Last updated: May 2, 2026
RackNotes is committed to transparency about how we earn money. This page explains our affiliate relationships and how they affect the content on this Site.
What is an affiliate link?
An affiliate link is a special URL that tracks clicks and purchases originating from this Site. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission from the merchant — at no additional cost to you. The price you pay is the same whether you use our link or go directly to the merchant.
How affiliate income affects our content
We have a clear policy on this:
- We never recommend products we don’t believe in. Affiliate commission does not influence whether a product is mentioned positively. If a product is bad, we say so — even if there’s a commission attached.
- We disclose affiliate relationships. When an article contains affiliate links, we mention it in the article itself, not just on this page.
- Editorial content is independent. Our reviews, comparisons, and recommendations are based on technical analysis, hands-on testing where possible, and honest assessment — not on which vendor pays the highest commission.
- We disclose negative experiences. Even with brands we have affiliate relationships with, we publish criticism when warranted.
Programs we participate in
RackNotes may participate in affiliate programs from various services, including but not limited to:
- Cloud and infrastructure providers: DigitalOcean, Linode (Akamai), Vultr, Hetzner
- Networking and security: Cloudflare, NordLayer
- Backup and storage: Backblaze, Wasabi
- Hardware retailers: Amazon Associates Program (when applicable)
- Software and SaaS: Various enterprise IT vendors as relationships are established
This list is not exhaustive and may change over time as we add or remove relationships.
Amazon Associates disclosure
RackNotes is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How to identify affiliate links
Affiliate links may be marked with notations like “(affiliate link)” or appear in dedicated comparison or recommendation sections. When in doubt, you can assume that any product link in a review or recommendation context may be an affiliate link.
You can also check the URL — many affiliate links contain identifiers like ?ref=, ?aff=, or specific tracking parameters. If you prefer not to use our affiliate link, you can navigate directly to the vendor’s website and search for the product there.
Sponsored content
If we ever publish sponsored content (where a vendor pays for placement, as distinct from affiliate commission on sales), it will be clearly labeled as sponsored at the top of the article. We do not currently publish sponsored content, but this may change in the future.
Why we use affiliate links
Running a technical blog has real costs: hosting, domain, software licenses, hardware for testing, and the time it takes to write and maintain content. Affiliate income helps offset those costs and keeps the Site free for readers.
We chose affiliate income over paid subscriptions, paywalls, or intrusive advertising because it lets us keep all content freely accessible while still being sustainable.
FTC compliance
This disclosure exists to comply with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” (16 CFR Part 255). Equivalent disclosure requirements in other jurisdictions are also intended to be met by this Page and the in-article disclosures we use.
Questions
If you have questions about our affiliate practices, want to know whether a specific link is an affiliate link, or have concerns about content objectivity, please contact us. Transparency is the whole point of this page.
Changes to this disclosure
We may update this disclosure as our affiliate relationships or content practices change. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.