The Honey Chrome extension is bleeding users after being labeled as a scam

Honey, the popular browser extension boasting coupon code savings, has recently come under fire for its less-than-transparent practices. A recent video exposé revealed that Honey may be engaging in tactics that contradict its promise to users, leading to a mass exodus from the platform.

Honey’s core function is to find and apply coupon codes at digital retailers, seemingly saving users money. However, the extension operates on an affiliate marketing model, earning commissions by attributing sales to its own referral links. While this practice is not uncommon, the exposé revealed that Honey may be replacing affiliate codes from other sources – such as YouTube videos or websites – with its own, effectively “stealing” the referral commission.

More concerning, the exposé also alleged that Honey may be working with retailers to intentionally hide better coupon codes, favoring those that benefit the retailer and Honey itself. This practice directly contradicts Honey’s claim to find the “best” deals for users. Additionally, it was revealed that Honey may still take credit for a sale even if it doesn’t find a working coupon code, simply by virtue of the user interacting with the extension.

These revelations have sparked significant backlash, with millions of users uninstalling the Honey extension. Data from the Chrome Web Store indicates a drop of at least 3 million users since the exposé was published, demonstrating a clear shift in user trust and preference.

As of now, Honey has not publicly addressed these allegations, but a class action lawsuit has been filed. And I think it needs to be said that I don’t think any of these creators or influencers knew anything about what Honey and PayPal were doing behind the scenes. Sure, Honey grew thanks to paying online personalities to push the brand, but we all bought into the scam, so give these folks a break.