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Using all of the best cash-back apps and rebate apps at one time feels a little like juggling — and a lot like herding cats. You might have dozens of questions as you get started. Here we’ll go over all the details to help you decide which cash-back apps and rebate apps will work for you.
Before we get started, you should start by downloading the free The Krazy Coupon Lady app, where you’ll find out more about the top apps like Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Fetch Rewards. We love them all. The real trick to getting huge savings is using all of the cash-back and rebate apps together whenever you can. And don’t worry — you can!
What are cash-back apps and rebate apps?
Rebate apps get you cash back or other reimbursements in exchange for receipts showing proof of purchase of an item or items. Instead of having money taken off your total purchase price like you get with a coupon, you make a purchase and then get some sort of rebate once you’ve reached a certain minimum amount. I’ll explain that, too.
Each cash-back and rebate app has its own set of limits and rules to get your money back, but it’s not hard, I promise.
TIP: Bookmark The Krazy Coupon Lady’s Ibotta, Fetch Rewards, TopCashback, and Coupons.com pages to find a list of dedicated deals just for those apps.
1. Download Ibotta, the best cash-back and rebate app for groceries that has the most offers.
Pros for Ibotta: Ibotta is a very user-friendly rebate app for beginners. It offers hundreds of rebates, including ones for products that aren’t brand-specific. You’ll also find retail offers on Ibotta.
Cons for Ibotta: You have to preselect your rebate offers before you shop when using Ibotta, and certain Ibotta offers can’t be stacked with coupons. Also, if your account is inactive for 180 days, they’ll start deducting $3.99 from your earnings every 30 days until your account shows activity again.
Sign-up bonus for Ibotta: $11 when you sign up and use the referral code GETKRAZY.
If there’s any app you should start with, it’s Ibotta. The app has tons of rebates for groceries and other products you buy frequently.
Plus, most offers reset up to three times (about once every two days). This means you can use the Tillamook cheese offer once, then wait a couple of days, use it again, and then again (on different transactions for the same product). You can even redeem some offers up to three times per receipt.
With Ibotta, you’ll have to rack up $20 before you can cash out. But trust me, that money comes in quickly, and Ibotta gives you a head start of $11 when you sign up and use the referral code GETKRAZY. You can cash out through PayPal or even use your credit toward a gift card. (I love cashing out for a Starbucks gift card.)
Ibotta can also link with your store loyalty accounts for easy redemption — no need to upload a receipt. Learn the ins and outs of how Ibotta works.
Download Ibotta now and start redeeming hundreds of offers on items you’re already buying!
2. Fetch Rewards does all the work for you.
Pros for Fetch Rewards: Fetch is very user-friendly for beginners and makes it simple to redeem offers. There’s no need to preselect any rebates. You can use Fetch’s built-in tool to search for your online shopping receipts.
Con for Fetch Rewards: There’s no cash-out option with PayPal; you can only cash out for gift cards.
Sign-up bonus for Fetch Rewards: 2,000 bonus points with promo code KRAZY.
Fetch Rewards is slightly different from the other rebate apps because you don’t have to select any offers before you check out at the store.
You earn points by either taking a photo of your receipt or linking your online shopping emails to the app. You can also earn bonus points for brand-specific products. Link your Amazon account and earn points for Amazon purchases, too! Fetch currently gives 25 bonus points for ANY receipt you upload. And when I say any receipt, this can even be your Chick-fil-A receipt!
Cash out with as few as 3,000 points, which is equivalent to $3. Your cash-out options are limited to gift cards. However, there are more gift card options available if you wait until you’ve reached 10,000+ points.
Download Fetch now and learn everything you need to know about the Fetch Rewards App.
3. Cash out right away with the Coupons.com app.
Pros for Coupons.com: No cash-out requirement.
Con for Coupons.com: You can’t stack cash-back offers with manufacturer coupons.
Sign-up bonus for Coupons.com: None.
Coupons.com isn’t just for printing coupons anymore (but you still can if you want to). Instead, link your loyalty card or take a picture of your receipt to get cash back on a qualified purchase. Within 48 hours, you’ll get your rebate.
The rebates on Coupons.com are still manufacturer savings, so you can’t use a manufacturer coupon AND a Coupons.com rebate offer. Look for new offers every day, but especially on Sunday.
After shopping, tap “Redeem” to submit your receipt and get cash back sent automatically to your PayPal account. If you have a store card linked before you shop, you can skip submitting your receipts.
To get started, download the Coupons.com app.
4. TopCashback is a cash-back app that rewards you for online shopping purchases.
Pros for TopCashback: Get rebates on nongrocery items sometimes up to 100%. You can use the app or their website.
Con for TopCashback: Waiting for your rebate can take up to three months.
Sign-up bonus for TopCashback: None.
TopCashback is an app and website that gives you cash back on anything you buy from their retail partners (except for groceries).
TopCashback is super easy to use: it gives you actual cash (or you can pick a gift card instead). And even better, it also gives you promo codes that you can stack on top of your cash-back earnings. To earn cash back, start on the app or website, make sure you’re signed in, and select the retailer you’d like to shop. Then start shopping and earn cash back on anything you buy!
TIP: Get exclusive promo codes and coupons by downloading the free browser extension or by allowing notifications in the free TopCashback app. The only downside is, to redeem your cash back, you have to wait for TopCashback to get paid their referral commission from the retailer you made your purchase through. This can take anywhere from one to three months. They give you 100% of what they get paid right back, rather than taking a percentage like most other apps do. When your money goes from “pending” to “payable,” you can request a payout anytime for any amount.
Cash out with PayPal, Amazon gift cards, or other prepaid gift cards which sometimes have a bonus for cashing out with them.
Sign up for TopCashback.
5. Earn “kicks” you can redeem for gift cards with Shopkick.
Pros for Shopkick: There are multiple ways to earn kicks (aka points), which you can redeem for gift cards.
Con for Shopkick: It can get tedious trying to tap into all the different ways to earn kicks.
Sign-up bonus for Shopkick: None.
Shopkick gives you six ways to earn points: walk into a participating store (≈10 kicks), scan products in store (20+ kicks), link your credit or debit card (1 kick+), make a purchase online with a linked card (≈3 kicks per $1), watch short ad videos (1 kick), and scan receipts (200+ kicks).
Roughly 250 kicks equals $1 in gift card rewards, and you can cash out once you’ve earned 500 kicks. Learn everything there is to know about Shopkick.
Download Shopkick and start earning!
6. Checkout 51 is a cash-back app that lets you redeem offers up to five times.
Pros for Checkout 51: You can redeem offers up to five times. The offers aren’t store-specific, but they do focus on name-brand items.
Con for Checkout 51: The only cash-out options are PayPal or a check.
Sign-up bonus for Checkout 51: None.
The Checkout 51 app allows you to redeem some offers up to five times! If an offer is eligible for multiple redemptions, you’ll see a plus sign next to the product. Just keep hitting the plus sign until you reach the number of rebates you’d like to use.
Plus, Checkout 51 rebates get better the more you use them. As time progresses, you’ll have access to “Choose Your Own Offer” rebates, where you can apply savings to whatever you want.
Offers reset on Thursdays each week — but be sure you’re not missing out on any of those “by Wednesday” bonus offers if you’re checking for deals on Thursdays.
You’ll need to hit a minimum of $20 in rebates in order to cash out via PayPal or a physical check.
Download Checkout 51 now.
7. Complete tasks on the Swagbucks app in your downtime to earn gift cards.
Pros for Swagbucks: You can earn points for taking surveys and completing tasks, typically with no purchases required.
Cons for Swagbucks: Your “Swagbucks” probably won’t accumulate as fast as you’d like. Some tasks also aren’t as fun or creative as other side hustles.
Sign-up bonus for Swagbucks: $10 Welcome Bonus, but it’s kind of a pain to claim and redeem.
The Swagbucks app (iOS / Android) lets you earn rewards points for taking surveys, completing simple tasks, watching videos, completing web searches, and other actions you could do from your couch. Once you collect enough Swagbucks (100 Swagbucks = $1), you can redeem them for cash (via PayPal) or gift cards.
You can earn additional Swagbucks when you refer your friends or make purchases at your favorite stores (like Amazon and Walmart) through the Swagbucks website.
Related: Check out our explainer — Is Swagbucks Legit?
