This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Affiliate income is one of the most accessible revenue streams for a solopreneur: recommend tools you already use, earn a commission when readers buy, and let the content keep paying long after you publish. But raw affiliate links are messy — ugly URLs, broken redirects, and no idea which ones actually make money. The right tools fix all of that.
There are two sides to affiliate marketing software: tools for promoting other companies’ products (link management and display), and tools for running your own affiliate program so others promote you. Here are six that cover both, with AI features that make the work lighter in 2026.
The best affiliate marketing tools for solopreneurs
Lasso — best for displaying and tracking affiliate links
Lasso turns plain links into attractive product boxes with live pricing, and tracks clicks and revenue so you know what’s working. It’s ideal for review and comparison content like this site. Plans start around $39 per month, tiered by number of sites. If you publish product roundups, Lasso pays for itself fastest.
Pretty Links — best free starting point for link cloaking
Pretty Links is where most affiliate bloggers begin: it turns long, ugly affiliate URLs into clean branded short links you can manage in one place, with a free version covering the basics. Simple, reliable, and easy to start with before you invest in anything heavier.
ThirstyAffiliates — best for organizing a growing link library
ThirstyAffiliates cloaks, organizes, and auto-inserts affiliate links, which becomes valuable once you’re managing dozens across many posts. The Pro version runs around $80 per year. Choose it when link sprawl starts to slow you down.
AffiliateWP — best for running your own program (WordPress)
If you sell a product or course and want others promoting it, AffiliateWP is the leading self-hosted option for WordPress, with plans from around $150 per year. You own the data and pay no per-sale platform fee. The right pick when you’re the merchant, not just the affiliate.
Refersion — best hosted affiliate program platform
Refersion handles affiliate tracking, commission tiers, and payouts in one hosted system, starting around $99 per month. It suits e-commerce sellers who want a managed program without maintaining plugins. More than a beginner needs, but solid as you scale a program.
Post Affiliate Pro — best for advanced program control
Post Affiliate Pro offers deep tracking, multi-tier commissions, and extensive integrations for running a serious affiliate program. It’s powerful and configurable, making it a fit once your program outgrows simpler options. Pricing scales with features and affiliate volume.
Which one should you choose?
If you’re promoting other companies’ products (most solopreneurs start here), pair Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates for clean links with Lasso for display and revenue tracking. If you’re recruiting affiliates to promote your own product, AffiliateWP is the best WordPress route, while Refersion and Post Affiliate Pro are stronger hosted options as you grow. Either way, affiliate income lives and dies by the traffic feeding it, so this works hand in hand with your AI SEO toolkit.
Affiliate revenue compounds with every post you publish. We share one practical monetization tip each week in The Solo Stack newsletter.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to cloak my affiliate links? It’s recommended — cloaking makes links cleaner, easier to manage, and simpler to update if a program changes. Just keep an FTC-compliant disclosure visible on any page with affiliate links.
What’s the difference between Lasso and Pretty Links? Pretty Links focuses on cloaking and managing URLs; Lasso adds visual product displays and revenue tracking. Many sites use a cloaking tool plus Lasso together.
I want others to sell my product — which tool? That’s a different category: AffiliateWP (self-hosted WordPress), Refersion, or Post Affiliate Pro let you run your own program and pay affiliates.
Are these tools worth it for a brand-new site? Start with free Pretty Links. Add Lasso once you have product content earning clicks; the tracking alone helps you double down on what converts.
Do I have to disclose affiliate links? Yes. In the U.S., the FTC requires clear disclosure that you may earn a commission. A short statement at the top of the post (like the one above) covers it.