Top 20 Best Reward Apps for Cash Back

Smart shoppers know that taking advantage of discounts means more than just clipping coupons before you drive to the grocery store. Conquer your budget goals with reward apps that pay you more for being money savvy.

Getting more for the money you spend is a priority for many families these days. If your budget can’t stretch any tighter but you still need to squeeze a few more pennies out of your paycheck, a reward app can be your solution. These apps reward you for purchases you already make to put more money back into your pocket.

Taking advantage of reward apps can both increase your savings and help you to continue those savings in the future. We’ve compiled a list of the best reward apps you can find to download in order to boost your savings and help your money do more for you. Plus, we’ll show you how to get the most out of these apps to add a few extra dollars to your savings account each month.

Are you ready to save money and get exclusive discounts? Let’s find out which 20 reward apps pay you the most dividends.

How Do Reward Apps Work

Reward apps incentivize the shopping you already do. You can earn rewards for free on these apps, as long as you complete the signup process. As you create accounts on these various reward apps you may also need to link a debit or credit card to get the full benefits of that reward app.

As you shop, reward apps typically accumulate your earnings over time. These funds can be considered a type of passive income, as you don’t have to do anything extra (or very little) in your daily routine to obtain rewards. If you shop for food, reward apps can help you save money with little effort.

At the same time, each reward app is different from the next. Depending on what actions you perform and/or complete, you can receive benefits from your efforts. Take advantage of the things you already do to earn rewards and put cash back in your wallet.

Reward App Benefits

Here’s a list of some of the benefits you can expect from reward apps. As you search through the listings we’ve compiled below, research each one further to see what benefits they offer. Sometimes benefits can change as the company grows.

Cash Back

You spend money to get groceries, but you can earn back some of that money in the form of cash back. This cash is returned to you, often as a promotional for a certain product or brand.

Most of these details include a requirement to purchase a specific product or fulfill a deal. These reward apps typically require a minimum balance in order to request cash back, but you can often choose from gift cards and/or prepaid Visa cards. Payment may also be requested via PayPal or check.

Points

Platforms that offer cash back rewards can also work in a points system. As you complete tasks and deals, you’ll earn points, which can be cashed out for real money, gift cards, and more. The amount of points you earn, as well as how many points it takes to cash out, varies from reward app to reward app. For example, a single point doesn’t necessarily translate to $1 or even $0.01.

Coupons and Discounts

Cash back can help your savings, but coupons and discounts prevent the money from leaving your account in the first place. Reward apps feature coupons from select retailers to offer you discounts, which are typically not available to the average consumer unless they’re registered on the same app.

20 of the Best Reward Apps

If you’re ready to download some of the best rewards apps, type in the names below to find one that suits your needs.

1. Honey

Make purchases with Honey Gold partners to earn Gold to redeem for gift cards. There are also coupons you can take advantage of at stores you already shop at. Plus, the browser extension can be a great way to complement the Honey app.

2. Rakuten

Shop through affiliates of Rakuten to receive cash back, ranging from 0.5% to 8%. You can even earn up to 30% cash back in some cases. There are many popular retailers among the Rakuten affiliate list. Earnings are paid out after 60 days via PayPal. After that, any rewards over $5 that you earn are delivered to you on the 15th of the month.

3. Drop

Drop is compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems. This app rewards you for shopping with your linked debit or credit card. As you shop, you’ll earn points from sponsored brands to redeem for gift cards for Amazon and Starbucks, to name a few. You can also earn rewards by signing up for subscriptions, using partner coupons and cash back rewards, and playing games.

4. Capital One Shopping

This browser extension also has a partner app that allows you to save money while you shop. You can save before you purchase with coupon codes and/or earn shopping credits for the purchases you do make.

5. Bumped

Rather than earning straight cash back on this reward app, you can earn free stocks instead. Pick a single merchant from each of the 16 categories to choose from in order to earn that stock. You will have to provide your social security number because they are stocks, but you are free to sell your stocks at any time and transfer your cash back into your linked banking account.

5. Dosh

In order to complete your Dosh account, you will need to connect a debit or credit card. However, you can earn rewards from a number of popular stores, as well as for travel arrangements. Unlike other reward apps, you won’t have to select offers with Dosh. Instead, they pay you automatically when they detect you’ve fulfilled an opportunity. Payouts require a minimum balance of $25.

7. ReceiptPal

Not many people keep their receipts these days, but if you do, you can upload them for cash back from ReceiptPal. This rewards app is not specifically for groceries, so you can use it for more than just food receipts. In fact, each receipt is worth about $0.07 when you upload it.

8. Upside

Saving on gas can be a great way to earn cash back. Upside allows you to earn up to $0.25 back per gallon at participating gas stations. All you have to do is claim the offer, pay for your gas and get a receipt, submit the receipt, and get paid. Payments come via PayPal or gift cards.

9. Ibotta

Like ReceiptPal, you can also upload your receipts to Ibotta. This app partners with over 500 retailers to help you earn more for groceries, restaurants, clothing, hotels, and more. You have to earn $20 before you cash out, but it’s worth it considering how much you could potentially earn with your receipts.

10. Checkout 51

For offers that pay anywhere from $0.50 to $5, download Checkout 51. This rewards app partners with many major retailers you’re familiar with in order to bring you cash back rewards. Simply upload your receipt to get cash back. You can also enter their sweepstakes for a chance to win even more rewards.

11. Swagbucks

Swagbucks continues to offer rewards for surveys, games, coupons and offers, watching videos, and more. It’s free to sign up for this app, which partners with a number of retailers to bring you some of the best cash back offers, typically ranging from 1-3%.

12. Receipt Hog

If you’re drowning in receipts, take your paper to Receipt Hog. This rewards app allows you to upload any kind of receipt in exchange for Hog Coins. You can also earn Hog Coins from the Hog Slot game. A total of 200 Hog Coins is the equivalent of $1. You can redeem these Coins for things like Amazon gift cards, prepaid Visa cards, and PayPal Cash.

13. Fetch Rewards

Like Checkout 51, Fetch Rewards is a receipt-scanning rewards app that can be downloaded to your Android and iPhone. Fetch partners with brands specifically, not retailers, so you can get the most cash back for your purchases. Products that earn you cash back for purchasing include beauty products, magazine subscriptions, household goods, alcohol, and food. The minimum cash out is $3 and you can choose from gift cards or cash for your cash back rewards.

14. RetailMeNot

If you enjoy finding coupons and activating online offers and discounts, RetailMeNot should be next on your download list. This rewards app allows you to receive personal notifications on discounts in your area, as well as earn from 1-10% on purchases from major retailers.

15. Fluz

Fluz is unique in the fact that you earn cash back from buying gift cards for purchases you plan on making. For example, if you were going to purchase makeup from Sephora, you would instead buy a gift card from Fluz and then make the purchase. Fluz rewards you with cash back, up to 35% in some cases. You can cash out after earning $26 from shopping at places like Hulu, Uber Eats, and Chipotle.

16. Coupons.com

The Coupon.com app works with the cash back website to bring you retailer coupons and offers you can take advantage of. Link your store loyalty card to add a coupon, or print them instead. Then, when you visit that particular retailer, your coupons are either automatically applied or can be applied to your in-store purchase.

17. Be Frugal

Sign up for free on Be Frugal to earn up to 40% cash back on some purchase. Be Frugal works with thousands of partners to give you cash back on a number of purchases. If you find a promo code of theirs that doesn’t work, they’ll reward you with $5.

Plus, they match the cash back rates on other sites if you find a better deal, in addition to an extra 25% cash back. You’ll need a minimum of $25 to cash out via check, but there’s no minimum for direct deposit or PayPal.

18. CoinOut

There are no fees associated with signing up for a CoinOut account, which rewards you for scanning your receipts. There are no coupons or even partners to select from, just rewards for uploading your receipt. You can also earn rewards for referrals and there are no minimum cash out balances.

19. Shopkick

A total of 250 Kicks converts to $1 on the Shopkick app, which allows you to earn Kicks for buying from their partners. You can also scan items to earn rewards for free gift cards.

20. NCPMobile

Similar to receipt-uploading apps that require pictures of your purchase, NCPMobile uses the barcodes of items you buy to reward you for answering questions about your purchase. You can earn points towards gift cards through scanning barcodes, as well as taking surveys and playing games.

How to Get the Most Out of Reward Apps

Downloading a reward app is the first step in getting more for the things you do. However, here are some tips for getting the most out of the reward apps you do download:

  • Turn on notifications to alert you of new deals, promotions, etc.
  • Combine reward opportunities across apps to gain from your purchases in multiple ways.
  • Purchases made with cash back credit cards can increase your savings even further.
  • If you don’t need an item right away, wait for a sale or take advantage of one in order to bulk up on supplies.
  • Stick to your monthly budget and don’t let bargaining get in the way of your spending goals.

Reward apps can be a great tool for saving money when used properly. Even if you only use your reward app once a month, the rewards you receive can make it worthwhile.

FAQs

How much can you make with a reward app?

Reward app earnings can vary from one household to the next. The rewards you can earn depend on a variety of factors, but suffice it to say that you can earn more with a reward app than you would without one. Even if you only earn $1 more with the app, it’s a free download and you’re $1 richer.

Do reward apps work with purchases from Amazon?

Some reward apps do work with Amazon. For example, Fluz is specifically built for working with Amazon, as long as you link your email address. However, many do not work with Amazon to reward you with points for your purchases.

How many reward apps should you download?

You can download as few or as many reward apps as you want. However, you should consider how much time you have and how you can specifically use each one to save money.

We recommend starting out with one or two reward apps to see how they work for you. Once you’ve gotten the process down, you can add more as you like to increase your overall rewards. At the same time, sticking with one or two should be sufficient, as long as you’ve chosen reward apps that fit your lifestyle and needs.

Reward Yourself with Reward Apps

Earning extra money from reward apps isn’t necessarily a full-time job that will support you and your family, but the extra savings you can take advantage of certainly can make it worthwhile. We hope you’ve found this list of reward apps useful in saving more money for you and your loved ones. Give a few of these apps a try and see how much you can save.

Brian Meiggs
Brian Meiggs
Brian Meiggs is a personal finance expert, and the founder of Smarts, a personal finance site helping you easily explore your best money options. He helps readers follow the smart money in order to increase their earning potential and start building wealth for the future. He regularly writes about side hustles, investing, and general personal finance topics aimed to help anyone earn more, pay off debt, and reach financial freedom. He has been quoted as a top personal finance blogger in major publications including Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance, NASDAQ, Discover, and more.
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