Have you always been a savvy shopper, spending hours researching to save on your purchases and one among those first to look for the doorbusters, offers, discounts, cyber Mondays, black Fridays? Well, then you must have definitely come across the term cashback. Getting a cashback on credit and debit cards have been in common practice. However, selecting the best cashback site is a tough job as there are hundreds of sites/apps available on the web to save money on your shopping.
Firstly, why cashback sites? Since decades retailers had been using different sales come-on gimmicks to lure shoppers and make them their regular customers. But now they use cashback websites, an ongoing online business trend. Technically, instead of paying a lump sum to advertise media, which doesn’t even guarantee the sale of their products, retailers pay an advertising commission to some best cashback websites like Ebates, for every single sale made through them, which in turn pays a certain percentage of that commission as a cashback to the customers
who signed up to and made the purchase through them.
Ultimately it benefits three sets of people: Customers get cash back for clicking on cashback sites’ affiliated retailer links to make a purchase instead of shopping directly from the retailers’ website. The Cashback sites earn a commission from the retailers for getting the customers. And the retailers get to popularize their brands and increase their sales.
Few Key Points About Cashback Sites:
- For any cashback to be successful, the authenticity of transactions made through cashback sites is verified and confirmed by tracking the customers’ web cookies that show their browsing sessions.
- To avoid confusion and be more certain about earning the cashback, make sure cookies are enabled on your browser and you clean the cookies stored on your computer before shopping through cashback sites.
- Start your shopping by signing in to the cashback site, as only clicks through a signed-in account are tracked by the retailers.
- Complete your purchase in one session. Saving to the cart before visiting the cashback site and making the purchase on a later date will not be counted for cashback.
- Some best cashback sites also provide features like gift cards, coupons, promo codes, special deals like double cashback, free shipping, holiday/festive shopping offers, and discounts.
List of Best Cashback Sites in 2019
Here is the list of some of the cashback sites which are widely popular among the users:
1. Ebates
You can say Cashback site’s other name is Ebates, it’s that popular and top-rated, with up to 40% cashback at its 2500+ partnered online and offline stores. You can just join for free and get $10 sign-up bonus by completing minimum qualifying purchases totaling $25 within 90days of joining. Once in, you can refer your friends to Ebates and get $25 bonus if your referral makes a purchase within one year of joining (varies occasionally). To get cashback for your purchases from Ebates, you can use the Ebates Button (browser extension) or the mobile app which is available for both iOS and Android platforms.
With Ebates cashback visa card, members can earn an extra 3% on Ebates purchases and 1% on other places accepting visa credit cards.
Ebates will send your accumulated cashback amount every quarter via check or PayPal.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $5
2. BeFrugal
With a pretty cool user interface, BeFrugal has additional tools like, ‘Fly or Drive Calculator’ that compares the time and cost of flying or driving. It pays up-to 40% cashback at its 5000+ affiliated online stores. Membership is free with $10 welcome bonus, once you earn $10 cashback. In addition to that, members earn $10 referral bonus when referring a friend who earns $10 cashback within 365days of joining. To get the cashback, you can use either the mobile app (iOS / Android) or Befrugal Button Chrome browser add-on. Once the minimum withdrawal amount is reached, you can request the payment via PayPal, Check, Gift cards or direct bank deposit.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $0.01 (PayPal), $25 (Check/Bank deposit)
3. Upromise
Basically, Upromise is a College Savings rewards program, where members’ cashback earnings are automatically transferred to their 529 Savings plan or linked checking/ savings account, once the Total Transfer Requirement (currently $10 for checking/savings account, $50 for 529 Savings plan) is met. By signing up for free, you can earn up to 5% cashback its 10000+ affiliated online and offline stores. With Upromise MasterCard, members can earn an additional 1.25% cash back on every purchase linked plus an extra 15% bonus on their total cashback earnings, if their account is linked to an eligible 529 Savings Plan.
Minimum Amount for Payout: Not Applicable
4. Mr. Rebates
Generally, Mr. Rebates offers higher cashback than cash back sites during the offseason. You can sign-up for free and earn up to 20% cashback at its 3000+ affiliated online stores. To get the cashback, you can use either its website, Mr.Rebates app (iOS / Android) or by installing its Quick Cash Button extension for Chrome. For referring someone to Mr.Rebates, the members will get 20% of the referred friend’s first rebate.
Once you have $10 in your “Available Rebates” you can request for Check or PayPal payment or gift cards.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $10
5. Evoshare
Evoshare partners with retirement companies and employers who want to increase employee engagement and contributions in their DC (Defined Contribution) retirement plan, 401(k) or 403(b) plans. You can join individually for free, but if you are joining Evoshare through your employer you must ask your employer for your designated sign-up link.
Evoshare doesn’t allow you to cash out your earnings. Instead, it can only be deposited toward a retirement plan, student loan/college fund account or to 401(k)/403(b) account, if your employer is sponsoring your Evoshare (once the earnings exceed $20). It offers up to 30% cashback at its 10000+ affiliated online and offline stores, restaurants, cafes, bars. Evoshare browser extension is available for Chrome, Safari.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $20 (credited to your loan/retirement account)
6. ShopAtHome
With a $10 sign-up bonus, ShopAtHome helps you to save some money from your shopping in a lot of ways like coupons, promo codes, offers and saving tips. Plus, you can also get cashback to complete the surveys in case you get qualified for me. To get up to 40% cash back on your purchases, you can either click on any of the site’s 4000+ online store links or use the SavingsButton browser extension for Chrome. Once your account balance reaches the minimum payout, you can request the payment via PayPal or Gift cards.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $20 (PayPal/Gift card)
7. ExtraBux
Even though the $20 sign-up bonus may seem to be higher than other sites, it is paid in four installments as $5 for every $25 cash. You can get a cashback of up to 30% at its 6000+ stores. If you are referring to someone, you will get a referral bonus of $5 (once referral’s purchases exceed $5) plus 5% of your referral’s cashback for that entire year.
You can choose to donate your earnings to charity or be sent through PayPal, check or gift cards once you have $10 available cashback. ExtraBux Chrome browser extension automatically tracks cashback even when you go directly to a store’s website.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $10 (PayPal/Check/Gift card)
8. TopCashBack
As named, it calls itself the most generous cashback site guaranteeing the highest cashback at 4400+ affiliated online stores. If you find any other cashback site with higher cashback rate for a purchase, then TopCashBack will match the rate provided you are using TopCashBack to make that particular transaction. If your friends join the site as your referral, then you will get a $10 bonus when they earn their first $10 cashback you get a bonus $10. Members get paid anytime without any minimum threshold via PayPal, ACH, American Express Reward Cards and Amazon GiftCards. With the TopCashBack mobile app (iOS / Android), you can get access to in-store coupons too.
Minimum Amount for Payout: Any
9. CouponCabin
The user interface is easy to navigate with special tools like CouponCabin University (with couponing tips and teachings to save and spend online and offline), Coupon Caster (savings tracking tool). It also has a social cause tab called Coupons for Troops, where you can send unused active or expired “Manufacturer” coupons to their P.O.Box which will be sent to Military personnel and families stationed around the globe. Even expired coupons can be used on overseas military bases for up to 6 months past expiry dates.
It partners with 3000+ online stores and pays cashback via PayPal, Check, Amazon GiftCard, Chase payments.
If a member comes across a coupon code that doesn’t work, then he/she can file a complaint and receive $25 gift card to Restaurant.com. It is available as a browser extension for Chrome, Safari, FireFox, MicrosoftEdge. CouponCabin app can be downloaded from Google Play Store or iTunes
10. Lemoney
Special schemes like Turbo Cashback Rate, C-Bonus, Community Commission make Lemoney stand out. Turbo Cashback rate is a bonus rate, for joining Lemoney, that is applied up to max purchase amount to anyone purchase of members’ choice. After the max amount is reached, the regular cashback rate is applied to the remaining balance.
Community Commission and C-Bonus are referral bonus which is multiplied up to 5x per month every time referrals are making a purchase for $25 and more within 90 days of registration.
You can earn cashback up to 45% at its 1700+ affiliated online stores and redeem through PayPal once you have $25 available cashback.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $25 (PayPal)
11. CouponCactus
From new, expiring, popular to a variety of exclusive coupons and discounts for 4000+ merchants, cashback is CouponCactus’ add on service. It Gives $3 sign-up bonus on hitting its LIKE button. You will get a 25% bonus of all cash back earned by members you refer to CouponCactus. Cashback of $10+ in your account is paid out quarterly via PayPal or check.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $10 (PayPal/Check)
Paid Survey Sites That Offer Cashback For Shopping
Besides the traditional cashback or coupon sites, you can also get cash back for your online/offline purchases from paid survey sites as they have partnered with a lot of popular retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and more.
12. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the popular GPT sites that rewards members with points called SB not just for shopping at its 1500+ affiliated store links (up to 20% cashback), but also for answering surveys, watching videos, searching the web, playing games and much more. When you earn 25 SB on a $25 purchase within 30 days of free membership, you will get $10 sign-up bonus. You can convert the points to cash via PayPal or exchange them for gift cards like Amazon, Walmart, BestBuy, and more.
To get the cashback, you can use the exclusive iOS app for shopping named SBShop which can be downloaded from iTunes. Plus, SBLocal will help you to get discounts or offers from the local restaurants.
(Related: How to Make Money From Swagbucks in 2019?)
13. MyPoints
MyPoints rewards its members with points for shopping online, taking surveys, watching videos, to become a paid subscriber to specified YouTube channels (like Fender Play), searching the web, playing games, reading its “Bonus Mail” and completing a bonus mail transaction. You can redeem your points with gift cards, Visa Prepaid card, PayPal payment or by adding travel miles to your United Mileage Plus account.
The sign-up bonus with free membership is given as 750 miles per Spirit Airlines FREE SPIRIT account when your purchases cross $25 at any of its 1900+ partnered stores through its website, BonusMails, DailyScoop app or browser extension called Score. If your referral joins MyPoints and makes a purchase of at least $20 within 30days, you get 750 points bonus reward.
(Related: How much Money you can earn from MyPoints)
14. InboxDollars
Besides paying cash to take surveys, InboxDollars helps you to save money on your shopping as well. You can get 1% to 10% cashback to shop in stores like Walmart, Kohl’s, GAP, Express and more. Plus, you can save some money while buying groceries by using the coupons listed on InboxDollars.
InboxDollars offers a signup bonus of $5 to join the website for free. Once the minimum balance reaches $25, you can receive the payment via check.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $25
(Related: 10 Ways to Make Money From InboxDollars)
15. FeaturePoints
Even though FeaturePoints is a mobile app that pays you to take surveys on the go, it offers a decent cashback of 2% to 10% by partnering with a variety of retailers like Walmart, Target, BestBuy, Macy’s, Nordstorm and more.
Once your balance reaches the minimum payout of $1, you can convert them to cash via PayPal or gift cards like Amazon. To get other gift cards like Starbucks, eBay, GameStop and more, you need to have a balance of at least $3.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $1 (PayPal/Amazon)
(Related: How To Make Money From FeaturePoints in 2019)
Free Cashback Apps (iOS/Android)
Would you like to check out some dedicated cashback or coupons apps? See below:
16. Ibotta
Ibotta is one of the top-rated cashback apps on the iTunes App Store with a rating of 4.7 from more than 300K users. It helps you to save money while making purchases at your local grocery stores, retailers or dining out at your favorite restaurants. After making the purchase, just scan the receipt to get the cashback. Even you can link your store loyalty cards as well to make the job easier.
Once you accumulate the minimum payout of $20, you can receive the payment via PayPal, Venmo or Giftcards.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $20
17. ShopKick
Besides offering a decent cashback from a lot of retailers, ShopKick also rewards you with points called Kicks for various shopping-related activities like walk-in to the stores, to scan the bar code of products, viewing the products on partner stores, watching the videos of new products and more. Approximately 250 kicks are equivalent to $1. To invite friends, you will get 250 kicks after they scan a receipt or walk-in to store within 7 days of signing up.
Once your balance reaches the minimum kicks, you can convert them to gift cards. The conversion ratio varies based on the retailer.
Minimum Amount for Payout: Varies
18. SavingStar
By linking your supermarket or drug store loyalty cards or just by submitting the image of your purchase receipt, you can get cashback from Savingstar. Though membership is free, if your account is inactive for 180 days in a row, a monthly fee of $3.99 is charged against your account savings. It supports a variety of payment options like PayPal/bank transfer, Starbucks gift codes, iTunes gift codes, AMC Theatres gift codes and more.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $30
19. Groupon
Groupon is one of the oldest (launched in 2008) e-commerce marketplace that provides coupons, deals, discounts, and cash back to its subscribers. It has a dedicated “Deals of the Day” section to help users saving money almost every day. Besides grocery stores and retailers, you can get decent cashback to dine out on local restaurants, bars, grills and more. Once your cashback reaches the minimum value of $20, you can request the payment.
To help the college students to save some money, Groupon has an exclusive free coupon program for students who are enrolled in Universities/Colleges.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $20
20. Checkout51
New and exclusive offers on Checkout51 are updated every week (on Thursday) for your online and offline grocery stores. You can get the cashback by selecting the relevant offers and uploading the receipts to verify your purchase before next Wednesday, as the validity of the offers lasts only for a week. The app has a built-in camera to take a clear picture of your receipt and upload the same. Once your receipt is verified, the cashback amount will be credited to your account.
Once your balance hits the value of $20, you can request the payment via check.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $20
21. Dosh
To get cashback from Dosh, you need to link your credit or debit card with the app. It claims that it is completely safe to link your cards and no information will be sold to third parties. Whenever you make the purchase using your linked cards, you will get the cash back. Either you can transfer that amount to your bank account or PayPal. It has partnered with 1000+ stores (including restaurants) to provide a cashback of 10% for every transaction you make using your linked cards.
22. Coinout
Coinout app offers cashback to upload your shopping receipts from any retailer. The only thing is that the receipt needs to be uploaded within 2 weeks from the date of purchase. Even it offers cashback for e-receipts as well provided if it is sent to them on the same day of purchase. If you would like to receive the payment via PayPal, then you need $10. Otherwise, you can request bank transfer or Amazon gift card for any moment.
Minimum Amount for Payout: $10 (PayPal), No minimum (Bank/Gift cards)
23. Receipt Hog
Like Coinout, Receipt Hog also offers a decent cashback for your shopping done at physical stores or online. Just you need to upload the receipts for your purchases made at a supermarket, convenience store, gas station, pharmacy and more. However, you need to make sure that the receipts are less than 2 weeks old.
Once your coin balances reach the minimum cashout, you can receive the payment via PayPal or Amazon gift card. (Approximately 1000 coins = $5)
Minimum Amount for Payout: $5
How To Find The Best Cashback Site?
First, you need to make a list of all your favorite retailers where you shop regularly. Then, do a comparison of the rates offered by different cashback sites. You can get the help of cashback monitoring sites like CashBackMonitor, CashBackHolic to compare the rates.
Next, make a note of the payment options available on the cashback sites. For example, if a check is the only available option and you are not interested in that, then you can select sites which offer PayPal or gift cards.
Before trying out a cashback site or app which links your cards, make sure that it is completely safe and your personal information is not shared without getting your consent.
Do not make hasty purchases on products you would never use.
Happy and Safe Shopping!
Marius says
I haven’t used others on the list, but SwagBucks and InboxDollars are for sure legit and great ways to make some quick bucks.
Thanks for the great share. I’ll sign up for few more networks and try to make extra $$$ in my free time.
Keep it up 🙂