Wealthy Affiliate Review After 11 Years

The title of my video blog post is Wealthy Affiliate review after 11 years. I’ve been a paying member of Wealthy Affiliate for almost 11 years. I have no plans to leave the Wealthy Affiliate platform, as I really feel it offers value for money. I always recommend that people test out the platform, before they purchase, as there is no point in spending money if you don’t like what you see!

The fact is that Wealthy Affiliate allows you to give a pretty thorough test of that platform, before you part with your money. There are not many platforms that offer this type of service, which to me shows that Wealthy Affiliate is a very trusted platform. In this updated review, I’ll give you a practical, screen-level tour of how the platform works in 2025 and share what keeps me here, what I use less, and who I think WA serves best. If you’re deciding whether to try the Starter plan or commit annually, this should help.

Quick verdict
Who Wealthy Affiliate is for
Starter vs Paid: what you actually see
Core training: phases and flow
Websites and hosting
Community and support
Tools and features (including the article designer)
Live classes and the training archive
New Communities feature
Pricing and how I approach upgrades
Pros and cons from an 11-year member
FAQ
Final thoughts

Quick verdict

Still a solid all-in-one starting point for people who want structured training, an integrated website setup, and an active community. The quality of training and hosting is good enough to build and grow a real site. If you’re already advanced and prefer piecing together your own tool stack, you may not need the all-in-one approach.

Who Wealthy Affiliate is for

Beginners who want a guided path from zero to a functioning niche site.
Solo operators who value community, accountability and being around like-minded people.
Intermediate users who want a central hub for hosting, training and Q&A.

Less ideal for seasoned marketers already running advanced funnels, paid ads at scale, or custom stacks.

Starter vs Paid: what you actually see

Wealthy Affiliate offers a free Starter account so you can log in and see the layout, try key features, and sample the training. You’ll notice certain lessons and phases are locked until you upgrade, which is expected. My advice is simple: start free, click around, and complete the first set of lessons to decide if the approach suits you before paying.

Core training: phases and flow

WA’s core path is broken into phased training. The emphasis is on doing things in order so you don’t skip fundamentals:

Getting Started – foundations, niche selection, basic setup.
Your Brand and Content – positioning, content planning, first posts.
Growth and Momentum – building out content, site structure, early SEO.
Making Money and Scaling – monetisation options and optimisation.

Even with previous experience, I still work through lessons methodically. Rewatching key modules helps me catch details I missed the first time.

Websites and hosting

You can launch a WordPress site very quickly on WA’s hosting. For newcomers it removes the friction of juggling a domain registrar, a host, and multiple dashboards. I also run sites elsewhere on a dedicated server, but I still keep sites hosted at WA and find it convenient that everything is in one place while learning and producing content.

If you’re curious about my general website and video workflow, I’ve shared related guides on the site here:

Community and support

One of the long-term benefits for me is being around people pursuing similar goals. You can post blogs on your WA profile, comment on others, and ask questions that typically receive helpful replies. WA has even introduced small “earn as you learn” bonuses for engagement. Treat these as a perk, not an income stream.

For more of my thoughts on productivity and working solo, see:

Time management articles

Tools and features (including the article designer)

WA bundles a set of tools to keep everything under one roof. The article designer can outline and draft posts and offers AI assistance if you want it. I personally prefer writing from scratch, but it’s there if you need a jump-start. You also get research tools, site management, and other writing utilities to streamline production.

Live classes and the training archive

There are weekly live sessions and a large on-demand library. I rarely attend live due to time zones, but replays are archived so you can watch anytime and leave follow-up questions. If you treat this like a continuing-education library and schedule time to implement what you learn, it compounds nicely.

The new Communities feature

WA’s Communities let you focus on topics such as WordPress, SEO, YouTube, email marketing, social media and more. Each community gathers classes, posts, questions and shorts around that theme, which makes it easier to go deep on a skill without getting lost.

Pricing and how I approach upgrades

As a UK member I pay just under £400 per year by taking advantage of special offers and the annual Black Friday deal when available. My general advice is:

Start on the free Starter plan and complete the initial lessons.
If you like the approach, take a monthly plan for a month or two.
When you’re certain you’ll use it consistently, switch to annual to save.

Think of WA as your training, hosting and community hub. If you will actively use all three, the value adds up.

Pros and cons from an 11-year member

Pros

Structured training path that’s easy to follow.
Fast website setup and integrated hosting for beginners.
Supportive community and responsive Q&A.
Large archive of live classes you can watch on demand.
All-in-one environment reduces the tech juggling.

Cons

Advanced users may outgrow the “all-in-one” approach and prefer a custom stack.
As with any large library, not every class will be equally current or relevant to your niche.
AI writing tools are available, but I recommend treating them as assistants, not replacements for your voice.

FAQ

Is the Starter plan enough to get results?

It’s enough to evaluate the workflow and complete the foundational steps. To unlock full training phases, ongoing classes and hosting flexibility, you’ll need a paid plan.

Can I move my site away later?

Yes. WA uses WordPress, so migration is possible if you eventually prefer a different host or infrastructure.

Do I need previous experience?

No. The platform assumes you’re starting from scratch. If you have experience, you’ll still find value in the structure and community, and you can move faster.

Final thoughts

Wealthy Affiliate isn’t perfect, but after nearly 11 years I still find it a practical place to learn, build and stay current. If you’re weighing it up for 2025, start free, complete the first lessons, and decide whether the all-in-one format and community support fits your working style. If you have questions about anything in this review or want my take on how WA might fit your specific goals, feel free to reach out via the comments or my contact page.