Five Things to Know About Awin’s New Power 100
Written by Richard Towey on 4 minute read
Influencers, brand hosts, and AI shopping tools named among Awin’s most innovative partners amid the expanding remit of affiliate marketing.
Summarizing the current state of affiliate marketing is no small feat. As LLMs, new partner types, non-linear consumer journeys, and tracking challenges spark plenty of debate over the future direction of the channel, a brief snapshot is hard to come by.
But Awin’s new Power 100 is a pretty good place to start.
Back for 2026, our refreshed index of the 100 most innovative partners on the Awin platform brings the greatest variety we’ve ever produced.
New considerations like brand hosts, influencers, and AI shopping tools join the stalwarts of coupon sites and comparison shopping services to create a double barrel of partner inspiration for advertisers.
The index is already live and ready to view. But if you don’t fancy sifting through all 100 profiles, here’s a view from the top.
1. It’s a global thing
38% of the Power 100 are active in more than three markets
On a first look at the new list, the first thing you notice is just how many partners operate in multiple markets.
The average partner operates in 3.5 countries, with 30% being considered ‘global’ (live in over three).
Partners like Rokt (retail media specialist) and Veve (display advertising) are live in just about every significant e-commerce market.
The US, UK, Brazil, and Germany all have strong representation. But don’t be surprised to see plenty of new market entries from our list in 2026, as our 100 use Awin to quickly expand into new territories.
2. Content creators lead the growth
Blogger/influencer representation up +180%
Content creators and influencers were always going to feature heavily this year. There are +180% more blogger/influencer partners vs our previous index, making them the second-most popular partner type, behind coupon/cashback.
In yet another sign of the times, several creators are using Instagram rather than blogs to deliver and monetize their content. But you’ll find no shortage of options on YouTube and TikTok if video is your thing.
Alini Bosko (BR), Fran Barreto (BR), and Joanna Goddard (US) have hundreds of thousands of followers. And if you don’t sell fashion or beauty products, the Power 100 is stacked with creators promoting travel, tech, finance, and lifestyle brands, too.
3. AI shopping is a totally new partner type
AI Shopping partners up +100% (vs zero…)
AI Shopping partners now get their own category after a wave of new channel entries over 2025. We’ve attached a dedicated label to those using intelligence to underpin their experience, but many more are using some form of algorithm to enhance their recommendations.
A couple of partners worth browsing:
- Daydream (US): Personal stylist and conversational shopping platform using natural language understanding to deliver relevant results.
- ShopSense AI (Canada, US): Connects retailers with premium publisher and broadcaster content by making it easy for consumers to shop products they see on the TV.
If you’re a champion of AI’s role in consumer journeys, you’ll want partners like these on your side.
4. Our most commonly supported marketing goal is…
Boost sales! (50%)
‘Boost my sales’ might be the primary goal, supported by 50% of our partners, but you can also land new customers (27%) and generate brand awareness (23%) with many of the class of 2026.
It’s important to note that most partners support multiple goals, some of which are not listed. Grow average order values, for example, is something that many of the partners that boost sales can simultaneously support.
5. The lines are blurring
Brand partner hosts and tech partners redefine conventional partner format
While the vast majority of the Power 100 operate solely as partners, some function as both partner and advertiser by sharing rewards from non-competing brands with their customers.
Household names like Vinted, Three+, Sky VIP (powered by Tyviso) and Currys (powered by BrandSwap) are among several brand partner ‘hosts’ to make this year’s index.
Meanwhile, partners like Revving (speeds up partner payments) and Publisher Discovery (aids partner recruitment) are neither advertiser nor partner, but do offer services to both.
Their inclusion reflects the broader shifts across the channel, from a growing wave of new partners entering the ecosystem, to dedicated tools that now support their selection and optimization.
View the index
The Power 100 is now live. Select the goal you’re looking to drive, the types of partners you want to work with, and the sector you’re in, and find your next growth driver.