6 Best Paid Tools for Affiliate Marketing (What I Actually Pay For Every Month)

These are the six paid tools I actually write checks for every month to grow my affiliate marketing business. Not tools I have heard are great. Not tools someone paid me to mention. The tools I actually use every single day, or just about, to build income online.

They range from around $12 per month on the low end to $99 per month on the higher end. Some have free alternatives, and I will name those where they exist. But before we get into it, I want to be clear: you do not have to use these tools. These are just what I use to make my life a little bit easier. Spend money on tools only if you have money to spend on growing your business. If you do not have the money, do not spend it.

What You’ll Walk Out With

Understand why email marketing is the tool serious affiliate marketers pay for first
Know exactly what Ahrefs does and whether it is worth the $99/month price tag
See why a branded domain name matters more than most beginners realize
Learn how one $54.99 one-time purchase can replace Photoshop’s monthly fee
Get a breakdown of three freelance platforms and exactly what each one is good for
Find out how an AI writing tool like Jarvis.ai can save you hours every week
Discover how to figure out which online courses are worth buying vs. which to skip
Find your own next best step at finder.platformproof.com

Tool 1: GetResponse (Email Marketing)

The first paid tool I pay for is GetResponse, and I talk about it in nearly every video because email marketing is that important. GetResponse gives you a free plan that covers your first 500 subscribers, so you can get started without spending anything. But once you cross that 500-subscriber mark, you will need to start paying.

Here is what that looks like in practice: the basic paid tier starts at $12 per month for up to 1,000 contacts. From there it scales up, all the way to $81 per month on the higher end. That might sound like a lot when you are just getting started, but if you are serious about scaling your affiliate marketing business, email marketing is not optional. It is the foundation.

Here is the honest case for email: every social platform, every YouTube channel, every piece of content you make can disappear. But your email list is yours. If my YouTube channel went away tomorrow, I would still have my list to fall back on. That is not a small thing. Email marketing is the one traffic source that you actually own, and GetResponse makes it easy to manage at a price that most people can realistically afford as they grow. If you want to grow and scale your affiliate marketing business, this is where I would start.

Tool 2: Ahrefs (Keyword Research and Competitor Analysis)

Ahrefs is the second tool I pay for, and I mention it in almost every video. The reason is simple: Ahrefs cuts down the time it takes to get things done when you are doing keyword research or competitive analysis.

Here is how I actually use it. I type in a word and see what pops up. I adjust the keyword difficulty filter to find topics I have a real shot at ranking for. I use it to spy on what competitors are ranking for and find angles I have not covered yet. I also use it as a source of inspiration. Type in a word like “how” and just see what people are searching for, then filter by difficulty and start jumping down rabbit holes. That open-ended discovery is one of the things that makes it worth the price for me personally. I did a separate video covering three or four specific ways to use Ahrefs for affiliate marketing if you want to go deeper on that.

The pricing is where some people get nervous. You can start with a $7 trial for the first seven days, but after that it goes up to $99 per month. I understand that can be kind of expensive, and I am not going to pretend otherwise. My honest advice: only spend money on a tool if you have money available to grow your business. If $99 per month is going to put stress on your situation, hold off. There are cheaper alternatives to Ahrefs, but I would not personally recommend them because I am most comfortable with what I know, and Ahrefs does exactly what I need it to do.

Tool 3: Your Own Domain Name and Web Hosting

This one is not a single product, but I treat it as a tool because it is something I pay for regularly and it is the foundation of my entire operation. Having your own domain name and website is something I recommend to any affiliate marketer who is serious about building a long-term business.

One of the most practical benefits of having your own branded domain is link management. Instead of using Bitly or Linktree, I can use my own domain to create clean branded redirect links to any affiliate offer. For example, if I want to redirect to ClickFunnels, I just have my domain name with a forward slash and “clickfunnels” after it. It looks more professional and you have full control over where the link goes. You can do this with any domain, whether it is a general name or something targeted to a specific niche like pets.

To get started, you can use a host like Bluehost. The entry-level pricing comes in at around $2.95 to $3.95 per month, which works out to roughly $100 per year. That is a pretty low barrier for what you get. I personally use a VPS, which stands for virtual private server. A VPS means you are renting your own dedicated block of server space that is not shared with other accounts. That lets me run multiple domain names and websites from one place. But a standard shared hosting plan from Bluehost or a similar provider is a perfectly fine place to start.

The resilience argument is worth making here too. If something happened and I lost my YouTube channel today, I would still have my website. That would be a real blow to my business, but I would not be starting from zero. Your website is a home base that no algorithm can take from you, and that matters no matter what niche you are in.

Tool 4: Affinity Photo (Image and Thumbnail Creation)

The fourth tool I pay for is Affinity Photo, which I use to create thumbnails, images, and all sorts of visual assets for my content. Most people think of Photoshop as the standard for this kind of work, but Photoshop charges a monthly subscription fee for continued access to updates. Affinity Photo is a one-time purchase.

When I first bought it, the price was around $50. As of this video it is $54.99 for the desktop version and $9.99 if you want to use it on an iPad. You pay once and you keep using it. They have sent me updates over the year and a half or two years I have had it and I have never had to buy a new version or pay again.

One thing that makes it a genuine Photoshop alternative is that you can import PSD files, which are Photoshop’s native file format, and edit them right inside Affinity Photo without any conversion step. If you have Photoshop templates you have downloaded or you are picking up a project that was started in Photoshop, it just works. And you can install it on multiple computers. I have it on two desktops and a laptop, all covered by that single purchase.

Canva is the free alternative here and it is genuinely good, especially for beginners. But it does have some limiting factors once you get into more detailed image work. If you want to step up your video and photo editing, Affinity Photo is a one-time investment that will save you money compared to any monthly subscription tool over the long run. Affinity also has other products like Affinity Designer, though I do not have personal experience with those.

Tool 5: Freelancers (HireWriter, OnlineJobs.ph, and Fiverr)

Every month I spend money on freelancers, and I use three different platforms depending on what the task is. Each one fills a different role in how I run things.

HireWriter is where I go for written content. I use it mostly to develop YouTube scripts and to produce shorter blog posts. It works well for written deliverables that follow a clear brief and fit neatly into a template or structure you already have in mind.

OnlineJobs.ph is where I find voiceover talent and video editors. This is also the platform that powers a lot of YouTube automation channels, sometimes called “cash cow” channels. If you have ever wondered how people run those channels where they are not on camera and the video just seems to produce itself, this is often how they do it. They find a voiceover artist on OnlineJobs.ph, a video editor, and they pay a fraction of what the same services would cost in Western markets. It is a real model and it scales if you are willing to manage the people side of it.

Fiverr is where I go for lower-level, straightforward tasks where you know exactly what you want and a lot of sellers can do it. For example, I hired a Spanish voiceover artist on Fiverr because I do not know Spanish at all. That is the kind of thing Fiverr is ideal for: simple, repeatable deliverables where prices are competitive because supply is high. I would not use Fiverr for something difficult or high-level. Keep Fiverr basic and save it for the tasks that are well-defined and widely available.

The bigger idea here is that outsourcing pieces of your workflow is how you grow past what one person can do alone. There are only so many hours in a day, and paying someone else to handle a task you could technically do yourself is a real business decision. Start with the tasks that are time-consuming but do not require you specifically to execute them.

Tool 6: Jarvis.ai (AI Writing Assistance)

The sixth tool I pay for is Jarvis.ai, an AI-powered writing assistant. I use it for a wider range of things than most people would expect from an AI writing tool.

One of my regular uses is answering questions on Quora. Jarvis makes it fast and easy to draft a solid, on-topic response to questions in my niche, which saves a lot of time compared to writing each answer from scratch. Another use is coming up with YouTube video titles and ideas. When you are staring at a blank page trying to figure out what your next video should be called, having a tool that generates a bunch of options in seconds is genuinely useful. You will not use every suggestion, but the good ones give you a real starting point.

I also use Jarvis for email writing. Sometimes I have no idea where to start with an email to my list, especially when I am feeling stuck on a topic. I will open Jarvis, give it a prompt, and let it generate something I can refine from there. It does not replace my voice. It gets me past the blank page problem fast, which is the real value.

One combination that worked well for me: I hired someone through OnlineJobs.ph to write blog posts, and I had them use Jarvis to speed up their output. A freelance writer plus an AI writing tool produced blog content at a rate and cost that would not have been possible without both pieces working together. There is a lot of opportunity in Jarvis if you start thinking creatively about how to use it in your workflow.

Not sure which tool or skill to focus on next?

Take two minutes at finder.platformproof.com and find out exactly where to put your attention based on where you are right now.

Bonus Tool: YouTube Optimization (Fame.me, TubeBuddy, or VidIQ)

Beyond the core six tools, I also pay for a YouTube optimization tool. Right now I use Fame.me, though TubeBuddy and VidIQ are solid alternatives. Pick the one you are most comfortable with and stick with it.

What I actually use it for day to day: writing video descriptions and organizing tags. My YouTube descriptions follow a consistent, formulaic structure, and this tool helps me stick to that format every time I upload without having to rebuild it from scratch. Tags are not the most important ranking factor in YouTube’s algorithm, but they still help, and the tag suggestions make sure I am covering the relevant ones for each video. This is a tool I use basically every single day when I am producing content, so it earns its spot even if it does not always come up in conversations about affiliate marketing tools.

Bonus: Online Courses (Invest to Fill Real Knowledge Gaps)

The last item is not a specific product but a spending habit worth building: buying online courses when you hit a knowledge gap that free content is not closing on its own.

Here is when a course is worth buying. You are learning affiliate marketing and you keep running into the same wall. Say it is Facebook ads. You have watched YouTube video after YouTube video and you still feel stuck. The reason free content often fails at this point is that it is not structured or linear. You might find part one of a Facebook ads tutorial and then stumble onto part three and never find part two. A good paid course is structured from start to finish so you move through the material in order without gaps.

I am not telling you to buy every course that crosses your feed. The rule is simpler than that: only buy a course when it solves a specific problem or closes a specific knowledge gap that you are actively running into. When you hit a stop in your progress where free content is not getting you past a particular hurdle, that is the moment to consider paying for something structured that will walk you through it properly.

Monthly Budget Breakdown: What This Stack Actually Costs

Here is what this full tool stack looks like when you add it up based on what was shared in the video:

GetResponse: starting at $12/month for up to 1,000 contacts, scaling to $81/month at higher tiers
Ahrefs: $7 for a seven-day trial, then $99/month
Domain name and web hosting: roughly $2.95 to $3.95/month on Bluehost (about $100/year)
Affinity Photo: $54.99 one-time for desktop, $9.99 for iPad (not a recurring monthly cost)
Freelancers: varies by task and platform; OnlineJobs.ph tends to be very cost-effective for ongoing help
Jarvis.ai: subscription-based (plan pricing varies)
YouTube tool (Fame.me / TubeBuddy / VidIQ): varies by platform and tier

If you ran GetResponse at the base tier and Ahrefs at full price, that is already $111 per month in tool costs before freelancers or courses. That is real money, especially before you have built meaningful income. The right approach is to add tools one at a time as your business revenue grows to support them. Start free where you can, move to paid when you hit the limits of free, and only add the next tool when you can justify the cost from results you are already seeing.

Which Tool Should You Start With?

If I could only pick one tool from this list for someone just getting started, it would be email marketing. The reason is that your email list is the one asset in affiliate marketing that you actually own. Every other platform can restrict or remove your account. Your email list travels with you.

GetResponse lets you start for free up to 500 subscribers, so the barrier to getting started is zero. You will not pay a thing until you have grown enough that the $12/month tier makes complete sense as an investment against what your list is already producing.

After email marketing, if you are creating content and want to cut the time it takes to find winning topics, add Ahrefs when your budget allows. If you are creating any visual content and want to stop paying monthly for Photoshop, Affinity Photo is a one-time purchase that pays for itself quickly. Build the stack one tool at a time and only add the next one when you can see a clear return on the investment from what you are already doing.

Find Your X

Knowing which tools exist is one thing. Knowing which tool to actually focus on first, based on where you are right now in your business, is a different question entirely. If you want a direct answer based on your specific situation, go to finder.platformproof.com and find out exactly where to put your energy next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GetResponse worth paying for once I hit 500 subscribers?

Yes. At $12 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, GetResponse is one of the more affordable email platforms available. If you have 500 subscribers and are growing, you already have an asset worth protecting and building. The monthly cost is easy to justify once your list starts generating affiliate commissions consistently.

Can I use a free keyword research tool instead of Ahrefs?

There are cheaper alternatives to Ahrefs and some free options exist as well. Alston mentions in the video that he would not personally recommend them because he is most comfortable with what he knows. If budget is tight, start with free tools and plan to upgrade to Ahrefs when your business has the revenue to support the $99/month cost without creating financial stress.

Do I really need my own website for affiliate marketing?

You can get started without one, but having your own domain name and website gives you a home base that no platform can take away. It also lets you create clean branded redirect links for your affiliate offers without depending on Bitly or Linktree. If you are serious about building a long-term business, a website at roughly $100 per year through a host like Bluehost is a smart investment early on.

What is the difference between a VPS and shared hosting?

Shared hosting means your website lives on a server alongside many other websites, all sharing the same resources. A VPS, or virtual private server, gives you your own dedicated block of server space that is not shared with anyone else. This is more reliable and allows you to run multiple websites from one place. Beginners can start with shared hosting and consider upgrading to a VPS as their operation grows.

Why choose Affinity Photo over Photoshop?

Affinity Photo costs $54.99 once and you own it. Photoshop charges a monthly subscription fee to maintain access. Affinity Photo can import and edit Photoshop PSD files, so there is no compatibility problem if you have existing Photoshop assets or templates. Over one to two years, the one-time cost of Affinity Photo is significantly less than a Photoshop subscription, and you can install it on multiple computers with a single purchase.

What is OnlineJobs.ph and how does it work?

OnlineJobs.ph is a platform where you can hire workers based in the Philippines for a wide range of remote tasks. Alston uses it specifically for voiceover artists and video editors. It is the same platform many YouTube automation channel operators use to staff their operations at a fraction of what similar services cost elsewhere. You post a job listing, review applicants, and hire who you want at an agreed rate.

What tasks is Fiverr best suited for?

Fiverr works best for simple, repeatable, well-defined tasks where you know exactly what you want and many sellers can deliver it. Alston uses it for tasks like hiring a Spanish voiceover artist. He recommends keeping Fiverr basic and not using it for complex or high-level work. For anything requiring deeper expertise or complex judgment calls, HireWriter or OnlineJobs.ph is a better fit.

How do I know when a paid course is actually worth buying?

Buy a course when you have a specific knowledge gap that free content is not filling in a structured way. For example, if you have watched multiple free YouTube tutorials on Facebook ads and still feel stuck because the content is scattered and non-linear, a paid course that walks you through the topic from start to finish is worth considering. Do not buy courses just because they exist or because someone is promoting them. Buy them when they solve a real, specific problem you are already actively working on.

Sources

Alston Godbolt, “Best Paid Tools For Affiliate Marketing 2022 – 6 Best Paid Tools For Affiliate Marketing,” YouTube, https://youtu.be/Y9_IT20jGwk
GetResponse pricing: starting at $12/month for 1,000 contacts, scaling to $81/month, as cited in the video
Ahrefs pricing: $7 for a seven-day trial, then $99/month, as cited in the video
Affinity Photo pricing: $54.99 one-time desktop purchase, $9.99 for iPad, as cited in the video
Bluehost shared hosting: starting at approximately $2.95 to $3.95/month, as cited in the video