Updated May 16, 2022

What are Cashback Apps?

If you’re new to the world of cashback and rewards apps, it’s time you learned how to pull in some extra coin doing things you do anyway. 

Cashback and rewards apps generally pay you for your consumer activities: they either pay you back for shopping at certain stores or just for taking some spare time to tell market researchers about your buying habits. Some apps even pay you to scan barcodes of items you don’t buy. Simple, right? 

And they really work, too! Though nobody’s really building a full-time side hustle from their earnings on rewards sites, you will earn real money and free gift cards by completing a couple of clicks on these free money making mobile apps. 

What Does Cashback Mean?

Cashback is a catchall term meaning that the app company will reimburse you some money for your purchases. In some cases, they’ll give you cash rewards in the form of a check or deposit to your PayPal account for your earnings from answering paid surveys, or for a percentage of the purchases you’ve made at certain stores. Mostly, though, you’ll receive VISA prepaid credit cards or gift cards to popular merchants like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Starbucks, and iTunes.

Read the fine print and check out reviews to reassure yourself the deals aren’t scammy – there are more than enough legit offers out there.

The app company will make money in one of a couple of ways. First, market researchers who are hungry to know what you’re buying will pay to see your receipts or know what you’re buying through surveys. That simple. Consumers are a valuable commodity and they need to better understand why you do what you do.

Second, some retailers pay the app to be one of its partners, meaning the retailer is paying to put its name on the app, and the app company, in turn, pays you for a purchase at a partner store. Retailers do this to get more customers.

So for you, this is a win-win situation. You’re making purchases, you’re getting the rewards, and earning extra money online. Sounds good right? It’s up to you to figure out the best cashback apps for Apple iOS or Android are worth it for you – some apps will fit in better to your everyday activities, so read on to find out which are the best money making apps, that might be easiest for you to use during your next trip grocery shopping or making online purchases.

The 10 Best Cashback and Rewards Apps for 2022

Swagbucks

Signing up for SwagBucks opens the door to a variety of ways to make money: earn cash for scanning receipts, finding cashback offers for online shopping, completing web searches, and taking online surveys. You can even earn by switching your default web browser! Cash out once you’ve earned at least $3 to your favorite stores. Install their browser extension on chrome so you’ll never miss cashback deals.

Inbox Dollars

InboxDollars will pay out in cash or VISA cards for participants who’ve earned at least $15 by playing games, completing surveys, searching the web, or shopping online.

MyPoints

Earn up to 20 percent rebates on purchases from over 2000 retailers through MyPoints, and redeem your points for gift cards from your favorite merchants like Walmart, Target, Starbucks, Google Play and iTunes. MyPoints offers free sign up, and a $10 sign-up bonus, too.

Shoply

This free app can help you earn money by uploading a picture of your receipt from a whole bunch of top retailers. Purchases from stores like Walmart, Walgreens, and Kroger are eligible for cashback, plus you get notified of deals and promos in the stores you love. Stack them with your favorite loyalty card for even more savings!

Survey Junkie

Make money through surveys, as the name indicates, but also through product testing, focus groups, and phone surveys. Before you sign up for a survey, you can see the number of points you’ll earn, and the approximate time it’ll take to complete. Points can be cashed out through gift cards or by PayPal deposits.

Opinion Outpost

Tired of looking around for the latest surveys and opinion polls to complete for cash? Opinion Outpost has got you covered, with invitations for surveys sent directly to your inbox. You can’t cash out until you’ve earned $50, though, so be prepared for the long haul. 

Zap

Zap offers surveys based on your current location and activities, and offers discounts for shopping with partner retailers, making it simpler to earn throughout your day. Another bonus? The first survey you complete can earn you $6.25 – it’s a quick way to earn extra cash!

Ibotta

Earn cashback through shopping online or in person with the Ibotta app. Purchases via your mobile device or computer with over 150 online partner retailers, including food delivery options, make earning cashback as easy as ordering dinner. Your Ibotta account can also tell you when you’re near one of their affiliate stores so you can earn in-store, too.

Coupons.com

Through Coupons.com’s website you can simply download and use a myriad of coupons for extra money for your daily grocery store shopping, no questions asked. The app allows you to browse paperless coupons and use them as you will by scanning them at checkout, or by submitting a copy of your receipt to save (depending on the store).

Receipt Hog

Receipt Hog may be the absolute simplest way to save money on your purchases (cafe, grocery, restaurant, whatever!). No hunting for deals, just snap a photo of your receipt with a smartphone to earn points toward rewards. That simple! Get payouts through Amazon cards or through a PayPal account.

Checkout51 

Upload photos of receipts from participating retailers that feature special offers to earn cashback – retrieve your earnings when you’ve banked at least $20. In addition to everyday grocery items, Checkout51 has expanded to reward for fuel purchases, too!

Which Rewards or  Cashback App is Right for You?

There you have it! You can choose your favorite app, or mix and match apps to pad your bank account with only minor tweaks to your regular shopping habits.

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