffers) occasionally.
3 Alternatives for Bankrate Affiliate Program
Here is a comparison with three major competitors: NerdWallet (Direct competitor), Credit Karma (High volume/lower barrier), and SuperMoney (Flexible aggregator).
| Comparison Factor | Bankrate | NerdWallet | Credit Karma | SuperMoney |
| Average Bill / Payout | High (Variable CPA, often $100+) | High (Variable CPA, often $100+) | Low ($2 – $12 per signup) | High (Up to $750/loan) |
| Entry Fees | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Withdrawal Threshold | $0 – $25 | Network Standard (~$50) | Network Standard ($100) | Net 30 Terms |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly (Net 30/45) | Monthly (Net 30/60) | Monthly (Net 45) | Monthly (Net 30) |
| Commission | Variable CPA (Sale) | Variable CPA (Sale) | CPL (Lead/Signup) | Variable CPA/CPL |
| Conversion | Medium (Requires credit check/approval) | Medium (Requires credit check/approval) | High (Free signup, no credit check) | Medium (Loan funding) |
| Marketing Materials | Widgets, Tables, API | Widgets, Banners | Banners, Links | Widgets, API |
