Commission Academy Review (2026): Free Training, or a Funnel to Something Else?

Commission Academy in One Minute

Commission Academy is a free affiliate marketing training run by two affiliate marketers known as Dale and Simon (Simon Crowe). It teaches the basics of building a website, getting traffic and earning commissions. Signing up only takes an email address.

The catch is that the training is built on Wealthy Affiliate. You create a free Wealthy Affiliate account, and the course steers you toward a paid Premium membership, which is also how the creators earn. That's not a scam, but it means "free" leads to a paid platform. This review explains what you get and what it costs in practice.

What Commission Academy Teaches

1. Choosing a niche.
2. Setting up a website.
3. Creating content and doing keyword research.
4. Joining affiliate programs.
5. Building an email list.
6. Earning commissions.

The free "Fast-Start" training has been described as about 16 to 28 short video lessons, most under ten minutes, plus weekly live hangouts with the creators. It covers the basics well, but there's little advanced material, no search function and no separate community.

How Commission Academy Relates to Wealthy Affiliate

Most of the material and the hosting come from Wealthy Affiliate. Students are encouraged to upgrade to Premium to get more training, bonuses and coaching from Dale. The creators earn commissions when students upgrade, and their success has been linked to promoting Wealthy Affiliate.

That's a common and legal setup, as long as it's disclosed. Under the FTC's Endorsement Guides, people who earn from a recommendation must make that clear. Just be aware that the "free course" is designed to lead you to a paid membership.

What It Really Costs

Commission Academy$0

WA Premium (month)$49

WA Premium (year)$495

You can follow the free training without paying, but most of the value, including coaching, sits behind Wealthy Affiliate Premium. You may also need paid plans for email and pop-up tools as your list grows.

Who Are Dale and Simon?

Dale is described as a former electrician who moved into affiliate marketing, and Simon Crowe is his partner in the course. Dale's surname isn't published. The pair say they've earned more than $1 million from affiliate marketing between them, which we couldn't verify. They are known for attending Wealthy Affiliate's in-person conference, which is open to members who referred large numbers of paying users, so much of their income likely comes from promoting Wealthy Affiliate itself.

That's useful context: their main success story is the exact model they're teaching you, promoting a training platform to other beginners.

What Students Report

There are few independent reviews. Some say the free tier is limited and that support requires an upgrade. One long-time Wealthy Affiliate member described slow progress that eventually stalled. We found little evidence of typical student earnings.

Is Commission Academy a Scam?

No. The training is free and teaches real affiliate marketing basics. It's best understood as an entry point into Wealthy Affiliate, so judge it by whether you'd want that membership.

Pros and Cons

Who Commission Academy Might Suit

It may suit a beginner who wants a free, guided introduction to building an affiliate website and is open to a Wealthy Affiliate membership. If you want something more complete or a different model, compare your options first.

Our #1 Recommendation for Making Money Online in 2026

If Commission Academy isn't the right fit for you, here's what we suggest instead.

After comparing hundreds of programs over the years, we know what works and what doesn't. In fact, most of the business opportunities are either instant cash grab schemes or scams or they require experience. However, this beginner-friendly system stood out and is our #1 recommendation for 2026.

Other Programs Readers Compare

• Wealthy Affiliate review: the platform Commission Academy runs on.
• Wealthy Affiliate alternatives: other fairly priced options.
• Savage Affiliates review: a low-cost affiliate course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Verdict on Commission Academy

Commission Academy is a free, basic affiliate course that works as a doorway into Wealthy Affiliate. It's fine as a starting point, but know where it leads before you sign up.