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Key takeaways
- Different apps excel in various areas. You can use more than one to get the most cash back possible.
- Pairing cash-back apps with cash-back credit cards maximizes savings on many purchases, including groceries, travel and online shopping.
If you’re interested in a relatively effortless way to save money on your everyday purchases, a cash-back app might be the way to go. A cash-back app is a tool that helps consumers receive a discount, coupon or rebate on eligible items they buy.
Users typically sign up for an app, shop at participating retailers and submit receipts or use links provided by the app to track their purchases and earn cash back. The reward will often be a small percentage of the actual purchase price. Over time, these rewards can add up to significant cash and savings. Depending on the app, there are various ways you could receive your reward, including gift cards, checks or direct deposits into a bank or PayPal account.
While there are many options, the big question is which is the best cash-back app? From our experience, the answer depends on the type of shopping you’re doing. Whether you want to earn cash back on groceries, save money when you travel or use your cash-back app to compare prices online, the apps below can help you save, earn and get even more out of your shopping.
Best for groceries
Overview
Want to earn cash back when you shop for groceries? Ibotta has you covered. Although Ibotta offers cash back on purchases with many brands and retailers, it stands out as one of the best cash apps for groceries — whether you like to do your shopping in-store or prefer to have it delivered.
To earn with Ibotta, download the app or install the browser extension. Search Ibotta for cash-back offers at your favorite retailers, as well as money-saving offers associated with your favorite brands and products. Activate your cash-back offers if you’re shopping online or add the offers you want to claim to your Ibotta shopping list if you’re planning to shop in-store. From there, shop as usual.
For online shopping, any activated cash-back offers will automatically apply to your Ibotta account. If you’re shopping in person, you may need to upload your receipt to Ibotta before your cash back applies. Consider linking your store loyalty accounts to the app, so Ibotta can track your purchases and apply the cash back you’ve earned without requiring you to upload a receipt.
Ibotta lets you withdraw your earnings to a bank account or gift card once you’ve earned $20 in cash-back rewards.
Best for gas purchases
Overview
If you make a lot of gas, grocery, restaurant or convenience store purchases, Upside might help you earn cash back on these everyday expenses.
Unlike some of the cash-back apps on our list, Upside is designed to use while you’re out buying groceries or filling up your car. You won’t find online shopping opportunities with Upside, but you’ll find other good ways to save.
To use Upside, download the app, create an account and look for local offers. When you find a good deal, claim your offer and make your purchase with a credit or debit card. Confirm your purchase on the app or upload your receipt, and your cash back will apply to your Upside account.
You redeem your cash back directly to your bank account or PayPal. You can also use your cash back to purchase gift cards. If your cash out is less than $15, you may be charged a $1 fee.
Best for online shopping
Overview
This popular cash-back app, formerly known as Ebates, gives you cash back when you shop at over 3,500 retailers. You can use Rakuten’s double cash-back deals to earn more cash on your purchases or combine cash-back offers with Rakuten coupons to save money as you earn.
To earn cash back with Rakuten, open the Rakuten app, install the Rakuten browser extension or visit the Rakuten website. Select a retailer, click the Rakuten link and then shop as usual. Rakuten will automatically apply the cash back to your account, and you can receive payment through PayPal or a mailed check. Rakuten pays every three months, so if you’re hoping to get paid sooner, it’s probably not the best cash-back app for you.
On the plus side, Rakuten typically offers a welcome bonus just for signing up. And if you have an eligible American Express credit card, you can turn your cash back into Membership Rewards points.
Best for travel
Overview
Like Ibotta, Dosh helps you earn cash back with many popular retailers — but its dining and hotel partnerships make it one of the best cash-back apps for restaurants and those who want to earn rewards on travel.
To use Dosh, download the app and link your credit and debit cards. You can also link Dosh to a mobile payment app like Venmo or Jelli. When you use a linked card or payment app to make a purchase at a retailer, restaurant or hotel that offers Dosh cash back, your earnings will apply to your account.
You can shop major retailers and make hotel reservations directly through the Dosh app. Once you have a $15 balance, you can transfer your rewards to PayPal, Venmo or a linked bank account. You can even donate your earnings to charity.
Dosh does have some downsides. It doesn’t let you link Discover cards to your Dosh account — which could be a problem if you like to use the popular Discover it® Cash Back to earn rewards. If you want to ensure you earn hotel loyalty rewards from a Dosh booking, Dosh recommends you talk to the front desk and request they add the rewards to your account.
Best for discounts and coupons
Overview
RetailMeNot’s biggest strength is its discounts. The app offers deals up to 60 percent off on popular brands like Pottery Barn and Carter’s. When you add RetailMeNot’s Deal Finder extension to your browser, it automatically finds deals, coupons and cash-back offers as you shop.
RetailMeNot puts limits on the amount of cash-back rewards you earn. You’re limited to seven rewards per retailer and 20 total monthly rewards. Your cash-back rewards can take up to 45 days to process, after which you redeem them through PayPal or Venmo. You need a minimum approved balance of $5.01 to redeem rewards. The cash-back limits and processing times are the biggest drawbacks to this otherwise popular app, but shoppers who want to search for discounts or use the Deal Finder extension to take advantage of deals and coupons can still get a lot out of RetailMeNot.
Best for price comparisons
Overview
Capital One Shopping searches thousands of merchants to connect you with the best deals on whatever you’re planning to buy. When you’re ready to make your purchase, the app automatically searches for coupon codes that help you save even more.
If you’d rather wait on your purchase until the next big sale, Capital One Shopping can send you price drop alerts. And if you make a purchase right before the price drops, Capital One Shopping will file a price protection claim on your behalf and try to get some of your money back.
To use Capital One Shopping, download the browser extension or install the app. You don’t need a Capital One account to use the service. Simply install, activate and shop as usual, and Capital One Shopping will search for deals and coupons to help you maximize your online shopping.
You can also earn Shopping Rewards for select purchases. You can only redeem rewards for gift cards, but if you want to earn a little extra money as you compare prices and track the best deals, Capital One Shopping might be right for you.
What to consider before using a cash-back app
Before using cash-back apps, it’s important to weigh each app’s advantages and disadvantages based on your shopping habits and financial goals. Research specific apps thoroughly before use, as features and limitations can vary between different services.
If you’re planning on making a purchase anyway (such as everyday grocery shopping, gas purchases or dining), apps can help you save money through cash back, rewards or discounts. The trick is not allowing yourself to overspend on unplanned purchases just to receive a minimal reward.
You should also be aware of privacy concerns related to cash-back apps.
“I have been completely shocked lately by the lack of security popular services fail to provide to the end user, ultimately placing the user’s sensitive information at risk,” says John Jones, ChFC®, EA, BPC, investment advisor representative at Heritage Financial in Newberry, Florida. “Cash-back apps are no different, and consumers should take prudent care to ensure their information is safe.”
Steps you can take to ensure your cash-back app’s safety include enabling two-factor authentication, creating a strong password and only using the app on a secure network, such as your home or mobile network or mobile.
Additionally, Jones mentions the importance of researching and selecting the right apps for your unique needs. “The cash-back service should match with the consumer’s lifestyle to help provide a more abundant financial future,” he says.
Next steps
To maximize your cash-back app, consider combining it with a cash-back credit card. This strategy is known as “stacking,” and it allows savvy consumers to combine multiple rewards or discount programs to increase savings on a single purchase. Over time, rewards stacking helps you accumulate points, miles or cash back.
To stack rewards, choose the best cash-back credit card for your needs and combine it with your favorite cash-back apps.
Frequently asked questions
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