Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways for Irish bloggers, influencers, and social media users to earn passive income. But to make it work, you need to track down the best affiliate programs and networks in Ireland.
At Authority Hacker, we’ve spent the past decade building successful affiliate websites – and earning hefty commissions from a wide variety of affiliate programs — so we know a great program when we see one.
To help Irish affiliates maximize their earnings, we’ve dug deep and discovered the top 10 affiliate programs and networks for affiliate marketers in Ireland, from global names to local favorites.
Affiliate Programs & Networks in Ireland
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1 Amazon Associates
It might be the biggest and best-known ecommerce marketplace on the planet — and the most popular affiliate network, according to our affiliate marketing statistics — but Amazon doesn’t currently have an Ireland-specific website.
But don’t worry, because Irish consumers and sellers (and affiliates) can still use the UK version.
Amazon.co.uk delivers most products to Ireland. And if there are any Brexit-induced fees, Amazon displays them during checkout. UK Prime members even get free two-day priority delivery to Ireland on millions of Prime-eligible products.
All of this is fantastic news for Irish affiliates, because Amazon is too good an opportunity to miss. It sells everything under the sun, from baby products to clothing to electronics. And even though their commissions aren’t as generous as they used to be, they’re still pretty decent.
This brings us neatly to Amazon’s affiliate program, Amazon Associates.
Commission rates are category-dependent, ranging from just 1% on games consoles to 10% on fashion and 20% on Amazon Games. Most categories also pay higher rates for larger sales volumes.
The only real downside to Amazon Associates is the stingy 24-hour cookie window. However, you do earn commissions on anything else they buy from Amazon in that time, which usually accounts for about 50% of total commissions.
Like the sound of Amazon’s affiliate program? Check out our in-depth Amazon Affiliate Program review and our step-by-step guide on How to Become an Amazon Affiliate.
- URL: Amazon Associates UK
- Commission rate: 1% – 20% per sale
- Cookie duration: 24 hours
- Payment methods: Direct deposit, gift certificate, check
- Payment currency: EUR or GBP
- Products sold: Pretty much anything you can imagine
2 eBay
One global retailer that does have a .ie website is eBay. That might not sound like a big deal, but it makes a difference, with 79% of Irish shoppers saying they’d rather buy from .ie domains.
Of course, that’s hardly the only reason to choose eBay.
At any given time, the ecommerce giant has approximately 1.4 billion live product listings across dozens of categories, including men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, computers, and DIY materials. And while eBay initially made its name as an auction site, four-fifths of products sold on the platform are now new.
Like Amazon, eBay’s affiliate program — the eBay Partner Network — has category-dependent commission rates, ranging from 1% on real estate purchases to 4% on fashion and cars.
The eBay Partner Network also shares Amazon’s miserly 24-hour cookie window, so your referrals had better be highly qualified.
Want to get paid for promoting eBay? Read our review of the eBay Partner Network.
- URL: eBay Partner Network
- Commission rate: 1% – 4% per sale
- Cookie duration: 24 hours
- Payment methods: Electronic funds transfer, PayPal
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Products sold: New & used B2C products
3 Etsy
Another of the major ecommerce marketplaces, Etsy specializes in vintage goods, handcrafted items, and unique creative products, with approximately 7.5 million sellers actively using the platform. And a quick search with your location set to Ireland shows more than 87 million available products.
Etsy’s product range makes it a popular destination for gift shoppers and niche hobbyists (I often use it to buy second-hand stamps, for instance — feel free to call me a nerd).
Meanwhile, its commitment to sustainability — the platform and its offices are powered by 100% renewable energy — makes Etsy a good fit if you prefer to promote eco-friendly affiliate programs.
Etsy’s affiliate program has a 30-day cookie window (or seven days for in-app purchases) and a standard publisher commission rate of 4% per sale. Interestingly, you can sign up if you’re an Etsy seller, allowing you to earn commissions by promoting your own shop and other Etsy stores.
Think Etsy could be the perfect fit for your digital audience? Check out our Etsy affiliate program review.
- URL: Etsy affiliate program
- Commission rate: 4%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Payment methods: Check, international wire, ACH
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Products sold: Unique creative goods
4 Millies
Finally, an Irish company!
Millies is Ireland’s largest online retailer of pro-quality skincare and haircare products, stocking 4,000+ items from 80 brands.
It’s highly regarded, with a rating of 4.9/5 on Trustpilot from more than 2,200 reviews. That’s a massive trust factor in a world where 89% of consumers read reviews before purchasing. Customers get free delivery on orders over €75.
The Millies affiliate program is managed through GoAffPro and pays a standard 10% commission, which is comparable to commissions offered by big beauty brands and retailers like Lookfantastic and Sephora.
Affiliate partners can access regularly updated product feeds and the opportunity to run exclusive offers and partnerships with Millies.
- URL: Millies affiliate program
- Commission rate: 10%
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
- Payment methods: PayPal, bank transfer, check, debit card, cash, Bitcoin, SEPA, Revolut
- Payment currency: Unlisted
- Products sold: Haircare, skincare, makeup, fragrances
5 Awin
Awin is a global affiliate network with two other affiliate platforms, Affilinet and ShareASale.
It works with 25,000 brands across dozens of B2B and B2C sectors, from fashion and finance to computing and hosting. Many are household Irish names, including boohoo and Currys (plus global brands like Etsy and HP).
And it’s built a network of 241,000+ active publishers, who pocketed approximately €1.2 billion in commissions in 2022. Nice!
As well as offering a superb selection of advertisers, Awin is generally an excellent, user-friendly network with an intuitive interface, a simple registration process, and excellent self-help resources. All those factors (and more) have helped Awin attract over 241,000 active publishers, who pocketed approximately €1.2 billion in commissions in 2022. Nice!
If you have a large social following, Awin has a dedicated offering for influencers, including an attractive “payment on influence” model that pays fixed rates for every sale you contribute to (even if you didn’t win the final click).
Want to learn if the Awin network is right for you? Read our comprehensive Awin affiliate network review.
- URL: Awin affiliate network
- Payment methods: BACS, international wire transfer, ACH
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Brands: Glossybox, Meaghers, Very Ireland, Nisbets IE, Currys IE, boohoo UK & IE
6 Rakuten
Japanese advertising and technology giant Rakuten runs an affiliate marketing network named the best in the world for 12 successive years, which is pretty impressive.
While Awin works with thousands of advertisers across practically any affiliate niche you can imagine, Rakuten focuses on four specific sectors: D2C, finance, retail, and travel.
Given its global reach and network of 150,000 active publishers, Rakuten has the clout to attract some huge brands (think Kurt Geiger, Molton Brown, and Net-a-Porter, to name just a few). It also partners with some of Ireland’s largest advertisers, including Arnotts, Brown Thomas, and Dubarry.
Whether you’re an experienced affiliate marketer or a total newbie, you’ll find Rakuten’s interface simple. The signup process takes minutes, and you can create an affiliate link or banner in just a few clicks.
And if you do get stuck, you can tap into the network’s vast library of educational resources.
Learn more in our Rakuten affiliate network review.
- URL: Rakuten Advertising affiliate network
- Payment methods: PayPal, direct deposit, check
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Brands: Dubarry, Arnotts, Brown Thomas, NewEgg
7 Webgains
Webgains is a UK-based affiliate network with offices across Europe.
It might not have as much brand awareness as bigger names like Awin, CJ Affiliate, or Rakuten, but it still has over 250,000 publishers and 1,800+ advertisers on its books.
The network partners with a wide selection of UK, Irish, and global brands, including Casio, Titleist, and H. Samuel.
It only takes a few minutes to join Webgains, but before you start, remember you must have a completed website with valid contact details and relevant content.
- URL: Webgains network
- Payment methods: Check, wire, ACH, PayPal
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Brands: Life Style Sports
8 CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate – formerly Commission Junction – is a large platform with many big brands.
In fact, twice as many IR500 businesses use CJ Affiliate than its closest competitor, with star attractions including Barnes & Noble, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Office Depot.
The network’s success stems from its ability to reach more than one billion consumers per month, helping advertisers tap into vast new customer bases. It claims to drive over 14 billion “meaningful” interactions between brands and consumers every year and pays more than $1.8 billion in annual commissions.
CJ Affiliate allows publishers to join affiliate programs at the click of a button. It also provides a handy tool that automatically detects affiliate content and converts non-affiliate URLs into trackable links, saving you time and effort.
Find out more about the network in our in-depth CJ Affiliate review.
- URL: CJ Affiliate network
- Payment methods: Direct deposit, check, Payoneer
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Brands: hotels.com, Q-Park Ireland, eVitamins, Argos
9 TradeDoubler
TradeDoubler is a global performance-based marketing network used by over 3,000 advertisers, including big names like the Independent newspaper, Nectar, and UNiDAYS.
The platform works with 180,000+ active publishers and generated more than €2.4 billion in revenue for its clients in 2022.
As well as its primary affiliate marketing platform, TradeDoubler owns Metapic, a dedicated influencer marketing network that aims to connect advertisers with relevant influencers and content creators. Metapic has over 2,000 brands and 60,000+ active influencers on its books.
- URL: TradeDoubler affiliate network
- Payment methods: Not listed
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Brands: Vodafone, Irish Ferries
10 Partnerize
Last up is Partnerize, another global affiliate network with impressive credentials.
How impressive? Try these for size: Partnerize generates over $7 billion in annual sales for its advertiser partners while paying affiliates over $600 million in commissions yearly.
One of our favorite things about Partnerize is its payment speed. While some networks force you to wait weeks (or even months) to get your hands on your hard-earned commissions, Partnerize issues payments every single business day in 60 different currencies. Most payments are received within 24 hours of authorization.
The platform also features a useful brand discovery tool that helps affiliates find relevant brands to work with based on their previous campaigns.
- URL: Partnerize affiliate network
- Payment methods: PayPal, electronic funds transfer
- Payment currency: EUR, GBP
- Brands: MandM, Adidas, Charlotte Tilbury
How to Start Affiliate Marketing in Ireland
The first step to becoming an affiliate marketer in Ireland — or anywhere else, for that matter — is to choose a profitable niche. Ideally, it’ll be something in which you have at least a passing interest and some expertise (although this isn’t essential).
Next, it’s time to create a consistent traffic source to grow your affiliate income.
Your best bet is to build an affiliate website. Sure, it takes time and a little money. But it allows you to leverage multiple digital marketing channels, including:
- Email marketing
- Social media
- SEO
- Paid search ads
It’s also possible to do affiliate marketing without a website. However, it leaves you reliant on social algorithms to generate traffic; a single update could decimate your revenue stream. Many affiliate programs and networks also require you to have a website.
How to Find the Best Affiliate Programs in Ireland
Once you’ve found an attractive affiliate niche, you need to track down some appropriate affiliate programs. Big names like Amazon and eBay are an excellent starting point, but smaller programs often offer higher commissions, longer cookie windows, and more relevant affiliate products.
There are two main ways to find affiliate programs:
- Join affiliate networks
- Track down individual advertisers
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each approach.
Join Affiliate Networks
Joining an affiliate marketing network like Awin, CJ Affiliate, and Rakuten gives you access to thousands of programs. Finding a relevant affiliate program is simply a case of using the network’s search filters to track down advertisers in Ireland who cover your niche.
By signing up for an affiliate network, you can rest assured you’ll be paid on time, which isn’t always the case when you work directly with smaller advertisers.
However, these networks make money by charging brands a fee, often resulting in lower commission rates.
Research Individual Affiliate Programs
Theoretically, working with individual advertisers is better for everyone. You get to build a direct relationship with the brand. And with no middle-man charging a fee, you and the advertiser stand to make more money.
On the downside, it takes longer to track down relevant programs — you’ll have to resort to Googling “{niche} + affiliate program” or look at the types of brands your competitors are promoting.
There’s also a higher chance you’ll face late payments or even get scammed out of your commissions, although affiliate marketing scams are rare and easy to spot.
👉 Read more: Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for Beginners
Conclusion
Affiliate marketing is lucrative, but it isn’t easy.
There’s a proven path to success – but there are also many pitfalls along the way. If you don’t have guidance from those who have walked that path before you, it’s easy to lose time and money by making the wrong decisions.
That’s where we can help.
In the past 10 years, we’ve built (and sold) multiple 6-figure websites, and we’ve shown people just like you how to build their own successful affiliate businesses from the ground up.
Learn the essentials by joining our free authority site training, where we reveal 7 secrets that make new websites 83% more successful.
FAQ
How To Become an Affiliate Marketer in Ireland?
To become an affiliate marketer in Ireland, you need a niche, an audience, and a marketing channel to reach them. The rest is up to you: You could build an affiliate website, host a podcast, become a social media influencer, or start your own email newsletter.
Once you’ve found your channel(s), track down relevant affiliate programs in your niche by joining an affiliate network or searching for individual advertisers.
Can You Make Money With Affiliate Marketing in Ireland?
Affiliate marketing is an effective way to make money online in Ireland. The average affiliate marketer earns over $ 8,000 per month, and with many of the best affiliate programs and networks available to Irish citizens, this amount is certainly achievable.
Does Affiliate Marketing Work in Ireland?
Affiliate marketing works in Ireland, either as a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time job. Many brands want to reach Irish audiences, and they’ll reward affiliates who send paying customers their way.
However, there are no guarantees.
Maximize your chances of success by taking the time to research profitable niches and building a high-converting affiliate website to generate a consistent stream of traffic, clicks, and passive income.
