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Software · head to head

Amazon Associates vs Brainshark

Amazon Associates logo

Amazon Associates

Software

The world's largest affiliate marketing program

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Brainshark logo

Brainshark

Software

Sales Readiness Platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amazon Associates has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Amazon Associates commission rates are among the lowest in affiliate marketing at 4-20% by category; Brainshark user interface feels outdated with limited formatting customization options
  • They diverge on capability: Amazon Associates covers Product linking tools, Brainshark covers Content authoring.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amazon Associates and Brainshark actually diverge.

Attributes where Amazon Associates and Brainshark differ
AttributeAmazon AssociatesBrainshark
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Browser plugin, Mobile browserWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19961999

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amazon Associates

  • Product linking tools
  • Native shopping ads
  • SiteStripe toolbar
  • Commission tracking
  • Real-time reporting
  • WordPress
  • Blogger
  • YouTube

Only in Brainshark

  • Content authoring
  • Video coaching
  • Training
  • Assessments
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amazon Associates

  • affiliate marketing managementnot Brainshark
  • Workflow automationnot Brainshark
  • Reportingnot Brainshark

Brainshark

  • Customer Successnot Amazon Associates
  • Sales Readinessnot Amazon Associates
  • Content Authoringnot Amazon Associates

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amazon Associates

  • Commission rates are among the lowest in affiliate marketing at 4-20% by category
  • Requires $100 minimum earnings threshold before payment is issued
  • Cookie duration limited to 24 hours for click tracking, compared to 60-90 days at competitors

Brainshark

  • User interface feels outdated with limited formatting customization options
  • Branching feature is very limited compared to competitors
  • Course catalog and transcript management in Salesforce are clunky and unintuitive
  • Administrative controls are complex and adjusting settings takes longer than expected

Pricing, plan by plan

Amazon Associates

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Amazon Associates review.

Brainshark

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Brainshark review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Amazon Associates if

  • You need product linking tools.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Browser plugin, Mobile browser.
  • You also want native shopping ads.
Amazon Associates review

Choose Brainshark if

  • You need content authoring.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want video coaching.
Brainshark review

Questions people ask

Is Amazon Associates or Brainshark better?
Neither clearly leads. Amazon Associates starts at Free and Brainshark at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amazon Associates or Brainshark?
Amazon Associates has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Amazon Associates and On request for Brainshark.
Does Amazon Associates or Brainshark run on more platforms?
Amazon Associates runs on Web, Browser plugin, Mobile browser. Brainshark runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Amazon Associates for free?
Yes. Amazon Associates has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brainshark starts at On request.
What is Amazon Associates best used for?
Amazon Associates is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting. Of those, affiliate marketing management and workflow automation are not what Brainshark is typically brought in for.
What can Amazon Associates do that Brainshark cannot?
Amazon Associates covers Product linking tools, Native shopping ads, SiteStripe toolbar, Commission tracking. Brainshark covers Content authoring, Video coaching, Training, Assessments. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amazon Associates: Is it free to join Amazon Associates?

Yes. There are no signup fees, monthly costs, or commissions paid to Amazon. Joining and participation are completely free.

Source
Brainshark: What is Brainshark primarily used for?

Brainshark is used for sales enablement, onboarding, and continuous training to prepare customer-facing teams with content, coaching, and certifications for buyer interactions.

Source
Amazon Associates: How long does a click cookie last?

Amazon gives you 24 hours to earn a commission once a visitor clicks an affiliate link. You also earn a commission if a person adds a product to their cart within 24 hours and purchases it within 90 days.

Source
Brainshark: Does Brainshark integrate with PowerPoint?

Yes, Brainshark offers PowerPoint integrations along with a mobile app for on-demand training access and content authoring capabilities.

Source
Amazon Associates: What are the commission rates?

Commission rates vary by product category. Amazon Games earns 20%, Luxury Beauty at 10%, Kitchen at 4.5%, and All Other Categories at 4%. Commission rates change frequently.

Source
Brainshark: Can Brainshark track employee training completion?

Yes, Brainshark provides training tracking, analytics, and scorecards for monitoring completion and engagement across your sales team.

Source
Amazon Associates: How often does Amazon pay affiliates?

Amazon Associates provides reports updated hourly for most orders. Earnings can be tracked in real-time through the Associates Central dashboard. Payments are issued monthly if earnings exceed $100.

Source
Amazon Associates: Can I earn commissions internationally?

Yes. Amazon Associates operates in multiple countries. OneLink allows US Associates to earn commissions internationally by automatically directing customers to their local Amazon store.

Source
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Related pages

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