6 Best Cash Back Apps To Help You Save In 2024
With the ever-increasing cost of living, everyone is looking for ways to save money. One of the best ways to do it is through cashback apps. Cashback apps give you a percentage of your purchase back in cash after you purchase. To help you navigate the world of cashback apps (and save money!), these are the 6 best cash back apps that you should check out.
Ibotta
With major retailers such as Walmart and Target under its belt, Ibotta is one of the most popular cash back apps around. Excellent ratings on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store prove that this is an excellent service and a great option to save money for you.
Using Ibotta is pretty straightforward: first, you have to download the app itself (or, if you are more of a desktop user, the browser extension) and register there. Afterward, when you decide to go shopping, go out to town, or make any purchase, search for the appropriate offers on the app and add them to your list.
Once the shopping (or fun) deed is done, take a picture of the receipt and upload it to the app. You will receive the cashback in your Ibotta account when the receipt is verified. Simple! Once you accumulate $20, you can request a direct deposit to your bank account or your PayPal account or simply exchange it for a gift card.
There are some minor complaints regarding the lacking customer service on this app, but overall, it is a ridiculously popular application that is best used for your daily shopping needs.
Rakuten
Rakuten is another popular cash back app with offers from over 2500 stores. It can be used for cash back for online and in-store purchases. The app is available on Android and iOS devices and free to use. The cash back rewards vary from at least 1% to 8-10%.
To start using, you must go through the same procedure as with any similar app. It all starts with downloading the app and signing up for an account. This can be done via the app or a browser extension.
Once you’re in, you can check all the available offers in the app. Alongside these offers, there will be a percentage provided that you will get back once you make the purchase. When you find the offer you wish to take, simply activate it and buy whatever it is. This works for any online purchase that is offered via Rakuten. The cashback hits your account as soon as the purchase is verified.
If you wish to use this app for in-store purchases, simply link your credit/debit cards to the Rakuten app so the app can track your purchases. You will still need to activate the offer that you wish to use before purchasing to be eligible for the cash back.
Let’s jump to the most important part — money! Each quarter, your accumulated cash is sent to your PayPal account. You can also request a paper check that you can exchange for money. Although getting paid quarter by quarter might seem like a disadvantage, Rakuten's various pros outweigh this minor limitation.
Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is a cash back app that gives you back a percentage of your purchase just for submitting a receipt. The scope is incredible since you can upload receipts from any shop you like to frequent. The word “shops” is used broadly here, as you can also upload receipts from gas stations and other retailers.
The app's interface is immaculate, containing just a few buttons and sections. You can quickly snap a picture of the receipt and upload it without going through loops and Google search marathons. It is that easy! In case you forgot to take a picture of the receipt — don’t worry. Fetch Rewards will accept receipts that are upwards of two weeks old.
Unlike other cash back apps, you must not activate any offers before purchasing. All you have to do is take a picture of the receipt, and that is it. The app also offers specialized deals that are catered to your shopping habits, and their rewards can get quite large. This could lead to better personal finance decisions.
You can request a payout for as little as $3 worth of points (yes, the app uses a points system, where 1000 points are worth $1). You can exchange these points for various gift cards to stores or prepaid MasterCard/Visa cards.
Dosh
Dosh is an amazing way to save effortlessly on your everyday purchases! With over 100,000 participating stores and brands, you can earn cold hard cash back right away - just link up your bank, credit/debit cards, or PayPal account to this app, and you are good to go.
One of the standout features of the Dosh app is its simplicity. Unlike other cash back apps, Dosh does not require uploading receipts or scanning barcodes. Instead, you simply link their credit or debit cards to the app, and cash back is automatically credited to your account when you make a qualifying purchase at a participating retailer. Needless to say, this app is focused more on those of you who do not use actual cash, and prefer using cards or virtual accounts for purchases.
Another great feature of Dosh is its variety of participating retailers. The app includes popular stores like Walmart, Target, and Macy's, restaurants, and travel companies. This means you can earn cash back on various purchases, from groceries to hotel stays.
In addition to its cash back rewards, Dosh also offers special deals and discounts. These deals are updated regularly and can be accessed directly through the app, making saving money on your purchases and budgeting easier.
One potential downside of Dosh is that it does not offer as high of cash back rates as some other cash back apps. However, the app's simplicity and variety of participating retailers make it a great choice for those who want to earn cash back without jumping through loops.
Checkout 51
Checkout 51 is similar to Fetch Rewards in that you have to take pictures of your receipts. What is different though is that the offers on this service are not linked to specific stores. They are linked to specific products. In other words, you gain a cash back not for buying at a select store, but for purchasing a select product.
Offers on this app are updated weekly, offering something fresh every single time. For some, it may be a big plus; for others, this could be a dealbreaker. The usage is simple, as with other apps. Simply pick out an offer on the app, make the purchase, and upload your receipt. You have to upload it before the offer expires, though.
The range of rewards is extensive and can be just a few cents to a few dollars. The app also offers coupons that you can use for further discounts, and you can even get cash backs for gas station purchases — including fuel itself! And each time you accumulate at least $20 on your account, you can request a payout. The payouts are mailed to you as a check that you can convert to cash.
Coupons.com
As the name suggests, Coupons.com is a service focused on coupons. You may not think that they have a cash back program, but they do! To get started, download the app to your device (the app is available on Android and iOS devices) and link your shop loyalty cards to the app. Available discounts and cash backs are then automatically applied as you shop.
If you do not have loyalty cards to the shops offering cash back via Coupons.com, you can simply purchase there and upload the receipt to the app. This way, you will still receive your cash back without getting a loyalty card or two.
You can earn anywhere from 1% to 10% cash back on this app and payout using PayPal. The most convenient thing about Coupons.com is the versatility and availability of choice. As noted, you can link loyalty cards or keep them in your wallet; you can use the cash back offerings or discount coupons — the choices are all yours!
Cashback apps are a fantastic way to save money while shopping. With so many options available in 2024, it can be overwhelming to choose the best one. But with the six cashback apps outlined in this blog post, you will find one that suits your needs. So start earning cashback and saving money today!
