How We Verify Coupons
We believe shoppers deserve honest information about whether a coupon actually works. Here is exactly how Couponico sources, tests, and rates every code on the site.
1. Where coupons come from
Couponico sources coupon codes and deals directly from affiliate networks (such as CJ Affiliate and Admitad). Merchants publish their active promotions through these networks and we import them automatically. We also accept merchant-submitted codes through our admin pipeline.
2. Expiry and date-based filtering
Every coupon carries a start date and an end date supplied by the merchant. Our database filters out any coupon whose end date has passed — you will never see an expired code listed as active. Codes with no end date are treated as open-ended and labeled accordingly. We run this check in real time on every page load.
3. Manual verification
High-traffic coupon codes are periodically tested by our editorial team. When a code is manually confirmed to work, we record a verified timestamp (LAST_VERIFIED_AT) and mark the coupon's status as active. The "Last tested" label on merchant pages reflects this timestamp.
4. Community feedback
Every coupon card includes a "Worked / Didn't work" button. When shoppers submit feedback, we record it in our database. The success rate shown on a merchant page (e.g. "84% success · 31 confirmations") is calculated as: (working votes) ÷ (total votes) × 100. We only display this rate once at least 5 feedback submissions have been collected — otherwise we show "community tracked" to be transparent.
5. When a coupon is marked expired or invalid
A coupon is automatically moved to expired status when its end date passes. It is marked invalid if the merchant or affiliate network withdraws it, or if community fail votes consistently indicate it no longer works. Expired codes are removed from active listings but may appear in a "Recently expired" section as reference.
6. Affiliate relationship disclosure
Couponico participates in affiliate programs. When you click "Show Code" or "Get Deal" and make a purchase, Couponico may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. This commercial relationship does not influence whether a coupon is listed, its verified status, or its position on the page. Our editorial standards apply equally to all merchants.
Success rate formula
success_rate = working_votes ÷ total_votes × 100
Displayed only when total_votes ≥ 5. Below that threshold we show "community tracked" instead of a potentially misleading percentage.
Have a question about our methodology or found a problem with a coupon?
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