Are Smartlinks Really Worth It for New Affiliates?

I’m new to affiliate marketing and I keep seeing networks pushing smartlinks as an “easy start” for beginners.
The promise sounds great:

Plug in one link → auto-optimize → make money.

But I’ve also read that:
Payouts are often lower than direct offers
You don’t control which campaigns are being tested
Data transparency isn’t always clear

So I’m wondering:
For those who’ve tested smartlinks — did you actually see decent profit, or is it just a way for networks to monetize leftover traffic?
As a beginner, should I start with smartlinks or focus on direct, single offers from the beginning?

Would love to hear your real experiences before I jump in.

I tried smartlinks for dating and sweeps worked for volume, but EPC was terrible. Once I switched to direct campaigns with an AM’s help, profits doubled))

Smartlinks are okay to start, but direct offers usually make more money.

If you are a complete novice, they can be invaluable if they are good. However, I have no idea if there are any good ones on the market right now.

As a beginner, focus on direct offers first, smartlinks can work but they usually eat into your profits and give less control.

I am also confused about smartlinks. Even I do not understand them.

I’d say start with direct offers first to build a solid foundation, then consider smartlinks once you’re comfortable with traffic and testing; they can be useful, but the lower payouts and lack of control can be a bit of a tradeoff for beginners.

If you have social media traffic and you have wide variety of geos - smartlink definitely a key.
But if you run ppc campaigns or member area/tube traffic - you definitely have to focus on direct, single offers from the beginning