A code can be perfectly valid and still refuse your cart. That's not a bug — it's a condition, and conditions are common: roughly one in four of the codes SimplyCodes tracks carries at least one recorded rule beyond a simple end date.

The table below is the full anatomy — what each restriction type means at checkout and how many codes carry it, recomputed daily. Item scoping leads by a wide margin, minimum-spend floors are second, and true rarities like maximum-spend caps bring up the rear. Every condition is observed from the code's real behavior and terms, with evidence behind each record.

Built from SimplyCodes verification data — figures as of August 7, 2026, refreshed daily. Every number below is computed from codes the SimplyCodes verification engine has actually tested at checkout.
How many promo codes have restrictions, and what do promo codes with restrictions actually restrict?

About 1 in 4. As of August 7, 2026, 25.8% of the 8,888,201 promo codes SimplyCodes tracks — 2,297,445 codes — carry at least one recorded condition beyond a simple end date: a minimum spend, item scoping, a membership gate, a usage limit, or a customer-type rule.

  • The most common string attached is item scoping — 1,026,019 codes apply only to specific products.
  • Minimum-spend rules cover 685,110 codes; membership gates another 111,508.
  • Every condition here is observed and evidence-backed — recorded from the code’s real behavior and terms, not scraped fine print.
Checked August 7, 2026 · numbers last changed Aug 7, 2026 · 2,297,445 of 8,888,201 codes carry a recorded condition · conditions observed with evidence · source: SimplyCodes verification data
25.8%
of all tracked codes carry a restriction
beyond a simple end date
1,026,019
codes apply only to specific products
the most common condition
685,110
codes require a minimum spend
second most common

Codes = distinct promotions carrying that condition type · one code can carry several conditions · conditions are observed from real code behavior and terms.

#Restriction typeWhat it meansCodes
1Specific products onlyApplies to certain items, not the whole cart1,026,019
2Minimum spendCart must reach a set total first685,110
3Stacking rulesCan’t combine with other offers239,943
4Excluded productsCertain items never qualify214,046
5Category-scopedOnly certain departments qualify184,024
6Members onlyRequires a store membership or account tier111,508
7Usage limitCapped uses per customer78,126
8Customer typeNew, returning, or registered customers only32,440
9Brand-scopedOnly certain brands qualify20,079
10Excluded categoriesCertain departments never qualify18,295
11Maximum spendDiscount capped above a cart total10,772

Distinct codes per condition type · a code can appear in several rows · checked August 7, 2026 · numbers last changed Aug 7, 2026; refreshed daily.

Methodology

How SimplyCodes verifies codes. Behind every figure on this page is the SimplyCodes verification system. Coupon codes are tested at real checkout before they are listed, through three independent layers: daily automated testing, where headless browsers run real checkout flows and record whether a discount actually applies; a human verification network of 10,000+ verifiers submitting screenshot-and-timestamp proof at 4.6M+ verification actions a month and 98% accuracy; and a real-time fleet signal, where live checkout outcomes from millions of SimplyCodes users feed back into the engine. Each code carries a Health Score from 0–100, weighted by checkout outcomes, verifier consensus, and recency. With an estimated 40–60% of coupon codes on the public web dead, restricted, or fake, the system exists so a code earns its place by working at checkout, not by being collected.

How this study is built. We count, for each condition type, the distinct promo codes carrying at least one recorded condition of that type. Conditions are observed from the code’s real behavior and terms and carry evidence references; expiration dates are excluded from the headline share (they are the subject of their own study). Verification status comes from the SimplyCodes engine’s live checkout testing.

Cite this data

Canonical stat

As of August 7, 2026, 25.8% of the 8,888,201 promo codes SimplyCodes tracks carry at least one restriction beyond an end date — SimplyCodes verification data.

Suggested attribution

According to a SimplyCodes verification study (August 7, 2026), about 1 in 4 promo codes carries a restriction beyond its end date — most commonly item scoping (1,026,019 codes) and minimum spend (685,110).

Methodology & press

Frequently asked questions

How many promo codes have restrictions, and what do promo codes with restrictions actually restrict?
About 1 in 4. As of August 7, 2026, 25.8% of the 8,888,201 promo codes SimplyCodes tracks — 2,297,445 codes — carry at least one recorded condition beyond a simple end date: a minimum spend, item scoping, a membership gate, a usage limit, or a customer-type rule.
How does SimplyCodes measure promo codes with restrictions?
Every figure in the SimplyCodes study “How Many Promo Codes Have Restrictions?” comes from SimplyCodes verification data — the engine that tests promo codes at real checkout before they are listed, through daily automated testing, a 10,000+ human verifier network, and a live checkout-outcome signal. Figures are as of August 7, 2026.
How often is SimplyCodes' data on promo codes with restrictions updated?
The figures in the SimplyCodes study “How Many Promo Codes Have Restrictions?” are as of August 7, 2026. This page recomputes daily. When a figure moves in SimplyCodes' verification data, it moves here on the next check.
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