ShopMy vs LTK [2024] Commission, Pros and Cons

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ShopMy vs LTK – which is better for content creators like us? 

I’ll keep it simple.

You need at least 5,000 followers to be accepted into the LTK affiliate program. 

Now, if you hit that minimum, I recommend you use the service that offers a higher commission for the particular brand you want to promote because commission rates vary by brand.

So that might mean joining both LTK and ShopMy.

But I’ll explain in more detail, including LTK’s unique advantages over ShopMy. But also why ShopMy should NOT be ignored!

I’ve been in affiliate marketing for over a decade. Don’t miss my insights into new ways to monetize your audience without alienating them. Get my free email newsletter:

ShopMy vs LTK Overview

Online sales make up over 20% of all retail spending worldwide.1 Let’s get you your cut.

Each side in the ShopMy vs LTK debate has a similar business model. They’re affiliate marketing platforms that make it easy to make money from your content.

Let’s say you’re an influencer or creator, and you want to make money through affiliate marketing. How do you get started? 

You could apply for individual affiliate programs with specific brands, but that takes a whole lot of time – time you could use to create killer content. 

The alternative is to sign up for an affiliate marketing platform like ShopMy or LTK. These companies have already partnered with thousands of brands – meaning all you’ll have to do is choose which brands and products to promote.

If you don’t mind applying for individual affiliate programs – or you want to promote a brand that’s not included on either ShopMy or LTK, check out my reviews:

So, let’s look at LTK vs ShopMy to see which one makes more sense for you.

What Is ShopMy and How Does ShopMy Work?

ShopMy is an affiliate marketing network where you make money by promoting products online. 

ShopMy has partnered with over 50,000 merchants in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle industries. You can build relationships with those merchants and then post about products on social media to earn hefty commissions.

Here’s how to make money with ShopMy:

  • Launch a digital shop. You’ll create a virtual storefront where your followers can buy the products you recommend. When the shop makes a sale, you’ll earn a commission.
  • Post affiliate links within your content. There are tons of brands and merchants on ShopMy that want creators like you to promote their products. They’ll give you affiliate links, and then you’ll post these links on social media. When your followers click a link and make a purchase, you earn money!

ShopMy also helps creators by making it easy to build relationships with specific brands. For example, let’s say you’re a makeup specialist and you’re promoting beauty products on your Instagram page. Through ShopMy, you can request free products and chat directly with brands, such as Kosas, Rhode, and Byredo. You can also use the platform to look for new brands to collaborate with.

There are several ways to access ShopMy, including the website, the mobile app, and the browser extension. Oh, and the ShopMy mobile app gets 4.8 stars on the Apple App Store – so people are digging the platform!

How Much Money Can You Make with ShopMy?

Okay, so ShopMy has serious benefits – but how much can you make?

Commission rates on ShopMy vary by brand, but they range from 10% to 30% – which is fantastic! And payments are sent weekly every Friday through PayPal or Stripe. Other affiliate programs pay way less and not as often.

Ready to get started? Follow these steps:

  1. Head to the official ShopMy website.
  2. Click Apply in the top right corner.
  3. Click Apply again under the Creators heading.
  4. Provide information about your online presence and add links to your social profiles.
  5. Click “Apply.”

ShopMy typically takes 3 to 5 business days to review your application. If you’re approved, you can create an account right away. And if you’re denied, it’s not a hard no. It’s a “not now.” You can apply again in 90 days. 

* Insider tip: Once approved, make sure you complete as much of your profile as possible and stay active on the platform. That will help you move up through the Creator Tiers – the higher your tier, the more perks and bonuses you’ll get!

ShopMy affiliate marketing network partners with over 50,000 brands.
ShopMy is an affiliate marketing platform where you can partner with over 50,000 merchants.

Promoting products you love online makes my list of top business ideas for women.

What Is LTK and How Does LTK Work?

LTK, once known as “LIKEtoKNOW.it,” is an online shopping network that puts influencers front and center. And that’s where you belong, duh.

Imagine if Amazon revolved around creators and their suggestions, so that shoppers can constantly see how influencers are using (or styling) products. Well, that’s basically the LTK business model – and it can be a real money-maker for creators like us.

LTK might not be as famous as Amazon, but it’s hardly a no-name site. Just check out these LTK statistics:

  • 40 million monthly shoppers
  • Over 7,000 retailers
  • A mobile app with a 4.9-star rating in the Apple App Store

When you work as an LTK creator, you’ll get a personalized LTK Shop where you can display your favorite products. The millions of people who shop through the LTK app will then have access to this virtual storefront – and if they buy something, you get a portion of the profits. 

You can also share products through social media like Instagram and Snapchat. LTK brags that your posts will be “immediately shoppable,” which means people can click links and buy products right away.

And how much will you make? The commissions vary by retailer, but you can expect to earn 10% to 25%. 

Here’s an example: You post about a gorgeous sweater (or a handbag – or whatever, it’s up to you!) on your Instagram stories. The item costs $100, and the commission is 25%. When someone clicks your link and buys the item, you earn $25. Talk about easy money!

Of course, becoming a creator on LTK isn’t actually that easy. You need an existing audience to get accepted onto the platform (at least 5,000 followers). Building that kind of following can be a grind, so that’s where the work comes in. But once you’ve been accepted, LTK is an excellent option for creators!

Interested? Follow these steps to apply:

  1. Go to the official LTK website.
  2. Click Apply. This will take you to the Creators page.
  3. Click Apply Now. 
  4. Complete the application by providing personal details and information about your online presence.  

Once your application has been accepted, you can start creating posts and promoting products.

LTK creators can earn commissions up to 25%.
With LTK, you can promote brands and earn commissions of up to 25%.

ShopMy vs LTK Pricing / ShopMy vs LTK Cost

With both sides in the ShopMy vs LTK debate, you don’t have to pay anything as a creator. 

Pricing is still an important part of the LTK vs ShopMy discussion. Why? Because ShopMy will take a small cut from the commissions you earn, while LTK doesn’t touch your money. This could factor into your decision to use ShopMy or LTK. 

But remember, what ultimately matters is which side in the ShopMy vs LTK debate offers higher commission rates for brands your audience will love.

ShopMy Pricing

ShopMy makes money by taking a small percentage of the monthly commissions you earn on the platform. They take an 18% cut, leaving you with 82%.

But don’t worry, these fees won’t sneak up on you. When you see a commission rate listed on the platform, ShopMy’s take has already been factored in. So when a brand is listed as offering a 20% commission rate, you’ll truly walk away with 20%. 

LTK Pricing 

LTK doesn’t take any money from influencers. How is this possible? Well, LTK makes money in other ways – including by charging brands to promote their products on the platform.

That means you don’t have to pay to use LTK, and you get to keep all the money you earn on the site. LTK wins this portion of the LTK vs ShopMy debate!

Whether you choose ShopMy or LTK, or both, being a social media influencer is one of my favorite low-cost business ideas with high profit.

ShopMy vs LTK Pros and Cons

Can’t decide whether to use ShopMy or LTK? Yeah, I get it – this is a tough decision! Both platforms can be excellent for creators. 

To help you choose, I’ve listed the pros and cons to help you choose ShopMy or LTK.

ShopMy Pros and Cons

ShopMy Pros

  • There are 50,000 merchants on the platform. Sephora, Ulta, Anthropologie, Revolve, Nordstrom, and more.
  • The minimum follower count is 1,000. That makes it the more accessible option in our ShopMy vs LTK comparison.
  • Commissions can be as high as 30%. The commissions vary by brand. 

ShopMy Cons

  • They take a cut of commissions. But remember, the commission rates that you see listed on the platform already include ShopMy’s take.
  • Not everyone who applies is accepted. ShopMy might be the easier option if you’re deciding whether to use LTK or ShopMy, but it still assesses applications on a case-by-case basis.
  • Some features are off-limits to most users. The highest level of ShopMy support is only available to the top creator tiers – which excludes most creators on the platform. 

If you don’t yet have 1,000 followers, you can still make money online. Check out my resources that anyone can start right now:

LTK Pros and Cons

LTK Pros

  • The shopping platform has 40 million monthly global users. All those people will have access to your LTK Shop – meaning they’re all potential customers. 
  • The LTK mobile app is super popular. It has 4.9 stars on the Apple App Store after being rated more than 430,000 times.
  • There are over 1 million brands on the platform. To say you’ll have options would be an understatement.

LTK Cons

  • You’ll need at least 5,000 followers. Don’t make the cut? Then ShopMy is the better option in the LTK vs ShopMy conversation. 
  • Commissions top out at 25%. I feel weird listing this as a con, because 25% is actually pretty great – but if you’re deciding to use either LTK or ShopMy, then ShopMy wins with commission rates of up to 30%.
  • You’ll need an additional app. You’ll have to download the LTK Creator iOS app, which could seem annoying – and creators commonly complain that they wish there were more customization options for their LTK Shop.

ShopMy vs LTK Reviews

Over on Threads, someone recently asked a simple question: Which is better, LTK or ShopMy?

A person posted on Threads asking others if ShopMy vs LTK is better.
Someone on Threads asks if ShopMy or LTK is better.

Someone responded by saying that both sides in the ShopMy vs LTK debate are “excellent” but that LTK focuses on sponsorships while ShopMy sends more gifts. 

Someone on Threads says that they like using both LTK and ShopMy.
A Threads user says both platforms in the LTK vs ShopMy debate are “excellent.” 

Another user said that ShopMy generally offers better commission rates.

A person on Threads explained that ShopMy has higher commission rates than LTK.
Someone says ShopMy has better commission rates than LTK.

While they didn’t directly address the LTK vs ShopMy discussion, someone said they liked the ShopMy interface.

A person on Threads recommends using both LTK and ShopMy.
A Threads user praises ShopMy for its “interface and transparency.”

And finally, someone offered really smart advice for anyone deciding whether to use LTK or ShopMy: Go with “whichever has a higher commission rate for the stores you post most frequently.” 

Someone on Threads suggests creators decide between ShopMy and LTK based on which has more of the brands they like promote.
On Threads, someone says to use the influencer affiliate program that offers the highest commissions for the stores that you promote the most.

ShopMy vs LTK: Which Is Better? / Is ShopMy Better Than LTK? 

If you have under 5,000 followers, go with ShopMy. Because you need 5,000 followers minimum to be accepted with LTK.

If you have at least 5,000 followers, join both LTK and ShopMy. Use the service that gives you a higher commission for the particular brand you want to promote.

Commission rates vary by brand. And you might find certain brands only on LTK or only on ShopMy.

If you’re a social media influencer, you’re likely better looking than the average human. So you might want to check out my guides:

Commonly Asked Questions About ShopMy vs LTK

What Is The Difference Between ShopMy and LTK? 

The main difference in the ShopMy vs LTK discussion is that ShopMy offers higher commissions of up to 30%, and LTK offers more brand partnership opportunities (over 1 million). LTK is also more popular among consumers, with 40 million monthly shoppers. 

LTK vs ShopMy Lawsuit? 

LTK recently sued ShopMy, accusing ShopMy of illegally using LTK trademarks and lying about LTK in its advertisements. This is a recent development, and the case hasn’t been settled yet. 

Related:

Sources:

1 – https://www.statista.com/statistics/534123/e-commerce-share-of-retail-sales-worldwide/