AppSumo is an online marketplace for software deals, active since 2010. Software companies, which AppSumo calls partners, sell their product there at a discount for a limited time, often as a lifetime deal: the buyer pays once and has no monthly fee. The buyers are small business owners, marketers, creators and agencies; the seller page counts 1.5 million entrepreneurs in this community.
A software company applies, and AppSumo reviews product quality, market fit and the stability of the company; about 10% of applicants are accepted. The two sides then agree on the deal structure, the price and the listing. During the campaign AppSumo sends emails to its subscriber list, runs Google and Meta ads for products that sell well, and brings traffic from about 20,000 affiliates (creators who earn a commission on the sales they send). Buyers get a 60-day money-back guarantee and write public reviews of each deal.
Listing costs nothing up front. AppSumo keeps a share of each sale, negotiated for each product, and pays the seller 60 days after the end of each sales month.