Our Picks at a Glance
ClickMagick is the best affiliate link tracking software for most affiliates, because it tracks commissions per source across every channel and filters out bot clicks. Voluum suits full-time media buyers running high volumes, and Pretty Links suits WordPress bloggers who mainly need tidy, cloaked links.
| Tool | Best for | Tracks commissions per source | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClickMagick | Most affiliates | Yes, via postbacks | $79/mo ($66 annually) |
| Voluum | High-volume media buyers | Yes | $119/mo billed annually |
| Pretty Links | WordPress bloggers | Click and conversion reports | Free version; $99.60/yr |
| AnyTrack | Affiliate content sites | Yes, auto-tagging | Free; $100/mo |
| RedTrack | Lead-gen and media teams | Yes | $118/mo |
| BeMob | Budget trackers | Yes | Free; $49/mo |
| Bitly | Simple short links | No | Free; $10/mo annually |
Affiliate Trackers vs Affiliate Program Software
Search results for this topic mix two different kinds of software. Affiliate program software helps a merchant run a partner program: recruiting affiliates, tracking their referrals and paying commissions. Affiliate link tracking software is for you, the affiliate, to see which of your own traffic sources earn.
This page covers the second kind. If you promote other people's products and want to know which emails, posts, videos or ads make money, these are the tools to compare.
1. ClickMagick: Best for Most Affiliates
ClickMagick started as a tracker for affiliates in 2014 and still serves them well. Its Affiliate Link Builder adds a unique click ID to your affiliate links, postbacks from your networks report each commission back, and every plan includes unlimited affiliate projects.
It covers every channel you'd promote through: Tracking Links for email and solo ads, branded Smart Links for social and print, and redirect-free Campaigns tracking for paid traffic to bridge pages. Bot filtering removes junk clicks, which matters when you buy traffic by the click.
Why We Rank It First
- Commissions credited to each source via postbacks
- Works across email, social, solo ads and paid ads
- Bot filtering and Click Shield
- Retargeting pixels can be added to links
Keep in Mind
- More than a blog-only affiliate needs
- Each network's postback takes a little setup
- Starter covers 10,000 visitors a month
2. Voluum: Best for High-Volume Media Buyers
Voluum is a favourite of affiliates buying bulk traffic from native, push and pop networks. It handles millions of events, offers anti-fraud tooling and traffic distribution, and bills annually from $119 a month. Overkill for an emailer; ideal for a full-time buyer. See ClickMagick vs Voluum.
3. Pretty Links: Best for WordPress Bloggers
Pretty Links cloaks and manages affiliate links inside WordPress, lets you update a link everywhere at once, and can auto-link keywords on higher plans. There's a free version, and paid plans start at $99.60 a year at introductory pricing. It doesn't track commissions across email or ads. See ClickMagick vs Pretty Links.
4. AnyTrack: Best for Affiliate Content Sites
AnyTrack auto-detects and tags affiliate links and claims 90+ affiliate network integrations, which saves time on sites with hundreds of links. Free for 5,000 sessions, then from $100 a month. See ClickMagick vs AnyTrack.
5. RedTrack: Best for Lead-Gen and Media Teams
RedTrack's affiliate and lead-gen plans start at $118 a month for 5 million events and add automation rules for teams running many offers. See ClickMagick vs RedTrack.
6. BeMob: Best Budget Option
BeMob's free plan covers 100,000 events, with paid plans from $49 a month. The trade-off is short data retention: one month on the free and Professional plans.
7. Bitly: Best for Simple Short Links
Bitly shortens links and counts clicks, but doesn't track commissions. Useful for a quick social link; not a substitute for a tracker. See ClickMagick vs Bitly.
How Affiliates Typically Combine Tools
Most affiliates don't need three trackers, but many sensibly use two tools for two jobs. These are common setups, depending on how you promote.
Pretty Links + ClickMagick
Pretty Links manages links inside WordPress posts; ClickMagick tracks email broadcasts and any paid traffic, with commissions per source.
ClickMagick Alone
Tracking Links per vendor, bot filtering, and postbacks for commissions. Everything in one place.
ClickMagick Campaigns
Redirect-free tracking on a bridge page, with conversions sent back to Meta through Audience Optimization.
Voluum or RedTrack
High event volumes and campaign automation across many traffic sources.
A Simple Example of Why Per-Source Tracking Matters
Here's an illustrative example with assumed numbers. An affiliate earns $1,500 in commissions in a month from a blog, a weekly email and two solo-ad vendors. The network dashboard shows $1,500 and nothing else.
With per-source tracking, the picture changes: the email produced $700, the blog $450, vendor A $350 on $300 of spend, and vendor B $0 on $300 of spend, with a high share of filtered bot clicks. The affiliate drops vendor B, reorders from vendor A and sends more email. Same traffic budget, better profit. That's the decision a tracker makes possible.
What to Look for in an Affiliate Link Tracker
- Postback or Sub-ID supportSo commissions report back automatically from your networks.
- Every channel you useEmail, social, video, solo ads and paid ads, not just one site.
- Bot filteringEssential if you buy traffic by the click.
- Clean, branded linksOn your own domain, for trust and deliverability.
- Earnings per source reportingSo you can drop vendors and campaigns that don't pay.
Our step-by-step guide to tracking affiliate links walks through setting these up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is affiliate link tracking software?
It's software that records clicks on your affiliate links, where they came from, and which ones led to commissions. The better tools receive conversion data from affiliate networks through postbacks or Sub-IDs, so each commission is credited to the right email, post, ad or vendor.
Is affiliate link tracking software the same as affiliate program software?
No. Affiliate program software, such as tools that run a merchant's partner program, manages affiliates and payouts for a brand. Affiliate link tracking software is for the affiliate, helping you see which of your own traffic sources earn commissions.
Do I need a tracker if my network shows my commissions?
Your network shows total commissions, not which of your sources produced them. A tracker connects each commission to the click that earned it, so you can see which emails, vendors or ads are profitable.
How do affiliate trackers get conversion data?
Usually through a postback URL. You pass a unique click ID into your affiliate link, and when the network records a sale it sends that ID back to your tracker, which credits the right click.
Which affiliate link tracker is best for beginners?
ClickMagick is beginner-friendly for affiliates using email, social and solo ads, with an Affiliate Link Builder and a 14-day trial. WordPress-only bloggers can start with Pretty Links' free version.
Find Out Which of Your Links Actually Earn
Connect your affiliate networks, filter out bot clicks and see commissions per source. Start your 14-day ClickMagick trial.
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