Affiliate, referral, and partner links

Some links on this website are affiliate, referral, or partner links. If a recommendation is connected to a financial or other material relationship, I disclose that relationship in clear language near the recommendation or link whenever it could reasonably affect how you evaluate the recommendation.

If you click a disclosed compensated link and sign up, purchase, become a qualifying customer, or complete another qualifying action, I or one of my affiliated businesses may receive compensation. The exact action that qualifies and the compensation terms depend on the program and can change.

What compensation or a material relationship can include

Compensation can include commissions, referral fees, revenue share, creator or publishing earnings, sponsorship fees, free or discounted products or services, account credits, partner benefits, early access, or other things of value. A material relationship may also include an agency, platform-partner, creator, client, professional, or other business relationship even when a particular link does not generate a payment.

A commercial relationship does not guarantee a positive review, placement, recommendation, ranking, article, or editorial mention. I may recommend tools for which I receive no compensation, and I may decline to recommend or continue recommending a product even when an affiliate, referral, partner, or creator-payment program is available.

Sometimes I may have a material relationship with a platform while linking to its ordinary public website rather than a tracked or commissionable link. When that distinction matters, the nearby disclosure should say so rather than implying that the click itself is compensated.

How disclosures appear

Where a recommendation uses a compensated link, the nearby disclosure is intended to explain the relationship in plain language, for example: "Partner link — I may receive compensation if you become a qualifying customer." A label such as "affiliate link" may also appear, but it should not be the only explanation when the nature of the relationship would otherwise be unclear.

Disclosures are intended to be clear, conspicuous, and close enough to the recommendation that a reasonable reader can understand the material connection before acting on the recommendation. They should not depend on a reader finding this standing policy, scrolling past the recommendation, or deciphering an unfamiliar abbreviation.

When a relationship is material but the specific link is not compensated, the disclosure may instead explain the relationship and state that the ordinary link is not a tracked affiliate or referral link.

This standing disclosure provides additional detail, but it is not intended to replace the disclosure placed with the recommendation itself. The same principle applies when I make compensated or materially connected recommendations in newsletters, social posts, videos, webinars, courses, or other channels.

Editorial independence

My journalism, commentary, reviews, educational content, and recommendations may sometimes involve companies or products that also have business relationships with me or my businesses. When a relationship could reasonably affect how a reader weighs the content, I disclose it and handle the overlap consistent with applicable editorial and disclosure standards.

Sponsored content, paid placements, gifted products, and material brand relationships are identified when applicable. Affiliate or partnership status does not create editorial coverage or control my conclusions.

Recommended Tools

The Recommended Tools library intentionally separates recommendation status from commercial-relationship status. It may include products I use or have used, tools I teach, tools I test or evaluate, strategic recommendations, and tools I recommend without any financial relationship.

A recommendation is not evidence of compensation. A partner, referral, creator, or affiliate relationship is not evidence that a tool has been recommended. When a material relationship is relevant to a public recommendation, the card or nearby link should explain it. Tools may also remain unpublished while a relationship, destination URL, or disclosure is still being verified.

Terms and availability can change

Affiliate programs, referral terms, prices, features, discounts, commissions, qualification rules, and availability can change. I make reasonable efforts to keep public links and relationship disclosures current, but a program may change after publication. A disclosure that a link is compensated does not promise a particular discount, price, feature, or payout.

Questions

If you have a question about a commercial relationship or disclosure on this site, contact Alicia through the contact page.

Last updated: October 6, 2026.