Affiliate Disclosure Generator: Free Template Wording

Disclosure is part of running a trustworthy site that earns money from recommendations. It also protects you. Readers who understand how you earn are more likely to trust what you write, and clear disclosure keeps you on the right side of the programmes you join. This generator writes template wording from the facts you provide, so you are starting from something sensible rather than a blank page.

How to use this generator

1. Enter your site or business name.
2. Tick each way your site earns money: affiliate links, sponsored posts, free products or display advertising.
3. Tick the two "only if true" statements that apply. They are off by default because you should only claim them if they are accurate.
4. Copy the short version for the top of pages and posts, and the full version for a dedicated disclosure page.

What the two versions are for

The short disclosure is one or two sentences placed near the top of a page, or near the first affiliate link. It should be readable at a glance.

The full disclosure is a fuller explanation on its own page, linked from your footer and from the short version where possible. It explains each type of income in plain language. You can see how we handle this on our own affiliate disclosure page.

The two statements to be careful with

"Affiliate links never raise the price." In most affiliate arrangements the reader pays the same price, but not always. If any of your programmes can affect the price, leave this unticked.

"My recommendations are independent of who pays me." This is a strong claim. Tick it only if it is true in practice, meaning you would recommend the same products without the commission. If it is not, do not say it.

Being accurate matters more than sounding reassuring. Honest disclosure that promises less is better than reassuring wording that is false.

Where disclosures should appear

Advertising regulators in many countries, including the Federal Trade Commission in the United States and the Advertising Standards Authority and Competition and Markets Authority in the United Kingdom, expect material connections to be disclosed clearly. The common principles are simple: put the disclosure where people will see it, before they act on a recommendation, and use plain words. A statement buried in a footer or a long policy page is unlikely to be enough on its own.

Practical rules of thumb:

• Place a short notice at the top of any page with affiliate links.
• Add a disclosure near links in social posts, videos and emails, using the platform's own labelling tools where they exist.
• Link to a full disclosure page from your footer and navigation.
• Label sponsored content clearly as sponsored, in words such as "sponsored" or "paid partnership", not vague terms.

Programme rules matter too

Many affiliate programmes set their own disclosure requirements, and some prescribe exact wording you must use. These are in the programme terms, not in a generic template. Always check them, and where they specify wording, use it. This tool cannot know what each programme requires.

Honesty is also good business

It is tempting to treat disclosure as a hurdle. In practice, transparent sites tend to be more credible. Explaining how you earn, and showing that recommendations are not for sale, is part of building the trust that makes affiliate income possible in the first place. If you want to see how much traffic your links might need to earn a given amount, try the affiliate commission calculator, and read our guide to affiliate marketing for the wider picture. Be wary of anyone who treats disclosure as an obstacle to be minimised; our article on passive income myths explains why shortcuts in this area tend to backfire.

Common mistakes

Hiding the disclosure. It has to be seen to be useful.

Vague wording. "We may receive compensation" is weaker than saying plainly that links may earn you a commission.

Copying another site's page. Yours should describe how you actually earn.

Forgetting new income sources. Update your disclosure when you add sponsorships, ads or new programmes.

Assuming one disclosure covers every platform. Videos, social posts and emails often need their own labelling.

Assumptions and limits

This generator produces general template wording from the options you tick. It is not legal advice, has not been reviewed for your country or programmes, and cannot know your circumstances. Rules change, and they differ across jurisdictions. For anything that matters, check the current rules that apply to you, read your programme terms, or consult a qualified professional. The generator runs in your browser, and what you type is not sent to us.