As a loyal customer since 2023 and a Plus member with four-figure investments, I’m pulling the plug today. Behind AppSumo’s casual marketing lies a system that abandons loyal buyers. Here are the reasons for my broken trust:

1. Bait Offers and “Waiting it Out” After the 60-Day Window:
There’s a clear pattern: before purchase, “Grandfathering,” GDPR compliance, and firm deal terms are promised. But once the return period expires, the harsh reality sets in: terms and conditions get changed, credits lose value, or services get cut. While customers are placated with “we’re working on it,” AppSumo simply turns a blind eye to this erosion of buyer rights.

2. Profit Over Customer Protection & Data Privacy:
The problem of deal dilution is ignored. Take the Supermachine founder as an example: he promised “all updates,” then introduced new “Gems” and locked out existing customers from every new update. The kicker: despite heavy criticism, AppSumo immediately gave the same founder a prime spot as a “Select” deal for his new project. This makes it look like chasing short-term commissions trumps genuine protection of existing customers.

Not even data and account security seem to matter.
My account with InsertChat (a Select deal) keeps being targeted with attempts to change my password. On April 10, 2026, I informed InsertChat via AppSumo’s site and email—so far, no response. Companies that neglect their responsibilities like this should lose their certifications, yet they are oddly rewarded instead.

3. One-Sided Review System Without Real Response Options:
Reviews are a one-way street. If a developer replies to criticism with falsehoods, you technically can’t respond directly. Updates to your own reviews are often blocked by filters. This creates a distorted picture for new buyers while leaving customers powerless against sellers’ misinformation.

4. The “Buyer Protection” Is Effectively Useless:
The protection for Plus members sounds good on paper but practically only applies in cases of insolvency, not gradual service reduction. When I pointed out these shortcomings, the case handler responded with nothing but canned phrases and an indifference that suggests this attitude is tolerated—or even encouraged—by management.

5. Bright Spots in a Losing Situation (Staff & Developers):
To be fair: not everything was bad. I had close contact over the years with many honest developers, and it’s sad to see even these “diamonds” lose their reputation under current company policies. I want to especially acknowledge individual support staff like Andrew and Crystal, who have helped me in the past and communicated respectfully.
That makes my current experience all the worse: while some employees like these show how customer service can work, in my current case I face outright disregard. The refusal to find constructive solutions and the way I’m being dropped as a loyal PLUS customer reveal a massive gap in service quality.

Conclusion:
The ongoing neglect of my case and the deliberate “dropping” of a loyal PLUS customer are unacceptable. AppSumo doesn’t just look away when deals are devalued, it even rewards questionable developers by promoting their new projects with the “Select” label—a label that suggests buyer protection but in reality only drives sales.

For me, the AppSumo system ultimately means a significant financial loss due to investments that were sold on false promises. Individual good employees and some honest developers can’t save this deeply flawed business model when management puts profit ahead of the fate of their most loyal buyers. Anyone wanting to build a sustainable business and not burn their hard-earned money in a profit-driven revolving door should steer clear of this marketplace.

They could have found solutions and addressed my criticisms honestly. Until that happens, I won’t make any more purchases and strongly advise everyone against wasting their money and data here.