21 Best Influencer Platforms to Land Paid Brand Deals (Even if Youā€™re Just Starting Out)
Jun 15, 2025If you’re a content creator looking to monetize your audience, land dream brand deals, and turn your content into a career, joining an influencer marketing platform is a smart move. Think of these marketing platforms as digital matchmakers, connecting creators like you with brands ready to pay for great content.
Whether you're a full-time influencer or just testing the waters, there's a platform that can open doors for you. Here's my curated list of the best influencer marketing platforms to join in 2025, who they’re best for, and what makes each one worth your time.
What Are Influencer Marketing Platforms?
Influencer marketing platforms are websites or apps that help creators connect directly with brands looking for sponsored content, user-generated content (UGC), affiliate marketing campaigns, and product reviews. Some allow you to pitch yourself, while others feature invite-only influencer campaigns.
When I first started my blog and Instagram, Whimsy Soul, back in 2015, I got my start working with brands by signing up for as many influencer platforms for paid collaborations as I could. I remember sitting down to watch a movie and signing up for as many programs as I could find, and soon I got inbound offers for paid deals.
These free marketing tools can help influencers:
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Get discovered by new brands through influencer discovery
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Land paid and gifted influencer marketing campaigns
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Track your metrics and campaign analytics
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Manage influencer relationships and brand collaborations
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Build a professional presence in the social media and influencer marketing space
Best Influencer Platforms to Join in 2025
1. Fohr
Best For: Building a polished, professional brand presence
Fohr helps you create a sleek “Fohr Card,” basically a media kit with verified stats. It’s a great marketing software option to direct brands to when pitching. The platform verifies your audience metrics and makes it easier to get discovered by influencer marketing agencies and brands looking for creators in your niche.
2. AspireIQ
Best For: Pitching brands directly
AspireIQ (formerly Revfluence) works with big-name brands and allows you to pitch yourself to influencer marketing campaigns. It also functions as a social media management and campaign management tool to help you stay organized.
3. Later
Best For: Social media scheduling and influencer management
Later is known for its content scheduling features, but it also offers influencer discovery, campaign tracking, and analytics. It’s a powerful tool for creators who want social media management and influencer marketing in one place
4. Activate (by Bloglovin’)
Best For: Bloggers and multi-platform creators
This influencer marketing platform offers both paid and gifted marketing campaigns. Expect everything from Instagram partnerships to blog collaborations. A solid option if you run multiple social accounts or work in affiliate marketing.
5. Popular Pays
Best For: Creators who want creative control
Popular Pays is one of the influencer marketing tools that let you browse open campaigns and pitch your unique ideas. This platform is ideal for creative influencers who want to manage influencer collaborations their own way.
6. The Cirqle
Best For: Global campaigns and data-driven creators
The Cirqle uses advanced media management and influencer discovery tools to match you with brands. They focus heavily on campaign analytics and measurable ROI.
7. Social Native
Best For: UGC creators
Social Native is a strong marketing platform for creators who specialize in user-generated content. They match influencers with brands looking for polished videos and photos, even if you have a smaller following.
8. Tidal
Best For: Micro and nano influencers
Tidal focuses on up-and-coming creators. This influencer marketing software is excellent for building your portfolio and managing small-scale campaigns.
9. IZEA
Best For: Tried-and-true monetization
IZEA is a veteran in the influencer space. Their platform includes everything from content licensing to social listening tools that help you measure your reach.
10. Collectively
Best For: Curated, community-driven campaigns
Collectively is an influencer marketing agency that focuses on brand alignment. They use a mix of campaign management tools and community-based features to deliver strong, collaborative content partnerships.
11. Linqia
Best For: Performance-based partnerships
Linqia stands out with its performance-based approach. If you’re good at driving affiliate sales, clicks, or conversions, this influencer marketing platform can be lucrative.
12. The Shelf
Best For: Long-term brand relationships
This boutique influencer campaign platform focuses on long-term deals. It’s one of the best campaign management options if you’re looking to move beyond one-off posts.
13. Acorn Influence
Best For: Family-friendly and lifestyle creators
Acorn Influence is great for lifestyle creators, with easy-to-manage campaigns and reliable payments. It’s an ideal media management partner for those working with parenting or wellness brands.
14. Fresh Press Media
Best For: Bloggers
This influencer marketing platform is designed for long-form content creators and bloggers. It offers affiliate and sponsored opportunities with intuitive campaign management features.
15. ShopMy
Best For: Fashion and beauty influencers
ShopMy specializes in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle affiliate marketing. This platform is perfect for bloggers and Instagrammers who share lifestyle products.
16. Grin
Best For: Influencers working with Shopify brands
Grin is a full-suite influencer marketing software popular among e-commerce and DTC brands. It integrates with Shopify and helps manage campaigns, influencer relationships, and affiliate tracking.
17. Shopify Collabs
Best For: New creators working with e-commerce brands
Shopify Collabs allows influencers to discover, apply to, and collaborate with Shopify-based stores. It’s great for creators who want to monetize their influence through affiliate marketing and gifted campaigns directly connected to e-commerce shops.
18. LTK / RewardStyle
Join LTK (need a referral? DM me on Instagram @whimsy_school and I can send you a referral to get accepted faster!)
Best For: Monetizing lifestyle and fashion content through affiliate marketing
LTK is one of the top platforms for influencers in fashion, home, and beauty. It lets you create shoppable content and earn affiliate commissions while partnering with major brands, and they also have their inhouse paid campaign team. Perfect for creators who want to focus on monetization through product linking and content creation.
New and Rising Influencer Marketing Tools to Watch
19. Mavrck
Best For: Influencers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram
Mavrck supports multi-platform creators and offers a mix of product gifting and large-scale influencer marketing campaigns. Their tools make it easier to manage campaigns across multiple social platforms.
20. Collabstr
Best For: Selling content directly to brands
Collabstr acts like an influencer marketplace. You list deliverables and rates, and brands buy directly from you. It's one of the newer influencer marketing tools that gives creators full control.
21. Shine Talent
Best for: Creators without management. Shine is an influencer management company, but they recently launched a new influencer directory so creators who aren't signed to their talent roster can still learn about and apply for campaigns themselves.
Why Influencer Marketing Platforms Matter
Being active on influencer marketing platforms isn’t just about getting free products. It’s a serious business move that helps creators grow, manage influencer campaigns, and get discovered. Many influencer marketing agencies and brands now rely solely on these tools to find talent.
They also:
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Streamline media and content management
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Offer built-in social media and campaign management features
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Provide influencer discovery tools to match with ideal brands
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Allow affiliate marketing integrations to grow your passive income
Pro Tips for Influencers
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Start Small: Pick 2 to 3 platforms that align with your niche.
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Optimize Profiles: Use a clean photo, solid bio, and update your metrics.
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Stay Active: Apply for influencer campaigns, follow up, and stay organized with social and campaign management tools.
FAQ About Influencer Platforms
What Are Influencer Platforms?
Influencer platforms are online tools that connect content creators with brands for paid campaigns, product collaborations, and user-generated content gigs. They help streamline partnerships and give influencers more visibility.
Do Influencer Platforms Work for Small Creators?
Yes. Many influencer platforms like Tidal and AspireIQ welcome micro and nano influencers. You don’t need a massive following—engagement and content quality often matter more.
Which Influencer Platform Pays the Most?
Performance-based platforms like Linqia and long-term partnership platforms like The Shelf often offer the highest earning potential, depending on your ability to drive conversions and build trust with your audience.
Is It Free to Join Influencer Platforms?
Most influencer platforms are free to join. Some may offer premium features or vet applicants before allowing access to paid campaigns, but the majority are accessible to anyone with a qualifying social presence.
How Do I Choose the Right Influencer Platform?
Start by identifying your niche, audience size, and content type. Then select 2 to 3 platforms that align with your goals. For example, choose UGC-focused platforms like Social Native if you love creating photos and videos, or choose Collectively for well-organized campaigns.
Can You Be on Multiple Influencer Platforms at Once?
Absolutely. Many creators are active on several platforms to increase visibility and land more brand deals. Just make sure to keep each profile updated and only apply to campaigns that align with your brand.
PS it helps if you have a media kit ready to go to upload to these platforms. Feel free to use my FREE Canva media kit template!
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a million followers to benefit from influencer marketing. With the right platforms and tools, any creator can land partnerships, manage campaigns, and get paid for their content. Whether you’re a beauty YouTuber, a fashion blogger using Shopify Collabs, or a lifestyle influencer managing affiliate campaigns, there’s a platform ready for you.
Put yourself out there. These tools exist to support your growth. Your next big brand partnership might be just a campaign away.
