South African affiliate marketing is lucrative for everyone involved. Affiliates can turn their online influence into income by promoting products they love. Brands benefit from increased reach and sales, while customers discover new products through trusted recommendations.
We’ve compiled a list of the highest paying affiliate programs in South Africa, featuring top names like Stallion Hosting and Travelstart. This article also includes actionable strategies for merchants to manage their affiliate campaigns effectively.
Let’s dive in!
TL;DR
If you’re looking to monetize your website or social media, browse our best 34 affiliate programs in South Africa. Here’s a brief look at the most popular programs.
- Mantality (Commission: 6-10%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Mr. Price (Commission: 7%, Cookie: 14 days)
- Netflorist (Commission: 10%, Cookie: 3 days)
- Travelstart (Commission: R90-R175, No cookie)
- Faithful To Nature (Commission: Up to 15%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Africa Media (Commission: $200, Cookie: 30 days)
- Safari Now (Commission: Up to 15%, Cookie: 1 hour)
- Puma South Africa (Commission: 5%, Cookie: 30 days)
- Stallion Hosting (Commission: 25%, Cookie: Not mentioned )
- Linuxweb (Commission: 10%, Cookie: 90 days)
South African brands need to regularly fine-tune their affiliate campaigns to stay competitive. Read on for great tips on managing a seamless affiliate program.
- Maintain consistent communication with affiliates
- Provide marketing resources to support your partners
- Monitor affiliate performance with clear metrics
- Reward top performers
- Review and adjust your commission structure
It’s easy to kick off an affiliate program, but maintaining ongoing success takes more effort. UpPromote lets South African brands effortlessly track affiliate performance, ensure timely payouts, and build strong partnerships. With all the necessary tools at your disposal, we make your campaigns run seamlessly and effectively.
33 High-ticket Affiliate Marketing Programs In South Africa
In a rush? See the highlighted programs in the table below.
| The best affiliate programs | Program name |
| Affiliate program with the highest commission rates | Stallion Hosting (25%), Africa Media ($200) |
| Affiliate program with the longest cookie duration | Linuxweb (90 days), |
| Affiliate program with the most payment methods | Mantality, Affiliate.co.za |
| Affiliate program with the lowest payment threshold | Travelstart (Optional setting) |
1. Mantality
Mantality is a leading online store for men’s gadgets and products in South Africa. The Mantality affiliate program is one of the hottest around, with over 5,000 people already signed up.
The base commission is set at 6% of the sale value for all qualifying items (Experience Activities, Gift Vouchers, T-Shirts, Shipping Fees, Items on Sale or Promotion, Clearance Items). Plus you’ll get R30 just for signing up.
The more people you refer, the more you can earn. As your referrals grow, you’ll automatically unlock higher commission rates. Commission levels will be reset at the beginning of each month.
- 6% of sale total (fewer than 8 orders per month)
- 8% of sale total (fewer than 16 orders per month)
- 10% of sale total (for 24+ orders per month)
Affiliates receive payments directly to their South African bank accounts via EFT, including FNB, Absa, Standard Bank, Nedbank, and Capitec.
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2. Mr Price
Mr Price is a retail giant in South Africa with hundreds of stores, bringing in almost US$1.9 billion in sales each year. They even own other popular brands like Power Fashion and Sheet Street.
Affiliates can earn money by promoting Mr Price through their affiliate program on CJ Affiliate. Every time someone you refer makes a purchase (including returning customers), you’ll get a flat 7% commission.
Plus, they make it easy for you to promote their products. You’ll have access to a massive product feed with over 16,000 items and a tool to create eye-catching ads. With so many options, you’re sure to find something that fits your audience.
Note that Mr Price works with most publisher types, but they manually review loyalty and incentive publishers to ensure quality.
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3. Netflorist
Netflorist is a well-known online florist for ordering flowers, gifts, hampers, and fruit baskets in South Africa.
Managed through the OfferForge network, the Netflorist affiliate program offers a 10% commission for a referred sale.
The cookie duration is 3 days, so your affiliate link will expire three days after the first click. The payment process is quite long. You’ll receive their commissions via electronic funds transfer after two months.
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4. Travelstart
Travelstart is a top choice for booking flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and more in Africa.
The Travelstart affiliate program is managed through Impact Radius, a major affiliate network. Affiliates earn commissions based on the number of bookings, whether domestic or international.
| Number of bookings | Domestic commission | International commission |
| 0-49 paid bookings | R90 per booking | R125 per booking |
| 50-100 paid bookings | R100 per booking | R150 per booking |
| 101+ paid bookings | R110 per booking | R175 per booking |
You’ll get paid a commission every time someone books a trip through your link. Travelstart pays you monthly, usually within the first 10 days of the month. Set a payment threshold if you choose to save up your earnings before getting paid.
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5. AdMarula Performance Marketing
AdMarula Performance Marketing is an affiliate marketing network in South Africa that allows publishers to earn money from various programs
The network has partnered with many big-name local and international brands, including Mr Price and Avis Budget Group.
Affiliates join AdMarula by filling out an online registration form. Once approved, they can start promoting right away. The network is open to everyone, including website owners, email marketers, and bloggers.
Commissions are paid on the 20th of each month with a two-month delay, as long as you reach the minimum threshold of R500.
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6. Affiliate.co.za
Affiliate.co.za is an ideal place to start your affiliate marketing in South Africa. You can promote world-class brands like Volvo or Etihad Airways.
You can choose how to get paid via bank transfer, wire transfer, Mastercard, Visa Credit cards, and PayPal. Simply submit your invoice at the start of each month, and your earnings will be on their way.
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7. Faithful To Nature
Faithful To Nature has grown to become the dominant ethical and natural retail brand. Every single product is vetted carefully to be good for people’s health and good for the planet.
To make healthy living more accessible, they offer an affiliate program for influencers, bloggers, and other publishers. The program provides up to 15% commission on referred sales with a 30-day cookie window.
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8. Africa Media
Africa Media is the go-to place for wildlife media training and adventure trips in Africa. The Africa Media affiliate program lets you earn a $200 commission for promoting their experiential learning programs.
The program will provide you with unique coupon codes and affiliate links. Every time someone buys a course using these codes and links, you’ll receive a qualified referral.
You can get commissions via PayPal or use your earnings to pay for any future Africa Media programs.
Notably, you can also offer a $200 discount to others. When they use your code or link, the discount applies at checkout, and your commission remains unaffected.
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9. Safari Now
Safari Now is the world’s largest local booking site for South Africa. The platform offers more than 86,000 accommodations, from campsites to grand hotels.
One of the best travel affiliate programs in South Africa, the Safari Now affiliate program provides up to 15% commission on every completed booking.
Feel free to mention Safari Now anywhere – you can promote their bookings on your blog, Facebook or Twitter.
When joining this program, you’ll have white label to match your brand and SafariNow API to feed your site.
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10. Linuxweb
Linuxweb is a well-trusted hosting, connectivity & development solution provider for your website, app, online store or blog. The brand offers a great affiliate program in South Africa for beginners, as the cookie lasts up to 90 days.
When someone signs up via your affiliate link, our system tracks the sale and rewards you with a 10% commission. The commission applies to all services, including hosting, DSL, and web development.
You can start withdrawing funds once you’ve earned R200 in commission.
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11. Sell-SA
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Sell-SA is the best online shopping store in South Africa for affordable electronics, clothing, cell phones, shoes, and much more.
12. 4aKid
- Commission rate: 20% per sale
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
4aKid is a South African online baby shop offering baby-proofing items, child safety products, kids’ clothing, toys, and trendy baby accessories.
13. Puma
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 30 days
The Puma affiliate program in South Africa lets affiliates earn commissions by promoting their extensive range of sportswear & lifestyle items.
14. Zalemart
- Commission rate: 5-15% per sale
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Zalemart is a dynamic retail and wholesale trading company located in Durban, with operations across South Africa.
15. Omnistar Affiliate
- Commission rate: 20% recurring commission
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Omnistar Affiliate is referral marketing software that helps businesses turn satisfied customers into vocal brand ambassadors.
16. Bob Shop
- Commission rate: R40-R100 commission per user
- Cookie duration: 60 days
Bob Shop, previously known as Bidorbuy or bidorbuy.co.za, is an online platform for auctions and marketplace shopping. The brand offers a lucrative pay-per-click affiliate program in South Africa. In addition to earning money for referring users, you can receive a commission per click directly in a bid.
17. Go2Africa Safari
- Commission rate: 2% of the total booking value
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Go2Africa specializes in tailor-made safaris and tours, offering both luxury and mid-range options across Africa.
18. Restaurant Store
- Commission rate: 0%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
For 25 years, Restaurant Store has become the go-to place for affordable, high-quality restaurant supplies and food service equipment
19. Shark Research Unit
- Commission rate: $200 per user
- Cookie duration: 60 days
Based in South Africa, the Shark Research Unit is a team of shark enthusiasts committed to marine research and conservation efforts.
20. Mrs Martin’s
- Commission rate: 10% per sale
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Mrs Martin’s is dedicated to creating biodegradable and eco-friendly cleaning solutions in South Africa. Their exclusive use of South African microorganisms ensures safety for both health and the environment.
21. IntrinsiCurly Me
- Commission rate: 10-20% per sale
- Cookie duration: 60 days
IntrinsiCurly Me is a South African haircare brand focused on providing products specifically for curly and coily hair types. Their products are sulfate-free, paraben-free, and cruelty-free products.
22. Camper Travel Africa
- Commission rate: 10-20% per sale
- Cookie duration: 60 days
IntrinsiCurly Me is a South African haircare brand focused on providing products specifically for curly and coily hair types. Their products are sulfate-free, paraben-free, and cruelty-free products.
23. Lime24
- Commission rate: R300
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Lime24 offers quick and secure payday loans online, providing fast access to cash for short-term needs.
24. Neolo
- Commission rate: 7%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Neolo South Africa provides various hosting services, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and domain registration.
25. Elixinol
- Commission rate: 20% (affiliate program), 3% (referral program)
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
For the last 5 years, Elixinol has built up the Hemp and CBD industry with legal and educational support in South Africa.
26. Coach Parry
- Commission rate: 20%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Coach Parry is a South African company that offers personalized coaching and training for runners and athletes. They provide guidance on training plans, nutrition, and race strategies to help individuals improve their performance and achieve their goals.
27. Stallion Hosting
- Commission rate: 25%
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Stallion Hosting South Africa provides various reliable, affordable, and secure hosting solutions, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and domain registration.
28. ProGifts
- Commission rate: 15% per sale
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Based in South Africa, ProGifts is an online floral and gift shop with a wide variety of flowers, hampers, and gifts for various occasions.
29. Ghd South Africa
- Commission rate: 7% per order
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Ghd South Africa is the local branch of Ghd (Good Hair Day), a global brand known for its high-quality hair styling tools and products.
30. Sage
- Commission rate: 7% per item, £10 per subscription, £5 per trial sign-up
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Sage leads the market in unified accounting, payroll, and payment solutions, empowering worldwide entrepreneurs to achieve their goals.
31. Host Africa
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Host Africa provides a range of reliable and secure hosting services, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and domain registration.
32. Mine Africa Safety Solution
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Mine Africa Safety Solutions specializes in providing personal protective equipment (PPE), safety gear, and other safety-related services for the mining industry in Africa.
33. Pet Heaven
- Commission rate: R100 for the first order of a customer
- Cookie duration: Not mentioned
Pet Heaven provides a wide range of pet products and supplies. They run a pet affiliate program in South Africa with a commission of R100 per order. Note that the commission is only for a customer’s first order, not applied to the latter ones.
Best Tips To Build a Thriving Affiliate Program in South Africa
Affiliate marketing is a dynamic strategy for South African businesses seeking to expand their reach and boost sales.
UpPromote, the top-favorite affiliate marketing app, is designed to optimize your program effectively. With its robust tools and features, brands can attract high-quality affiliates and motivate them to drive more sales.
Now let’s dive into some essential strategies to elevate your affiliate campaign.
Maintain consistent communication with affiliates
By maintaining regular contact with your partners, you can keep them informed and engaged with your brand. A dedicated affiliate manager can be the main point of contact, providing timely support and answers to all affiliate inquiries.
As an affiliate management solution, UpPromote lets brands stay in touch with affiliates via email and in-app chat.
Within the Shopify dashboard, find UpPromote Affiliate Marketing. Navigate to Outreach > Affiliate Communication.
With customizable email templates and bulk-sending capabilities, you can efficiently reach the entire affiliate pool. For example, you can send regular email updates about product launches, promotions, or program changes.
UpPromote also offers in-app chat for those times when you need to connect personally with your affiliates. For instance, troubleshoot technical issues, address payment concerns, or discuss a decline in referrals.
When affiliates feel valued and supported, they will likely promote your products enthusiastically, share positive reviews, and attract new customers through their networks.
Provide marketing resources to help affiliates succeed
If you aim for your affiliates to generate more sales, supporting them is key. One easy method is to offer a range of marketing resources to improve the effectiveness of their campaigns.
Our affiliate system software lets you upload a variety of marketing assets (images, videos, files, and links) to empower your affiliates.
This serves a dual purpose. Your affiliates can sell your products better while your brand messaging stays consistent across all channels.
You can send any materials you have, for example:
- Social media graphics: Eye-catching visuals with compelling copy and clear calls to action for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
- Website banners: Attractive banner ads in various sizes to fit different website layouts.
- Product images/demos: High-resolution images/videos showcasing products from multiple angles.
- Detailed product descriptions: Comprehensive product descriptions that emphasize key features and benefits.
Monitor affiliate performance with clear metrics (clicks, orders, sales, commissions)
The only way to know whether your program works is to monitor the performance of your affiliates. Four key metrics you should consider include clicks, orders, sales, and commissions.
- Clicks: The number of users who have clicked on affiliate links/coupons
- Orders: The number of purchases made through affiliate links or coupons.
- Sales: The amount of sales generated through your affiliate program
- Commissions: The total amount paid to affiliates for generated sales.
In addition to those measurements, UpPromote offers a comprehensive suite of tracking tools. You’ll gain deeper insights into your program’s performance, including total affiliates, orders, commissions, referral sources, and referral status.
With UpPromote, South African merchants can visualize your real-time reports through graphics, charts, and data tables. All data can be filtered by program and date.
What’s more, brands can delve into their product analytics dashboard to gain valuable insights. Merchants can identify their store’s top-selling products or the products most frequently referred by affiliates over the last 90 days.
Thereby, you can adjust strategies to boost even more sales for your store, for instance:
- Create specific campaigns for top-selling items
- Combine those products into bundles to increase the average order value
- Provide exclusive discounts for those products to encourage more purchases
Offer rewards for top-performing affiliates
Top-performing affiliates generate substantial sales and contribute significantly to your bottom line. Showcasing your appreciation is vital to fostering long-term partnerships.
You can compensate for their exceptional efforts with curated rewards or publicly showcase their achievements on your affiliate page.
With our affiliate marketing software, brands can easily send affiliates gift packages filled with your products or branded merchandise.
In the UpPromote dashboard, go to Motivation > Gifts > Create new gift.
Here, you can name your gift, choose the gift type (either a free gift or a discounted item), decide whether to charge shipping fees, and select the products to send to your partners.
Moreover, our app enables you to create bonuses to incentivize your top-performing brand advocates. For instance, you can reward them with $100 for generating 100 referrals to your business.
Furthermore, you can simply put the top performers’ names on your affiliate page.
Public recognition can make your partners feel more appreciated, as well as encourage healthy competition among affiliates. This transparency attracts potential affiliates and strengthens your brand’s reputation as a rewarding partner.
Rewarding top affiliates isn’t just a kind gesture; it’s a strategic move. Satisfied affiliates are more likely to go above and beyond, generating even more referrals.
Regularly review and refine your commission structure
Commission rates appear to be the most deciding factor when someone joins your affiliate campaign. It’s important to evaluate your commission structure so that your program remains competitive and rewarding to affiliates.
After reviewing your analytics dashboard, it’s time to take action. You may consider setting up tiered commissions for different sales milestones affiliates surpass. Or, you can also set different commission rates for different product categories or specific products.
All these settings are available in UpPromote. We make everything easy for even non-tech users to build a smart commission structure.
Our affiliate management system allows you to build your auto-tier commission rule based on referral sales, earned commissions, referral quantity, and more.
Every time affiliates pass a milestone, they automatically move to a better program with higher commissions.
In the UpPromote dashboard, navigate to Program > Auto-tier Commission.
For example, you choose the condition to be to the total sales of referrals and set three different levels:
- Program Standard: Affiliates bringing in less than $500 in total referral sales.
- Program A: Affiliates reaching $500 in total sales.
- Program B: Affiliates reaching $1,000 in total sales.
Additionally, if your product analytics show a surge in sales for a specific item or want to boost a new launch, using a product-based commission is highly effective.
With UpPromote’s special product commission feature, you can easily set up tailored commission rates. You can apply a special commission rule to individual products or entire collections.
When someone refers to a purchase for a product with a special commission rate, they receive a higher commission instead of the standard rate.
For example, if you notice a rise in lotion sales, you might set a higher commission rate of 20% for the coconut body lotion rather than a 10% rate for other products.
Final words
A successful affiliate program in South Africa is all about attracting, engaging, and retaining affiliates. You can create a flourishing program by refining your commissions, celebrating your top affiliates, and adapting to market changes.
UpPromote is a robust affiliate marketing platform to streamline all your management tasks. The software empowers businesses of all sizes thanks to its comprehensive features, real-time analytics, and flexible pricing plans.
