Rewards apps promise to pay you cash back for making everyday purchases or taking advantage of offers. But which ones are worth the time?
Overview: Best rewards apps
Best “pay for play” rewards apps. These apps allow users to earn small amounts of money for taking surveys, participating in free trials, or even playing video games. Some also have cash-back features so that you can earn while you shop.
Best shopping rewards apps. Shopping rewards apps are more like coupon or cash back apps that reward you with cash as you shop.
Best ‘pay for play’ rewards apps
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is another cash back app that wants to be a part of your life and the routine activities you would be doing online anyway. Watching online videos and taking short surveys will earn you gift cards. The polls will make you feel like you’re part of something bigger and the retailers are listening to your opinions. Bloggers and remote workers love this app, and it’s especially great for people who are home a lot of the time and want to earn cashback while going about their daily routine.
Swagbucks is perhaps the web’s no. 1 venue for taking surveys, watching videos, and playing games for cash online. The platform is well-built, well-reviewed, and available for Android, iOS, and through your internet browser.
- Earn cashback with your daily routine
- Multiple ways to earn
- Free to join
- May not qualify for all activities
- Can be time consuming
There are a lot of useful tips out there for using Swagbucks, and we recommend reading them before you start so that you can get the most out of this app. Bonus features and the ability to passively earn while playing Swagwatch and SBTV offer even more ways to reap the rewards. Signing up for the Swagbucks survey profile will help you receive more surveys that you qualify for, thus increasing your rewards potential and allowing you to have input with companies that fit your lifestyle and spending profile.
» MORE: Sign up for Swagbucks.
Freecash
Freecash stands out as a rapidly-growing rewards app where users can earn real money through a variety of activities such as playing mobile games, completing surveys, and subscribing to free trials.
Freecash is the hottest new "get paid to play" website we've come across. Featuring hundreds of games and survey offers, Freecash pays out real money via PayPal, crypto or gift cards.
- Thousands of offers
- Fun, gamified experience
- Some users can earn hundreds of dollars
- Not all users will qualify for all surveys
- Certain offers may cost more than they pay out
Freecash rewards users with in-app coins, which can be exchanged for gift cards, cryptocurrencies, or cash withdrawals. Users have the flexibility to select from a range of activities, including game playing, survey participation, and other offers from partners. Freecash tailors survey opportunities to individual users by asking demographic questions, ensuring a better match with surveys that pay. Although not every survey will be a fit due to specific demographic requirements, there are many opportunities to earn.
Although Freecash is less of a shopping app and more of a “get paid to play” app, it nears the top of our list of apps to make money fast. Freecash is an attractive addition to a cash back shopping app because it doesn’t require spending any money to earn.
» MORE: Sign up free for Freecash
Inbox Dollars
InboxDollars is a another rewards app that pays users to watch videos, play games, and take surveys.
InboxDollars is a free app that offers a variety of ways to make money fast including surveys that pay between $0.50 and $5, earning cash back for playing games. You can even get paid for receiving and reading certain emails.
- Earn cash, not points
- Totally free; no risk to sign up
- Not everyone will qualify for highest-paid surveys
Although some users report earning less with Inbox Dollars than some competing rewards apps, the site may feature the biggest variety of offers. You can cash out your rewards via PayPal in $10 or $15 increments. New users can claim a $5 bonus at Inbox Dollars just for signing up.
» MORE: Sign up for Inbox Dollars
MyPoints
MyPoints is a rewards app that offers up to 40% back at 2,000 of the most common retailers. These retailers include stores like Target, Walmart, Amazon, Old Navy, eBay, and Home Depot. And the list of retailers is huge (over 2000) – these are just a few of my favorites.
MyPoints is definitely one of the better rewards programs to sign up for and one of the most popular options for secondary income-seekers Earn earn rewards by taking surveys, watching videos, playing games and much more.
You can redeem your earned points through PayPal, on airline miles, or for gift cards at your favorite stores.
- Easy-to-use free mobile app
- Low-barrier for redemption
- Variety of methods to earn points
- May not be able to take all the surveys
- Some offers can be redundant
You’ll earn points every time you shop at these stores, and you can redeem those points at any time. You can redeem them for gift cards or a credit to your PayPal account.
You can sign-up for MyPoints for free, and they’re currently offering a $10 sign-up bonus!
» MORE: Sign up for MyPoints or read our full MyPoints review.
Scrambly
Scrambly is an innovative rewards app available to users in both the United States and Canada. Scrambly users have reported earning over $400 through engaging activities such as downloading new apps, playing games, shopping, and subscribing to new products and services. Scrambly refreshes its offerings frequently, ensuring a dynamic and interesting selection of opportunities. The recent launch of its Android app adds to the platform’s accessibility and convenience.
One of Scrambly’s standout features is the low threshold for cashing out; users can withdraw their earnings through PayPal with as little as $1, making it exceptionally user-friendly for those looking to quickly access their rewards. Additionally, Scrambly offers a diverse array of gift cards, providing users with multiple options to redeem their earnings. This blend of ease, variety, and frequent updates positions Scrambly as a compelling choice for individuals seeking to earn rewards through everyday digital activities.
Scrambly is a legitimate app that has ratings of 4.3 stars and 3.7 stars on the Google Play and Apple App Store, respectively.
» MORE: Learn more about Scrambly
Best shopping rewards apps
Capital One Shopping
Capital One Shopping has been coming on strong as one of the best coupon and promo tools for saving money when online shopping. Installation and/or downloading the app is 100% free and Capital One Shopping has a variety of ways you can earn rewards:
Capital One Shopping is one of the best free web browser extension and mobile app tools that automatically helps you find great deals and applies coupons and promo codes when you shop online to save you money.
You can also earn shopping rewards credits at participating retailers redeemable for cash value gift cards.
- Always 100% free to use
- Can help get you a better price when available
- Easy to earn free gift cards as you shop
- Requires sharing your data
- Shop normally for your everyday purchases and when someone else finds a lower price for an item, Capital One Shopping alerts all of their users to the same low price.
- When it’s time to check-out, Capital One Shopping will try to apply coupon codes to your order. When it works for one user, Capital One Shopping will try it for you too!
- Earn credits when you make purchases online and use them to redeem for gift cards at a number of top retailers.
Capital One Shopping is powered by Capital One and perhaps their coolest feature is a universal barcode scanner where after a scan, they’ll scour the internet for a cheaper buy.
» MORE: Sign up free for Capital One Shopping or read our full Capital One Shopping review.
Rakuten
Rakuten is a very popular rewards app that offers cash back for purchases made through its extensive network of 1,000+ partner stores. It operates as a vast shopping portal where users can find cash-back deals ranging from 0.5% to 8% or even more, depending on the partner. The platform boasts partnerships with major retailers such as Amazon, Sephora, Groupon, Old Navy, Home Depot, and Forever 21, among others, covering a wide array of shopping needs.
Users receive their cash back on a quarterly basis, provided they have accumulated at least $5 in their account—a threshold easily met with just a few purchases. Personal testimonials highlight significant earnings, with some users earning up to $1,200 through referrals and shopping via Rakuten’s partners. The platform also offers a referral program; new members signing up with a referral code receive a $30 bonus after spending $30 or more within their first 90 days, benefiting both the referrer and the new member.
Rakuten’s combination of a large partner base, easy cash-back earnings, and a rewarding referral program makes it a top choice for those looking to earn money back on their online and in-store shopping.
» MORE: Learn more about Rakuten
Dosh
Dosh is an increasingly-popular rewards app that claims “Unlike other cash back apps, there’s no need to cut coupons, scan receipts, or remember discount codes.” By linking your credit or debit card to the app, Dosh says it can automatically find offers for things that you’re already buying and then put the cash into your Dosh Wallet
Dosh supports thousands of merchants including Walmart, Costco, Sephora, Dunkin, Forever 21, Ebay, DoorDash, Uber, and Home Depot.
Is Dosh worth it? Dosh is a legimate app with ratings of 4.5 starts and 4.7 stars in the Google Play and Apple App Stores, respectively. Requiring less effort than other rewards apps, users like Dosh because it earns them cash back automatically just by linking their credit and/or debit card(s).
» MORE: Learn more about Dosh
Earny
Have you ever made a purchase, only for the item to go on sale the next week? Earny helps with that exactly. Simply add the extension to your Chrome browser and let Earny do the rest. The app monitors your purchases and alerts you when an item you’ve bought drops in price. It even checks your recent purchases for any price reductions that might make you eligible for a refund.
But one of Earny’s biggest benefits is its watchlist. When you see an item you want, put it on your watchlist and Earny will keep an eye on it. You can immediately see the price history of the item and gauge the likelihood that the price will drop in the future before buying. If you can wait, just leave the item in your watchlist and when the price drops, you’ll get an alert.
Earny is free, so there’s nothing to lose by adding it to your browser. You’ll start earning money on the shopping you do every week.
» MORE: Learn more about Earny
iBotta
iBotta consistently scores well with savvy savers. It’s user-friendly and available for both iOS and Android. Just download the app and unlock the rebates. A series of tasks bring the idea of gamification to an otherwise tedious task, making saving money even more fun. Users see each job as a challenge that needs to be completed, and you can also get the whole family in on it.
Once you’re ready to go shopping, buy the products you’ve unlocked at any of the stores that are listed on the app. Next, you will need to verify your purchases by scanning the barcodes and submitting a photo of the receipt. You’re ready to cash in, and the money will appear in your iBotta account within 48 hours.
This app continues to evolve in its ease of use, which means the developers are responsive to reviews and actively seeking the best possible consumer experience. Many retailers allow you to process receipts in real-time, which means money in your pocket faster. Some of the benefits of iBotta include no more cutting and carrying coupons; you have one accessible portable device to start saving and earning money. According to iBotta, the average user is making about $30 a month. That’s $30 that you can keep or spend on something else.
» MORE: Learn more about iBotta.
Fetch Rewards
Grocery shopping is a necessary chore, and clipping coupons is a time-consuming process. With Fetch Rewards, you just scan your store receipts to earn extra cash back on the products you bought. You’ll save when you buy from Fetch’s partner brands, which include many of the most popular products on the market. You’ll save for buying Kraft, Lipton, Cottonelle, Knorr, and many other brands.
You won’t just save on grocery receipts with Fetch. You can scan receipts from big-box retailers, liquor stores, convenience stores, and even club stores like Sam’s Club. All the big grocers are included, so whether you shop at Publix, Target, Walmart, or Kroger, you’re covered.
Prefer to shop online? You can do that, too. You’ll need to link up the email account you use on those sites, then search for receipts that have been delivered to your inbox. This is also a great way to make sure your e-delivered receipts at brick-and-mortar stores are included.
» MORE: Learn more about Fetch Rewards
Shopkick
Shopkick is a rewards app where users can earn “kicks” when they buy featured products. Shopkick has both online and in-store offers, and “kicks” can be redeemed for gift cards at major reatailers like Amazon, Target and Starbucks.
Is Shopkick worth it? Shopkick is a legitimate app with ratings of 3.8 stars and 4.6 stars in the Google Play and Apple App Store, respectively. But a lot of Shopkick users say that the rewards rates aren’t as good as competing apps. As with any shopping rewards app, you’re also giving the app (and its partners) a lot of your personal data.
» MORE: Learn more about Shopkick
Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up using the links provided.