These days, clipping coupons feels extremely antiquated. Instead, cashback apps have become one of the easiest, most popular ways to save—and even earn—money on purchases you’re already making.
Whether you’re shopping online, ordering groceries or filling up your gas tank, the best cashback apps can help you put more money back in your pocket with minimal effort.
In this guide, we’ll dig into how cashback apps work, how much you can realistically earn and which platforms are worth your time. We’ll also take a closer look at KashKick, a standout option that goes beyond traditional cashback by offering multiple ways to earn and save on your monthly expenses.
For more info on cashback apps, the Better Business Bureau shares what you need to know before downloading these apps.
Key Takeaways
- Cashback apps reward you with real money or gift cards for shopping, scanning receipts or completing tasks.
- Earnings vary by app, but stacking offers can significantly boost savings.
- Some apps focus only on shopping, while others offer surveys, games and sign-up bonuses.
- KashKick stands out as one of the best cashback apps thanks to its high payouts, flexible earning options and low cash-out threshold.
How Do Cashback Apps Work?
Cashback apps partner with retailers, brands and advertisers to drive sales or customer engagement. When you make a purchase through the app, the company earns a commission—and shares a portion of that revenue with you as cashback.
For example, on the KashKick app, you’ll currently find cash-back offers from Walmart, Home Depot, DoorDash and more. Let’s say you place a DoorDash order through KashKick. As a “thank you,” DoorDash pays KashKick a fee—which KashKick then passes along to you. You can learn more about why KashKick pays here.
You can find cashback apps that help you get money back on groceries, holiday spending, gas, travel expenses and more.
Most cashback apps automatically track your activity to ensure you’ve completed the purchase, but some may require you to submit receipts or activate offers before shopping. Here’s a quick breakdown of the way each works:
- Online shopping portals: Through an app or website, click through to a retailer to earn a percentage back on your purchase. (This is how KashKick works!)
- Receipt scanning: Upload photos of your grocery receipts to earn cash or points.
- Offers and deals: Activate specific promotions before shopping to qualify for cashback.
Once you earn a certain amount of cashback, you can withdraw your cash through direct deposit, PayPal or gift cards.
How Much Money Can You Save With Cashback Apps?
Like couponing, how much you can earn with these cashback apps ultimately depends on how often you shop, how much you spend, what you purchase and which apps you use. Casual users may earn $10 a month, whereas more dedicated users could earn $50 or more.
Apps like KashKick tend to offer higher earning potential because they offer more than just cashback. You can combine your cashback earnings with other ways to earn, like taking surveys or playing games. You’ll never get bored or run out of opportunities to collect Kash.
Best Cashback Apps
With so many cashback apps out there, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Below, find a breakdown of some of the best cashback apps available today, including their features, pros and cons.
1. KashKick
KashKick is more than just a cashback app. It’s a flexible way to earn rewards when you shop online, complete offers, play games and take surveys. As soon as you earn $10, you can collect real cash through PayPal.
To get started, create a new account in minutes, then select the “Shopping” category to explore featured merchants and popular offers. Right now, you can find cash-back offers for Walmart, Home Depot, Lyft, VRBO, Macy’s and more.
Key features:
- Cashback from online shopping
- Paid surveys and games
- Daily giveaways
- Lucrative referral program
Pros:
- Multiple ways to earn
- Low $10 withdrawal minimum
- Earn cash, not points or gift cards
- Easy-to-use and highly rated apps
Cons:
- Earnings vary by offer availability
- Only available in the U.S.
💰 Join KashKick to turn everyday activities into real cash.
2. Rakuten
Rakuten is a well-known cashback app that houses promo codes, coupons and cash-back offers. Joining is free, then you can shop by category—from travel and vacations to electronics to pets.
You’ll need to earn at least $5.01 to get paid out. You can opt for a gift card, but if you truly want cash back (in the form of a check, PayPal, AmEx rewards or Bilt) then you’ll need to wait for a quarterly payday.
Key features:
- Earn cashback online and in-store
- Use the browser extension for coupons
- Get bonuses when you refer friends
Pros:
- Trusted, long-running platform
- Partners with hundreds of retailers
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Cash payouts every quarter
- Limited earning opportunities outside of shopping
3. Ibotta
Ibotta is a well-known cashback app for grocery shopping. Here’s how it works: Select a store and add cash-back offers to your list. After shopping in the store, submit a picture of your receipt to earn cashback. Once you earn $20, you can send your earnings to your bank account or choose a gift card.
Although Ibotta is perhaps best known for cashback on groceries, you can also find offers for clothing retailers, health and beauty, gas and more.
Key features:
- Grocery and retail cashback in-store and online
- Bonus offers
- Referral credits
Pros:
- Strong grocery savings
- Works with many grocery stores
Cons:
- Requires manual offer activation
- Earnings limited to cashback
- $20 cashout minimum
4. Fetch
With Fetch, there are several ways to earn rewards through shopping: by downloading the browser extension, shopping through the app or connecting your e-receipts via your email. You’ll earn points when you shop, which you can then exchange for gift cards, cash sweepstakes entries or donations.
Key features:
- Shop online with the browser extension
- Refer friends
- Play games
- Connect your email to share e-receipts
- Shop online through the app
Pros:
- $3 minimum to cash out (or 3,000 points)
- Multiple ways to earn, including playing games
- Get rewarded for every receipt (not just specific items)
Cons:
- No cash back—just gift cards
- Points system
- Low base earnings (25 points per receipt)
5. Upside
Upside might be most well-known as a cashback app for gas, but you can also earn cashback on groceries and dining purchases. After you download the free app, you’ll claim an offer, shop as usual, then earn cash back when you pay with your linked credit or debit card.
You can withdraw your earnings to your bank account, PayPal or for a gift card. Do note you may be charged a $1 fee if you cash out less than $15. Most requests are processed within 24-48 hours, though bank transfers can take 5-7 business days.
Key features:
- Gas and restaurant cashback
- Location-based offers
Pros:
- Bank transfers and PayPal payouts
- Stack with credit card rewards or loyalty programs
Cons:
- Limited categories
- Offers vary by location
6. Swagbucks
Swagbucks, similar to KashKick, offers several ways to earn, including cashback, gaming and surveys. You can cash out for PayPal once you earn $25 (or 2,500 SB). The minimums for gift cards are lower.
Looking more closely at cashback, you can shop online and get kickbacks at 1,500 online retailers (think: Amazon, Best Buy, Sephora and more) as well as in stores when you add items to your shopping list and take a picture of your receipt. Keep an eye out for cash-back offers at restaurants, too!
Key features:
- Online and in-store cashback
- Take paid surveys
- Play games to earn more
- Digital coupons
- Referral program
Pros:
- Multiple ways to earn
- Easy to get started
Cons:
- Points system can feel confusing and slow
- Some activities have low payouts
- Higher cashout minimum for PayPal
7. MyPoints
MyPoints is a well-known survey for money site, but you can also earn points when you shop at thousands of stores. It also offers an option to scan your grocery receipts to get cashback and you can find coupon codes for your favorite stores.
Once you earn enough points, you can cash out for gift cards, cash through PayPal or United MileagePlus miles.
Key features:
- Cashback when you shop online and in-store
- Get paid to take surveys
- Earn more points when you play games
Pros:
- Multiple ways to earn
Cons:
- The points-to-dollar ratio is confusing
- Unclear withdrawal minimum
8. RetailMeNot
You’re likely familiar with RetailMeNot because of its coupon codes, but the site also offers opportunities to earn cashback through select retailers like Walmart, Ulta and Expedia. Just activate the offer then shop at the online store. It takes about 45 days for the cash to hit your account. Once you earn $5.01, you can send the cash to your PayPal or Venmo.
Key features:
- Cash-back offers
- Coupon and promo codes
Pros:
- Combine coupons and cashback
- Get cash through PayPal or Venmo
Cons:
- Fewer earning opportunities
- Reviewers report frustrations getting cash back
Shop Guilt-Free with KashKick Cashback
For the best cashback app that combines transparency, higher earning potential and real cash payouts (not gift cards), KashKick is a standout option. When you’re not shopping, you can continue to earn by taking surveys and playing games.
💰 KashKick is free and easy to sign up and start earning.
Bonus: You’ll get $2 when you install the KashBack Safari Mobile extension, which allows you to earn even more when you’re shopping from your phone! (Hence why KashKick is one of the best apps for making money on your phone.)
FAQs on Cashback Apps
Which app gives the most cash back?
No single app consistently offers the highest cashback rates, but KashKick does rank as one of the best apps to make money due to its combination of shopping rewards and opportunities to earn through surveys and games.
How much money can you make on cashback apps?
Earnings vary, but many users earn $10 to $40 per month casually. With active use and multiple earning options, KashKick users often earn more by stacking cashback with surveys, games and bonus deals.
Which app gives cash instantly?
Some apps offer faster payouts than others, but KashKick’s low payout threshold ($10) and ability to cash out to PayPal make it one of the quickest ways to turn cashback into real money.