Who doesn’t love to shop? There’s no better feeling than finding a bargain when you hit the stores. But, imagine getting paid to shop? Well, with the best cashback apps, it’s certainly possible.
While shopping is great, it does take a toll on your bank account. What if there was a way to make shopping more rewarding and less expensive?
There actually is, if you know which apps to download. So yes, there really are apps out there that will pay you to shop.
Here are some of the best cashback apps to download, so you can get rewarded for spending with your favorite stores.
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How to use cashback shopping apps
On the face of it, apps that give you cash back for shopping sound amazing. So you go shopping and get money back for your purchases; sounds great, right?
While they are very cool and you’ll get some good rewards, it’s not a license to go on a spending spree. It’s worth remembering that these apps aren’t going to give you the full cost of your shopping back.
There will often be offers on certain items on these apps, giving you cashback when you buy them. That shouldn’t mean you go out and buy things you don’t need, just to get the bonus.
That would be counterintuitive to what the apps are all about. They’re there to give you a little extra bonus on the shopping you’re already doing, rather than to make you go out and spend more.
Think of these apps as a bonus when you go do your regular shopping. If you can get bonuses on the things you’re already buying, that’s great.
With that in mind, let’s look at the apps you can get to reward you for spending.
9 best cashback apps that pay you to shop
1. Shopkick
This is one of the biggest names in cashback apps, and with good reason. It’s been going on since 2009 and has all kinds of ways you can make money back on your shopping.
The app is partnered with over 250,000 stores, and you can get rewards by shopping with any of them. Here are a few ways you’ll get bonuses with the app:
- Simply walking into the store
- Scanning barcodes for products listed on the app
- Buying products with a card you linked on the app
- Scanning the receipt once you’ve bought products
There are also ways you can earn money on your online shopping too, including:
- Going to online stores
- Viewing products that are listed on the app
- Making purchases through your phone
- Watching videos on the app
When you do any of these actions, you’ll be able to get bonus points. These are called Kicks, and around 250 Kicks = $1.
You can redeem these for gift cards for a huge array of stores, so you can get money to buy the things you really want.
2. Swagbucks
If you’re here, likely, you’ve already heard of Swagbucks. They’re one of the most popular rewards sites out there, and with good reason.
They offer a whole host of ways to get cashback on your shopping, as well as earn points through other methods. On the app, you’ll see offers you can redeem and get points for doing so.
If that offer is for something you were looking to buy anyway, then you can snap it up and be rewarded for it. This can be for all kinds of products, from fashion from your favorite labels to TV streaming services and more.
Of course, you can increase your points balance by doing other tasks on the site. For example, you can download other apps, do surveys, watch videos, and more to get those points.
Once you have enough, you’ll be able to redeem those points for cash. You have the option of being paid out through PayPal, or you can get gift cards for lots of big brands, such as Amazon.
3. iBotta
This is another very popular app, and many shoppers swear by it. As such, it’s one that you’ve got to check out.
When you download the app, you’ll see that you’re not going to get rewards right away. Instead, you’ll have to go into it and select some offers to redeem.
If you see any you like, simply select it, and it’ll be added to your account. Then, when you go shopping any buy that item, you’ll then be given points for buying it.
You’ll also be given points for scanning your receipt if you’ve bought an item on offer, so make sure you’re hanging onto those receipts and taking pictures of them.
On top of that, you’ll get extra points if you link your loyalty card to your account. Then, when you use the card as you shop, you’ll be given extra bonus points.
These points can be exchanged for PayPal cash, Venmo, or gift cards. That gives you lots of choice as to how you’ll use that extra cash.
4. Rakuten
You may know this site as Ebates, and it’s one of the oldest around after being launched in 1998. It’s very easy to get money back for shopping through them.
All you have to do is go to the site and sign up for an account. Then, find the link for the store you want to shop at.
Head to the store, and buy your items like you normally would. Once you’ve made your purchases, you’ll then be given cash back for doing so.
The amount of cashback you get will depend on how much the store is offering. As an example, say a store is offering 5% back on all purchases.
If you spend $100 on an item there, you’ll get $5 back through the site. It’s going to be credited to your account automatically, so you don’t have to do a thing.
You’ll need at least $5 in your account to be paid out, and those payments happen automatically too. They happen on the 15th of May, August, November, and February.
Those payouts may not be as regular as you’d like, but there’s very little you have to do here to get that cashback. As such, it’s well worth checking them out.
5. BeFrugal
BeFrugal is another app that has been around for a while, having started in 2009. Now, they can offer you cashback on items from over 5,000 stores, so there’s bound to be something here for you.
On top of the cashback offers they have, there’s also plenty of coupons and money off deals that are only available through the app. So this is where you should turn if you want to squeeze the most out of every dollar you spend.
When you sign up here, you’ll also get a $10 welcome offer, which is a great golden hello, and a way to boost the cash back you’ll be getting.
Many people love this app as it offers quite high cashback rates. They also let you cash out at any time, even if you have just 1 cent in your account.
That’s something you just can’t do with most cashback apps. You can have that money sent to you via PayPal, direct deposit, or check, or you can redeem a gift card.
If you opt for gift cards, you’ll get extra cashback, so keep that in mind if you want to get even more from your bonuses.
6. Drop
Drop is fairly new, but it’s already bringing in loyal members as they’re able to offer some very good deals. To become a member, you’ll need to link a credit card and an online banking account.
Once you’ve done that, you can take advantage of the deals they have. In addition, when you shop through the app at various brands, you’ll get cashback for doing so.
Keep an eye out for Flash Deals, as these give you even more points for shopping at well-known brands.
The app gives you other ways to earn, too. For example, you’ll be given the opportunity to download app games and earn through them.
You’ll be asked to play the game and reach a certain level, and when you do, you’ll get extra points.
You can also do surveys on the app, which ask you to spend a few minutes answering questions. Once you do, you’ll be able to earn even more points.
Once you have enough points, you’ll be able to get them onto gift cards. Many like this app as it earns cashback for you passively.
All you have to do is set it up, and then you’re ready to start earning.
7. TopCashBack
This is another app similar to Rakuten, and many people find it to be highly rewarding. Their main selling point is that they give all the affiliate commissions back to you and keep the app free for everyone.
Because of this, they’re able to give you a higher amount of cashback when you shop at certain stores. So it certainly helps you get the most out of every purchase.
Also, it’s worth knowing that they don’t have any minimum cash-out requirements, so you can get your money whenever you want it. You can get your money via PayPal, direct deposit, or on a gift card of your choice.
If you want to get even more, though, you’ll get an extra 3% if you choose to get a gift card, so keep that in mind.
8. Dosh
All of these apps need you to do some work, such as scanning your receipts when you go shopping or search through them for the deals you want. If that sounds like too much for you, then Dosh may be what you’re looking for.
It’s quite similar to Dosh, as you’ll just set the app up once, and then you’re all set. Link your card and your banking account with it, and then you’ll be rewarded when you make purchases with them.
You’ll get an extra bonus per card you link, so that’s a nice little extra to get.
All you have to do is earn is shop as normal, using the cards you have linked. Then, when you make a qualifying purchase at one of their affiliate stores, you’ll be automatically sent your bonus.
You can also get cashback if you shop online using the app itself. There’s also the option to get more rewards when you book hotels through the app, as you’ll get a certain amount of points per night you book.
You’ll be able to cash out once you have at least $25 in your account. This can be sent via direct deposit, Venmo, or PayPal.
You also have the option to send that cash to a charity if you so choose.
9. ReceiptHog
As the name suggests, this app is mostly focused on scanning your receipts and giving you bonuses for them. It’s a nice little earner to have on your phone, as the rewards can build up quickly.
Every time you scan a receipt on the app, you’ll be given coins for doing so. There are several ways it works out how much you’ll get, and you can check out exactly how on the app itself.
When you accumulate 1,000 coins, that equates to $5. You can cash out onto an Amazon gift card via PayPal or use it to pay for a magazine subscription.
There’s also the chance to win other bonuses if you’re a frequent user of the app. For example, you can do short surveys, scan certain barcodes, and spin the Hog Slots for a chance to win more coins.
It’s not going to net you the biggest bonuses, but if you’re using it alongside other apps, it can help boost those earnings.
These are just a few of the best cashback apps out there right now. As you can see, there are lots of different ways you can get money back on your shopping.
That includes receipt scanning, buying certain items, linking loyalty cards, and more. Download some of these apps now, and see how much you can be rewarded just for shopping as usual.
