This Thrifty Girl

Let’s be real: the world of making money and side hustles can be intimidating. It feels like every option requires you to become a full-blown influencer, build a massive social media following, or navigate a dozen complicated platforms just to make a few bucks. As an introvert myself, that whole song and dance never appealed to me. I just wanted a simple way to share things I genuinely love and maybe earn a little coffee money for it.

Then I stumbled upon Benable, and it has been a total game-changer.

If you’re tired of the high-pressure hustle culture, I want to share my honest, no-fluff experience with the platform—the good, the bad, and why it might be the perfect fit for you, too.

What Even Is Benable (And Why Is It Different)?

At its core, Benable is a platform that lets you create shareable lists of your recommendations. Think “My Holy Grail Skincare Products,” “Gadgets That Actually Make My Life Easier,” or “Must-Read Books from 2025.” You add items to your lists, and Benable automatically finds and adds an affiliate link for them. When someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.

Simple enough, right? But here’s how it’s fundamentally different from traditional affiliate marketing:

• No Individual Applications: Normally, you’d have to apply to each brand’s affiliate program (like Amazon Associates, Target Partners, etc.), wait for approval, and manage a dozen different dashboards. With Benable, you get instant access to thousands of partner brands under one roof. No applications, no waiting.
• 100% Commission: This is a big one. Benable passes 100% of the commission they receive from the brand directly on to you. They make their money through other site features, not by taking a cut of your earnings.
• Made for Normal People: You don’t need 10,000 followers to get started. The platform is designed for your lists to be discovered by other Benable users, not just your existing social circle. It rewards good recommendations, not just popularity.

This makes it perfect for the person everyone already asks for recommendations—the foodie friend, the tech-savvy cousin, the skincare guru. It’s for anyone who has knowledge to share but doesn’t want the pressure of being an “influencer.”

My Experience: The Good, The Bad, and The Cash Payouts

So, that all sounds great in theory, but does it actually work? Yes, it does. Here’s a completely transparent look at my journey with Benable.

The Wins (The Pros):

First and foremost, I’ve actually made money. I’ve cashed out three times now, and the process is incredibly easy and quick through Stripe. The platform’s $80 minimum payout can feel a bit steep at first (more on that later), but hitting it is a great feeling.

Beyond that, here’s what I’ve genuinely loved:

• The Random “Cha-Ching!”: There’s nothing quite like the little thrill of getting a random “You just earned cash back!” notification on your phone while you’re just going about your day.
• It’s Genuinely Fun: I love being able to create lists for things I’m passionate about. It feels less like work and more like sharing my knowledge with people who will appreciate it.
• It’s Passive-ish: After the initial setup of creating your profile and a handful of solid lists, it can become a pretty passive source of income. My lists from months and even years ago still get views and generate sales.
• Helpful Tools & A Great Team: The support team is super responsive, and they have a helpful “Tune-Up” tool that alerts you if any of your links break. They also release a fun “Benable Wrapped” report at the end of the year, and it’s cool to see how your engagement helps increase your overall reach on the site.
• I’ve Won Free Money! This was a huge surprise. Benable hosts contests on their social media, and I’ve actually won twice! I got a $50 prize once and a $20 prize another time for two different list contests. It shows they’re really invested in their community.

The Reality Check (The Cons):

Now, let’s keep it real. The platform isn’t perfect, and there are a few things that could be better.

• The Spammy Engagement: Because users are incentivized to interact with other lists to boost their own visibility, you get a lot of random likes and generic comments like “Great list!” on completely unrelated things. It can feel a bit disheartening when you’re looking for genuine connection.
• The $80 Cashout Minimum: As I mentioned, that $80 threshold can feel like a long journey when you’re first starting out and earning commissions of $1.50 at a time. It requires patience.
• Lack of Analytics: This is my biggest gripe. There’s no real analytics dashboard. You can see a running feed of who viewed which of your lists, but there’s no way to sort it, see trends, compare list performance, or track outbound link clicks. For anyone who likes data, this is a major missing feature.
• Needs More Guidance for Newbies: While it’s marketed to beginners, it doesn’t offer much guidance on the legal side of affiliate marketing, like how and when to disclose your links according to FTC guidelines. This is something you have to research on your own (Pro tip: always disclose!).

The Verdict: Should You Sign Up?

Despite the few drawbacks, my experience with Benable has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s a legitimate, still-growing platform that has found a way to make affiliate marketing accessible, fun, and profitable for everyday people. It’s one of the few side hustles that truly respects your time and expertise without demanding a ridiculous time investment.

If you’re the person who loves sharing recommendations and wants a low-pressure way to earn some extra money, I honestly can’t recommend it enough. It’s free to join, so there’s nothing to lose.

If this review helped you, I would be so grateful if you used my referral link to sign up. It’s a great way to support my work and get started on your own Benable journey!

Sign up here or with code H4WY3.

Happy posting! Let me know in the comments if you decide to join—I’d love to check out your lists.