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This is the ultimate Spark by ClickBank review for 2024.
Spark is the name of ClickBank’s official training that replaced ClickBank University. My team and I have researched the training thoroughly and shared our insights below.
(Have you taken this course? Add your rating!)
If you want to know…
- What exactly they teach you in the course
- If there’s a discount available for Spark by ClickBank
- The common complaints people have about Spark
- If real students are actually getting results
Then definitely keep reading.
Jump to…
About the Author
Hey, I’m Niall Doherty.
I quit my last 9-to-5 job back in 2010.
Since then, I’ve earned my living online in various ways. Revenue for my latest business is at $1+ million and counting.
I’m on a mission to accurately rate and review all the best “make money online” courses. My team and I have spent 1000’s of hours investigating these courses and getting feedback from real students.
All that to say: we know a thing or two about such courses and making money online.
How does Spark by ClickBank help you make money?
Affiliate marketing is when you promote other people’s products or services, and collect a commission for every successful referral.
Spark is a rather specific program in that you’re mainly shown how to promote products listed on the ClickBank marketplace. That’s why it’s commonly regarded by students as “ClickBank’s info program.”
ClickBank is one of the most popular affiliate marketplaces around. It gives vendors a platform where they can post their own product. Affiliates can promote a product and make a commision on each sale they generate.
Who is Spark for?
Spark by ClickBank sells itself as a platform mainly for beginners. As they describe it on the sales page…
A trusted collection of digital courses, live events, VIP communities, and tools to help new affiliates learn the basics of affiliate marketing, how to use ClickBank, and how to drive traffic in order to kick start their efforts to make money online as an affiliate.
I think it doesn’t stress it enough, but Spark indeed seems like a platform for people with little-to-no experience with online business or affiliate marketing, who are looking to grasp the basics before quickly moving on to more advanced training.
This sentiment is echoed by a verified student of the course…
I loved that the video trainings are short, easy to follow and clearly explain the topics. The trainers do a great job but most of the information was too generic for me. However, someone who is new to affiliate marketing may find immense value.
Jay Gumbs
Jay Gumbs- 70+ ways how to make money online (including easy options)
Does ClickBank have a good reputation?
Yes and no.
As a platform, ClickBank is considered by most to be legit. After all, its main focus is affiliate marketing, which is a tried-and-tested way to make money online.
However, many of the products listed on the ClickBank marketplace don’t have a great reputation. It seems they’re constantly trying to clean it up, but many of the top-ranked products on there – ie. those being most heavily and successfully promoted by affiliates – are in categories like…
- Health & Fitness – Dietary Supplements
- Spirituality, New Age & Alternative Beliefs – Psychics
- Politics / Current Events – General
Sure, you can have legit products in such categories, but scroll through a few of them in the marketplace and you’ll probably start feeling queasy 🤢
Another issue worth mentioning is Spark’s predecessor, ClickBank University. I reviewed that in-depth and found it to be one of the worst training programs I’ve ever seen.
Even though CBU and Spark are made by entirely different teams – CBU was created by two ClickBank power affiliates – this gave me a bad feeling about Spark before I ever signed up.
Another thing that doesn’t help its reputation is the fact that Robby Blanchard is running one of Spark’s courses. Reviewing his Commission Hero course didn’t leave a great taste in my mouth.
So while Spark is a considerably better course than ClickBank University, I can’t say the reputation is very good here overall.
Are Spark students getting results?
I highly doubt it.
Even the Spark’s sales page lacks legit recent testimonials. There are a few screenshots, but those don’t have their dates shown.
If you go to Trustpilot, it gets even worse, as the positive reviews there are mainly empty platitudes…
Other reviews call the course a bit too basic and expensive.
If Spark students did see any significant results, they’d likely take the chance to talk about them. Or I’d at least expect to see ClickBank share many more success stories than they actually do.
How much does Spark by ClickBank cost?
At the time of writing, Spark cost $23.50 for the first month, and $47/month thereafter.
So if you stay signed up for an entire year, it will cost you $540.50.
When I gave it a shot, it said that there were “only three spots left” at the $23.50 price tag. But that seems to be a blatant fake scarcity tactic, as the same claim was there when I checked again several days later 😕
Spark also has at least one upsell: Spark Plus.
I’m rather skeptical about the quality of that upsell, as it seems to promise some of the things you already have in Spark…
Spark Certification Courses already seem to be available with a normal Spark subscription, and so does the 7 Day Challenge.
I know, it’s confusing.
Spark by ClickBank Discount?
I looked for a coupon code, but I wasn’t able to locate any that were currently valid.
Looks like it’ll be full cost or nothing.
Refund Policy
The course sales page specifies a 30-day money-back guarantee…
Your Spark enrollment comes with a 30 day, 100% guarantee that allows you to purchase in confidence. If for some CRAZY reason you decide this program isn’t for you, you can ask us for a refund via any of Spark’s support channels within the first 30 days of your purchase. No gimmicks, no hassle, no questions asked.
Unfortunately, most of the negative reviews on Trustpilot seem to be about refunds…
Spark does have a recurring subscription cost, so definitely keep this in mind.
How is Spark structured?
This is what Spark looks like once you’re logged in…
As you can see, it’s not a single course, but several.
Here’s a list of courses I got access to with my monthly subscription…
- Getting Started with ClickBank as an Affiliate
- Spark Certification Courses
- How to Grow & Monetize on TikTok
- Robby Blanchard’s $100/Day Facebook Ads Formula
- Free Traffic Academy
- The Producers Playbook: The Entrepreneur’s Mindset
- Campfire Lessons
- 7 Day Challenge
- 7 Day Challenge 2.0: Native Advertising
- The Campfire
For this review, I’m mostly focusing on the Spark Certification Courses, as they seem to be the foundation of everything.
The Certification Courses are split into 17 modules (confusingly called “courses” here) which cover some pretty basic parts of affiliate marketing. All modules have one or more videos that usually don’t last more than several minutes.
Screenshot taken from the Spark Certification Courses
Many students seem to love the simplicity here, but it’s all so simple that it may be too basic for anyone with a bit of experience with affiliate marketing.
The training also has a search function but I found it to be pretty useless since you can only search up a lesson from the module you’re in.
Some lessons also come with added PDF worksheets, but it seems like you’ll need to print them to use them. I found that fairly disappointing for a recent platform.
A Spark membership also grants you access to the platform’s Facebook group. Even though there are 13,500+ members there, I didn’t find it to be as active as I expected.
Green Lights 🟢
A few things to like about Spark…
- Several courses in one, covers a lot of ground.
- Lessons are short and simple, easily digestible.
- Relatively cheap to start.
Red Flags 🚩
Some knocks on Spark…
- Focus on paid ads, so implementation can get expensive fast.
- Lack of significant success stories from students.
- Monthly payment can end up costing you a lot of money ($540/year).
- Lacking advanced info, teaches only the basics of affiliate marketing.
- Questionable marketing tactics (eg. fake scarcity).
- We’ve seen a few students complain about refunds.
Other things you should know
- Once again, keep in mind that there is criticism that Spark by ClickBank is more targeted towards newbies and doesn’t have much advanced instruction.
- You may get the option to buy some of the courses separately, such as Robby Blanchard’s $100/Day Facebook Ads Formula. Some would probably consider this to be some sort of upsell, but it doesn’t seem necessary for your progress. It’s still included in the list of Spark’s courses.
Should you join Spark by ClickBank?
Personally, I’d be hesitant to join this course given all of the above.
There simply isn’t enough evidence that students are earning a decent income by following the program. The reason for that is likely that the Spark Certification Courses are pretty basic.
The training also ends up being pretty expensive: $540 if you stay signed up for an entire year + whatever you spend on ads.
That said, signing up for one month might be worth it if you’re completely new to affiliate marketing. Given the certification course’s length, a month should be enough for somebody to go through the entire thing.
Spark by ClickBank Alternatives
We’re on a mission to find the best “make money online” course, based on real student feedback and our extensive research.
Here’s our top 5…
🏆 Best Courses to Make Money Online 🏆
Your Thoughts on Spark by ClickBank
- Have you taken this course yourself?
Add your rating so others can see if it’s worthwhile. - Do you have a question about this course?
Let us know below and we’ll try find the answer.
Student Reviews of Spark by ClickBank
Validated Reviewer
1.0/5
If you’re looking to earn as an affiliate, ClickBank isn’t it
When I first stumbled upon ClickBank, I was intrigued. The course promised to unlock the secrets of making big bucks by promoting ClickBank products through Facebook ads. Who wouldn’t want a piece of that pie?
The course consists of several modules, each promising to guide you step-by-step through the fantastic world of affiliate marketing. From selecting high-converting ClickBank products to crafting compelling Facebook ads, it seemed like a one-stop shop for financial freedom.
Fueled by enthusiasm and visions of passive income, I dove headfirst into the course. I followed every recommendation to the letter, only to find myself at a dead-end with zero results. That is right, not a single sale. Zip. Nada.
The cornerstone of the course focuses on using Facebook ads to promote ClickBank products. Sounds straightforward. Wrong. The training advises sending ads to broad groups of people, essentially throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping some of it sticks. The problem? These groups need to be wider-ranging to target genuine prospects effectively.
Additionally, they suggest that you could be more successful if you already have an email list. But what if I don’t, which is a fact? So that was another letdown.
Let’s talk numbers. I did not put money into Facebook ads, as advised by the course. I was leery of investing and wasn’t given clear terms for structuring the ads. But if I had, I would have lost more money than I had.
Furthermore, the program is filled with success stories and impressive metrics designed to lure you in. But when you pull back the curtain, you realize these numbers are as empty as my ClickBank dashboard.
In a nutshell, ClickBank is a masterclass in how NOT to succeed in affiliate marketing. Its one-size-fits-all approach and outdated and ineffective strategies make it a hard pass for anyone serious about making money online. Even when writing this, I have trouble logging on to stop the $47/month payment for a broken system.
I could not recommend this course to anyone. If people are looking to dive into affiliate marketing, they should steer clear of ClickBank. Instead, focus on courses that offer personalized guidance, up-to-date strategies, and, most importantly, realistic expectations.
Pros and Cons
- The seemingly easy part of getting a refund. Still waiting.
- Easy to purchase.
- Didn’t earn a single cent.
- Don’t know which offer to market.
- Directions to other costly resources.
3.0/5
This reviewer has a business relationship with the course creator or a competitor. Not included in overall ratings. Learn more.
It's a good starting point for beginners but more is needed.
I joined Spark by ClickBank during a free trial promotional period out of curiosity to see what was inside. I was a little surprised and also a bit disappointed. Please note that I joined in September 2021 and cancelled in October so this is based on my experience and observations at the time.
The courses that were immediately accessible included a generic “beginners guide” introduction to affiliate marketing called Spark 101 and also a 7 day Challenge which is a Facebook ads course taught by Ben Harris. I liked Ben’s teaching style, friendly and very knowledgeable. I was really grateful for the Facebook course because this was something I wanted to learn.
I read later in the Facebook community group for Spark by CB that there was a problem in the course that could get your ads account flagged. Someone from Spark said they were aware of it, admitting that the training needed to be fixed.
I personally go through any training once before I start implementing the steps but I imagine not everyone does. This could cause someone to follow the steps and have their initial campaign negatively affected.
I loved that the video trainings are short, easy to follow and clearly explain the topics. The trainers do a great job but most of the information was too generic for me. However, someone who is new to affiliate marketing may find immense value.
There isn’t much practical training beyond Facebook ads and I didn’t particularly like that there were other Facebook ads courses inside that required you to purchase them for more than the price of a membership. There’s Max Finn’s Facebook Ad Mastery for $197 and Robby Blanchard’s $100 a Day Formula for almost $500. I’m not a big fan of this type of membership model where you need to spend more money to get stuff that should be included in a basic membership. It’s just all a big distraction where you have to keep buying “shiny stuff”.
There’s some supplementary course included on email marketing. But not much in terms of other promotional methods like YouTube, SEO or blogging, which are also great ways to promote ClickBank products. I wanted to see more of those included and felt the price of the membership was more for the Campfire or community portion of Spark than anything else.
It’s not bad for a beginner who wants to make money with ClickBank but it needs to be more cohesive and any problems with the training need to be sorted out in a more timely manner.
Pros and Cons
- You can take a free trial.
- Training videos are short, informative and clearly explain the topics.
- Includes practical steps to get started.
- Too many additional courses to buy and get distracted by.
- Some training needs updating.
Validated Reviewer
4.0/5
Spark By Clickbank Review
My overall experience with this course was very good and I would recommend it to people. Ben Harris is legit and a very good teacher (very friendly).
A lot of what they teach is about affiliate marketing and advertising on Facebook. Thinking back, the implementation was much easier than in Commission Hero but I don’t remember the program telling me that I had to properly warm up my account on Facebook or I would get flagged.
What I like about it – it’s simple, to the point, and integrates well if you’re looking to promote ClickBank products. I haven’t received any profit yet but I’m still in the early stages.
Pros and Cons
- Easy to follow.
- The creator is legit and very friendly.
- The price is reasonable.
- Doesn't give you a lot of information on dealing with Facebook advertising rules.
- The software can be glitchy.
- When promoting the program, they don't disclose how much time it really takes to earn your first dollar online.
