The Honey extension in 2026: what it does and what changed
Honey is a free browser extension from PayPal that looks for coupon codes at checkout and applies them for you. It is still available in 2026. It says merchants may pay it affiliate commissions when you use it, and it gives PayPal Rewards points. Since December 2024 it has faced allegations that it replaced creators' affiliate links with its own, and a proposed class action brought by creators over Honey is going forward in a U.S. federal court.[1][2][3][4][5]
Checked on . Every statement about Honey comes from PayPal's own help center, its browser store listings, the browser stores' own policies, court orders or named news outlets, numbered in the sources below. Caramel is our extension, so check those sources rather than taking our word for it.
Honey and Caramel side by side
| Compared on | Honey[1][3][2][6] | Caramel[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | PayPal | Devino (open source) |
| Price | Free | Free, no paid tier |
| How it makes money | Says merchants may pay it affiliate commissions | No affiliate commissions: the extension contains no affiliate code |
| Rewards | PayPal Rewards points | None |
| Account | Signing up is the first step in its help guide | Not needed |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera; Firefox listing last updated February 2021 | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari |
| Source code | None found | Published (AGPL-3.0) |
Want one with no affiliate code? Caramel finds and applies coupon codes at checkout. Free, no account, open source.
Get CaramelWhat happened with Honey
YouTuber MegaLag publishes "Exposing the Honey Influencer Scam", alleging that Honey replaced creators' affiliate links with its own and showed shoppers limited coupon options at partner stores. PayPal responded that "Honey follows industry rules and practices, including last-click attribution," and told USA TODAY that merchants ultimately decide which coupons are offered through Honey.[8][4]
Google announces a Chrome Web Store policy: an extension may add an affiliate link, code or cookie only when it gives the user a direct, transparent benefit, and only after a related user action. Google said enforcement would begin on June 10, 2025.[9][10]
By this date Honey's Chrome Web Store listing carries the disclosure "When you use PayPal Honey, merchants may pay us affiliate commissions." It is still there in September 2026.[11][2]
In a proposed class action brought by creators against PayPal over Honey (Wendover Productions v. PayPal, N.D. Cal., case 5:24-cv-09470), the court dismisses the first amended complaint with leave to amend, because it did not plausibly show an injury traceable to PayPal.[12]
The same court denies PayPal's motion to dismiss the second amended complaint, so the creators' claims go forward. This is a ruling on the pleadings, not a finding that PayPal did anything wrong.[5]
Honey is still a live PayPal product: its Chrome Web Store listing shows 13,000,000 users and an update on September 8, 2026.[2]
Questions about the Honey extension
What is the Honey extension?
Honey is a free browser extension made by PayPal. When you reach a store's checkout, it looks for coupon codes and applies them automatically. Its rewards are PayPal Rewards points.
How does the Honey extension make money?
Honey says merchants may pay it affiliate commissions when you use it. Its Chrome Web Store listing has carried the line "When you use PayPal Honey, merchants may pay us affiliate commissions." since at least March 12, 2025.
What are the concerns about the Honey extension?
In December 2024 a YouTuber alleged that Honey replaced creators' affiliate links with its own and showed shoppers limited coupon options at partner stores. PayPal said Honey follows industry rules, including last-click attribution. A proposed class action brought by creators over this survived a motion to dismiss on June 22, 2026; that is a ruling on the pleadings, not a finding that PayPal did anything wrong.
Is Honey still available in 2026?
Yes. PayPal Honey is still on the Chrome Web Store, where its listing showed 13,000,000 users and a September 8, 2026 update when checked on September 26, 2026. It is also listed for Edge and Safari; its Firefox add-on was last updated in February 2021.
Do you need an account to use Honey?
Signing up is the first step in Honey's own help guide for getting the extension. Caramel, by comparison, needs no account at all.
Is Honey available for Firefox?
Honey has a Firefox add-on, but its listing on Firefox Add-ons was last updated in February 2021, while its Chrome Web Store listing was updated on September 8, 2026. Caramel ships the same extension for Firefox as for Chrome, Edge and Safari.
How is Caramel different from Honey?
Both find and apply coupon codes at checkout. Caramel contains no affiliate code, so it never adds or replaces a referral link or cookie; it has no rewards program, needs no account, and publishes its source code under the AGPL-3.0 license so anyone can check what it does. It runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari.
Looking past Honey? See how Caramel, the open-source Honey alternative, works, or read the best coupon extensions compared (Honey, Capital One Shopping, SimplyCodes, Rakuten and Coupert).
Sources
- Get to know the Honey browser extension, PayPal Honey Help Center
- Honey: Automated Coupons & Rewards, Chrome Web Store
- How does Honey make money?, PayPal Honey Help Center
- Is Honey a scam? Money-saving browser extension accused of ripping off customers, influencers, Fortune, December 23, 2024
- Wendover Productions v. PayPal: order denying motion to dismiss second amended complaint (Doc. 277), U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal., case 5:24-cv-09470, June 22, 2026
- Honey, Firefox Add-ons
- Caramel source code (AGPL-3.0), GitHub
- Honey controversy, explained: Why a YouTuber claims coupon-finder is 'exploiting' influencers, USA TODAY (via Yahoo News), December 27, 2024
- Chrome Web Store policy updates: Strengthening our policies on affiliate programs in Chrome Extensions, Chrome for Developers, March 11, 2025
- Affiliate Ads (Chrome Web Store program policies), Chrome for Developers
- Honey adds affiliate disclosure to its Chrome listing, 9to5Google, March 12, 2025
- Wendover Productions v. PayPal: order granting motion to dismiss first amended complaint (Doc. 237), U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal., case 5:24-cv-09470, November 21, 2025