Infolinks is a contextual advertising network that has been running since 2007. Instead of banner ads that take up space on the page, it scans the words on a page and turns matching keywords into ad links. When a reader hovers over a highlighted word, a small ad appears. It also offers InFold, InTag, InFrame, InScreen and InArticle formats, so a publisher can pick the style that fits their site.
Publishers earn from clicks on the in-text links and from valid impressions, and Infolinks pays a 70% share of the gross revenue — one of the more generous splits among networks of this kind. The minimum payout is $50 for PayPal, eCheck and ACH, or $100 for a bank wire transfer. Payments are sent within 45 days of the end of the month, which is slow: money earned in January arrives well into March. Earnings below the threshold roll over to the next month.
There is no minimum traffic requirement published, which makes Infolinks open to small sites and new blogs. Each site still has to be submitted and approved, and it must follow Infolinks’ content rules — no adult, illegal or hate content, and nothing aimed at children under 13. A tax form and a payment method must be on file before any money is sent. Infolinks works well as an extra income stream next to AdSense, because its ads do not take up banner space. The low threshold and the 70% share are the attractions; the slow Net-45 payment is the main drawback.
★★★★★3.3 / 5 — AZK rating · How we rate
Payout & Join Details
Payout threshold: $50 for PayPal, eCheck and ACH; $100 for bank wire transfer ($1,000 for selected countries).
Payment methods: PayPal, eCheck, ACH, Bank Wire Transfer.
Payment speed: Payment processed and sent within 45 days of the end of the month (Net-45). The Service Agreement states 45 working days; if invalid traffic is suspected, payment can be extended from Net-30 to Net-60 while it is investigated.
Approval: Each website must be submitted and approved by Infolinks and must comply with its content rules — no adult, obscene, pornographic, defamatory, illegal or hate content, and no sites aimed at users under 13. No minimum traffic requirement is published. Agre
Pros
70% revenue share is generous for a contextual ad network.
Low $50 minimum payout for PayPal, eCheck and ACH.
No minimum traffic requirement published — small sites can apply.
In-text ads need no extra page space; formats include InText, InFold, InTag, InFrame, InScreen and InArticle.
Can run alongside Google AdSense and other display networks.
Cons
Slow payment — up to 45 days after the end of the month (45 working days per the agreement), and longer if invalid traffic is investigated.
Earnings depend on clicks and impressions, so income can be low on sites with little traffic.
In-text ads underline words in the content, which some readers find distracting.
Unpaid balances below the threshold are forfeited if the account is closed or payments go unclaimed for three months without a tax form and payment method on file.