Last Updated: December 2, 2024
At AI Alleyway, transparency is one of our core values. This page explains our affiliate relationships and how we earn money from the content we create.
💰 How We Make Money
AI Alleyway participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means we may earn a commission when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase.
Here’s how it works:
- You click on a link to an AI tool on our website
- You are directed to the vendor’s website
- If you make a purchase, we receive a commission
- This commission comes at no extra cost to you
🤝 Our Affiliate Relationships
What Are Affiliate Links?
Affiliate links are special tracking URLs that allow companies to identify when a sale comes from our recommendation. These links contain unique tracking codes that credit AI Alleyway for the referral.
Which Companies Do We Partner With?
We participate in affiliate programs with:
- Individual AI tool companies (e.g., Jasper, Copy.ai, Midjourney, etc.)
- Affiliate networks (e.g., ShareASale, Impact, CJ Affiliate, Rakuten)
- Software marketplaces (e.g., AppSumo, PitchGround)
How Do We Decide Which Programs to Join?
We only join affiliate programs for tools that:
- Are relevant to our audience
- We’ve actually tested or researched
- Provide genuine value
- Meet basic quality standards
Important: Joining an affiliate program does NOT guarantee a positive review.
🎯 Our Editorial Independence
Honest Reviews First
Here’s our promise to you:
✅ We never let affiliate commissions influence our honest opinions
✅ We clearly identify both pros and cons in every review
✅ We recommend the best tool for your needs, not our wallet
✅ We’ll tell you when a tool isn’t worth the money
✅ We update reviews when tools improve or decline
When We Won’t Recommend a Tool
Even if a tool has an attractive affiliate program, we will NOT recommend it if:
- It doesn’t deliver on its promises
- It offers poor value for money
- It has serious usability issues
- Better alternatives exist
- It doesn’t meet our quality standards
Reviewing Tools Without Affiliate Programs
We regularly review and recommend tools that don’t have affiliate programs. We cover them because they deserve recognition, not because they pay us.
If we believe a tool is the best option for you, we’ll recommend it—regardless of whether we earn a commission.
📝 How We Handle Reviews
Our Testing Process
Before writing a review, we:
- Sign up and use the tool extensively
- Test key features and functionality
- Evaluate pricing and value
- Compare to competing solutions
- Consider different use cases
- Form our honest opinion
Our Ratings Are Real
Our Alley Rating System (🏆 Hidden Gem to 🚫 Dead End) is based on:
- Actual testing and experience
- Features and functionality
- Ease of use
- Output quality
- Value for money
- Reliability and support
These ratings are never influenced by commission rates or affiliate relationships.
Sponsored Content is Clearly Labeled
If we’re paid directly by a company to create content (beyond affiliate commissions), we will:
- Clearly label it as “Sponsored” or “Paid Partnership”
- Mark it at the top of the article
- Maintain our editorial standards
- Provide honest assessment
As of now, AI Alleyway has not published any sponsored content.
💡 Why We Use Affiliate Marketing
The Reality of Running a Website
Creating high-quality content requires:
- Time to research and test tools
- Money for software subscriptions
- Technical infrastructure (hosting, tools)
- Regular content updates
- Website maintenance
Affiliate marketing allows us to:
- Keep the site free for readers
- Continue creating in-depth reviews
- Test more tools and software
- Maintain editorial independence
- Avoid intrusive advertising
Alternative Business Models We Avoid
We could monetize AI Alleyway through:
- Banner ads (distracting and low-value)
- Selling your email data (never!)
- Paywalls (limits access to information)
- Biased “pay-to-rank” reviews (unethical)
We believe affiliate marketing, when done transparently and ethically, is the best model for both us and our readers.
🔍 How to Identify Affiliate Links
On AI Alleyway
We make it easy to identify affiliate relationships:
- This Disclosure Page – Explains our overall approach
- Link Indicators – Affiliate links may be marked with visual indicators
- Buttons and CTAs – Links like “Try [Tool Name]” or “Visit [Tool]” are typically affiliate links
Non-Affiliate Links
Not every link on our site is an affiliate link:
- Links to free resources
- Links to our own pages
- Links to general information
- Citations and references
We link to helpful resources whether or not we earn a commission.
⚖️ Legal and Regulatory Compliance
FTC Guidelines
We comply with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines on disclosure of affiliate relationships. The FTC requires that websites disclose material connections with merchants and advertisers.
Our Compliance Measures
- This dedicated Affiliate Disclosure page
- Clear disclosure language
- Easy access from every page (footer link)
- Regular updates to disclosure statements
- Transparent business practices
International Compliance
For international readers:
- UK: We comply with ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) guidelines
- EU: We follow applicable consumer protection regulations
- Other regions: We adhere to local disclosure requirements
📊 Commission Structures
How Much Do We Earn?
Commission rates vary widely:
- One-time commissions: We earn a percentage of the initial sale (typically 10-50%)
- Recurring commissions: We earn a percentage of subscription payments for a period (typically 20-30% for 6-24 months)
- Fixed commissions: We earn a flat amount per sale
Important: Higher commission rates do NOT influence our recommendations. We recommend tools based on merit, not payout.
When Do We Get Paid?
- Most affiliate programs have 30-90 day payment terms
- Some require minimum earning thresholds
- Refunds or cancellations may reverse commissions
This means we’re incentivized to recommend tools that provide lasting value—not just make quick sales.
🎁 Special Offers and Deals
Exclusive Discounts
Occasionally, we negotiate special discounts or offers for our readers. When available:
- We clearly mark these as special deals
- The discount applies to you, not us
- Our commission (if any) doesn’t change
- These are additional benefits for our readers
Limited-Time Promotions
When AI tools run promotions:
- We’ll share them if they’re legitimate
- We’ll clearly state when promotions expire
- We won’t create fake urgency
- We’ll update when deals end
🤔 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does using affiliate links cost me more?
A: No. Affiliate commissions come from the merchant, not from an additional charge to you. You pay the same price whether you use our link or go directly to the site.
Q: Can I trust your reviews if you earn commissions?
A: Yes. We maintain strict editorial independence. Our reputation depends on honest, accurate reviews. Recommending poor products would damage our credibility and your trust—which is far more valuable than any commission.
Q: Do you only review products with affiliate programs?
A: No. We review many tools without affiliate programs because they’re valuable to our readers. Our goal is to provide comprehensive coverage of AI tools, not just those that pay commissions.
Q: What if I don’t want to use affiliate links?
A: That’s completely fine! You can:
- Navigate directly to the tool’s website
- Search for the tool independently
- Use the tool name without clicking our links
We provide value through our research and insights regardless of whether you use our affiliate links.
Q: Do you accept free products for review?
A: We may accept free access to tools for review purposes, but this never influences our honest assessment. All reviews disclose if we received free access, and our opinions remain independent.
Q: How do I know if a specific link is an affiliate link?
A: Assume any product link on our site may be an affiliate link. If you want to be certain, hover over the link (on desktop) and check the URL—affiliate links often contain tracking parameters.
Q: What if I have concerns about a review?
A: We take feedback seriously. If you believe a review is inaccurate or biased, please contact us at hello@aialleyway.com with specific concerns. We’ll investigate and make corrections if needed.
📧 Contact Us About Affiliate Relationships
If you have questions, concerns, or feedback about our affiliate relationships or disclosure practices, please contact us:
Email: hello@aialleyway.com
Subject: “Affiliate Disclosure Inquiry”
We’re committed to transparency and will respond to all inquiries promptly.
🔄 Updates to This Disclosure
We may update this Affiliate Disclosure from time to time to reflect:
- Changes in our affiliate relationships
- New business practices
- Regulatory requirements
- Reader feedback
Last Updated: December 2, 2024
Significant changes will be noted at the top of this page, and we’ll update the “Last Updated” date.
✅ Our Commitment to You
At AI Alleyway, we’re committed to:
- Transparency – Being upfront about how we make money
- Honesty – Providing truthful, unbiased reviews
- Quality – Creating valuable, well-researched content
- Integrity – Maintaining editorial independence
- Value – Helping you find the best AI tools for your needs
Your trust is our most valuable asset. We work hard to earn it every day through honest, helpful content.
Thank you for supporting AI Alleyway by using our affiliate links. Your support allows us to continue providing free, in-depth AI tool reviews and guides.
Have questions? Contact us at hello@aialleyway.com
This Affiliate Disclosure is part of our commitment to transparency and ethical business practices.