If you often shop on Amazon, you’d probably notice how wildly prices fluctuate. I’ve been burned many times thinking I was getting a deal, only to discover the price had been jacked up just before a discount.

That’s why I rely on Keepa, a free Chrome extension that doesn’t just make shopping better—it helps me find the real deals.

Keepa Shows You Amazon Price History

Once installed from Keepa’s Chrome Web Store page, it integrates into your Amazon shopping experience. Unlike other shopping tools that require you to visit a separate website, Keepa works right on the Amazon product page, which is exactly where you need price information most. After installation, a detailed price history graph automatically appears below each product you view.

The first time I saw this graph, I was genuinely shocked. Products I thought were on sale had actually been at the same price for months, while others had been cheaper just weeks before the supposed “limited time offer.” It cuts through marketing tactics designed to create false urgency.

Keepa displays different price categories using color-coded lines. The blue line typically shows the new product price, while other colors represent used items, third-party sellers, and Amazon’s pricing. Looking at my iPad price tracker, you can see how the price fluctuated, ranging from about $300 to over $500 within just a few months.

The level of detail is impressive. You can zoom in on specific periods, toggle different price categories on and off, and even see when items were in or out of stock. For data nerds like me, it’s intriguing to spot patterns like price drops before Prime Day or how certain products follow predictable discount cycles. No more guessing if that “limited stock” warning actually means anything.

What I appreciate most is how Keepa removes the psychological manipulation from online shopping. After using it for several months, I’ve trained myself to ignore Amazon’s urgency tactics and instead rely on actual price data. This approach pairs nicely with Amazon search tricks that help you filter through the noise and find what you actually need.

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You Can Set Price Alerts for Products You Want

Beyond just showing price history, Keepa lets you set personalized price alerts for products you’re interested in but aren’t ready to buy yet. This feature can save you hundreds of dollars by catching genuine price drops that Amazon’s native “save for later” feature would never notify you about.

Setting up an alert is straightforward: click the Track product button on the Keepa graph, set your desired price, and you’re done. I’ve been tracking that 10th-Generation iPad for weeks, waiting for it to drop below $300—a price I know it’s hit before, thanks to the historical data.

These alerts are superior to Amazon’s built-in features because they’re based on actual price history, not arbitrary “deals” that might be meaningless markups followed by insignificant discounts. The alerts can be customized based on item condition, seller type, and even specific price drop percentages.

For items I don’t immediately need, I typically set my target price at the lowest point from the previous six months. This approach helps me resist the false (only 10 left in stock!) warnings and ensures I only buy when the price truly represents good value.

The Deals Section Reveals Genuine Discounts

Keepa also has its dedicated Deals section. Unlike Amazon’s deals, which are often marketing gimmicks, Keepa’s deals use actual price drops compared to historical averages. You can access this section by clicking the Keepa extension or visiting their website directly.

Each item displays both the average price and current price, with the percentage drop indicated. I love how the interface shows precisely how much each item has dropped, with many items showing 80% off their usual price. These aren’t arbitrary discounts but are calculated against each product’s actual price history.

The filtering options make this feature even more powerful. You can narrow deals by category, price range, discount percentage, and even seller type. During Amazon’s spring sale, you can use these filters to find genuinely discounted items rather than falling for the flashy banners Amazon pushes. Why trust Amazon’s definition of a “deal” when you can verify the actual price history yourself?

After using Keepa for a couple of months, I’ve saved on shopping by avoiding fake “deals” and timing my purchases. It has made me more patient and strategic rather than impulsive. The satisfaction of buying something at its genuine lowest price is oddly rewarding.

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Is Keepa perfect? Not quite. Its interface takes some getting used to, and occasionally, the extension can slow down Amazon’s already cluttered pages. But these minor inconveniences pale compared to the money you’ll save and the marketing manipulation you’ll avoid.

If you value getting actual deals rather than falling for artificial urgency tactics, Keepa is essential. I’ve gone from being the person who buys everything at full price to someone who rarely pays more than necessary.