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Affiliate Marketing · head to head

ClickBank vs Extole

ClickBank logo

ClickBank

Affiliate Marketing

Digital product affiliate marketplace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Extole logo

Extole

Affiliate Marketing

Enterprise refer-a-friend marketing platform

From
$999/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Extole minimum pricing of $999/month may be prohibitive for small businesses
  • They diverge on capability: ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace, Extole covers Personalized referral experiences.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClickBank and Extole actually diverge.

Attributes where ClickBank and Extole differ
AttributeClickBankExtole
Starting priceFree$999/month
Pricing modeltransactionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19982009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Affiliate Marketing).

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 Extole

  • Personalized referral experiences
  • Advanced fraud detection
  • Cross-channel campaigns
  • Enterprise analytics
  • Mobile optimization
  • Salesforce
  • Adobe
  • Oracle

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ClickBank

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

Extole

  • affiliate marketing managementnot ClickBank
  • Workflow automationnot ClickBank
  • Reportingnot 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

Extole

  • Minimum pricing of $999/month may be prohibitive for small businesses
  • Setup and onboarding complexity for non-technical users
  • Limited out-of-the-box templates compared to competitor platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

ClickBank

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

Extole

$999/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Extole review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ClickBank if

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

Choose Extole if

  • You need personalized referral experiences.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want advanced fraud detection.
Extole review

Questions people ask

Is ClickBank or Extole better?
Neither clearly leads. ClickBank starts at Free and Extole at $999/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClickBank or Extole?
ClickBank has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ClickBank and $999/month for Extole.
Does ClickBank or Extole run on more platforms?
ClickBank runs on Web. Extole runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use ClickBank for free?
Yes. ClickBank has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Extole starts at $999/month.
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 Extole is typically brought in for.
What can ClickBank do that Extole cannot?
ClickBank covers Digital product marketplace, High commission rates, Recurring billing, Refund management. Extole covers Personalized referral experiences, Advanced fraud detection, Cross-channel campaigns, Enterprise analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Extole: What types of programs can I build with Extole?

Extole supports refer-a-friend, loyalty, influencer, ambassador, employee advocacy, sweepstakes, and nomination programs.

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
Extole: What pricing does Extole offer?

Extole pricing starts at $999/month for merchants under $10M revenue, scaling to $2,500/month for $10-40M revenue and $44,000/year for $41-80M revenue. Enterprise customers receive custom pricing.

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
Extole: Does Extole provide APIs and SDKs?

Yes, Extole offers a complete API with REST endpoints and OpenAPI specifications. SDKs are available for JavaScript, React Native, iOS, and Android.

Source
Extole: What integrations does Extole support?

Extole integrates with marketing automation, CRM, and ecommerce platforms through native connections and via Zapier for 3000+ apps.

Source
Extole: Does Extole help with fraud detection?

Yes, Extole includes built-in fraud detection and reward management to protect referral programs from abuse.

Source
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