So you want to make money with affiliate marketing.

The first step is to find an affiliate network — a platform that connects companies and affiliates just like you. And one network, in particular, has caught your interest…

ClickBank.

But opinions about this network seem to be all over the place. You’ve heard both good and bad things about ClickBank.

Is ClickBank legit?

Can you make money with ClickBank?

In this article, I aim to set the record straight. I’ll provide an in-depth overview of ClickBank and how you can get started (if you decide it’s legit).

This article is a comprehensive look at ClickBank. To head straight to the sections which interest you most, click below:

• What is ClickBank?
• Is ClickBank a Legit Affiliate Network?
• ClickBank Learning Resources
• ClickBank University Review
• How to Find Legit Products on ClickBank
• ClickBank Alternatives

What is ClickBank?

ClickBank is one of the largest affiliate networks that connect merchants and affiliates. The system offers a selection of physical and digital products, such as eBooks and software.

The company was founded in 1998 by internet entrepreneurs Tim and Eileen Barber. ClickBank has since paid out over $4.2 billion to affiliates around the world.

Here are some other interesting statistics about this network:

• More than six million clients worldwide

• 87th largest online retailer in North America
• Distribution in over 200 countries
• Over 4,000 marketplace products
• Annual turnover of $1 billion

ClickBank is entirely free to join, and you can potentially start earning today. Now let’s look at the question that’s on your mind.

Is ClickBank a Legit Affiliate Network?

It’s a common question that gets regularly asked across different forums and social networks.

This user on the Warrior Forum asked if they can trust ClickBank:

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This user on Quora asked if ClickBank is a scam:

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And this user on Reddit wanted to know if ClickBank is an MLM:

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So, is ClickBank legit?

Yes.

Is ClickBank a scam?

No.

Well, there you have it.

ClickBank has established itself as one of the top affiliate networks for marketers and bloggers alike. The company has never missed a payment in its 20+ years of operation.

Pretty impressive track record if you ask me.

ClickBank is a legit affiliate network that you can make some serious cash with. And there are affiliate marketers who are earning tons of income with it.

The folks at Authority Hacker turned one niche site into a rather sizable income stream after a few months of hard work.

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It took me about 30 seconds to find the screenshots above — there are dozens of businesses like Authority Hacker happy to show their success.

ClickBank has a set of guidelines to ensure that products on its marketplace are legit. The company also routinely removes scams that manage to make it past its quality filters.

This isn’t to say that everything on ClickBank is worth promoting.

There are still many products in its massive selection that are questionable (although the same can be said for any affiliate network).

Like this product that’s currently on the ClickBank Marketplace:

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The Diabetes Freedom landing page promises that those with type 2 diabetes can reverse their condition in less than two weeks.

This is just one example of many questionable products on ClickBank. And you’ll find a number of them as you search for products to promote.

There are undoubtedly quality products on ClickBank. If there weren’t, people wouldn’t buy anything that’s associated with this affiliate network.

But it’s still ultimately your responsibility to vet each product.

Promoting low-quality products doesn’t just increase the likelihood of commissions getting reversed due to refunds. It also harms your reputation online.

So, should you sign up for ClickBank?

That’s ultimately for you to decide. But if you build a site that provides value and you promote quality products, there’s no reason you can’t be successful with this affiliate network.

ClickBank is free to join, so there’s no harm in checking it out for yourself.

Note that you’ll need to live in an eligible country to join and submit an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) if you’re in the US.

Once you finish creating an account, you can start browsing the marketplace. Keep an eye out for a welcome email where you’ll get a quick introduction to the company and links to several resources.

If you’re new to ClickBank, it’s a good idea to check out the resources that are available to you before rushing head-on.

ClickBank Learning Resources

ClickBank provides several resources to help their affiliates. Let’s look at some of these in more detail.

Knowledge Base

Start by navigating to the Knowledge Base.

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Want to know how to change payment details or how to use HopLinks (referral tracking URLs) in your marketing materials?

You’ll find those answers and more in the Knowledge Base. You can also navigate to this page for more advanced topics, such as how to use ClickBank APIs and third-party integrations.

ClickBank Money show

ClickBank Moneyshow is a YouTube series hosted by Darcy Erickson, one of the company’s affiliate marketers.

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Each week, ClickBank publishes new episodes to their channel that cover various topics on affiliate marketing. They also regularly bring in guest speakers who share more insights.

Lastly, ClickBank offers a training program called ClickBank University if you’re looking for an affiliate marketing course.

ClickBank University Review

ClickBank University is the official training program from ClickBank.

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The actual course provides a ton of information on how affiliate marketing works and how you can start earning commissions by promoting products on ClickBank.

Let’s take a closer look at what you get with ClickBank University.

What’s Included in ClickBank University?

ClickBank University gives you access to two separate training tracks: ClickBank Product Publishing and ClickBank Affiliate Mastery.

The affiliate track consists of an 8-week training program. It starts with an overview of affiliate marketing and how to navigate the ClickBank Marketplace.

You’ll also learn how to find a profitable ClickBank niche as well as how to build a funnel and generate traffic to your squeeze pages — landing pages that are designed to capture email addresses.

The affiliate tracking also teaches you how to set up email autoresponders and scale your campaigns.

Making money as an affiliate marketer is great and all.

But if you REALLY want to take your earnings up a notch, you’ll want to sign on as a publisher where you can have other affiliates promoting your products.

The publishing track consists of a 12-week training program. It starts with an overview of how to get started as a vendor and create your first product.

You’ll also learn how to write high-converting copy for your sales page and price up-sells to maximize conversions.

You also get access to the following bonuses:

• Bi-weekly expert classes
• Curated add-on training
• ClickBank toolkit
• Traffic center

Another bonus is the ClickBank community, a private Facebook group where you can interact with other affiliate marketers and get help when you need it.

How Much is ClickBank University?

ClickBank University is $47 a month and gives you access to the Product Publishing and Affiliate Master training tracks. You also get access to their live events at a discounted price.

ClickBank offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you can go through their materials and decide for yourself if you want to continue paying the monthly price.

So is ClickBank University worth it?

If you want to be a publisher, then yes.

ClickBank University offers an excellent training program for those that want to sell on the marketplace.

But the training in the affiliate track is geared towards beginners. They also focus more on driving paid traffic, which may not be within your budget.

If you’re interested in making money with this network, check out our ClickBank affiliate marketing guide.

While ClickBank is legit, do some research first before you start promoting anything.

How to Find Legit Products on ClickBank?

The last thing you want is to promote a questionable product and risk harming your reputation in the process.

01 – Research the Product

Don’t just pick the first product you see. You’ll make more money as an affiliate marketer by promoting quality products that actually deliver on their promises.

Once your account is set up, look through the available categories and pick products that are relevant to your niche. If you have a fitness blog, you might promote a weight loss guide.

A good metric to look at is Gravity Score — the number of affiliates who have earned a commission in the last 12 weeks. This metric tells you that others have successfully promoted the product.

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Another metric to look at is Avg $/sale. This tells you much you can expect to earn if someone buys through your link.

Next, look at the product’s landing page. Does the product appear legitimate? Most importantly, is it something you would buy?

A well-designed landing page is a good indicator of a quality product (but not always). If you see outlandish claims, you may want to think twice before promoting it.

02 – Read Online Product Reviews

Online users today rarely buy products outright.

More than 75% of US shoppers go online to read reviews before making a purchase. If they see mostly negative reviews about a product, they’ll likely reconsider their purchase.

Search online for reviews about the product you want to promote. What are people actually saying about it? You can often find unbiased reviews on forums and social sites like Reddit.

Resurge, a weight-loss supplement sold on the ClickBank Marketplace, received mostly negative reviews on Trustpilot:

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If a product has numerous complaints like this one then move on.

03 – Look Up the Vendor

If everything looks good, be sure to look up the vendor. Have they launched other products in the past? What have other customers said about them?

Reputable vendors on ClickBank will generally have a traceable online history. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are another good place to start.

04 – Buy the Product

Finally, consider buying a product that you want to promote. Some vendors may even give you the product for free or offer temporary access if you ask.

Buying a product gives you first-hand experience with it, which in turn allows you to write a more thorough review.

For more on this subject, check out our guides: "ClickBank 2020: How To Make Money With ClickBank Affiliate Marketing" and "[Step by Step Guide] Find a Profitable Clickbank Niche in The Next 10 Minutes or Less."

ClickBank Alternatives

If you decide that ClickBank isn’t for you, that’s perfectly okay. There are tons of other affiliate programs that offer a range of products you can promote.

Here are just a few of the more popular affiliate networks you can sign up for:

CJ Affiliate

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CJ Affiliate is one of the more popular ClickBank alternatives. This affiliate network has been around since 1998 and has thousands of small and significant merchants.

ShareASale

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ShareASale is another major affiliate network with over 4,500 merchants. The network boasts a wide range of physical and digital products.

Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates lets you earn commissions on products that you refer to Amazon. However, commissions are much lower (1 – 5%), and Amazon has a 24-hour cookie.

JVZoo

JVZoo is a great affiliate program if you’re looking to promote product launches. You can also sign up for JVZoo Academy for additional training.

Conclusion

ClickBank is legit. You can make a good income as an affiliate marketer promoting products on this network.

But it’s still important to do your due diligence. The marketplace still has tons of spammy products, so be sure to thoroughly vet each product before you decide to promote an offer.

What has your experience been with ClickBank? Feel free to comment below!

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

What is ClickBank?

ClickBank is one of the largest affiliate networks that connect merchants and affiliates. The system offers a selection of physical and digital products, such as eBooks and software.

The company was founded in 1998 by internet entrepreneurs Tim and Eileen Barber. ClickBank has since paid out over $4.2 billion to affiliates around the world.

Is ClickBank legit?

Yes. ClickBank has established itself as one of the top affiliate networks for marketers and bloggers alike. The company has never missed a payment in its 20+ years of operation. Pretty impressive track record if you ask me. ClickBank is a legit affiliate network that you can make some serious cash with. And there are affiliate marketers who are earning tons of income with it. The folks at Authority Hacker turned one niche site into a rather sizable income stream after a few months of hard work.

What’s Included in ClickBank University?

ClickBank University gives you access to two separate training tracks: ClickBank Product Publishing and ClickBank Affiliate Mastery. The affiliate track consists of an 8-week training program. It starts with an overview of affiliate marketing and how to navigate the ClickBank Marketplace. You’ll also learn how to find a profitable ClickBank niche as well as how to build a funnel and generate traffic to your squeeze pages — landing pages that are designed to capture email addresses. The affiliate track also teaches you how to set up email autoresponders and scale your campaigns. Making money as an affiliate marketer is great and all.

How Much is ClickBank University?

ClickBank University is $47 a month and gives you access to the Product Publishing and Affiliate Master training tracks. You also get access to their live events at a discounted price. ClickBank offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you can go through their materials and decide for yourself if you want to continue paying the monthly price.