Who this guide is for
Small-business owners, consultants, independent professionals, and business-focused publishers who recommend tools used to build, operate, market, or support a business.
Affiliate programs to consider
Quick comparison
| Program | Commission | Cookie | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Namecheap | 20% on domain registrations/transfers and Private Email/PremiumDNS; 35% on listed hosting packages and SSL certificates. Eligible commissions generally apply to first purchases by new customers; product exclusions apply. | 30 days | Businesses and publishers discussing domains, hosting, email, SSL, and website infrastructure. |
| Semrush | Up to $450 per sale and $10 per trial activation, depending on the promoted product and affiliate tier. | 120 days; last-click attribution | Business and marketing publishers covering SEO, local visibility, content, competitive research, or digital marketing. |
| Hostinger | Starts at 40% per eligible sale and increases with sales volume. | Verify current attribution window in the affiliate dashboard/agreement. | Publishers recommending website hosting and related web services to entrepreneurs and small businesses. |
| Shopify | Up to $150 USD per qualified full-price merchant referral depending on the referred merchant's location; eligible referrals are for Basic, Grow and Advanced store plans. | Verify current attribution window in the Impact agreement. | Publishers, educators, and commerce experts helping entrepreneurs launch or grow online stores. |
| HubSpot | 30% recurring commission for up to 1 year on qualifying sales. | 180 days | Business-content publishers covering CRM, marketing, sales, customer service, and business growth software. |
| Fiverr | Fiverr Marketplace pays 25% of the referred customer's first order plus 10% revenue share on future orders from that buyer for the following 12 months. | 30-day tracking cookie for registration attribution | Publishers serving small businesses that regularly purchase freelance design, marketing, writing, development, and other digital services. |
Commission structures and attribution rules can change. Detailed cards below include the source and verification date used for each program.
Namecheap
- Commission
- 20% on domain registrations/transfers and Private Email/PremiumDNS; 35% on listed hosting packages and SSL certificates. Eligible commissions generally apply to first purchases by new customers; product exclusions apply.
- Cookie duration
- 30 days
- Network
- Impact or CJ
- Payout
- Impact supports EFT and PayPal with a $10 USD-equivalent minimum withdrawal. CJ payment methods and minimums vary by currency and payment method.
Best for: Businesses and publishers discussing domains, hosting, email, SSL, and website infrastructure.
Namecheap's terms say affiliate commissions generally apply to eligible first-time purchases by new customers. Premium domains, marketplace domains, and certain apps/add-ons are excluded. Platform-specific terms can differ.
Terms last verified: October 6, 2026
Semrush
- Commission
- Up to $450 per sale and $10 per trial activation, depending on the promoted product and affiliate tier.
- Cookie duration
- 120 days; last-click attribution
- Network
- Impact
- Payout
- Managed through Impact. Semrush states that withdrawals use Impact payment processing, including electronic funds transfer or PayPal; transaction locking and payment timing follow the published program schedule.
Best for: Business and marketing publishers covering SEO, local visibility, content, competitive research, or digital marketing.
Semrush offers multiple products and partner tiers, so the exact commission for a referral can vary. Affiliates are required to disclose the affiliate relationship.
Terms last verified: October 6, 2026
Hostinger
- Commission
- Starts at 40% per eligible sale and increases with sales volume.
- Cookie duration
- Verify current attribution window in the affiliate dashboard/agreement.
- Network
- Hostinger affiliate platform
- Payout
- Minimum payout is $100 for PayPal and $500 for bank transfer. Approved commissions are issued after the 30-day money-back period; Hostinger describes a monthly payment-request process.
Best for: Publishers recommending website hosting and related web services to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Hostinger publicly states the starting commission and payout thresholds. The current public pages reviewed for this dataset did not provide a cookie-duration figure, so the guide does not invent one.
Terms last verified: October 6, 2026
Shopify
- Commission
- Up to $150 USD per qualified full-price merchant referral depending on the referred merchant's location; eligible referrals are for Basic, Grow and Advanced store plans.
- Cookie duration
- Verify current attribution window in the Impact agreement.
- Network
- Impact
- Payout
- Impact handles payments. Shopify states a $10 minimum balance; withdrawals can go to a bank account or PayPal, with configurable threshold or bi-weekly withdrawals. Eligible commissions are processed to the Impact balance on Shopify's monthly schedule.
Best for: Publishers, educators, and commerce experts helping entrepreneurs launch or grow online stores.
Affiliate commission applies to qualified new merchants who move to an eligible full-price Shopify store plan. Earnings vary by the referred merchant's location.
Terms last verified: October 6, 2026
HubSpot
- Commission
- 30% recurring commission for up to 1 year on qualifying sales.
- Cookie duration
- 180 days
- Network
- Impact
- Payout
- HubSpot supports EFT or PayPal through Impact. A minimum balance of $10 USD is required before withdrawals can be made.
Best for: Business-content publishers covering CRM, marketing, sales, customer service, and business growth software.
HubSpot distinguishes its Affiliate Program from its Solutions Partner Program. The affiliate program is designed for monetizing content and is not set up for referring clients you service directly.
Terms last verified: October 6, 2026
Fiverr
- Commission
- Fiverr Marketplace pays 25% of the referred customer's first order plus 10% revenue share on future orders from that buyer for the following 12 months.
- Cookie duration
- 30-day tracking cookie for registration attribution
- Network
- Fiverr Partnerships / in-house affiliate platform
- Payout
- Payments are managed through Fiverr Partnerships; payment details and available methods are configured in the affiliate account.
Best for: Publishers serving small businesses that regularly purchase freelance design, marketing, writing, development, and other digital services.
Fiverr states that affiliate purchase commissions apply to new buyers/first-time buyers. The Marketplace and Logo Maker use different commission plans.
Terms last verified: October 6, 2026
What matters for Small Business Owners
For a small-business audience, relevance matters more than the largest advertised commission. Consider the type of business being served, the cost and complexity of the product, whether the customer is likely to remain with it, geographic eligibility, attribution rules, and whether the product would still be worth recommending without a commission. Program terms can change, so commission and tracking details should be checked against the linked official source before promotion.
How we chose these programs
Programs were selected for their relevance to common small-business needs and the availability of current first-party affiliate documentation. Preference was given to programs with clearly published commission or tracking information. The guide separates affiliate terms from ordinary referral programs and avoids presenting undocumented terms as facts.
Frequently asked questions
Can small-business owners make money with affiliate marketing?
Yes. A small-business owner or publisher can earn affiliate income by recommending products that are genuinely relevant to customers or readers. The opportunity is strongest when the recommendation naturally fits existing content, services, or business workflows.
Should I choose the affiliate program with the highest commission?
Not necessarily. Product fit, conversion potential, customer trust, attribution rules, and the quality of the product can matter more than the headline commission.
Do affiliate program terms stay the same?
No. Commission rates, cookie or attribution windows, eligible products, payout rules, and program requirements can change. Check the official source before publishing or promoting a specific offer.
Do affiliate links need to be disclosed?
Affiliate relationships should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously where required. Several of the programs in this guide also expressly require affiliates to follow applicable advertising and disclosure rules.