CJ Affiliate and Awin are the two largest global affiliate networks. Both work with Fortune 500 brands. Both are strict. But there are plenty of differences.
Geography
CJ Affiliate: US-focused. Offices in California and New York. Most offers are American brands.
Awin: European network headquartered in Germany. Strong in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavian countries.
Takeaway: if your traffic is from the US — CJ. If from Europe — Awin. If both — both.
Moderation
CJ: stricter. You need a site with history, content, and traffic. Moderation takes up to a week. Frequent rejections.
Awin: also strict, but slightly more lenient. Sites with quality content get through, even without massive traffic.
Takeaway: Awin is easier for a beginner with good content. CJ — only for sites with history.
Offers
CJ: major brands — Zappos, GoDaddy, Hotels.com, Lenovo, Overstock. Commissions — 2-30%.
Awin: Zalando, ASOS, Booking, NordVPN, Hostinger, Coursera. Commissions — 2-40%.
Both are strong in retail. Awin is stronger in SaaS and education. CJ — in finance and technology.
Payouts
CJ: from $50, monthly. Bank transfer only.
Awin: from €20/$20/£20, monthly. PayPal, Payoneer, bank transfer.
Takeaway: Awin is more convenient for payouts — more options and lower threshold.
Technology
CJ: advanced tracking, DTC (Dynamic Tracking), Salesforce integration. Outdated interface.
Awin: modern platform, mobile app, good API, offer storefront with filters.
Takeaway: Awin is more technologically advanced. CJ looks like an early 2000s product.
Additional income
Awin offers a two-tier affiliate program: 10% of commissions from partners you refer.
CJ doesn’t have this option.
Verdict
| Parameter | CJ Affiliate | Awin |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Difficult | Moderate |
| Geography | USA | Europe |
| Commissions | 2-30% | 2-40% |
| Minimum payout | $50 | €20 |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Referral program | No | 10% |
Official websites: cj.com, awin.com Verdict: for a global approach, take both. If your moderation budget is limited — start with Awin. If your focus is the US — CJ. Official websites: cj.com, awin.com