5 Affiliate Programs Compared for Retirees (Side Hustle Focus)
If you’re retired or nearing retirement and want a flexible side hustle, affiliate marketing can be a good fit.
The table below compares five popular programs on cost, commissions, complexity, and how retiree‑friendly they are.
If you want options beyond these five, I have also compared five under-the-radar affiliate marketing programs for side hustles.
Common features of all these businesses:
- As with any business, online or offline, there is no reward without effort.
- You will earn more money if you build a team – which means you must learn the skills of driving visitors to your site. (Training and resources are included in each of the programs, or can be produced by free programs such as Canva.)
- You can spend time, or you can spend money, or both. But NOTHING happens unless you put the training into action.
NEVER spend more money than you can afford, and especially never spend food, mortgage / rent money in anticipation of future income.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I am an affiliate, and in profit with all of the programs below, BUT if I didn’t trust the owners, I wouldn’t promote them. Sadly, in my quest to find the perfect retirement business, I have dismissed many as untrustworthy. Learn to spot the signs of a scam when choosing a side hustle before you commit.
| Program | What it is | Entry cost (typical) | Commission structure | Recurring income? | Technical complexity | Retiree‑friendly features | Main caveats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClickBank Profit Club | ClickBank affiliate system + training by 9x Platinum ClickBank vendor John Thornhill. | Free to join; optional upgrades from $37, $67, $97 per month to unlock further training. Low cost trainings and services offered as options. |
Commissions on ClickBank products promoted via provided funnels; exact % varies by product/upsell.
Free members can earn, but at a lower level than VIPs. |
Monthly, or annual, membership offers have recurring commissions; extra one‑time/upsell offers to help you earn money from your team (IF you promote). Your commission earned depends on your membership level. |
Low: services such as connecting email service and creating a blog (optional) are available to purchase if you’re unable to follow the training. | DFY funnel & email sequences; coaching for you and anyone you introduce; no need to build your own product. Use ClickBank offers already created. | Not passive; income depends on your traffic/effort. |
| Home Business Academy (HBA) | Online business training + page builder + affiliate program. Use the page builder to launch a website for ANY business. | Core memberships: $25/mo (Page / Funnel Builder) and $125/mo (Premium); lower‑cost list‑building and Facebook recruiter option is $10/mo, plus mailing credits. Credits are 15,000 for $15, which works out to $1 per 1,000 emails sent. | 80% recurring commissions on monthly products you personally own and refer; single‑tier (no MLM downlines). | Yes.
Recruiting is optional, but selling 2 products (you own) puts you into profit. |
The HBA mailer is extremely easy to start up.
Low–moderate: drag‑and‑drop page / funnel builder, step‑by‑step training, community support. |
Explicitly positioned for retirees; high commissions mean 2 referrals can cover your subscription; coaching & community. | You must own a product to earn on it; still requires consistent promotion; monthly fees. |
| Easy Commission Funnel (ECF) | Free, “done‑for‑you” affiliate system that routes traffic to multiple affiliate programs (often 6–7 streams). | Free to join; pay for your own autoresponder or optional upgrades/traffic. | Earn commissions from several integrated affiliate programs; amounts vary by program and what you promote. | Often includes recurring‑commission programs, but depends on which offers you use. | Low: one capture page/funnel, basic training, focus on simple traffic methods. | Free entry; multiple income streams from one funnel; simple for beginners. | Income depends on which programs you plug in and your traffic; some upsells/optional paid tools. |
| Wellness.club
UK Only |
Health & wellness–focused brand/club; affiliate program promotes supplements, wellness products, memberships. | Free to join as a customer and earn loyalty credits. Or join as an Advocate for £9, or £99 for the multi-level team-building structure. You will buy and/or sell wellness products / subscriptions. |
Commonly in the 15–30% range for supplements/wellness; some programs offer 20–30% recurring on subscriptions. See website for full details. |
Possible if promoting subscription boxes, apps, or membership plans; some are one‑time product sales.
|
Low–moderate: share leaflets, links, create content around health/wellness topics. | Evergreen niche; good if you’re passionate about health; can be promoted via blog, social, email, or ‘old-school’ face-to-face. | Because a physical product is being sold, commissions usually lower than digital programs. Must follow health‑claims/compliance rules. |
| OLSP (One Lead System Pixel) | Affiliate training + “Mega Link” funnel system by Wayne Crowe; social-media and beginner‑focused. | $7 for Mega Link entry; higher tiers from ~$47–$199/mo or lifetime options. All upgrades optional, but unlock higher commissions. |
100% commission on front‑end $7 product; additional commissions on higher‑tier memberships you qualify for; some 2‑tier options at advanced levels. | Yes, via monthly membership tiers (Traffic Rotator, Mega Builders, Team Builders, etc.).
Unusually, you can earn by watching the training videos. |
Low: simple funnel, focus on free social traffic and basic paid traffic training. | Very low entry cost; clear step‑by‑step training; live sessions; community. | Regular free training webinars include many optional opportunities to buy!
Real income needs consistent content/traffic; not passive – other than if you have built a team that is working for you. |
Which Are Best for Retirees?
- Best long-term online side hustle for retirees: ClickBankProfit Club – powerful because you will build long-term assets, a mailing list (essential for any online business) and a blog (desirable). Register a free account to check out the training. You can even earn as a free member. Live weekly calls most Wednesdays, and good support.
- Simplest overall for most retirees: Home Business Academy – 80% recurring commissions, funnel builder, training, and community. Low-cost emailer. Good support.
- Best low‑cost, simple start: Easy Commission Funnel and OLSP – free for training, or $7 to start earning commissions – excellent for learning principles of affiliate marketing with minimal risk.
- In those above, the product creator sends emails to your team to encourage and teach them. You should be ready to read and act on these emails.
- Best if you are in the UK and love health & wellness: Wellness.club – ideal if you enjoy connecting face-to-face, or already blog or post about fitness, nutrition, or healthy ageing.
Always read the latest terms on each program’s official site and start with one system you can stick with consistently, until you are in profit. Only when you have systems in place to promote your first business should you move on to a further program.
Not sure which is right for you? Register and check out the free ones, then contact me with your questions on Facebook.
