Introduction
The affiliate marketing industry recorded significant growth in August 2026, with the total number of active programs rising to 75,238. According to Affilitizer Market Barometer data, the market started the month with 72,443 programs, resulting in a net increase of 2,795 programs, or 3.9%. A total of 54 active networks were tracked during this period.
Top 10 Ranking
| Rank | Network | Programs (Month-End) | Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWIN | 21,284 | -138 | ↘ |
| 2 | impact.com | 10,897 | +2,861 | ↗ |
| 3 | Flexoffers | 7,228 | +186 | ↗ |
| 4 | dgmaxinteractive | 3,210 | +33 | ↗ |
| 5 | CJ | 2,864 | +3 | → |
| 6 | Rakuten Linkshare | 2,814 | 0 | → |
| 7 | AdCombo | 2,423 | 0 | → |
| 8 | Adtraction | 2,404 | -20 | ↘ |
| 9 | ADCELL | 2,380 | -6 | ↘ |
| 10 | Daisycon | 2,311 | -54 | ↘ |
Growth Champions
Expansion in August 2026 was dominated by impact.com, which added 2,861 programs, representing a 35.6% increase. This growth accounted for the entirety of the market's net positive movement.
Flexoffers secured the second spot for absolute growth, adding 186 programs (+2.6%). In terms of percentage gains, Sellaction emerged as the leader, growing from a single program to 100, a statistical increase of 9,900%.
Decline and Closures
Several established networks experienced contractions exceeding 10 programs during August 2026. Webgains saw the largest percentage drop among major players, losing 140 programs (-8.8%).
AWIN recorded a net loss of 138 programs (-0.6%), while Daisycon declined by 54 programs (-2.3%). Belboon experienced a significant relative decline, losing 28 programs, which constitutes 22% of its starting inventory. Other notable declines included CityAds (-33 programs) and Adtraction (-20 programs).
Market Concentration (HHI)
The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) stood at 1,223 at the end of August 2026. According to Affilitizer Market Barometer standards, this classifies the market as moderately concentrated. The index remained stable compared to the start of the month. The top five networks currently hold a 60.5% share of all active programs.
Network Segments
Market dynamics varied significantly across network size classes in August 2026:
- Large (≥1,000 programs): This segment, comprising 18 networks, grew by 4.1%, reaching a total of 69,079 programs.
- Small (50–199 programs): This group showed the highest relative growth at 6.6%.
- Medium (200–999 programs): Remained largely flat with a 0.5% increase.
- Micro (<50 programs): This segment contracted by 4.7%, ending the month with 205 programs.
Stability Analysis
Rakuten Linkshare, ADCocktail, and Skynet (McAnism) were the most stable networks in August 2026, all recording a Volatility Index of 0%. Conversely, impact.com was the most volatile network with an index of 8%, followed by Belboon at 3.4% and WeDare at 2.4%.
Regional Distribution
Analysis by network headquarters shows diverging regional trends for August 2026. The DACH region remains the largest hub with 26,868 programs, despite a slight decline of 0.4%. The "Other" category saw a sharp rise of 15.1%, totaling 22,030 programs. North America grew by 2.5% to 7,775 programs, while UK/IE based networks saw the sharpest regional decline, falling 5.1% to 2,850 programs.
Market Summary
The affiliate market expanded by 3.9% in August 2026, primarily fueled by a 35.6% surge at impact.com. While the top tier of the market remains moderately concentrated, significant program losses at Webgains and Belboon highlight a period of inventory adjustment for several European providers.
Source: All data provided by Affilitizer Market Barometer.
Affilitizer Editorial Team
This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
