Program Overview

What is the affiliate program?

The affiliate program allows you to place links on your website or within your app to iTunes Store, App Store or Mac App Store. You can link to songs, albums, artists, apps, TV shows, movies, music videos, audiobooks, podcasts, and more. You'll earn a commission on all qualifying revenue generated by links.

How do I sign up?

To start, determine which regional affiliate program area best matches the audience for your website or app. Next, visit one of the affiliate network sites using the links below and complete the online application. Please note that you will need to provide contact information as well as information about your site or app.

After you have been accepted into an affiliate network, you still need to apply to the program from within the affiliate network. To apply, simply find the iTunes, App Store and Mac App Store program, complete the forms, and read and agree to the program terms and conditions. You will be notified of your approval to join the program in one to two weeks.

What if my application to join the affiliate program is denied?

If you feel that your site or app was inappropriately denied, you can appeal by sending an email to itunesaffiliates@apple.com or itunesaffiliates@euro.apple.com in Europe. You can also attempt to reapply to the program after 14 days.

What happens next?

Once you have been accepted as an affiliate, you will be able to access your account from inside the affiliate network using the user name and password that you created when you established the account. From inside the network, you can access all of the tools you need to create links, update your account, make changes to your password, and so on.

What does it cost to join?

Nothing. It's free to become an affiliate.

Eligibility

Is my website or app eligible for the affiliate program?

We accept a wide variety of sites and apps to the program. However, we reserve the right to refuse any site that does not comply with our terms and conditions. Unsuitable sites include, but are not limited to, those that:

  • Infringe trademark rights of Apple or any third party or otherwise violate the rights of any third party similar to any Apple trademark or service mark, including but not limited to Apple, iTunes, iMac, Apple Store, Mac, MacBook, iPod and iPhone; for a complete list of Apple's trademarks.
  • Contain sexually explicit materials.
  • Contain hate/violent/offensive content.
  • Promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age.
  • Promote illegal activities or otherwise violate any applicable laws, including those targeting spyware, "adware" or SPAM.
  • Violate any intellectual property rights, including, without limitation, scraping text or images from Apple's Websites.
  • Do not clearly state an online privacy policy to its visitors.
  • Otherwise are considered offensive or inappropriate at Apple's sole discretion.
Can websites outside the United States join?

Yes, there are currently affiliate programs in nineteen countries around the world administered by four affiliate networks. We encourage websites from anywhere to apply but only accept those that have significant traffic in a country where there is an affiliate program. It is important to note that commissions can only be earned in countries where you have used the correct affiliate link and are a member of the affiliate program.

Can I apply to more than one region's program?

Yes. If your site or app sees traffic from multiple countries where our affiliate program exists, we encourage you to join more than one program. However, it is important to know that a single link often will not work for multiple countries. Links vary for each store because rights to the content often vary by country.

If I have more than one site, can I still become an affiliate?

Absolutely. Just register each of your sites as a subaffiliate under one affiliate account.

Are all app publishers automatically approved to be affiliates?

No, app publishers have to go through the same approval process as websites.

Can I change or negotiate the affiliate program T&Cs?

No, we do not do custom agreements and T&Cs for individual affiliates.

Linking to iTunes, App Store and Mac App Store

How do links work?

Links launch the Mac App Store or iTunes software application and open to the iTunes Store. If a visitor to your site does not yet have the Mac App Store or iTunes installed, the link redirects the browser to a website where the user can download the iTunes software for both PC and Mac for free. iTunes, App Store and Mac App Store links are compatible with most Internet browsers, including Safari, Internet Explorer, and Firefox.

How do I create links?

Inside the affiliate network you have multiple choices to create affiliate links. As an affiliate, you have access to the RSS feeds. You can also create direct links to any song, artist, album, app, TV show, movie or audiobook on iTunes as well as to iMix playlists, podcasts, and iTunes Essentials.

What is the easiest tool to create just a few affiliate links?

The Link Maker tool is the easiest way to create just a few links. This tool can be found inside the affiliate network interface. With the Link Maker tool you can search for and create links to songs, artists, albums, apps, TV shows, music videos, audiobooks, or podcasts. You'll receive a URL to add to your website and email campaigns.

I cannot find the content or iTunes page I need within the Link Maker tool. How do I create an affiliate link?

Promotional or themed content pages and iTunes Essentials are currently not in the Link Maker tool. To create a link to these pages or items, you need to first copy the URL from the store then use the Bulk tab found from inside the Link Maker tool.

How do I programmatically create a large quantity of links?

Multiple options are available to affiliates to programmatically create links. A search API as well as an enterprise-level data feed are available to use. The Enterprise Data Feed (EPF) is available to affiliates who need access to metadata for creation of a large number of links. The EPF is reserved for larger affiliates who can independently manage the file. There's no tech support for use of the EPF. Further information can be found on the iTunes & App Store Resources site at http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources .

Is there an API?

Yes. It is known as the Search API. Further information can be found on the iTunes & App Store Resources site at http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources .

What is an RSS feed? How do I add an affiliate-coded RSS feed to my website?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an Internet technology that allows you to subscribe to content changes and display them on your website. Using our RSS Feed Generator, you can easily create feeds to display, for example, Top Albums and Top Apps charts, that will be automatically updated. To publish the feed to your website, you need an RSS parser.

Will one link work for the same item in all stores/countries?

No, each country usually has a unique identifier for each item. While there is sometimes overlap, it's very uncommon. We recommend that you have a separate link for a specific item in each regional or country store.

Earning Commissions

How much commission will I earn?

As an affiliate, you can earn a 4 to 5 percent commission on all qualifying revenue generated by affiliate coded links. The affiliate commission varies by regional area. You receive a commission on all sales over 72 hours from a click. Most other affiliate programs offer just a 24-hour purchase window.

How do I know how much money I've earned?

You can run reports on sales, commissions, visitors, clicks, impressions, and conversion rates for the affiliate program through the affiliate network reporting interface.

When do I get paid? How long does it take to get my first check? You will get a single check from the affiliate network each month for the commission you've earned after you have reached the programs minimum. There's normally a 60 to 90 day lag from the time of sale to affiliate payment, allowing time for billing processing.

Why don't I see my commission?

As an affiliate, you will earn commissions on sales generated only on the regional iTunes, App Store or Mac App Store for which you have generated coded links. Links to the Apple Online Store or an international iTunes, App Store or Mac App Store that you have no affiliate relation to do not earn commissions. To earn commissions on international store sales, you need to apply to join the affiliate program associated with that specific country, and you need to have separate links to that content. Reporting of commissions by the affiliate network can take approximately five days in the US, Japan and Canada, up to two weeks for Europe and is done monthly for Australia and New Zealand.

Do sales of free items show up in the reports?

For zero dollar sales of music in the iTunes Store, you will see reports of $0 transactions. For zero dollar sales of apps, you will not see any transactions reported.

Can I sell music and video on my website?

No. All transactions must take place on the iTunes Store, App Store or Mac App Store. You can create a playlist outside of the store, but all transactions happen inside the iTunes Store, App Store and the Mac App Store.

When will I receive my commissions?

After meeting the minimum dollar threshold you will receive your commissions up to 90 days after the month has finished.