Honey
Honey is a free browser extension and mobile app that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout across 30,000+ retail sites, monetizing via affiliate commissions. It is a wholly-owned PayPal subsidiary following a $4 billion 2020 acquisition and serves 17+ million consumer members.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Honey does
Honey is a consumer-facing shopping platform that operates a free browser extension and mobile application to automatically discover, test, and apply coupon codes, track prices (Droplist), and facilitate checkout across more than 30,000 supported retail sites. Its core technology is a client-side extension that integrates with merchant checkout systems to test coupon codes in real time, augmented by machine-learning-based coupon verification that combines automated code testing with community feedback to surface working codes and reduce expired or fraudulent ones. The product suite includes Droplist (price-drop alerts), Amazon Badge (seller and price-history comparison), Honey Checkout (stored payment credentials), and the PayPal Rewards loyalty program (formerly Honey Gold), with mobile availability on iOS and Android and a Honey for Business affiliate program for merchant onboarding.
Honey monetizes exclusively through affiliate commissions earned when members transact with merchant partners, primarily via third-party affiliate networks such as Rakuten and Impact.com, and through direct merchant integrations. The service is offered free to consumers, with some commission economics passed back to members as PayPal Rewards points redeemable for gift cards or cash. Honey was acquired by PayPal in January 2020 for $4 billion in cash, PayPal's largest acquisition to date, and now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within PayPal's 275+ million-account ecosystem, with legal headquarters in San Jose, California and operational roots in Los Angeles. Since December 2024 the business has been under significant pressure from creator allegations of affiliate-commission hijacking, resulting in user-base contraction, multiple lawsuits, removal from Rakuten's network in January 2026, and tighter Chrome Web Store disclosure requirements.
Honey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Honey
- Legal name
- Honey Science LLC
- Website
- https://joinhoney.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Honey is a free browser extension and mobile app that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout across 30,000+ retail sites, monetizing via affiliate commissions. It is a wholly-owned PayPal subsidiary following a $4 billion 2020 acquisition and serves 17+ million consumer members.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Honey industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Shopping Assistant Software
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Price Comparison, Deals, Cashback & Loyalty Shopping Platforms (BPAMAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Comparison Shopping & Price Discovery Portals (BPAMAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Honey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Honey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Affiliate Commissions: Honey earns commissions from merchant partners when members use Honey to find savings or activate PayPal Rewards. This is the primary revenue stream. Honey passes some earnings back to members through its rewards program while retaining a portion. The company works with affiliates and affiliate networks to confirm purchases and receive commissions from merchants.
- Affiliate Link Attribution: Honey has faced controversy over allegations of modifying affiliate cookies to redirect commission payments that would otherwise go to content creators. This practice was the subject of multiple class action lawsuits and resulted in removal from the Rakuten affiliate network in January 2026.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free browser extension and mobile app |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Honey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Honey provides a free browser extension and mobile application that automatically searches for and tests coupon codes at checkout across 30,000+ online retail sites, complemented by Droplist price tracking, Amazon price comparison tools, and the PayPal Rewards cashback program. Revenue is generated entirely through affiliate commissions earned from merchant partners when members use the service to find savings or activate rewards.
Product overview
Honey is a unified browser extension and mobile application suite that helps online shoppers save money by automatically finding and applying coupon codes at checkout. The core product is the Honey Browser Extension, complemented by native iOS and Android mobile apps. The product portfolio includes Droplist for price tracking, Amazon Badge for Amazon-specific price comparison and history tools, PayPal Rewards (formerly Honey Gold) for earning and redeeming loyalty points, Honey Checkout for streamlined payment, and a Referral Program for member acquisition. Merchants can partner through the Honey for Business program. Honey operates across 30,000+ shopping sites and is integrated with PayPal for rewards redemption, following PayPal's acquisition of Honey Science Corporation in 2020.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PayPal Rewards: A free rewards program formerly known as Honey Gold, where members earn points on purchases that can be redeemed for gift cards.
Products and services
- Honey Browser Extension The flagship free browser extension that automatically searches for and tests coupon codes at checkout across 30,000+ shopping sites, available on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera. Designed for individual online shoppers seeking automatic savings without manual code entry.
- Honey Mobile App Native iOS and Android application providing automatic coupon discovery, deal-finding, Droplist price tracking, and Safari extension support for mobile shoppers. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Honey for Business (Affiliate Program)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $1 billion in cumulative savings found for members
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Honey
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Honey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Honey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PayPalcorePayPal acquired Honey Science Corporation in January 2020 for $4 billion in cash (PayPal's largest acquisition to date). The acquisition gave PayPal entry earlier in the customer shopping journey by integrating Honey's discount code and price-tracking services across PayPal's platform of more than 275 million active consumer accounts. Honey's headquarters remained in Los Angeles following the acquisition, with operations integrated into PayPal's ecosystem. The acquisition requires regulatory approval and was expected to close in Q1 2020.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Honey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Honey social profiles
Digital presenceHoney financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Honey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Honey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Honey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Honey
What does Honey do?
Honey provides a free browser extension and mobile application that automatically searches for and tests coupon codes at checkout across 30,000+ online retail sites, complemented by Droplist price tracking, Amazon price comparison tools, and the PayPal Rewards cashback program. Revenue is generated entirely through affiliate commissions earned from merchant partners when members use the service to find savings or activate rewards.
Is Honey a public or private company?
Honey is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Honey founded?
Honey was founded in 2015. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Honey based?
Honey is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Honey make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Affiliate Commissions are the primary driver. The others are affiliate Link Attribution.
Does Honey have an API?
No public API is recorded for Honey.
What industry is Honey in?
Honey's product category is Shopping Assistant Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAGAH, Price Comparison, Deals, Cashback & Loyalty Shopping Platforms, with a secondary code of BPAMAAAJ, Comparison Shopping & Price Discovery Portals. Its SIC code is 7310.