Start with your audience. The best affiliate platform isn’t just the one with the highest commissions it’s the one that offers products or services your niche genuinely trusts or needs.

Ask yourself:

What are my audience’s real problems or desires?

What do they already buy or search for?

Would I personally recommend this if there were no commission?

Once you’re clear on that, here’s how to choose:

Relevance First
Pick platforms that align with your niche for example, ShareASale or Impact if you're in lifestyle or fashion, PartnerStack for tech/SaaS, or ClickBank for digital products.

Track Record & Transparency
Look for clear commission structures, real-time tracking, and monthly payouts. If it feels shady, it probably is.

Tools & Support
Good platforms offer creatives (banners, copy), dashboards, and sometimes even dedicated affiliate managers.

Flexibility
Some platforms let you customize your links, run deep linking, or bundle products. That’s useful if you’re doing content marketing or SEO.

Trust
Only promote what you’d use or stand behind. In the long run, credibility converts more than commissions.