The MegaLag Honey Investigation - and What to Install Instead

In December 2024, the YouTube channel MegaLag published an investigation showing how Honey - the PayPal-owned coupon extension - was actively hijacking affiliate commissions from creators. The video racked up tens of millions of views, was covered by major tech outlets, and triggered a wave of creators publicly cutting ties with Honey sponsorships.

What the investigation actually showed

The mechanism was straightforward and damning. When a creator promoted a product through an affiliate link, viewers would click through and start shopping. Right before checkout, Honey would activate, do its coupon code testing, and - critically - replace the creator's affiliate cookie with its own. Honey then got the commission, even though the creator had sent the traffic.

This was not a bug. The video documented it as standard behavior, working as designed.

Why this mattered beyond creators

The investigation also revealed Honey was showing users worse coupon codes than were available - sometimes intentionally suppressing codes that would have saved more, in exchange for retailer payments. The pattern made it clear: Honey's incentives were not aligned with shopper savings. They were aligned with PayPal's commerce data and merchant relationships.

What you should install instead

BetterPrice. It is what Honey should have been from the start: a real savings tool, not a data-and-affiliate play. It runs on product pages, finds cheaper versions of the same item, and shows you the savings. No commission hijacking. No suppressed coupons. No PayPal in the loop.

The business model is straightforward - when you click through to a cheaper alternative on Amazon and buy, BetterPrice earns the retailer's standard affiliate commission. No creators are involved in that link. Nothing gets stolen from anyone.

Frequently asked questions