Signs you can spot by eye
An affiliate link carries an ID that tells the shop who sent you. On most big shops you can see it in the address once the link has opened.
| Shop or network |
Look for |
| Amazon |
tag= followed by an ID such as yourtag-20 |
| AliExpress |
s.click.aliexpress.com, or aff_fcid, aff_trace_key and sk= in the address |
| eBay |
campid= followed by 10 digits, with mkcid=1 |
| Walmart |
A link starting goto.walmart.com/c/, or walmrt.us |
| Target, Best Buy |
goto.target.com/c/ or bestbuy.7tiv.net/c/ |
| Etsy and many UK shops |
A link through awin1.com |
| Impact |
/c/ followed by three numbers, on hosts such as sjv.io, pxf.io or goto. plus the shop's name |
| CJ |
Hosts such as anrdoezrs.net, jdoqocy.com, tkqlhce.com, dpbolvw.net or kqzyfj.com |
| Rakuten |
click.linksynergy.com |
| ShareASale (now part of Awin) |
shareasale.com/r.cfm |
| Skimlinks, Sovrn |
go.skimresources.com, go.redirectingat.com, redirect.viglink.com |
| ClickBank |
hop.clickbank.net |
| Software and online courses |
?ref=, ?via=, ?aff= or ?fpr= at the end of the address |
Parts such as utm_source, utm_campaign, fbclid and gclid are campaign and ad labels. Anyone can add them, and on their own they do not make a link an affiliate link.
Links that hide it
Some links do not show the ID until they open:
- short links such as
amzn.to, bit.ly or geni.us
- links on a creator's own site that start
/go/, /out/ or /recommends/
- links inside Google, Facebook or YouTube wrappers
You cannot tell these by eye. Paste them in the box above and we follow them for you.
What an affiliate link means for you
The person who shared the link earns a commission if you buy. On the big shops the price you pay is the same either way.
Creators in the US, UK, Canada and Australia are expected to say when a link earns them money. A note such as "I earn a commission from links on this page" is that disclosure.
If you want to support the person who shared the link, use it as it is. If you would rather not, the checker gives you a clean copy with the affiliate ID removed. If you use a cashback site, open the shop from that site just before you buy, so its own tracking is the one that counts.
Common questions
Does an affiliate link cost me more?
On Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Walmart and most big shops, no. The shop pays the commission, and the price is the same with or without the link.
Can you tell me whose affiliate link it is?
Sometimes you can see the ID itself, such as an Amazon tag. The shops and networks do not publish which person owns an ID, so we cannot name them. AliExpress codes do not name anyone at all.
How can I tell if an Amazon link is an affiliate link?
Look for tag= in the address. Short links such as amzn.to hide it until they open, so paste them above. See the Amazon link checker for every Amazon format.
Is a link with utm_source in it an affiliate link?
Not on its own. utm_ parts are campaign labels for the site's own analytics. An affiliate link carries an affiliate ID or passes through an affiliate network.
How do I remove the affiliate ID from a link?
Paste the link above and choose "No affiliate ID" under the clean link. Copy that version. A purchase through it will not credit any affiliate.
Why do people shorten affiliate links?
Short links are easier to share and let the person count clicks. Some also send visitors to the right store for their country.
