Reading Time: 18 minutes Say Goodbye to Coupons and Hello to The Best Cashback Apps!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the disclosure.
If you are a die-hard shopper who isn’t taking advantage of cashback apps, then know that you’re missing out on free money. Cashback apps are an excellent option for people looking to save money while shopping.
Whether buying a new shoe or grocery shopping, cashback apps can help you earn rewards for shopping. There are dozens of cashback apps and websites available online.
However, the best ones are free to use and can be integral to your plan to rack up points and discounts on future purchases.
Most cashback apps have improved users’ shopping experiences and their ability to save money. And who doesn’t like earning free money? We all do.
This article will cover the best cashback apps and websites for shopping and saving money online.
Table of Contents
The 7 Best Cashback Apps and Websites
Don’t know which cashback app can help improve your shopping experience? Here are the seven best free cash-back apps to use:
- Ibotta– Best Option Overall
- Rakuten– Best for Discounts and Special Offers
- Swagbucks– Best cashback App for Earning Rewards
- Dosh- Best for Business Cashback
- Fetch Rewards- Best Receipt Scanning cashback App
- PayPal Honey– Best Cashback for PayPal Users
- Shopkick- Best Cash-Back App for Gas Station Purchases
Ibotta– Best Option Overall
Whether shopping for new clothes or buying groceries, this brand will pay you real cash. Ibotta is one of the best free cashback apps that allows you to earn real cash when you shop.
This brand has been operating since 2012 and boasts of paying over $1.2 billion in cash rewards to over 40 million shoppers.
Plus, they are in partnership with over 2,500 brands and retailers and provide customers with thousands of ways to earn cash from their purchases.
Here, you can earn real cashback on purchases at online retailers, grocery stores, travel, and more. Ibotta offers both a free app and a browser extension.
Do you want to make money online simply by searching, shopping, surveys, or playing games?
- Account creation is free
- Big bonus on sign up
- Many ways to earn free money
- Mobile-friendly rewards site and apps
- Simple to complete tasks
- $10 to sign up
- Not exactly passive income
- Redeeming SB points sometimes takes awhile
- It isn't easy to qualify for all surveys
- Customer service isn't the greatest (or fastest)
The app is available on iOS and Android, and you can easily sign up using the Ibotta app or browser extension. Ibotta provides you with two shopping options: online shopping and in-store shopping.
To shop online, log into your Ibotta account, search for the store you want, and click “Shop” on your preferred retailer. On a different note, Ibotta offers new customers a $5 welcome bonus.
Plus, shoppers on Ibotta earn an average of $10 to $20 monthly, and you can earn as much as $300 monthly if you are an active shopper. You can earn cashback when you scan your shopping receipt or link a “store loyalty card.”
Also, you can redeem your points once you accumulate up to $20 in cashback. You can transfer your Venmo, PayPal account, or bank account. Or, you can redeem your points and use them to order gift cards.
Your cashback can be used online and in-store at Giant, Harris Teeter, Safeway, and other partnered supermarkets. Regarding security, Ibotta uses industry-standard protections to keep your data securely encrypted.
One, you can secure your account with your phone number and receive notifications whenever someone accesses your account or attempts to make a withdrawal.
Plus, they operate on a robust security program and perform annual security reviews by a third-party assessment team.
Furthermore, they have a dedicated security team that performs round-the-clock security surveillance to ensure encryption, access control, and other security protections are working effectively.
Another reason why we like this brand is that they take customer privacy seriously. Iborra has strict data policies, access controls, and regular audits to ensure that your sensitive information doesn’t fall into the hands of any third party.
Pros
- Free to use
- Top-notch security
- Works at over 300 grocery store chains
- Easy-to-hit cash-out minimum
- $5 sign-up bonus
Cons
- Not linked with local companies
- Brand-specific offers
Rakuten– Best for Discounts and Special Offers
Another popular and reliable cash-back app for people looking for a way to earn extra money from their everyday purchases is Rakuten. Rakuten is a credit card provider and one of the largest online banks in Japan.
This brand has over 17M users and has been offering cashback payments to customers since 1997. Rakuten offers an easy way to earn cash from your everyday online and in-store shopping automatically.
This brand is in partnership with thousands of major retailers like Walmart, eBay, Lenovo, Shutterfly, Dell Technologies, and Dyson. The Rakuten cashback app is user-friendly, and you can easily browse through the thousands of retailers on their network and shop within minutes.
The sign-up process takes only a minute, and all you need to set up an account is your email address. After setting up your account, you’ll receive a $10 welcome bonus with no additional fees. Plus, you’ll receive a $30 bonus if you refer a friend to the site.
Once your account is set up, you must shop at the Rakuten official website to earn points. Instead of going to Walmart.com to buy electronics, you first visit Rakuten.com and click on a link that takes you to Walmart.
Rakuten pays out your earnings quarterly through a physical check or via PayPal- you can choose your preferred payment method. Furthermore, you can review your earnings history on your account and the date of your next payment whenever you want.
On the other hand, the browser extension has a “Notification” feature that allows you to get cash-back updates whenever you visit a retailer’s site. Another feature we love about the Rakuten browser extension is that it notifies you whenever an offer has been activated.
This means you don’t have to second-guess whether or not your transaction is being followed through properly. Another reason Rakuten stands out from other cash-back apps is that they offer to pay out your earnings in the form of “American Express Membership Reward points.”
With Rakuten, you can exchange each cent you earn for one American Express Membership Reward point. Another good news is that these reward points are valued at two cents each on travel websites, and that’s like getting double the rewards for every purchase you make.
Pros
- User-friendly website
- Completely free
- Offers 2x cash-back reward
- Referral program
Cons
- Only pays cashback out quarterly
Swagbucks– Best Cashback App for Earning Rewards
Based in Southern California,
Swagbucks is operational in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia and has paid over $91 million in cash-back rewards to date. This brand boasts of offering the most popular customer rewards program online.
Swagbucks offers its customers free cash and gifts for their everyday online purchases and activities like playing games and searching the web. This brand has over 7,000 participating stores where you can shop online and earn cash-back rewards.
One of the main reasons why we recommend this brand is that they offer plenty of ways to earn reward points, also known as SB points.
Since marketers want your opinions to improve their services,
Furthermore,
However, the good thing about installing the browser extension is that it will automatically alert you of the latest promo codes, cash-back deals, and coupon codes as you surf the net.
On a related note, you will earn cash rewards when purchasing staples, such as any-brand pasta, milk, or egg, from participating merchants. All you need to do to earn cash rewards is take a picture of your supermarket or grocery receipt.
You can earn more SB points and even win a gaming console by entering your Swagstakes. Another benefit of using
Additionally, you can check the quality of cashback points you’ll earn for a qualifying product when shopping through the
Note that 100 SB points are equal to $1 in rewards. Plus, your rewards may take a few days to arrive. On the other hand, the
Do you want to make money online simply by searching, shopping, surveys, or playing games?
- Account creation is free
- Big bonus on sign up
- Many ways to earn free money
- Mobile-friendly rewards site and apps
- Simple to complete tasks
- $10 to sign up
- Not exactly passive income
- Redeeming SB points sometimes takes awhile
- It isn't easy to qualify for all surveys
- Customer service isn't the greatest (or fastest)
Dosh– Best for Business Cashback
Dosh is another popular cash-back app where you can earn rewards for spending money and shopping online. This cash-back app partners with thousands of restaurants, stores, and hotels and automatically allows you to receive cashback.
The Dosh app is available for both Android and iOS devices. So, all you need to do to earn cashback is download the app on your smartphone, sign up and link your credit cards. Dosh also offers you a $1 welcome bonus and a $10 reward for every friend you refer.
On the other hand, Dosh provides various options for earning cash-back rewards. This brand offers automatic cashback when you dine, book hotel stays, and shop online. Plus, Dosh doesn’t require you to activate offers or upload any receipts to earn money.
However, you need to link your credit or debit card to the Dosh app to earn rewards. Also, earnings for eligible purchases will automatically be credited to your Dosh wallet.
Once you reach the withdrawal threshold (at least $25), you can transfer your cash through direct deposit, Venmo, or PayPal payment.
There’s also the option of donating your earnings to charity. On a different note, you can easily find offers in the Dosh app and shop in-store or online.
When a physical store nearby joins one of their cash-back programs, you’ll get instant access to valid in-store rewards right on your smartphone.
To earn, visit the participating merchant street address mentioned in the app and then make purchases with your linked card to receive instant cashback. One of the benefits of making in-store purchases with the Dosh app is that you don’t have to wait for a payday.
You’ll receive an instant cash-back reward once your transaction has been approved. However, note that when using your debit card to make in-store purchases, you must swipe the card like a credit card to receive your reward.
Otherwise, your transaction may not register in the Dosh app, and you won’t receive any reward. However, the good news is that this issue is a known caveat in the industry and the Dosh support team is always available to help you out.
On the other hand, you can find online offers and specific discounts by visiting the “More Info and Fine Print” section on the participating merchant’s page.
To find an online offer, tap on the Open or Shop button, and complete your purchase within the app.
Note that you must perform all your online shopping sessions within the app to qualify for a cash-back reward.
Pros
- Hassle-free sign-up process
- User-friendly app
- Different payout options
- Offers referral rewards
- Double dip rewards
Cons
- No extra income opportunities
Fetch Rewards– Best Receipt Scanning cashback App
If you are looking for the best receipt-scanning cash-back apps, the Fetch Rewards app is for you. This cash-back app allows you to spend money and earn rewards on regular shopping trips, including trips to restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery stores.
To earn points on this app, you must upload your shopping receipt within 14 days of your shopping trip. You can upload your physical receipt by taking a photo or submitting an e-copy via email.
The Fetch Rewards app even offers you points for uploading your shopping receipts. Furthermore, there’s no need to save or apply for any offers before you can go shopping.
Also, you can go grocery shopping without worrying about stocking up on a particular product or clipping coupons. This means that you can earn extra cash on all your everyday shopping.
Plus, some featured brands will even earn you more points. Fetch offers more bonuses when you purchase sponsored products. For us, the fact that you can upload copies of your receipts from any store is a major selling point of this cash-back app.
This rewards app accepts digital and paper receipts from any store type, including grocery stores. However, note that you must be willing to allow the app access to your inbox. While digital receipts from Amazon are supported, Fetch only works with a select number of retailers.
Another benefit of choosing the Fetch Rewards app is that they make redeeming your earnings hassle-free. You can use your points to enter monthly sweepstakes or exchange them for gift cards.
Plus, you have the option of donating your earnings to charity. This cashback app is a favorite amongst shoppers because they make it easy to earn and redeem points.
Also, the great thing about the Fetch Rewards app is that you can cash out as little as $3, which is equivalent to 3,000 points.
On a different note, it has a neat and user-friendly interface with organized tabs. The e-receipt and camera buttons are on the home page’s right side. Plus, you can easily upload your receipts with a click of the camera button.
You won’t have to wade through a sea of menus to check your status or upload receipts. The menus are neatly organized into four main tabs: Discover, Activity, Rewards, and Me. You’ll find your special offers and point balance in the discover tab.
The activity tab is where you’ll find your earning history, the amount spent, and the history of uploaded receipts. Also, the rewards tab has two options; My Rewards and Use Points.
You can find your redeemed points in the My Rewards section, while the Use Points section shows all your current rewards and progress towards any given reward.
Lastly, the Me section holds your referral code, account settings, and a place to connect your Amazon account and email.
The Fetch Rewards app contains all the features you need to earn cashback, so there’s no need for a browser. All you need to sign up is your birth date, phone number, and email address.
Pros
- Clean interface
- Transparent payout structure
- Offers rewards for all eligible receipts
- Accepts paper and e-receipts
- Automatic redemptions
Cons
- Points accumulate slowly
- Only redeem for gift cards
PayPal Honey– Best Cashback for PayPal Users
Honey is a browser extension compatible with Opera, Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Honey helps you easily access thousands of coupon codes with just one click during shopping.
This cash-back browser extension will scour the web for discount codes you can enter during checkout.
You won’t have to hunt for valid promo codes and test them because this browser does that for you on over 30,000 websites. Honey will help you to look for codes and apply them when ordering food, booking travel, or buying clothes.
Honey also has a free mobile app to find the best coupon codes and deals and earn rewards on purchases. Whether you shop on the app or website, you’ll find available promo codes at the bottom of the toolbar.
When checking out, Honey will generate a pop-up for any product in which cashback is available. If you click on that pop-up, Honey will quickly generate thousands of discount codes and apply the best one for your order.
If you’re worried about spending too much money, the Honey app can show you the complete price history of the products you want to purchase. What’s more, Honey has a “Drop List” feature that allows you to track prices on certain items and alerts you when the prices of those items drop.
Honey also has a price history tool that allows you to see whether the price of certain items is affected by seasonality. Some items may be cheaper in the Winter or summer.
The best part about PayPal honey is that they are trustworthy, reliable, and have been in business for a long time. Honey offers you redeemable points in the form of “Honey Gold” points which you can exchange for gift cards.
Pros
- Top-notch security protection
- Provides frequent product updates
- Free to use
- Easy installation process
Cons
- Limited cash-back offers
Shopkick– Best Cashback App for Gas Station Purchases
Shopkick is a free mobile app that offers you gift cards and other incentives for sharing your shopping habits with them. As a reward for your participation, Shopkick offers you points (known as kicks) which you can redeem for PayPal cash, gift cards, and other incentives.
One of the main benefits of choosing this cash-back app is that it offers plenty of options to earn points. Shopkick offers points for watching video ads, linking your cards, and uploading your paper register receipts.
You can even earn points for entering an eligible store and scanning the barcode of specific items. Shopkick also offers more points if you make purchases. Furthermore, a special reward is if you refer people to the app.
You earn 250 kicks for every person that signs up using your link. On the other hand, Shopkick partners with several major retailers, including local and regional chains. Some big names on the app include TJ Maxx,
Also, this company is in partnership with several neighborhood gas stations, grocery stores, drug stores, and box stores. On a different note, the Shopkick app is easy to navigate and fun to use.
If you don’t want to miss out on anything, you can set up push notifications in the app for regular updates. Another unique feature of this cash-back app is that they teach you about a product before making purchases.
Shopkick usually shows a short video of the product and offers informational articles and style guides to orient you toward a purchase. On a different note, 250 kicks equal $1, and you can redeem your points when you hit the withdrawal threshold of 500 kicks.
Pros
- Amazing rewards
- Partners with many major retailers
- Offers a variety of ways to earn points
- Fun and engaging app
Cons
- Not the best customer support
Other Top Cashback Apps to Save Money
The seven cash-back apps listed above are some of the best apps to shop for and earn free money. But that’s not all! There are dozens of other trustworthy cash-back apps where you can earn rewards points and save money. Other honorable mentions include:
Checkout 51
The Checkout 51 rewards app allows you to earn cash-back on gas purchases and grocery shopping. It has a withdrawal threshold of $20, and you can redeem cash through a paper check or via PayPal.
To earn rewards, head to the app and search for offers. However, note that you must upload and verify your receipt before earning cashback.
Payce
Payce is another reputable rewards platform that offers cashback for online and in-store purchases. However, note that Payce requires you to link your debit or credit card to receive in-store cashback. The platform supports American Express, Visa, and MasterCard.
Plus, you need to have at least $10 to qualify for a cash-out. Like most rewards platforms, you have to perform all your shopping sessions from the Payce platform to be eligible for cashback.
All you need do is head to the Payce platform, click on your preferred retailer link, and shop!
Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog is another wonderful choice for shoppers who prefer receipt-scanning apps. This rewards app offers you redeemable points for scanning and uploading pictures of your receipts. You can also earn redeemable points by playing games and taking surveys.
Drop
Drop is a free rewards app that allows you to earn on everything you do, including traveling, grocery shopping, and dining. There are plenty of activities you can use to earn on this platform, including taking surveys and playing games.
Drop also allows you to become a premium member for free when you link your card to your account. You enjoy monthly drop points, crypto rewards, and premium offers as a premium member.
You can also earn a referral bonus when your friends sign up using your link.
Fluz
Fluz works with over 400 major merchants, including Petco, Nintendo, eBay, Safeway, and Kroger. This cash-back app is one of the few reward platforms that work with supermarkets and has offers for several national restaurant chains.
This platform offers you redeemable points for shopping online and in-store. Plus, they provide a digital gift card to use during checkout and your earnings are instantly credited to your Fluz wallet.
One feature that makes Fluz stand out is that it is one of the few rewards apps that supports all Amazon purchases. Most rewards apps only offer rewards on select Amazon-branded items like the Kindle and Alexa.
On the other hand, how much cash you earn on this platform depends on your preferred payment method within the Fluz app. Apple Pay generates the lowest earnings, while bank account payments yield the highest.
On a side note, you can withdraw your earnings to your Venmo, PayPal, bank account, or virtual Visa card. However, note that the minimum withdrawal amount is $26 for the first withdrawal, but future withdrawals have no withdrawal threshold.
Types of Cashback Apps
There are different types of cash-back apps and incentive programs. However, they are commonly grouped under the umbrella term “cash-back apps.”
It may be confusing when your internet search brings up a browser or another unexpected result. Here’s a quick run-down on the four most common types of cash-back apps:
Mobile Cashback Apps
Most of the well-liked mobile-based cash-back apps belong to this category. Platforms like these typically involve users loading deals and making purchases from merchants directly within the app in exchange for a cash or point reward.
Mobile cash-back apps typically require more user input, which makes mobile conversion tracking a tough job for advertisers.
Receipt Scanning Apps
Receipt scanning apps are reward apps that require shoppers to take a picture of their shopping receipt and upload it to the platform after their shopping trip. Also, these apps tend to require a lot of user input.
This is because they require users to pre-select offers before purchasing, which are then validated by the app against the customer’s manually-uploaded receipt.
However, note that receipt scanning apps are semi-prone to misreporting. Plus, there is typically some lag time between reporting and the validation of rewards.
Card-Linked Cashback Apps
Card-Linked cash-back apps are a subset of mobile cash-back apps that require users to link their cards (debit or credit) before they can make any purchase through the app.
These apps are more likely to track customer transactions correctly and credit them for purchases.
However, note that it requires a merchant’s participation in the program. Another issue is that most card-linked apps only work with a few participating merchants due to the high barrier to entry.
cashback Browser Extensions
Cash-back browser extensions are the most automated method of earning cashback. They require little setup on your part, and once installed, they run quietly in your desktop browser. Most are compatible with Chrome and Opera Mini.
Like credit card rewards, cash-back is typically applied to the full purchase rather than just a few select items at a participating merchant.
These are the four main types of cash-back apps currently available online. Some cash-back companies offer one or more of the cash-back app types listed above, and their services often extend to cover users’ needs across multiple devices.
This allows users to access a browser extension on their computer and a mobile application under the same user account.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Reputable cashback apps are safe to use and have top-notch security measures to protect your sensitive information and cash rewards. In most cases, some cashback apps may collect some of your personal information for a better user experience.
This may include information about your browsing habit and demographic. Generally speaking, most cash-back apps don’t see or store your card or payment details because the merchant processes them.
Yes, you can use more than one cashback app at a time. It’s best to try out different options before committing to one cashback app. In some cases, you may be able to “stack” cash-back offers and receive multiple cashback for the same purchase.Â
This means that you don’t have to choose between different providers. Note that this isn’t always guaranteed to work.
Cashback apps have varying policies for refunds, depending on their business model. Generally, expect to lose any reward points earned via a returned item.
To avoid this situation, most cashback apps impose 30–90 days waiting time before releasing the cashback.
Cash-back apps are easy to use and a great way to earn extra money on everyday purchases. The concept behind cashback apps is simple: they refund you a certain percentage of your purchase.
You can redeem your earnings in the form of gift cards or transfer them to your bank or PayPal account. Some cashback apps require you to sign up and link your debit or credit card before you can earn.
Once your account is set up, you can make purchases within the app and automatically earn cashback. Note that the percentage of your purchase price you receive as cashback varies significantly between brands.
Although the rules vary from service to service, in most cases, it is possible to use the manufacturer’s coupon and cash-back apps simultaneously. You can use multiple cash-back apps if you pick the right combination.
For example, you could use a paper coupon at the supermarket, buy an item that gives you cashback from Ibotta, and then upload a copy of your receipt to both Ibotta and Receipt Hog for automatic credit.
Besides Ibotta, there are dozens of other cash-back apps that include several other receipt-scanning apps you can use at the same time.
It’s Time To Say Good-Bye To Coupons and Hello To Cash Back Apps
Cash-back apps provide an easy way to earn cash rewards from your everyday shopping. The best apps for cashback are easy to use and provide plenty of options to earn cash rewards.
Next Up From ChaChingQueen
