GITNUXREPORT 2026

Affiliate Marketing Statistics

Affiliate marketing is a rapidly growing multi-billion dollar global industry.

Jannik Lindner

Jannik Lindner

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

Average affiliate conversion rate stands at 1.73% across all programs in 2023.

Statistic 2

Email marketing affiliates achieve 4.29% conversion rates on average.

Statistic 3

Click-through rates (CTR) for affiliate links average 0.5-2% in 2024.

Statistic 4

65% of affiliates report improved performance with SEO strategies.

Statistic 5

PPC affiliates see ROAS of 4:1 on average for successful campaigns.

Statistic 6

Content sites outperform social media by 3x in affiliate conversions.

Statistic 7

42% of affiliates use YouTube, achieving 2.1% average CTR.

Statistic 8

Niche sites have 2.5x higher conversion rates than general blogs.

Statistic 9

Mobile traffic converts 20% better for affiliates in e-commerce.

Statistic 10

75% of top-performing affiliates track metrics weekly.

Statistic 11

Social media affiliates convert at 0.8% with 3% CTR.

Statistic 12

Bloggers achieve 5.2% conversion with long-form content.

Statistic 13

Instagram affiliates average 1.2% engagement to sale rate.

Statistic 14

70% of affiliates optimize landing pages for 20% uplift.

Statistic 15

Video content boosts affiliate CTR by 49%.

Statistic 16

Pinterest affiliates see 2.5x higher saves-to-sales.

Statistic 17

55% of affiliates A/B test creatives monthly.

Statistic 18

Native ads yield 1.5% conversion for affiliates.

Statistic 19

Forum marketing drives 3.8% affiliate conversions.

Statistic 20

Podcast affiliates convert 4x better than display ads.

Statistic 21

Facebook affiliates banned but alternatives yield 1.9% conv.

Statistic 22

SEO affiliates rank top 3 for 65% conversions.

Statistic 23

TikTok shop affiliates hit 3.2% conv rate.

Statistic 24

80% affiliates fail due to poor traffic quality.

Statistic 25

Email lists >10K yield 6% conv rates.

Statistic 26

YouTube thumbnails boost CTR by 34%.

Statistic 27

Reddit affiliates average 2.7% conv in niches.

Statistic 28

Retargeting lifts affiliate sales 70%.

Statistic 29

Long-tail keywords conv 2x better.

Statistic 30

AOV increases 25% with upsell funnels.

Statistic 31

84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Statistic 32

92% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase decision.

Statistic 33

Affiliate links influence 15% of all e-commerce purchases globally.

Statistic 34

76% of consumers avoid ads but 49% click affiliate recommendations.

Statistic 35

Millennials make 55% of affiliate-driven purchases via mobile.

Statistic 36

67% of shoppers prefer affiliate content over brand sites.

Statistic 37

Email newsletters drive 40% of affiliate-influenced buys.

Statistic 38

81% of affiliate buyers are repeat customers within 6 months.

Statistic 39

Women account for 58% of affiliate program participants.

Statistic 40

Gen Z uses TikTok for 25% of affiliate discoveries.

Statistic 41

88% of consumers trust affiliate reviews from influencers.

Statistic 42

70% of shoppers use affiliate sites for price comparisons.

Statistic 43

Affiliate emails open rates average 21% for consumers.

Statistic 44

62% of Boomers discover brands via affiliate content.

Statistic 45

Mobile affiliate purchases up 28% among 18-24 year olds.

Statistic 46

75% prefer affiliate links in personalized recommendations.

Statistic 47

Black Friday affiliate sales spiked 35% in consumer traffic.

Statistic 48

56% of consumers share affiliate deals on social media.

Statistic 49

Loyalty program affiliates retain 45% more customers.

Statistic 50

91% read 1-10 reviews influenced by affiliates.

Statistic 51

95% consumers read reviews before buying via affiliates.

Statistic 52

Affiliate discounts sway 68% of purchases.

Statistic 53

73% trust bloggers over traditional ads.

Statistic 54

Cyber Monday affiliate traffic up 42%.

Statistic 55

60% consumers use voice assistants for affiliate searches.

Statistic 56

Personalized affiliate emails boost opens 29%.

Statistic 57

50% of affiliate buyers are 35-54 years old.

Statistic 58

Social proof increases clicks 12%.

Statistic 59

Subscription affiliates retain 52% customers yearly.

Statistic 60

82% prefer video reviews from affiliates.

Statistic 61

The global affiliate marketing industry was valued at $17 billion in 2023, with projections to reach $36.9 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 11.7%.

Statistic 62

Affiliate marketing accounted for 16% of all online orders in North America during 2022.

Statistic 63

The US affiliate marketing spend hit $8.2 billion in 2022, up 10% from 2021.

Statistic 64

Europe's affiliate market grew by 14% year-over-year in 2023, reaching €13 billion.

Statistic 65

Asia-Pacific affiliate marketing market expanded at 12.5% CAGR from 2018-2023.

Statistic 66

Mobile affiliate marketing spend increased by 25% globally in 2023.

Statistic 67

Affiliate marketing represents 5-10% of total digital ad spend worldwide in 2024.

Statistic 68

The industry saw 150,000 new affiliates join major networks in 2023.

Statistic 69

Affiliate channels drove 39% growth in e-commerce sales in 2022.

Statistic 70

Global affiliate spend per shopper rose to $92 in 2023 from $85 in 2022.

Statistic 71

Global affiliate marketing industry valued at $17 billion in 2023 with 11.7% CAGR forecast to 2030.

Statistic 72

North American affiliate spend projected to hit $11.5 billion by 2025.

Statistic 73

UK affiliate market worth £8.2 billion, contributing to 15% of digital sales.

Statistic 74

Latin America affiliate growth at 18% YoY in 2023.

Statistic 75

Health & wellness niche saw 22% affiliate market expansion in 2023.

Statistic 76

Voice search affiliates grew 30% in traffic in 2023.

Statistic 77

B2B affiliate marketing doubled in size from 2020-2023.

Statistic 78

Gaming affiliate sector reached $1.2 billion in 2023.

Statistic 79

Travel affiliates rebounded 45% post-pandemic in 2023.

Statistic 80

Affiliate marketing job postings increased 28% in 2023.

Statistic 81

Global affiliate industry to hit $27 billion by 2026 at 10% CAGR.

Statistic 82

Canada affiliate spend reached CAD 2.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 83

Australia/New Zealand market grew 16% to AUD 1.8 billion.

Statistic 84

Software niche affiliate growth at 19% YoY.

Statistic 85

Pet products affiliates expanded 28% in 2023.

Statistic 86

AR/VR affiliate marketing emerged with 50% growth.

Statistic 87

Freelance affiliate platforms like Upwork saw 22% rise.

Statistic 88

Fashion e-com affiliates hit $4.5 billion GMV.

Statistic 89

Home improvement niche up 31% post-2022.

Statistic 90

Education affiliates grew 24% with online courses.

Statistic 91

ShareASale has over 4.5 million affiliates and 25,000 merchants.

Statistic 92

Awin network connects 30,000 advertisers with 270,000 publishers.

Statistic 93

78% of brands plan to increase affiliate budgets in 2024.

Statistic 94

Influencer affiliates grew by 35% in program enrollments in 2023.

Statistic 95

62% of programs now offer cookie durations of 30+ days.

Statistic 96

SaaS companies launched 1,200 new affiliate programs in 2023.

Statistic 97

Coupon/deal sites represent 28% of all affiliate traffic.

Statistic 98

55% of programs integrate with Shopify for easier tracking.

Statistic 99

AI tools are used by 40% of affiliate managers for optimization.

Statistic 100

CJ Affiliate processes $20 billion in annual GMV.

Statistic 101

Impact.com platform manages 2,500+ enterprise programs.

Statistic 102

68% of merchants use multi-touch attribution in 2024.

Statistic 103

Headless commerce boosts affiliate tracking accuracy by 40%.

Statistic 104

45% of programs now include first-party data tracking.

Statistic 105

Web3 affiliate programs grew 150% with NFT integrations.

Statistic 106

52% of brands recruit micro-influencers for affiliates.

Statistic 107

Zero-party data used in 30% of affiliate consent models.

Statistic 108

Subscription box affiliates up 60% in new launches.

Statistic 109

65% of programs offer tiered commissions for volume.

Statistic 110

Gamified affiliate dashboards adopted by 25% of networks.

Statistic 111

Affiliate marketers earned an average of $58,980 annually in the US in 2023.

Statistic 112

Top 1% of affiliates generate 40% of total affiliate revenue.

Statistic 113

Average commission rate across industries is 5-30%, with fashion at 10-20%.

Statistic 114

Amazon Associates affiliates earned over $2 billion in commissions in 2022.

Statistic 115

81% of brands rely on affiliate marketing for 20-30% of their revenue.

Statistic 116

Average EPC (earnings per click) for affiliates is $0.45 in 2023.

Statistic 117

Finance affiliates see average commissions of $100-200 per sale.

Statistic 118

SaaS affiliate programs offer 20-50% recurring commissions on average.

Statistic 119

Coupon affiliates generate 15-25% higher revenue per user than others.

Statistic 120

Lifetime value of affiliate-acquired customers is 31% higher than others.

Statistic 121

Average affiliate salary in Europe is €45,000 per year in 2023.

Statistic 122

Dating niche affiliates earn $50-150 per lead on average.

Statistic 123

ClickBank top affiliates make over $1 million yearly.

Statistic 124

Retail affiliates average 8% commission on $100 AOV sales.

Statistic 125

20% of affiliates earn 80% of program revenue (Pareto principle).

Statistic 126

VPN affiliates generate $20-50 per sale commissions.

Statistic 127

Hosting programs like Bluehost pay $65-200 per sale.

Statistic 128

Average order value via affiliates is $112 in e-commerce.

Statistic 129

Crypto affiliates see 15-25% revshare models dominating.

Statistic 130

Beauty affiliates average EPC of $1.20 per click.

Statistic 131

India affiliate market valued at $1.2 billion in 2023.

Statistic 132

Top Amazon affiliates earn $100K+ monthly.

Statistic 133

Travel affiliates average $25 commission per booking.

Statistic 134

15% commission standard for digital products.

Statistic 135

Gaming affiliates earn $10-50 per deposit.

Statistic 136

Average affiliate payout cycle is 60 days.

Statistic 137

E-book affiliates see 50% margins on sales.

Statistic 138

Insurance leads pay $50-300 per qualified lead.

Statistic 139

Fitness programs average $40 per signup.

Statistic 140

Jewelry affiliates at 12% commission on $200 AOV.

Trusted by 500+ publications
Harvard Business ReviewThe GuardianFortune+497
Forget everything you thought you knew about making money online, because the numbers don’t lie: the affiliate marketing industry, valued at a staggering $17 billion in 2023 and projected to skyrocket, is not just a side hustle but a global economic powerhouse where top earners make over a million dollars yearly and everyday consumers trust these recommendations more than traditional ads.

Key Takeaways

  • The global affiliate marketing industry was valued at $17 billion in 2023, with projections to reach $36.9 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 11.7%.
  • Affiliate marketing accounted for 16% of all online orders in North America during 2022.
  • The US affiliate marketing spend hit $8.2 billion in 2022, up 10% from 2021.
  • Affiliate marketers earned an average of $58,980 annually in the US in 2023.
  • Top 1% of affiliates generate 40% of total affiliate revenue.
  • Average commission rate across industries is 5-30%, with fashion at 10-20%.
  • Average affiliate conversion rate stands at 1.73% across all programs in 2023.
  • Email marketing affiliates achieve 4.29% conversion rates on average.
  • Click-through rates (CTR) for affiliate links average 0.5-2% in 2024.
  • 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
  • 92% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase decision.
  • Affiliate links influence 15% of all e-commerce purchases globally.
  • ShareASale has over 4.5 million affiliates and 25,000 merchants.
  • Awin network connects 30,000 advertisers with 270,000 publishers.
  • 78% of brands plan to increase affiliate budgets in 2024.

Affiliate marketing is a rapidly growing multi-billion dollar global industry.

Affiliate Performance

  • Average affiliate conversion rate stands at 1.73% across all programs in 2023.
  • Email marketing affiliates achieve 4.29% conversion rates on average.
  • Click-through rates (CTR) for affiliate links average 0.5-2% in 2024.
  • 65% of affiliates report improved performance with SEO strategies.
  • PPC affiliates see ROAS of 4:1 on average for successful campaigns.
  • Content sites outperform social media by 3x in affiliate conversions.
  • 42% of affiliates use YouTube, achieving 2.1% average CTR.
  • Niche sites have 2.5x higher conversion rates than general blogs.
  • Mobile traffic converts 20% better for affiliates in e-commerce.
  • 75% of top-performing affiliates track metrics weekly.
  • Social media affiliates convert at 0.8% with 3% CTR.
  • Bloggers achieve 5.2% conversion with long-form content.
  • Instagram affiliates average 1.2% engagement to sale rate.
  • 70% of affiliates optimize landing pages for 20% uplift.
  • Video content boosts affiliate CTR by 49%.
  • Pinterest affiliates see 2.5x higher saves-to-sales.
  • 55% of affiliates A/B test creatives monthly.
  • Native ads yield 1.5% conversion for affiliates.
  • Forum marketing drives 3.8% affiliate conversions.
  • Podcast affiliates convert 4x better than display ads.
  • Facebook affiliates banned but alternatives yield 1.9% conv.
  • SEO affiliates rank top 3 for 65% conversions.
  • TikTok shop affiliates hit 3.2% conv rate.
  • 80% affiliates fail due to poor traffic quality.
  • Email lists >10K yield 6% conv rates.
  • YouTube thumbnails boost CTR by 34%.
  • Reddit affiliates average 2.7% conv in niches.
  • Retargeting lifts affiliate sales 70%.
  • Long-tail keywords conv 2x better.
  • AOV increases 25% with upsell funnels.

Affiliate Performance Interpretation

In the relentless hustle of affiliate marketing, the data sings a clear and merciless tune: while most dabble for pennies, the true masters are obsessive strategists who treat their niche like a laboratory, ruthlessly optimizing every email, keyword, and video thumbnail because they know that in a world of 0.5% clicks, fortune favors the meticulous.

Consumer Insights

  • 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
  • 92% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase decision.
  • Affiliate links influence 15% of all e-commerce purchases globally.
  • 76% of consumers avoid ads but 49% click affiliate recommendations.
  • Millennials make 55% of affiliate-driven purchases via mobile.
  • 67% of shoppers prefer affiliate content over brand sites.
  • Email newsletters drive 40% of affiliate-influenced buys.
  • 81% of affiliate buyers are repeat customers within 6 months.
  • Women account for 58% of affiliate program participants.
  • Gen Z uses TikTok for 25% of affiliate discoveries.
  • 88% of consumers trust affiliate reviews from influencers.
  • 70% of shoppers use affiliate sites for price comparisons.
  • Affiliate emails open rates average 21% for consumers.
  • 62% of Boomers discover brands via affiliate content.
  • Mobile affiliate purchases up 28% among 18-24 year olds.
  • 75% prefer affiliate links in personalized recommendations.
  • Black Friday affiliate sales spiked 35% in consumer traffic.
  • 56% of consumers share affiliate deals on social media.
  • Loyalty program affiliates retain 45% more customers.
  • 91% read 1-10 reviews influenced by affiliates.
  • 95% consumers read reviews before buying via affiliates.
  • Affiliate discounts sway 68% of purchases.
  • 73% trust bloggers over traditional ads.
  • Cyber Monday affiliate traffic up 42%.
  • 60% consumers use voice assistants for affiliate searches.
  • Personalized affiliate emails boost opens 29%.
  • 50% of affiliate buyers are 35-54 years old.
  • Social proof increases clicks 12%.
  • Subscription affiliates retain 52% customers yearly.
  • 82% prefer video reviews from affiliates.

Consumer Insights Interpretation

In a digital marketplace where everyone’s an armchair expert, consumers have collectively decided to trust a stranger’s review over a brand’s billboard, proving that while we might skip ads, we’ll happily click a link from someone who just seems like they know what they’re talking about.

Industry Growth

  • The global affiliate marketing industry was valued at $17 billion in 2023, with projections to reach $36.9 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 11.7%.
  • Affiliate marketing accounted for 16% of all online orders in North America during 2022.
  • The US affiliate marketing spend hit $8.2 billion in 2022, up 10% from 2021.
  • Europe's affiliate market grew by 14% year-over-year in 2023, reaching €13 billion.
  • Asia-Pacific affiliate marketing market expanded at 12.5% CAGR from 2018-2023.
  • Mobile affiliate marketing spend increased by 25% globally in 2023.
  • Affiliate marketing represents 5-10% of total digital ad spend worldwide in 2024.
  • The industry saw 150,000 new affiliates join major networks in 2023.
  • Affiliate channels drove 39% growth in e-commerce sales in 2022.
  • Global affiliate spend per shopper rose to $92 in 2023 from $85 in 2022.
  • Global affiliate marketing industry valued at $17 billion in 2023 with 11.7% CAGR forecast to 2030.
  • North American affiliate spend projected to hit $11.5 billion by 2025.
  • UK affiliate market worth £8.2 billion, contributing to 15% of digital sales.
  • Latin America affiliate growth at 18% YoY in 2023.
  • Health & wellness niche saw 22% affiliate market expansion in 2023.
  • Voice search affiliates grew 30% in traffic in 2023.
  • B2B affiliate marketing doubled in size from 2020-2023.
  • Gaming affiliate sector reached $1.2 billion in 2023.
  • Travel affiliates rebounded 45% post-pandemic in 2023.
  • Affiliate marketing job postings increased 28% in 2023.
  • Global affiliate industry to hit $27 billion by 2026 at 10% CAGR.
  • Canada affiliate spend reached CAD 2.1 billion in 2023.
  • Australia/New Zealand market grew 16% to AUD 1.8 billion.
  • Software niche affiliate growth at 19% YoY.
  • Pet products affiliates expanded 28% in 2023.
  • AR/VR affiliate marketing emerged with 50% growth.
  • Freelance affiliate platforms like Upwork saw 22% rise.
  • Fashion e-com affiliates hit $4.5 billion GMV.
  • Home improvement niche up 31% post-2022.
  • Education affiliates grew 24% with online courses.

Industry Growth Interpretation

While some industries are anxiously counting their pennies, affiliate marketing is busy printing its own money, as evidenced by its relentless global growth, mobile surge, and the fact it now drives a sizable chunk of e-commerce sales with an ever-expanding army of influencers and niche experts.

Program Trends

  • ShareASale has over 4.5 million affiliates and 25,000 merchants.
  • Awin network connects 30,000 advertisers with 270,000 publishers.
  • 78% of brands plan to increase affiliate budgets in 2024.
  • Influencer affiliates grew by 35% in program enrollments in 2023.
  • 62% of programs now offer cookie durations of 30+ days.
  • SaaS companies launched 1,200 new affiliate programs in 2023.
  • Coupon/deal sites represent 28% of all affiliate traffic.
  • 55% of programs integrate with Shopify for easier tracking.
  • AI tools are used by 40% of affiliate managers for optimization.
  • CJ Affiliate processes $20 billion in annual GMV.
  • Impact.com platform manages 2,500+ enterprise programs.
  • 68% of merchants use multi-touch attribution in 2024.
  • Headless commerce boosts affiliate tracking accuracy by 40%.
  • 45% of programs now include first-party data tracking.
  • Web3 affiliate programs grew 150% with NFT integrations.
  • 52% of brands recruit micro-influencers for affiliates.
  • Zero-party data used in 30% of affiliate consent models.
  • Subscription box affiliates up 60% in new launches.
  • 65% of programs offer tiered commissions for volume.
  • Gamified affiliate dashboards adopted by 25% of networks.

Program Trends Interpretation

Despite its vast scale, affiliate marketing's modern soul is a data-driven and consent-conscious courtship where everyone, from mega-networks to micro-influencers, is frantically optimizing for a bigger slice of that steadily growing budget pie.

Revenue Statistics

  • Affiliate marketers earned an average of $58,980 annually in the US in 2023.
  • Top 1% of affiliates generate 40% of total affiliate revenue.
  • Average commission rate across industries is 5-30%, with fashion at 10-20%.
  • Amazon Associates affiliates earned over $2 billion in commissions in 2022.
  • 81% of brands rely on affiliate marketing for 20-30% of their revenue.
  • Average EPC (earnings per click) for affiliates is $0.45 in 2023.
  • Finance affiliates see average commissions of $100-200 per sale.
  • SaaS affiliate programs offer 20-50% recurring commissions on average.
  • Coupon affiliates generate 15-25% higher revenue per user than others.
  • Lifetime value of affiliate-acquired customers is 31% higher than others.
  • Average affiliate salary in Europe is €45,000 per year in 2023.
  • Dating niche affiliates earn $50-150 per lead on average.
  • ClickBank top affiliates make over $1 million yearly.
  • Retail affiliates average 8% commission on $100 AOV sales.
  • 20% of affiliates earn 80% of program revenue (Pareto principle).
  • VPN affiliates generate $20-50 per sale commissions.
  • Hosting programs like Bluehost pay $65-200 per sale.
  • Average order value via affiliates is $112 in e-commerce.
  • Crypto affiliates see 15-25% revshare models dominating.
  • Beauty affiliates average EPC of $1.20 per click.
  • India affiliate market valued at $1.2 billion in 2023.
  • Top Amazon affiliates earn $100K+ monthly.
  • Travel affiliates average $25 commission per booking.
  • 15% commission standard for digital products.
  • Gaming affiliates earn $10-50 per deposit.
  • Average affiliate payout cycle is 60 days.
  • E-book affiliates see 50% margins on sales.
  • Insurance leads pay $50-300 per qualified lead.
  • Fitness programs average $40 per signup.
  • Jewelry affiliates at 12% commission on $200 AOV.

Revenue Statistics Interpretation

The affiliate marketing arena paints a picture of a vast and lucrative gold rush where the average prospector makes a decent living, but the landscape is starkly divided, as a tiny elite of digital pioneers claims the lion's share of the riches while the majority hustle for the remaining crumbs.

Sources & References