Affiliate marketing is a rapidly growing industry in Canada, with many businesses recognizing the potential of this marketing strategy to reach new customers and increase sales. As a large and diverse market, it offers many opportunities for affiliates to become wealthy by partnering with Canadian businesses to promote their products or services.
This blog will explore the top 13 Canadian affiliate programs to join in 2024, highlighting their features, commission rates, payment methods, cookie duration, eligibility requirements, and more. We will also provide some critical criteria for choosing the best affiliate program for your business.
So, let’s go into the details!
UpPromote, the top-ranked affiliate marketing app on Shopify, helps merchants build an affiliate campaign with just a few clicks. The software comes with robust and comprehensive tools so that even beginners can set up and manage affiliate programs effortlessly.
Top 13 Best Canadian Affiliate Programs
Each program below is curated and carefully considered! Read carefully and make the right decision before starting the affiliate career!
Amazon.ca
As an affiliate marketer, Amazon.ca is a well known and highly trusted company that offers many opportunities to earn money through its Associates Program. With lots of product available, affiliates can access an extensive selection of products they can recommend to their target audience.
With these best highlight features below, it is easy to say Amazon.ca includes the ideal criteria for every affiliate.
- User-friendly link-building tools: Popular options include Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz Pro, Pitchbox, and Hunter.io. These tools offer a variety of features, such as link research, outreach automation, email finders, and competitor analysis. They’re perfect for large publishers, individual bloggers, and social media influencers.
- High conversion rate: It is much higher than a standard e-commerce website. The average conversion rate on Amazon ranges from 10% to 15%.
This is mainly because many consumers who browse Amazon already have a purchase in mind and trust the platform to provide a secure and reliable shopping experience.
- Supports: Various resources, including performance tips, reporting tools, customer support, etc.
| Commission rates | Up to 10% from qualifying purchases.
Also varies based on the product category, with Amazon Games at 20.00% and Furniture, Home, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden, Outdoors, and Pets Products at 9.00%. |
| Cookie duration | 24-hour |
| Payment details | Commission payments from Amazon will be sent monthly. Usually, they will send you a cheque or an Amazon.ca Gift Certificate within 60 days after the end of each month.
|
| Eligibility requirements | A qualifying website or mobile app is required to join the Amazon Associates Program.
Influencers with an established social media following can also participate through the Amazon Influencer Program. |
Best Buy Canada
Best Buy established its first Canadian store in 2002 and has since become one of the largest retailers in the country.
Electronics are their specialty, but they also contain significant appliances, small kitchen appliances, beauty products, computer accessories, smart home, wearable technology, cell phone accessories, yoga, fitness equipment, luggage and bags, baby and maternity, watches and jewelry, and health tech.
Best Buy Canada is a significant brand only interested in working with some affiliates. They want to partner with affiliate marketers with the following qualities:
- Have a website/blog/social media platform targeting a Canadian audience
- Create content that aligns with the company’s product range
- Can represent the brand appropriately and professionally.
| Commission rates | 1% |
| Cookie duration | Seven day cookie window |
| Payment details | Best Buy compensates its affiliates monthly.
The marketing company typically extends all monthly transactions, meaning your initial payment for Best Buy sales will be made 60 days after your first sale. |
| Eligibility requirements | 7 to 10 days for the company to review your affiliate application and respond. |
CBD Oil Canada
CBD Oil Canada is a leading online retailer that offers a wide variety of high-quality CBD products. From full-spectrum CBD oils to specialized CBD products for pets, you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for.
| Commission rates | 10% |
| Cookie duration | 30 days |
| Payment details | Only allow e-transfer as a payment method.
PayPal payments are not accepted under any circumstances. Therefore, you must have a Canadian bank account capable of receiving e-transfers to participate. |
eBay Canada
List the critical features you can benefit from when joining eBay Canada as an affiliate:
- Customized link-building tools: Variety of link-building tools, including the ability to create a custom affiliate link and banner. These tools make it easy for affiliates to direct their audience to eBay listings and earn commissions on qualifying purchases.
- Real-time reporting: The eBay Partner Network provides affiliates with real-time reporting, allowing them to track their earnings and performance. This helps affiliates optimize their promotional efforts and maximize their earnings.
- Dedicated support: The eBay Partner Network provides affiliates with dedicated support, including access to an account manager and a support team. This helps affiliates resolve issues and get the most out of the program.
- Trust global brands
Some of the most impressive numbers of eBay Canada for every affiliate to believe in passive income will come true:
- 80% of all merchandise sold is new.
- 90% of items sold are “Buy It Now”.
- 1.4B listings at any time.
- 133M buyers span 190 markets worldwide.
- 63% of transactions touch mobile.
- 72% of products ship for free.
- 100% guarantee on luxury goods with eBay Authenticity Guarantee.
| Commission rates | 1% – 4% |
| Cookie duration | 24 hours |
| Payment details | Commissions are paid monthly on the 10th for the previous month’s sales with electronic transfer or PayPal options. |
| Eligibility requirements | Affiliates must have a website or social media presence that meets eBay’s quality standards. After that, comply with all applicable laws and regulations and eBay’s terms and conditions. |
Indigo
Indigo is a widely recognized Canadian bookstore chain with branches in all ten provinces and one territory. As Canada’s largest bookseller, they offer readers a vast selection of titles worldwide through their website.
Besides books, it also offers a variety of gifts, home decor products, stationery, and toys. You can earn commissions by promoting their books by joining their program.
The Indigo Books affiliate program also provides various tools and promotions to help them maximize their profits. Additionally, they offer detailed, personal reporting through Commission Junction and easy monthly payments.
Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to turn your love of books into a source of income!
| Commission rates | Depend on the category of the item being promoted. For example, 5% for books, toys, and gifts, while 2% for gift cards |
| Cookie duration | 7 days |
| Payment details | Monthly basis, with payments being sent within 60 days of the end of each month.
Affiliates can receive payment via cheque or direct deposit into their bank account. |
| Eligibility requirements | First, you must sign up for their affiliate program to become an Indigo influencer.
Their application will require basic information about your online business and audience. After you submit your application, it will typically take a few days for Indigo to approve or deny it. Once accepted, you’ll be granted access to your affiliate dashboard to find and copy your unique affiliate referral link. |
Lowe’s Canada
Lowe’s Canada is a popular destination for DIY enthusiasts, with over 470 home improvement stores nationwide. Their impressive portfolio includes 60 prominent box locations in
- Ontario
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Manitoba
- Saskatchewan
All these things make them one of the largest home improvement retailers in the world.
As an affiliate, you’ll enjoy many marketing tools to drive traffic and boost sales. These include a dedicated affiliate manager, access to exclusive promotions, and promotional newsletters to keep you in the loop on all the latest deals and offers.
| Commission rates | 2% |
| Cookie duration | 1 day |
| Payment details |
|
| Eligibility requirements | Apply to the Lowe’s Canada Affiliate Program by signing up as a CJ Publisher |
Questrade
Questrade is an exceptional wealth management and investing platform explicitly designed for Canadians who want to delve into trading and investment. With its innovative range of investment products and services, affiliates can confidently promote it to their audience, knowing they provide a superior option.
It is worth noting that Questrade has established itself as a prominent player in the online brokerage industry in Canada, managing a sizable C$30 billion in assets. Its impressive growth rate is a testament to the quality of the platform and its popularity among investors, which could make it a compelling option for affiliates looking to promote it.
Questrade is a top-rated and trustworthy brand in the Canadian financial industry. Affiliates can confidently promote our services to their audience, knowing it will boost conversion rates and maximize their earnings.
| Commission rates | Based on the type of account referred users open.
Affiliates can earn $70 for self-directed accounts and $150 for Questwealth accounts. |
| Cookie duration | 60 day cookie window |
| Payment details | Some payment methods:
|
Square One
Regarding home insurance in Canada, Square One is a top-rated brand with a stellar reputation. With an impressive average rating of 4.7 out of five stars based on over 36,000 reviews, it’s clear that they have a loyal and satisfied customer base.
Additionally, they have received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, which further cements their status as a trustworthy and reliable provider. With prices starting at just C$12 per month, Square One offers competitive rates without sacrificing quality or coverage.
To become a Square One affiliate, you must meet specific requirements, including
- Having an audience in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.
- Having a blog or website devoted to home, finance, insurance, or real estate.
- Having a high-quality affiliate content hub.
It will ensure that you appeal to the right audience and can provide valuable information and resources to your readers or followers. Activity reports are shared by Square One at the end of every quarter. Upon receipt of your report, you must invoice for all earned commissions. Payment will be issued via check.
With these criteria in mind, you can work towards becoming a trusted affiliate of Square One.
| Commission rates | C$50 – C$175 recurring commission per sale as payment threshold. |
| Payment details |
All these policies must be purchased through your website using the custom widget (or hyperlink). |
| Eligibility requirements | To participate in the program
|
Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada has an extensive network of over 400 stores throughout Canada, comprising more than 340 supercenters and 59 discount stores. These stores are located across almost every province and territory in the country.
As with any large affiliate company, Walmart’s terms and conditions may not always be favorable to customers. These conditions cover a wide range of categories, including but not limited to:
- Books
- Clothing, shoes, and accessories
- Canadian product
- Baby products
- Household supplies
- Furniture
- Office supplies
As a valued affiliate of Walmart.ca, you can access LinkShare, the trusted Affiliate Service Provider. With LinkShare, you can easily track your
- Sales
- Impressions
- Click-throughs
- Commissions in one convenient interface.
Privacy is essential, so all site information is password-protected. Affiliates must note that neither LinkShare nor Walmart.ca collects or tracks sensitive customer information, such as credit card numbers or private data.
| Commission rates | 2 – 4% |
| Cookie duration | Four day cookie window |
| Payment details | Various options: PayPal, Direct deposit, check |
| Eligibility requirements | Fill out the application and wait for times to be reviewed and accepted |
Web Hosting Canada
Web Hosting Canada (WHC) is a top-tier web hosting provider with over 60,000 satisfied customers and over 160,000 hosted websites. According to their claims, they offer speeds up to three times faster than their competitors. It has several features:
- The program offers effective pre-sales techniques, optimized landing pages, and a customer service team to achieve maximum conversions and earn commissions faster.
- Canada’s #1 domain provider, offering highly competitive products and services.
- Affiliates can access text copy, compelling banners, and a support team.
- Detailed reports feature up-to-the-second statistics on clicks and commissions, making tracking your progress and earnings easy.
- Benefit from high-converting landing pages, use unique personal referral links and receive fast, monthly payments.
| Cookie duration | Six months |
| Payment details | Various options: PayPal, Check |
American Express Canada
Amex is a global enterprise headquartered in the United States. The program is accessible in Canada and other locations, such as the Netherlands.
It is interesting to note that the cookie duration varies depending on the affiliate program.
| Commission rates | The commission rates differ depending on the location of the affiliates.
A Canadian affiliate can earn $200 per approved lead. On the other hand, if one were to be a Dutch affiliate, they would make 110 euros for the same task |
| Cookie duration | The Dutch affiliate program has a 30-day tracking cookie.
In contrast, the Canadian one has a 7-day affiliate cookie window. |
Skyscanner Canada
Acceptance criteria for Skyscanner Canada affiliate program are as follows:
- The affiliate program requires a website with functional links
- The website must have HTTPS status
- The website should have a minimum of 5,000 unique visitors per month
- The site must contain up-to-date travel-related content
- The website should provide a good user experience
- The site cannot book airlines tickets on behalf of customers
- Influencers must have a social media site with over 1,000 followers, and travel-related content should be up-to-date.
The program provides several tools, including travel search widgets, banners, and text links. It’s worth noting that affiliates can use the widgets even if they don’t sign up for the program!
| Commission rates | 20% |
| Cookie duration | 30 days |
| Eligibility requirements | Program review every application that comes through impact.com |
Tidal
Tidal is a great option for anyone with access to a huge music, podcast, and video library. With two subscription levels to choose from, Tidal Premium and Tidal HiFi, you can enjoy lossy or lossless audio, depending on your preferences.
Plus, with exclusive content available only on Tidal, it’s a great way to discover new artists and enjoy your favorite ones in one place.
| Commission rate structure | Up to $9 |
| Cookie duration | 30 days |
| Payment details | Monthly by Bank transfers, Paypal, or Other. |
| Eligibility requirements | Fill out the application. |
What’s the Best Way to Find Canadian Affiliate Programs?
Affiliate marketing is lucrative, and finding the right affiliate programs is crucial for success. For those interested in Canada affiliate programs, there are two main methods on how to find affiliate offers: joining affiliate networks and researching individual affiliate programs.
Affiliate Networks
Affiliate networks support and bridge the gap between advertisers and affiliate marketers. They host numerous affiliate programs from various brands, making it easier for marketers to find suitable programs. These networks take a share of the revenue as compensation for facilitating these relationships.
The marketing network caters to foreign markets. Some specialize in B2B offers (Business to Business), others in B2C (Business to Consumer), and some are generalists. Every network has affiliate programs open to Canadian affiliates.
The top four networks for Canadian programs are
- CJ Affiliate
- Rakuten Linkshare
- ShareASale
- Impact Radius
Individual Affiliate Programs
If you prefer not to join an affiliate network, you can research individual affiliate programs yourself. This approach has its advantages and disadvantages.
- These programs often pay higher commissions because no intermediary is taking a cut of the profits.
- Affiliates can have a greater chance to build stronger relationships by working directly with advertisers.
- More time-consuming and carry a higher risk of fraud without the safety net provided by an affiliate network.
Whether you join an affiliate network or research individual programs depends on your preferences and risk tolerance. Both methods have proven effective in finding Canadian affiliate programs. Remember to do thorough research before diving into the world of affiliate marketing.
FAQs
Q: What are the steps to start affiliate marketing in Canada?
If you’re looking to get started with affiliate marketing in Canada, there are some essential steps you need to follow.
- First, you’ll want to choose a niche and create your affiliate website.
- From there, it’s all about driving traffic to your site and selecting the right affiliate partners and programs.
- Once you have those, create engaging content to attract visitors and generate sales.
- Finally, find the right affiliate marketing strategy that works for you and your business.
Following these simple steps, you can build a successful affiliate marketing campaign that generates accurate results.
Q: Is CJ affiliate available in use in Canada?
Yes, it is. A wide range of affiliate networks is available, but CJ stands out as one of the largest and most reputable options. It strongly focuses on Canadian merchants, including big names like Indigo, Lowes Canada, and The Source!
Formerly Commission Junction, CJ Affiliate hosts twice as many IR500 brands as its closest competitor. It doesn’t focus on a specific niche but attracts big names like Barnes & Noble, IHG, and J.Crew.
Q: Is ClickBank usable for Canadians?
Yes, it is. Canadians can use ClickBank. ClickBank is a widely used e-commerce platform and affiliate marketplace that operates in over 150 countries worldwide, including Canada. Interestingly, Canada is one of the top 5 countries listed on ClickBank.
Q: Do I have to pay taxes on affiliate marketing income in Canada?
Yes! Affiliate marketing sales in Canada are subject to taxation as they are considered as income. It means you are obligated to pay sales taxes on your commissions.
However, the rules surrounding this type of marketing and taxation can be complicated. Speaking with an expert accountant or tax specialist to learn more about the guidelines and regulations.
While generally, you will need to pay taxes on your affiliate marketing income, there may be other rules that apply to your specific situation. It is crucial to consult with an accountant or the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to ensure that you accurately file your taxes.
Conclusion
Discovering the most fitting Canadian affiliate programs can undoubtedly pose a challenge. As with any program, there are benefits and drawbacks, and finding the perfect one may prove elusive.
Our thorough evaluation of each program’s unique features, commission rates, duration of cookie tracking, and eligibility requirements will provide you with the knowledge to make an informed decision and select the best program for your business’s development.
We also suggest two methods for identifying the best affiliate programs: joining an affiliate network or conducting independent research on individual affiliate programs. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, so taking the time to research can lead to better outcomes and ultimately help with growth and success.
