Why I Didn’t Join Digital Wealth Academy (DWA) – My Honest Review

I have a craze for joining multiple affiliate programs and courses.

Over the years, I have bought more than 10 high-ticket affiliate courses. With this hype, I also wanted to buy a new, updated affiliate program called Digital Wealth Academy (DWA).

I came to know about it in 2024 when it was a 100% MRR program.

MRR is basically master resell rights that DWA gives you to sell and keep 100% profit. I will explain about MRR in more detail later.

When it was MRR, I did not feel like joining the program because I did not like that business model. On top of that, I saw on Reddit, Quora, Facebook, and other platforms people claiming it to be an MLM program (kind of a Pyramid Scheme).

So I decided not to buy at that moment. The price was not much compared to what I invested in other programs anyway.

This year, I planned to revisit DWA, especially after seeing a video talking about the new update in DWA. I knew DWA has two versions now: DWA 1.0 (the MRR-based version) and DWA 2.0 (the affiliate version).

Basically, in 2025, they launched DWA 2.0 with an affiliate program.

But I still did not buy it because I found another good alternative called OLSP, which I will talk about later.

There are many red flags in DWA, so I decided not to buy it this time around and chose OLSP instead.

I will admit that DWA certainly has some good stuff. As an experienced affiliate marketer, however, I found a lot of questionable angles and prefer something else. Yet I can see how DWA can be good for a beginner.

In this review, I am going to explain everything from top to bottom: what DWA is, what I disliked, what I liked, how it changed between 2024 and 2025, and why I ended up going with something else. Let’s go in-depth.

What Exactly is Digital Wealth Academy (DWA)?

Let me break down what DWA really is.

Digital Wealth Academy, or DWA, is an online course that teaches you how to make money online using digital marketing and something called Master Resell Rights (MRR).

It was created by a woman named Rachel, who’s pretty popular in the digital marketing world, especially on Instagram. She often posts about making money online, selling digital products, and personal branding.

In 2024, DWA introduced the MRR version of the course. That meant if you bought the course, you could resell it to others and keep 100% of the profits. Sounds amazing, right?

At first, it looked like a great deal. You pay once (back then it was $497), learn how to market the course, and then resell it as your own. And yes, you get to keep all the money from each sale.

That can sound super tempting, especially if you’re new and see people sharing big commission screenshots.

But here’s what didn’t sit right with me: most people were just selling DWA itself. They weren’t really using the training to promote other products or build long-term skills. It felt like everyone was just focused on getting others to buy the same course so they could resell it too.

When I looked deeper into forums and social media, I noticed a lot of people talking about this. Many were hyping the “instant money” from reselling, but not really growing beyond that.

For someone like me, who prefers promoting different products and building a full marketing system, it felt off. At times, it even started to feel a bit like a pyramid setup.

Now, I’m not saying everyone inside DWA is doing that. But when I saw the same concerns coming up again and again from different people, I decided to step back.

The whole “buy it, then resell the same thing to someone else so they can resell it too” just didn’t feel right to me. That’s why I chose not to go with DWA 1.0 in 2024.

The MRR Business Model: Good or Bad?

Master resell rights, or MRR, can actually be a decent way to make money online—if it’s done the right way. Basically, you buy a digital product or course once, and then you’re allowed to resell it to others and keep all the profit. No need to create your own product, and you don’t have to split the money with anyone. That’s what made it sound good to me at first.

The idea is simple: pay once, get a ready-made product, and start selling it right away.

But there are some problems too.

First, a lot of people end up selling the exact same thing—with the same name, same look, and even the same sales pitch. That makes it hard to stand out, unless you’re really good at marketing or already have a big following online.

Also, unlike regular affiliate programs, there’s not much structure. With most affiliate systems, you can promote other related products, get updates, and benefit from the creator’s work over time. But with MRR, you might not get any updates unless they release a new version—and then you may have to buy that too.

Another issue is the pressure. Since everyone’s selling the same resell product, people often rely on aggressive sales tactics just to make money. For beginners, this can feel confusing or even a little shady.

When I first heard about Digital Wealth Academy 1.0, it was based on this MRR model. Most people were pushing it on social media—like Instagram or TikTok—getting leads and sending them to their checkout links. That’s okay in theory, but I personally didn’t like the hype or the pressure-heavy style.

I prefer promoting products that I know work well, that are easy to connect with other tools, and that actually help people—not just something that’s being passed around so others can keep reselling it. When the whole system is just “sell this so others can sell it too,” it starts to feel a bit off.

DWA’s Transition from 1.0 (MRR) to 2.0 (Affiliate)

By 2025, the creators of Digital Wealth Academy launched version 2.0 and made some big changes. From what I understand, they moved away from the old MRR model and switched to a more traditional affiliate setup. The new system seemed to fix some of the legal and branding issues that people had with the first version.

In the earlier days, they heavily relied on the resell-rights model, similar to other programs like “Road Map to Riches” and “Learn and Earn Profits.” But with DWA 2.0, they introduced a real affiliate program where you now earn 85% commissions on each sale—instead of keeping 100%, like before.

In return, they started offering more value: regular course updates, new funnel options, affiliate contests, bonus materials, and weekly live coaching calls.

At first, this shift caught my attention. Since they weren’t pushing the same old “buy and resell” structure, it felt more like a normal affiliate program—and less like a pyramid. I thought maybe the community had also improved.

People were getting excited about the live calls, the updated lessons, and the advanced training on things like funnels, branding, content creation, automation, legal tips, and more. Some users even mentioned the course now has 30+ modules covering everything from growing an audience to making sales.

Still, I had doubts.

My biggest concern was paying a big one-time fee and ending up inside a messy course with:

• too much scattered marketing info,
• a group of people mostly focused on just reselling DWA again,
• and branding that didn’t really match my own style.

So I decided to dig deeper into what DWA 2.0 actually offered. And honestly, while I did find some clear improvements, I also saw some of the same old issues that made me hesitate the first time.

Inside the DWA Course Content

I won’t lie—once you get inside DWA, there’s a lot of content. Some of the lessons are actually pretty good.

They cover things like:

• branding basics
• how to grow an audience
• building sales funnels
• email marketing
• and how to use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to get leads

They also teach about things like user-generated content, how to reuse your content, legal disclaimers, and even how to do marketing without showing your face.

One of the big highlights is the “Content Vault,” where they give you ready-made marketing materials. So if you don’t feel confident creating your own stuff, you can just use theirs. That’s super helpful if you’re new and feeling overwhelmed.

The student group is also active. There are lots of discussions on how to promote, and they run live calls during the week to help you out.

But here’s the thing that bothered me…

Most of the “success stories” I saw were from people who were just reselling DWA—again and again. They weren’t using what they learned to sell other products or build their own thing.

I’m not saying nobody is doing that. But from what I saw, too many people were just saying, “I made thousands talking about DWA.”

As someone who’s been in affiliate marketing for years, that doesn’t impress me. You can do that with any hyped-up course.

What really matters to me is whether the course teaches skills you can use to promote other products and work in different niches—not just resell the same thing to the next person.

Online Reputation and Controversies

DWA has a big presence online. Their official community is huge—while I’m writing this, their Skool group already has over 120,000 members.

Rachel, the founder, is very popular on Instagram and has a massive following. A lot of people share big success stories, saying they’ve made six or even seven figures with her program.

But at the same time, there’s been some controversy. I’ve seen posts from other course creators accusing DWA of reusing or copying content from older MRR programs. Some even mentioned legal issues and drama behind the scenes.

I don’t know the full details since I never got that deep into it, but it did make me stop and question whether I wanted to be involved.

Another thing I noticed: the course seems to really push the idea of posting income screenshots to attract new buyers. But many of those posts don’t mention the actual costs—like tools, email services, funnel software, or ad spend. That part gets left out.

So yeah, there’s definitely skepticism online. Some people even call DWA a pyramid scheme or MLM-style setup.

I’m not saying it’s a scam. But I can understand why people feel that way, especially if they join, don’t see results, or realize there are extra costs they weren’t told about upfront.

The Highs and Lows of the Program

Digital Wealth Academy definitely has some good sides. The course can be helpful if you're a beginner and find other marketing programs too confusing or expensive. It’s nice that DWA puts everything into one big library—it makes it easier to access everything in one place.

You’ll learn about things like building your personal brand, creating funnels, running email campaigns, and launching products the right way. Plus, there’s a big user community, so you don’t feel like you’re doing it all alone.

But the way it’s marketed can get old fast—especially when it feels like the main goal is just to get more people to join DWA.

The price is something to keep in mind. Back when it was based on resell rights, you had to pay $497 upfront with no refund. Now with DWA 2.0, it’s still about $497 (sometimes less if they’re running a promo). They offer payment plans too, but from what I know, you can’t resell the course until you’ve paid in full.

The no-refund policy is also a bit of a downside. It's common with digital products, but it still feels risky—especially for someone new who might realize later it’s not the right fit.

Another thing to be aware of: you’ll likely need extra tools. That could mean a funnel builder, an email autoresponder, maybe even money for ads. If you're tight on budget and thought the $497 was all you'd spend, the extra costs might catch you off guard.

Why I Ended Up Not Buying It Again

I almost bought DWA 2.0 because I thought the new affiliate model would solve my concerns about it being just another resell-rights setup. But when I looked closer, I still saw the same old patterns.

A lot of people in different groups were still focused on just selling the academy itself. I get that it works for some, but I was looking for something that would help me build real skills I could use anywhere.

They kept talking about the huge library of lessons, the constant updates, and the live calls—but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was still all about getting others to join and resell DWA.

I started thinking it through. If I’m going to spend my time, energy, and money on something, it needs to be something that actually fits me—not just another hype-based course pushed by influencers.

I like affiliate marketing, but I enjoy it more when I can use what I learn to promote different types of products, test new ideas, and grow in different niches—without worrying that I’m just one of thousands selling the same thing.

Big communities can feel exciting at first. You think, “Everyone’s doing this, so it must be good.” But sometimes you realize, “Everyone’s doing this, so maybe it’s too crowded.” That’s what finally made me take a step back and choose a different path.

The Alternative I Chose: OLSP

While I was hesitating to buy DWA, a friend of mine on Facebook recommended an awesome affiliate course called OLSP. I had zero plans to join another program, but I saw him earning real commissions—even $0.25 just for commenting on posts!

I gave it a shot and bought the $7 Megalink. That small step changed everything.

In just 4 months, I made over $2700, including contest rewards. OLSP teaches real affiliate marketing—not just reselling one course. You can promote multiple products, earn daily payouts, and even get lifetime commissions from every lead.

Best part? It’s beginner-friendly, includes step-by-step training, and gives you done-for-you systems if you upgrade. And yes, it has a 30-day refund policy.

Compared to DWA, OLSP felt more flexible and real. That’s why I stuck with it—and I’m glad I did.

The best thing...It is FREE to get started.

My Final Verdict on Digital Wealth Academy

DWA, from what I have seen, can indeed be suitable for an absolute beginner who wants everything bundled in a single program. You pay your fee, get a big course library, a supportive user group, and you can start promoting the course.

There are definitely success stories—people who generate decent revenue, especially if they are good at creating viral social media content. And the fact that in 2.0 they have pivoted to an affiliate program might help new folks feel less self-conscious about calling it an MLM-like structure.

So there is a good side.

However, I personally do not like the no-refund policy, the strong emphasis on either buying the old MRR model or selling the new affiliate version, and the sense that the community itself recycles the same marketing. That is not to say there is zero value in the modules.

There are plenty of tips about audience-building, branding, and funnel creation. It just felt to me that they kept adding “bells and whistles” to keep the hype going.

Instead of focusing on a balanced approach, they ignored the idea of promoting a variety of products or building real marketing skills. That might not bother a newbie who strictly wants to learn basic digital marketing and join a big community, but it turned me off.

Additionally, the operating costs for running your new digital marketing “empire” can creep up quickly. Someone brand new might not realize that you need an email responder, a good page builder or funnel builder, perhaps paid advertising if organic traffic is too slow for you, and so forth. If you are not prepared for those expenses, you may find yourself shelling out more than you anticipated.

Will DWA Suit You?

At the end of the day, it really depends on what kind of person you are and what you’re looking for.

If you like being part of a big social media community, enjoy weekly calls where people share small wins, and want one place to learn things like branding and funnel building, then DWA might be a good way to start. You might even build some momentum if you’re okay with a flashy, fast-moving environment. It’s clearly popular and not going away anytime soon.

But if you prefer a more low-key and steady approach—where you can learn to market all kinds of products, not just one course—then DWA might not be a great fit. From what I saw, a lot of people inside are mainly focused on selling DWA itself.

Personally, I want something I can use again and again across different products and niches. That’s what affiliate marketing means to me.

I also think real success takes more than a huge course. You need to build an audience, create a clear brand, learn how to write or make content that actually sells, and then keep doing that with new offers. It’s not as simple as posting a TikTok and waiting for the money to roll in.

Yes, some influencers with big followings can make fast commissions. But for most beginners, it takes time, effort, and consistency. No program can replace that.

And I have to mention—there’s still some negative talk out there about DWA’s background. Things like content being copied from older programs, or people saying most of the success stories come from hyping the idea of fast money.

I get that some of the criticism might come from people who didn’t try hard enough. But when you see that many mixed reviews, it’s smart to be cautious.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, Digital Wealth Academy (DWA) is a super popular course that went viral online. It first offered 100% profits through reselling, and now with version 2.0, it works more like a regular affiliate program. The course includes a big community, frequent updates, and tons of training modules.

If you're a beginner who wants one course that covers a lot—like branding, content creation, funnels, and social media—DWA might be a good starting point. You might even enjoy the high-energy vibe and learn a few solid strategies along the way.

But if you're someone who wants a more balanced approach, doesn’t like hype-heavy marketing, or wants something with a refund option, DWA might not be the best fit. The no-refund policy and focus on reselling the same course over and over were red flags for me.

That’s why I personally chose OLSP instead. It felt more aligned with my goals, offered different ways to earn, and gave me more space to grow. Of course, OLSP isn’t the only option either—there are other programs that might suit your style better.

If you’re still thinking about DWA, just be clear on your goals. Ask yourself:

• Do you want a big, loud community and a well-known brand?
• Or would you prefer a calm, flexible place to build long-term skills?
• Can you accept the downsides because you really believe in the content?
• Or would you rather start with something less controversial?

In my case, I skipped DWA 2.0 because of personal preference and a few concerns I couldn’t ignore.

Whatever you pick—DWA, OLSP, or something else—the most important thing is to stay consistent, be honest with your audience, and keep learning. Hype fades, but real skills stick with you. That’s how you build success online.

Note: There’s a scam going on right now called Coursiv.io. I’ve written a dedicated article about it. I want you to read it and understand why I believe Coursiv.io is a scam.