AffiliateWP Review 2026: Features, Real Pricing and Alternatives
AffiliateWP review: what each plan includes, the first-year and renewal prices, where it falls short, and the alternatives worth a look.
AffiliateWP is the plugin most WordPress stores use to run an affiliate program: you approve affiliates, they share links or coupon codes, and the plugin records each referred sale and what you owe. This review covers what it does, which features are locked to which plan, what it costs after the first year, and where it falls short.
Prices and plan contents were read from affiliatewp.com on 2 October 2026.
Quick verdict
AffiliateWP is the safe choice if your store is not plain WooCommerce, or if you want recurring commissions. It connects to more checkout, membership and form plugins than anything else in WordPress. The catch is the pricing: the advertised price is a first-year discount, the renewal is double, and several features people assume are standard are only in the top plan.
Pros
- One-click integration with WooCommerce plus 28 other eCommerce and form plugins, according to the developer
- Unlimited affiliates and no platform or transaction fees on every plan
- Tracks by link, by coupon code and, on Pro, by direct link from an affiliate’s own domain
- Payouts through Stripe, PayPal or store credit from inside WordPress
- Hooks, filters, templates and a REST API for developers
Cons
- Renewal is twice the first-year price
- Recurring commissions, lifetime commissions, tiered rates and fraud prevention are Pro only
- No free version and no trial; the refund window is 14 days
- WordPress only, and on WordPress.com only on the Business or eCommerce plans
Core features
Tracking
The basic method is a referral link: an affiliate’s ID or name added to any address on your site. AffiliateWP also tracks coupon codes, so a sale is credited when the buyer types an affiliate’s code even if they never clicked a link. The developer describes its tracking as “AdBlock-proof”, because the plugin runs on your own domain instead of a third-party tracking service.
Affiliate management
Registration can be open, with automatic approval, or manual, where you approve each request. Affiliates get a dashboard on your site showing their links, visits, referrals and payouts. On the Plus plan and above you can build the registration form with Gravity Forms or Ninja Forms.
Commission rules
You set a global rate, as a percentage or a flat amount, and can override it per affiliate and per product. The Pro plan adds recurring referrals (a commission on each subscription renewal), lifetime commissions (every future order from a referred customer), tiered rates that rise with performance, and multi-tier commissions, where an affiliate earns from affiliates they recruited.
Payouts
You can pay affiliates through Stripe or PayPal from the WordPress dashboard, or as store credit. Recent versions added international payouts in the affiliate’s local currency and, on Pro, automatic payouts.
Growth tools
Plus adds commissions on sign-ups, a welcome bonus for new affiliates, leaderboards and multi-currency commissions. Pro adds the Affiliate Portal (a redesigned dashboard), affiliate landing pages, vanity coupon codes, automatic discounts on affiliate links, and turning customers into affiliates.
Pricing
| Plan | Sites | First year | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | 1 | $149.50 | $299 |
| Plus | 2 | $199.50 | $399 |
| Pro | 5 | $299.50 | $599 |
The developer’s pricing page states that the lower figure is “special introductory pricing” and that renewals are at full price. There is also a bundle with its RewardsWP loyalty plugin at $349.50 for the first year.
On PureGPL, AffiliateWP is $3.49 as a single download, or included in a membership from $14 a month. The current file is version 2.37.0. Many of the Pro add-ons are in our catalogue as separate downloads, including Recurring Referrals, Affiliate Landing Pages, Tiered Rates, Multi-Tier Commissions, Fraud Prevention and Leaderboard.
What a GPL copy does not include
Our copy is the developer’s original file under the GPL. It is not a licence with AffiliateWP. You do not get their support, and anything that runs through the developer’s own account or service is not part of it. Updates come from PureGPL. If you need the developer’s support team, buy a licence from them.
Setup
- Install and activate the plugin, then run the setup wizard.
- Tick the integration for your checkout plugin, for example WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads.
- Set the default commission rate and the cookie length.
- Choose whether affiliates are approved automatically or by hand.
- Check that the Affiliate Area page was created and add it to your menu.
- Place a test order through a referral link before you invite anyone.
Alternatives
- Solid Affiliate: WooCommerce only, simpler, and more sites per plan. See AffiliateWP vs Solid Affiliate.
- SliceWP: has a free version on WordPress.org.
- Easy Affiliate: from the MemberPress team, a natural fit for MemberPress sites.
The full list is in Best WordPress affiliate plugins.
Frequently asked questions
Is AffiliateWP free?
No. There is no free version. Plans start at $149.50 for the first year and renew at $299.
Does AffiliateWP work with WooCommerce?
Yes. WooCommerce is its main integration, and the developer lists 28 further eCommerce and form integrations.
Does AffiliateWP pay recurring commissions?
It can, with the Recurring Referrals feature, which is part of the Pro plan.
How many affiliates can I have?
Unlimited, on every plan.
Does AffiliateWP work without WordPress?
No. It is a WordPress plugin.
Is there a refund?
The developer offers a full refund within 14 days of purchase.
