5 Must-Have Cashback Apps for Maximizing Your Savings [2024]

Who doesn’t like extra savings while shopping for everyday items like groceries and school and office supplies? Well, each one of us. But scoring deals on essential items is hard. 

Does that mean you will have to purchase them paying their full price? Well, yes, but there’s an easy-peasy way to get a few bucks back. Yes, we’re talking about cashback apps. You can earn rewards on every purchase you make, be it in-store or online. And it’s really easy– link your debit, credit card, or PayPal account, and rest easy.  

With so many overwhelming numbers of options, figuring out the best cashback app is challenging. But not anymore, for we’ve shortlisted the best cashback apps here in this guide! 

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1. Carrot: Receive Cashback During Checkout

Source: Carrot’s Chrome Extension

Sitting atop our list is one of the best cashback apps, Carrot, and for a good reason. Carrot’s extension identifies cashback opportunities for whichever brand you shop for and automatically applies them to your cart during checkout. Neither do you have to upload any purchase receipt, nor do you have to wait for hours to receive cashback. 

Anytime you set yourself on a shopping haul and search for brands on Google, a pop-up will appear on your screen stating, “Activate up to [X%] Cash Back with Carrot.” Click on the “Activate Cash Back” button and enjoy huge savings. 

So now, Carrot is not only a treasure trove for coupons, but its cashback feature can help you save some serious money on your shopping trips. 

Features

• Offers cashback on clothing, home decor, school and office supplies, and other items
• Get access to exclusive coupon codes
• Create gift registries, mood boards, and wishlists

Pricing

• Free 

2. Ibotta: Best for a Wide Range of Retailers

Source: Ibotta’s Official Website

Ibotta helps shoppers earn cashback on their purchases, regardless of whether they shop in-store or online. 

The Home Depot, BestBuy, Hotels.com, eBay, and Walmart, to name a few, are retailers where you can use Ibotta and get up to 30% off. 

Getting started with Ibotta is easy-peasy– download the extension or log into Ibotta’s website and find the best deals by comparing prices. And when you’re on the go, Ibotta’s mobile app will come to your rescue. Download it, and you can search for deals while shopping. 

Features

• Can be linked with store loyalty cards
• Allows users to withdraw earnings once they earn a cashback of $20
• Offers 10% cashback with referral code gift and welcome bonus

Pricing

• Free

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3. Dosh: Hands-Off Approach to Earning Cashbacks

Source: Dosh’s Official Website

Where other cashback apps require you to upload your purchase receipts, Dosh follows a slightly different approach. This app lets users receive cashback automatically. 

All you have to do is link your debit or credit card to Dosh, and cashback will be deposited into your account without any manual intervention. Not only your bank account, but you can also link Dosh to your Venmo or PayPal account. 

Anytime you book hotels, dine out at restaurants, or shop, Dosh will reward you for your purchases accordingly. What makes this among our favorite automatic cashback apps is that you’re instantly rewarded for your purchases when you shop in-store. That means you need not wait for a payday. 

Features

• Visa cardholders may be offered additional reward-earning options
• Cashback is transferred to PayPal, Venmo, or your bank account once you earn $15
• Offers $1 welcome bonus for signing up and $10 for referring to a friend

Pricing

• Free

Also Read: 11 Hidden Amazon Hacks That Will Help You Save Big Bucks in 2023

4. Fetch Rewards: Rewards Shoppers on Regular Shopping Trips

Source: Fetch Reward’s Official Website

Fetch Rewards gives users cashback for every penny spent at restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery stores. However, you will be eligible for the reward only when you upload the receipt of your purchase within 14 days of shopping. 

Unlike other cashback apps, you need not search for deals on Fetch Rewards. Instead, just upload your purchase receipt, and you will earn points on all your shopping trips. While you will earn rewards for every receipt you upload, some may help you earn more points than others. 

A feature that makes Fetch Rewards the best cashback app is that the earnings are redeemed easily. You can redeem your points for gift cards to popular retailers such as Amazon or use them to enter monthly cash sweepstakes. 

Features

• Connect with people across the country
• Earn 10,000 points on prescription refills by using GoodRx with Fetch
• Sign up for Huggies Rewards+ and earn up to 50,000 points

Pricing

• Free

Also Read: Target Price Adjustment Secrets: Save Money on Your Next Shopping Trip

5. Rakuten: Earn Both Cashback and Rewards

Source: Rakuten’s Official Website

Formerly known as Ebates, Rakuten lets users earn not only cashback, but also rewards on their purchases. Unlike most cashback apps, its rewards aren’t limited to groceries or other essentials. With Rakuten, you earn rewards for shopping from an array of categories, which include home improvement items, booking travel, ordering takeout, and purchasing clothes. 

Also, Rakuten rewards are applicable both for shopping online and in-store. Either way, receiving rewards is easy. For online shopping, all you need to do is click on the link through Rakuten to activate it. Meanwhile, linking your credit or debit card to Rakuten will help you earn cashback on your in-store purchases. 

Features

• Allows you to receive payments through PayPal or paper check
• Payments are made whenever the account balance is over $5 every three months
• Lets users donate their money to non-profit organizations or charities

Pricing

• Free

Save Some Serious Money by Shopping for All Essentials and Luxuries With Carrot

Source: Using Carrot’s Extension

There you have it, shoppers! Five of the best cashback apps to save money on your next shopping trip. 

While every app is good on its own, our favorite is– drum rolls, please– Carrot, and why not? Where every app requires users to connect to their debit cards or upload purchase receipts, Carrot minimizes all the hassles and applies cashback automatically during the checkout. That means you will never miss out on rewards. 

All you need to do is activate the cashback before you start shopping, and Carrot will take care of the rest. 

Is automatic cashback the only feature that edges out Carrot over others? Definitely not. This online extension is no less than a shopping companion, except that it’s virtual. With this fantastic tool, you can:

• Create gift registries, mood boards, and wishlists
• Browse products from hundreds of retailers and save them into shareable collections
• Track prices across retailers
• Activate the “Deal Hop” feature and search for budget-friendly dupes
• Get notified about price drops on items in your cart
• Get access to exclusive coupon codes