My Wealthy Affiliate Review

If you’ve been researching how to build a genuine online business—perhaps by blogging, learning affiliate marketing, or simply exploring your own little corner of the web—then you’ve probably come across Wealthy Affiliate. It’s been around for years, and in fact, I’ve been a member (on and off) for over a decade.

I joined back in 2013, full of curiosity and a little overwhelmed by tech. And while my relationship with it has evolved over time, Wealthy Affiliate continues to support me today. I’d like to walk you through what it is, what it does well, and what to be aware of—especially if you’re midlife (or beyond) and stepping tentatively into this world.

• Starter – Free
• Premium – $49/month or $497/year
• Premium Plus+ – $99/month or $697/year

The free plan lets you explore quite a bit without spending a penny, and you’re not pressured to upgrade.

• Support: 5/5
• Training: 5/5 (updated for 2024/2025)
• WordPress Hosting: 5/5
• Website Tools Included: 5/5
• TrustPilot Score: 4.8/5

Kyle and Carson, the co-founders, are still very active inside WA. They started the platform in 2005, and you’ll often see them running classes or replying to questions.  They are often available in ‘Live Chat’.  It’s unusual to see that level of founder presence, especially after nearly 20 years.

When I first joined, it was lovely to be able to message them directly (and often)—and I still do occasionally. They’re not just figureheads. They’re part of the rhythm of the community.

WA’s core training takes you from zero to “I’ve built something real” in four stages:

1. Picking your niche (even if you feel unsure)
2. Registering a domain and launching your website
3. Learning how to create helpful content
4. Growing traffic and adding monetisation

Each short lesson includes something to do—you’re not just watching videos. The approach is very hands-on, which I’ve always appreciated. You build confidence by doing.

The training is kept up to date (in fact today, the whole site has gone through a massive and exciting transformation)—if Google changes something or there’s a better way to handle SEO, the curriculum reflects it. You won’t be stuck following advice from ten years ago.

Why this matters:

• You learn what’s working now, not last year
• Questions are answered in real time
• You’re learning from people actually doing the work—not just talking about it

Jaaxy is a keyword and market research tool that’s built into Wealthy Affiliate. It helps you:

• Find topics people are searching for
• See how hard it is to rank in Google
• Discover gaps in what others are writing about
• Track your own rankings

As someone who used to find keyword research quite intimidating, I find Jaaxy surprisingly clear and helpful.  Jaaxy will be having an update shortly to keep up to date with Google changes.

WA includes a tool that helps you find affiliate programs to join. You can search by category, see commission rates, and read reviews from other members.

You don’t have to promote Wealthy Affiliate itself. You might promote gardening tools, journaling supplies, dog gear… whatever fits your niche.

This saves a huge amount of time. You’re not left Googling “best affiliate programs for yoga bloggers.”

WA includes high-quality hosting, even on the free plan. I’ve hosted sites elsewhere, and the performance here has consistently been better (and more reliable).

You get:

• Free SSL (secure site)
• Daily backups
• Fast loading speeds
• Spam protection
• 24/7 technical help
• Unlimited email accounts with your domain

Even when I’ve had plugin issues or something odd behind the scenes, their support team has helped usually within minutes.

Recently, WA added some optional AI tools to help with content creation. If you’re stuck on a blog title, need a draft outline, or just want a hand structuring your thoughts—they can help.

You’re encouraged to mix your own voice with any suggestions. It’s not about churning out robotic posts.

I use it to save time—but you can ignore it completely if it’s not your thing.

Some members see their first sale within a few weeks, others take months—it depends on your pace and consistency. I personally made my first few commissions in my first year, and over time, built a modest but meaningful income stream.

You’ll find plenty of “I made my first commission!” posts inside WA. Some people go on to full-time income, but many just enjoy seeing something they’ve created begin to bloom.

No. This isn’t one of those setups where you have to recruit others to earn anything.

Yes, Wealthy Affiliate has an affiliate program—but most people in the community build sites in other areas. (In fact, it’s one of the only platforms I’ve seen that encourages you to promote something besides itself.)

It’s focused on teaching skills you can apply in any niche.

Wealthy Affiliate may suit you if:

• You want to learn steadily, with support
• You appreciate calm, step-by-step teaching
• You like having your tools and training in one place
• You want to build something lasting—not chase trends

It may not suit those who want fast results, or who prefer a more “hustle-and-scale” approach.

If you’re still exploring whether an online business is right for you, I’ve written a post with 7 gentle questions to help you reflect — you can read it here

Is Wealthy Affiliate suitable for complete beginners?

Yes. The platform is designed to walk you through each step — from choosing a niche to building your first website. If you’re comfortable with email and basic browsing, you can learn this too.

Do I need to buy anything straight away?

No. Wealthy Affiliate offers a free starter plan with no credit card required. You can explore the training and see if it feels right before deciding on anything further.

Can I build a website even if I’m not ‘techy’?

Absolutely. The tools are simplified and well explained. Plus, the community is friendly and helpful when questions come up. It’s one step at a time — no tech fluency required.

Will it help me earn money?

It can — but not overnight. Like anything real, results depend on the time and care you put in. WA gives you the tools and guidance, but it’s not a push-button solution. It rewards steady effort.

If you’ve ever said to yourself:

“I’d love to build a site but don’t know where to start,” or

“I don’t want to do this alone,”

then Wealthy Affiliate is worth trying.

You can start completely free, explore the tools, poke around the community, and only upgrade if and when it feels right.

I still use WA after all these years—because it works, it evolves, and it suits the way I learn.

Click here to explore the Starter Plan (free)

If you join and want to say hello, I’m inside the community and always happy to connect. Let me know if you need help.

Here’s to building something steady—and truly yours.