I am completely shocked by all the Wealthy Affiliate reviews I’ve seen on the web.
Some love it, while others hate everything about it.
It isn’t evident to me, but at least you have me, who is just in the middle ground.
I’m a Wealthy Affiliate member, but I’m not here to praise them like there’s nothing wrong with what they have to offer, and I’m not here to bash them either.
I’m here to give you the facts on what they’re all about and if it is really the best money-making opportunity for you.
Questions that I will answer:
Is Wealthy Affiliate a scam or a legit money-making opportunity?
Is Wealthy Affiliate an MLM or Ponzi scheme?
Do I recommend Wealthy Affiliate?
Along with many other questions that I’m sure you’ll have.
And, if I don’t answer it, then I guess this isn’t really the best Wealthy Affiliate review out there.
A Little About Me
As most of you from the Askdads community know, I’ve been doing affiliate marketing for almost a decade, and I absolutely love everything about it.
I am also a member of Wealthy Affiliate, I make most of my income with affiliate marketing, and I plan to create my very own affiliate marketing course in the future.
I also have a wife, four kids, two cats, and a goldfish named Puff.
Cheese left us a couple of months ago, so now we’re left with Puff.
I also love sharing my thoughts with other parents and fellow human beings, regardless of the topic.
Today, however, seems to be focused on one of my favorites, making money from home-type programs.
And that is why I have put together this Wealthy Affiliate review.
So, if you’re interested in joining or you’re curious as to whether Wealthy Affiliate is legit or possibly another scam, I want to give you the most legit information from someone who has actually put the training into action.
My Intro to Wealthy Affiliate
I ran into Wealthy Affiliate in 2010 in search of a legit way to make money online.
Although I signed up and paid (no free trial), I did nothing.
I went over one training lesson and went back to my daily life for four years.
I was also looking for something that didn’t require work and made me rich overnight.
Of course, that didn’t happen and I even fell for some Ponzi schemes and scams along the way.
I know, that was pretty stupid, but I probably wouldn’t be where I am today, hadn’t I fallen for those scams.
In 2014, after a failed attempt at running a bar, I decided it was time to take some action.
I went over the lessons, built my first website, and applied what I was taught.
In just a year, I was able to make a full-time income online and attend my very first super affiliate conference.
But, I’m not here to brag about how much money I make or how awesome Wealthy Affiliate is (because there are better programs), but rather to settle the confusion that most have with them.
There are many thoughts and speculation, so let’s get to the bottom of things with this honest Wealthy Affiliate review.
Wealthy Affiliate Review – Product Overview
What is Wealthy Affiliate?
Wealthy Affiliate is a platform that teaches you how to make money online using the affiliate marketing business model.
The site was started in 2007 by Canadians Kyle Loudon and Carson Lim, whom I’ve personally met on several occasions, but we’ll touch on that later.
Overall, Wealthy Affiliate is an educational platform that teaches you how to start and run an affiliate marketing business.
They teach you how to build a niche website veered toward your passion, which will then make you money.
Other perks include:
- Everything for a website (WordPress, domain, hosting, etc.)
- Live chat + community
- Forums of questions and answers
- Personal blogging space
- Affiliate Program
- Plus much more
I can see why there are so many mixed emotions about things for something so simple and basic.
Without being biased, I want to give you a Wealthy Affiliate review from a member, who does his own research and creates his own tactics and strategies with what works today.
Things You Should Know About Wealthy Affiliate
Like every other product or service you’ve used in your life, there are certain things you want and need to know.
Wealthy Affiliate is no different.
Especially with it being a program that involves an investment that will go toward making you money.
Affiliate marketing has been around since the mid-90s and continues to grow more and more every single year.
With quite a number of affiliate marketing courses to choose from, what is really considered “the best”?
Will Wealthy Affiliate be the solution to all your financial problems?
Will it help you gain financial freedom, or is it just another recruiting-based Ponzi scheme?
Many questions come with such territory, so I want to tell you what you need to know before joining Wealthy Affiliate.
Is Wealthy Affiliate a Scam?
Wealthy Affiliate is not a scam; It’s a legit place to learn affiliate marketing with dozens of lessons, a friendly community, and a provider for all your website needs.
Scams are all over the internet, and they will take your money faster than you can make it.
The thing about an online scam is that it is a scheme used to cheat someone out of their own money.
That’s what Merriam-Webster says and that’s what is the basis of what a scam is.
In most cases, people fall for something that requires a good-sized investment in hopes that they can at least double whatever amount they put in.
That’s not what happens within Wealthy Affiliate, especially with the fact that they offer a free membership.
And, if you did want to spend any money, their premium membership only costs $49/month.
If you don’t like it, you simply cancel and go back to your day job to tell your boss how much you love him, so you can get a raise.
But rest assured that no one in Wealthy Affiliate is there to trick you into investing in something just to take your money.
Is Wealthy Affiliate an MLM?
Wealthy Affiliate is not an MLM or network marketing business, as there is no recruiting involved.
Period.
Initially, some people will think that Wealthy Affiliate is a multilevel marketing gig, and that’s because others promote it like one.
You need to ask yourself many questions before joining a network marketing company, and one is if you need to recruit others to make any money.
That’s a huge indicator that you’re in an MLM or even a Ponzi scheme, and that’s not the case with Wealthy Affiliate.
With Wealthy Affiliate, you are joining a platform that teaches you how to make money selling other people’s products.
You don’t need to recruit anyone to make money, but you can possibly make money by applying what they teach.
There are reasons why others promote it like an MLM, and that’s a big part of this Wealthy Affiliate review you should pay attention to.
As a matter of fact, let’s get into that now.
Why Do So Many People Promote Wealthy Affiliate?
Some people think that Wealthy Affiliate is a recruiting-based program, simply because others promote them.
That’s not the case, as Wealthy Affiliate has its affiliate program, in which others can make money by sharing it with others.
It seems shady, but many other make-money programs offer way higher commissions than what Wealthy Affiliate offers.
Maybe they love Wealthy Affiliate that much?
Or, maybe it’s because they have a cool little incentive, which involves an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas.
Free flight, free hotel, free food, and even some free money to do whatever you want.
It’s not the easiest feat to accomplish, but I’ve done it, and I didn’t promote Wealthy Affiliate like crazy.
I do promote what works, and you can see that with all the products I review on this site.
The Wealthy Affiliate Bootcamp
Another big reason others promote Wealthy Affiliate so much is that there’s an entire course on how to promote them.
Which, again, is not a problem.
Amazon has courses that teach others how to promote their products, and no one seems to have a problem with that.
It’s set up for affiliates who want to make money through Wealthy Affiliate’s affiliate program and get that all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas.
The lessons in the Bootcamp are very basic, and most of the strategies used won’t work that well today.
All the negative reviews of Wealthy Affiliate aren’t necessary, but unlike myself and other members, they have never used the program themselves.
Wealthy Affiliate is a Learning Platform
One of the biggest misunderstandings with Wealthy Affiliate is that you make money by promoting the company.
Although it is possible, it’s not the only way you can make money.
It’s something you don’t want to do.
Whenever someone asks me what niche they should get into, I always recommend something outside of blogging or making money/financial spaces.
They are overly competitive, and no one wants to compete with NerdWallet or other companies with huge teams working for them.
Not to say I don’t recommend it, but go with something you are most interested in.
If you like golf like me, a golf website is a great place to start.
If you like traveling, then go for that instead.
How Much Does it Cost to Join Wealthy Affiliate?
All kinds of people join Wealthy Affiliate as it caters to any budget.
It’s a great place to see what affiliate marketing is about before taking things further.
If you like what you see, you can opt for their premium membership, which will run you $49/month.
There is a premium plus+ membership, which offers more advanced classes and more features with their keyword research tool, Jaaxy.
These three memberships are all they offer, so you don’t have to worry about any surprise upsells that come with most things you buy online.
Do You Need to Promote Wealthy Affiliate to Make Money?
Everyone who joins Wealthy Affiliate automatically thinks they need to promote the company to make money.
That’s not true.
They teach you how to build YOUR affiliate marketing business and that involves a passion or something you are interested in.
It can be dogs, sports, parenting (like me), or your love for fish tanks.
The opportunity for different niches is endless, so keep that in mind if you decide to join Wealthy Affiliate.
Quick tip: Go with your interest and NOT the make money online topic (promoting WA), as your chances of succeeding are much higher.
Who is Wealthy Affiliate Best For?
Wealthy Affiliate is your best bet when starting online with affiliate marketing.
For one, you get to test-drive everything for free before you commit to anything.
You can see if affiliate marketing is something you can do and if it is something you see yourself doing as a career.
Two, You get live help from other affiliate marketers.
Maybe not the best to advise on more advanced stuff with affiliate marketing, but at least for the basics like building a website and whatnot.
Lastly, Wealthy Affiliate is as cheap as it gets.
For less than $50 a month, you get all the training and tools to get your website up and running.
Once you get the hang of things, I recommend expanding and going with what works today.
Will Wealthy Affiliate Make You Rich?
Wealthy Affiliate will not make you rich, and you should expect to make anywhere from $0 – $10,000/month, depending on your work ethic and ability to learn on your own.
Wealthy Affiliate is a decent platform, but they’re not going to be the ones to make you money.
It will take some hard work, dedication, and the will to expand and learn more.
Although several affiliates openly show what they make promoting Wealthy Affiliate, you have to understand one significant thing.
Successful affiliates are not going to be on Wealthy Affiliate, talking about how much money they’ve made or any of that nonsense.
They’re too busy building their own business and growing it.
That’s what I do, and I’m sure there are others that do the same.
No one knows how much money others are making, so you can’t gauge anything from what other affiliates say within Wealthy Affiliate.
Is Wealthy Affiliate For Everyone?
Wealthy Affiliate is definitely not for everyone.
That’s like saying teaching is for everyone, and that’s not the case.
Most people will tell you that Wealthy Affiliate is for everyone, including the owners.
It takes an extraordinary person to run a business, and there’s a reason why not many do it.
With 20% of small businesses failing in their first year, you need to understand that it isn’t easier online.
The same thing applies to Wealthy Affiliate and the entire affiliate marketing space.
If you aren’t willing to make changes and adapt to being a businessman, you will not make it online.
Wealthy Affiliate teaches you how to build an online business, and your mentality and work ethic will need some adjustments.
If you can’t do that, then I’m sorry to say, but Wealthy Affiliate and affiliate marketing, in general, is just not for you.
You Will Need a Website (at least one)
Although it’s possible to make money without a website, it’s not going to happen if you don’t have any knowledge about the business.
It’s also worth noting that 99.9% of the time, affiliate companies require you to have a website.
If you were to join Wealthy Affiliate, they teach you how to build a website, and there’s no way around it.
You should know that things are much easier these days, and creating a website is not that complicated.
They also promote getting a website up and running in under 30 seconds, so that is also something you can accomplish.
Wealthy Affiliate is a Website Hosting Company
One of the perks of being a Wealthy Affiliate member is utilizing their website hosting services.
Every single website needs hosting and it comes with a price.
I use WPX hosting for my websites.
You might be wondering why I don’t use Wealthy Affiliate hosting and that is a great question.
When it comes to search engine optimization, your website’s speed is one of the most significant factors.
Wealthy Affiliate’s hosting is great if you don’t have any traffic, but you want your website to fly once you start getting some.
Your competition will be using one of the best hosting services, and you should do the same.
Unless, of course, you don’t want to succeed online.
Wealthy Affiliate Offers Website Domain Services
If you’ve ever seen those old Godaddy commercials, you’ll know it is very catchy and interesting.
One thing you might not have noticed is the actual product or service they’re promoting.
Why?
Not every average person runs a website, and they don’t have any use for hosting or domains.
That’s what Godaddy provided, but now I think they’re doing things with photography or something.
Wealthy offers the same services, and getting a domain name with them is possible.
You can get your very own .com, .net, .org, or other website suffixes that make up your website’s name.
Live Classes at Wealthy Affiliate
As a newb to making money online, anything “live” is incredible.
For me, it was the live classes every Friday conducted by Jay Neil, who just so happens to be a good buddy of mine.
Jay touches on specific topics of affiliate marketing, but he also has a “hot seat” segment.
There, Jay takes a member’s website and talks about ways they can improve on things.
It’s helped me with the design and structure of my site, and now I’m able to do that type of stuff with my eyes closed.
The Wealthy Affiliate Live Chat
One of the most significant selling points of Wealthy Affiliate is its live chat feature.
As a newb to the world of making money online, things like websites and links aren’t the easiest things to work with.
You don’t know how to do certain things and it gets worse when you can’t get answers right away.
Wealthy Affiliate has the solution for that with their live chat.
However, it’s not what it’s cut out to be.
You’ll have some of the better marketers on there every now and then, but it’s usually others asking questions or talking about life.
Cool feature, but not the most reliable.
Can You Trust the “Help” Within Wealthy Affiliate?
Yes, and no.
The help within Wealthy Affiliate is what it is, and it’s not the advice you get from regular old affiliates that will make you money.
That type of help comes in the form of a higher price tag and more knowledge.
If everyone were to know the same thing, wouldn’t we all be rich?
You would think that you are getting the best advice, but it’s not.
You can expect to get amazing help when building a website and picking plugins, but definitely not with SEO and more advanced affiliate marketing stuff.
Is Wealthy Affiliate Your Best Option?
If you were to ask me what the best affiliate marketing platform is, I wouldn’t say that it’s Wealthy Affiliate.
For me, I would recommend Authority Hacker or Affiliate Lab, but they do come with a higher price tag.
If you are serious about making money online and you have the money to invest, Authority Hacker is up there.
They teach the same strategies that I use in my business and what I would incorporate if I were to create my course.
That’s a future endeavor of mine, but for now, Authority Hacker is what I recommend.
I Am Still a Member of Wealthy Affiliate
I know I’ve used Wealthy Affiliate, but some of you might think that I’m no longer a member.
I am still a paying member, but I have grown enough to understand what it takes to run an online business and I have taken my skill and knowledge well beyond the Wealthy Affiliate platform.
I do mention that I am still a member because of two things.
First, I’m able to tell you the difference between how the service was then and how it is now.
And two, I can help newer people like yourself looking to make money with affiliate marketing.
Not many platforms offer that opportunity, so take the chance to get some personal help from me.
Before You Join Wealthy Affiliate
There is a lot that you need to know before joining any company, and I hope this Wealthy Affiliate review has helped you make a better decision.
Wealthy Affiliate is a decent platform, but they need to evolve and adopt some of today’s strategies.
What once worked in 2015 does not work today, and that’s why I wouldn’t want serious marketers to use Wealthy Affiliate.
However, if you are completely new AND on a budget, Wealthy Affiliate is a great place to start.
It’s the only way (currently) that I can give some help to those who need it.
So utilize that, get in touch with me, and I can guide you through the wonderful world of affiliate marketing.
Simply use my affiliate link below, and you’ll automatically get connected to me.
If, of course, that’s something you want.
Wealthy Affiliate Review – Conclusion
Wealthy Affiliate is 100% legit, and not a scam.
Although I have done great things with Wealthy Affiliate, there came a time when I knew I needed to make some adjustments.
I felt I was on a treadmill and getting hacked wasn’t so fun either.
I knew I needed to evolve and do things differently with all that going on.
That resulted in me doing tons of research, trying other programs, and ultimately creating more success in my business.
So, do I recommend Wealthy Affiliate?
As I mentioned above, only, if you are new to all this online stuff and don’t have the money to invest.
You want to go with something like Authority Hacker instead if you do.
Again, they teach the same stuff I’ve dug up during the evolving phase of my career, so I know that what they teach works.
Until then, thanks for reading my review of Wealthy Affiliate.
If you have any questions or comments, please do so in the comments section below.
Remember now, getting with the right program is only 1/4 of the battle.
Your work ethic and belief in yourself are what will get you to become the next online success story.
And yes, I believe in you too.