What Checkmate does

Checkmate is a consumer-facing personalized savings platform founded in 2022 and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area (with co-founders based in Los Angeles). The company distributes a free Chrome and Safari browser extension and an iOS mobile application (rated 4.8/5 in the App Store) that automatically find and apply coupon codes at online checkout, and has expanded into a multi-surface product with add-on modules including a digital wallet for gift cards, a universal wishlist ("Collections"), email-derived package tracking, and a rewards currency called Checkmate Cash redeemable for gift cards. The platform also offers a Shopify App Store integration ("Checked By Checkmate") for merchants and a B2B service ("Checkmate for Brands") that helps online retailers reach high-intent shoppers in Checkmate's network.

Underlying the product is an AI-driven personalization engine that ingests structured browsing and purchase data, promotional email content (via Gmail, Microsoft, Apple, and Yahoo inbox integrations), and merchant-side pixel tracking to generate user-specific exclusive savings across a catalog described as 10M+ products and 100,000+ stores, with 350+ branded partners offering deeper AI-tailored deals. The service is provided free to consumers and monetizes through affiliate commissions on resulting purchases and sponsored listings, plus the newer B2B merchant offering.

Checkmate has raised $20 million in disclosed venture funding — a $5M seed round in September 2022 led by Fuel Capital and a $15M Series A in May 2023 led by GV (Google Ventures), with a syndicate including Susa Ventures, L2 Ventures, Scribble, Hyper, 7 Ventures, Sinai Ventures, Blackbird Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, Exits Capital, f7 Ventures, Night Capital, Wischoff Ventures, 11:11 Media, BDuck Capital, Common Metal, and MANTIS Venture Capital. The company operates as Checkmate Intelligence, Inc., a California corporation, with a reported member base of 5 million+, 2 million+ active shoppers, and a headcount of 11-50 employees across three co-founders: CEO Harry Dixon, CTO Rory Garton-Smith, and Chief Engineering Officer Elliot Rampono.

Name

Checkmate

Legal name

Checkmate Intelligence, Inc.

Website

https://joincheckmate.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coupon and Cashback Savings Platform

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Wallets & One-Click Checkout (CRAFALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB)

Keywords

• AI shopping assistant
• Browser extension deals
• Personalized coupon platform
• Cashback rewards program
• Affiliate commerce platform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Affiliate Commissions: Checkmate earns revenue when users purchase or engage with offers from merchant partners through affiliate links. The company works on behalf of users to locate publicly available offers and negotiate exclusive offers, receiving a commission from merchants on resulting sales or clicks.
2. Sponsored Links and Checkmate Offers: Third-party advertisers display sponsored links and product offers on the platform. These are custom matched to users based on information stored in the service. The company uses affiliate links for which it receives commissions on resulting sales or clicks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Checkmate provides a free AI-powered personalized savings platform delivered via a Chrome/Safari browser extension and iOS mobile app. It automatically finds, negotiates, and applies exclusive coupons and cashback offers at checkout across 100,000+ online stores, and learns from each user's shopping behavior to generate deal inventory that is unique to them. The platform also includes package tracking, a digital gift-card wallet, and a B2B merchant service ("Checkmate for Brands") that lets retailers run targeted incentive programs through Checkmate's user network.

Product overview

Checkmate is a personalized smart shopping platform consisting of a core browser extension (Chrome and Safari) and mobile app that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout. The platform uses AI to generate personalized savings by learning from user preferences and shopping behavior. Key add-on modules include the Checkmate Wallet (gift card storage), Collections (universal wishlist), Package Tracking (order monitoring), and Checkmate Cash (rewards currency redeemable for gift cards). The Shopify integration enables merchant participation. The company also operates a B2B service called 'Checkmate for Brands' for merchant partnerships. The platform covers over 100,000 stores and 350+ partner brands, generating AI-powered exclusive deals for 5 million+ members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Checkmate Browser Extension Free Chrome and Safari browser extension that automatically finds and applies the best coupon codes at checkout, eliminating manual code entry for individual online shoppers. Monitors browsing activity and surfaces personalized savings across 100,000+ stores.
• Checkmate Mobile App Free iOS mobile application that provides the same personalized savings and coupon application functionality as the browser extension, enabling individual shoppers to access deals and track packages from their mobile devices. Rated 4.8/5 on the App Store.
• Checkmate for Brands B2B service for online merchants and brands to identify and reach individuals interested in their products through Checkmate's 5 million+ member user network, enabling customized incentive programs and performance-based customer acquisition.
• Checked By Checkmate (Shopify App) Shopify app integration that enables merchants to create Checkmate accounts and synchronize user identities, using pixel tags and tracking technologies on merchant websites to deliver customized offers and incentives to Checkmate users.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 million members generating personalized savings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationCheckmate offers 'Checked By Checkmate' service through the Shopify App Store, enabling merchants to create Checkmate accounts and synchronize user identities for customized incentives using pixel tags and tracking technologies.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationCheckmate's email data collection from Gmail accounts falls under Google's 'reporting and monitoring' API restricted scope. Checkmate adheres to Google API Services User Data Policy including Limited Use requirements.
• ReformationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmentally conscious partner brand that incorporates sustainability practices including waste reduction, recyclable packaging, and ethical sourcing. Part of Checkmate's social impact initiative.
• SézaneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner brand with similar views on sustainability and social responsibility, incorporating sustainable practices in product development and supply chain management.
• Richer-PoorerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability-focused partner brand aligned with Checkmate's environmental mission to reduce fashion industry's carbon footprint.
• 100,000+ Merchant PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCheckmate provides coupon codes and exclusive deals from over 100,000 stores including GOAT, Triangl, Fashion Nova, Amazon, SKIMS, Quay, Michael Kors, and many others. Merchants benefit from increased sales through Checkmate's affiliate network.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Klarna: Klarna is a broad e-commerce checkout and payments incumbent offering shopping, payments, and savings services. While its primary business is BNPL, its shopping and discovery features intersect with Checkmate's savings proposition at the e-commerce checkout layer.
• PayPal: PayPal owns Honey and operates PayPal Rewards/cashback offerings across its payments ecosystem. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities and vastly greater distribution, scale, and merchant relationships than Checkmate.
• Microsoft Bing Shopping: Bing Shopping (and Microsoft Cashback historically) is a broad shopping comparison and deals platform integrated into Microsoft's search ecosystem. It is an adjacent incumbent that overlaps with Checkmate's deal discovery and merchant affiliate offerings.

Direct peers

• Capital One Shopping: Capital One Shopping (formerly Wikibuy) is a browser-based savings tool that compares prices, applies coupons, and offers rewards. It is a direct peer given its overlapping browser extension, affiliate-driven model, and savings focus for online shoppers.
• Honey: Honey is the category-leading browser extension that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout, plus offers cashback rewards via Honey Gold. Acquired by PayPal for ~$4B, it is the most direct competitive comparison to Checkmate's core browser extension and affiliate monetization model.
• TopCashback: TopCashback is a cashback and coupon platform offering rebates from thousands of merchants. It is a direct peer to Checkmate's affiliate-driven savings model and competes for both consumer users and merchant partnerships.
• Slickdeals: Slickdeals is a community-driven deals and coupons aggregator with a large user base. It competes for value-conscious online shoppers and merchant affiliate traffic, though its strength is more in deal discovery than auto-application at checkout.
• Rakuten: Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is one of the largest cashback and coupon platforms globally, operating a browser extension and affiliate network with thousands of merchants. It directly competes with Checkmate for both consumer mindshare and merchant affiliate budgets.
• RetailMeNot: RetailMeNot is a long-standing digital coupon and deals platform serving online shoppers. It competes for the same coupon-discovery user and operates a similar merchant affiliate model, though more web- than extension-centric.
• Coupons.com: Coupons.com (a Quotient Technology / Neptune Retail Solutions brand) is a digital coupon platform with both consumer-facing deal discovery and merchant-funded offer distribution. It is a direct peer in the consumer coupon/deal space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/checkmatesavings
• TikToktiktok.com/@joincheckmate
• Xx.com/CheckmateSaves
• Facebookfacebook.com/CheckmateSavings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/checkmate-savings

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Checkmate