Are you looking to start generating extra income via your cellphone? Then you need to look into these three mobile apps that actually offer real cash back in exchange for task work or other services, including simply shopping.
That’s right, you can earn money just by shopping! Here are the apps you need to know about if you’re looking for cash back.
Not All Apps Are The Same
There are plenty of apps that pay out there, but many of them work on a point system, so you earn points for completed tasks. Others only offer gift cards or store rewards instead of actual cash.
These three apps actually offer you cash that can be deposited directly into a PayPal account and then onto your bank, or mailed to you via a personal check.
1] Rakuten (Formerly Known As Ebates)
Rakuten has been around since 1997 and has been helping shoppers find great deals, save money, and earn cash back since then. With over 2,500 connected retailers, no matter where you shop you’re sure to find Rakuten useful for earning cash.
How does it work? Simple. You go into your favorite store (as long as it’s a partnered retailer with Rakuten) and shop like you normally would for clothing, electronics, etc. Once you’ve completed your transaction and logged it in the app, your cash back will be sent via mailed check or deposited into a PayPal account.
There are many major retailers partnered with Rakuten, including Sears, Pier1, Samsung, and Office Max. These stores also offer double cash back when you use Rakuten with them. What’s not to love about that?
Rakuten has also partnered with certain travel sites so you can earn cash back on vacation packages and rentals. Now that is something worth looking into. We all know how expensive a simple vacation can be, so why not earn some of that money back?
Overall, Rakuten is one of the most trusted apps out there for earning cash back. With a tradition that stretches back 22 years, the company doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere soon. Which is good for their user base of over 12 million users in the US who have earned over $1 billion in cash back so far.
2] BeFrugal
The name says it all, right? BeFrugal is an app that does essentially what Rakuten does, by partnering with your favorite retailers and offering massive discounts and cash back opportunities of up to 40% on certain purchases. That’s almost half of what you spent on the item!
BeFrugal also has access to thousands of coupons and promo codes that you can use on top of your cash back to generate even more extra cash. Get a discount on what you buy, and then get cash back on it later. You’re basically getting paid twice for your purchases.
With over 5,000 stores in its partner list, BeFrugal has twice the reach of Rakuten, at only 2,500 stores. New members get a welcome gift of $10, and the site also offers referral bonuses and rate matching. If you find another site that offers a higher rate, they’ll not only match that rate but also give you an additional 25% back!
One of the best things about BeFrugal is that it offers a direct deposit option for the money you earn, saving those PayPal transfer fees and putting more money in your pocket. You can still choose a traditional mailed check as well.
All in all, BeFrugal is one of the best cash back apps with high payouts, great discounts, and a price matching system that will pay you if you find a higher cashback rate somewhere else.
3] TopCashBack
TopCashBack might be the best of the cashback apps simply because it shares 100% of its commission with the users, unlike other companies. The site generates most of its money through ads and sponsors, meaning the commission from its partner retailers goes back into its users’ pockets.
TopCashBack is partnered with over 4,000 stores, so it falls somewhere in the middle of our two other apps in terms of reach. With 8 million members worldwide, the user base is much bigger than BeFrugal and Rakuten.
The process is simple: browse through connected retailers via the website or mobile app, make a purchase through any of those retailers as you normally would, and then receive your payment.
Joining is free, and you can unsubscribe anytime, though there is a referral bonus if you sign up a friend (or 10). TopCashBack is one of the fastest growing cashback services on the market, and one of the few to have a dedicated customer support staff.
With a wide user base, high payouts, and an extensive retailer list, as well as retailer coupons and rebates, TopCashBack has everything you want out of a cashback app and then some. Sign up today and start earning money every time you shop!
Conclusion
Cashback apps are not all created equal, but the three we’ve reviewed have some of the best ratings and most trust in the industry.
There’s nothing better than getting paid to shop for the things you love, especially when you can earn as much as 40% cash back on certain purchases. If you’ve never thought about using a cashback app, there’s never been a better time to try it out.
