Since discovering that I can earn money by snapping receipts or linking my card to an app, I’ve incorporated cashback apps into my shopping routine. These apps offer free gift cards, cashback for online shopping, or cashback for in-store shopping trips. Plus, most of these apps are free to use, so you can start saving right away! Learn about the 6 best cashback apps to help you save money.
What Is A Cashback App?
Cashback apps are a type of rebate service that give you points to redeem money or gift cards or they give you a percentage or a dollar amount of cashback for your everyday purchases! Just download the app, sign up, and start shopping. You’ll get money back on in-store grocery purchases, online shopping, travel purchases, and more. Plus, there are often bonus opportunities to earn even more cash back.
Target Circle, the CVS app, and McDonald’s are just a few of the many stores that have their own coupon and shopping apps. These apps allow you to earn rewards points for purchases, discounts, or even coupon codes. The cashback apps, also known as grocery rebate apps, work a little differently in that you may not get discounts as often, but you can redeem the points you earn for cash or gift cards. Additionally, you can earn cash that can be deposited to a PayPal or your bank account. The best way to make the most of these apps is to double up or triple up on apps wherever possible. You can also earn cashback and points just by referring your friend, while they get a little something for signing up as well.
If you go online and search for these apps, there may be an overwhelming amount of rebate apps out there. These are my favorite tried and true cashback apps and I think you will enjoy them too!
1. Ibotta
Description: This app is a favorite among the couponing community as it features offers from an extensive number of retailers. You can get cashback for purchases at Walmart, Target, HEB, Costco, Staples, and more.
The way it works is that you choose your offers before a shopping trip at a grocery or other major retailer, whether it be in-store or shopping online. You can also link your store loyalty card to the app. The offers have a dollar amount attached to them that you can earn if you purchase said product. If it was an in-store purchase you can scan your receipts or if it was an online purchase you will receive the cashback after activating the offer.
Best for: Groceries and online shopping at major retailers.
Rewards rates: You can receive from $0.10 per offer to about $5.00 or more!
How to redeem: You must accrue at least $20.00 in cashback to withdraw. You can link your bank account to deposit there or your Paypal. You can also redeem for a gift card.
Available as: An app and/or browser extension
Google Play Store Reviews: 4.5 stars out of 609,980 reviews
Cons: There have been times when I didn’t receive my full offers for referrals and others on the reviews page have reported the same
My overall review: Everybody likes free money right? I love selecting my offers before a shopping trip. It is a great way to earn money for purchases that you would make anyway.
DOWNLOAD with my referral link and get $10 Cashback!: https://ibotta.onelink.me/iUfE/8cc13c64?friend_code=chebrjw
2. Fetch Rewards
Description: This may be the most well-known couponing app in the couponing community. You receive points by snapping receipts after your shopping trips or even linking your Amazon account and/or email to get points on your e-receipts. You redeem your points for gift cards or sweepstakes. The sweepstakes are mainly Prepaid Visa gift cards up to $500.00 USD.
Best for: Rebates on all receipts for any store, restaurant or service.
Rewards rates: 1000 points = $1.00. You receive at least 25 points for any receipt but you receive a higher number of points with the featured brands.
How to redeem:
- Depending on which gift card you would like to redeem, you have to accrue at least 10,000 points to be able to redeem a gift card.
- Sweepstake entries start at 100 points.
Available as: App only.
Google Play Store Reviews: 4.6 stars out of 469,255 reviews.
Cons: Accruing points can take a while if you are just snapping receipts. You have to be looking out for brand offers to be able to get the most points.
My overall review: I love how fun and user-friendly this app is. It is very easy to use and straightforward. It also features GoodRx which is a coupon service that allows you to save on medicine and is even recommended by healthcare professionals to help you save on prescriptions.
DOWNLOAD with my referral link and get 2000 points!: https://fetchrewards.onelink.me/vvv3/referraltext?code=1CMXR8
3. Drop
Description: This app is a bit different from others as you link your credit cards and earn cashback for purchases at certain retailers when you use the card you linked (by activating the offers weekly). It also allows you to get reward points at over 500 brands by shopping through the app. There are several other ways to earn rewards such as completing surveys, playing games, and even just by having your credit cards linked, you receive 1000 points per month.
Best for: Doubling up on reward apps and completing online surveys. It gives you fairly easy reward points.
Rewards rates: 1000 points = $1.00.
The number of points can vary greatly from purchase to purchase but you can expect to get at least 100 points for a trip to a restaurant such as McDonald’s. There are bonus point promotions available regularly!
How to redeem: You have to accrue a minimum of 25,000 points to be able to redeem the following:
- Gift cards to major retailers and restaurants such as Amazon and Chili’s.
- Contests include paid vacations and high sums of points.
- Crypto investments.
Available as: App only.
Google Play Store Reviews: 4.3 stars out of 10,267 reviews
Cons:
- If you do not feel comfortable linking your bank account, this app is not for you outside of filling out surveys.
- It can take longer for you to accrue points as the rewards tend to be on the lower side.
- It may take longer for you to get your cashback offers added to your account with wait times of up to 60 days.
My overall review: I love how interactive this app is. You can spin the wheel weekly for rewards, and play games, and in general, the interface is very friendly and attractive. You do have to remember to activate your offers weekly to be able to get the points linked to your card but I do feel that this app requires less effort than other apps out there.
DOWNLOAD with my referral link and get 5000 points ($5)!: https://b.ewd.io/code?c=dcbsa
4. Get Upside
Description: With the way gas prices have skyrocketed recently, it would be nice to at least get a discount in some way wouldn’t it? Well, this app allows you to get cashback every time you fill up gas! The app features a list of gas stations that you can visit. You must select the gas station you plan to visit and claim your offer before filling up. You must also have a credit card linked to your account and you must use that card to pay for gas.
Best for: Rebates on pumping gas. You also receive cash back on select restaurants and groceries but the selection is limited compared to other grocery rebate apps.
Rewards rates: You receive at least 7 cents per gallon but can get anywhere between 10 cents and 30 cents per gallon depending on the offers available at select gas stations.
How to redeem:
- Gift cards. You must accrue at least $10.00 to redeem a gift card.
- Your bank account. You may redeem as little as $1.00 but you will get charged a $1.00 fee for any cash out under $15.00
- Your PayPal account. You may redeem as little as $1.00 but you will get charged a $1.00 fee for any cash out under $15.00
Available as: App only
Google Play Store Reviews: 4.6 stars out of 181,170 reviews.
Cons: It can be a little confusing to use at first in selecting your gas station offers. Additionally, you may not get the cashback each time as sometimes the allotted time for the retailer to provide your points expires.
My overall review: I love that there is a way to get something back for spending your hard earned cash on gas. Several rebate apps focus on groceries and online shopping so it is great to have one that is mainly focused on gas rebates.
DOWNLOAD with my referral link and get an extra 15 cent/gallon bonus on your first purchase!: https://upside.app.link/SARA22345
5. Rakuten
Description: This app not only gives you cash back at over 3,500 retailers but also gives you coupon codes to get discounts while shopping. You can combine the discounts and cashback. To get these perks, you simply need to click on the offer links through the app or website and it will take you to the store’s site. Once you place your order, you will automatically get your cashback amount added to your Rakuten account in a matter of days but sometimes in a matter of hours.
Best for: Online shopping and coupon codes
Rewards rates: You can get from 1% cashback to up to 40% cashback from your purchases.
How to redeem: Via check mailed to your home or deposited to your PayPal. You need to have at least $5.00 to be able to redeem the money. If you have less than $5.00 in your account, the money will roll over to the next payout cycle.
Available as: An app, website, and browser extension
Google Play Store Reviews: 4.1 stars out of 73,159 reviews
Cons: You need to wait 3 months to redeem your cashback.
My overall review: I enjoy the options available in this app. You can find almost any store you want to shop from. If you were already going to make a purchase, why not get at least 1% cashback from that purchase? All you need to do is shop through the app. I have been able to save a lot of money on my shopping trips while waiting for the right time for offers to come up where I can receive double the cashback or great discount codes.
DOWNLOAD with my referral link and get $30.00 cashback when you spend $30.00!: https://www.rakuten.com/r/SARADA900?eeid=6991100
6. Receipt Hog
Description: This is another receipt snapping rebate app that allows you to get reward points for pictures of your physical receipts, your e-receipts, and even completing short consumer surveys based on your shopping trips. You can link your Amazon account and email to get points for all your e-receipts regularly.
Best for: Rebates on a wide variety of receipts from different stores and retailers.
Rewards rates:
- You earn Coins (points) for the dollar amount on your receipt. For example, if your receipt is $10 total, you would get 5 coins. 1,000 Coins = $5.00 but your rewards rates have a better conversion rate as you accrue more points.
- You also earn Sweepstakes entries for every receipt you submit
- Some retailers allow you to get a spin on the “Hog Slot” machine which is a digital slot machine you can spin for extra coins and prizes.
How to redeem: You must accrue at least 1,000 coins to be able to redeem.
- Amazon gift card only (no other gift card retailers available)
- Visa prepaid card link sent to your email
- Paypal.
Available as: An app
Google Play Store Reviews: 4.4 stars out of 171,512 reviews.
Cons: The point conversion rate is a little confusing, not as straightforward as other apps and it is almost impossible to win anything from the sweepstakes. There is also a little bit more effort when submitting a receipt as you have to complete 2 questions regarding your shopping trip.
My overall review: This app is very dynamic and fun to use. There is something so delightful about just spinning the Hog Slot. The surveys are very short and easy to fill out and sometimes they will just drop pop culture or fun little 3-question surveys that give you coins. Out of all the cashback apps, I have tried, in my opinion, this one is the most fun to use and even gets you excited to open it up.
DOWNLOAD with my referral link and get 5 Hog Slot Spins for free!: https://app.receipthog.com/r/gleg3221
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