Before you can evaluate any ClickBank program — including ClickBank Profit Club VIP — it helps to actually understand how ClickBank itself works. This is the foundational guide: what ClickBank is, how vendors and affiliates make money on it, and where done-for-you systems fit into the picture.
Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you register for a webinar or make a purchase through a link on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend programs we've genuinely reviewed.
What Is ClickBank?
ClickBank is one of the largest online marketplaces for digital products, connecting product creators (called vendors) with people who promote those products (called affiliates) in exchange for a commission. It's been operating since 1998, which makes it one of the longer-standing platforms in the affiliate marketing space — long enough that its commission systems, tracking, and payout processes are well established rather than experimental.
How ClickBank Actually Works, Step by Step
- A vendor creates a digital product — a course, training, software, or membership — and lists it on ClickBank, setting a commission rate for affiliates who promote it.
- An affiliate signs up for a free ClickBank account and gets a unique tracking link (called a hoplink) for any product they want to promote.
- The affiliate shares that link through content, ads, email, or other channels to reach potential buyers.
- When someone clicks the link and buys within the tracking window, the sale is attributed to that affiliate.
- ClickBank processes the payment, deducts its platform fee, and pays the vendor and affiliate their respective shares according to the commission rate.
The part beginners usually miss: your commission depends entirely on the tracking link working correctly and getting credited to you. This is exactly why "hardcoded" attribution systems, which we cover in a dedicated article, generate so much interest — they change how that tracking and credit actually work.
Front-End vs. Back-End Commissions
Most ClickBank products aren't a single, isolated sale. A front-end offer is the first product a customer buys — usually priced to convert easily. A back-end offer is anything sold afterward: upsells, upgrades, or continuity products. Many affiliate programs, including done-for-you systems, are built around this two-layer structure because a single front-end sale rarely tells the whole revenue story.
Where Done-For-You Systems Fit In
A "done-for-you" ClickBank system typically packages the vendor's product with pre-built promotional funnels, training, and sometimes lead attribution tools, so affiliates spend less time building infrastructure from scratch. Two examples worth knowing about, both created by long-standing ClickBank vendor John Thornhill, illustrate two different approaches to this model.
| System | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| ClickBank Profit Club VIP | List-building combined with ClickBank commissions via a hardcoded funnel | Beginners wanting a structured entry point into ClickBank affiliate marketing |
| Coaching Profits System | Launching a high-ticket coaching business without creating products or running webinars | People interested in the coaching/consulting model rather than list-building |
A Second Option Worth Knowing: Coaching Profits System
If list-building and affiliate commissions aren't quite the model you're after, it's worth knowing there's a second ClickBank system from the same creator, John Thornhill, built in partnership with Randy Smith. Coaching Profits System is positioned around launching a high-ticket coaching business — specifically without needing to create your own products, run live webinars, or coach clients yourself. It's a different business model entirely from CBPC, built for people drawn to the high-ticket coaching space rather than list-building and ClickBank commissions.
Why we're mentioning both: They solve different problems. CBPC is about combining list-building with ClickBank commissions. Coaching Profits System is about entering the high-ticket coaching space without the usual product-creation and delivery workload. Which one fits depends entirely on which business model actually appeals to you.
What Beginners Should Know Before Starting on ClickBank
- Commissions depend on tracking working correctly — understand how attribution works for any program before relying on it
- Front-end and back-end offers matter — a program's real earning potential often lives in the back end, not the first sale
- Done-for-you doesn't mean effort-free — it removes technical setup, not the need to actually promote
- Free training or webinars are the standard way legitimate ClickBank programs let you evaluate before buying
- Different programs suit different models — list-building, coaching, and straightforward affiliate promotion are not interchangeable
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You need a free ClickBank account and a way to share your tracking link, which can be through content, email, or a done-for-you funnel provided by a program.
CBPC combines list-building with ClickBank affiliate commissions through a hardcoded funnel. Coaching Profits System is built around launching a high-ticket coaching business without creating products or running webinars yourself. They serve different goals.
Yes, creating a ClickBank account to become an affiliate is free. Any costs come from specific programs or done-for-you systems you choose to join.
Match the system to the business model you actually want. If you're drawn to list-building and ClickBank commissions, look at CBPC. If high-ticket coaching without product creation appeals more, Coaching Profits System is worth reviewing instead.
See ClickBank Profit Club Explained Live
If the list-building and hardcoded commission model fits what you're after, the free training webinar walks through the full system.
Interested in High-Ticket Coaching Instead?
Coaching Profits System, created by John Thornhill and Randy Smith, is built around launching a high-ticket coaching business without creating your own products, running webinars, or coaching clients yourself. See the free training to learn how it works.
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