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How to run an affiliate program for digital products, meaning your own program where other people sell your course or ebook for a commission, rather than joining someone else’s: you need tracked links, a commission rule per product, an affiliate dashboard and a way to pay. systeme.io includes all four on its free plan. Most course platforms hide the same feature behind an upgrade, and the networks charge fees built for brands with staff.
What running an affiliate program needs
A unique link per affiliate, a cookie that credits the sale to them, a commission rule (a percentage or a fixed amount per product), a dashboard where they see clicks and sales, a payout delay long enough to clear refunds, and a way to send the money. Terms that say what they may not do complete the set.
Where other platforms hide it (the plan-gate table)
| Platform | Affiliate program available | What it costs to get it |
|---|---|---|
| systeme.io | Every plan, including free | $0 |
| Kajabi | “only available with the Growth and Pro Plans” | Growth $249/mo, $199 annual |
| Teachable | “On the Builder plan and up” | Builder $89/mo, $69 annual |
| Podia | Shaker plan | $84/mo billed yearly |
| Gumroad | Built in, free | 10% + 50c on every sale regardless |
| Rewardful | Any Stripe checkout | $49/mo, 0% of referred revenue |
Plan gates quoted from each vendor’s help pages and pricing on 2026-09-23. ShareASale’s merchant sign-up now redirects new advertisers to Awin; Awin’s small-business pricing varies by source and is not quoted here.
How to run an affiliate program without ShareASale (or any network)
Networks give you a pool of affiliates who already have accounts, and charge a joining fee plus a percentage on top of the commission for the introduction. A solo creator with a few hundred customers does not need the pool; the best affiliates are the customers and peers you already know. Built-in tracking, an invitation email and clear terms do the job at no cost.
Set it up on systeme.io in five steps
- Turn on the affiliate program in settings and set the commission: a percentage or fixed amount, per product or across all.
- Set the payout delay (30 days covers most refund windows) and the cookie duration.
- Create an affiliate sign-up page from a template and link it from your site footer.
- Write the invitation: who you are looking for, the commission, the rules, the links they get.
- Add a tag rule so affiliates who sign up get a short sequence with swipe copy and the launch calendar.
Paying affiliates: the manual step nobody mentions
systeme.io generates affiliate invoices on the 10th of the month. It does not pay them automatically: you trigger the payment, and the PayPal batch option needs at least 25 invoices in the batch. For a program with a handful of affiliates that means paying each invoice by hand once a month. Rewardful and the networks automate that, and charge for it.
Terms that stop disputes
No bidding on your brand name in ads, no coupon-site listing without permission, no self-referral, commissions void on refunds, payment after the delay. Put it on the sign-up page. Affiliates who earn in the US may need a tax form from you at year end; check the threshold that applies.
Free plan, no card. Affiliate link; we earn a commission on paid plans.
Frequently asked questions
How do I run an affiliate program for my course?
On systeme.io: switch the program on, set a commission per product and a payout delay, publish a sign-up page, and invite customers and peers. It is on the free plan; Kajabi and Teachable gate it behind higher tiers.
Can I run an affiliate program without ShareASale?
Yes. ShareASale no longer takes new merchants (it redirects to Awin), and a solo creator does not need a network. Built-in tracking on your platform does the job at no cost.
How are affiliates paid on systeme.io?
Invoices are generated on the 10th; you trigger the payments yourself. PayPal batch payouts need 25 or more invoices.
What commission should I offer on a digital product?
Digital margins allow 30 to 50%. Below 30% few affiliates bother; above 50% you are paying for the sale twice.
Related: systeme.io affiliate program, Gumroad alternatives, how to sell a bundle of digital products.