It’s no secret that online shopping has outright exploded over the last decade and is projected to keep growing exponentially for years to come. Such a high consumer demand for online retailers means that anybody who sells anything online has got to keep a competitive edge. Online retailers do this by offering a commission to any person or company that refers sales to their outlet. This has created the birth of cashback shopping websites, and you can take complete advantage of the benefits!
Cashback shopping websites and apps have taken advantage of this commission by sharing it with their users. So, let’s say I get 20% of every sale I refer to an online store. I could tell people to buy their items from this online store, and I’ll give them 10% of my commission. Scale this up to thousands of retailers and millions of users, and you’ve got yourself a cashback shopping website. We’ve tested dozens of cashback websites and apps, and here are our top favorites:

Rakuten (Online Cashback | Unique Sales)
Formerly known as EBates, Rakuten is one of the biggest names in the industry. They’ve held a stronghold on the cashback shopping websites market for years now. In fact, if you’re going to order something online, that company is probably in Rakuten’s network of over 2,500 retailers. From Kohls and Walmart to Home Depot and Lowe’s, Rakuten has got it all. If you’re looking for one of the best cashback apps in the Google store or on iTunes, then this one is definitely worth a shot!
In addition to daily sales unique to Rakuten users, you can get as much as 40% cashback from shopping using the Rakuten app or browser extension. The app lets you search before you buy online, while the browser extension automatically notifies you if you’re on an online store that’s in the Rakuten network.
Once you’ve hit the minimum required balance, cash out, and they’ll drop a check in the mail with your name on it!
Ibotta (Online Cashback | In-Store Cashback)
Ibotta only has about 150 merchants in their network of retailers, but they still hold a huge market share of cashback shopping despite such a small group. They can remain competitive in two ways. First, their network includes some of the most-shopped stores, like Target, Walmart, and Home Depot. Ibotta is easily one of the best cashback apps in the Google store or on iTunes.
The second way they stand out is by offering In-Store Cashback. You don’t have to buy something through their online network of merchants. You can download the Ibotta app and get cashback three different ways:
- Pay using the Ibotta app at the checkout’s point of sale terminal
- Link your loyalty account program for specific stores to the Ibotta app (such as your Target member phone number)
- Submit a copy of your receipt
WikiBuy (Online Cashback | Local Cashback | Coupons)
As we mentioned with Ibotta, staying competitive in the cashback shopping industry means you’ve got to add a unique twist to the game, and WikiBuy does just that. Actually, they’ve got multiple twists. The first cool thing about WikiBuy is they’ve got coupons specific to WikiBuy members. And just because you’re using a coupon, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get cashback.
Second, they offer item-specific shopping. So, rather than picking out a retailer like Walmart or Target, you can search their network for the exact item you need, whether it’s a new printer or a 25lb bag of rice.
Finally, and this is the coolest feature, they deal with local merchants. Depending on the size of your city, you could probably be earning cashback every time you go to the local jeweler or get pizza from the mom-and-pop shop around the corner from your house.
Swagbucks (Online Cashback | Free Gift Cards | Unique Deals)
Some of you may have already heard of Swagbucks. If so, you probably think of it as that place where you can get paid to take surveys. And, yes, they have that option, but using their cashback shopping website is the best way to take advantage of what Swagbucks offers.
They’ve got deals available only to Swagbucks members, and you can stack the cashback on top of your savings. For example, members can get 60% off of Priceline hotels right now and still earn 3% cashback on top of that discount.
Also, yes, you can still get paid to do surveys, participate in studies, and view ads. They payout via PayPal or with something like an Amazon or American Express gift card.
TopCashback (Online Cashback)
TopCashback is slowly gaining momentum within the world of online cash-back shopping websites. Despite having over 11,000,000 members, they are still one of the smaller players in the game. It’s a good idea to get started with them now while they’re considered small. They have to claw their way to the top, and they’re doing so by offering higher cashback percentages than some of the other popular services.
With over 4,000 merchants and higher payouts, you should definitely add this to your list of cashback apps and ways to save some money. A unique feature they have comes in the form of payouts. They’ve got 14 different methods for you to cash out, including Paypal, Venmo, Direct Deposit, and Amazon gift cards.
Checkout51 (Online Cashback | In-Store Cashback)
We’re going to round off our list right here with Checkout51. Another great way to save money and get some cashback while doing so. To prevent any redundancy here, we had to find something unique about each of these cashback apps and websites. There are two ways that Checkout51 stands out to us.
First, they offer cashback from getting gas. They’ve got a network of over 5,000 gas stations ready to pay you back a percentage of what you spend with them. The second way they’re unique is the way that their app tracks your purchases.
Before you go shopping, load up the Checkout51 app and search for the items on your shopping list. If you can get a deal or cashback, the app will let you know. Whenever you go to the store to shop, check items off the app as you load them into your cart. After you’re done shopping, you submit a copy of your receipt and let them do the rest.
Earning Cashback From Shopping Is Easy If You Know Where To Look
Finding the best cashback shopping websites or cashback shopping apps on Google Play or iTunes can be a minefield. We know you want to save money, but the world of online shopping can quickly turn into scams and frauds. We’ve fully vetted the 6 cashback shopping services here and guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Add them all to your arsenal and get started today!
I absolutely loved this article! There really is money everywhere if you know where to look and this article tells you exactly where the money is. I’ve used Topcashback and I love how easy it is to transfer the money to my account or to my paypal balance. I am sure most of the other suggestions are equally the same. I will be trying those out as well.
TopCashBack is one of the better ones I have used too!
I’ve heard of Rakuten but am honestly not familiar with the other sites you mentioned, and I’m glad I’m better informed now! I mean I can just imagine how much I’ve been missing out on. You are totally on point on earning cashback is easy is if we just know where to look. Love it!
Glad to hear this article was helpful, Julian.
I LOVE Ibotta since all I have to do is upload my receipt! One of these cashback apps tho, not sure if it is one is one your list, but it said they weren’t taking any new users at this time (it may have been swagbucks?) I don’t know, but hope I can get on there when room opens up.
topcashback seems to be getting more popular, I agree. I actually prefer this app over most of the other ones.