Awin Review 2026: Is Awin Worth Joining Now That ShareASale Is Gone?

This Awin review is for bloggers who want two answers: is Awin worth joining, and what happened to ShareASale?

Here’s the short version on ShareASale. Awin owned it for years and finished moving its advertisers and publishers onto the Awin platform in 2025. The ShareASale platform closed on October 6, 2025. If you promoted brands there, you’re on Awin now, or you’ve lost those links.

Below I explain how Awin works, the $5 deposit that surprises new publishers, payment thresholds and schedules, and the pros and cons I’ve found. I’ll also point you to alternatives if Awin isn’t a fit.

Awin Review: Is It Worth Joining Now

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ShareASale Is Now Awin: The Platform Closure Explained

ShareASale was one of the largest affiliate networks in the United States, operating since 1999. It was acquired by Awin in 2017 but continued operating as a separate platform for nearly a decade.

In 2025, Awin consolidated the platforms completely. ShareASale publishers and advertisers were migrated to Awin. The ShareASale platform officially closed on October 6, 2025.

If you had an active ShareASale affiliate account before the closure, Awin’s migration process would have upgraded your account based on your activity level and account eligibility.

If you’re a new affiliate looking to join an affiliate network in 2026, ShareASale is no longer an option. Awin is where those affiliates now sign up.

What Happened to Existing ShareASale Affiliates?

Awin handled the migration in phases:

Tier 1 (Active Publishers): Publishers with consistent activity and approved status were automatically upgraded to Awin accounts. These affiliates retained access to their networks and could continue earning without reapplying.

Tier 2 (Inactive/Marginal Publishers): Publishers with minimal activity or pending approval status were notified of the closure and given options to register directly with Awin as new users or close their accounts.

If you were a ShareASale affiliate and didn’t receive migration communication from Awin, you can register as a new user directly with Awin (see “How to Join Awin” section below).

Your affiliate links: ShareASale affiliate links stopped working after October 6, 2025. If you have content with ShareASale links, you’ll need to replace them with Awin links or links from other affiliate programs. See the “What Happened to ShareASale Affiliate Links?” section for details.

What Is Awin?

Awin is a global affiliate network that connects publishers (bloggers, content creators, influencers) with advertisers (brands, SaaS companies, retailers).

The basic model: Awin provides the infrastructure, merchants list their programs, and affiliates promote products/services and earn commission on sales or actions (sign-ups, clicks, etc.).

Awin operates in 20+ countries and includes 15,000+ merchants and 1 million+ publishers globally.

In the U.S., Awin is one of the largest affiliate networks, comparable to Impact and ShareASale’s predecessor status.

Before applying anywhere, read our guide on choosing an affiliate program that actually pays. It’ll help you judge Awin’s merchants one by one.

How Awin Works for Publishers

Step 1: Apply to Awin

Submit an application with your website, traffic sources, and monetization approach. Awin reviews applications to ensure quality publishers and prevent fraud.

Most blog and content publisher applications are approved within 48 hours. Some applications (especially those with unclear traffic sources or high-risk verticals) may take 5-7 business days.

Step 2: Browse and Apply to Merchant Programs

Once approved, log in to your Awin dashboard and search for available merchants. You can filter by category, commission rate, and payout terms.

Each merchant has its own approval requirements. Some approve automatically. Others review your application (website traffic, audience alignment, expected performance).

Approval times vary: instant for popular programs, 24-48 hours for most, 1-2 weeks for selective merchants.

Step 3: Get Affiliate Links

Once approved for a merchant, you receive unique affiliate links. These track which purchases/actions came from your promotions.

Step 4: Promote and Earn

Place links on your blog, YouTube, email, or social media. When your audience clicks and converts (makes a purchase or completes an action), you earn commission.

Step 5: Track and Get Paid

Your Awin dashboard shows real-time clicks, conversions, and earnings. Payments are processed based on your selected payment schedule (once or twice monthly).

Once approved, you need traffic. These ways to promote affiliate offers work well with Awin brands, and you can grow affiliate income with email once you have a list.

Awin Advertisers and Affiliate Programs

Awin’s merchant network includes:

E-commerce: Amazon Associates alternatives, Shopify stores, fashion brands, electronics retailers

Financial Services: Credit card companies, insurance, investment platforms, banking products

SaaS: Project management tools, email marketing, website builders, accounting software

Education: Online courses, bootcamps, language learning platforms, certifications

Travel: Hotels, airlines, booking platforms, tour operators

Hosting and Tech: Web hosting, domain registrars, VPN services, software licenses

Home and Garden: Furniture, home improvement, garden supplies, decor

The specific merchants available depend on your region, traffic quality, and niche. U.S.-based publishers typically have the broadest access.

Important: Don’t expect every merchant you want to be available. Awin has 15,000+ merchants globally, but your specific region or niche may have limited options. Always research available programs before applying.

For this site’s niches (hosting, WordPress tools, software), look for recurring or high one-time payouts.

New to this? The beginner’s guide to affiliate marketing covers the basics, and our list of affiliate marketing myths clears up the ideas that waste new publishers’ time.

Awin Commission Rates

Commission rates are set by individual merchants, not by Awin.

There’s no universal “Awin commission.” Rates vary dramatically:

Low-commission programs:

• Amazon Associates: 1-3% (if available in your region; now limited in many areas)
• General e-commerce: 2-5%
• Large retailers: 2-8%

Medium-commission programs:

• SaaS annual subscriptions: 10-25%
• Web hosting: 20-40% recurring (affiliate earns monthly on renewals)
• Email tools: 15-30%

High-commission programs:

• Financial products: 30-50% (often per lead, not per sale)
• Insurance: 20-50% (per quote/application)
• B2B software: 15-40% (highly variable)

Variable structures:

• Cost Per Action (CPA): Fixed amount per sign-up, trial, or action (not sale-dependent)
• Cost Per Sale (CPS): Percentage of sale value
• Recurring: Earn commission on renewals (hosting, subscriptions)
• One-time: Commission on initial sale only

Research commission rates for merchants you want to promote before applying. A 2% e-commerce program may not be worth your effort compared to a 30% SaaS program, even with fewer sales.

Awin Payment Methods and Payment Schedule

Payment Frequency:

Once monthly (default, NET30: paid 30 days after the month ends); twice monthly (requires manual request to support)

Payment Methods:

U.S. publishers: ACH direct deposit to bank account (free, fastest). International: Payoneer (processing fee applied, typically 1-2%); International: SWIFT bank transfer (high fees, not recommended unless required)

Minimum Payout:

$50 USD minimum per payment period. If earnings are below $50, they roll over to the next period.

Tax Reporting:

U.S. publishers: You’ll receive an IRS Form 1099-NEC if earnings exceed $600 in a calendar year. Awin sends this by January 31.

International: Tax implications vary by country. Awin doesn’t provide tax forms outside the U.S.

Payment Processing Time:

After your payment is processed (usually 1-3 business days after the payment date), bank deposits typically arrive within 2-5 business days for U.S. ACH transfers.

Awin Dashboard and Affiliate Tools

Performance Tracking:

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Real-time dashboard showing clicks, conversions, earnings, and conversion rate.

Filter by merchant, date range, and traffic source to understand which promotions perform best.

Link Management:

Access unique affiliate links for every merchant.

Create custom-shortened links if needed.

Bulk download links for multiple products.

Reporting:

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Export detailed performance data (CSV format) for analysis.

API available for advanced publishers who want to integrate Awin data into their own systems.

Merchant Support:

Access to merchant promotional materials (banners, product feeds, creative assets).

Direct contact with individual merchant affiliate managers for high-performing publishers.

Payment History:

View all historical payments, pending earnings, and payment status.

Fraud Detection:

Awin monitors for click fraud and suspicious activity. Commissions from fraudulent clicks are removed.

Mobile App:

Limited mobile dashboard available. Most work requires desktop access.

Don’t have a site yet? You can still do affiliate marketing without a website, although Awin approvals are easier with one. Picking the right topic first helps, so read how to choose a profitable niche.

Awin vs ShareASale: What Changed?

The most important differences:

Awin’s tracking technology is more accurate than ShareASale’s legacy system. This means fewer “lost” conversions and more reliable commission tracking.

Awin’s merchant network is 3x larger, so you have more programs to choose from.

Awin’s dashboard is modern and responsive. ShareASale’s was outdated.

Payment processing is faster with Awin (ACH vs legacy bank methods).

Awin’s global infrastructure is stronger. ShareASale was primarily U.S. focused.

What Happened to ShareASale Affiliate Links?

If you have blog posts, social media, or email campaigns with ShareASale links, those links no longer work as of October 7, 2025.

Here’s what you need to do:

Identify ShareASale Links in Your Content:

Search your site for “shareasale.com” or “ShareASale” references.

Use Google Search Console to find pages getting clicks on broken affiliate links.

Replace With Awin Links:

For merchants that migrated to Awin, find them on the Awin platform and replace the ShareASale link with the Awin affiliate link.

Example:

Old: shareasale.com/?ref=123456 (broken) New: awin1.com/cclick.php?id=123456 (working)

For Merchants Not on Awin:

If a merchant isn’t available on Awin, you have three options:

1. Find an alternative merchant in the same category (if available)
2. Use a different affiliate network (Commission Junction, Impact, etc.)
3. Remove the affiliate link and replace it with non-affiliate content

Update Internal Links:

If your posts mention “ShareASale” as the program, update those references to “Awin” to avoid confusing readers.

Estimated Impact:

Broken affiliate links = lost revenue. Priority: identify and fix high-traffic posts first.

Tidy links matter too. Our affiliate link cloaking plugins list keeps Awin URLs manageable. For other models, see the CPA marketing guide or the AAWP review for Amazon affiliates.

Awin Pros and Cons

Pros

Large Merchant Network: 15,000+ merchants means diversity. You can find programs in almost any niche and switch if one merchant underperforms.

Quick Approval: Most applications are approved within 48 hours, and many merchant programs approve automatically. Faster than Commission Junction or Impact.

Competitive Commission Rates: Not unique to Awin, but the merchant competition keeps rates reasonable. You can compare programs and choose the highest-paying option.

Modern Tracking Technology: Server-to-server and fingerprinting-based tracking catches more conversions than cookie-only systems.

Global Reach: If you have international traffic, Awin operates in 20+ countries with local merchant networks.

Good for High-Volume Promoters: If you’re placing affiliate links across blogs, YouTube, email, and social media, Awin has enough merchants to keep diversified.

Cons

Less Personal Support: ShareASale offered personal relationship managers for top performers. Awin’s support is more automated. Email responses can be slow (48+ hours).

Approval Can Be Strict: If your website is new, low-traffic, or in a high-risk niche, Awin may reject your application. You can reapply, but there’s no guarantee.

Merchant Removal: Merchants can stop affiliate programs or be removed by Awin. If you’re heavily reliant on one merchant’s program, you’re vulnerable.

Commission Competition: With 15,000+ merchants, price wars happen. A merchant may reduce commission rates if too many affiliates exist.

No Guaranteed Income: Like all affiliate networks, your earnings depend entirely on merchant programs accepting your applications and your content performing.

Payout Minimums: A $50 minimum means small earners take longer to see their first payment.

Awin vs Other Affiliate Networks

Most serious affiliates join two or three networks so they can choose the best-paying program for each product.

Who Should Join Awin?

Good Fit

• Bloggers with an established site in retail, travel, finance, software or hosting
• Former ShareASale publishers (your programs are here now)
• Publishers with audiences outside the US (strong UK and European coverage)
• Coupon, comparison and review sites

Harder Fit

• Brand-new sites with little content (expect more program rejections)
• Niches where most brands run in-house or Impact programs

Is Awin Worth Joining?

Yes, if you meet these criteria:

Your website has consistent traffic (1,000+ monthly visitors). Awin approval is based on quality, not volume.

Your niche aligns with Awin’s merchant network (tech, finance, SaaS, hosting, business software). Blogs about these verticals thrive on Awin.

You’re planning to promote affiliate products long-term, not as a one-off experiment. Building affiliate income takes 3-6 months of consistent promotion.

You have existing content (blog posts, YouTube videos, email list) that you can place affiliate links in. Awin is not for content creators just starting.

You’re comfortable with performance-based income. Affiliate earnings fluctuate based on merchant programs, conversion rates, and market conditions.

If you checked all four boxes, Awin is one of the best networks available in 2026. Join.

If you’re a beginner or have a brand-new website, start with Amazon Associates or CJ Affiliate instead. Build traffic and content first, then apply to Awin when you have proof of audience.

FAQs Related to Awin Review

Final Verdict

Awin is one of the networks every serious affiliate should be in, and since ShareASale closed, it’s the only way to keep promoting most of those brands. The $20 minimum payout and twice-monthly payments are friendly to smaller publishers.

The main friction is brand-by-brand approval and the small sign-up deposit. If your site has real content in a niche Awin covers, join, then audit your old ShareASale links first.

For more ways to grow affiliate income, see how to start a blog and make money, our complete SEO guide and ways to promote affiliate programs.