What is CJ Affiliate?
CJ Affiliate is a performance marketing network that connects advertisers with publishers, content creators and influencers who earn commission for driving sales, leads or traffic. Formerly called Commission Junction, the company now brands itself as CJ and runs one of the longest-established affiliate networks. It mainly serves mid-sized and large brands, including many big retailers, plus the agencies that manage their programs.
CJ Affiliate sits inside a wider set of CJ products. CJ Influence covers influencer partnerships, CJ Leads focuses on lead generation, and CJ Marketplaces supports brands selling on Amazon. Advertisers get omnichannel tracking, detailed reporting, tools to discover partners and flexible commission rules. Publishers join for free and earn commission from brands they promote. Pricing for advertisers is not published and is set with CJ's sales team. CJ also offers a developer portal and APIs for teams that want to pull data into their own systems.
CJ Affiliate at a glance
How does CJ Affiliate work?
- Apply and set up tracking
Advertisers apply to CJ, then install tracking with Shopify or Magento plugins or a custom integration covering web, app, phone and in-store sales.
- Design commission rules
Set rates per partner and use Situational Commissioning to pay differently based on customer status, promotion type or location.
- Recruit publishers
Use Partnership Discovery and curated lists to find content sites, creators, loyalty sites and other partners.
- Track and report
CJ tracks conversions and pays partners, while reports show customer journeys, new versus returning buyers and benchmarks.
CJ Affiliate key features
Omnichannel tracking
Tracks conversions online, in mobile apps, over the phone and in stores, with an approach built to handle browser privacy limits.
Situational Commissioning
Rewards publishers based on order details such as new or returning customer, promotion type and location, so you pay more for high-value sales.
Partnership Discovery
Helps advertisers find publishers by promotional model, audience and category performance, with network-curated lists of top and rising partners.
Reporting and benchmarks
Offers period-over-period analysis, competitor benchmarks and customer journey views, available in the platform or through APIs. Filters include device, category, location and promo code.
CJ Influence
Manages influencer partnerships, premium placements and reporting, with CreatorIQ data for discovering creators.
Managed services
Brands can self-manage, work with an agency or use CJ's white-glove service for strategy, recruitment and execution.
Compliance and fraud protection
Pre-payment validation and program compliance services help catch fraud and policy breaches before commissions are paid.
Why use CJ Affiliate?
- You pay partners for results such as sales or leads rather than for impressions.
- The network gives access to a wide pool of established publishers and creators.
- Situational Commissioning helps control costs by rewarding high-value orders.
- Tracking across web, app, phone and stores captures more of the customer journey.
- Managed service options suit brands without a large in-house affiliate team.
Who is CJ Affiliate best for?
A good fit for
- Mid-sized and enterprise retail brands
- Financial services brands working with fintech publishers
- Agencies managing large affiliate programs
- Publishers and creators seeking well-known brand partners
- Brands that want to add influencer and lead generation partnerships
Less suited to
- Small businesses wanting low, transparent monthly pricing
- Startups looking for a quick self-serve referral tool
- Brands that only want an in-house partner program without a network
CJ Affiliate pricing
| Pricing model | Contact sales |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Free trial | Not confirmed |
| Starting price | Contact sales |
CJ does not publish advertiser pricing. Costs are agreed with its sales team and typically combine network fees with the partner commissions you set; publishers join free.
Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official website before you buy.
CJ Affiliate pros and cons
Pros
- Long-established network with many major brands
- Flexible, order-based commission rules
- Strong reporting and benchmark tools
- Options for self-managed or fully managed programs
Cons
- No public pricing
- Better suited to larger brands than small stores
- Platform depth means a learning curve for new users
CJ Affiliate integrations and platforms
Works with
Available on
CJ Affiliate alternatives
See the full shortlist in Best Affiliate Management Software.
CJ Affiliate FAQ
What is CJ Affiliate used for?
CJ Affiliate is used by brands to run affiliate programs, where publishers, creators and influencers promote products and earn commission on sales or leads. Advertisers use it to recruit partners, set commission rules, track conversions across channels and pay partners. Publishers use it to find brands to promote and to collect their earnings.
How much does CJ Affiliate cost?
CJ Affiliate does not list advertiser prices on its website. Costs are agreed with CJ's sales team and generally include network fees on top of the commissions you pay partners. Publishers and creators can join for free. Because pricing is custom, CJ Affiliate tends to suit established brands with meaningful affiliate budgets.
Is CJ Affiliate the same as Commission Junction?
Yes. Commission Junction is the original name of the company, and the legal entity is still Commission Junction LLC. The company now brands itself as CJ, and CJ Affiliate is its core affiliate network product, alongside CJ Influence, CJ Leads and CJ Marketplaces.
CJ Affiliate vs Awin: what's the difference?
Both are large affiliate networks. Awin publishes a self-serve plan from $49 per month plus a tracking fee, which makes it easier for smaller brands to start. CJ Affiliate uses custom pricing and focuses on established brands, with features like Situational Commissioning and white-glove managed services. Many large advertisers compare the two on partner fit and fees.
Does CJ Affiliate integrate with Shopify?
Yes. CJ offers turnkey plugins for Shopify and Magento to help advertisers set up tracking quickly. Other platforms can be connected through custom integrations and CJ's developer tools and APIs. CJ also integrates CreatorIQ for influencer discovery within the platform.
Sources
This overview is based on CJ Affiliate's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.