Affordable Affiliate Marketing: Impact’s $30/Month Plan good for Small Businesses

I’ve recommended 10 affiliate marketing platforms before, and it’s definitely a great channel for promoting products or services. However, most platforms or networks are quite expensive, which makes it tough for many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). ShareASale used to be a good, cost-effective option, but it was acquired by Awin. After 2025, it will fully migrate to the Awin platform. For those who’ve already joined ShareASale, this won’t be a big deal; you’ll just be transferred over. Awin is also a huge platform with similar fees, but it’s primarily focused on the European market.

Now, Impact has launched a new plan specifically for small businesses that costs just $30 a month. When I wrote my previous article, this plan didn’t exist, so many smaller merchants were hesitant to even consider Impact. I think this new plan is a huge win for small-scale e-commerce stores.

Let’s take a closer look at Impact and see if it’s the right fit for you.

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Impact.com: A Closer Look

I’m not sure when Impact.com was founded, but when you talk about affiliate networks, people often mention CJ.com (which feels a bit neglected now) and ShareASale (which was acquired by Awin). Impact is often overlooked, but it might have become the industry leader in recent years. We haven’t done an official survey, but it’s definitely one of the top contenders.

Based on my research, here’s what I’ve found:

• Active Presence: They are frequently mentioned in news and content across many related industries.
• User Base: Many well-known brands are now on Impact, including Amazon, Adidas, Shopify, eBay, Lenovo, TikTok, and Walmart, just to name a few. There are even more small and medium-sized brands.
• Commitment to Business: Their strong commitment is also reflected in their service. They have offices in many regions and have even launched an official mobile app. More and more big brands are slowly migrating to their platform.

This shows that Impact has strong momentum. With the recent launch of the $30/month plan, they’re not just targeting large enterprises but also smaller businesses. Impact is a truly global affiliate platform.

Comparing Impact’s Three Main Plans

Impact currently offers three main plans with clear pricing. I’m guessing most of you who visit my site are small or medium-sized businesses, so the Starter plan is probably the most suitable. Let’s look at the key differences between the three plans.

The platform actually has four plans, but the fourth is for large enterprises and requires a custom quote. Most users will fall into the first three, so it doesn’t make much sense to list the fourth here.

Impact Starter’s Cost and Free Trial

As mentioned, the Starter plan costs $30 a month. You might be wondering if there are any other costs, so I did some research for you:

• $30/month fee covers all the features of the plan with no extra fees.
• There’s a transaction fee of roughly 2.5–3%, which varies slightly by industry and volume. If this transaction fee exceeds $30, the monthly fee is waived. In other words, the minimum monthly cost is either $30 or a 2.5%–3% cut of your total sales, whichever is higher.
• There are no other fees for optional features.

So, the pricing is transparent with no hidden costs.

Does It Offer a Free Trial?

Yes, they offer a 30-day free trial. You can sign up directly on their website. There is one thing to be aware of: if you get any conversions during the trial, you can’t exit the trial within the first 30 days. If nothing happens, you can cancel at any point before day 29. But if you’ve already made sales, what’s there to complain about? Just subscribe! It’s a subscription model, and you can cancel anytime after that.

The one-month trial gives you full access to all the features, which is plenty of time to set up and run a real affiliate marketing program. You can create

• promo links,
• define commission rules,
• invite partners to sign up
• start collaborating.

For new affiliate marketers, this is a great testing period. You can check if the link tracking is accurate, if the commission calculations are correct, and if the partner signup and reporting process is smooth. It helps you ensure everything is ready for a successful launch.

Key Advantages of the Impact.com Starter Plan for SMBs

For many SMBs, the benefits are clear: the low price and sufficient features. But since I’m writing an article, I should be a bit more professional and add some detail.

If you’re a small or medium-sized business just starting out with affiliate marketing on a limited budget, the Impact.com Starter plan is definitely worth considering. It’s affordable, but its features aren’t basic. Here are the main advantages:

• Affordable Price: At just $30 a month, it’s a great value. Many affiliate platforms cost hundreds of dollars a month, so this plan drastically lowers the cost of entry. Even if it doesn’t work out, you won’t lose much.
• Sufficient Features: Despite being an entry-level plan, it has everything an SMB needs for affiliate marketing. You can create dedicated promo links, set flexible commission rules (e.g., based on product category or new vs. returning customers), and even pay partners directly through the platform, with global payout support. These features are more than enough to get a full affiliate program up and running.
• Dedicated Partner Portal: Impact provides a unique registration and login page for your partners. They can sign up, log in, and view their performance data, commission reports, and generate links themselves. This self-service portal makes the process more professional and helps keep your partners engaged.
• Easy to Use: The platform’s interface is intuitive, and the setup process is simple. You don’t need a technical background to get your affiliate system going; you can follow the steps and set it up yourself. This frees you up to focus on finding partners and refining your marketing strategy.
• Seamless Upgrades: As your program grows and you get more partners, you won’t have to worry about the platform. Impact offers a clear upgrade path, allowing you to easily switch to a more advanced plan and unlock features like team collaboration, more complex commission structures, and automated approval workflows.

Best For?

• You’re a Shopify, WooCommerce, or other e-commerce store owner looking to build a long-term, controllable affiliate network, not just rely on short-term influencer campaigns.
• You’re a new business with a small number of partners but want to use a professional system to manage them.
• You want a low-cost way to test the effectiveness of affiliate marketing.

Suggestions for Using the Plan

• When you sign up, have some basic materials ready, such as a simple collaboration agreement (e.g., “10% commission on every sale”), a brand introduction, and your website link. This will help speed up the approval process.
• Launch your program and run it for a month to see how it performs. Look at your conversion rates, commission costs, and if the process is smooth. Evaluate your return on investment.
• Once you have 10 or more active partners, you might consider upgrading to the Essentials plan. This is just a suggestion; the best time to upgrade depends on your business volume.

Final Thoughts

For any e-commerce business, marketing isn’t just an option—it’s essential for survival and growth. While paid advertising can deliver quick results, it often feels like you’re on a treadmill, with costs that can skyrocket without a clear return. This is where affiliate marketing offers a more stable, predictable alternative. With a low, fixed monthly fee and a pay-per-sale model, you only invest more when you’re already earning more. It’s a low-risk, high-reward approach that makes a ton of sense.

The new Impact Starter plan, with its accessible price point, removes a major barrier for small and medium-sized businesses looking to try this model. This plan isn’t just about saving money; it’s about gaining access to a professional, global platform that helps you build a scalable marketing channel from day one. Instead of relying on a few one-off influencer deals, you can build a network of partners who are consistently promoting your brand.

My blog primarily focuses on website building, but I believe that a great website is only the first step. To succeed, you need to drive traffic and sales. That’s why I occasionally share insights on marketing methods that are low-cost, easy to implement, and perfect for beginners. The Impact Starter plan fits this philosophy perfectly. It allows you to test the waters and see the tangible results of affiliate marketing without a massive financial commitment.

Ultimately, the best strategy is the one that fits your unique situation. Take the time to evaluate your budget, your goals, and your capacity to manage a new marketing channel. But if you’re ready to move beyond the unpredictability of paid ads and build a more sustainable marketing engine, the Impact Starter plan is a fantastic place to start.