ThirstyAffiliates
Link cloaking and management for WordPress
See it in action
Tutorial: Setting up a link in ThirstyAffiliates
Published by thirstyaffiliates on YouTube · loads only when you press play
ThirstyAffiliates is the sensible default for affiliate link management on WordPress, and it deliberately stops short of revenue analytics.
Where it wins. The core job is done well: links live in one place, get branded slugs on your own domain, and can be re-pointed globally when a programme changes — which saves hours the first time a merchant switches networks. Automatic keyword linking turns chosen phrases into affiliate links across your entire archive without editing posts. Categories and import tools keep a large link library navigable. Nofollow and sponsored attributes plus automatic disclosure blocks handle the compliance side. The free version covers real use, and the paid tiers are inexpensive.
Where it falls short. There is no revenue attribution — you get click counts, not earnings, so you cannot tell which link actually converts. Product display boxes exist but look plainer than Lasso's. It is WordPress-only. The interface is dated, and the plugin adds a redirect layer that needs a moment of care on heavily cached sites.
Our call. The right tool for most affiliate bloggers. Upgrade to Lasso only when you specifically need earnings attribution rather than click counts.
Best for
Affiliate bloggers on WordPress who want organised, cloaked, globally editable links without paying for analytics.
Key takeaways
- 1Change a destination URL once and it updates site-wide
- 2Automatic keyword linking across the whole archive
- 3Nofollow, sponsored attributes, and automatic disclosures
- 4Free version covers genuine use
- 5Click counts only — no earnings attribution
- 6WordPress only, with a dated interface
ThirstyAffiliates is the pragmatic choice: it does link management properly, has done for over a decade, and costs a fraction of the attribution-focused tools. If you want tidy branded links, automatic keyword replacement, and the ability to change a destination URL across a whole site in one edit, this is the tool.
What we like
- Excellent core link management
- Global URL updates
- Automatic keyword linking
- Built-in disclosure and attribute handling
- Very affordable, with a usable free tier
Worth noting
- No revenue attribution
- Plain product display boxes
- WordPress only
- Dated admin interface
Plans
Pricing
Free
- Unlimited affiliate links
- Link cloaking and categories
- Basic click reporting
- Nofollow and sponsored attributes
- WordPress.org plugin
Pro
per month, billed yearly
- Everything in Free
- Automatic keyword linking
- Amazon API import
- Geolocation redirects
- Advanced link statistics
- Automatic disclosures
Pricing verified Aug 13, 2026. Prices shown are billed annually where available and may change — always confirm on the vendor site.
Capabilities
Features
Automation
- Automatic keyword linkingPro plan
- Broken & out-of-stock detectionNo automatic health monitoring
Content
- Product display boxesPlainer than Lasso's
Monetisation
- Automated partner payouts
- Custom commission rules
Analytics
- Revenue attributionClick counts only, not earnings
Collaboration
- Partner dashboard
Platform
- Automatic disclosuresPro plan
- Link cloakingBranded slugs on your own domain
From real users
Reviews
No verified reviews yet
We publish a user score only once real, verified reviews exist — so this tool is rated on our hands-on testing alone for now. Used it? Your review would be the first.
Write the first reviewCompare options
ThirstyAffiliates alternatives
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is ThirstyAffiliates free?＋
There is a genuinely usable free version on WordPress.org covering unlimited cloaked links, categories, and basic reporting. The Pro version adds automatic keyword linking, geolocation redirects, Amazon import, and richer statistics for a modest annual fee.
What is automatic keyword linking?＋
You nominate phrases — a product name, for instance — and the plugin converts them into affiliate links wherever they appear across your entire archive, without editing individual posts. It is the single biggest time-saver in the plugin.
Does link cloaking hurt SEO?＋
No, provided the links carry nofollow or sponsored attributes, which ThirstyAffiliates applies automatically. Cloaking here means presenting a branded URL on your own domain — it is a management convenience, not an attempt to hide anything from search engines.
Does it show how much money each link earns?＋
No. You get click counts, not earnings. If you need revenue attribution per page, Lasso is the tool that provides it.
Will it work with caching plugins?＋
Yes, though the redirect layer needs a moment of configuration on aggressively cached sites. The documentation covers the common setups, and it is a one-time task.
ThirstyAffiliates
From $7.50/mo