You will find a lot of positive ClickBank reviews out there because most affiliates probably made their first commission promoting a ClickBank product. But which ClickBank review is accurate?
ClickBank outs itself as the largest affiliate marketplace for digital products, having paid out over US1.7 billion in affiliate commissions since it’s inception more than 13 years ago. Right from the start, ClickBank has received it’s fair share of praises and loyal fans. However, it has also been the subject of controversy, with some people going as far as referring to it as a “scam”.
In this ClickBank review, I hope to cover as much as possible about how ClickBank really works, and why it’s worth your time.
ClickBank Review: Advantages of the ClickBank Network 
Overall, ClickBank is a great place for affiliates. Here’s some of it’s strongest advantages:
- Anyone can register. You’re not required to have a website or a track record before you’re accepted into the ClickBank network. Registration is easy, and this is why a lot of newbies go to ClickBank first. Unfortunately, if your country is not in the registration list, you cannot get in.
- You’re free to promote any merchant. Unlike typical networks where the merchant or affiliate network manager can reject your application to promote a particular offer, ClickBank merchants have no say in affiliate selection.
- Tons of products to promote. You have more than 46,000 digital product to promote as an affiliate. Even if you assume that 50% of the products are crap, that’s still a huge number.
- Supports recurring commissions. One of the few affiliate networks that support recurring payment products, and as a result, can pay you recurring commissions.
- Less promotional restrictions. Besides blatant spam, Clickbank does not impose much restrictions on how you can promote. You’re free to use email marketing, review websites, paid ad traffic and other methods not usually loved by affiliate networks. You can even get away with bidding on the product name keywords on Google AdWords.
ClickBank Review: Disadvantages of the ClickBank Network 
However, ClickBank also has some alarming disadvantages. Most affiliate never find out about them, so read these carefully about my ClickBank review:
- Affiliates are allowed (and encouraged) to buy with their own affiliate link. This means that you’re losing a great deal of your commissions. ClickBank doesn’t really care about this, since their fees are based on the total sale amount. This is the one thing about ClickBank I hate the most, but it seems to work and no one seems to be complaining much.
- Affiliates are charged a portion of fees. They are the only affiliate network I know of so far, that splits the fees between the vendor and the affiliate. This is perhaps another reason why they encourage affiliates to buy with their own affiliate link.
- Insufficient affiliate promotional tools. ClickBank does not serve affiliate banners, or provide any useful conversion tracking tool other than TID conversion tracking. This is a major letdown, considering networks like SellHealth even allow you to use your own Google AdWords tracking code. Although ClickBank does have an ad builder, you’ll need to get other tools from third-party vendors like CBMall (ClickBank stores). Banner linking codes are provided by the merchants on their own websites.
- Tons of “Get rich quick” products. Interestingly enough, most of the get-rich-quick products are about making money from ClickBank itself. Although ClickBank provides a 60-day money back guarantee, the sheer number of these products today can ruin ClickBank’s reputation in the long run.
- Tons of inactive merchants. ClickBank does not track merchants sites for compliance once the initial approval process is completed. As a result, you may be promoting a ClickBank product that is no longer active without even realizing it. Since they don’t track which offer you’ve been accepted to, there’s no way for them to warn you when a merchant is removed.
Useful ClickBank Affiliate Resources
- Affilorama – One of the best sites to learn about ClickBank and affiliate marketing. Tons of free tools, paid tools, and valuable resources
- CBMall – Create a ClickBank affiliate storefront easily. One of the oldest third-party tools for ClickBank affiliates.
- CBEngine – ClickBank product analysis membership site. Make up for the lack of tools and reporting by ClickBank themselves.
- CB Affiliate Shield – Tracks your ClickBank hoplinks and alerts you when the merchant site is down or inaccessible. Very useful if you’re promoting via PPC or other paid advertising methods.
- CB List Automator – ClickBank affiliate tool that allows you to offer bonuses to your buyers, and deliver them automatically. At the same time, you’ll also be building your list.
- LinkTrackr – Shameless self promotion. But hey, it’s pretty useful to cloak your ClickBank hoplinks!
Useful ClickBank Merchant Resources
- EasyClickMate – This is actually a tool designed for ClickBank merchants. It gives you better product management, more linking options, and a banner management system. It also helps you keep track of your ClickBank affiliates and communicate easily with them.
- EasyClickGuard – Protect your digital products from illegal downloaders and refunders. Allows you to control your and track your product download links.
Interesting Blog Posts About ClickBank
- Negative ClickBank Review – Five Reasons ClickBank STINKS For Affiliates! – Covers some one the Clickbank downfalls mentioned here, and more. Slightly older content.
- Negative ClickBank Review – Why ClickBank is Tarnishing Its Own Image – A rant about ClickBank’s partnership with Mark Ostrofsky to promote a get-rick-quick product.
- Positive ClickBank Review – ProBlogger Review of ClickBank – A similar but shorter review of ClickBank by Darren Rowse
- Positive ClickBank Review – Why ClickBank is Great for Newbies – An extremely positive review of ClickBank, also explains the basics of how ClickBank works.
- Promote ClickBank Products on FaceBook – Our article on how to use ClickBank’s new social media integration to promote affiliate products
67 Responses
One of the downside for CB is the payment method.
If you received a check , for example you are in Malaysia,It will take 9 days for the check to arrive and another 40 days to clear the check,That’s a total of nearly 50 days or 2 month to get the money.
Of course they have direct deposit and wire transfer for faster payment but not all countries are eligible for it.
You can get a US bank account and just use that to receive payments. Then transfer back to your local bank account.
really ? thanks god.. im from indonesia, newbie for play affiliate in clickbank.
thx for your advice, so i can get my commision more faster.
i hope i can get $100 in first month
Mr. G
How to do that?
Manipulate BANK OF AMERICA MALAYSIA BERHAD?
I havent tried that, I use a different method.
I’ve found Clickbank @Plimus to be nothing but Scams purchased products but cannot access software or contact these people
I think ClickBank and Plimus are two separate entities.
I think this website is a rip off. I subscribed to research. EVERY single link wants more money to provide the information. Don’t subscribe to this website if research is your goal….you won’t get any information without paying for every category.
Of course it does, the ClickBank marketplace lists all the merchants selling stuff on their system. It’s not a research tool.
there is two links which of the two do i put in the URL to advertise on facebook?
You can use either the encrypted or unencrypted link for FaceBook
I am setting up a new site .
Before I became a member of the site of the first 3 days clikbank .
3 days, clicked on the committees 5000-6000 .
How to earn money is a road map for me watch, please .Thanks
as a beginer on clickbank i would like a little info on whats the best way to go about this i understand making a list of emailers is a good way to start sales what do you think about director of ezinez (DOE) or the fast traffic sniper by fast cash commitions? just curious and anxios to get started but unsure the best way of going about it
Hi did clickbank work for u I was thinking of starting
I think the only problem with click bank is not following inactive links, many times I had such links, it’s to bad for peoples.
Clickbank is great if you have your own product to sell and can afford to pay good compassion because people will be eager to sell your product. So far I have 3 product listed there and only one gained popularity but now I can sit back and watch how others are fighting to sell my product. It’s great!
I have some few sites that has Clickbank product and I can say that I am happy about the results as conversation rates are great and almost no refunds.
Hi,
What do you mean by Clickbank splitting the fees between the vendor and the affiliate ? What fees and fees charged to whom ?
did you mean that I’m allowed to purchase in my own link and i can still got the commission. I don’t understand much the CDR requirements, how they deduct it per payment or per month?
Yes that’s right, you get commissions when buying with your own affiliate links.
I have a big problem in Clickbank. I can’t find good quality products to sell which has low competition keywords. I will try to use that Affiliate Resources you have mentioned.
Its very interesting stuff. Iam watching every site about click bank. Is it really earn money or fake??I can’t understand how to do that??. I am not a member in click bank. So I want register in click bank. After then what to do? How to I can go? How can I earn money? Can u tell me how to do that step by step??
Hi Kamal Khalid, I am also a Malaysian from Kuala Lumpur. I am thinking of starting affiliate marketing as I dont have my own product. Honestly tell me, can you really make good money doing it ? How about you, what is your experience ? Thank you.
Clickbank is just wonderful. I have used many of the products listed in the marketplace and some of them are first rate. As a new affiliate of Clickbank products living in India, I want to know where our banks will send checks we receive from Clickbank for getting them cleared. I have also written a facebook note on my facebook fan page about Clickbank product reviews at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Clickbank-product-reviews/193212450809445. Hope our readers find it interesting. My regards to Gopala.
Hey Mike,
Clickbank is also about affiliates. I have been a Clickbank Affiliate for about ten years. I don’t have my own product on Clickbank, just acting as an affiliate.
I make a reasonable living doing this. I agree that I suppose I could make a lot more if I had a decent product that was in demand, but to be honest I wouldn’t know how to go about making my own product to sell via Clickbank, and I suspect that most people trying to make a few bucks online would also find it difficult to set up a product.
So, I guess I will just have to carry on as an affiliate. I have a couple of blogs which do give people new to Clickbank some great advice on how to get started with Clickbank. I just hope that these blogs are helpful to people who are new to Clickbank, as I remember how I struggled in the beginning.
I’m thinking of selling a product using this system do you think as a beginner I should start off selling a product?
I’ve been marketing on the internet for about 4 years now, primarily promoting affiliate products from Clickbank and CJ
Just a word for this: Perfect
I’m looking to sell a product on there do you think that’s a right thing to do as a beginner?
ClickBank is part of a scam a and fraud, lies
Clickbank has been very professional in their dealings with me, I have never experienced any probelms.
Do we get charged for making an account on CB? Sorry for such a noob question but i just came across it recently. and being a student i am a bit reluctant in subscribing to things on the internet since im not sure if i will ever get payed for my work or get charged for something like, not being active on the site. please help me with this info. thanks a lot
hii . i want to know that is it real..not a scam? plz tell.. and how much time is required to work on it.?
can u elaborate on Hoplink. ie How to attach hoplink as i am not having any web site
I too am reluctant on subscribing to clickbank as I have heard some conflicting stories about it. Can someone tell me how is it that you get paid thru this system once sales have been made and does it cost anything to get started. pls help. ty
Hi,
I kinda new to this clickbank stuff. though, I’ve known about it for almost a year now. please, I’d like to know where to cash out my clickbank check in Malaysia, or can I deposit the check in my bank account? I use Maybank…. thanks
Dear Sir/ Madam
My question: Do I need to to create a webpage to become a Clickbank Affiliate?. I staying in Singapore.
Regards
P. Manivannan
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Do I need a domain name or website to become a Clickbank Affiliate. Kindly reply. Take care and have a good day
Regards
P. Manivannan
What I dont’t understand is every opportunity start off saying you can get started free and everyone of them end of asking for money over and over again. Its like the online employers do not know the definition of free. Also I read that you should not have to pay to be an affliate what is true? Is Brain Host a part of Click Bank and Is Brain Host owned by Anthony Morrison brother.
It’s definitely not a scam, although I do think their sales figures are a bit exaggerated to get more advertisers and publishers involved. Real money can be made. The problem lies in the vast amount of junk and scams available. Some of the top sellers are products that are absolute filth, full of spammy sales tactics, pop-ups and the like. The other thing to consider is that refunds and charge-backs will hurt internet marketer’s as they are fined, and if enough occur may lose their account.
for clickbank users (vendors), there is another method to protect download pages.
for example, they can use cb protector, and thus, with a USER interface, vendors can easily manage the links, and the files can be protected too (they can be set like as expiring links).
SERIOUSLY! Someone needs to write an e-book, to promote on ClickBank, that tells the public exactly and in great detail (layman’s terms!) in one, two, three order, just HOW to start and be successful on ClickBank. I would so buy it! I’M SO CONFUSED!!
Clickbank has now strict approval guidlines and now they are more focused on quality products. I still prefer clicbank over any other platform, although I have heard good things about JVzoo.com but the number of affiliates availalbe in CB are what most of the vendors like.
Clickbank isn’t a scam per se. It’s just a single marketplace that offers an opportunity for affiliates to earn commissions by recommending digital information products. There are many affiliate networks out there that offer great products and opportunities to affiliates. Affiliate marketing is real and is here to stay. There are changes that affect the way the game is played but the basics of earning commissions to recommend products is old and will not go away. The most important thing is to have a solid system to market products and make sales. These are a lot more rare than affiliate networks or offers which are a dime a dozen.
I agree, ClickBank just provides the platform. I think why it gets SOO much heat is because it collects payments on behalf of sellers. Most people think the seller IS ClickBank. They can’t understand the concept of a “concierge payment system” where someone else manages payment, refunds and billing for the actual seller.
Clickbank support stinks!
I recently joined a company for their excellent world class online business development training. Unfortunately they also market their digital products through Clickbank.
After my 1st month payment I was contacted by CB to adjust my Paypal account to accept the 2nd payment. Using THEIR support system I queried what exactly it was that they wanted me to adjust because I had plenty of funds available in my PP account.
I contacted them THREE times and except for their automated replies I have still to receive a “human generated” reply from their support to resolve the issue.
The upshot of this debacle is that they have now cancelled my invoice and been the cause of my membership of the company I joined to be cancelled as well!
I am thoroughly disgusted with their inept support service!!!
A month ago I attempted to contact CB by fax, which is what the online directions indicated. I never received a response, so hopefully someone on this site can help me. Here is the message I sent to them:
“I am writing because I saw the following on your website: ‘Create a business that works without me and creates passive income.’ I assume a business that operates ‘without me’ involves either Clickbank or a third party managing everything from A-Z for a fee. I have no website, no product, no nothing. I want to start an online business with someone else doing, for a fee, all the day-to-day management. Do you, or a third party, offer A-Z management of a Clickbank vendor business opportunity?”
Any suggestions on how to get a response from CB?
I don’t think you will get a reply to your fax.
Have had an awful experience with Fut Millionaire and Clickbank. Firstly nothing ever worked properly. Customer service was awful- basically just said. Try again and we don’t know what’s happening. Then on the day I was to be charged another month of nothing I remembered to cancel. So admittedly I should have remembered earlier, but given it was not a day later or a week later I thought they might cut me some slack. Their answer was as follows:
We cannot refund your month simply because you forgot to cancel. Refunds are very damaging to the product reputation and they are reserved for tech issues only.
OK so refunds are damaging to the product reputation? A new one on me.
Basically if it was a decent product in the first place, you would be curious to know why I wanted a refund. No interest. It is a scam. Run a mile.
Clickbank is garbage… They have a clause that says they charge $5 or $10 for every month your account is inactive, to sum things up they turned my $59 account into $0 after a few months. Needless to say, I promptly removed all Clickbank-related products from my website. This definitely hurts them in the long run as I will no longer generate any commissions for them, and it’s terrible for their image, imagine how many webmasters are hearing about this? I’ve certainly been very vocal about this!
Email marketing is works best with Clickbank 🙂
Thanks for negative review links.
I think it’s legit if im honest…but i find it impossible to do the ”affiliate” sadly.
I think clickbank is more for a moderate level blogger who knows how to get targeted traffic.
We are the owners of http://www.salestrainingmasterclass.com We are looking for affiliate marketing to promote our product Worldwide. We heve means in our system to pay out Affiliates directly. This is however a matter of trust. We wonder which sysyem would benefit us and the affiliate best?
Any suggestions?
We co-own an affiliate / ad network over at http://www.ashadee.com and you can use our platform to drive traffic to your website.
Clickbank policy in particular is downright criminal!. Before they pay out your hard earned commission, you must have at least 5 sales from 5 different credit cards. If not, they hold your commissions and got the gall to systematically reduce your commission until you have made those 5 sales. I’m sorry, but I do not agree or accept such blatant criminal policy. The federal government should come down on Clickbank and it’s parent company Google, like a ton of bricks. The owners and operators of Clickbank need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!.
I was thinking of CB and wanted more info and actual users. It sounds like you have a REALLY bad experience with them. Did you give up on the marketing altogether or did you find another company you liked?
I’d be interested in any “advice” or tips as I am trying to get started with this process.
Hi,
I am interested in starting my own blog page and I have looked into using a page builder like Weebly, Squarespace, Wix etc….but I am not sure if they are compatible with Clickbank. If I sign up with Clickbank do they offer a web page builder and hosting? Or do you know compatible web builders?
Clickbank does offer its own page builder..
I have been a click bank affiliate for a while now and I just find its so hard to choose good products on there that havent been flogged to death. I think its a good network, but your product selection is key. There are some really poor products on there so any advice would be to do your proper homework on any products before you rush in!
Is anyone here who is using CbProAds to promote Clickbank products? I need any advice about this.
How does anyone can choose the product in marketplace which is legit or not? can you tell me where I can found page builder for my website which is compatible with clickbank.
Regards,
Technosnoop
Click Bank customer revue:
Click bank makes money from successful MARKETERS only, If you are not successful marketer than Click Bank receive request from customer to refund payment, in this case Click Bank does not make money.
So logical think is that if you are not successful marketer Click bank should cancel Marketer account.
But this is not a case. Instead Click Bank will suspend customer account if customer asks for several refunds due to unsatisfactory product.
SO CLICK BANK IS A SCAM
Is clickbank safe enough to give your personal info to like your address and bank account and other stuff like that