Honey Alternative for Amazon: What Happened, and What to Use Instead
Honey lost millions of Chrome users after a 2024 investigation into how it handles affiliate commissions. Here is the sourced timeline, what Honey still does well, what it can't do, and a free alternative that tells you whether an Amazon price is actually good.
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✓ This guide is for you if
- Heard about the Honey controversy and want to know what is actually documented
- Mostly shop on Amazon, where coupon codes are rare
- Want to know whether a price is good, not just whether a code exists
- Want a free alternative that doesn't touch affiliate links
✗ Skip it if
- Only use Honey for coupons on other stores (Zroppix works on Amazon only)
- Want a guarantee that a price will drop (nobody can give one)
- Need sales rank and seller data (look at Keepa)
- Want legal advice about the lawsuits
- Why people are looking for a Honey alternative
- What was alleged, in plain terms
- What Honey still does well
- Why price history beats coupons on Amazon
- Zroppix: what it is and what it isn't
- How to switch in 2 minutes
- Other Honey alternatives
- Honey controversy timeline
- Honey vs Zroppix vs CamelCamelCamel
- Honey or Zroppix: the trade-offs
- Is Zroppix right for you? Checklist
- Put it to work
- FAQ
Why people are looking for a Honey alternative
Honey is a free browser extension, owned by PayPal, that finds coupon codes and also offers price history and price-drop alerts. In December 2024, a YouTuber known as MegaLag published an investigation alleging that Honey changed affiliate tracking at checkout so that Honey, rather than the creator whose link the shopper had clicked, earned the commission. PayPal disputes the allegations and said at the time that "Honey follows industry rules and practices, including last-click attribution" (statement to The Verge, December 23, 2024).
The fallout is documented. Honey's Chrome user count fell from more than 20 million to about 14 million by July 2025 (PPC Land, from Chrome Web Store data), and affiliate networks removed it in January 2026. The timeline below sets out what is sourced and what is only alleged.
What was alleged, in plain terms
Affiliate links work on "last-click attribution": whichever tracked link you clicked most recently gets the commission when you buy. The allegation was that when a shopper arrived through a creator's link and then used Honey at checkout, Honey's own tracking became the last click and took the commission, including in cases where Honey found no discount. PayPal's position is that this is standard industry practice. Courts have not found Honey liable; see the June 2026 ruling in the timeline, which only allowed the case to proceed.
A later MegaLag video (December 2025) made further claims, summarised on Wikipedia, about Honey's handling of coupon codes and data. We list them in the timeline as allegations, and we don't treat them as proven.
See whether your next Amazon price is good
Install Zroppix, open any Amazon listing, and see the price history and BUY or WAIT call in seconds.
What Honey still does well
It is fair to say what Honey does. Its own Amazon page lists Amazon Price History (recent price changes in one click), price drop alerts through a Droplist, and a coupon search across 30,000+ sites. So "Honey has no price history" would be wrong. If you shop across many stores and want coupons, Honey does something Zroppix does not.
Where it is weaker for Amazon shoppers is the verdict: Honey shows data, and you decide. And on Amazon, coupon codes are less common than on smaller retailers, so price history is usually the more useful half.
Why price history beats coupons on Amazon
- It works on every listing. A coupon exists for a small share of products. History exists for nearly all.
- It catches fake discounts. A 20% off badge on a price that was inflated last week is not a deal. See our guide to sale badges.
- It tells you when to wait. A coupon helps at checkout. History helps before you add to cart.
Zroppix: what it is and what it isn't
Zroppix is a Chrome and Brave extension that works on Amazon. It reads a product's recent price history and gives a plain BUY or WAIT call, a savings estimate and a 90-day history right on the listing. The free plan includes email price alerts for up to three products. Paid plans add AI-based drop predictions, which are estimates, not promises. By design, Zroppix does not change affiliate links or tracking cookies.
Limits, honestly: it works on Amazon only, its history window is 90 days, it can't judge a brand-new product with no history, and it doesn't find coupon codes. For a big purchase, cross-check with a second tool (see our price tracker comparison).
How to switch in 2 minutes
- Install Zroppix from the Chrome Web Store (no account needed to start).
- Open any Amazon product. The history and BUY or WAIT call appear on the listing.
- Set an alert if the call is WAIT.
- Decide about Honey. If you only used it for Amazon, you can remove it. If you use it for coupons elsewhere, keeping it is your call. Extensions run side by side.
Other Honey alternatives
- CamelCamelCamel: free charts and email alerts. See our CamelCamelCamel alternative guide.
- Keepa: deep data, popular with sellers. See our Keepa alternative guide.
- Amazon's own price history: now shown on many listings (30, 90 and 365 days where available).
- Capital One Shopping and Microsoft Shopping: coupon tools. Wikipedia reports similar class actions were filed against both in 2025.
Our five-tool comparison covers these in detail.
Honey controversy timeline
Dates and facts are from the named sources. "Alleged" means a claim made by plaintiffs or investigators, not a court finding.
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | MegaLag's first video alleges Honey re-attributes affiliate sales at checkout. | Wikipedia |
| Dec 23, 2024 | PayPal tells The Verge: "Honey follows industry rules and practices, including last-click attribution." | Wikipedia, TechCrunch |
| Dec 29, 2024 | Class action filed against PayPal in federal court (three law firms, including LegalEagle's). | Wikipedia, PPC Land |
| Jan 3 to 5, 2025 | GamersNexus files a separate class action. TechCrunch reports LegalEagle's suit. | Wikipedia, TechCrunch |
| Jan 2025 | About 3 million of Honey's 20 million Chrome users leave within two weeks. | Wikipedia, PPC Land |
| Mar 2025 | Chrome Web Store updates its affiliate policy. Honey stops claiming commissions where no discount is applied. | Wikipedia |
| Jul 7, 2025 | Honey down to about 14 million Chrome users. | PPC Land |
| Nov 21, 2025 | Judge Beth Labson Freeman dismisses the initial complaint with leave to amend. | Wikipedia |
| Dec 21 and 30, 2025 | MegaLag's second and third videos make further allegations about coupon codes, data and detection evasion. | Wikipedia |
| Jan 12, 2026 | Rakuten Advertising terminates Honey from its network, effective immediately. Rakuten did not state a reason. | Hello Partner |
| Jan 17, 2026 | impact.com says Honey is "out of compliance with our platform policies" and suspends its account pending changes. | PPC Land |
| Jun 22, 2026 | Judge Freeman denies PayPal's renewed motion to dismiss. The case moves to discovery. This is not a finding of liability. | PPC Land |
PPC Land also reports Honey's merchant partnerships fell from roughly 35,000 in December 2024 to just above 28,000. Check the sources for anything after June 2026.
Honey vs Zroppix vs CamelCamelCamel
From each tool's public information at the time of writing. Plans change, so check their sites.
| Honey | Zroppix | CamelCamelCamel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free plan plus paid plans | Free |
| Coupon codes | Yes (30,000+ sites) | No | No |
| Amazon price history | Yes | Yes (90 days) | Yes |
| Price drop alerts | Yes (Droplist) | Yes (email, up to 3 on free) | Yes (email) |
| Plain BUY or WAIT call | No | Yes | No |
| Works on | Many stores | Amazon only | Amazon |
| Best for | Coupons plus tracking | A fast buy-or-wait call on Amazon | Simple free charts |
We make Zroppix. Honey's account requirements aren't stated on its Amazon page, so we haven't listed them.
Honey or Zroppix: the trade-offs
Why switch
- Zroppix shows history and a verdict on the listing
- Free to install, with email alerts for three products
- Doesn't change affiliate links or cookies
- Honey and Zroppix can run side by side
Limits to know about
- Zroppix finds no coupon codes
- Zroppix works on Amazon only
- History window is 90 days
- Lawsuit claims against Honey are still being decided
Is Zroppix right for you? Checklist
Switch if most of these are true.
- You mostly shop on Amazon.
- You want to know if the price is good, not just if a code exists.
- You don't rely on Honey's coupons for other stores.
- You want email alerts on a few items.
- You want an extension that doesn't touch affiliate links.
- You'll cross-check big purchases with a second tool.
Put it to work
Frequently asked questions
What happened with the Honey affiliate controversy?
In December 2024, YouTuber MegaLag alleged that Honey replaced creators' affiliate tracking with its own at checkout. PayPal said Honey follows industry rules including last-click attribution. Class actions followed, and Rakuten Advertising terminated Honey on January 12, 2026.
Is Honey still working?
The extension still exists and still offers coupons, Amazon price history and Droplist alerts per its own page. Its Chrome user count fell from more than 20 million to about 14 million by July 2025 (PPC Land).
Did Rakuten really drop Honey?
Yes. Hello Partner reported on January 12, 2026 that Rakuten Advertising terminated Honey from its network effective immediately, without stating a reason. impact.com suspended Honey on January 17, 2026 (PPC Land).
Has Honey been found guilty of anything?
No. On June 22, 2026 a federal judge denied PayPal's renewed motion to dismiss, so the case continues. PPC Land notes that this is not a finding of liability.
Does Honey have price history?
Yes. Honey's Amazon page lists Amazon Price History and price drop alerts through a Droplist.
What is the best Honey alternative for Amazon?
If you want price history and a plain BUY or WAIT call, try Zroppix. For simple free charts, try CamelCamelCamel. For deep data, try Keepa. For coupons across many stores, Honey does that.
Does Zroppix change affiliate links?
No. By design, Zroppix doesn't change affiliate links or tracking cookies.
Is Zroppix free?
The core features are free: BUY or WAIT calls, a 90-day history and email alerts for up to three products. Paid plans add predictions and more.
Should I uninstall Honey?
That's your call. If you only used it on Amazon, a price-history tool covers more. If you use its coupons on other stores, you can keep both.
Know before you buy, with no coupon theater
Check the history, get a plain call, and set an alert if the price isn't right. Free to install, no account needed to start.
🛡️ See the Real Price History
The free Zroppix extension shows a product's price history and a BUY or WAIT verdict right on the Amazon page, so you can tell a real deal from a fake discount.
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How this page was made. Written by the Zroppix team with AI assistance (Claude, from Anthropic). Prices and facts can change after a page is written, so check the retailer’s own page before you buy. This page has no affiliate links. We make Zroppix and sell Zroppix Pro, a paid plan.