Shop Smarter: 7 Best Cash Back Apps & Sites for 2026
For the average shopper, saving money has become more of a necessity than a luxury. Fortunately, with the rise of cash back apps and sites, earning rewards on your purchases has never been easier. Whether you’re shopping online or in-store, these platforms offer you the chance to earn cash back on your everyday purchases. The platforms earn a commission when you make a purchase, and they share that commission with you in the form of cash back. We’ve rounded up the 10 best cash back apps and sites to help you make the most of your money.
Rakuten
Best Overall
Rakuten is a pioneer of cash back shopping, formerly know as Ebates. They boast a solid curation of stores, and many ways to get rewarded via the site, app, or browser extension. Rakuten has great US-based customer service and is perhaps the most dependable cash back platform.
No. of stores
3,400+
Where you earn
Online & In-store
How you get paid
Paypal, Check, Amex, Bilt
Top features:
- Rakuten browser extension not only helps you remember to activate cash back when shopping online at participating stores, but also finds and applies coupons automatically.
- When you link a credit card to your Rakuten account and pay with that card in-store, you’ll automatically get cash back for in-store offers you’ve activated. You can also get cash back at participating restaurants with a linked card.
- American Express and Bilt partnerships allow you to connect your accounts and convert your Rakuten cash back to points and transfer 1:1. This can potentially have outsized value when using points for travel.
🎉 Welcome bonus: up to $50
Top Cashback
Best Cash Back Rates
Top Cashback offers some of the highest cash back rates among its competitors. Unlike others, they pass on all of their commission to you, which is why they sometimes have the best cash back rates. They also offer very flexible methods of getting paid, including direct deposit.
No. of stores
9,500+
Where you earn
Online
How you get paid
Paypal, Direct Deposit, Gift Cards
Top features:
- Top Cashback has an actual guarantee that their offers will be highest cash back rate. They’ll not only match, but beat the competitor rate.
- Offers payout of your balance with no minimum required to transfer and no set payout schedules. The limited restrictions on your earned cash back is one of the best of all the platforms.
- You can boost your cash back payout by up to 5% by choosing from various gift card options.
Welcome bonus: None
Capital One Shopping
Best Targeted Offers
Capital One Shopping, which does not require a Capital One credit card, earns cash back at participating stores and offers a robust browser extension that automatically finds best prices and applies coupon codes at checkout. However, their payout flexibility is limited compared to others.
No. of stores
3,900+
Where you earn
Online
How you get paid
Gift Cards
Top features:
- In addition to cash back, Capital One Shopping compares prices across various retailers to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
- The extension also automatically finds, applies, and clips on-site coupons so you can be sure you’re applying the most savings to maximize the bottom line on your purchase.
- Targeted offers based on browsing history can sometimes present outsized cashback opportunities. For example, I have received many offers of 30% cash back or more.
Welcome bonus: up to $80
Upside
Best for Gas
Upside App offers cash back rewards by linking your credit card and then paying with that credit card. You can use it for everyday essentials at participating gas, grocery, or dining stores via offers you activate in their app. This is great for earning cash back locally.
No. of stores
3,900+
Where you earn
Online
How you get paid
Gift Cards
Top features:
- The Upside App specializes in providing cash back on everyday purchases, particularly gas, groceries, and dining.
- The available stores are hyper local, meaning you’ll find small businesses and national alike that participate near you.
- When you refer-a-friend, you’ll get a bonus 15¢ off per gallon on a single purchase. And you’ll get 1¢ for every gallon of gas your referral buys via Upside in the future.
🎉 Welcome bonus: up to +15¢ off per gallon first purchase
Swagbucks
Most Unique
Swagbucks is a truly unique cash back platform that is fun to engage with and earn rewards. It offers various ways to earn, including cash back for shopping online, but also unique methods such as taking surveys, playing games, watching videos, and more.
No. of stores
2,300+
Where you earn
Online
How you get paid
PayPal, Gift Cards
Top features:
- Cash back is referred to as SB (Swagbucks). Each SB is worth 1¢. So, 1000 SB = $10 usd. The shear number of ways that you can earn this cash back—shopping online, taking surveys, uploading receipts, playing games, downloading apps, watching videos, and more—is unique to this platform.
- When you choose a gift card for payout, some gift cards offer up to 12.5% discount on the face value.
- Swagstakes allows you to use your Swagbucks to enter sweepstakes for the chance to win more Swagbucks, gift cards, and high-ticket products.
Welcome bonus: up to $10
Rove
Most Flexible
Rove is the new transferable miles platform that lets you earn miles (not cash back) through shopping and travel bookings. These miles transfer 1:1 to airline and hotel partners, just like Chase UR or Amex MR. The real magic? Triple-dipping potential when booking travel—earn Rove Miles + loyalty points + credit card rewards all on the same purchase.
No. of stores
13,000+
Where you earn
Online
How you get paid
Travel Points
Top features:
- The Rove browser extension works like Rakuten, but you’re earning transferable miles instead of cash back. These miles can then be used for high-value award travel redemptions or transferred to partners for even more flexibility.
- Book hotels through Rove and earn up to 25x Rove Miles per dollar spent, plus your hotel loyalty points (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, etc.), plus your credit card points. Book flights and earn 1-10x Rove Miles on top of airline miles and card rewards. This stacking potential is unmatched.
- Rove Miles transfer 1:1 to partners, including Avianca LifeMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, Turkish Miles&Smiles, Finnair Plus, and several hotel programs. When you redeem directly through Rove’s portal, values can hit 2-4 cents per mile—way better than typical travel portals.
Welcome bonus: up to 1500 miles
Shopback
Best New Platform
ShopBack offers automatic rewards on qualifying purchases made through its website, mobile app, or browser extension—no manual activation or receipt uploads needed. It partners with over 2,000 online retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Macy’s.
No. of stores
2,000+
Where you earn
Online
How you get paid
PayPal, Direct Deposit
Top features:
- Earn automatic cash back on qualifying purchases across 2,000+ online merchants—including unique support for Amazon—simply by shopping via the ShopBack website, app, or browser button.
- Complete in-app challenges and spending milestones (e.g., earn a $20 bonus when you spend $250 on travel bookings) to unlock extra cash-back rewards, with progress tracked directly in the app.
- U.S. shoppers receive cashback on shipping fees for select purchases, and the ShopBack Button automatically applies the best available coupon codes at checkout.
Welcome bonus: up to $20
Other Cash Back Rewards Platforms
While our list compiles our opinion of the best cash back apps, there are many other cash back sites available to make more of your everyday purchases. Below are more cash back sites you might consider:
Cash-back Apps: Bonus Tip!
To be sure you are not only using the best cash back apps, but also getting the best cash back rate for your purchase, check Savewise to easily search where you’re shopping, and compare rates for the cash back apps and sites that you actively use. You can also see if there are any active credit card offers for that merchant. It’s worth noting that not all the cash back apps we’ve featured here are listed, but most are. You may even find more cash back platforms that fit your needs!
Wrap-up: Maximize Your Cash Back
With all the cash back sites and apps available, and new ones popping up every year, it’s easier than ever to get more bang for your buck. Whether you prefer shopping online or in-store, these platforms offer a convenient way to earn rewards on your everyday purchases. From veterans like Rakuten to newcomers like Dosh, each option brings its own unique features and benefits to the table. So what are you waiting for? Start taking advantage of opportunities to save and put extra cash back in your pocket.
Editor’s note: Opinions shared in this article are solely the author’s and do not represent the views of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other organization. The content has not been evaluated, approved, or endorsed by any of the mentioned entities. These are recommendations, not financial advice. I may receive a commission if you click through any of the links in this article.
Jason Lehigh
Jason is the founder of Live Rewarded, a blog dedicated to making points, miles, and cash back simple for everyone. Growing up with a frugal mindset and a knack for figuring things out on his own, Jason learned how to turn everyday expenses into travel, savings, and experiences worth remembering.
Through Live Rewarded, he shares clear, practical strategies to help you get more from the money you already spend.