We're picky.
Not everything makes it onto AppSumo. Here's how we vet every product before it reaches our community.
(P.S. we’re not exclusively lifetime deals, either. If you made an awesome product, we want to work with you.)
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Quality Standards
Every product goes through a serious review.
Product testing
The checklist is long by design. To start, no AI wrappers. No early-stage tools. The tool needs to be a part of a trending category, it needs to be what AppSumo customers historically want, and it needs fleshed out features. From our Business Development Associates, it goes on to Business Development Managers who ask things like “What’s your company structure?” “How many paid customers do you currently have?” “What’s your marketing strategy?” If a tool passes through those checks, our Beta-lings stress test the hell out of it and score it on a rubric. A tool that doesn’t function well doesn't get a launch date. Simple as that.
TL;DR: Many enter, few survive. Does the tool actually do what it says it does? If not, it doesn't ship.
Active development
We look for builders, not coasters. If a tool hasn't shipped an update since X was Twitter, it's not making the cut. We want active roadmaps, changelogs, and responsive teams, AKA signs that real people are investing in making the product better.
Real products, real founders
If a founder won't put their name on it publicly, that's a red flag. We ID verify, we check for fake testimonials, and we reject vibe-coded MVPs pretending to be finished products. We love seeing founders actively talking about their tools on LinkedIn and being part of the conversation. If a tool smells off, it doesn't get listed.
Viability & stability
Can this company actually support the customers it acquires? A great tool from a company that's six weeks from going under is a time bomb. That’s why we evaluate runway, revenue model, and deal structure to make sure partners can deliver long-term.
Solving a real problem
Paying customers. Real reviews. Genuine traction. If people are already voting with their wallets, that tells us something. If they're not, that tells us something, too.
RETURNING PARTNERS
Back for another campaign?
Partners who've launched with us before still go through everything above. Plus, we pull the tape on how their last campaign actually went.
Average performer
How'd it do?
Refund rates
Are customers keeping it?
Community reviews
What are Sumo-lings saying?
Product improvements
What's changed since last time?
These standards exist because our community trusts us to bring them good stuff. We don't take that lightly.
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Part of the Sumo family with SendFox and TidyCal
