Impact vs Skimlinks
Impact
Comprehensive partnership management platform for automating affiliate, influencer, and creator growth
Publishers using it: 3 · incl. Community Impact, Taylor Hart
Skimlinks
The leading commerce content platform that automatically monetizes editorial content through affiliate link automation. (Now: Acquired by Connexity in 2020, which was then acquired by Taboola in 2021; it continues to operate under the Skimlinks brand.)
Publishers using it: 24 · incl. BuzzFeed, CBS News, Condé Nast
Last verified Oct 19, 2026
At a glance
- Impact scores 3.9/5 and Skimlinks scores 4.3/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent affiliate networks benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are disclosure & compliance tools (Impact 4.4, Skimlinks 2.5) and product feeds & price comparison (Impact 4.5, Skimlinks 3.7); they are within 0.3 on 6 of 10 criteria.
- Impact is built for mid-market and enterprise publishers; Skimlinks for small, mid-market and enterprise.
- On total cost of ownership Impact scores 4.2 and Skimlinks 4.0 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 3 publishers use Impact and 24 use Skimlinks.
- Scores last verified 19 Oct 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Impact is stronger on disclosure & compliance tools (4.4 vs 2.5), product feeds & price comparison (4.5 vs 3.7), tracking accuracy & attribution (4.7 vs 4.2) and reporting & API (4.7 vs 4.3).
Which one fits
Choose Impact if…
- You publish at mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight disclosure & compliance tools, product feeds & price comparison and tracking accuracy & attribution heavily — Impact leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Skimlinks if…
- You publish at small, mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight integration, merchant & programme coverage and payment reliability & thresholds heavily — Skimlinks leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Impact and Skimlinks in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 4.0Amazon AssociatesThe world's largest affiliate marketing program providing creators and publishers global product monetizationRead review
- 3.8AwinA global affiliate marketing platform connecting publishers with diverse advertisers to drive performanceRead review
- 3.8RakutenA global performance marketing network connecting brands with premium publishers via affiliate and media solutions, in a strategic alliance with impact.com (April 2026).Read review
- 3.8Stay22AI-powered monetization platform helping publishers and creators turn travel intent into booking revenue.Read review
All 12 scored tools are in Best Affiliate Networks for Publishers.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Head to head
| Criterion | Impact | Skimlinks |
|---|---|---|
| Commission rates & payout terms14% of capability | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| Merchant & programme coverage14% of capability | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| Tracking accuracy & attribution14% of capability | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| Link automation & commerce content tools12% of capability | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Payment reliability & thresholds10% of capability | 2.8 | 3.0 |
| Reporting & API10% of capability | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Product feeds & price comparison8% of capability | 4.5 | 3.7 |
| Disclosure & compliance tools6% of capability | 4.4 | 2.5 |
| Integration6% of capability | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Publisher approval & programme access6% of capability | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| Capability45% of composite | 4.2 | 3.9 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 3.5 | 4.9 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 4.2 | 4.0 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Impact | Skimlinks |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 4.3 | 4.1 |
| Entry cost | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| Implementation cost | 4.0 | 4.2 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 3.5 | 4.3 |
| Ongoing cost | 4.3 | 3.0 |
Impact pricing
Free for publishers and partners to join; brand plans are Starter $30/mo + 2.5% of revenue, Essentials $500/mo, Pro $2,500/mo and Enterprise $10,000/mo.
Skimlinks pricing
Free for publishers to join; operates on a 75/25 revenue share model where the publisher retains 75% of earned commissions.
What users say
Impact
0 positive · 0 neutral · 1 negative
Skimlinks
14 positive · 13 neutral · 7 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Impact scores 3.9 and Skimlinks scores 4.3 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Affiliate Networks for Publishers benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/impact/skimlinks, verified Oct 19, 2026)
Common questions
How do Impact and Skimlinks differ?
Impact is stronger on disclosure & compliance tools (4.4 vs 2.5), product feeds & price comparison (4.5 vs 3.7), tracking accuracy & attribution (4.7 vs 4.2) and reporting & API (4.7 vs 4.3). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Impact or Skimlinks?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Impact scores 4.2/5 and Skimlinks scores 4.0/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Affiliate Networks for Publishers. See alternatives to Impact or alternatives to Skimlinks.
Weighing a third option? Add a tool to this comparison.
Where to next
Four questions, and a scored stack across every benchmark — not just Best Affiliate Networks for Publishers
Every scored tool in Best Affiliate Networks for Publishers, with the criteria behind each number
Every category, independently scored
Related comparisons
Other head-to-heads publishers look at in Best Affiliate Networks for Publishers.
