Must-Have Tools for Affiliate Marketing (And the Optional Ones Worth Buying Later)

Every week someone reaches out to Alston saying they have been grinding for months and have nothing to show for it. When he asks what tools they are running, the answer is almost always the same: they bought a course, signed up for every software the guru recommended, and now they are $300 a month in the hole before a single commission has landed. The problem is not effort. The problem is the wrong gear at the wrong time.

In this post, Alston breaks down the exact tools he uses every day as a full-time affiliate marketer, what each one costs, and where to find them. He also covers the optional tools worth buying once the money starts coming in, so you know what to aim for without spending cash you have not earned yet. These are not recommendations pulled from a list. These are tools Alston uses in some capacity every single day.

What You’ll Walk Out With

The six must-have tools that cost almost nothing to set up today
Why a $3-per-month domain beats every free website builder on the market
How email marketing closes the gap when social media algorithms bury your content
The free platforms (Google Drive, Canva) that work as real business tools, not just shortcuts
Four optional upgrades worth buying once your commissions start coming in
The lean philosophy that keeps new affiliates from going broke before their first sale
A free tool at finder.platformproof.com that matches you to the affiliate niche that fits your existing skills

The One Rule That Drives This Whole List

Before getting into each tool, it helps to understand the mindset behind the list. Alston’s rule is simple: be as lean as possible when you are starting out. Do not spend money if you do not have to. Only reinvest once you start seeing a return. That means skipping the $97-per-month all-in-one funnel builder, the $50-per-month keyword research subscription, and the ring-light kit that costs more than a weekend’s worth of commissions.

The tools below are split into two groups. The first group is what you absolutely need on day one. Most of them are free. The second group is what you buy once you are profitable, not before. This distinction matters because the biggest mistake new affiliates make is spending like a six-figure marketer before they have made their first sale. Alston built a full-time income with the must-have tools before upgrading to anything on the optional list.

Must-Have Tool 1: Domain Name and Web Hosting

A domain name and web hosting is the only item on the must-have list that costs money, and the cost is low. Alston says you can get both for as little as $3 per month. That price point matters because it removes the excuse that getting started requires a real budget.

Here is what owning a domain unlocks. First, you can set up redirects. If Alston sends someone to alstongodbolt.com/start, that URL goes wherever he points it. That is powerful for affiliate links because you control the destination without changing the URL people see in your content. You can update the redirect whenever an offer changes without breaking any existing links. Second, you can launch a blog. You do not have to write daily. You do not even have to write weekly. But having a blog gives you a home base where people can find you, read your content, and decide whether they trust you enough to buy through your links.

Third, and most importantly, a website is the one asset on the internet that you actually own. Social media accounts can be deactivated. YouTube channels can be suspended. Algorithms change without warning and platforms rewrite their rules overnight. A domain you pay for is yours. If every platform you post on disappeared tomorrow, your website would still be standing. That is the real reason this is the only paid item on the must-have list.

What about free website builders like Wix or Google Sites? Alston says you could technically start there, but he does not recommend it. Free platforms can change their terms of service and pull your site without warning. They are also severely limited in customization. You cannot set up the same kind of redirect infrastructure on a free Wix site that you can on a self-hosted WordPress install. For $3 a month you get full ownership and full flexibility. The cost is too low to justify the risk of building on someone else’s land.

Must-Have Tool 2: Smartphone With Internet Connection

Yes, a smartphone is on the official must-have list. This is intentional. Alston starts the list at the most accessible point possible because a lot of people talk themselves out of starting affiliate marketing because they believe they need expensive equipment before they can move. That belief is false.

If you have a smartphone and an internet connection, you can apply to affiliate programs, create content for social media, monitor your stats, communicate with your audience, and run your email marketing setup. The screen is small and the keyboard is frustrating for long-form work, but the barrier to entry is zero. You can run a real affiliate marketing operation from your phone until the commissions justify something better. That is the entire point of putting this on the list: the excuse that you do not have the right equipment is gone.

Must-Have Tool 3: Landing Page and Email Marketing

This is where most new affiliate marketers leave serious money on the table. Alston is direct about it: if you are not doing email marketing, you will need thousands of clicks to start seeing commissions. He hears from people every week who say they are getting hundreds of clicks but not making any money. The first thing he asks is whether they are doing email marketing. The answer is almost always no.

The reason this matters is that people rarely buy the first time they encounter an offer. They need to see you more than once before they trust you enough to act. Social media algorithms make repeat exposure unreliable. You might show up in someone’s feed once and then disappear forever. Email solves that problem by letting you follow up with every lead automatically, on a schedule you set, independent of any platform’s algorithm.

Here is how a basic email marketing setup works. You build a landing page that offers something valuable for free. That is your lead magnet, a guide, a checklist, a short video, whatever is genuinely useful to your target audience. When someone opts in to get it, they enter your autoresponder sequence. The autoresponder sends a series of pre-written emails over days or weeks, building trust and warming people up to your affiliate offers. On top of that you send broadcast emails for timely promotions and new content. Put those four pieces together and you have a system that follows up with every single lead without any manual work on your end.

Alston personally uses ClickFunnels for his landing pages and GetResponse for email delivery. But he makes clear you do not need to start there. AWeber has a free plan. GetResponse has a free tier. Systeme.io is free and handles both landing pages and email in a single platform, which makes it the cleanest starting point for someone who wants to set this up without connecting multiple tools. The entire four-piece system (landing page, lead magnet, autoresponder, broadcast emails) can be built for zero dollars. There is no financial excuse for skipping email marketing at the start.

Must-Have Tool 4: Google Drive

Google Drive is on the list because it is free, it is accessible from any device, and it solves three real operational problems that affiliate marketers face on a daily basis.

First, you can use it to deliver your lead magnet. If your freebie is a PDF guide, a swipe file, or a checklist, put it in Google Drive, set the sharing to “anyone with the link,” and paste that link into your autoresponder sequence. No file hosting service required. No monthly fee. No storage limit to worry about at the scale you will be operating at early on.

Second, it is a cloud storage system for all your business files. Scripts, images, templates, promotional materials, spreadsheets tracking your commissions. Everything you need to keep and find again goes here. Third, you can use it to collaborate with others when you are ready to bring in help. Alston says every time he creates a new lead magnet, it goes straight to Google Drive. He clicks the share link and it is done. Simple, free, and integrated into tools most people already use every day.

Not sure which affiliate niche fits your skills and background?

Answer a few questions at finder.platformproof.com and get a personalized match showing exactly where to start based on what you already know.

Must-Have Tool 5: Canva

Alston calls Canva one of the best websites on the internet. That is not an overstatement for someone who needs to create visual content without a design budget. Canva handles photo editing, video editing, social media graphics, YouTube thumbnails, TikTok videos, Pinterest pins, and more, all inside a single browser tab or smartphone app.

There is a free version and a premium version. The free version covers about 99% of what you need when starting out. Alston keeps noting in the original video that it is free because he is genuinely surprised at how much the platform gives away at no cost. It is a real alternative to Photoshop or any design software that used to cost hundreds of dollars a year. The app works on your smartphone, so you can create content on the go without needing a laptop.

For affiliate marketers specifically, Canva is how you build the visual layer of your content without hiring a designer. Make a thumbnail for your YouTube video. Design a cover image for your lead magnet PDF. Put together a branded graphic for Instagram or Pinterest. Create simple animated clips for TikTok. All of that is available on the free tier. When you are ready to upgrade, the paid plan unlocks premium templates and a larger asset library for about $13 per month.

Must-Have Tool 6: Your Existing Setup

Alston recaps six must-have tools in the video, and the sixth is implied in everything he says about the lean philosophy: use what you already have and resist the urge to spend money on things you do not yet need. The must-have toolkit adds up to $3 per month for domain and hosting. Everything else is free. That is the full cost of starting a real affiliate marketing business today.

The smartphone you already carry handles content creation and account management. Google Drive and Canva cost nothing. AWeber, GetResponse, or Systeme.io covers email at the free tier. The domain and hosting is your only real spend. If you add all of that up, the entire must-have toolkit costs less than a coffee shop visit per month. Anyone reading this already has access to the tools they need to start.

Optional Upgrade 1: Laptop or Desktop

Once commissions start coming in, the first upgrade Alston recommends is a laptop or desktop computer. He is honest about the personal reason: he has bad eyes and working on a small phone screen is frustrating. But there are practical reasons beyond personal comfort that apply to everyone.

A laptop or desktop gives you significantly more storage than a smartphone. It runs tasks faster in most cases. It makes email marketing, long-form content writing, and managing multiple tools at once dramatically easier. Multitasking is possible on a phone but genuinely slow. On a laptop you can have your email platform, your content editor, your affiliate dashboard, and your analytics open at the same time. The upgrade is worth it once the business can support the cost, not before.

Optional Upgrade 2: DSLR or Mirrorless Camera

Alston uses the Canon M50 Mark II for his video content. Every Saturday he sets the camera up, turns it on, looks directly into the lens, and records. He batches his TikTok content in a single session rather than recording one video at a time throughout the week.

He chose a dedicated mirrorless camera over his iPhone for two practical reasons. Using a dedicated camera preserves his iPhone battery and keeps its storage free. Long recording sessions on a phone drain the battery fast and fill up storage space with large video files. A dedicated camera eliminates both problems. The video also has more visual depth than a smartphone camera, which makes the content look more professional and holds viewer attention better. This is an upgrade for after you are profitable, not a requirement from day one.

Optional Upgrade 3: Dedicated Microphone

Alston’s microphone is the Blue Yeti X. He chose it over his iPhone’s built-in microphone because the wireless audio option on a phone does not produce clean enough sound for his standard. The Blue Yeti X is a condenser microphone that picks up voice clearly and reduces background noise compared to a phone microphone used at a distance.

Audio quality matters more than video quality for most content formats. A viewer will watch a slightly grainy video with great audio. They will click away from a polished video with bad audio in the first ten seconds. If you are creating video content and building an audience, upgrading your microphone often has a bigger impact on watch time and retention than upgrading your camera. The Blue Yeti X is a solid first dedicated mic, and there are similar condenser options at lower price points if the budget does not stretch that far yet.

Optional Upgrade 4: Lighting

Alston’s current lighting setup includes a softbox positioned overhead and two blue accent lights he purchased from Amazon. He notes that the lighting makes the video look noticeably better, but it is not something you should buy before you have made your first sale.

Good lighting removes harsh shadows, gives your face proper definition on camera, and signals to viewers that you take what you are doing seriously. That signal builds trust. Natural window light works well as a free alternative for daytime recording. Position yourself facing the window rather than with the window behind you. When the budget allows, a basic softbox kit from Amazon is a low-cost way to make a significant visual improvement to your content regardless of the time of day you record.

Honest Drawbacks of the Must-Have Setup

The must-have list is real, but there are genuine friction points worth knowing before you start.

Working entirely from a smartphone is workable but genuinely slow for anything beyond short-form content creation or checking stats. Typing long emails on a phone keyboard, formatting landing pages on a small screen, and trying to run multiple tools at once will all take significantly longer than they would on a laptop. If you have access to even a used laptop, it will speed up your progress considerably.

Free email marketing tools have subscriber limits. AWeber’s free plan supports up to 500 subscribers before you need to pay. GetResponse and Systeme.io have their own thresholds. Once your list grows past those limits, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan. That is a good problem to have, but build it into your planning so the bill does not come as a surprise right when your list starts gaining traction.

Canva’s free version has template and asset restrictions. Some premium elements are behind a paywall. For most beginners this is not a blocking issue, but if you are trying to match a very specific brand aesthetic, you may hit those limits sooner than expected. The paid plan is roughly $13 per month and unlocks a large additional library of templates and design assets.

Domain and hosting promotional rates of $3 per month are often introductory pricing for the first year. The renewal rate after year one is typically higher. Check the renewal price before you commit so you know what the real ongoing cost is before you build your business infrastructure around that provider.

The Build Order That Makes Sense

Here is the sequence Alston’s framework implies, stated plainly:

Day one: Register your domain and hosting ($3/month). Sign up for Systeme.io or AWeber free tier. Create a Canva account. Set up Google Drive. You are operational.
Week one: Build your landing page, create your lead magnet, write your first autoresponder sequence. All free.
First commissions: Reinvest into a laptop or desktop first since it multiplies your output across every other task.
Consistent commissions: Add a dedicated microphone next. Audio quality has the highest return on investment for content creators after a basic computing setup.
Stable income: Consider a mirrorless camera and lighting rig. At this stage you are optimizing an already-working system, not trying to build one.

Find Your X

Having the right tools is step one. Knowing what to promote with them is step two. If you are still figuring out which affiliate niche makes sense for your background, the free quiz at finder.platformproof.com is the fastest way to get a real answer. You answer a few questions about your skills and experience, and it shows you the specific affiliate category where you have the highest chance of making real money without starting from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a website to do affiliate marketing?

You can technically promote affiliate links without one, but Alston considers a website mandatory. It is the only online asset you fully own. Social media accounts and YouTube channels can be taken down at any time by the platform. A domain you pay for stays yours. It also gives you the ability to set up redirect links and run a blog, both of which make your affiliate business more stable and professional over the long run.

Is a free website builder like Wix good enough?

Alston says you could start there but recommends against it. Free platforms can change their terms of service and remove your site without notice. They are also limited in the customization and redirect capability you get with a self-hosted site. For $3 a month you get full ownership and full control. The cost is too low to justify building on someone else’s platform.

What is the best free email marketing tool for beginners?

Alston mentions AWeber, GetResponse, and Systeme.io as free starting points. Systeme.io is worth highlighting specifically because it handles both landing pages and email marketing inside one platform at no cost, which simplifies setup for someone who wants to get running without connecting multiple tools. It is the cleanest all-in-one free option available right now.

Why does email marketing matter more than social media traffic?

Social media algorithms control who sees your content and when. You can post every day and still have most of your audience never see your offer more than once. Email bypasses that problem entirely. When someone is on your list, you can reach them directly on a schedule you control. That ability to follow up repeatedly is what converts leads into buyers. Without it, you need massive traffic volume to hit commission targets that email marketing achieves at a fraction of the traffic.

Can I really do enough with Canva’s free version?

Yes. The free tier covers YouTube thumbnails, TikTok clips, Pinterest pins, social media graphics, lead magnet covers, and presentation templates. Alston repeatedly emphasizes how much Canva gives away for free because he is surprised by it himself. The premium upgrade at around $13 per month unlocks more templates and a larger asset library, but the free version handles the core creative needs of an affiliate marketer starting out.

When should I buy the optional tools?

When the commissions justify it. Alston’s framework is simple: do not spend money you have not earned yet. Once you are seeing consistent affiliate income, reinvest a portion into the optional upgrades in order of impact on your output. For most people that order is laptop first, then microphone, then camera, then lighting. Each upgrade should be funded by revenue from the business, not savings from your day job.

Is the Canon M50 Mark II specifically required for TikTok content?

No. Alston uses it because it suits his workflow and addresses specific problems he had with phone recording (battery drain, storage limits, video depth). Any mirrorless or DSLR camera that shoots 1080p or higher and has continuous recording without a time limit would accomplish the same goals. The M50 Mark II is what he uses, not the only option worth considering.

What microphone does Alston use and is it worth the price?

Alston uses the Blue Yeti X, a condenser USB microphone with a desk stand. He chose it because the wireless microphone option on his iPhone does not produce clean enough audio for his content. The Blue Yeti X is on the higher end of entry-level dedicated microphones. If the budget does not stretch that far when you are first upgrading from phone audio, there are condenser microphones at lower price points that deliver a similar improvement over built-in phone audio. The key upgrade is any dedicated condenser microphone over a phone mic, not the Blue Yeti X specifically.

Sources

Alston Godbolt, “Important! Must Have Tools For Affiliate Marketing | Make Money Online,” YouTube, https://youtu.be/TWkhswrbRIU
ClickFunnels, landing page builder mentioned by Alston, clickfunnels.com
GetResponse, email marketing platform with free tier, getresponse.com
AWeber, email marketing platform with free plan, aweber.com
Systeme.io, free all-in-one email and landing page platform, systeme.io
Google Drive, free cloud storage and file sharing, drive.google.com
Canva, free design platform for social media and marketing graphics, canva.com
Canon EOS M50 Mark II, mirrorless camera used by Alston for video content
Blue Yeti X, condenser USB microphone used by Alston for audio recording