After thoroughly testing dozens of apps, we’ve identified the best cashback sites that consistently offer the biggest savings on online purchases.
Our guide will walk you through these top picks, comparing features and payouts, so you can easily choose the platforms that’ll put the most money back in your wallet.
Best for Gas & Restaurants
$550M in cashback to consumers to date
Cashback for Gas and Restaurants
Generous referral program
Best Overall CashBack Site
$10 bonus (spend $25 first)
1,500+ of online and in-store retailers
On App store and Google Play
Best for Walmart Shopping
$5 bonus for confirming email
$3 min withdrawal for some gift cards
Up to 10% cashback for shopping
Best for Scanning Receipts
Cashback – rate of 1.5% to 15%
Cash paid in PayPal or gift cards
$5 bonus for confirming email
How Much Can You Save with Cashback Sites?
Enter your typical monthly spending amount for each category (groceries, gas, dining, and shopping) and the calculator will automatically show your potential cashback savings based on standard reward rates.
💰 Cashback Calculator
| Category | Monthly Spending ($) | Rate | Monthly Savings | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🛒 Groceries | 2% | $10.00 | $120.00 | |
| ⛽ Gas | 3% | $6.00 | $72.00 | |
| 🍽️ Dining | 4% | $12.00 | $144.00 | |
| 🛍️ Shopping | 5% | $20.00 | $240.00 | |
| Total | $1,400.00 | – | $48.00 | $576.00 |
These averages consider typical cashback app offerings, though specific promotions or items may lead to higher rates in each category.
Best Cashback Sites & Apps
Swagbucks
Swagbucks has already paid out over $700 million to its members. Buying via Swagbucks earns you SB rather than US dollars, but SB can be exchanged for Amazon Gift Cards or transferred to your PayPal account. The best strategy is to trade for Amazon gift cards, as you get 12% more value than withdrawing cold, hard cash.
In addition to Cashback, Swagbucks offers grocery coupons. The drawback is that you need to print them out and bring them to the store, but some savings include:
- Save $5 when you spend over $25 on Kellogg’s products.
- Save $4 when you spend over $20 on Keebler cookies.
- Save $3 when you spend over $15 on Danone products.
Swagbucks Summary
- 18 ways to earn money and e-gift cards
- $5 sign up bonus
- Up to 10% cashback when shopping online
- $1 minimum e-gift card withdrawal
- Watch videos and play games for $
- Legit platform – paid $500 mil to users
Upside
Upside helps you save money on everyday purchases with cashback offers for gas, restaurants, and groceries. Simply claim offers, shop as usual, and watch your earnings grow.
You could save up to up to 25¢/gal cash back on gas, up to 30% cash back on groceries, and up to 45% cash back at restaurants.
With potential savings across multiple categories, Upside makes your dollars go further on daily expenses. Download the app and start maximizing your cashback today.
InboxDollars
InboxDollars, a leading cashback site since 2000, has paid out over $80 million to its members. Users can earn cash by participating in activities like completing surveys (up to $5 each), watching videos, and shopping online (up to 10% cashback from over 2,000 retail partners).
With over 10 million members and a variety of earning methods, InboxDollars offers something for everyone. Unlike other platforms that use points, InboxDollars boasts a straightforward cash payment system, making it a preferred choice for users who value tangible rewards for their online activities.
InboxDollars Summary
- DollarBreak’s test earnings – $5.78 for 5 hours of surveys
- Referral program – 30% that referral makes
- Most of the surveys pay $0.01 to $2.50
- 13 different ways to earn money
- Get paid to read emails and play games
- Over $80 million in cash rewards paid
Ibotta
Ibotta has already paid its members $680+ million. It works the same as other cashback sites but offers the ability to pay directly with Ibotta. The main benefit is instantly getting your cashback from the Ibotta App. To simplify the process, you can also link loyalty accounts for your favorite retailers in the app.
For offline shopping, choose a retailer, add products you want to buy and go straight to the store. You do not need to print any coupons before making a purchase. Once you buy and have received your receipt, take a photo and upload it on the app. You should see a cashback within 24 hours.
Linking a credit or debit card is another way of automating the cashback process. You can even receive a double cashback if you use an offline shopping deal, pay using an Ibotta lined credit/debit card and submit a photo of your receipt.
But that’s not all. If you enable location alerts, the Ibotta app will notify you when you are near a store offering deals.
Ibotta Summary
- DollarBreak’s test earnings – spent $268.73 and earned $5.20
- On average 2% cashback on purchases
- Get a $5 bonus by referring friends
- Over 1500 stores you can earn cash back at
- Android and iOS apps available
- Stackable savings
MyPoints
MyPoints is another legitimate cashback site. It was established in 1996, which is quite a long time ago. My Points specializes in various activities such as surveys, cashback and web search.
They have a minimum transfer of $1, so it is mostly used for gift cards and travel miles. However, as one of the oldest cashback sites, it is definitely worth a mention.
MyPoints Summary
- $5 sign-up bonus upon email confirmation
- $0.27 to $2.13 on average per survey
- Over 10 different ways to earn money
- Pays by gift cards and PayPal
- Cash out with gift cards starting at $3
- MyPoints mobile apps: iOS and Android
BeFrugal
Befrugal offers a $10 sign-up bonus and works similarly to other popular cashback sites. A great advantage is live chat support. If you face any problems, they will try to solve them immediately.
Unsurprisingly, Befrugal has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. It also has many retailers but usually offers lower rates than cashback sites such as Swagbucks.
BeFrugal Summary
- Guaranteed to have the highest cashback
- More than 5000 stores to get cashback
- Over 5 different ways to get rewards
- 6 different ways to cash out your earnings
Capital One Shopping
Capital One Shopping offers a free browser extension and app that automatically applies available coupon codes at checkout and compares prices across retailers.
The service also provides price drop alerts and a universal product search feature. Capital One Shopping has helped users like you save over $160 million in the last year. While it’s owned by Capital One, you don’t need to be a customer to use the service.
Coupon Cabin
Coupon Cabin offers various ways to get up to 60% cashback on online and in-store purchases.
You don’t have to browse their website every time. Go to your favorite online businesses and it will automatically apply the best coupons for you.
Download the Coupon Cabin app if you prefer to shop on your smartphone. Its straightforward functionality lets you locate relevant discount codes and deals in minutes.
Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog rewards you with coins for your everyday shopping receipts, regardless of where you shop or what you buy.
There are different ways to earn coins:
- Make a purchase at any store, restaurant or cafe and upload your recipe in the app
- Upload receipts after your online purchases
- Take surveys and answer questions about your household
Earning with Receipt Hog is like a game – you level up as you upload more receipts. Depending on what level you are, you can earn 5-25 coins per receipt.
For example, a $10 receipt will earn you 5 coins and a $100 receipt – 20 coins.
1,000 coins = $5
You can redeem your coins for cash with PayPal or a gift card.
Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is another easy to use cash-back site rewarding you with points when you upload receipts of your purchases.
How many points you will earn varies from product to product. For example, a $3 Axe deodorant would earn you 30 points.
1,000 points = $1
You can redeem points for gift cards to the most popular stores and online retailers, including Ulta, Gap, and Xbox.
Earn 3,000 points ($3) when you apply the code ___ at sign up. Your points will be available after you scan your first receipt.
Cashback Sites Knowledge Corner
What is cashback?
A percentage of your purchase is returned to you as you complete your purchase online.
Cashback is usually compared to using a coupon. Applying a coupon code right before the purchase lowers the price and, therefore, pays less. In the case of Cashback, you pay more upfront, but you receive the money back for spending later.
Cashback Example: 10% cashback buying $10 socks on Amazon would cost you $10, but you would receive $1 back in the form of points or cash. Thus making the total cost $9.
Coupon Example: 10% coupon buying $10 socks on Amazon would cost you $9
As you can see, 10% Cashback is the same saving value as a 10% coupon.
What are the cashback websites?
Cashback websites make money by forwarding customers to retailers such as Amazon. Once a customer makes a purchase, the website receives referral revenue from Amazon, which is instantly transferred to the customer.
Of course, do not expect a “free lunch” in this case. Cashback websites either keep a small percentage of the referral revenue or place an advert, making some money. But that’s fair, as, without cashback websites, you would not be able to save a penny.
How do you maximize your rewards?
Make sure you utilize all of the offers the cash-back sites offer. Most of them offer the following options:
- Sign up bonuses – claim $5-20 when you join cash-back sites.
- Refer friends – claim an additional $5-10 when your friends join through your referral.
- Special promotions – check out the cash-back sites frequently not to miss special offers.
Which cashback site is for you?
I suggest downloading TopCashback, Swagbucks and Ibotta. Three apps should be enough to compare and get the best deals.
If you can’t find a particular retailer, consider the other two options: Mypoints and Befrugal.
Is it free and safe to use? What about my personal information?
Most cashback sites, such as Swagbucks or Ibotta are free. They make money through affiliate partnerships with retailers. These apps use encryption to protect your data, but it’s important to read privacy policies for each app.
How much can I earn, and how long does it take to get my cashback?
Earnings vary widely based on your shopping habits and the apps you use. Swagbucks users can earn $25-$100 per month, while Ibotta users report average earnings of $20-$25 per month. Typical cashback ranges from 1-10%, with some offers reaching 20% or more. Payout times differ, usually 30-90 days after purchase, but Upside offers instant cashback for gas purchases.
Are there minimum payout thresholds, and what payment forms are available?
Many apps have minimum payout thresholds: Ibotta ($20), Swagbucks ($15), InboxDollars ($30). Standard payment options include PayPal and direct deposit. Fetch Rewards and Shopkick primarily offer gift card redemptions.
Can I use cashback sites with other coupons or discounts?
This varies by app and retailer. Ibotta and Checkout 51 often allow stacking with store coupons. Honey automatically applies the best coupon codes at checkout, which can sometimes be combined with other cashback apps.
Are there restrictions on which retailers or products are eligible?
Yes, cashback availability varies by app. Dosh works with many restaurants and hotels, Ibotta focuses on groceries and retail. Some product categories, like gift cards or subscriptions, are often excluded from cashback offers.
How reliable are these sites? Will I always get my promised cashback?
Established apps like Swagbucks, Ibotta, and MyPoints have reliable tracking, but issues can occur. Keep records of your purchases and contact customer service if cashback doesn’t appear after the stated tracking period.
Do I need to install software or use these sites on mobile devices?
Honey and Capital One Shopping offer browser extensions, while most others, including Ibotta, Fetch Rewards, and Receipt Hog, are primarily mobile apps.
How does cashback compare to credit card rewards programs?
Cashback apps can often be used in addition to credit card rewards, potentially doubling your savings. App like Dosh can be used alongside credit card rewards, with some integrating directly with certain credit cards for enhanced benefits.
What happens if I return an item I got cashback on?
Usually, the cashback is reversed or deducted from your account balance. Most apps, including Ibotta and Swagbucks, will reverse the cashback for returned items. Some may have a waiting period before finalizing cashback to account for potential returns.
