What Is ClickBank University?
ClickBank University is the official training programme from ClickBank, one of the largest and longest-running affiliate marketing networks in the world. ClickBank processes over $4 billion in annual transactions, primarily from digital products in the health, finance, relationships, and internet marketing categories. Its marketplace connects product creators with affiliate marketers, with thousands of products available across hundreds of niches.
The official ClickBank branding on this course adds meaningful credibility for beginners who recognise the ClickBank name and trust its authority in the affiliate marketing space. For someone completely new to affiliate marketing who is evaluating where to start, the association with a platform they have heard of — even without knowing the specifics — provides a trust signal that independent courses lack.
ClickBank University 2.0 (CBU 2.0) is the current version of the programme, updated from the original CBU. It covers two tracks that reflect the two primary ways to make money on ClickBank: the affiliate track (promoting products that other creators have listed on ClickBank, earning commissions on each sale) and the vendor track (creating your own digital product, listing it on ClickBank, and recruiting affiliates to promote it on your behalf).
Having both tracks in one programme is useful for beginners exploring which model suits them. Many ClickBank University graduates start as affiliates, learn the marketplace, identify strong-performing product categories, and eventually transition to creating their own products in those categories — the two tracks complement a natural progression path.
The honest limitation of ClickBank University is that some training content — particularly around traffic generation strategies and digital product positioning — reflects approaches that were more effective in 2019–2021 than they are in 2024. The Facebook advertising landscape, for instance, has changed significantly, and strategies that worked at low cost per click several years ago are considerably more expensive and complex today. CBU has updated its content but not all users report the updates as sufficient for 2024 conditions.
ClickBank University Pricing (2024)
ClickBank University base subscription is $47/month. The real cost picture changes significantly once you are inside the platform and encounter the upsell sequence. The Builder tool ($594 one-time), the Toolkit ($297), and advanced training packages are presented as necessary upgrades to get the full platform value. Not all upsells are necessary, but the pressure to purchase them is consistent and a frequent negative in user reviews.
| Item | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|
| CBU Core Access | $47/mo | Monthly subscription |
| CBU Builder (upsell) | $594 | One-time upsell |
| CBU Toolkit (upsell) | $297 | One-time upsell |
| Advanced Training (upsell) | $297+ | One-time upsell |
If you purchase the CBU core access plus the Builder and Toolkit upsells, your initial outlay is $938 plus the ongoing $47/month. That total-cost reality is materially different from the $47/month headline price. Always budget for the full cost of entry, including likely upsells, when evaluating the real investment required to access CBU complete functionality.
Upsell Budget Warning
Budget for the Builder and Toolkit upsells when evaluating CBU total cost. The $47/month base access does not include all the tools referenced in the core training. Factor in $594–$900+ for upsells when comparing CBU cost against alternatives.
ClickBank University Features
ClickBank University training is delivered through pre-recorded video lessons with downloadable PDF summaries and action checklists. The affiliate track covers: selecting ClickBank products to promote, understanding affiliate commission structures, creating a basic website or landing page, generating traffic through paid Facebook advertising and Google ads, building an email list to promote offers, and tracking and optimising campaign performance.
The vendor track covers: validating a digital product idea in the ClickBank marketplace, creating a digital product (primarily focused on ebooks, video courses, and software tools), writing sales copy for a ClickBank sales page, setting up affiliate tracking and commission structures, recruiting affiliates to promote the product, and managing a product launch.
Weekly live webinars with instructors are one of the more valuable programme components — providing real-time Q&A access to practitioners who answer specific student questions about campaigns, products, and strategies. The live format allows current topics to be addressed as they arise rather than waiting for recorded content updates. All sessions are recorded and available in replay format.
The CBU Builder tool (available as an upsell) provides a page-building tool for creating landing pages and opt-in pages used in affiliate campaigns. Without the Builder, students create pages using external tools that are referenced in the training — the upsell is presented as a convenient integrated option rather than the only way to create pages.
ClickBank's marketplace access itself is free and unlimited regardless of whether you purchase CBU — you do not need the training to promote ClickBank products or create a vendor account. The training provides guidance and strategy around using the marketplace, but the marketplace access is separate from the course subscription.
✅ Key Feature Highlights
- Dual-track training: affiliate promotion and digital product creation
- Official ClickBank brand association adds beginner credibility
- Weekly live Q&A webinars with instructors
- Covers Facebook Ads and Google Ads traffic strategies
- Vendor track teaches creating and selling your own ClickBank products
- 30-day refund policy available on core subscription
- ClickBank marketplace access is free separate from the course
Free Calculators for This Platform
- 🤝 Affiliate Commission Calc — Estimate monthly ClickBank commission income from your traffic and conversion rates
- 📧 Email ROI Calculator — Calculate revenue from building an email list as part of your ClickBank affiliate strategy
- 💻 Digital Product Pricing Calc — Model profit at different price points if you create your own ClickBank product
Performance Ratings
We rate ClickBank University across four key dimensions that matter most to the type of business that uses this platform. Scores reflect our hands-on assessment and independent user feedback gathered from G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot.
ClickBank University Pros and Cons
Every platform has trade-offs. Here is our honest breakdown of what ClickBank University does well and where it falls short based on real-world use and community feedback.
✅ Pros
- Official ClickBank backing adds authority and credibility
- Both affiliate and vendor tracks in one structured programme
- Weekly live Q&A access to experienced practitioners
- 30-day refund policy reduces commitment risk
- Real-world examples using actual ClickBank marketplace products
- Good structured introduction for complete beginners to affiliate marketing
- ClickBank marketplace provides immediate access to 10,000+ products to promote
❌ Cons
- Aggressive upsell sequence inflates real cost to $900+
- $47/month base fee with significant upsells misrepresents true cost
- Some training content dated for 2024 paid traffic landscape
- Focus primarily on paid traffic — organic methods underserved
- Comparable free training available on YouTube
- No community or peer forum included in base plan access
- Results require advertising budget on top of course costs
Who Is ClickBank University Best For?
ClickBank University is a reasonable fit for: complete beginners who want a structured introduction to affiliate marketing with the reassurance of the ClickBank brand name; individuals who are specifically interested in both promoting ClickBank products AND eventually creating their own ClickBank product, and want one programme covering both paths; and learners who benefit from structured video training with weekly live access rather than self-directed study.
The ClickBank brand legitimacy is the strongest reason to choose CBU over independent alternatives of comparable quality. For a beginner who has heard of ClickBank and feels more comfortable starting with an official programme than with an independent course from someone they have not heard of, that trust signal has practical value in maintaining confidence and follow-through during the learning process.
CBU is not worth it if: you are primarily focused on organic traffic strategies like SEO and content marketing (the training is heavily paid-traffic focused); you want the best value beginner training — Wealthy Affiliate at $41/month annually provides more comprehensive beginner support including hosting; you are price-sensitive and will research upsells before purchasing — the real cost is significantly higher than the $47/month headline; or you prefer learning from free YouTube resources and have the self-discipline to follow through without paid programme structure.
ClickBank University Alternatives
Wealthy Affiliate is the most comprehensive alternative for beginners at a comparable price point. At $41/month annually, it includes structured training, included website hosting, the Jaaxy keyword research tool, and a larger active community. The training model focuses on organic SEO rather than paid traffic — a slower but less capital-intensive path to affiliate income. For beginners without advertising budget, Wealthy Affiliate is the more appropriate starting point.
Jungle Scout Freedom Ticket and Helium 10 Courses are worth mentioning for anyone interested in Amazon affiliate marketing specifically, as these courses come bundled with essential research tools at subscription prices that make them exceptional value.
Free YouTube education from channels like Miles Beckler, Deadbeat Super Affiliate, and Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income covers affiliate marketing fundamentals — including ClickBank-specific strategies — at zero cost. For self-directed learners, the quality of free educational content available in 2024 is high enough that paid beginner courses are optional rather than necessary.
Final Verdict
ClickBank University earns 7.0/10 — functional beginner training that does what it promises at the base level, held back by an aggressive upsell structure that makes the real cost significantly higher than the headline price. The ClickBank brand association is a genuine credibility asset for beginners. The training covers the fundamentals competently. The upsells and some dated content are the honest weaknesses.
If the ClickBank official brand matters to you and you have budgeted for the upsells, CBU is a legitimate starting point. If you want the best value for beginner affiliate marketing education, Wealthy Affiliate at $41/month provides more comprehensive support including hosting, or free YouTube resources from credible practitioners cover comparable ground at zero cost.
Our Recommendation
Use our free 🤝 Affiliate Commission Calc to run the numbers before committing to any paid plan. Knowing your break-even and projected ROI removes the guesswork from the decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below are the most commonly searched queries around ClickBank University. Each answer is based on verified, up-to-date pricing and feature data as of June 2024.
Need Help Choosing the Right Tool?
Get the free Marketing Tool Stack Checklist — understand what every tool category does before spending money.