If you’re a reviewer, sex worker, or other content creator, you may be familiar with affiliate programs, marketing partnerships, and review partnerships. The sponsor gets advertising and/or feedback and you get cash or goods in exchange for your time and effort. Win/win.
Once you’ve got a steady presence and growing audience, you can get the ball rolling with affiliate programs and partnerships. Some of these are quick and easy to set up, requiring nothing more than an application and account setup, while others may be more involved.
Got questions? Everyone does when they’re first considering these partnerships. Scroll down past the list for more information about these programs in general and what you need to participate.
Table of Contents
- Affiliate & Partnership Programs
- Affiliate Platforms
- Joining Programs and Organizing Reviews or Promos
- I’m Affiliated, Now What?
Affiliate & Partnership Programs
The information below is accurate as of writing this article. Shops may close or change their programs at any time, so always check the details on their site for the most up-to-date information. Not all applicants to these programs will be approved. Inclusion in this list is not necessarily an endorsement. If any shops would like to have their information added, edited, or removed, please get in touch.
“Customer discount” refers to discount codes you can publicly provide for your audience, but cannot use yourself. “Personal coupons/discount” refers to discounts that you may use for your own orders.
All Night Toys
Details: Receive a coupon for a free toy after sharing a video featuring a toy from All Night Toys that reaches 7000 views
All Night Toys caters to those who like their fantasy dildos big, with smalls on the larger side and sizes up to XXXL.
Darque Path
Details: Full refund of order after 3x order price is met within 12 months | 10% customer discount | Contact for details
Darque Path focuses on witchy, kinky, and gothic themes.
Their collaborator program involves creating a custom listing for the content creator, having that content creator advertise with a coupon code, and once customer purchases using that coupon code reach three times the initial order price, the initial order is refunded.
Click here to read my reviews for Darque Path.
Early to Bed (Retailer)
Details: 20% commission | Tapfiliate | $25 minimum payout
Early to Bed carries a curated variety of high-quality products, with dildos made from quality materials. They have a selection of fantasy dildos, including indies like Uberrime and Pris Toys, and have a section dedicated to gender-affirming products.
Erotic Effect
Details: 10% commission | 10% customer discount | Personal coupons available | Shopify Collabs | $25 minimum payout | Order refund option for content creators
Erotic Effect carries highly detailed designs that are both fantastical and abstract.
Click here to read my reviews for Erotic Effect.
Fantasy Grove
Details: 10% commission | UpPromote
Fantasy Grove carries a themed lineup of dildos, grinders, and more based on magical and anthro furry woodland creatures.
Click here to read my reviews for Fantasy Grove.
Gorilla Machine
Details: Earn a % commission | Customer discount available | Personal discount and coupons available | Must post a video or article featuring Gorilla Machine once every 14 days
Gorilla Machine produces fantasy and scifi toys, including their iconic barrel stroker.
Kisu and Friends
Details: 15% commission (content creators) or 5€ commission (referral program) | UpPromote
Kisu and Friends features furry and dragon toys, with amazing handpainted pictures on the bases of some toys.
Love Smiths
Details: 5-10% commission | GoAffPro | 50€ minimum payout
Love Smiths carries a lineup of high fantasy toys, including elf and dragon dildos.
Click here to read my reviews for Love Smiths.
Magic Within
Details: Works with content creators; contact for more information
Magic Within carries spectacularly detailed mechanical designs.
Click here to read my reviews for Magic Within.
PeepShow Toys (Retailer)
Details: 15% commission | Refersion
PeepShow Toys is a retailer dedicated to inclusivity and sex positivity. They carry body-safe dildos from brands like SquarePegToys, Tantus, Vixen Creations, and and Uberrime. While their fantasy lineup is limited, they carry a few indie brands.
Phreak
Details: 15% commission | 15% personal discount | UpPromote
Phreak carries everything from fruits to fantasy dildos, with their signature Phreaky pours helping them stand out.
Rexalpha
Details: 10% commission | 10% customer discount | Shopify Collabs | $25 minimum payout
Rexalpha specializes in unique knotted and flared toys, represented by buff anthro furry characters.
🚩Rexalpha uses generative AI as part of their advertising.
Sinnovator
Details: 10-16% commission | Tapfiliate | £20 minimum payout
Sinnovator offers a broad catalog with dildos, depth trainers, plugs, and more.
Twilight Meadow Creations
Details: 10% commission | 5% customer discount | Personal coupons available | Shopify Collabs | $25 minimum payout
Twilight Meadow Creations carries a themed selection of toys based on magical and mythological creatures.
Uncover Creations
Affiliate Details: 20% commission | UpPromote | Influencer collaboration
Uncover Creations has a broad range of toys, including a variety of dildos, fantasy penis extenders, and their iconic tentacle grinders.
🚩Uncover Creations uses generative AI as part of their advertising.
Click here to read my reviews for Uncover Creations.
Other Shops
The shops listed above either have public information about their programs or have approved inclusion in this article. Shops not listed here may be willing to partner with content creators, but you will need to reach out to them and ask. I recommend checking a shop’s FAQ before reaching out to them; some say upfront that they do not work with content creators.
Affiliate Platforms
Clicks, sales, and commissions are tracked and processed through affiliate platforms.
GoAffPro offers many payment options for payouts, but these may be limited by the brand. You need to create a separate account for each affiliate program through this platform. I have personally had issues receiving payouts through GoAffPro and had to work with a brand to send payments to me directly.
Refersion offers payouts via Paypal or Trolley. It does not display clicks, so unless your site tracks outgoing clicks, you may not be able to accurately gauge your sale-per-clicks rate or how effective your marketing is. You need to create a separate account for each affiliate program through this platform.
ShareASale offers payouts via check or direct deposit, with a minimum required payout of $25. You can use a single account to access multiple affiliate programs.
Shopify Collabs offers payouts via Paypal. These are automatically processed twice a month. The minimum required payout is $25 and funds may be subject to a holding period of up to 90 days depending on the shop’s settings. Shops may offer coupons to their affiliates through the platform under the Gifts section. You can use a single account to access multiple affiliate programs. This is easily my favorite affiliate platform thanks to its user friendliness and being able to view multiple programs at once.
Tapfiliate and UpPromote track clicks and have easy-to-read reporting on clicks over time and commissions. They both include an Assets section with promotional images. Tapfiliate has multiple payout options including Paypal and bank transfer, while UpPromote pays directly through Paypal. Payouts are processed once a month. You need to create a separate account for each affiliate program through these platforms.
Joining Programs and Organizing Reviews or Promos
Who can participate?
Anyone who is able to publicly review, promote, or share fantasy silicone sex toys may participate in affiliate programs or partner with shops. This can include bloggers, porn actors, influencers, artists, and other content creators. If you have an audience that would be interested in fantasy toys, then a partnership could work for you.
What do I need?
Different brands have different requirements and will work with different people. If you have a following, you have a start.
Brands may work with reviewers, bloggers, sex workers, influencers, artists, and anyone else with an audience interested in fantasy sex toys. You don’t always have to write reviews or make porn; unboxing videos, aesthetic photography, or even drawn artwork could make you the right fit for a program.
The decision may come down to how much you have to offer a shop. What reach do you have, and on what platforms? What makes you stand out? Is your audience highly motivated to make toy purchases? These are all details a brand may be interested in before making a decision to work with someone.
If you are a writer, you do not necessarily need your own website, but having a website with your own URL can make you look more established and professional.
How do I reach out?
Affiliate programs typically have a form to fill out when applying.
For partnerships like reviews and promos, reach out through the shop’s recommended channels, usually a contact form or email address. Some shops may communicate via DMs on social media, but it is a less secure way to share addresses and save conversations than email.
Introduce yourself, share a link to your site or socials, tell them what you’re offering and what you would need from them, if you charge a rate, and what you can bring to the table (such as the size of your following or a niche you advertise in). Be professional and courteous, as with any business email. Understand that the shop may decline to work with you or may not respond at all. I have reached out to shops this way to organize review articles and it has helped me establish and maintain a lot of professional relationships.
Can I get paid?
Affiliate programs offer a commission when your referrals result in qualifying sales. Make sure to read the terms and conditions. For example, my Liberator affiliate link only earns me commissions for sales of Liberator products, but my other links earn commissions for most sales regardless of product brand.
Partnerships not involving a product, such as a blog post about a specific topic sponsored by a company, usually involve upfront payment.
For partnerships involving a product, some people charge a rate in addition to receiving the product. Advertising, marketing, testing, providing feedback, and writing are all work, after all, and a toy won’t pay the bills. On top of the hours invested, we spend years building up skills and knowledge within a given niche. Professional work is worth getting paid for.
Some people opt not to charge a fee on top of the product. I would recommend only doing this if you are happy with the product itself as payment and the product’s value is worth it to you.
Whatever your arrangement, it’s not a get rich quick scheme, especially with the current economy. But it can bring in a handful of cash and some nice toys.
What if I don’t have an audience?
Some shops seek out testers to give private feedback on prototypes. They may put a call out on social media for interested testers or they may reach out to potentially interested individuals directly.
Some shops offer referral programs where you may earn cash or store credit if you refer someone who then makes a purchase.
Who should I choose?
You and the brand will benefit most when your audiences’ interests align. I blog about fantasy and indie silicone toys; therefore, my affiliates and partnerships primarily focus on silicone toys and accessories that can be used with them.
Your followers put faith in the quality of your work and what you support. I would recommend making sure that a partnership or affiliation is beneficial for you and your audience and is in line with your values, and that any feedback you provide is honest.
Reviews can be an exception to the above—honest negative feedback for a brand or product helps inform potential customers—but keep in mind your own safety (these people are getting your address, after all, unless you set up a P.O. box) and that even negative feedback can boost visibility of a brand if they’re not already well known.
Do any shops have red flags?
It is my opinion that the below shops that work with content creators are unsafe, unethical, or partnering with them could potentially be a reputational risk that could lose you support from the fantasy toy community and risk your partnerships with other indies. I don’t expect any brand to be 100% perfect, but these ones cross my own lines. This section is not intended to say “never work with these companies,” but rather “here is some information you may want to consider before working with one of the below companies.”
Generative AI/AI Generators have an extremely negative response from artists, creatives, and their supporters due to the ethically controversial databases and implementation of AI generation. Promoting a brand that uses AI-generated assets could be a reputational risk.
John Thomas Toys has threatened to dox influencers they partnered with and has threatened legal action over reviews. They also produce or have produced models that are allegedly ripoffs of other designs, like their Sampson (skinny Bad Dragon Stan), Xtro (Bad Dragon Scorn), Silly Nana (Phreak Banana), and Pod (Phreak Lenea).
Nothosaur (and their sister companies Swisok and Juliet Toys/Juliet & Martin Toys) is notorious among the fantasy toy community for alleged design theft and has allegedly shared exploitative animal abuse content on their social media pages. They have allegedly been racist towards some content creators and hostile towards some toy collectors. They have a very negative reputation among fantasy toy collectors and indie toy shops.
SheVibe carries knock-off brands like Creature Cocks (see Twitter thread (requires login) and this article), commissioned rip-offs of models from other companies, and commissioned a dildo that a number of trans people perceive as transphobic.
Deep Fantasies has allegedly carried ripped off designs, has had negative interactions with the fantasy toy community, and has had questionable safety practices. (Twitter thread requires login to view.)
Amazon-based dropship companies that send toys in exchange for reviews on Amazon are not reputable. They typically send money, ask you to purchase the toy on Amazon, then fulfil it as a standard order. This practice violates Amazon’s TOS and could get your account banned. These companies may have products of questionable quality and safety, and they may issue a chargeback if you do not leave a 5-star review.
What if I work with a bad company or write a negative review?
The choice of whether or not to end a partnership depends on what you want and whether you want the shop to remain connected to your name.
If you would like to end a partnership, most affiliate programs should permit you to end your affiliation at any time. For an ongoing partnership, you may not want to enter into a formal contract without a way to end the contract, like an exit clause. If there is no formal contract, you may be able to address the terms of your informal agreement and come to a resolution with the shop.
Negative reviews are not inherently bad and can provide the audience important information. For negative reviews and any negative comments about a brand, mind your country’s libel laws. In the US, you should be okay in most cases as long as your feedback is honest. Epiphora has a great article about this. Other countries, such as the UK and Canada, have stricter libel laws. If a company sends you a cease & desist letter (C&D) or otherwise threatens legal action for negative feedback, it’s unlikely to lead to anything in the US, but you may need to get in touch with a lawyer if you have any concerns or if you live in a country with stricter laws.
I am not a lawyer and this should not be taken as legal advice.
Does my content have to be positive?
This depends on your agreement with the brand and expectations from your audience.
As a reviewer, honesty is a core value and something my audience depends on, so I provide both positive and negative feedback. Even for brands I’m affiliated with or who provide me products at no financial cost to myself, I make my feedback as honest as possible. (Fortunately, I rarely have truly negative feedback, with most of it falling under “This doesn’t work for me personally” rather than “This is bad.”)
Positive reviews may earn you more sales as an affiliate, but if it is not honest, it could damage your reputation with your audience.
Non-review agreements like paid promotions or ads typically expect positive representation of the product.
I’m Affiliated, Now What?
Affiliate Links
Affiliate links and customer discount codes can be shared on your own website and on social media. For websites you don’t own, check the terms to see if they permit affiliate links or affiliate advertising.
In the US, according to FTC guidelines, any affiliate links, paid ads, and partnerships must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. This includes affiliate links, affiliate codes, paid advertising, and products provided in exchange for marketing or review. In addition to following guidelines, your audience may appreciate the honesty.
On sites that allow HTML link formatting, all affiliate links, paid links, and promotional links should include rel value sponsored, nofollow, or both. (Click here for more info on meaning and syntax.) This will prevent your site from being marked as spam by search engines.
Responsibilities
Most affiliate programs do not require anything from their affiliates, but they may disable accounts that do not make sales for a few months.
For commitments such as reviews, paid content, or partnerships, communication is key. Confirm your responsibilities, set forth a timeframe, and contact the brand promptly if you need to shift a deadline or otherwise make changes. I usually follow up after reviews are posted, sharing a link with the brand and thanking them for working with me. Professionalism and maintaining good relationships are important.
Affiliate income is taxable (at least in the US). If you are a US resident and receive more than $600 through a payment service like Paypal in a year, you should receive a tax form from Paypal on which you will need to report any profits (but you should not need to report payments which were not profitable, such as resale of a toy at a loss). If you make less than $600, you will need to manually report the earnings elsewhere on your tax forms, such as miscellaneous income.
This article contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission from qualifying sales.
I’d like to mention that Nothosaur has also been accused of racism, intentionally avoiding sending review items to dark-skinned reviewers or performers and, when they do have Black people promoting their toys, not sharing their content at all on any of their official platforms.
Absolutely worth pointing out & thanks for the comment. I had narrowed it down to highlight the issues that I have heard about the most from them, but the racism and other hostility are worth mentioning especially since not everyone will read the linked document, so I’ve added a note about that.