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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

ClickBank vs Impact.com

ClickBank logo

ClickBank

Affiliate Marketing

Digital product affiliate marketplace

From
Free
Rated
-
Impact.com logo

Impact.com

Influencer Marketing

The partnership management platform

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only ClickBank has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ClickBank a one time activation fee of $49.95 is charged when a seller's first product is approved; Impact.com no pricing is published anywhere, and no cost driver or minimum is stated
  • They diverge on capability: ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace, Impact.com covers Partner discovery.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickBank and Impact.com actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickBank and Impact.com differ
AttributeClickBankImpact.com
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Api
CategoryAffiliate MarketingInfluencer Marketing
Founded19982008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 ClickBank

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

Only in Impact.com

  • Partner discovery
  • Contract management
  • Cross-device tracking
  • Fraud protection
  • Performance optimization
  • Global payments
  • Multi-program management
  • Attribution modeling

What people use each for

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

ClickBank

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

Impact.com

  • Managing affiliate and partnership programmes at scalenot ClickBank
  • Tracking partner referrals and paying commissionsnot ClickBank

Where each one falls short

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

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

Impact.com

  • No pricing is published anywhere, and no cost driver or minimum is stated
  • Brands and agencies must request a demo to reach any figure
  • The plans page carries no rates

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickBank

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

Impact.com

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • Partner discovery
    • Basic tracking
    • Standard reporting
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • Advanced tracking
    • Contract management
    • Performance optimization
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Multi-program management
    • Fraud protection
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

Choose ClickBank if

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

Choose Impact.com if

  • You need partner discovery.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want contract management.

Questions people ask

Is ClickBank or Impact.com better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickBank starts at Free and Impact.com at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickBank or Impact.com?
ClickBank has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ClickBank and On request for Impact.com.
Does ClickBank or Impact.com run on more platforms?
ClickBank runs on Web. Impact.com runs on Web, Api.
Can I use ClickBank for free?
Yes. ClickBank has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Impact.com starts at On request.
What is ClickBank best used for?
ClickBank is most often used for selling digital products through an affiliate marketplace, recruiting affiliates to promote an info product or supplement, earning commission as an affiliate on third party digital products. Of those, selling digital products through an affiliate marketplace and recruiting affiliates to promote an info product or supplement are not what Impact.com is typically brought in for.
What can ClickBank do that Impact.com cannot?
ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace, High commission rates, Recurring billing, Refund management. Impact.com covers Partner discovery, Contract management, Cross-device tracking, Fraud protection.

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