Ultimate Guide to the Best Cash-Back Apps of 2023

Cash-back apps help you save a little bit of money on everyday purchases.
Tommy Tindall
Hal M. Bundrick, CFP®
By Hal M. Bundrick, CFP® and  Tommy Tindall 
Updated
Edited by Sheri Gordon

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Cash-back apps won’t make you rich, but they can help you save money on the things you buy. We found some that are worth a look.

What is a cash-back app?

A cash-back app gives you a rebate on a purchase or provides a coupon for an additional discount. Some apps offer points that can be redeemed as a price break on subsequent purchases, or cash.

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Best cash-back apps of 2023

Read on or jump to an app in the list:

Fetch Rewards

In a nutshell: Redeem receipts from nearly anywhere for points; cash them in for gift cards.

Details: Fetch Rewards has risen in popularity, particularly when it comes to saving on groceries, but the company says shopping anywhere earns points. Scan your receipt from any purchase, or submit an eReceipt, and you'll earn rewards points redeemable for gift cards.

User reviews: Fetch fans like the app's ease, but some reviewers lament how long it can take to accumulate enough points to redeem rewards. The app’s millions of Apple App Store ratings are mostly positive.

Apple App Store rating: 4.8

Google Play rating: 4.6

Coupons.com

In a nutshell: Tap into rewards linked to grocery store loyalty programs in one place.

Details: Managing grocery store coupons is the specialty of the Coupons.com app. Once you select a coupon or offer, discounts are automatically applied by linking your store loyalty card to the app. If you shop at a store without a loyalty program, you can submit a photo of your paper receipt. Upon approval, the rebate is applied to your PayPal account.

User reviews: In recent months, some users have reported technical errors and a few mentioned issues with the feature to print coupons. Some users also complained about unresponsive or unhelpful customer support.

Apple App Store rating: 4.7

Google Play rating: 4.1

RetailMeNot

In a nutshell: A cash-back program from a company known for coupons.

Details: One of the original cash-back apps born from a website, RetailMeNot is primarily a coupon finder, but it also allows users to activate online offers and receive personalized notifications for discounts. Cash back is paid out via PayPal or Venmo.

User reviews: Some shoppers have used this app for years and brag about its ability to save them money, though of course not at every store.

Apple App Store rating: 4.8

Google Play rating: 4.7

Upside

In a nutshell: Get cash back on gasoline (and food) purchases with this app.

Details: Upside aims to provide cash-back offers from grocery stores, restaurants and — most notably — gas stations. You can redeem cash back through PayPal, e-gift cards or bank transfers.

User reviews: Getting cash back with a gas app like Upside has become a popular way to save, though there are occasional complaints about a limited number of gas stations that participate in some areas.

Apple App Store rating: 4.8

Google play rating: 4.6

Ibotta

In a nutshell: Score cash back on a wide variety of shopping options.

Details: Ibotta promises cash back whether you're shopping in person, online, or while traveling or dining out. There are no promotional codes or coupons to track. Before shopping, you search the app for offers you like, then upload a photo of your receipt after the purchase. You can also buy the items with a linked loyalty card in-store or start online transactions with partnering retailers through the Ibotta app to bypass receipt uploads. Transfer your rewards to PayPal or gift cards.

User reviews: Some previously loyal Ibotta users have complained about a lack of customer service. Still, with over a million reviews, Ibotta remains among the most popular cash-back apps in the Apple App Store.

Apple App Store rating: 4.8

Google Play rating: 4.5

Dosh

In a nutshell: Earn automatic rebates on purchase categories without scanning receipts.

Details: Dosh adds hotels into the retail and dining-out discount mix. By linking a credit or debit card to the app, cash-back offers are deposited into the Dosh wallet. Cash can then be transferred into bank accounts, PayPal or Venmo. Rewards can also be donated to charities.

User reviews: App Store reviewers like the fact that there is no receipt scanning required to get cash back, but some aren't fans of the maintenance fees or $15 cash out minimum. Purchases also have to be made as credit rather than debit transactions.

Apple App Store rating: 4.7

Google Play rating: 4.5

Receipt Hog

In a nutshell: An app that adds an element of fun to shopping rewards.

Details: In addition to offering cash back for shopping, this app gamifies the process with sweepstakes, surveys, bonuses and Hog Slots spins that can pay out coins. Rewards can also be redeemed for gift cards or cash to your PayPal account.

User reviews: Receipt Hog has its share of fans, though there are those who say the payouts are small and take some time to add up.

Apple App Store rating: 4.7

Google Play rating: 4.5

Rakuten

In a nutshell: A cash-back app that provides direct payments every three months.

Details: Rakuten is a high-profile cash-back app claiming to cover more than 3,500 stores and issuing payment through PayPal or by check. It also features travel savings on airfare, hotels and car rentals.

User reviews: People seem to love getting their cash-back checks, and the app garners many rave reviews. There are some users who complain about issues with receiving referral bonuses.

Apple App Store rating: 4.8

Google Play rating: 3.8

Other cash-back apps to consider

Cash-back apps are about saving small amounts of money over a period of time, so you'll probably want to find an app that you enjoy using and that doesn't require a lot of effort. While these apps didn’t make the list above because they have fewer reviews or are rated slightly lower, they are still worth considering.

Shopkick

Rewards, known as "kicks," are available in-store or online and are payable as gift cards. You can earn rewards multiple ways, including by visiting stores, scanning product bar codes and submitting receipts.

CoinOut

CoinOut is another receipt-scanning cash-back app. You don't have to shop at a specific retailer, find a coupon or hunt down a deal either. You upload a receipt, and the app does the rest.

Swagbucks

Like with the other apps on this list, you can get cash-back on certain purchases through Swagbucks. You can also earn points that can be redeemed for money or gift cards by doing quick online tasks — like playing games or watching videos — or taking surveys to share your opinion on products.

Credit cards do cash back too

If the digital nickels and dimes aren’t adding up fast enough, try using a cash-back credit card in conjunction with your favorite cash-back app to increase savings. Adding 3%-6% in credit card rewards (depending on the card and purchase category) to the 1%-3% you could get from a cash-back app can make savings more substantial.

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How we picked the apps

We considered apps with at least 4.5 stars and a minimum of 100,000 ratings in the Apple App Store (Google Play store rating is noted, but was not considered). We read reviews from users for more insight.

We also factored in the number of participating stores and eligible spending categories, ease of use and rewards amount thresholds. Opportunities for higher percentages of cash back and options to link store loyalty accounts were considered a bonus.