CJ Affiliate vs LinkConnector (2026): which should you pick?

Pick CJ Affiliate if

• Fits if you want to recruit publishers and creators from an existing network
• Works for brands ready to talk to a sales team

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to see a price, since none is published
• Not for you if you want a free plan or trial, because the buttons say Get Started and Talk with CJ
• Watch out: no API or integration list is shown on the pages we read
• Tight if you're small: nothing on the site says there's a plan for a one-person program

Pick LinkConnector if

• Fits if you are a merchant who wants a US affiliate network with payment handling
• Works for brands that want fraud and coupon controls

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if your commissions are large, since 20% to 25% is taken on top of the fee
• Watch out: both priced tiers have a monthly minimum, 'as low as' $200 and $500
• Skip it if you want managed service, because Fully Managed is by invitation and unpriced
• Tight if you want its own tools, which sit under Co-Managed

CJ Affiliate

• No price or plan is published on the pages read, so cost has to be requested from CJ.
• The site's calls to action are Get Started and Talk with CJ, which point to a sales conversation.
• CJ's own claims about rankings and growth figures are marketing statements and were not checked.

LinkConnector

• Merchants pay a share of affiliate commissions on top of the access fee: 20% on Self-Managed, 25% on Co-Managed.
• Both priced tiers carry a monthly minimum, stated as 'as low as' $200 and $500.
• Fully Managed accounts are by invitation only and the page gives no price.
• The proprietary tools, such as Naked Link Technology and Adaptive Attribution, are listed under Co-Managed.

CJ Affiliate

Onboarding

CJ describes onboarding with an integration set up for current and later needs, plus a set of featured onboarding tools.

Partner discovery

Brands find and activate new partners from a network that CJ describes as curated and transparent.

Partner types

The platform lists partner types including ambassadors, browser extensions, card-linked offers, coupons, editorial, email, influencers and paid search.

Commission structures

Brands set omni-channel program strategies and commission structures to reward partners.

Insights

On-demand data on customer value, journey touchpoints and how a program compares with competitors.

Related products

CJ also sells CJ Influence, CJ Leads and CJ Marketplaces as separate solutions.

LinkConnector

Affiliate network access

Merchants reach LinkConnector's vetted affiliates and can email them directly or recruit through the in-network tools.

Fraud and brand controls

A FraudFREE Promise and a SourceChecker tool restrict which sites may display a merchant's brand.

Coupon attribution

Commission can be attributed by private coupon codes alone, with no click or cookie tracking, and unapproved codes can be blocked.

Cross platform tracking

Attributes affiliate influence across several devices for the same shopper.

Reporting

KPI reports break conversions down by device type, browser and coupon code.

Affiliate payment processing

Payment of affiliates is handled through the network on the Self-Managed account and above.

CJ Affiliate

Pricing could not be confirmed. See cj.com.

LinkConnector

• Self-Managed$500

  network access fee, plus 20% of affiliate commission

  For merchants with an in-house or outsourced affiliate manager. Monthly minimum as low as $200, no annual renewal fee.

• Co-Managed$2,000

  network access fee, plus 25% of affiliate commission

  Adds a designated account manager and all proprietary tools. Monthly minimum as low as $500.

• Fully ManagedCustom

  Available by invitation only, with LinkConnector managing the program. No price published.