The Skimlinks Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Skimlinks in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Skimlinks
The Insider’s Guide
Affiliate link monetization for publishers, with paid merchant tiers
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among affiliate and referral tools, read from Skimlinks’s own pages.
Made by Skimlinks · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Skimlinks’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Skimlinks’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 68 of the 89 other affiliate and referral tools we grade
Skimlinks is an affiliate monetization service run as a single contract and integration between publishers and merchants. A small piece of code on a site converts product links into affiliate links, and the Publisher Hub reports on what earned. Merchants that already sit on a connected affiliate network can pay for extra visibility.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Skimlinks, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You set up accounts and programs before it does anything, so there is a learning curve.
- 1
Best for turning product links in articles into affiliate links
Skimlinks automatically converts product links on a publisher's site into affiliate links across many networks, and publishers join free.
- 2
Paid plans start at $166 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $166 per month, billed annually ($200 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Publishers join for free; the paid plans are the Preferred Partner tiers sold to merchants.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Automatic link monetization
A piece of code on the site converts organic product links into affiliate links, so editors do not have to build each one by hand.
- 6
One contract, many networks
The site says one integration and one contract connect a publisher to 48,500 merchants across more than 50 affiliate networks.
- 7
Publisher Hub and data tools
Performance, merchant and product data are available in the Publisher Hub and through APIs, feeds and cloud-based tools.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 68 of 89
That is against the other affiliate and referral tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Skimlinks you could make: reports. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Skimlinks at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $166 per month, billed annually ($200 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Skimlinks
- Category
- Affiliate & Referral Software
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for turning product links in articles into affiliate links
Skimlinks automatically converts product links on a publisher's site into affiliate links across many networks, and publishers join free. Merchants pay for Preferred Partner tiers from $166 a month, and the share a publisher keeps isn't stated.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Preferred is $166 a month on annual billing ($200 monthly), at the top of what affiliate tools cost, and Premium is $900. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Publishers join for free. The paid tiers are for merchants, so a publisher can use it without paying. |
| Features | C | Automatic links, one contract across networks, a reporting hub and merchant search. It isn't a program host, so merchants need an existing network. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You set up accounts and programs before it does anything, so there is a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with Awin, CJ, Impact, Rakuten, Partnerize, PartnerStack, Refersion and Tradedoubler. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Skimlinks is for
- Fits if you run a content site and want links monetised without hand-building them
- Works for merchants already on a major affiliate network
Who it is not for
- Watch out: what a publisher keeps from each sale isn't stated on the pages we read
- Pricey if you are a merchant, since tiers run $166 to $1,620 a month
- Tight if you choose Preferred, as it has a three-month minimum
- Watch out: Premium and VIP cost more by ACH ($1,100 and $1,900) than on a yearly contract
- Skip it if you need a standalone program, because merchants join inside an existing network
Good to know
Good for
- Editorial publishers who want affiliate links added automatically
- Merchants already on a supported network who want more publisher exposure
- Shopping platforms and creators that need many merchants under one contract
Worth knowing
- Merchants join by accepting Skimlinks inside their existing affiliate network; it is not a standalone program host.
- The Preferred tier has a three-month minimum, and Premium and VIP need a yearly contract for the lower rate.
- Premium and VIP are quoted at higher rates if paid by ACH ($1,100 and $1,900 a month) than on a yearly contract.
- The publisher revenue split is not stated on the pages we read, so what a publisher keeps is unconfirmed.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$166
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Skimlinks has a free plan. Paid plans start at $166 per month, billed annually ($200 billed monthly).
The paid tiers are for merchants, so a publisher can use it without paying.
Publisher access
$0
Free for publishers, who join to monetize links and read reports in the Publisher Hub.
Preferred
$166
per month, billed annually ($200 billed monthly)
Merchant tier: commission rate recommendation, 7-day performance reports and higher ranking in merchant search.
Premium
$900
per month on a yearly contract ($1,100 by ACH)
Adds a dedicated growth manager, analytics help, twice-yearly competitor analysis and a program audit.
VIP
$1,620
per month on a yearly contract ($1,900 by ACH)
Adds a newsletter placement, monthly check-ins, a featured guide listing and a backlink from Skimlinks.com.
The free plan
Publishers join for free; the paid plans are the Preferred Partner tiers sold to merchants.
Read from skimlinks.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Up to 17% off Preferred with annual billing
The Preferred tier is $200 a month billed monthly or $166 a month when paid annually, a saving of up to 17%.
Stated on skimlinks.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Affiliate link monetization for publishers, with paid merchant tiers. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, reports, affiliate tracking.
Automatic links, one contract across networks, a reporting hub and merchant search.
- Automatic link monetization
- A piece of code on the site converts organic product links into affiliate links, so editors do not have to build each one by hand.
- One contract, many networks
- The site says one integration and one contract connect a publisher to 48,500 merchants across more than 50 affiliate networks.
- Publisher Hub and data tools
- Performance, merchant and product data are available in the Publisher Hub and through APIs, feeds and cloud-based tools.
- Merchant search
- Publishers browse merchants and their commission rates and cookie windows. Preferred Partners rank higher in those results.
- Preferred Partner program
- Merchants pay a monthly access fee for commission-rate benchmarking, weekly or 7-day reporting and promotion in publisher newsletters.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Awin
- CJ Affiliate
- Impact
- Rakuten Advertising
- Partnerize
- PartnerStack
- Refersion
- Tradedoubler
Skimlinks is made by Skimlinks.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
68/89
Other affiliate and referral tools it is graded above
Skimlinks's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 68 of the 89 other affiliate and referral tools we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 80 of 89) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $166 a month, against a middle price of $65.46 for the category: 40 of the 49 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 17 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 90 affiliate and referral tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Skimlinks’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 14 of 89
- BFree plan and trialAbove 80 of 89
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 89
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 89
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 35 of 89
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 51 affiliate and referral tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Skimlinks is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Skimlinks you could make: reports. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 68 of the 89 other affiliate and referral tools we grade. It costs $1,992 a year.
What you could make
- Reports: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Every click and sale traced back to the right partner.
- It plugs into other products, Awin, CJ Affiliate and Impact among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Skimlinks’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Sovrn Commerce, FlexOffers, Awin, impact.com and CJ Affiliate
The 5 tools Skimlinks is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Sovrn Commerce
Paid
Affiliate linking and reporting for publishers and creators.
- Skimlinks has a free plan. Sovrn Commerce does not.
- Only Sovrn Commerce lists an iOS app.
- Only Sovrn Commerce lists a browser extension.
- 1.8GPA
FlexOffers
Paid
Affiliate network for publishers and advertisers.
- Skimlinks has a free plan. FlexOffers does not.
- FlexOffers also covers partner payouts.
- 1.8GPA
Awin
Free trial · from $99/mo
Affiliate network and platform for brands and partners.
- Skimlinks has a free plan. Awin does not, though it has a free trial.
- Awin also covers partner payouts.
- 2.0GPA
impact.com
Free trial · from $30/mo
Partnership platform for affiliate, creator and referral programs.
- Skimlinks has a free plan. impact.com does not, though it has a free trial.
- impact.com also covers partner payouts.
- 1.6GPA
CJ Affiliate
Paid
Affiliate network and platform for brands, publishers and creators.
- Skimlinks has a free plan. CJ Affiliate does not.
- CJ Affiliate also covers partner payouts.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Skimlinks free?
Skimlinks has a free plan. Publishers join for free; the paid plans are the Preferred Partner tiers sold to merchants.
How much does Skimlinks cost?
Skimlinks lists 4 plans. Publisher access: $0.
What platforms does Skimlinks work on?
Skimlinks is available on Web.
Does Skimlinks offer any discounts?
Skimlinks publicly lists the following: Up to 17% off Preferred with annual billing.
Does Skimlinks have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Skimlinks is listed for Web.
Does Skimlinks have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Skimlinks is listed for Web.
Is Skimlinks open source?
Skimlinks is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Skimlinks have an API?
Yes. Skimlinks offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Skimlinks integrate with?
Skimlinks's listing names Awin, CJ Affiliate, Impact, Rakuten Advertising, Partnerize, PartnerStack, Refersion and Tradedoubler.
Who makes Skimlinks?
Skimlinks is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Skimlinks?
The closest alternatives to Skimlinks in our directory are Sovrn Commerce, FlexOffers, Awin, impact.com and CJ Affiliate.
How does Skimlinks compare with other affiliate and referral tools?
Skimlinks's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 68 of the 89 other affiliate and referral tools we grade, and level with 12.
Is Skimlinks good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Skimlinks C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $166 a month, against a middle price of $65.46 for the category: 40 of the 49 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Skimlinks?
The plain part of Skimlinks you could make: reports. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Skimlinks’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Skimlinks's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Skimlinks. Prices change, so check skimlinks.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Skimlinks, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/skimlinks
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Skimlinks: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/skimlinks
Know someone choosing between affiliate and referral tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/skimlinks/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded affiliate and referral tools after Skimlinks, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Affiliate & Referral Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 90 affiliate and referral tools we grade, compared
- GoAffPro Insider's GuideAffiliate and multi-level marketing app for online stores3.2 GPA
- SliceWP Insider's GuideWordPress affiliate plugin with a free edition and paid add-ons2.8 GPA
- Affiliatly Insider's GuideAffiliate program software for online stores, with a free plan2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Skimlinks’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Skimlinks is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Skimlinks. Prices and plans change: check skimlinks.com before you buy.