PayPal Honey Review – Sweet Savings When Shopping
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PayPal's Honey is a totally legit browser extension and mobile app that helps online shoppers save as much as possible.
9/10
Cost
9/10
Features
9/10
Services
8.5/10
Ease of use
9/10
When I was younger, my mom and I would sit at my grandmother’s kitchen table and clip coupons from her newspaper. Meanwhile, she’d drink a cup of coffee, enjoy a cigarette, and tell us what was happening with the rest of the family.
Once we finished clipping, we’d organize the coupons we wanted by category (e.g., groceries, beauty, electronics, etc.) and put them in separate ziplock bags so that when the time came, we could whip them out and hand them to the cashier in one swift move without holding up the line.
While I miss our Sunday morning ritual, I’m grateful for the new platforms that have made saving money on everyday products much easier. Honey, for example, is a browser extension that “clips” coupons automatically, so you don’t have to! Learn why PayPal's Honey is one of the top couponing apps.
Jump To
What is PayPal Honey?
In 2012, Ryan Hudson and George Ruan created Honey, a free browser extension to help desktop users save money on online purchases. Initially, the concept was pretty simple: Just download the extension and shop. Fast-forward four years, and users can join Honey as members and take advantage of additional features, including Honey’s rewards program Honey Gold, which gives members cash back on top of coupons.
Today, the company searches for coupons on over 30,000 sites. Its mobile app (available for Android and iOS users) allows members to shop for daily deals and learn about new features.
In 2020, PayPal agreed to acquire Honey Science Corporation for $4 billion, and the company subsequently changed its name to PayPal Honey.
How does PayPal Honey work?
Using Honey is easy. To get started, you only need to download the browser extension compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Edge. Once downloaded, you’ll have immediate access to the best coupon codes available online. Plus, Honey does the searching for you! Instead of scrolling through thousands of promo codes, Honey auto-generates the best code based on your purchase.
To download Honey on Chrome, follow this link and click “Add to Chrome” and then “Add Extension.” (If you’re using a different web browser, read PayPal Honey’s how-to install the Honey browser extension.”)
Once the extension is installed, a new window that reads “The last step is a big deal” will open.
While you’re not obligated to create an account, doing so unlocks additional features and savings. You can join with Google, Facebook, PayPal, Apple, or an email address. To make things simple, I chose to join using Google.
After installing the extension, Honey encourages users to pin Honey to their toolbar. To do this, click on the Extensions icon in the upper right-hand corner of your toolbar and click the pin button to “pin” the Honey extension to your toolbar.
Now, you’re ready to shop! To use the Honey extension, navigate to one of your favorite online stores, add something to your cart, head to the checkout page, and watch the magic happen. (If you have an AdBlocker installed, you must disable it for Honey to work correctly.)
If you’re shopping at one of Honey’s partner retailers, Honey will auto-apply the coupon code that saves you the most. The Honey icon (found in the extension or add-on area) will appear gray if the site isn't supported. If it is, the icon will appear orange.
Click on the Honey icon to view more information on available coupons. It will tell you how many coupons are available and whether or not the retailer offers cash back.
Bonus: If you signed up for a PayPal Honey account, you could get cash back depending on the purchase!
PayPal Honey has a mobile app, too. To download the Honey mobile app, use one of the links below:
The app works one of two ways: you can either browse for your own coupons via the app or enable Honey for Safari. If you enable Honey for Safari, it will work the same way the Honey browser extension works on your computer — be sure to shop using the Safari browser.
How much does PayPal Honey cost?
Both the Honey app and the Honey browser extension are free to use.
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PayPal Honey features
Impressed? If not, here are a few more reasons to consider downloading Honey’s free browser extension and joining the Honey community.
Honey Tips
Honey Tips is kind of like a digital shopping assistant. It gives members a behind-the-scenes look at select products in hopes of helping them make more informed purchasing decisions. To use Honey Tips, just hover over the Honey Tips badge on the right-hand side of the page to see what tips are available for a specific item.
Note: Honey Tips is only available for US members.
Droplist
The Droplist feature is super-helpful for shoppers who like to “window shop” before payday. If you’re not ready to buy a specific item just yet, you can add it to Honey’s Droplist, and the platform will send notifications (via email) to let you know if the item dropped to a lower price.
To adjust your Droplist notifications, go to Account Settings > Notifications.
To use the Droplist, navigate to the product you’d like Honey to watch and click the “h” icon. This will prompt the Honey Tips window to appear. Once it does, scroll down and click “Add to Droplist.”
Honey allows users to add an unlimited number of items to their Droplist. You can also view an item’s price history, create “Collections” — a set of items in a specific category, like “home decor,” for example—or adjust the percentage of the price drop you’d like to be notified about (e.g., “over 5% off”).
Note: The Droplist feature is only available for select items.
PayPal Rewards
This free rewards program allows you to earn PayPal Rewards points towards cash back (for the U.S.) or store gift cards on your eligible purchases. These points are rewarded on the subtotal of eligible items and do not include tax or additional fees such as shipping. These rewards aren't offered in every store that has Honey support.
Who is PayPal Honey best for?
Couponers
If you scour the net for coupons before making a purchase, Honey is probably the best way to get discounts without searching for hours just to save a few bucks.
Online shoppers
Some people just prefer to shop online, and that’s totally fine. If online shopping is more convenient than shopping in-store, then Honey is for you. The platform scours upward of 30,000 websites for coupons, so you’re bound to find a deal no matter where you shop.
Who shouldn’t use PayPal Honey?
Impulse buyers
If you tend to overspend or are an impulse buyer, Honey may not be the best extension as cash-back rewards, price drops, and discounts may encourage you to give in to temptation.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and easy to use. Honey is free and straightforward to use. You don’t even need to create an account if you don’t want to. Just download the extension and shop! It’s that easy.
- Supported by multiple browsers. Honey is available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Edge.
- Saves time and money. Thanks to the extension’s coupon finder, shoppers no longer have to go on digital scavenger hunts to find the best price for a specific item.
- Supports thousands of stores. Honey works with more than 30,000 stores.
- Alerts members of price drops. With Honey’s Droplist feature, members can choose to receive price drop notifications for select items.
- Offers a referral program. Whenever a friend signs up for Honey using a member’s Honey invite link, Honey rewards them with 500 Gold points.
Cons
- Poor customer service. While there are a number of resources and helpful articles on the Honey website, some members claim that Honey’s customer support is lacking.
- Invalid discount codes. Some users report having issues with invalid discount codes.
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Honey vs. Rakuten vs. RetailMeNot
Platform | Focus | In-store coupons |
Honey | Coupons | No |
Rakuten | Cash back rewards | Yes |
RetailMeNot | Coupons | Yes |
Rakuten
Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, is a browser extension and online shopping platform that rewards users with cash-back deals and promo codes. It can be used online or in-store, and cash-back rewards can be sent out via PayPal or check.
RetailMeNot
RetailMeNot is an easy-to-use shopping platform that offers both online and in-store coupons, discounts, and rebates. Suppose you don’t want to use your phone or aren’t into using QR codes. In that case, RetailMeNot offers printable in-store coupons. RetailMeNot is available as a browser extension and mobile app.
FAQs
Does Honey give discount codes?
Yes! The Honey browser extension automatically applies discount codes to your cart at checkout.
Is Honey safe to use?
Yes, Honey is safe to use. Honey has 17 million active users and is owned by PayPal, a leader in digital payments.
How do I uninstall the Honey browser extension?
Uninstalling the Honey browser extension is just as easy as installing it. Click on the three dots icon to the right of your toolbar and navigate to More Tools > Extensions > Remove. For more information on how to uninstall Honey, visit help.joinhoney.com.
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The bottom line
PayPal Honey is a legit browser extension and mobile app that helps online shoppers save as much as possible via coupon codes, special discounts, exclusive offers, and cash-back rewards. Honey works with more than 30,000 online retailers, including Amazon, Target, Walmart, and several other big-box retailers, so if you shop online at all, there’s a chance Honey can help you save a few bucks.
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Writer
Tabitha Britt is a New York-based freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared on INSIDER, the Huffington Post, and Taste of Home. When she's not glued to her computer screen, she can be found walking her beloved pooch, Biscuit.
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