13 Best Cash Back Apps & Websites: Reviews & Top Offers

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This list of the best cash back apps and websites was compiled after testing dozens of options, taking into account factors such as average cash back rates, number of partner stores, ease of use, and payment options. 

The best app for you will depend on where and how you shop, but one of the main takeaways from our extensive research is that using a combination of two or three apps is often the best strategy for maximizing your cash back rewards.

Here’s our list of top picks in a variety of categories (click the link to learn more about each app): 

• Best overall: Rakuten
• Highest-paying: TopCashback
• Best for Amazon: Fluz
• Best for in-store shopping: Ibotta
• Best for groceries: Ibotta
• Best for gas: Upside

Note: The user review data listed below was collected on December 15th, 2022. We update this article regularly throughout the year to keep the numbers current. 

#1. Rakuten

Sign-up bonus: $30 bonus for spending more than $30 within 90 days of becoming a member.

Rakuten is a cashback site and app with offers at over 3,500 partner stores. We’ve ranked it as the best overall option because of its excellent cashback rates, its wide selection of merchants and its best-in-class transaction tracking system that almost never fails to credit you for an online purchase. 

(In the rare instances that we’ve had to contact customer service because a transaction did not properly credit, the missing cashback was added to our account balance instantly.)

One of our editors uses Rakuten religiously and has earned nearly $800 in just under three years:

Rakuten tip: Rakuten’s browser extension makes earning cash-back easy, because it alerts you whenever you’re visiting a website that has an offer. But what we really love about the extension is that it shows you whether or not that offer has been activated — meaning you’re never left to wonder if your transaction is being properly tracked. It will also attempt to apply coupon codes automatically, but we’ve never found this to be very effective. 

Can be used at: Both online and in-store, although there are far fewer in-store offers (and they tend to pay less).

Payment: Rakuten pays quarterly if you have at least $5 in your account. You can get paid via PayPal, with a paper check, or as American Express Membership Rewards points.

One interesting Rakuten feature that I personally benefit from is the fact that you can choose to get your rewards paid to you in the form of American Express Membership Reward points. Each cent you earn on Rakuten can be exchanged for one American Express Membership Reward point, and travel websites typically value these points at 2 cents each. That means you’re essentially earning double rewards on each transaction. 

Sign up for Rakuten.

#2. Ibotta

Sign-up bonus: Ibotta offers a $5 welcome bonus for spending $15 through the app’s cash-back shopping portal.

Ibotta is well-known as a cash-back app for groceries. To earn with the app, you activate offers (think of them like digital coupons), purchase the items specified in the offers you’ve activated, and then scan your receipt after you’re done shopping. For some stores, you can add your store loyalty card and skip the receipt-scanning requirement.

Ibotta also offers opportunities to earn cashback when you shop online through the app, though we think it’s best for those looking to save money on groceries.

Ibotta tip: Ibotta regularly has “any brand” offers for everyday purchases like milk, eggs and fresh produce. If you’re planning on buying these grocery staples, these offers equate to free money.

Can be used at: both online and in-store at partnered supermarkets including Giant, Safeway, Harris Teeter and many others.

Payment: You have to earn at least $20 in cash rewards before you can withdraw funds from your Ibotta account. Once you meet that threshold, you can order a gift card through the app or transfer the funds to your Venmo or PayPal account.

Sign up for Ibotta.

#3. TopCashback

Sign-up bonus: No bonus is currently available.

TopCashback isn’t the slickest looking cashback site or app, but it does one thing well: it consistently offers the highest cashback rates at a large variety of online retailers.

That’s possible because their business model is different from other cashback platforms. Instead of sharing a percentage of the cashback received from the retailer — which is how most cashback sites operate — TopCashback generates the majority of its profit from on-site advertising. This allows them to offer very high rates compared to other options.

In fact, in our testing, we found TopCashback to offer 2.6% more on average than the other apps on this list.

TopCashback tip: Stack TopCashback with the payment app Slide. TopCashback pays 4% on most Slide purchases, while Slide itself pays 10% for first-time users and 4% wherever it’s accepted. Learn more about combining TopCashback and Slide here.

Can be used at: Online only at more than 4,400 merchants.

Payment: TopCashback has three payment options: Amazon gift card, direct deposit and PayPal.

Sign up for Topashback.

#4. Swagbucks

Sign-up bonus: $10 bonus when you spend at least $25 via the cashback platform within 30 days of account creation.

With Swagbucks, you can earn reward points (called SBs) by shopping online, watching videos, searching the web, playing games and completing surveys. You can redeem those reward points for gift cards or a PayPal deposit.

When you shop through the Swagbucks website or app, you’ll see the percentage of cash back you’ll earn for a qualifying purchase at a participating store. Those percentages will be converted to SBs; a 3% cashback rate will earn you 3 SBs per $1 spent.

The combination of solid cashback rates with over a dozen other ways to earn points makes this our pick for the best overall online rewards site. However, while the cashback rates are good, they’re often not the absolute best you can find. That makes Swagbucks best for people who are interested in taking advantage of multiple earning opportunities.

For example, one of our editors regularly completes account sign-up promotions offered via Swagbucks (e.g., websites that pay you for signing up) and has earned $856 in a little over two years:

Swagbucks tip: While Swagbucks is well-known as a cash-back shopping app, it also has a little-known linked-card loyalty program that allows you to earn SBs at local restaurants and retailers. You’ll also get a 500 SB bonus after linking your credit or debit card and making your first qualifying purchase. 

Can be used at: You can earn SBs for both online and in-store purchases, though in-store offers are rare and must be activated prior to use.

Payment: You can exchange your SBs for gift cards to retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target and more. Gift cards occasionally go on sale, allowing you to stretch your points. You can also cash out using PayPal. Technically, there is no minimum withdrawal amount, but most rewards start at $3.

Sign up for Swagbucks.

#5. Capital One Shopping

Sign-up bonus: None.

Quick summary: Capital One Shopping is a free app and browser extension that’s chock-full of valuable money-saving features. Chief among these is its real-time price comparison tool, which alerts you when it finds a better deal for a product you’re about to buy — a feature that works especially well when shopping on Amazon, as you’ll see a price comparison box right on the product page itself.

You do not need to be a Capital One cardholder to use it.

The service also offers automated coupon code entry, price protection, price drop alerts, and solid cash-back rates for online purchases. In fact, it’s the best app we’ve found for coupon codes, as it crowdsources them from other Capital One Shopping users instead of just scouring the web for them. 

Capital One Shopping ranks in the middle of the pack as a strict cash-back app, largely due to its average rates. However, its full suite of features makes it a great choice for people who would prefer a single all-in-one money-saving app. 

Can be used at: Thousands of participating online retailers. Many features work on Amazon (though you can’t earn cash-back on Amazon). 

Payment: You earn “Capital One Shopping Credits” that can be redeemed for gift cards.

Download/Install Capital One Shopping.

#6. Upside

Sign-up bonus: There is no sign-up bonus.

Upside is our favorite cash-back app for gas. During the testing for our review, we found offers for 35 cents cashback per gallon — keeping in mind that the gas station offering the highest cashback rate may not be the one you most frequently use, nor the one with the lowest price. Nonetheless, the app is worth downloading and checking whenever you have to fill up. 

Upside tip: Check GasBuddy to see whether the gas station with the best cashback deal in your area has the lowest prices.

Can be used at: Primarily gas stations, but does offer cashback at some grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants. 

Payment: PayPal, bank deposit or gift cards.

Download Upside.

#7. Fetch Rewards

Sign-up bonus: 3,000 points (worth $3) when signing up via our link.

The Fetch Rewards app offers points for uploading pictures of your shopping receipts. Those points can be redeemed for gift cards to your favorite retailers. You don’t need to activate offers or clip digital coupons before shopping, and you don’t need to buy particular products — Fetch accepts any receipts from any type of store. (You can earn bonuses by purchasing sponsored products.)

Overall, Fetch is easier to use than Ibotta (which also requires receipt uploads), but the earning potential is lower. 

Pro tip: Because you’re only required to upload a picture of your receipt, Fetch is perfect for stacking with other receipt-scanning and cash-back apps. (You can upload the same receipt to both Fetch and Ibotta.)

Can be used at: Fetch accepts any paper receipt, whether from a grocery store or other type of merchant. You can also submit digital receipts if you’re willing to give Fetch access to your inbox. Not all merchants are supported, but Fetch does accept digital Amazon receipts.

Payment: Points can be redeemed for gift cards to major retailers and a select assortment of Fetch-branded merchandise (like t-shirts).

Download Fetch Rewards.

#8. Fluz

Sign-up bonus: Get a voucher for 35% cash-back (up to $10) when you join using the link below.

Quick summary: Fluz gives you cash-back at more than 400 major merchants, with both online and in-store options available. Unlike other cash-back services, you’re not required to start your shopping journey within the Fluz app — which means you can combine Fluz with Rakuten, Swagbucks or any other cash-back platform of your choice.

When you’re ready to pay for your purchase, open Fluz and enter your payment amount. You’ll get a digital gift card to use at checkout, and the cash-back you earned will be instantly credited to your Fluz account balance.

One thing that sets Fluz apart is the fact that it’s the only true cash-back app we’ve found that works for all Amazon purchases. Most apps only pay cash-back on select Amazon-branded items (like Alexas and Kindles). 

Pro tip: How much you earn depends on the payment method you use within the Fluz app. Bank account payments earn the most, while Apple Pay tends to earn the least.

Can be used at: With just over 400 merchants on the platform, Fluz doesn’t offer the widest selection of partners among the apps on this list. However, it’s one of the few cash-back apps that works at supermarkets, including Kroger, Safeway and Whole Foods. There are also offers for many national restaurant chains.

Payment: Withdraw your earnings to your bank, a PayPal or Venmo account, or a virtual Visa card. Your first withdrawal must be at least $26, but future withdrawals have no minimum.

Download Fluz.

#9. BeFrugal

Sign-up bonus: A $10 bonus is added to your account balance once you’ve accumulated $10 in rewards.

Quick summary: BeFrugal is a cashback service that offers rewards on purchases you make at over 5,000 retailers, including Target, Walmart and many others. As with Rakuten, you just sign up, click a BeFrugal link to visit the retailer’s website, and wait for the cashback to be deposited into your account.

BeFrugal has consistently good cashback offers, but we’ve ranked it lower than other portals on this list because both its website and app would benefit from an update and user experience improvements

BeFrugal tip: BeFrugal offers a “best rate” guarantee, where they’ll match any other cash-back rate by 125%. You have to contact them to request a match, and the terms of the promotion are fairly strict. Still, this can be a valuable hack if you’re willing to jump through the necessary hoops — especially on a big-ticket purchase.

Can be used at: Online only.

Payment: The minimum cash-out is $10. BeFrugal pays via direct deposit to your bank account, paper check, PayPal or gift card.

Get BeFrugal.

#10. Receipt Hog

Sign-up bonus: There is no sign-up bonus.

Receipt Hog is a market research company that pays you for uploading your receipts, similar to Fetch Rewards (which we mentioned above). You earn “coins” for each receipt you upload, which can be exchanged for magazines, cash via PayPal or a free Amazon gift card.

You may also have the opportunity to earn “spins” rather than coins, depending on the retailer associated with your receipt. Spins are used in a game called “Hog Slots,” which is a virtual slot machine that gives you a chance to earn more coins.

This can be fun, but remember that since your coins can be exchanged for real cash, using them on Hog Slots amounts to gambling. If you’re trying to make extra money to reach even a small-scale financial goal, you should avoid the risk and just build up your balance.

Receipt hog tip: When you get started, check out the “Rewards” tab to earn extra coins. This offers a bonus for answering a questionnaire and linking your email account. If you complete both of those tasks, you can earn another bonus by joining a “Hog Household,” which is a group of your family members who are also actively uploading receipts.

Can be used at: Anywhere that provides you with a paper receipt (digital receipts are not accepted on the platform).

Payment: Exchange your coins for magazines, transfers to your PayPal account or free gift cards.

Download Receipt Hog.

#11. Shopkick

Sign-up bonus: There’s a $1 bonus if you sign up with our link.

Quick summary: Shopkick offers rewards called “kicks,” which you can earn for making purchases in-store or online and then redeem for gift cards. However, you can also get kicks for tasks such as walking in to a store, scanning certain barcodes, visiting online stores, viewing products and watching videos.

We found the earning potential to be limited — hence our low review rating. However, the app is fun to use and provides an extra earning opportunity for those who are interested.

Shopkick tip: Enabling push notifications for the app can help you make sure to never miss an opportunity. Shopkick uses your location to alert you to nearby sales and chances for extra points. Of course, be aware that this requires sending your location data back to Shopkick, which may be a drawback if you’re particularly concerned about online privacy.

Can be used at: You can earn kicks both online and in-store.

Payment: You can redeem Kicks for gift cards to a variety of retailers (including Walmart, Amazon, Target and many more), as well as a selection of physical items.

Download Shopkick.

#12. Acorns

Sign-up bonus: There is no sign-up bonus.

Quick summary: Acorns is a micro-investment app that has partnered with hundreds of retailers to offer cash back when you shop at participating stores through the Acorns portal.

This feature, called “Acorns Earn,” is unique because rather than sending the cash directly to you via a gift card or PayPal, Acorns adds those funds to your investment portfolio.

Acorns’ cash back percentages are solid, typically ranging from 2% to 10%. Acorns then gives you the ability to adjust your investment portfolio to meet your specific financial goals. For example, while you can’t pick individual stocks (because Acorns places your money in index funds), you can choose your acceptable level of risk, your growth timeline, and a few other criteria.

Be aware that Acorns is not a free app. Subscriptions start at $3 per month. As such, it’s best for people who will make use of its micro-investing tools in addition to its cash back rewards.

Acorns tip: Acorns also offers a savings feature called “Round Ups.” With Round Ups, you link a debit or credit card, and then every time you make a purchase with that card, the company rounds up the purchase price to the next quarter, half-dollar or dollar (depending on your preferences).

As with your Acorns Earn, those funds get added to your portfolio. This can be a great way to set money aside if you’re having trouble building up your savings account. Of course, as with any investment, there is a risk that the value of your Acorns portfolio will decline.

Can be used at: Acorns Earn only works when shopping online through Acorns. Round Ups works with any purchase, both online and in-store.

Payment: Your cash back is placed in your investment account, and I recommend you keep it there so that it can grow! After all, investing is one of the most important things you need to do to get rich. However, if you need to withdraw your funds you can transfer them to your bank account, which takes about two days.

Download Acorns.

#13. Drop Rewards

Sign-up bonus: There is no sign-up bonus.

Quick summary: Drop Rewards allows you to earn points on your purchases whenever you shop through the company’s online portal. Those points can be exchanged for gift cards.

Drop has decent cash back shopping rates, with recent offers including 6% back at Sephora and 4% back at Expedia and Lululemon.

Note that Drop’s popular “Power Offers” program — which allowed users to earn cash-back passively by shopping at up to five of their favorite retailers — has been discontinued. However, the app does still have rotating card-linked cash back offers that run for a week at a time and must be activated within the app before you can use them. Still, that makes drop one of the better passive income apps for making extra cash with little effort. 

Can be used at: Online with limited in-store offers.

Payment: You can use your points to redeem any of the gift card rewards you’re eligible for. You should receive your reward within three business days, but in my experience it’s never taken more than a few minutes.

Download Drop Rewards or learn more in our Drop App review.

Tips for Using Cash Back Apps

Here are six tips that will help you make the most of your money with cash back apps:

1. Stack apps whenever possible. You can maximize your savings and get the most money back by using multiple rebate apps at the same time. And if you clip paper or digital coupons, you can usually stack those, too. This is especially helpful when it comes to saving money on groceries, because there are often multiple coupons available for the same item.
2. Take advantage of sign-up bonuses. Even if you don’t plan on using an app over the long-term, take advantage of the sign-up bonus, which is often the quickest and easiest money you will ever earn. Bonuses typically range from $10 to $20.
3. Use a cash-back credit card. Another way to increase your savings is to combine cash-back apps with a cash-back credit card — preferably, one that offers bonuses for shopping within certain categories. 
4. Refer your friends. Cash-back apps thrive on referrals for new customers, which presents a great opportunity for you and your friends. Referral bonuses are an easy way to make money and can climb as high as $25.
5. Many cash back apps also pay you for completing tasks. Most of these tasks are very easy, but pay attention to the time requirement. If a survey that takes 45 minutes to complete only pays $3, your time might be better invested in something else.

Best Cash Back Apps FAQ

Summary: Cashback Apps Put Money Back Into Your Bank Account

If you’re anything like me, you shop online all the time. And if that’s the case, using a cashback app or website is a no-brainer. They’re free to join, take just seconds to use, and can help you save as much as 15% at the majority of major online retailers.

Apps like Swagbucks and Rakuten are great options for online purchases, and that’s where you’ll rack up the most savings.

But don’t overlook the ability of a grocery rebate app like Ibotta to help you save on everyday purchases. Saving a few dollars on every shopping trip might not seem like much, but it adds up over time.

A rebate app typically takes one or two extra steps compared to a straight cashback app, but the rewards can be worth the effort.

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*Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up for the service using the links provided.

R.J. Weiss

R.J. Weiss is the founder and editor of The Ways To Wealth, a Certified Financial Planner™, husband and father of three. He's spent the last 10+ years writing about personal finance and has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, MSN Money, and other publications.

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