What is Rakuten Advertising?
Rakuten Advertising is a global affiliate marketing network that connects advertisers with publishers, loyalty sites and creators, and runs programs on their behalf. Part of Japan's Rakuten Group, it has worked in affiliate marketing for more than 25 years and focuses on large brands in retail, travel and financial services. It combines network access with strategy support and account management. Its network has reached more than a billion consumers, according to the company.
Its Affiliate Intelligence tools use data and AI to find, forecast and benchmark partners, and its influencer offering adds established and emerging creators. In 2026 Rakuten formed an alliance with impact.com, which now supplies platform technology for contracting, tracking and payments. Rakuten Advertising continues to provide partner relationships, managed services and performance insights. Pricing is not published and is arranged with sales.
Rakuten Advertising at a glance
How does Rakuten Advertising work?
- Talk to the sales team
Advertisers submit a get-started form and agree program scope, services and commercial terms with Rakuten Advertising. This usually includes which regions, partner types and service levels the program will cover.
- Launch the program
The team sets up tracking and offers, then recruits suitable publishers, loyalty partners and creators from its network.
- Optimize with data
Affiliate Intelligence benchmarks partners and forecasts results, guiding where to increase or reduce investment. Account teams use these insights in regular reviews with the brand.
- Measure and pay
Performance is reported to the brand, and partner commissions are processed through the platform.
Rakuten Advertising key features
Global affiliate network
Gives brands access to publishers, loyalty and cashback sites, and content partners across many markets.
Affiliate Intelligence
Uses data science and AI to find partners, forecast performance and compare results against benchmarks.
Influencer marketing
Connects brands with proven and emerging creators within the same program.
Managed services
Offers strategy and account management for brands that want experts to run their programs.
Rakuten Rewards data
Uses consumer data from the Rakuten Rewards cashback business to help measure incrementality and attribution.
Fraud and compliance tools
Lists a Detect solution aimed at monitoring partner activity and protecting program budgets.
Audience Engine
Listed among Rakuten Advertising solutions as a way to reach target audiences across its partner and consumer network.
Why use Rakuten Advertising?
- A long-running network gives large brands quick access to established publishers and loyalty sites.
- Managed services reduce the need for a big in-house affiliate team. Account teams handle partner recruitment, negotiation and reporting.
- Data tools help forecast partner value before committing budget.
- The impact.com alliance adds modern platform features for tracking and payouts.
- Ties to the wider Rakuten ecosystem can support reach in several regions.
Who is Rakuten Advertising best for?
A good fit for
- Large retail brands with global affiliate programs
- Travel and financial services advertisers
- Enterprises that want a managed affiliate program
- Brands seeking cashback and loyalty partners
Less suited to
- Small businesses or startups with modest budgets
- SaaS companies wanting a self-serve referral tool that can be set up in an afternoon
- Teams that want published, transparent pricing
Rakuten Advertising pricing
| Pricing model | Contact sales |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Free trial | Not confirmed |
| Starting price | Contact sales (pricing not published) |
Rakuten Advertising does not list prices. Costs are agreed with the sales team and depend on program scope, markets and the level of managed service.
Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official website before you buy.
Rakuten Advertising pros and cons
Pros
- Large, established global network
- Full managed service option
- Data tools for partner forecasting
- Access to cashback and loyalty partners through the Rakuten ecosystem
Cons
- No public pricing or self-serve signup
- Geared toward large advertisers with sizable budgets
- Platform changes from the impact.com alliance are still rolling out
Rakuten Advertising integrations and platforms
Works with
Available on
Rakuten Advertising alternatives
See the full shortlist in Best Affiliate Management Software.
Rakuten Advertising FAQ
What is Rakuten Advertising?
Rakuten Advertising is the affiliate marketing business of Rakuten Group. It runs a global affiliate network that connects brands with publishers, loyalty sites and creators, and it offers managed services and data tools. It mainly works with large advertisers in retail, travel and financial services. Since 2026 it works alongside impact.com, which provides the underlying platform technology.
How much does Rakuten Advertising cost?
Rakuten Advertising does not publish pricing. Advertisers fill out a get-started form and agree terms with the sales team. Costs depend on factors such as program scope, target markets, and how much strategy and account management the brand needs. Partner commissions are paid on top of any platform or service fees.
Is Rakuten Advertising the same as LinkShare?
Rakuten Advertising grew out of Rakuten's long-running affiliate network, and its advertiser dashboard login still references LinkShare. Today the business operates under the Rakuten Advertising name and offers affiliate, influencer and data services rather than only the original network technology.
Rakuten Advertising vs Impact.com: what's the difference?
Rakuten Advertising is mainly a managed affiliate network with partner relationships and services. Impact.com is a software platform brands use to run partnerships themselves. Since their 2026 alliance, impact.com supplies tracking, contracting and payments technology, while Rakuten Advertising provides network access, managed services and performance data.
Can publishers join Rakuten Advertising?
Yes. Publishers, content sites and creators can apply through a registration page on the Rakuten Advertising website. Once approved, they can join advertiser programs in the network, promote offers and earn commissions on the sales they drive. Publishers also gain access to the unified platform created through the impact.com alliance.
Sources
This overview is based on Rakuten Advertising's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.