Our Community Guidelines


AppSumo Community Guidelines


Welcome to the AppSumo community, Sumo-ling! Our mission is to foster high-quality interactions between partners and customers in an authentic and friendly space. That’s why we’ve created some simple rules for participating in discussions on AppSumo with our founders on product pages. Finding an incredible deal for your needs can be tough work. Here’s how we keep the process fair, friendly, and transparent for all parties involved.

Who can participate?:

  • Our customers

  • Our founder partners

  • AppSumo's staff

What's encouraged?:

  • Constructive feedback and examples of how you used the product—this helps other Sumo-lings make an informed purchasing decision!

  • Relevant information about the type of business you run and how a founder's product might fit into it—this can help you build connections and start great product conversations.

What's not allowed?:

  • Reviews without use. Avoid leaving a review if you haven't tried the product you purchased. We only deny reviews where Sumo-lings acknowledge they didn't activate or access their purchase.

  • We don’t accept reviews that focus primarily on features that weren’t included in your purchase, when our product page(s) clearly outline what you’ll receive.

  • Deliberately false information. Bad support experience? Share it! But misstating the response time you received or the help you got? Not cool. We value factual, honest reviews. While we understand misunderstandings happen, we'll deny reviews where we investigate and uncover intentional inaccuracies.

  • Unconstructive reviews. Unhappy with a product? Tell other Sumo-lings why and give the founder substantive feedback they can actually use. We don't accept brief reviews that offer no value to partners or fellow customers making purchasing decisions. We'll accept reviews that feature commentary on the offer's value, provided you outline substantive feedback on the product itself and its features.

  • Harassing or abusive behavior toward founders, AppSumo staff, or other Sumo-lings. Frustrated? We get it—running a business is tough and so is buying the right tools. But personal attacks, threats, or ongoing hostile communication crosses the line. Share your concerns constructively, or you run the risk of being removed from our community.

  • Misusing the questions section.The questions section isn't for post-purchase assistance. If you're experiencing issues or need help, please reach out to the product's support email directly.

  • Posting "questions" to the founder that aren't phrased as actual questions. We'll deny posts in the questions section that are statements, accusations, or not addressed to the founder's team.

  • Hate speech and profanity - we don't tolerate any contributions to our community that feature either of these.

  • Spamming the site by sending chain messages, irrelevant or inappropriate content, or a large number of repetitive messages in a short time frame.

  • Conflicts of interest. No leaving reviews if you have a financial or personal relationship with the product.

      • Friends
      • Family
      • Investors
      • Colleagues
      • Competitors

  • Any offers to resell codes or licenses.

  • Holding tacos hostage! We'll deny reviews from Sumo-lings who sought a bonus from partners in exchange for a review.

      • Incentives of any kind of reviews (even honest ones) are strictly prohibited on AppSumo. We'll deny any reviews from customers who engage in incentive schemes offered by founders or vice versa.

  • Impersonating anyone, including AppSumo staff, partners, or public figures.

  • Including affiliate links or any form of self-promotion.

  • Sharing any private information.

      • Phone number
      • Email address
      • Mailing address

What if I break the rules above?

We believe in giving everyone a fair shot. If you break our community guidelines, here's what happens:

First-time violations: We'll reach out with guidance on how to leave contributions that align with our community standards. Think of it as a friendly nudge in the right direction.

Repeat violations: If you have a pattern of breaking our guidelines in your community contributions, we may contact you to notify you of temporary posting suspensions or product-specific page restrictions.

Serious infractions: If you engage in harassment, abuse, or severe violations of our rules above, please note that AppSumo has a zero-tolerance harassment policy. In those instances, we'll be in touch to notify you of a potential block or suspension on your account.

How can I report?

See another Sumo-ling engaging in violations of these Community Guidelines? We want to know.

To report a user profile: Click "Report this profile" on the user's profile page, or use this report form

Why reporting matters: Your reports help us keep AppSumo a safe, constructive space for everyone—founders, customers, and staff alike. Every report is reviewed by our team.

Other best practices:

  • Read up on who you're talking to! A product's handy "From the founders" posts and "Helpful links" can offer insights into any product updates or FAQs people have about their business.

  • Had a great support experience with a founder's team after you left a lukewarm initial review? Take advantage of edit and delete features if you want to change your tune!

  • Asking a question? Be sure to use the search feature (CTRL/CMD + F) in case a Sumo-ling has already asked it.

  • Don't forget: If you have a problem that's AppSumo-specific, shoot us an email at support@appsumo.com and we'll take care of you.