Before I dive into this Wealthy Affiliate review, let me share a little backstory. Before I joined Wealthy Affiliate, I got scammed out of $600 by a so-called “online business guru.” It was a tough lesson that left me skeptical about online money-making programs. I was wary and cautious about trying anything new, but I didn’t want to give up on my dream of making a real income online.
When I stumbled upon Wealthy Affiliate, I was doubtful at first. The promises seemed too good to be true, and I wasn’t sure if it was just another scam waiting to take my hard-earned money. But something about the community and the detailed training piqued my interest. I decided to give it a shot, albeit with a healthy dose of skepticism.
As I started to implement what Wealthy Affiliate taught, I was pleasantly surprised. The training was thorough, the support was genuine, and the community was incredibly helpful. I followed the step-by-step lessons, applied what I learned, and slowly but surely, I started to see real income. It wasn’t an overnight success, but the progress was steady, and for the first time, I felt like I was on the right path.
In this review, I’ll take you inside Wealthy Affiliate, breaking down the features, training, and tools that helped me turn my online business dreams into reality. Whether you’re a complete beginner or someone who’s been burned before, I hope my experience can guide you toward making an informed decision about whether a Wealthy Affiliate is right for you.
>>> Join The Starter Membership for Free Here
Key Takeaways
- Wealthy Affiliate Overview: Wealthy Affiliate is a comprehensive training platform designed to help individuals build and grow their own affiliate marketing businesses. It offers step-by-step lessons, personalized coaching, and a supportive community.
- Cost and Value: Wealthy Affiliate’s membership costs $49/month or $495/year, with hosting included. The Premium Plus membership offers additional features for $99/month or $995/year. The platform provides great value, with extensive resources and support.
- 1-on-1 Coaching: Personalized coaching through private messages is available for my referrals. This includes answering questions, providing resources, and offering advice, but requires the member to do the work themselves.
- Training and Support: Wealthy Affiliate offers a variety of training resources, including weekly webinars, topic-focused classrooms, and 24/7 live chat. The platform is suitable for beginners and experienced marketers alike.
- Alternatives to Wealthy Affiliate: Other options include The Authority Site System and Income School’s Project 24. These alternatives offer different focuses and price points, but Wealthy Affiliate stands out for its low-risk entry, extensive resources, and strong community support.
- Premium Plus Membership: For those looking to expand beyond basic affiliate marketing, the Premium Plus membership provides more hosting, keyword research, support, and advanced training in various online business areas.
- Commitment to Success: Success with Wealthy Affiliate requires dedication, consistent effort, and a willingness to learn. The platform provides the tools and community needed to build a sustainable and profitable online business.
- Final Thoughts: Investing in Wealthy Affiliate is a smart move for those serious about starting an online business. It offers affordable, valuable training and support, making it a pathway to turning your passions into a thriving business.
The affiliate training center and hosting platform called Wealthy Affiliate is one of the most popular learn-to-earn programs online. You pay a monthly fee, and they teach you how to make money online. What’s unique about Wealthy Affiliate is that it’s not just some “fancy, new, shiny object.” Unlike a lot of other stuff you see out there, these guys have been around for over 15 years. They have a track record, which is amazing because most products don’t last long before they simply disappear.
I’ve been a Premium member for more than ten years, so I know a lot about how their system works, how to navigate the community, and how to be successful online.
Got any questions? Leave a comment at the bottom!
The Fundamental Principles of Wealthy Affiliate (WA)
In the Wealthy Affiliate community, the main thing you’ll learn is how to create a blog-style website and make money through affiliate commissions. But what does that mean? Basically, you’ll build a small website that anyone around the world can read. Your main job will be to write and publish articles related to your site’s topic. The value you offer comes from the content you share on your blog.
Sounds pretty simple, right? Of course, there are more details you’ll need to learn to actually start earning money from your website, but that’s the basic idea.
Wait – so there’s no “super-secret method” to learn?
Surprisingly, Wealthy Affiliate doesn’t teach any “secrets.” Instead, the strategy is straightforward: Build a Website > Write Articles > Add Affiliate Links.
If it’s so easy, then why isn’t everyone successful?
The real struggle most people face isn’t about the difficulty of building a successful affiliate website. Many people don’t succeed in this field because they have low self-esteem and quit early. Sure, some fail because they don’t do the work, but I’ll assume you’re not one of them.
The truth is, reading about something is different from actually doing it. You’ll probably get confused at times, and you’ll need to keep working even when you don’t see immediate results. Going 3, 6, or even 12 months without making a sale can be really discouraging. Trust me, I’ve been there. I started out just like you.
The great thing about Wealthy Affiliate is the active community that wants to see you succeed. It’s full of knowledgeable, successful, and enthusiastic affiliates who will help you get your business started and making money. This isn’t just some spam-filled Facebook group. The real power of a Wealthy Affiliate membership is the incredible support community they’ve built over fifteen years.
You can post any questions about the training and get answers in minutes. Instead of struggling alone as you build your first online business, you get proven training and personalized help every step of the way.
First Question: What Topic Should Your Website Focus On?
One of the biggest questions when starting a website is, “What should I make my website about?” Before I built my first website, I felt really confused because I thought I had nothing special to offer. I struggled with “imposter syndrome” for a while, so I get how you feel. But I want to show you that you actually have a lot to offer. You don’t need to be a “certified expert” to make money from your blog. You just need to do good research and share your opinions.
A key part of this process is finding a good topic to research and write about. Wealthy Affiliate covers this in their training, and the great news is that you won’t be pushed into any specific topic. You get to choose the topic of your website, and we can help you figure out a good one based on your interests. Over the years, I’ve built websites on various topics, including horse care, computer privacy software, edible gold (yes, that’s a real thing!), and even sprinklers.
Because this is such a big topic that gets people stuck, I wanted to mention two important things before you read any further.
First: Any website can make money. You’ll earn money by promoting products from your favorite companies like Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, the NFL, and many smaller ones you haven’t heard of yet. Choosing what to promote on your website is part of the research process, which is covered in the training. Even if you have a website like “My Favorite Super Cars,” which obviously won’t sell Dodge Vipers or McLarens online, you can still find related items to advertise. For example, you could promote Porsche car covers for Honda Civics, Ferrari watches, or supercar RC cars.
Second: You absolutely do not have to promote Wealthy Affiliate to make money. Some critics say you can only make money if you promote Wealthy Affiliate, but that’s far from the truth. Many affiliates, including myself, earn lots of money outside of the “how to make money online” industry. You never have to promote WA, recommend it to a family member, or recruit anyone into a team. In fact, I strongly suggest staying away from the “how to make money online” industry unless you genuinely want to help others make money online, like I do.
Teaching Approach at Wealthy Affiliate
When I first joined Wealthy Affiliate, I was curious about their teaching style. I was relieved to find that it was straightforward and easy to follow. The lessons are designed in a step-by-step format, which is perfect for beginners like me. Each lesson builds on the previous one, so you never feel overwhelmed with too much information at once.
The best part is that the training is interactive. There are tasks to complete after each lesson, which helps reinforce what you’ve just learned. This hands-on approach made it easier for me to understand and apply the concepts. Plus, if I ever got stuck, the community was there to help. You can ask questions, get feedback, and share your progress with other members.
Another thing I appreciate is that the instructors are experienced and knowledgeable. They share their personal experiences and practical tips, which makes the learning process more relatable and engaging. It doesn’t feel like a boring classroom lecture; it feels like you’re learning from a friend who genuinely wants to see you succeed.
Wealthy Affiliate also offers a variety of learning resources, including videos, webinars, and written guides. This variety ensures that there’s something for everyone, regardless of your learning style. Overall, the teaching style at Wealthy Affiliate is supportive, practical, and designed to help you succeed step by step.
Complimentary Resources at Wealthy Affiliate
At its core, Wealthy Affiliate is a training center. However, in addition to the training, WA offers a lot of extras with your membership to help your business succeed:
- Managed WordPress Optimized Hosting for 10 websites: $100-$250+ per month value
- Free “SiteSpeed” upgrade for super-fast loading websites
- Free SSL Certificate: $60 per year value
- Free Spam Filter: $5 per month value
- Free Enhanced Website Security: $300 per year value
- Free Email Addresses: $10 per year per address value
- Free Keyword Tool: $50 per month value
- Free Image Optimization: $9 per month value
If you’re not familiar with these features, they essentially make your website run fast and efficiently, helping you grow your online business without any roadblocks. Some people see the $49 per month membership fee and think it’s too expensive. But as you can see, getting all these features separately would cost a lot more. So, can you afford not to join?
Weekly Webinars
I made a special section of this review just to talk about Wealthy Affiliate webinars because they are one of the most exciting parts of the membership. Usually, webinars are just a way to sell you more stuff. They hook you with an amazing claim, make you sit through 60 minutes, and then try to sell you something at the end.
The great thing about WA webinars is that they never try to sell you anything. Wealthy Affiliate weekly webinars are all about practical education! Some past topics include:
- How to install SSL on your website
- 2019 SEO checklist
- Beginner WordPress customization
- Advanced WordPress tactics
- Competition research
- Keyword research
- Ranking in Bing
- Produce, record, upload, and embed YouTube videos
- Tracking conversion in Google Analytics
- How to build a website framework
- How to write an SEO article
As a member, you get access to all previous webinar trainings. There are hundreds of them, each about an hour long, so there’s more than you could ever finish. Webinars are done live on Fridays, but you can always catch the recording later. If you attend live, you can ask questions during the Q&A session at the end of each hour.
The weekly webinars cover a range of beginner to advanced topics. Plus, the live format means Jay (the guy running the show) can cover relevant topics too. The internet marketing industry moves quickly, and if something new is going to benefit or hurt your business, you’ll hear about it in the webinar!
Step-by-Step Affiliate Lessons
The training at Wealthy Affiliate is organized into five levels, and each level has 10 lessons. Each lesson includes 3-4 tasks for you to complete. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what Wealthy Affiliate teaches.
Level 1: Getting Started
The first level of lessons is available for free to everyone with a Starter account. In these lessons, you’ll learn the core concepts of how affiliate marketing works, pick a topic for your business, and even build a free website. Here’s what you’ll cover:
- Getting Rolling
- Understanding How to Make Money Online
- Choose a Niche
- Building Your OWN Niche Website
- Setting Up Your Website
- Getting Your Site Ready for Search Engines
- Creating Your Initial Website Content
- Creating Custom Menus on Your Website
- Understanding Keywords, The Start of Your Content
- Congratulations and Your Next Steps
Level 2: Building Your Website
Level 2 is for Premium members only. In these lessons, you’ll buy a .com domain name and move your free site to the new domain. Then, you’ll learn how to do keyword research and create search engine optimized (SEO) articles. Ranking articles in Google is crucial for business success! Here’s what’s included:
- Your Own Domain, Your Brand
- Move On Over, My Brand Has Arrived
- Creating Keyword Rich Content
- Setting Up A Domain-Specific Email Account
- The Traffic Breakdown
- Making Use of Visuals
- Understanding the Low Hanging Fruit
- Making Face as a Real Person
- Amplifying Your Productivity
- Boosting Your WA Ranks!
Level 3: Making Money
In Level 3 (Premium only), you’ll search for affiliate programs relevant to your niche and get your first affiliate links. You’ll write product reviews, add affiliate links, learn about Google Adsense, and compare display ad revenue to affiliate revenue. The lessons include:
- Understanding the MONEY in Online Business
- Understanding Affiliate Programs & Networks
- Relevant Affiliate Programs are Everywhere
- Adding Affiliate Links to Your Pages
- Instant Access to a MILLION Products
- Leveraging Product Reviews
- Getting Paid for Ads on Your Site
- Earning Pennies OR Dollars?
- A Brilliant Way to Track & Understand Your Traffic
- With Help Comes Financial Success
Level 4: Social Media
Level 4 (Premium) dives into social media. You’ll focus on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook, but you don’t have to use every platform. Personally, I don’t use social media much for my websites, but some people love it and make it their main traffic source. Topics covered are:
- What Does Social Engagement Mean to Your Business
- Making Your Website a Place to Engage
- Using Facebook the Right Way
- Pinterest & the Visual Social Hemisphere
- Incorporating a Sound Tweeting Campaign
- [Currently Being Updated]
- The Benefit of Being Social at WA
- Make Your Campaigns Social Branding Animals
- Using the Wealthy Affiliate Social Community
- You Cannot Be a Master of Everything
Level 5: Content Creation
The final level (Premium) focuses on “leveling up” your content. Publishing high-quality content frequently is key to attracting people to your website. You’ll learn how to write excellent articles, engage with your audience, and track and analyze your traffic. Lessons include:
- Content is YOUR Business
- Setting Up Google Webmaster Tools
- Improving Indexing Times and Speeds
- People Need to Read Your Content
- A Year is a Short Period of Time, Yet BIG for Business
- Writing Within a Devised Plan Architecture
- Writing Your Content With Conversion Intent
- Injecting Comments with Intent
- Bing and Yahoo, They Are Still the 33%
- Articulating a PLAN for the Months and Year Ahead
5 Ways to Get Help with Your Business
The top reason to join Wealthy Affiliate is the support community. No other product or service offers this level of support at this cost. Normally, an hour-long session with a guru costs $300-$500, but at WA, you can talk to successful entrepreneurs for just $49/month! Beginners benefit greatly from the help channels, while intermediate marketers can forge relationships with other affiliates to exchange strategies, get feedback, and set new goals.
Live Chat
Wealthy Affiliate Live Chat is available 24/7, giving you access to affiliate marketers from all over the world. If you need an instant solution or have a burning question stopping you from moving on to the next lesson, just hop into Live Chat to see who can help. I drop in a couple of times a week to see what’s new and help out, but some members hang out daily just waiting for your questions!
Classrooms
If you don’t have time for a 1-on-1 session in Live Chat, you can post your question in a topic-focused classroom. There are 23 classrooms, each focused on a specific aspect of online business:
- Getting Started: Perfect for newbies, this classroom covers the basics of affiliate marketing and how to get your first website up and running.
- Authoring & Writing Content: Learn how to create engaging and valuable content that attracts visitors and keeps them coming back.
- Search Engine Optimization: Discover techniques to improve your website’s ranking on search engines like Google, driving more traffic to your site.
- Website Development & Programming: Get help with the technical side of building and maintaining your website, from coding to troubleshooting issues.
- Local Marketing: Find out how to market your business to a local audience, which can be especially useful for brick-and-mortar businesses or local services.
- WA Affiliate Program: Learn how to promote Wealthy Affiliate itself and earn commissions by referring new members.
- Everything WordPress: Master the most popular website-building platform with tips and tricks for using WordPress effectively.
- The Wealthy Affiliate Platform: Understand all the features and tools available on the Wealthy Affiliate platform to make the most of your membership.
- Social Engagement & Marketing: Explore strategies for using social media to drive traffic to your site and engage with your audience.
- Keyword, Niche, and Market Research: Learn how to find profitable niches and effective keywords to target with your content.
- Video Marketing: Discover how to create and promote videos to boost your online presence and reach a wider audience.
- Email Marketing: Get tips on building and managing an email list to keep in touch with your audience and promote your products or services.
- Pay Per Click Marketing: Learn how to use PPC advertising to drive targeted traffic to your site and maximize your return on investment.
Classrooms are great because you can ask a question and come back the next day to find multiple answers from different members. It’s like crowdsourcing solutions to your questions, and the discussion can continue from there. Engage with members over a few days as more people chime in with ideas or follow-up questions. If you need to ask something, there are probably 100 other people who are stuck on the same thing!
Lesson Questions
As you go through the training, you’re bound to run into some issues. It happens to everyone! Maybe something isn’t clear, or your results don’t match what you saw in the video. Just post your question right below the lesson, and another member, myself, or even the main trainer Kyle will respond.
WA Blogs
Within the community, you can also post full blog posts using an internal blogging system. This content should be about your online business, the WA platform, or something related to making money online. These blogs are not for advertising your website but are another way to communicate with the community.
Some people do tutorials or share the story of how they made their first sale. Other members might post an annual update on their income stats or the progress they’ve made with their affiliate business.
The WA blogs are also a great way to reach out for help. You can post about anything frustrating in the training or a mistake you made on your site and how you fixed it. Hundreds of members can respond, offering advice and tips.
Private Messages
Private Messages (PMs) are a way to reach out to other members one-on-one. If you don’t want to ask something publicly or need help from a specific person, you can send them a private message. I respond to PMs from all my referrals daily, so if you join through my affiliate links, I’ll be your one-on-one coach for as long as you’re a member. I’ve been affiliate blogging full-time for 8 years now, so I can help with any problem you run into.
How Long Will It Take to Make Money?
Everyone’s timeline is different, so it’s really hard to say exactly how long it will take for you to start earning money from your website. I’ve seen people make six figures in less than six months. They’re the exception, but it does happen.
On the other hand, I’ve seen folks who have been members for years and still only make a few hundred bucks a month. These people often aren’t working seriously on their website, so they don’t see great results.
What we want to aim for is the middle: someone who dedicates consistent time and effort to their site over a long period. For those folks, here’s what you can expect if you dedicate 1-3 hours each day to your business and a few more hours on the weekend:
- 1 Month: Website set up, first articles published, understanding the basics of running a business
- 3 Months: Getting first signs of organic traffic, 10-50 visits per day
- 6 Months: Getting consistent traffic, first affiliate sales ($0-$20)
- 12 Months: Traffic growing each month, making consistent sales ($100-$500/month)
- 24 Months: Focusing on making big traffic moves (1k-2k/month), optimizing affiliate pages ($1,000+ per month)
This is just a general timeline, and honestly, by the 24-month mark, anything is possible. For me, I was earning about $12k/month by the 18-month mark. After some issues with Google, I dropped back down to $6k/month. Ten years later, I’m pulling in over $20,000/month from affiliate commissions.
My personal goal is to crack the $50k/month mark. Wouldn’t that be nice? Check back on me in 2-3 years. I’m going to get there!
As you can see, it’s important to start with small goals and work your way up. As you grow your site and improve as a business owner and affiliate marketer, your goals will change. My first “success post” inside Wealthy Affiliate was just to say that my website was live. That tiny step set in motion my entire business for the next decade.
Nowadays, a $100 commission isn’t that exciting to me. I’m aiming for those ten-grand moves in income and looking at things on a larger scale.
Don’t be discouraged if you’re not earning a full-time income in the next few months. Stick around long enough, keep putting in the time, and you’ll see results like these members!
The Myth of Instant Success Stories
Have you ever heard about someone who became an overnight success and thought, “Why can’t that be me?” I used to feel the same way, believing these stories were the norm. But the truth is, overnight success is a myth.
Most successful people you see today didn’t just wake up one morning with their dreams fulfilled. They spent countless hours, days, and even years working hard to reach their goals. It’s easy to look at someone successful and assume it happened quickly, but we don’t see the struggles, failures, and lessons learned along the way.
When I started my online business, I hoped for quick results too. But I soon realized that building something worthwhile takes time. I had to be patient, stay consistent, and keep learning from my mistakes.
The journey to success is different for everyone, and it’s usually longer than we expect. Instead of chasing quick wins, focus on steady progress. Celebrate small victories, learn from setbacks, and keep moving forward. Remember, every step you take brings you closer to your goals. So, let’s stop believing in overnight success and start appreciating the hard work and dedication it truly takes to succeed.
What Happens After I Finish the Lessons?
When you finish the lessons at Wealthy Affiliate, chances are you won’t have an income-generating website right away. In fact, I’d bet on it.
So, what’s the point of doing the training? You have to repeat the tasks from the lessons over and over again. This isn’t a “one and done” deal. You don’t just publish one article and have it rank instantly. Like any business, you have competition, and you need to be diligent in providing value on your website so people want to read it.
Your #1 task after finishing the lessons is finding ideas to write about and publishing articles on those topics.
In the meantime, you can keep yourself busy with the various other member-created training modules and weekly webinar topics. For example, you could install a pricing chart plugin and create product comparison pages. You might start email marketing, collecting email addresses, and sending out newsletters.
You could also get your site registered with Bing Webmaster Tools and start targeting Bing traffic or even launch a Bing PPC campaign. There are many other possibilities for what to do with your website, and you have access to those training modules in the Wealthy Affiliate community.
Each business owner has a different idea of what type of website and business they want to create. As you grow your site, you’ll find ideas from other websites you want to emulate, and you can research how that’s done. Wealthy Affiliate has a ton of resources, and there are also lots of great blogs and YouTube channels you can follow to get more ideas on running your affiliate website.
What Are the Costs of Wealthy Affiliate?
One of my favorite things about starting an affiliate website is that it’s very cheap. Not only is creating your business inexpensive, but any mistakes you make are not likely to cost you much money either.
Since most of you will be working from a laptop or computer you already have, in a home where you already pay rent or mortgage, your cost of running the site won’t add much to your lifestyle spending. You build the website (free). You research topics (free). You write the articles (free).
Running an affiliate website on a tight budget means that you only have to pay for hosting. In this case, hosting is included in your Wealthy Affiliate membership. That means, altogether, the cost of running your business is $49/month plus $14/year for a domain name.
Total cost: $50/month.
Beyond that fifty bucks, all costs are optional. There are too many optional costs to list here. Some people run their business lean, while others like to spend money to supercharge their growth. Outsourcing content is the top thing I spend money on these days.
If you have the cash, the two things I recommend you purchase are a Premium WordPress theme ($100 one-time fee) and a keyword research tool ($19/month). Once you start making money, you can decide how to spend money to grow your business faster. But to start, you just need to worry about paying that fifty bucks a month, and you can run a six-figure online business.
Pretty good deal, right?
What Happens If I Leave or Quit?
I want to see you succeed with your website, but I understand that sometimes life gets in the way, and you might need to take a break. Or maybe you realize this style of online marketing isn’t for you. That’s totally okay. You can quit your Wealthy Affiliate membership at any time. There’s no contract, and we won’t hold you hostage.
If you’re just done with everything, you can simply log into your account settings, click the cancel button, and leave. Done!
If you want to keep working on your affiliate website but don’t want to be a WA member anymore, you’ll need to find a new hosting service for your websites. Wealthy Affiliate won’t host your website for free, but they will give you a 30-day grace period to move your site. Hosting prices range from $5 – $60/month for a single website and about $50-$250 for multiple websites on a managed WordPress hosting service.
You retain all rights to your domain and your content. Everything you created is yours to keep, including any commissions or revenue streams you earn. WA is just a training platform. They don’t own anything you created!
If you need to stop for just a month or two, decide whether your website is important to keep online. Wealthy Affiliate keeps a backup of your website for six months, so if you need to cancel and then come back, you can do that too! Just remember your website will go down after 30 days, even if you plan to come back.
I’ve been a member for many years and plan to continue being one for a long time (I like the weekly webinars and have many smart friends there). When you restart your membership down the road, you can PM me and let me know you’re back in action. Your account will be exactly how you left it!
How Can I Afford or Pay My Membership?
Some folks reading my Wealthy Affiliate review might think, “Wow, that sounds great, but I don’t have the money.” The cost of Wealthy Affiliate is $49/month. If your monthly budget can’t handle an extra fifty bucks, there’s always a solution. Even if it’s not what you want to hear, most people can find that money somewhere. Eat out less. Stop your TV subscriptions. Snack less. Have a garage sale. Cancel Amazon Prime. Downgrade your data plan.
Starbucks costs $5 for a cup of coffee. Cut out just one Starbucks trip per week and that’s already $20 extra. Fast food is about $10 per meal, and restaurants are even more expensive. Cut out one meal per month, and that’s an extra $10 (at least). Netflix is $10/month too. Now you’re at $40. All you have to do is find another ten bucks somewhere in your life (either by making money or saving money), and there’s your membership fee. You cut out one trip to Starbucks, one trip to McDonald’s, and sacrificed one entertainment channel. It wasn’t that hard.
If you literally do not have an extra fifty bucks no matter how hard you look, then you just have to work more. You can take on some side gigs on the weekends, or even start doing jobs online. There are plenty of virtual assistant gigs available on websites like UpWork.com.
Additionally, you can make serious money online writing articles. I regularly pay $50-$100 for a single article. Even if you make only $10 for 1,000 words of content (an extremely low-paying job), all you have to write is 5 articles per month, and that can pay for your membership.
If you really want to join Wealthy Affiliate, you can find a way to pay for it. If you can’t find a way to pay for it, maybe you don’t want it that bad. That’s fine but be honest with yourself!
Price Comparison & Value Breakdown
Starting a business costs money, no matter what type you choose. Here’s a breakdown of a few different types of businesses and the costs involved. Keep in mind that most brick-and-mortar businesses require a loan and typically cost over $100,000 to start.
| Business Type | Average Cost |
| Micro Business | $3,000 – $5,000 (Business News Daily) |
| Restaurant | $275,000 – $425,000 (Restaurant Engine) |
| Ecommerce Store | $50/month + $140-$3,000 for inventory (Sumo.com) |
How does an affiliate website compare? It’s the cheapest of them all. With just a hosting account, you can actually make a profitable affiliate website for about $10/month. Crazy, right?
If you sign up for Wealthy Affiliate training, you’ll be paying $49/month or $495/year. That’s about a dollar a day to run your business, which could be earning $10,000 per month or more. The risk/reward ratio is pretty amazing. Spending a dollar a day to learn how to earn six figures is a great deal!
Why Wealthy Affiliate?
There are many products that teach you how to create affiliate websites. Here are two popular ones:
- RankXL: Costs $599 upfront. There are no videos, and the only support is in the Facebook group.
- Income School’s Project 24: Costs $449 for the first year, then $199 per year after that. There’s no monthly option, no free trial, and no discounts available.
Both of these products are very good and worth your money, but let’s compare the prices:
| Product | Initial Cost | Support | Monthly Option | Free Trial |
| RankXL | $599 | Facebook group | No | No |
| Income School Project 24 | $449 (1st year) | None | No | No |
| Wealthy Affiliate | $49/month or $495/year | Community, 24/7 Live Chat | Yes ($19 first month) | Yes (7-day) |
Wealthy Affiliate offers a free 7-day trial, and the first month is only $19. Very low risk! Even if you aren’t completely sure you want to follow through with what WA teaches, you can at least try out a month for $19. Seriously, you can’t take a twenty-dollar risk to start a business?
Alternatives to Wealthy Affiliate
Wealthy Affiliate isn’t the only product out there claiming to help you make money online. In fact, there are hundreds. So, how do they compare to Wealthy Affiliate? After trying hundreds of them over the course of ten years, I can confidently say that 99% of them are junk.
How can I be so confident?
First off, that’s my personal opinion after actually trying hundreds of them myself and going through the training. More importantly, I’ve witnessed with my own eyes that 99% of these products stop operating after just 1-2 years. Poof! Gone! I’ve been around this space for 12 years now, so I’ve seen it happen a lot. The fact that Wealthy Affiliate is still around and has thousands of active members is unlike any other company out there. It’s simply unheard of.
There is one other product I recommend. Some people just don’t click with the Wealthy Affiliate training system and community. Wealthy Affiliate is more for everyday people who want to start their first online business and want the personalized help offered inside the community. If you’re more analytical and data-driven, then you might prefer the Authority Site System.
The Authority Site System
At $997, The Authority Site System (TASS) is certainly a bigger upfront commitment, but I believe it’s worth the cost. It’s legit. The main idea is to build a couple of core “skyscraper” articles, which are ultimate guides to your niche. You then build backlinks to these high-quality pages and use various techniques to grow your backlink profile. To expand your content base, you’ll also write informational articles based on keywords and product reviews.
This system is much more focused on niche research than Wealthy Affiliate. In fact, over 65% of the course is about setting up your website, with niche research making up 40% of the course.
For those with analytical minds, this product might be a good fit. However, for newbies who want to jump in and get started, the amount of research involved in picking a niche might be overwhelming. As an experienced marketer, I learned a lot about niche and competition research here, but I still prefer learning by doing, rather than just studying.
The Facebook group for TASS is better than Authority SEO, with active discussions and fast, friendly email support. There are more resources for direct help than with Authority SEO, but Wealthy Affiliate still offers more avenues for assistance.
The main focus of TASS is to build backlinks. They encourage you to create good content, but the emphasis is on link building for business growth. Many prominent affiliates agree this is the right approach, and TASS teaches some great, white hat methods. Link building isn’t for me, but these guys do it well.
Income School
I haven’t tried the Income School course myself, but I follow their YouTube channel and have a good idea of what they teach. They focus on long-term growth and stability by creating value for readers, with no SEO tricks or supercharger methods that could hurt you later. They promote simple blog building about topics you enjoy.
The price of the course is $449 for the first year, then $249 each year after that. Hosting is not included, so that will be an extra cost.
I can’t speak to their members’ community, but I see many positive comments on their YouTube videos, so I assume it’s decent. I’m not sure if it’s a Facebook group, forum, or custom membership site. It’s likely not as advanced as Wealthy Affiliate, but that’s just my guess.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Wealthy Affiliate | The Authority Site System | Income School |
| Cost | $49/month or $495/year | $997 | $449 first year, $249/year |
| Focus | Broad, community-based | Niche research, backlinks | Long-term growth, value |
| Community | Extensive, very active | Active Facebook group | Unknown, positive comments |
| Upfront Commitment | Low | High | Medium |
| Hosting Included | Yes | No | No |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, multiple avenues | Fast email support, Facebook group | Unknown, likely decent |
| Main Teaching Style | Step-by-step, practical | Analytical, research-heavy | Simple, content-focused |
| Risk Level | Low | Medium | Medium |
In summary, each platform has its strengths. Wealthy Affiliate offers a low-risk, community-focused approach, making it ideal for beginners. The Authority Site System is great for those who are analytical and prefer detailed research, while Income School is for those looking for long-term growth without relying on SEO tricks. Choose the one that best fits your learning style and business goals!
How Does the 1-on-1 Coaching Work?
In this review of Wealthy Affiliate, I’ve mentioned “coaching” a few times, and you’ll also see it in the members area once you join. I want to clarify what the coaching includes because that word can mean many different things.
The 1-on-1 coaching I offer through the WA system means you’ll get personalized help with your questions and a guaranteed response via Private Message from me. You can send me a message about your business and get a response. I will personally help you by explaining something you don’t understand or sending you a link to the appropriate training.
I’ll even review your website and offer suggestions from time to time.
What Coaching Is and Isn’t
- What Coaching Includes:
- Personalized help with questions
- Guaranteed response via Private Message
- Explanations and links to relevant training
- Website reviews and suggestions
- What Coaching Doesn’t Include:
- Logging into your website to install plugins
- Doing keyword research for you
- Weekly phone calls for motivation
- Pushing you to be successful
One complaint I sometimes get is that some folks expect weekly phone call coaching sessions. Some other programs offer this, but they often cost $100+ per hour. The free ones are usually just sales calls trying to sell you into a private mentorship for $10,000-$25,000.
Weekly phone calls are not economical for my commission of $20 per month from being an affiliate of Wealthy Affiliate. Plus, coaching calls are often a waste of time. Most people just want to chat and ask personal questions, and I can’t give effective tutorials over the phone. Coaching calls mainly serve for motivation, and I’m an affiliate coach, not a motivational coach.
What You Get:
You can email me whenever you want about your business, and I will provide you with answers, resources, and advice about growing your affiliate blog. This is available only to my referrals. If you join Wealthy Affiliate using the links on this page, you’ll be automatically signed up as my referral, and I’ll be your coach. If you use someone else’s links, they’ll be your coach instead.
Everyone gets a coach inside Wealthy Affiliate, so think about who you want as your coach. My qualifications include 12 years in the industry, 10 years of coaching experience, and three websites that have achieved $10,000+ per month in affiliate income!
Premium Plus Membership Upgrade
After over a decade of perfecting their Premium Membership, Wealthy Affiliate has introduced Premium Plus for hardcore business builders. What do I mean by “hardcore”? Basically, more stuff available for people who actually plan to use it:
- More hosting: More spots for hosting websites and more traffic capabilities.
- More keyword research: More searches and more data available.
- More support: Priority tech support.
- More training: An additional 1 hour of live training every weekday (M-F) from experts across multiple domains.
Instead of just “affiliate blogging” training, you also learn about:
- Growing a YouTube channel
- Growing an Instagram and TikTok account
- Making money
- Branding strategies
- Image editing
- Creating and monetizing a podcast
- Creating and selling your own products
- Many other topics
It’s more training than anyone could ever consume, directly from people involved in different types of online businesses. Building one website can be a full-time job. The blogging part of affiliate marketing is just one aspect of building an online business, and it’s possible to build a full-time media company with text articles, audio podcasts, social media accounts, and a video channel as a single person (outsourcing help, of course).
>>> Join The Starter Membership for Free Here
If you want to do more than just a blog, upgrading to Premium Plus is the answer.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Wealthy Affiliate Standard | Wealthy Affiliate Premium Plus |
| Cost | $49/month or $495/year | $99/month or $995/year |
| Hosting | Included | More spots and traffic |
| Keyword Research | Basic tools | More searches and data |
| Support | 24/7 live chat | Priority tech support |
| Training | Weekly webinars | Daily live training (M-F) |
| Extra Topics | Affiliate blogging | YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, podcasts, product creation, and more |
In summary, both the standard and Premium Plus memberships offer great value, but Premium Plus provides extra resources and training for those who want to take their online business to the next level. Choose the one that best fits your goals and commitment level!
Final Thoughts
In this Wealthy Affiliate review, I want to emphasize the importance of finding the right support and training for building an online business. Wealthy Affiliate offers a comprehensive platform that can truly make a difference. When I started, I was overwhelmed by the countless options and unsure of which path to take. But Wealthy Affiliate provided a clear, step-by-step approach that made everything manageable.
One of the best parts of Wealthy Affiliate is the community. You’re never alone. Whether you have a simple question or need detailed advice, there’s always someone ready to help. The personalized coaching, extensive training, and active community create an environment where anyone can succeed if they put in the effort.
Remember, success doesn’t happen overnight. It requires dedication, consistent effort, and a willingness to learn. Wealthy Affiliate marketing equips you with the tools and knowledge needed to build a sustainable business. From creating your website to mastering SEO and beyond, the resources are all there.
If you’re serious about starting an online business, investing in Wealthy Affiliate is a smart move. It’s affordable, packed with value, and proven by thousands of successful members. Take the leap, embrace the learning process, and watch your dreams take shape.
In this Wealthy Affiliate review 2024, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful this platform can be. If you commit to the journey, stay patient, and keep pushing forward, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. Wealthy Affiliate isn’t just a program; it’s a pathway to turning your passions into a thriving business. So, why wait? Start today and begin your journey toward success!
5 Important FAQs about Wealthy Affiliate
What is Wealthy Affiliate?
- Wealthy Affiliate is an online training platform that helps individuals build and grow their own affiliate marketing businesses. It offers step-by-step lessons, personalized coaching, and a supportive community. The training covers everything from creating a website to mastering SEO and other marketing strategies.
How much does a Wealthy Affiliate cost?
- Wealthy Affiliate has a monthly fee of $49 or an annual fee of $495. This includes hosting for your websites, access to extensive training materials, keyword research tools, and 24/7 support from the community. For those looking for even more resources, the Premium Plus membership is available at $99 per month or $995 per year.
What kind of support does Wealthy Affiliate provide?
- Wealthy Affiliate offers various forms of support, including personalized 1-on-1 coaching through private messages, an active community for peer support, and live chat available 24/7. Additionally, there are topic-focused classrooms and weekly webinars to further enhance your learning experience.
Is Wealthy Affiliate suitable for beginners?
- Yes, Wealthy Affiliate is designed to cater to beginners as well as experienced marketers. The training starts with basic concepts and gradually moves to more advanced topics, making it easy for beginners to follow along and build a solid foundation in affiliate marketing.
What are the alternatives to Wealthy Affiliate?
- While Wealthy Affiliate is highly recommended for its comprehensive approach and supportive community, there are other options like The Authority Site System and Income School’s Project 24. These alternatives offer different focuses and price points. The Authority Site System emphasizes niche research and link building, while Income School promotes long-term growth through valuable content creation. However, Wealthy Affiliate stands out for its low-risk entry, extensive resources, and strong community support.