- Ibotta
How it works: With Ibotta, you can earn cash back on in-store and online purchases at more than 2,000 supported retailers. Initially focused on groceries, the selection has expanded to include clothing, entertainment and dining, pet supplies, and other categories. Offers vary by product or retailer. Others require you to complete additional tasks, such as: B. Watch a video or take a survey.
There are three ways to earn cash back in stores: add offers in the app and submit receipts after purchases (you have 7 days to submit receipts from the app), link a merchant loyalty account, or use the Ibotta app to buy merchant gift cards. For online shopping, shop through the app or use the Ibotta browser extension on your computer.
Pay: PayPal, digital gift cards, or direct transfer to your bank account.
Rewards: Get fast cash back on in-store purchases, usually within 24 hours. Ibotta also offers welcome bonuses for new users, referral bonuses, and a variety of payment methods.
Cons: The process of earning money can be slow. You need at least $20 in cash back to redeem your earnings (some gift cards require at least $25 in earnings). For online shopping, the waiting time for cash back varies by merchant. Ibotta also charges an account maintenance fee for inactive (no activity for 180 days) or deactivated accounts. The fee is deducted from your balance, not your bank account.
Download: Android, iOS.
- Rakuten
How it works: Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) gives shoppers cash back on purchases from popular retailers, restaurants, and food delivery services. Users can also earn cash back on travel, gift cards, and more. It’s easy to get started: Create an account, tap the store you want to shop at within the app, and complete the transaction through a portal. You can also link your credit or debit card to your Rakuten account to earn cash back in stores, but only if you enable the offer in the app first. Rakuten will deposit the cash back into your account after verifying your purchase with the retailer.
Payment: PayPal or “Big Fat Check”.
Rewards: Thousands of stores and purchases are eligible for cash back, so you might find great deals where you already shop. New users can receive a welcome bonus after their first eligible purchase, and you can also receive sign-up and referral bonuses.