Right now, network marketing companies account for roughly $167 billion worth of revenue every year.
With all this money floating around in this space, many people look to network marketing as a possible source of part-time income or more.
Let’s take a look at what network marketing is and what some of the most profitable MLMs look like as a worker.
- Best Network Marketing Companies (Overview)
- Which Is the Top-Rated Network Marketing Company?
- Which Is the Best Paying Network Marketing Company?
- What Is Network Marketing?
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Network Marketing
- What Are Network Marketing Programs?
- What Are the Top Network Marketing Companies?
- Wrapping Up
Best Network Marketing Companies (Overview)
Which Is the Top-Rated Network Marketing Company?
When it comes to rating MLM companies, revenue tends to be the way most people go.
These companies can generate a large amount of revenue for themselves with the right product and salespeople.
The top-rated MLM companies are:
- Amway: $8.8 billion in annual revenue and a company net worth of $4 billion.
- Jeunesse: $8 billion in annual revenue and an average company growth rate of 17% each year.
- Natura Cosmetics: $7.77 billion in annual revenue and a company net worth of $5.7 billion.
- LG Household and Health: $6.6 billion in annual revenue and a company net worth of $23.4 billion.
- Isagenix: $6 billion in annual revenue.
Which Is the Best Paying Network Marketing Company?
Overall, earning a livable wage with network marketing is tough.
You don’t have the same support system in network marketing that you do in other forms of marketing.
Because there isn’t that support system there to help you out, many folks stumble along while trying out this style of venture.
In general, Tupperware and Nu Skin offer the highest average incomes for their sales folks.
Neither of these companies reports high earnings though.
On average, network marketers for these companies make between $150 to $200 per month, which won’t cover more than a few small bills.
On the plus side, neither of these companies have expensive starter kits.
Is It Possible to Make Over $1,000 a Week With Network Marketing?
For most folks, earning a living wage with network marketing will only be a dream.
It takes a large number of sales to earn $1,000 each week with the products you will market.
[/area]
What Is Network Marketing?
Before we get into the most profitable MLMs out there, let’s talk about what these companies use to help push their product: network marketing.
How Network Marketing Works
Network marketing refers to a style of business that uses social relationships to build up sales for the company.
Generally, these companies encourage their sales reps to create business partners or hire teams that can help with things like finding leads for sales and closing deals.
The term goes by several different names, such as multi-level marketing, affiliate marketing, cellular marketing, referral marketing, and consumer-direct marketing.
By using this style of marketing, the MLM company creates a sales force that can market and interact directly with customers.
Rather than having the company create brand deals with retailers or setting up warehouses for online stores, the company instead uses its sales force as an almost decentralized resource for leading and generating sales.
Who Hires Marketing Companies?
Part of generating sales through network marketing involves getting the word out there about the goods or services the marketer wants to provide.
To get the community in the know, some sales teams for network marketing companies will work with other marketing firms that can create eye-catching ads.
Since many of the sales teams in network marketing companies come from locals, advertising is different than what other larger brands will do.
Instead of wide-scale online ads, networking marketing relies on understanding the local area and how to reach the people that live in the community.
A marketing firm from the area can help hone in on strategies that work for the area.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Network Marketing
Like every marketing strategy, there are pros and cons to relying on network marketing for your business.
Advantages
The advantages we have seen for companies using network marketing include:
- A network marketer can make a large return on their investment.
- Initial investments when joining network marketing are not as high as starting your own business or marketing firm from the ground up.
- Despite some stigmas, network marketing and pyramid schemes are separate entities with definitions set by the SEC.
Disadvantages
Still, there are some disadvantages to relying on network marketing, such as:
- A network marketer will have to put in a lot of work to create the kinds of returns possible through network marketing.
- While starting a business is expensive, the starter kits for most network marketing companies are pricy, too.
- Many pyramid schemes in the past called themselves multi-level marketing companies, resulting in negative stigmas becoming associated with the term.
What Are Network Marketing Programs?
Network marketing programs refer to programs offered by companies to sell their products or services via network marketing.
Let’s take a look at what these programs are like and how they affect the network marketing industry.
Key Features of Network Programs
While the specifics of each program will change between companies, network programs share several features such as:
- A strong hierarchy of sales agents based on the number of sales they do
- A lack of traditional advertising due to the reliance on direct sales and social networks
- Unfixed salaries due to the sales force working almost entirely for commissions
Is Network Marketing a Pyramid Scheme?
In a pure form, networking marketing isn’t a pyramid scheme.
Instead, this marketing strategy is an attempt to get away from the traditional way of employing a sales team and storage center for products.
By offshoring those concerns to a sales team across multiple communities, the company can instead focus on manufacturing their goods and improving on them.
The problem comes from the fact that many pyramid schemes in the past styled themselves as multi-level marketing companies.
However, rather than focusing on generating sales, these schemes instead searched for new folks to buy expensive starter kits of goods that barely worked.
Can I Make Money by Joining a Network Marketing Program?
Plenty of people who join a network marketing program earn money.
The problem is that it doesn’t tend to make a huge amount of money.
The AARP Foundation did some research and found that just over 3% of participants in network marketing programs make over $25,000 per year.
The truth is that many of these companies are tough to earn an income from.
Between a combination of how these programs are structured and the fact that not everyone has an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s not surprising that many folks don’t see huge rewards from these programs.
What Are the Top Network Marketing Companies?
Here are the top network marketing companies that are standing out in the industry.
1. Amway
Amway is a home and beauty company founded in 1959.
They have a large range of brands they sell, including iCook, Nutrille, and Artistry.
Best For
For folks looking to work with the highest-grossing health and beauty MLM company, Amway is a great choice.
This company is also a good choice for folks that can afford a somewhat expensive starter kit.
Notable Features
Amway has some notable features for working with them, such as:
- Decent discounts on Amway brands for both home use when selling to others
- You can specialize in one part of their catalog or generalize to reach a wider market
- Amway rewards their marketers with both commissions on sales and with a portion of the commission earned by folks you recruit.
Company Revenue
In 2019, Amway earned $8.8 billion in revenue for the year.
Average Network Earnings
Amway isn’t well known for its worker earning high salaries.
Most marketers for Amway earn less than $2,500 per year.
Our Take
With decades of history and a broad catalog of products to choose from, Amway is a solid entry point for folks new to the network marketing world.
2. Market America
Market America offers a huge range of products and services for marketers to sell.
Best For
Folks were willing to risk an expensive upfront cost to see if they can crack into the top earner’s charts.
Notable Features
Some of the biggest perks to working with Market America include:
- Marketers who work with Market American earn a high commission on the items and services they sell on top of large kickbacks from recruiting new folks
- With more items in its catalog than most other MLMs, Market America has plenty of space for one to specialize
- Training and software packages to help get you started when you join their team.
Company Revenue
As of 2019, Market America brings in about $7.3 billion per year.
Average Network Earnings
Between the high cost of training and the large initial volume of products you have to buy, many folks don’t turn a profit working with Market America.
Our Take
Unless you’re willing to put in a lot of time and effort into selling and recruiting, Market America doesn’t seem like a good fit for most people.
3. Avon
Avon, while mostly a beauty and skincare product MLM company, also dabbles in other areas such as fashion and wellness products.
With their many years in the business, Avon has put a lot of effort into building its network of network marketers.
Best For
Folks that feel comfortable using direct selling tactics to move beauty products, personal care products, and other similar items.
Notable Features
Here are the notable features of working with Avon:
- The company offers a 25% commission for orders over $40, meaning many orders qualify for you to earn money on them.
- The company has been around for 150 years, meaning that there’s little risk of you falling into a pyramid scheme.
- With the range of both men’s and women’s products in their catalog, you won’t be hurting for beauty products to sell.
Company Revenue
In 2019, Avon brought in roughly $5.3 billion in revenue.
Average Network Earnings
Between the average sale volume and recruitment bonuses an individual makes when working with Avon, most folks barely make over $1,000 a year before expenses.
Our Take
Unless you become an MLM leader for Avon, don’t expect huge returns.
This could be a decent side gig for someone passionate about beauty products, though.
4. Herbalife
As a nutrition MLM company based in the United States, Herbalife offers health supplements and other wellness products.
Best For
For folks with an interest or expertise in nutrition, Herbalife would be a good fit.
The range of supplements and skin and hair products will be products well-known to any health buff making them an easier sell.
Notable Features
Some of Herbalife’s biggest features include:
- No minimum purchase amounts and a 12-month, money-back guarantee for folks that become an Herbalife rep.
- The training materials and information you get as part of starting your work with them are a decent primer to learning about nutrition.
- Herbalife has an active distributor community for getting folks involved and oriented.
Company Revenue
Herbalife reportedly made $5.5 billion in 2019.
Average Network Earnings
Herbalife no longer shares the average earnings for its reps on its website.
Still, it seems like many folks report earning less than $1,000 per year.
Our Take
While the earnings don’t stand out, the community and assistance Herbalife offers are solid.
This MLM business would be a good fit for anyone interested in healthy living.
5. Nu Skin
Nu Skin is a multi-level marketing company that also specializes in skin and beauty products.
However, the company also has committed itself to a social responsibility program as part of its core ideals.
Best For
Many an MLM company sells beauty products, but folks interested in anti-aging products will fit in well with Nu Skin.
Their ageLOC product is among the most popular of their catalog items.
Notable Features
Some of the big features of working with Nu Skin include:
- A focus on charitable donations to feeding starving children and environmental sustainability.
- Access to unique personal care and home care products.
- A complex payment structure that involves sales and recruitment to earn large commissions.
Company Revenue
In 2019, Nu Skin saw its revenue earnings grow to $2.54 billion that year.
Average Network Earnings
In 2017, the average Nu Skin marketer earned just over $1,800 per year.
Our Take
Nu Skin seems like a solid choice for folks interested in personal care, but the company has had several run-ins with the FTC.
Working for Nu Skin can be rewarding, albeit risky.
6. Infinitus
While many network marketing companies offer personal care and nutrition services, Infinitus gives an array of traditional Chinese products for buyers to use.
Best For
For the health nuts across Canada, Australia, and Asia, the products Infinitus offers will appeal to you.
In addition to health food, the network marketing company also has herbal supplements and skin and health care products.
Notable Features
Some of the biggest features of working with Infinitus are:
- A network marketing company trying to bring more transparency to the space with detailed earnings reports.
- A global reach extending to Canada, Australia, and much of Asia.
- The ability to get started selling Infinitus products for only $25.
Company Revenue
In 2019, Infinitus brought in $3.41 billion in global revenue.
Average Network Earnings
Due to the confusing pay structure of the system, Infinitus reps don’t tend to break the $1,000 each year selling for the company.
Our Take
While the idea seems cool, it seems that Infinitus has a lot left to do to bring more transparency to MLM businesses.
In the meantime, this company will be an okay way to earn some side income in select countries.
7. Vorwerk
Vorwerk is a direct selling company that specializes in kitchen appliances and other home goods.
Their biggest product is the Theromix TM6 multifunction kitchen appliance.
Best For
For the chefs and healthy eaters in North America, Europe, and China, Vorwerk could be a good fit for you.
Notable Features
Some of the key features of working with Vorwerk include:
- Half-price starter kits when you buy the Theromix TM6.
- Free, online training tools to learn how to set up both physical and virtual demos of the products you want to sell.
- Opportunities across three continents to sell products and build connections.
Company Revenue
Vorwerk earned $4.36 billion throughout 2019.
Average Network Earnings
Vorwerk doesn’t publicly share how much their reps make.
However, there are many first-hand reports that, like other MLM companies, Vorwerk reps don’t earn much.
Our Take
While Vorwerk sounds interesting as a possibility, the lack of info on how much they pay their reps is disheartening.
Without knowing how much these folks offer, it’s hard to recommend them to folks.
8. Natura
Based out of Brasil, Natura is a personal care product business with offerings for men, women, and babies.
Best For
Given their sustainability initiatives, Natura would be a good fit for anyone looking for sustainable cosmetics.
Notable Features
The notable things about working with Natura include:
- A commission-based affiliate marketing program including free shipping for certain size orders.
- 50 years of experience in the personal care product space, which they use to create their newsletter for representatives.
- Expansion into the mobile market, including a meditation app.
Company Revenue
Natura made $7.77 billion in revenue in 2019.
Average Network Earnings
Natura offers no specifics on how much their reps tend to get paid or how expensive it is to receive your starter kit as a new rep.
Our Take
Once again, a lack of info about the financial side of things means that it’s hard to recommend Natura as a side venture, let alone a serious opportunity.
9. Pharmaex
As a department of nu Skin, Pharmaex is a health supplement company that deals mostly in vitamins and herbal treatments.
Best For
As another MLM business selling health products, having some prior knowledge about this otherwise technical field helps.
Notable Features
The notable features of working with Pharmaex include:
- Access to the rest of Nu Skin’s catalog to give you a wider range of possibilities for your marketing.
- Discounts on health products including weight loss supplements, vitamin and cofactor supplements, and anti-aging products.
- The high commission structure for Nu Skin’s standard catalog also applies to Pharmaex products.
Company Revenue
As a subsidiary of Nu Skin, Pharmaex is part of Nu Skin’s annual revenue of $2.54 billion.
Average Network Earnings
Just like Nu Skin, Pharmaex reps earn around $1,00 per year on average.
Our Take
Many of the same reasons to work with Nu Skin apply to Pharmaex.
10. Coway
Coway offers products for water systems, air filtration, and other bathroom care products.
These products can be either leased or purchased outright, depending on what the customer wants.
Best For
Folks that understand the importance of clean air and water will mesh well with that Coway wants to accomplish.
Notable Features
The big reasons to work with Coway include:
- Access to a unique set of products, at least within the MLM business world.
- An understanding that you work with folks holding a wide range of expertise in purification systems.
- Supporting a company with a huge emphasis on plastic recycling.
Company Revenue
In 2019, Coway brought in $3 billion in revenue.
Average Network Earnings
Coway has a lot of conflicting information about their rep’s payment structure, meaning it’s hard to know how much you can expect to earn.
Our Take
Until Coway releases clearer information about how their reps are paid, we can’t recommend working with them.
11. Tupperware
Tupperware is a plastic storage system business.
They offer a range of storage solutions for food and home goods.
Best For
Tupperware has been a go-to MLM business to work for thanks to how high demand is for storage in homes.
Anyone new to network marketing will do well here since the product is easy to understand.
Notable Features
The notable features of Tupperware are:
- The products are affordable, making them easier to buy and sell to others.
- Tupperware products tend to carry high praise for their durability and reliability.
- Most people know Tupperware, making marketers less likely to be associated with pyramid schemes.
Company Revenue
Tupperware earned $2.26 billion in 2019.
Average Network Earnings
The vast majority of Tupperware reps make less than $10 per week while selling the products.
Our Take
While Tupperware is easy to understand as a salesperson, it’s hard to recommend them due to the lack of revenue available for most reps.
12. Young Living
Young Living is an MLM business that started with essential oils but more recently expanded into selling personal care products and supplements.
Best For
If you enjoy alternative medicines, or just like the aromas given off by essential oils, this company could be a good fit for you.
Notable Features
The notable features of Young Living are:
- The essentials kits to get started costs only $30, but provide a wide range of resources to get you started.
- The starter kit also comes with a large number of online resources.
- Essential oils have been taking off as a consumer good over the last few years.
Company Revenue
In 2019, Young Living earned $2.2 billion in revenue.
Average Network Earnings
Young Living has very low earnings for most of its reps.
After expenses, almost 90% of Young Living reps make four dollars for the entire year.
Our Take
While Young Living has some interesting products, it’s not a profitable venture for most marketers.
13. Oriflame Cosmetics
Oriflame Cosmetics is a cosmetics MLM company that operates out of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Best For
Cosmetics aficionados in the countries Oriflame operates out of might find this company to be a good fit for their expertise and skills.
Notable Features
Oriflame’s most notable features include:
- Oriflame sets up a personal store page for each Brand Partner.
- The membership fees and starter kits are among the cheaper within the MLM space.
- The guides you receive to get started come in both physical and digital forms.
Company Revenue
Oriflame Cosmetics made $1.4 billion in 2019.
Average Network Earnings
While Orfilame touts a 20% commission on sales, they don’t mention how much their Partners make on average in their yearly financial report.
Our Take
Much like the others on this list, we can’t recommend you try out Oriflame without knowing what they payout.
14. Rodan + Fields
Known for their skincare products, Roden + Fields offers treatments for several skin concerns such as wrinkles, acne, and skin sensitivity.
Best For
Folks that have education or experience with skincare products will have a leg up on others when joining Rodan + Fields.
Notable Features
The notable features for Rodan + Fields are:
- A huge number of awards for its skin treatments means the company knows what it is doing for skincare.
- Rodan + Fields operates in four countries now with plans to expand into a dozen more.
- The starter pack, which includes some samples for products, comes in at $75.
Company Revenue
Rodan + Fields brought in a total of $1.57 billion in 2019.
Average Network Earnings
The average earnings for a Rodan + Fields rep in 2019 were $306 per year.
Our Take
While Rodan + Fields doesn’t promise much monetarily for reps, the products seem solid and have helped many folks with their skincare concerns.
15. Jeunesse
Jeunesse is a wellness and beauty product MLM business that offers a range of products meant to enhance how you feel both inside and out.
Best For
As a newer company, Jeunesse hopes to recruit younger reps to match the youthful vibe they are growing.
Notable Features
Working for Jeunesse has these startup perks:
- A wide range of tiers and preferred statuses can change based on how much product you can sell.
- The company strives to deliver on its cruelty-free promise when making its products.
- Many of the formulations have solid scientific backing for the concerns they cover.
Company Revenue
In 2019, Jeunesse brought in roughly $8 billion in revenue.
Average Network Earnings
66% of reps for Jeunesse earned less than $245 in 2022.
Our Take
Compared to some of the other skincare businesses on this list, Jeunesse doesn’t pay as well as others.
Wrapping Up
The top company to rep as a network marketer depends on what kind of products you want to sell.
Each company has a different commission and onboarding structure that set it apart from one another.
However, many of the picks we covered here aren’t clear about how they pay their reps.
When it comes to network marketing, keeping an eye out for red flags like that can be the difference between a solid side gig and a money sink for you.