Commission Rates by Category (2026)
Compare average affiliate commission rates across 25 categories. Data from 954+ tracked programs and recurring benchmark snapshots.
28.8%
Overall Avg Rate
133.8%
Highest Avg (Legal & Business Services)
84 days
Longest Avg Cookie (Email Marketing)
25
Categories Analyzed
Visual Comparison
Top categories ranked by average commission rate
Legal & Business Services
133.8%
Web Hosting
54%
E-Commerce
52.7%
SaaS & Software
46%
Email Marketing
36.7%
VPN & Security
34.1%
Sustainability & Eco
33.9%
Finance & Investing
32.1%
Photography & Video
28.5%
AI & Productivity
27.4%
Automotive
20%
Health & Fitness
18.4%
Education & Courses
16.4%
Pet Supplies
13.9%
Full Category Breakdown
Detailed commission metrics for all categories
| # | Category | Programs | Avg Rate | Min | Max | Avg Cookie | Avg EPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal & Business Services | 8 | 133.8% | 20% | 500% | 68 days | $23.63 |
| 2 | Real Estate & Property | 5 | 82% | 10% | 200% | 54 days | $17.6 |
| 3 | Web Hosting | 42 | 54% | 0% | 200% | 67 days | $46.49 |
| 4 | E-Commerce | 51 | 52.7% | 0% | 200% | 51 days | $22.62 |
| 5 | SaaS & Software | 190 | 46% | 0% | 500% | 58 days | $26.63 |
| 6 | Email Marketing | 31 | 36.7% | 5% | 200% | 84 days | $16.9 |
| 7 | VPN & Security | 42 | 34.1% | 0% | 100% | 40 days | $27.64 |
| 8 | Sustainability & Eco | 41 | 33.9% | 0.5% | 500% | 30 days | $21.91 |
| 9 | Finance & Investing | 54 | 32.1% | 0% | 200% | 48 days | $31.83 |
| 10 | Photography & Video | 8 | 28.5% | 0% | 72% | 38 days | $15.13 |
| 11 | AI & Productivity | 61 | 27.4% | 0% | 200% | 54 days | $17.91 |
| 12 | Automotive | 6 | 20% | 3% | 100% | 25 days | $15.33 |
| 13 | Health & Fitness | 63 | 18.4% | 0% | 140% | 34 days | $23.42 |
| 14 | Education & Courses | 48 | 16.4% | 2% | 50% | 37 days | $19.64 |
| 15 | Pet Supplies | 40 | 13.9% | 2% | 60% | 25 days | $8.74 |
| 16 | Home & Garden | 51 | 13.1% | 0% | 100% | 27 days | $20.36 |
| 17 | Technology & Gadgets | 91 | 12.7% | 0.5% | 100% | 30 days | $16.79 |
| 18 | Music & Audio | 6 | 12.3% | 4% | 30% | 27 days | $10.17 |
| 19 | Travel & Booking | 35 | 10.7% | 0.2% | 50% | 36 days | $11.16 |
| 20 | Dating & Relationships | 17 | 9.8% | 3% | 50% | 41 days | $8.78 |
| 21 | Food & Cooking | 40 | 9.6% | 3% | 20% | 27 days | $13.69 |
| 22 | Parenting & Baby | 30 | 6.6% | 1% | 15% | 24 days | $8.8 |
| 23 | Fashion & Beauty | 64 | 6% | 0% | 15% | 24 days | $13.79 |
| 24 | Outdoor & Sports | 48 | 5.7% | 1% | 8% | 25 days | $10.02 |
| 25 | Gaming | 37 | 4.5% | 0% | 15% | 37 days | $7.35 |
Key Takeaways
- The overall average commission rate across all categories is 28.8%
- Legal & Business Services offers the highest average rate at 133.8%
- Digital product categories (SaaS, courses, hosting) consistently offer higher rates than physical product categories
- Cookie durations vary widely: look for programs with 30+ day cookies for best results
- Higher commission rates do not always mean higher earnings. Factor in conversion rate and EPC
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What category has the highest affiliate commission rates?
Legal & Business Services has the highest average commission rate at 133.8% across 8 programs. -
What is a good affiliate commission rate?
A good commission rate depends on the product category. For physical products, 5-10% is standard. For digital products and SaaS, 20-40% is common. Any rate above the category average listed here is considered competitive. -
Why do commission rates vary so much between categories?
Commission rates reflect product margins. Digital products (SaaS, courses) have near-zero marginal costs and can offer 30-50%. Physical products have manufacturing and shipping costs, limiting commissions to 1-15%. -
Do higher commission rates always mean more money?
Not necessarily. A 3% commission on a $2,000 product ($60) earns more than a 40% commission on a $20 product ($8). Also consider conversion rate, cookie duration, and EPC when evaluating programs.
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