In this article, I’ll show you the 18 best cashback apps to make some extra money online.
Cashback is an awesome way to make extra money using your smartphone.
All you do is spend money at your favorite retailers and you earn a small amount of cashback. Just put your credit card information into one of these apps. Then, every time you spend money with your credit card, you earn a percentage of what you spent that goes into your account.
Now that sounds great, but of course, you’re wondering: What apps can I download in order to get cashback? There are many choices out there, but in this article, I’ll give you the 18 best cashback apps to earn you some extra cash.
I will give you the pros and cons of each app to help you make an informed decision, and I will also include links to download the app whether you are using an Android or Apple device.
And with that said, let’s get started with the list.
1. Rakuten
If you live in the United States, you might have seen an ad or two from this company. There are several things that I really like about Rakuten.
First of all, Rakuten has a big list of qualifying stores, where you can earn cash back. These stores include department stores, telecommunications, supermarkets, online retailers, and more!
In addition to rebates for shopping at one of Rakuten’s many stores, Rakuten also includes some promo codes for certain retailers that can save you money. You can also earn money on Rakuten by referring others to it. When you sign someone up through your referral link, you (and your referral) will earn $30 after they spend their first $30 using Rakuten!
You need at least $5.01 to redeem your earnings. You can get paid either by check or via PayPal. Unfortunately, the Rakuten app is only available in the United States and Canada.
Before you download the Rakuten app, take advantage of my $30 bonus for you by signing up here. Once you finish setting up your account, head over to the app and start spending!
- A huge list of qualifying stores
- Big savings through bonuses and promos
- Referral program that really pays
- Payment only by check or through PayPal
- Only available in the U.S. and Canada
2. ShopStyle
ShopStyle is actually a sister company of Rakuten. It offers you rebates for shopping at different home and fashion retailers. Like Rakuten, their list of qualifying stores is massive, giving you plenty of opportunities to get cashback.
Their qualifying brands include Levi, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Wayfair, Bloomingdale, and more.
Another reason to go with ShopStyle is its “Sale Alert” feature. If there is a sale going on from your favorite brand, the app will notify you and you can take advantage of some awesome savings. You can also get special recommendations from ShopStyle based on your personal preferences so you can get the most out of the app!
ShopStyle is only available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
- A huge list of qualifying stores
- Sends alerts on sales from top brands
- Recommendations catered to you
- Only available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K.
3. Dosh
Another good place to get cash back on your mobile device is Dosh.
Not only can you earn rebates shopping at various stores, but also for purchasing at restaurants like Pizza Hut, streaming services like Disney+, or even hotel stays! With Dosh, you have a variety of places to get cashback from!
You sign up for Dosh using your mobile phone number. Then plug in your card to your Dosh account and each time you purchase, you earn cashback. They also have a referral program where you can get paid to share it with your family and friends as well!
When you’re ready to redeem, you can get paid via your bank account, PayPal, or Venmo, or you can donate some or all of your earnings to a charity of your choice. The only downside to Dosh is that it is only available in the United States.
- Many stores, restaurants, hotels, and more to earn cashback from
- Referral program to earn even more
- Requires a mobile number
- Only available in the U.S.
4. Ibotta
Similar to Rakuten, Ibotta makes it really easy for you to navigate through the app and start earning cashback when you spend at any one of their qualified stores. And the best part: when you sign up and spend your first $30, you get a $10 cashback bonus!
There are many ways to earn on Ibotta:
- You can find groceries to save money on and get cashback when you use the promo
- You can buy gift cards for certain stores and simply use them to earn cashback
- You can connect your card and shop online for cashback
- You can achieve cash bonuses just for using the Ibotta app
And, as far as I know, Ibotta doesn’t seem to have a referral program.
But, when you’re ready to redeem, you can choose to get paid to your bank account, via PayPal, or redeem a gift card of your choice. Once again, this is yet another app only available in the United States.
- Many ways to earn in addition to cashback
- $10 bonus for spending your first $30
- Multiple cash and gift card choices
- Only available in the U.S.
5. BeFrugal
With BeFrugal, you have the potential to earn fairly high rebates when you shop at your favorite online retailers. There are over 5,000 qualified stores and services that will allow you to get cashback with BeFrugal.
But what’s cool about BeFrugal is that they actually help you find good deals and discounts to use when you’re shopping online. Then, whenever you use one of their coupons, you earn cashback! Also, when you sign up for BeFrugal, you get a $10 bonus to help you start saving and earning!
BeFrugal also has a referral program where you can share the app with others. When they spend $10 inside the app as your referral, both you and they will earn $10 as a referral bonus! BeFrugal has multiple payment options including by check, bank account, PayPal, Venmo, and gift cards.
BeFrugal mainly serves the United States, but if you live outside the United States, you’re in luck because BeFrugal has stated that “all of our coupons as well as our Cash Back program work properly for residents of most countries.” So, give them a try to see if they can work for you and help you save money!
- Available in the U.S. and other countries
- $10 bonus after you sign up
- Referral program to earn more money
- Multiple payment options
- May not be available in certain countries
- Some payment options only in U.S.
6. RetailMeNot
Similar to BeFrugal, RetailMeNot allows you to find the best deals and discounts from thousands of retailers. You can also get rebates for dining at some restaurants as well as traveling with websites like Booking.com.
In addition to the savings, RetailMeNot also lets you earn cashback for using any one of its promos, unlike most retail savings apps.
RetailMeNot also allows you to scan barcodes and upload receipts in order to get cashback. You can also have the app on your phone notify you when new deals come up so you can jump in, spend, and earn rebates ASAP.
When you’re ready to get paid, you can redeem your earnings via PayPal or Venmo. Sadly, it appears that RetailMeNot is only available in the United States and Canada.
- Thousands of brands to get cash back
- Barcodes and receipts let you earn more
- Sends alerts on exclusive deals
- Payment only through PayPal or Venmo
- Only available in the U.S. and Canada
7. ShopBack
This cashback app is perfect if you live in any of these countries: Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, and China. It does not work well in other countries like the United States.
All you need to do is open the app, pick a website to make a purchase from, redeem a discount or coupon, and when you make the purchase, you get cashback automatically funded to your account.
Websites that you can purchase from include online retailers like Amazon and Lazada, travel services like Expedia, and delivery services like Foodpanda.
By using ShopBack, you get up to 30% cash back for every purchase you make. Once you earn at least $100 USD in cashback, you will be able to request payment, either to your bank account or via PayPal.
- Up to 30% cashback for every purchase
- Hundreds of regional brands to earn from
- Use discounts and coupons to save money
- Only available in East Asia and Australia
8. Drop
Out of all the cash back apps in this list, Drop seems to be the simplest and most engaging. When you start using Drop, you link your card to your account. Then you’re able to earn points by spending at certain places with your card. But you can also earn points by doing other fun tasks like taking surveys and playing minigames.
There is a huge selection of online retailers and services that you can buy from to earn cashback on Drop. These retailers and services include Sephora, Hotels.com, Amazon, Groupon, Boston Pizza, and delivery services like Grubhub and Uber Eats.
After you accumulate your earnings, you can then redeem them for cryptocurrency or for gift cards for a variety of places. Unfortunately, Drop is not available outside the U.S. and Canada.
- Very simple and user-friendly app
- Earn from surveys and minigames
- Multiple gift card and crypto options
- Only available in the U.S. and Canada
9. Upside
There is one upside to using Upside: this app makes it easy and simple to find places you can earn cashback from and get rebates once you spend!
Upside lets you get cashback from different stores, restaurants, and gas stations in your area. The next time you need to go to any of these places, open the app and pick a cashback offer. Then go to that place and start spending! If you use the credit card you plugged into the app or scan a receipt that verifies your purchase, you get cashback! Simple.
You can withdraw your earnings via PayPal, your bank account, or a gift card of your choice. Please note, like with most of these other apps, Upside is only available in the United States.
- Very simple and user-friendly app
- Many different stores, restaurants, and gas stations to earn from
- Multiple cash and gift card choices
- Only available in the U.S.
10. Swagbucks
You might have heard this name before, but I bet you didn’t know you could earn cashback from shopping using Swagbucks. Well, the truth is you can!
After you sign up to Swagbucks, head over to the Shop section of the app. There, you can choose from all sorts of online retailers to shop and earn cashback from. Just select an offer, complete it, and you earn points (known as SB) that can be exchanged for PayPal or a gift card of your choice.
There is also a section where you can upload receipts from shopping at qualified stores in person. If the receipt includes any of the qualifying grocery items in Swagbucks, you earn even more points!
Of course, Swagbucks is more than getting cashback. You also get points from taking surveys, playing games, referring people, among other things. That’s what’s great about this app: there is more than one way to earn points!
- Very simple and user-friendly app
- Most popular online rewards app
- Earn from surveys and minigames
- Multiple gift card choices
- May not be available in certain countries
11. Tada
If you selected Swagbucks above, I recommend this app for cashback as well!
Tada is another good app when it comes to cashback, and all you need to use it is a Swagbucks account! Originally called ShopAtHome, the app was bought out by Prodege, the company behind Swagbucks. So, if you have the Swagbucks app, you should get this app as well to get the most cashback.
It’s very simple to use and the app has a nice looking interface. All you need to do is upload your shopping receipt to the app or connect your online store accounts. Once the app verifies your purchases, you get rewarded with SB, Swagbucks points, into your Swagbucks account.
Then, just like with Swagbucks, you can get paid via PayPal or any gift card of your choice.
- Very simple and user-friendly app
- Linking accounts saves you time
- Multiple gift card choices
- May not be available in certain countries
12. Receipt Hog
Maybe you find uploading receipts a fun way to get cashback with your phone. With Receipt Hog, you can focus on showing off your receipts and earning money doing it!
Receipt Hog is yet another app that is simple to use. Just shop at a physical store or at an online store, save your receipts, upload them to the app, and earn coins! You can also earn additional coins by linking accounts from various retailers. By linking accounts, it will save you time uploading receipts.
Another cool thing about Receipt Hog: each time you upload a receipt, you are automatically entered into a monthly sweepstakes, so you always have a chance of winning big!
In Receipt Hog, you earn coins for every receipt you upload. These coins can be exchanged for PayPal cash, a prepaid Visa card, or an Amazon gift card. This app only accepts receipts from the U.S. and Canada.
- Very simple and user-friendly app
- Linking accounts saves you time
- Automatic entry into sweepstakes
- Only available in the U.S. and Canada
13. Shopkick
Shopkick allows you to earn points any time you shop, known as “kicks.” There are a few ways you can earn on Shopkick:
- You can earn kicks by scanning receipts from purchases you made or by scanning bar codes of specific products in a store.
- You can also earn by doing online shopping and watching video advertisements.
- You can even get kicks by simply walking into a store, even if you don’t buy anything!
Shopkick also gives you coupons that can help you save money on your purchases. Many different brands are qualifying Shopkick partners from which you can earn points and claim coupons. These include Walmart, Amazon, eBay, Groupon, Best Buy, and more!
Then, when you’re ready to get paid, you can redeem a gift card of your choice or claim it as PayPal cash. Please note that you need to verify your phone number before you can cash out.
- Earn more by watching videos
- Save more by using coupons
- Requires a mobile number
14. Checkout 51
If you live in the United States or Canada, Checkout 51 is another great choice to earn cashback. Unfortunately, this app will not work outside of these two countries.
There are many ways to earn cashback with Checkout 51:
- You can upload receipts from stores or gas stations you purchased at
- You can purchase online at various retailers and services
- You can watch video advertisements
- You can take short surveys relating to shopping
- You can take advantage of bonuses to earn more
You can cash out your earnings in the form of a check or cash deposited to your PayPal account.
- Multiple ways to earn cashback
- Bonuses to help you earn more
- Payment only by check or through PayPal
- Only available in the U.S. and Canada
15. ReceiptPal
Another app where you can get cashback uploading your receipts is ReceiptPal. Like most of the other apps in this list, it is another app only available in the United States.
If you’re able to download ReceiptPal, you’re greeted to a clean, simple screen. From there, just upload your paper receipts or online receipts. Valid purchases will earn you points that can be redeemed for a gift card of your choice or a prepaid Visa card. Unfortunately, you cannot redeem your points as PayPal cash, and if that’s what you prefer, I’d recommend Receipt Hog instead.
In addition to cashback, every valid purchase automatically enters you into a sweepstakes every week for a chance to win big cash prizes! You can even play minigames inside the app to earn even more points!
ReceiptPal definitely makes it fun and easy for you to get paid for your receipts.
- Very simple and user-friendly app
- Automatic entry into sweepstakes
- Limited gift card options
- Only available in the U.S.
16. CoinOut
CoinOut is very engaging when it comes to cashback. Not only do you earn points when you upload your shopping receipts, but you can also earn through things like leveling up and playing minigames.
As you upload more receipts, you level up over time, and as you level up, you earn more per receipt! So, rest assured that, with CoinOut, you will start small and earn big after a while. And, with a few fun minigames to play, this app can keep you engaged for a while to help you earn more cashback.
If you’re ready to cash out your points, your choices are an Amazon gift card, PayPal cash, or direct deposit through Zelle. Sadly, this app is only available to residents of the United States.
- Earn from leveling up and minigames
- Multiple payment options
- Only available in the U.S.
17. Fetch Rewards
Another trustworthy cashback app is Fetch Rewards. With millions of downloads and a very high rating in the app stores, I would highly recommend this app as well.
In addition to a clean and user-friendly interface, Fetch gives you plenty of ways to earn points which can be redeemed for cash:
- Scan receipts from various stores, restaurants, and gas stations. You earn points for every qualifying product you bought and for every receipt you upload.
- Upload e-receipts from online brands like Amazon and UberEats.
- Take advantage of exclusive shopping offers inside the app that can save you money.
- Refer your friends to download and use the app as well.
- Get a daily reward and a chance to spin a carnival wheel for more points.
When you’re ready to redeem your points, you can choose from a variety of gift cards or a prepaid Visa card. You can also choose to donate your earnings to your favorite charity. Keep in mind that you need a mobile number to use the app and you must be a resident of the United States.
- Very simple and user-friendly app
- Opportunities to earn points daily
- Multiple gift card options
- Only available in the U.S.
- Requires a phone number
18. Bidali
Bidali is a mobile wallet app similar to PayPal, but the difference is that it is built on blockchain, which means your transactions are encrypted and it only supports cryptocurrency. Bidali allows you to earn cashback for buying gift cards to your favorite brands like Amazon, Starbucks, and DoorDash.
You start by loading your Bidali wallet with funds from your crypto wallet. Unfortunately, you cannot at this time fund from your bank account or credit card (unless you have a Canadian bank account). Once your account is funded, start buying gift cards and, when you buy one, you get cashback! You can then spend that gift card yourself or you can give that gift card to someone else who uses the Bidali app. As for your cashback, you can always transfer your earnings back to your crypto wallet.
However, a word of caution. There’s a reason why I put this one at the bottom of this list. This app has not received as many positive reviews as the others on the list and has an average rating of 3 out of 5.
- Transactions are encrypted
- Huge selection of gift card choices
- Low rating in the app stores
- Does not support cards and most bank accounts
Conclusion
This concludes my list of 18 good cashback apps you can use to earn extra money on your phone.
So, what would I suggest? I would say give any of the apps toward the top of my list a try first before moving down to the bottom ones. I also recommend you download two or three of these apps so that way, you can double or triple your rebate earnings!
Now there are other ways you can earn money using smartphone apps.
- I have a list of other great moneymaking apps here.
- You can also check out my best mobile survey apps if you’re okay with answering a bunch of questions.
- If you like exercising, here are some apps that will pay you to walk.
Finally, if you’d like to make hundreds of dollars a day online, I would recommend you look into affiliate marketing. It’s the easiest way to make long-term life-changing passive income. All you need to do is get people to click a link for a product, and if they buy, you earn money!
I have a complete guide on affiliate marketing if you are ready to start learning.
With that being said, I hope this article helped you start getting paid for the things you spend money on. Happy shopping and happy earning!