Research

Insights from the data

Deep-dive analyses of affiliate networks and verticals using the same data that powers the directory. No fluff, no opinions without numbers.


Platform Review March 2026

Mavely Review (2025-2026): The Everyday Influencer Platform, Honestly Assessed

Independent review covering ~2,400 brands, commission rates compared across 10 networks, the ~24% bonus structure nobody discusses, Amazon's 30% cut, and exactly who the platform works for.

~2,400
Brands
~4,400
Matchups
~24%
Bonus uplift
10
Networks compared
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Strategy Guide March 2026

The 10 Best Airline Affiliate Programs for 2026

The four biggest US carriers have no flight affiliate programs. The real money in airline content comes from credit cards ($50-200/approval), hotels, car hire, and OTAs — not the $1.01 average EPC from direct programs. We ranked 141 programs across 9 networks and mapped the full revenue stack.

141
Programs
9
Networks
$1.01
Avg EPC
4
Revenue tiers
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Program Investigation March 2026

United Airlines Affiliate Program: The Complete Breakdown for 2026

Most content ranking for this query is wrong — claiming 2% commissions on Impact Radius when the actual rate is 0.50% on CJ. We checked every network, pulled real EPC data, and found the credit card angle nobody mentions. Plus the 24% reversal rate that eats your vacation package earnings.

$0.13
Best EPC
$2,186
Avg package
24%
Reversal rate
$105+
Stacked per trip
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Program Investigation March 2026

Southwest Airlines Affiliate Program: What Actually Exists in 2026

There is no Southwest Airlines affiliate program for flight bookings. We investigated every major network, traced what the two branded programs actually pay, and mapped the aggregator workaround that earns $91+ per reader trip.

0
Direct programs
$0.00
Rapid Rewards EPC
5.6x
Mavely vs CJ gap
$91.70
Stacked per trip
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Network Analysis February 2026

I Analyzed 28,844 Skimlinks Programs — Here's What Most Affiliates Get Wrong

Two-thirds appear inactive or immaterial. The median EPC is $0.14. Commission rate is the wrong thing to optimize — EPC is. Full interactive report with sortable data tables and downloadable dataset.

28,844
Programs
21
Verticals
66.5%
No click data
$0.14
Median EPC
Read →

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