How PerkRadar checks codes, and how you can help
Anyone who has searched for a promo code knows the problem. Coupon sites are full of codes that never worked, expired years ago or were made up to catch clicks. PerkRadar tries to do things differently. This post explains exactly what we check before a code goes live, what we do not check, and how members help keep the list accurate.
Every code is checked against a live source
Before a code is listed, we confirm that it is printed on its live source page. That source might be the provider's own website, a sponsor read in a podcast's show notes, a creator's video description, or a partner's announcement.
If we cannot find the code on a live page, it does not go on the site. We do not list codes from rumours, scraped coupon aggregators or guesswork. When a source page is removed or the code disappears from it, that is a strong sign the offer has ended.
Each listing links to its source, so you can see the original wording and terms for yourself.
We also record what the source says the code does, such as a free month, a credit amount or a percentage off, and any conditions it mentions. If a source says an offer is for new users only or ends on a certain date, that is the kind of detail we try to pass on.
Official and third-party sources
Every source is labelled so you know where the offer comes from. We do this because the source tells you a lot about how stable an offer is likely to be.
- Official means the offer appears on the provider's own page, such as its pricing page, startup program page or announcement.
- Third-party means the offer appears somewhere else, such as a creator's video, a newsletter or a partner site.
Third-party codes can be perfectly real, but they are more likely to have limits like a set number of uses, new accounts only, or a short window. Read the source before you rely on one.
What we do not check
We want to be clear about our limits. Checking that a code is published on a live source is not the same as testing it at checkout. We do not claim that every code will work for every account.
Codes can fail for many reasons that have nothing to do with whether they are real: they may be limited to new customers, certain countries, specific plans or the first few hundred users. Providers can also withdraw a code at any time without updating the page where it was announced.
We think it is better to be clear about that than to stamp every code as verified when it may not apply to you.
We also cannot see your account. A code that works for a brand-new user might not apply to someone who has already used a trial, and we have no way to know which applies to you.
That is why member reports matter so much.
How members keep the list clean
Signed-in members can do two simple things on any offer.
- Mark a perk as claimed. This keeps a personal list of what you have used, on your claimed page, and helps you track expiry dates.
- Report that a code didn't work. This is the most useful feedback you can give, because it tells other members and us that something may have changed.
What happens when a code is reported
One failed attempt can be bad luck or an eligibility rule. Many failed attempts usually mean the code is dead. So we use a threshold.
Once five members report the same code within 30 days, it comes off the site automatically. It stays off until an admin re-checks the source. If the code is still printed on its live source, it can go back up. If the source no longer shows it, it stays down.
This means the list corrects itself quickly, without one stray report taking down a working code.
Reports are most useful when they are honest. Please only report a code if you tried it and it did not apply. If you did not qualify, for example because the code was for new accounts and yours is not new, that is not a broken code.
When a code fails, check the terms on the source page first. If you clearly qualify and it still fails, please report it.
Send us an offer
Our best finds often come from readers. Creators, newsletter writers and founders regularly share offers that never show up on the big coupon sites, and members often spot them before we do.
If you spot a good offer, use 'Know a great offer?' in the site footer to send it to us. A link to the live source page helps most, since we check every code against one before listing it.
Free credits, startup programs, student and nonprofit offers, and creator codes for AI and developer tools are all welcome.
Every submission goes through the same check as everything else. If we cannot find the code printed on a live source, we will not list it, even if it works. That rule keeps the site trustworthy for everyone.
Where Premium fits in
Many listings on PerkRadar are free to browse. Some codes and claim links are marked premium. PerkRadar Premium unlocks those premium codes and claim links. It costs $5 per month at the founding price, which will later rise to $10 per month.
Premium helps pay for the time it takes to find, check and re-check offers, and to review the reports members send in.
Premium does not change how codes are checked. Every listing, free or premium, goes through the same source check and the same member reporting.