Softwr

Affiliate Marketing · head to head

CJ Affiliate vs ClickBank

CJ Affiliate logo

CJ Affiliate

Affiliate Marketing

Global affiliate marketing platform by Publicis

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ClickBank logo

ClickBank

Affiliate Marketing

Digital product affiliate marketplace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ClickBank has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CJ Affiliate complex pricing tiers without transparent public pricing; ClickBank a one time activation fee of $49.95 is charged when a seller's first product is approved
  • They diverge on capability: CJ Affiliate covers Cross-device tracking, ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CJ Affiliate and ClickBank actually diverge.

Attributes where CJ Affiliate and ClickBank differ
AttributeCJ AffiliateClickBank
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: pricing model (transaction), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Affiliate Marketing), founded (1998).

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 CJ Affiliate

  • Cross-device tracking
  • Real-time analytics
  • Publisher recruitment
  • Commission automation
  • Fraud protection
  • Salesforce
  • Adobe Analytics
  • Google Analytics

Only in ClickBank

  • Digital product marketplace
  • High commission rates
  • Recurring billing
  • Refund management
  • Affiliate tools
  • ClickFunnels
  • WordPress
  • Teachable

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

CJ Affiliate

  • affiliate marketing managementnot ClickBank
  • Workflow automationnot ClickBank
  • Reportingnot ClickBank

ClickBank

  • Selling digital products through an affiliate marketplacenot CJ Affiliate
  • Recruiting affiliates to promote an info product or supplementnot CJ Affiliate
  • Earning commission as an affiliate on third party digital productsnot CJ Affiliate

Where each one falls short

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

CJ Affiliate

  • Complex pricing tiers without transparent public pricing
  • Limited integration capabilities with leading third-party HR point solutions compared to some competitors

ClickBank

  • A one time activation fee of $49.95 is charged when a seller's first product is approved
  • ClickBank retains 7.5% plus $1 on each sale
  • A $5.00 pay period processing fee is charged on every payment issued
  • Refunds cost the seller $0.50 or $1 depending on product price and return date
  • Dormant accounts are charged $1 per pay period after 90 days without earnings, $5 after 180 days and $50 after 365 days
  • Payment is withheld until the account reaches the payment threshold, which defaults to $100

Pricing, plan by plan

CJ Affiliate

On request
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Dedicated support
    • Advanced analytics

ClickBank

Free
  • AffiliateFree
    • Free to join
    • Up to 75% commissions
    • Weekly payouts

Which should you pick?

Choose CJ Affiliate if

  • You need cross-device tracking.
  • You also want real-time analytics.
CJ Affiliate review

Choose ClickBank if

  • You need digital product marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want high commission rates.
ClickBank review

Questions people ask

Is CJ Affiliate or ClickBank better?
Neither clearly leads. CJ Affiliate starts at On request and ClickBank at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CJ Affiliate or ClickBank?
ClickBank has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for CJ Affiliate and Free for ClickBank.
Does CJ Affiliate or ClickBank run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use ClickBank for free?
Yes. ClickBank has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CJ Affiliate starts at On request.
What is CJ Affiliate best used for?
CJ Affiliate is most often used for affiliate marketing management, workflow automation, reporting. Of those, affiliate marketing management and workflow automation are not what ClickBank is typically brought in for.
What can CJ Affiliate do that ClickBank cannot?
CJ Affiliate covers Cross-device tracking, Real-time analytics, Publisher recruitment, Commission automation. ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace, High commission rates, Recurring billing, Refund management. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CJ Affiliate: How much does CJ Affiliate cost?

CJ Affiliate requires custom pricing based on business needs. Contact their sales team for a customized quote; pricing tiers vary by affiliate network size and commission models used.

Source
ClickBank: Is there a cost to sign up for ClickBank?

No. ClickBank account creation is free for both affiliates and sellers. There is no upfront fee to access the marketplace.

Source
CJ Affiliate: How many publishers and brands are on CJ Affiliate?

CJ is the platform of choice for over 3,800 global brands with over 167K publishers and brands engaging billions of consumers worldwide across all verticals.

Source
ClickBank: How does ClickBank pay affiliates and sellers?

ClickBank uses two commission models: RevShare (revenue sharing) and CPA (cost-per-action). Payments are made twice weekly to your account.

Source
CJ Affiliate: What integrations does CJ Affiliate support?

CJ Affiliate provides a comprehensive API supporting integrations with marketing automation platforms, analytics tools, and tracking systems through RESTful endpoints with OAuth 2.0 authentication.

Source
ClickBank: What commission percentages does ClickBank charge?

The homepage does not specify exact commission percentages. You would need to contact ClickBank or review their Help Center to find detailed commission tier information.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on CJ Affiliate

More on ClickBank

Keep looking

Other head to heads