Last Updated on June 14, 2026 by Mr.Feng
This article is part of Experiment #001 — Iteration 3 prep.
Before I could test any SaaS offer with Google Ads, I needed to actually get accepted into the programs first. So I applied to 4 major SaaS affiliate networks as a complete beginner with no traffic. One thing worth clarifying upfront: this article covers affiliate networks, not affiliate programs. A network is the marketplace (like PartnerStack or CJ), while a program is one brand’s individual deal inside that marketplace. This is the raw result of my applications, who approved me, who rejected me, and what the actual barrier to entry looks like. No guessing, just what happened.
When I started testing Google Ads cold traffic for affiliate offers, I realized that recurring SaaS affiliate offers are one of the most promising types.
In a previous article, I mentioned that I tried using Product Hunt to discover early-stage, high-value recurring SaaS offers. While this approach can uncover some good opportunities, the success rate is relatively low and it is not stable enough to serve as a long-term strategy.
I also researched how to reverse engineer affiliate software to find recurring SaaS affiliate programs that are suitable for my own testing. Using this method, I personally applied to and verified SaaS affiliate programs that do not require a website or proof of traffic. I also put together a beginner friendly list of recurring SaaS affiliate programs.
But affiliate networks are still a more mainstream and systematic source of SaaS products. They are platforms that every affiliate marketer should consider. They work like a marketplace, where I can browse and evaluate different SaaS affiliate programs much like shopping on an e-commerce platform. That is why I need to spend some time researching affiliate networks.
However, during the process of signing up for these affiliate networks, I noticed a common issue. Most platforms are not very beginner-friendly. Many require a website URL, traffic data, or social media accounts, and in some cases these are mandatory fields. This means that without existing traffic or social media presence, it is actually quite difficult to get approved.
This led me to a question:
If I am a complete beginner with no traffic at all, which SaaS affiliate networks are still willing to accept me?
So I decided to test these affiliate networks myself and document the real results.
My Testing Criteria
To make sure the test results are as accurate as possible, I used a consistent baseline setup when applying to all SaaS affiliate networks.
1. Using the same website for all applications
Since most affiliate networks require a website URL or social media profile during registration, and this is often a mandatory field, I used my blog as the standard website for all applications:
This ensures that every application is evaluated under the same website condition.
2. Using a custom domain email address
I did not use a free email provider such as Gmail or Outlook. Instead, I set up a dedicated email based on my domain:
I chose this approach because I believe a domain-based email looks more professional and may improve approval chances. As a result, all applications were submitted using this same email address.
SaaS Affiliate Networks for Beginners: My Test Results
To test which affiliate networks are most beginner-friendly, I started by putting together a list of affiliate networks that carry SaaS products, then went through the signup and application process myself as someone with zero traffic.
I’ve compiled everything into a comparison table, and I’ll keep updating it as I gather more data.
| Affiliate Network | SaaS Availability | Requirements | Approval Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact | High | Website URL + Media Kit PDF (traffic data required) | Rejected |
| PartnerStack | Very High | Business website URL + LinkedIn profile | Approved |
| Awin | Medium | Website URL + promotional description | Rejected |
| CJ Affiliate | Medium | Website URL + promotional methods | Approved |
Impact
Impact is one of the most well-known affiliate networks in the industry, with a huge selection of SaaS brands to choose from.
That said, it runs a two-step review process. First, you need to get approved by the platform itself. Only after clearing that hurdle can you apply to individual brands separately.
Going through the signup flow, I noticed they ask how you plan to promote products. I submitted my website URL,
and they also required me to upload a media kit PDF showing my traffic and audience data. For a complete beginner with no traffic at all, that’s already a pretty significant barrier.
My result: rejected at the platform level.
I didn’t even make it past step one. My application got denied before I had the chance to apply to any specific brands.
Verdict: not beginner-friendly. Skip this one for now and come back once you have actual traffic data to show.
PartnerStack
PartnerStack is the affiliate platform with the largest SaaS product selection I’ve come across. Their marketplace spans a ton of categories including AI, marketing, ecommerce, and productivity tools. If you’re specifically looking for SaaS products to promote, this is the best network I’ve found.
Signing up requires two mandatory fields: your business website URL and your LinkedIn profile (personal or company), along with a brief description of what your business does.
Like Impact, PartnerStack also uses a two-step approval process. You need to get approved at the platform level before you can apply to work with individual brands.
I submitted my application with my blog and LinkedIn profile, and got an approval email a few days later. I now have full access to the PartnerStack Marketplace.
Then I found KIT, an email marketing tool formerly known as ConvertKit, in the PartnerStack marketplace. Since I already use this tool for my own blog, I decided to try applying to its affiliate program and clicked the “Apply to program” button, then filled out the required application details.
Just one day later, I received an email from KIT confirming that my application to the program had been approved.
Verdict: This is the affiliate marketing platform with the largest number of SaaS products on the market. Honestly, I didn’t expect that someone like me, a beginner, would get approved. If you have a website and a LinkedIn account, it’s worth trying.
My application on PartnerStack was approved pretty quickly, and I then went on to apply for the individual brand KIT, which was also approved shortly after.
I can’t guarantee that all brands are beginner-friendly, but based on this experiment, I went through a two-step approval process as a new user, and my takeaway is that PartnerStack is definitely worth trying for beginners.
[2026-05 Update] After getting approved on PartnerStack, I noticed they occasionally recommend affiliate programs and invite me to join them.
I tried it, and when I click “Accept invitation” in the email, I basically get approved with almost no review.
Awin
Awin is not a SaaS-focused platform. Its core is still retail, e-commerce, and finance advertisers. The relevant brands you can find here are far fewer than on PartnerStack.
The registration process is relatively simple. There is no media kit upload required like Impact, and no LinkedIn profile needed like PartnerStack. You just fill in your promotional website URL, write a short description, select the corresponding sector category, and submit.
My result: Rejected.
I submitted my application the same day and received a rejection email six hours later. No specific reason was given, just a notice that my application did not pass their review.
Verdict: Not suitable for beginners.
CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate is one of the oldest and most established affiliate networks out there. But the majority of offers are ecommerce, consumer goods, financial products and the like. SaaS products are a lot harder to find there compared to PartnerStack.
Out of all the platforms I have tried so far, the registration process here is the most involved. There are significantly more fields to fill out compared to Impact, PartnerStack, or Awin. You need to provide detailed information about your website, your promotional methods, your audience, and more. It takes a while to get through.
My result: Approved.
I completed the full registration and received a confirmation email telling me my CJ Publisher account had been successfully activated.
Verdict: The signup process is the most complicated of the bunch, but it is worth completing if you have the patience for it. Getting approved at the platform level is just the first step though. You still need to apply to individual brands separately after that.
What’s Next
This is an ongoing experiment. I plan to keep testing more SaaS affiliate networks and adding the results to this post as I go. If you are in the same situation as me, starting from scratch with no audience, bookmark this page and check back. I will keep updating the comparison table and sharing what actually works.