Aol
Aol Overview
The aggregated data is based on reviews and questionnaires provided by PissedConsumer.com users.
Aol has 1.5 star rating based on 466 customer reviews. Consumers are mostly dissatisfied.
13% of users would likely recommend Aol to a friend or colleague.
- Rating Distribution
Pros: Previous versions of desktop, Ease of using my previous email service, Old aol.
Cons: Aol gold, I am very disappointed in aol gold, Being forced to use aol gold or lose aol.
The aggregated data is based on reviews and questionnaires provided by PissedConsumer.com users.
Aol has 1.5 star rating based on 466 customer reviews. Consumers are mostly dissatisfied.
13% of users would likely recommend Aol to a friend or colleague.
- Rating Distribution
Pros: Previous versions of desktop, Ease of using my previous email service, Old aol.
Cons: Aol gold, I am very disappointed in aol gold, Being forced to use aol gold or lose aol.Recent recommendations regarding this business are as follows: "Do not recommend", "I will answer when finished.", "AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Use G-Mail or Outlook if you need an email!", "GO to a free email service, forget AOL", "Go to other user friendly customer focused email providers".
Most users want Aol to offer a solution to their issues.
Consumers are not pleased with Discounts and Special Offers and Customer service. The price level of this organization is high according to consumer reviews.
Media from reviews
Top Aol Reviews
"Need to discuss my billing"
I don't know what has happened that I cannot talk to someone on the phone about my billing issue, but I need to speak with someone immediately. I don't want...
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer |
Chicago, Illinois
Need to discuss my billing
I don't know what has happened that I cannot talk to someone on the phone about my billing issue, but I need to speak with someone immediately. I don't want someone texting me or virtually something; I want a live person on the phone to be able to talk to about my billing issue.
User's recommendation: I recommend finding a different way to find a phone number to try to call customer service to be able to get help about any issue you have because obviously this way does not work. I have been trying and trying to get a human person on the line and have repeatedly failed to be able to do it
Aol gold is rip off
I was told that the fee was $4.99. In plain language the New aol gold sucks.
If I have to pay I don't want to see ads all over my mail, reading or when I'm writing. Send to later folder is all messed up. It seems to crash more & runs slower. After using aol for 26 yrs I have a problem , all of my important banking, govt, insurance,& social connections only have my aol email address.
I can't even imagine trying to change all those connections. UGH. I read an email & clicked on 'mark unread' when I tried to pull it back up I only got the heading but NOT the info. Trying to send email to a group of friends & being told there is a problem, but no idea what is wrong.
I always used this group in my 9.8 desktop with no problems. I can't tell you how disappointed I am with this aol gold.
Besides having the audacity to charge for what is free on so many other levels it just doesn't work. I'm starting to change all my aol correspondence to another outlet.
AOL Gold
Aol Gold is a new aol service that I was forced to give up my old aol account and get the new AOL for a small monthly fee. Unfortunately I am very much disappointed.
It is very slow to sign in, emails open as blank and it freezes up all the times. I am very much disappointed. I be leaving Aol after being a member for over 14 years. Also there in no private viewing and the top speed that was on the old Aol is eliminated.
The function of adding unwanted emails to a block list is not there anymore and most importantly is this.
Aol Gold does not support Java. It does not allow the users to play Java games that is used by so many to plat with their friends on line.
I agree with the man about AOL Gold. It really sucks.
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This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer |
San Antonio, Texas
Trying to cancel and delete my account, on hold now to speak to the 3rd person in this ridiculous chain of commands.... I am on hold and I have been on hold for 18:12 minutes!!
I WANT TO CANCEL BUT I CANNOT GET HELP!!! Really?
It takes THREE conversations to handle this? Why not offer your emails for free and not hire so many people to do one freaking job, which should be done by emails... you...
Ok, 21 minutes I will never get back. Funny, I elected to rate the customer service at the end of the call; and I was reminded a LOT while on hold to be sure and stay on the line after our conversation ...
but when the guy hung up--- I stayed on the line ... BOOM, it disconnected me! UNREAL!!
*** POOR service!
So long AOL... 27 years with that email address, that should've been deleted 26 years ago
User's recommendation: GO to a free email service, forget AOL
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerCan't get into my old email, need to PAY for phone support?!
I have lost the ability to sign into my old email account due to the fact I no longer use the phone number connected. I went to see if I could change the number online, lo and behold you can't!
You need to call their phone support which at the beginning they tell you is a PREMIUM SERVICE THAT REQUIRES PAYMENT?! Excuse me?! In this economy this is a load of capital B and S!
Phone support should NOT be a paid service! Thanks for nothing!
- While i was on it it was a nice streamlined emailing service
- Everything else
Preferred solution: Some help in accessing my account!
User's recommendation: AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Use G-Mail or Outlook if you need an email!
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerTremendous amount of spam email every single day
This have been happening for years and Aol never did anything to stop scammer and spammers.
I'm a real estate agent and I used an AOL e-mail for my business, which was a big mistake. I have several other email addresses, however, there is none other than AOL where I receive a large amount of spam emails every day, all day and night long. The reason I didn't cancel my account is that I still receive email from previous clients through it.
Preferred solution: Price reduction
User's recommendation: Don't make the same mistake I did, otherwise you will spend much time going through hundreds of spam emails.
Queens, New York
Cannot login
You should be able to get free help. You should be able to get free help.
You should be able to get free help
You should be able to get free help
User's recommendation: Do not recommend
Austin, Texas
Sometimes it’s hard to be charged for emails when there’s free emails out there. The increase kind of bothers me.
I had no problem with the person that took off the system mechanic because I have another program. Im using and add FREE because add free does not work on the email.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer |
Chicago, Illinois
Need to discuss my billing
I need someone from customer service to call me regarding my bill. I'm trying to get someone to call, and no one is on the other end of the line.
Can someone please call me at 270-929-****? I need to discuss my bill immediately.
User's recommendation: Find another way to get a hold of AOL for paid customers because this is not working very well.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerNeed to have a new password
I have been with AOL for over 20 years. A company person would not help me get a new password. I have lost the prior one and so need a new password.
User's recommendation: I will answer when finished.
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerBilling
Yes, I really need a call back for free. I'm thinking about shutting down my account. I have been a customer for 26 years and was told I'm not supposed to be paying the amount I'm paying.
- Paying to call billing
Preferred solution: The payment lowered I been a customer 26 years last month. I tried 2 years ago to fix this, I got yelled at my some non English speaking person that yelled at me,never helped me.
Derry, New Hampshire
AOL has the rudest most unhelpful customer service agents you will ever encounter. They can’t speak or understand English. The noise in the background is so loud you can’t hear them talking to you.
I called for a simple issue they only icon on my AOL email was the inbox. I called to see where or why the spam ,sent ,trash ect.
were missing.
The answer this fresh little unhelpful, uneducated individual gave me was AOL was not charging for those services.
So, you can receive a email but cant send
Dont walk away from AOL ,.. RUN !!!
User's recommendation: Go to other user friendly customer focused email providers
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified Reviewer |
Trebechovice Pod Orebem, Hradec Králové District
Threatening emails regarding my email account
AI does not allow/offer an option to ask about probable phishing attempts/threatening emails generated by individuals regarding email accounts!!!
User's recommendation: AOL/verizon email has been hacked!! AOL holds your content hostage, demanding payment to report the phishing emails with their logos!!! Want free email acct, get Gmail!!!!!!!
Media Expert Talks
Disinformation: Russian and Chinese trolls among us
How to know what’s fake on social media? In this video, Prof. Darren Linvill from Clemson University Media Forensics Hub explains how disinformation works, common tactics of political propaganda, the role of trolls, hashtags, and how to spot fake news.
Darren Linvill investigates data messaging and context accompanied by inauthentic behavior on social media networks. He also examines misinformation and disinformation in the rising field of social media forensics and data monitoring.
Lake Mary, Florida
Same issue - locked out due to old recovery number
AOL pushed a forced sign-out to all customers last week claiming a third party mail client update. This caused everyone to need to re-enter their passwords.
Not a problem if you know or have your passwords saved, right? WRONG - they want to send a code to your recovery phone number. If you are like many of us, we've had this email for 20+ years. My recovery phone hasn't been mine for 21 years and is disconnected.
When I tried to update my recovery phone number last year, I was informed by AOL that I could not do that without signing up for a $40 per month plan. I don't forget my password so didn't think it would be a risk, but I was wrong. I was on hold for over 3 hours on Friday to try alternate ways of verifying my account, and they finally said my account "needed time to refresh and rest" (yeah, me too after dealing with the stress of no important emails and losing access to concert tickets for that evening) and to try in 24 hours. 2 more hours on hold on Saturday, same thing.
2 more hours on Sunday and was told to let it rest for "several days" and call back. Here I am on minute 58 on hold again without much hope for success.
This is one of the worst customer service experiences I've ever seen. I honestly think there will be a class action lawsuit after this debacle because of the abrupt loss of access to accounts used for social security, businesses, healthcare, concerts, sentimental data, and bill payments.
User's recommendation: Sign up for gmail or equivalent and start the lengthly process of changing your accounts over
I had the very same thing happened to me. Old phone number on my account that they wanted to send a verification to that doesn’t help me.
They say there’s no other way for me to verify my account.
This is week two was also told a supervisor would call me back never received phone call from a supervisor. Does anybody know how to get this resolved?
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ
Verified ReviewerYour technician destroyed my computer
On Thursday, January 16, 2025, I contacted customer service to extend my McAfee Security on my desktop computer. The AOL technician, although very professional, shared my computer and took charge of uploading the free McAfee.
After returning to my computer, it failed. I paid a geek professional, and he said my computer is no longer good.
Preferred solution: I had to pay for a Geek technician $168.00 plus purchase another Desktop Computer for $399.00
User's recommendation: The technician told me he should've did a system reset
Why don't you all answer your phones I need to...
Why don't you all answer your phones I need to speak with someone a out AOL desk top gold you all charge me twice a month I thought it was once amonth it is so hard to get someone to help you
About
, , , ,
AOL is a leading global advertising-supported Web company. AOL operates one of the largest Internet subscription businesses in the US. The company provides advertisers with access to the widest display advertising network in the United States. The company launched portals in Austria, The Netherlands, India, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland and Belgium.
AOL offers some of the best tools to target and measure online advertising campaigns with the AOL's Platform-A business group, consisting of Advertising.com, TACODA, Third Screen Media, Lightningcast, Quigo as well as ADTECH. AOL merged with HP to include localized versions of the AOL.com portal and some other AOL services as the default setting on HP computers.
Aol is ranked 492 out of 5811 in Media category
1985
USA
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The new format totally sucks! I send a lot of emails to groups of people by saving them in drafts.
You can no longer simply copy a group of 10-30 people off the drafts I save and paste in a new email. Pasting doubles ALOT to the new email so I spend minutes deleting the damn doubles.
WHY can’t AOL fix this after I reported it within days of this terrible format? What a sad change!!!
THIS IS THE WORST COMPANY ON THE INTERNET......THE WORST!!!!.......A MEMBER FOR YEARS AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE......I DON'T KNOW HOW IT COULD GET MUCH WORSE!!!!.......MESSAGES ON THEIR CALL CENTER DON'T WORK FOR YEARS.......NO TECH SUPPORT WHATSOEVER....INCOMPETENT IDIOTS!!!!.............WORST SOFTWARE.......AM GETTING RID OF THEM PERMANENTLY!!!!! THEY SHOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS AS THEY ARE WORTHLESS AND USELESS!!!!!
aol app on android is horrible too many stories too much worthless news and I can,t use anything else but the AOL app.Total money making mess, I have had AOL for 20+ years. As far as AOL gold forget it. SLOW
I agree 100%. I have had aol since the dial up days.
It has gotten worse. I receive nothing but spam. You cannot get rid of it.
They add their bias opinion news (so called) articles which is false lies or scams. I'm leaving aol with no regrets.
WTH DID YOU REMOVE MY COMPLAINT AOL? DIDN'T LIKE ME TELLING THE TRUTH??
I have been a member of AOL for over 25 years. I want to express that I am highly offended by the biased censoring of your comments on the Public Comments on the very biased AOL HUFF post stories being published.
This is a free world guaranteed by the first Amendment and that includes whether you are a liberal, conservative or independent. This is not meant to give AOL or HUFF POST the right to censor anyone's comments if THEY do not agree with them. You have offended me and taken away my first amendment right.
I am reporting you to the FCC as I personally feel this action is in violation of the standards and regulations of public commentaries. Linda (Lin) D Ford linsapco@***.com
Good luck with your FCC complaint but AOL is a private company just like Facebook,, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc.. They own the companies and set the rules.
Depriving you of your first amendment is not on top of their list. Guess what? Just like you, they also have first amendment rights. That includes censoring harmful misinformation and disinformation or posting derogative and harmful content.
Don't know what you posted but apparently you're miffed that your post was deleted. It couldn't have been in the company's best interest to allow it.
ads everywhere , loading is slow, can't block 20-30 filthy emails everyday because aol took away the allow only feature, when chatting it freezes up then you get booted..after a minute a white screen brings you back " i've warned aol 10's of times about this and they do nothing or it goes away for a few weeks and comes back, racism and flthy chatting and threats like someone is gonna boil you in boiling water or they wanna suck guys d---s happens always and when reported TOS and aol they do nothing, the notify aol feature in chat is useless and works maybe 3 times then does nothing, half naked pictures on the news page and now a advertisement for brousing half naked women, you try to read news stories and you are blasted with ads flashing in your face..I pay for a internet service..not for a trash service
Yeah, AOL has really gone downhill. Website incompatibilities are everywhere and I was surprised to see that despite needing to pay to use their browser now (who even does that nowadays?...), the browser's quality has not improved and integrated ads are still rampant despite paying.
So they are double dipping. That all being said, you could get another browser that is actually good and free such as Firefox then put an adblocker on it (AOL doesn't even allow browser extensions like that, probably so they can keep showing you ads of their own) then just go to the AOL mail website and log in because even if you cancel the gold browser subscription, you should still be able to keep your Email as it's free. But make sure to manually copy over your favorites before cancelling if you have any because they seem inaccessible if you can't use the browser. Why I say manually is because unfortunately other browsers can't seem to be able to import favorites from AOL like they can from each other.
Yet another bad oversight on AOL's part... The fastest method I found is to have both browsers open side by side, open a favorite in AOL, then copy the URL to Firefox or whatever other browser you would like to migrate to and bookmark it. Yep, it seemingly has to be one by one... You can organize your bookmarks on the new browser as you see fit after that or as you go though.
So I hope you don't have many bookmarks. How do I know all of this? Because I dropped AOL after all the issues they had and had to do all of that myself.
However, I never regretted the decision because other browsers just run better. It may take a little work to get yourself set up on another browser, but it's certainly a lot less work than trying to get AOL Desktop Gold working on a regular basis.
AOL was my first introduction to the www. I had them for years and I still use a part that doesn't cost anything.
I have DuckDuckGo, the chrome browser, and even Safari because it is built into my iPhone and I can't get rid of it and it's intertwined with the many iPhone features that don't work properly if I deleted it. I tried with no luck so I tend to use the other two. To recover my Google account if I get locked out I put 3 ways to recover that account. I use my AOL email, my phone number, and device I use all the time like my iPhone model.
I have the BRAVE browser and OPERA browsers on stand by. I don't know if I have it set up right because I'm constantly bombarded with a notification bubble bar across my screen Everytime I get sent a message through spam at times. Or a political message ( Once you donate to your favorite party, the messages to donate again start coming alot as well as email too. AOL usually sends me the a lot of Daily Kos messages.
( A left wing news magazine).
I must have set it up to do that as I am proudly a democrat. Anyway, you have choices.
It seems that after AOL merged with Verizon they have gone it *** in a hand basket . I can't get on long enough to cancel my account .
AOL is one sorry company, after years of use it's worthless now!
AT ONE TIME AOL WAS VERY GOOD BUT NOW I CAN'T USE UNLESS I BUY AN ACCOUNT. COPORATE GREED AT ITS FINEST.
NO WARNING I JUST COULDN'T GET INTO MY MAIL ACCOUNT. UNABLE TO ACCESS MY ACCOUNT.SWITCHING TO ANOTHER PROVIDER THAT IS MORE RELIABLE !!!
DON'T FALL PREY TO AOL AND THEIR TACTICS !!! THEY ARE NOW THE WORST E-MAIL SERVICE AND I PREDICT THEY WILL SOON BE NO MORE !!!
AGREE and the customer service is AWFUL!!!!
ditto
NEVER give your credit card number to AOL. The charges never stop.
I had to cancel my card even though I called AOL Desktop Gold.
Spoke with Charm - no supervisor available - no corporate telephone number. What a rip off company!!!!!!!
What an abortion AOL turned into! Turns out, they couldn't care less about their paying customers.
Such a slap in our faces. Their email software is a virtual nightmare. My important mail goes to my spam folder, my superfluous mail ends up in my regular box. My saved email will be there one day and then in cyberspace the next day.
Thanks AOL, I'll be using another browser very quickly. Thanks totally to your non caring attitude.
The monthly FEE for aol GOLD is $7.99 a month. That $4.99 is for System Mechanic.
I pay for both. Call and set up for the GOLD and if you pay the $7.99 you'll be glad you did. I've been doing it for a long time now.
Nothing is ever completely FREE.................like it used to be. Enjoy.
I have AOL GOLD. I pay $4.99 monthly for it, not $7.99. Apparently they screwed that up also.
hi dooooo