Best Cash Back Shopping Sites To Earn Cash, Points, Rewards

For those of you who do a lot of online shopping, the odds are good that you’ve been utilizing a cash back shopping gateway for a while. If you haven’t already, you should start taking advantage of these fantastic cash back and reward-earning options because they’re all free!

If you’ve never used a cash back shopping site before, below are some pointers to assist you in your search for the ideal cash back website.

What’s Up With These Cash Back Shopping Sites?

Alright, it’s simple, the cash back shopping site is the middle man to earning incentives (cash back, rewards, points) for your online shopping. You first visit the cash back shopping website, browse their partners, and then get redirected to those partners’ official website to make your purchases.

These partners have negotiated a commission with the shopping portal, and part of that commission is shared with you. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

The surprising thing to many online shoppers is that most of the biggest merchants are partners, so you’re losing out on earnings with a lot of your normal everyday shopping by not taking advantage of these portals. Examples of big merchants:

• Walmart
• Target
• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Macy’s
• eBags
• eBay
• Kohl’s
• Saks Fifth Avenue
• Sephora
• Home Depot

Choosing The Best Cash Back Site

All of the best sites practically do the same intended goal for most shoppers, and that’s earning you cash back for shopping online as you normally would. Here are some of the top factors that you should be concerned with:

Best Rate

This is the bottom line – which site will earn you the best rate. In this regard, no one site has the kind of dominance to offer the best cash back rate for every partnered merchant.

What I’ve done for my round-up below, and I recommend you do as well before deciding, is I used the cashbackmonitor.com website to compare the rates among all the best cash back sites for the most popular merchants.

You should make a list of your most preferred shopping sites and compare the cash back rates in order to make a more tailored decision. Yes, these rates are constantly being updated, but it gives you a general idea.

Often, many shoppers use 2 or 3 cash back site options, and rotate depending on the best offer. Using more than 3 different sites will spread out your earnings too thin to redeem in a reasonable time frame. If you’re going to be utilizing more than one site, I feel Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is one of the best overall to add to your line-up.

Partnered Retailers

Some cash back portals will have thousands more partners than others. It really comes down to which site partners with most of your go-to retail merchants at the best rate, rather than one with more partners that may be of no interest to you.

Earning Opportunities

This is where you’ll find differences between the best options below. Being able to earn cash back for shopping online is going to be standard with any portal you choose.

What sets one choice apart from the others are alternate opportunities to earn. For example, Rakuten partners with many retailers to give you the ability to earn cash back in-store. You’ll link your credit card to your profile and earn the in-store cash back when you pay with the card. This is particularly useful with retailers where you really need an in-person demo or evaluation.

Another unique option is Swagbucks, where alternate ways of earning points include completing surveys and watching sponsored videos.

Referral Bonuses

If you’re Mr./Mrs. Popular or have ways of connecting with the masses, you should take advantage of the referral bonuses available with many of the shopping portals below.

You can earn $5, $10, or $15+ per qualified referral depending on the site you choose or when they have limited-time increased referral bonus promotions. Keep in mind, you’ll typically need to also earn a set amount of cash back in your account with your own shopping before being able to cash out the earned referral bonuses.

Best Cash Back Shopping Portals

Rakuten [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Earn a welcome bonus ($10 – $40 depending on the current promotion) just for signing up for a free account and making the required purchase amount within the first 90 days. You can then make anywhere from $10 to $40 per qualified referral depending on the current promotion. Referrals can be made via your personalized link, email, Facebook or Twitter. Rakuten tends to have a variety of bonus promotions throughout the year for different seasons/holidays.
• Number Of Partners: Over 3,500 stores for Cash Back, Coupons & Promo Codes
• Favorite Features:
  • The original cash back shopping portal and one of the best to ever do it.
  • Over 3,500 stores partnered for Cash Back, Coupons & Promo Codes
  • Earn with online shopping or in-store by linking your credit card to your profile.
  • Save with coupons and special promo codes as well
  • Frequent seasonal promotions for double cash back at popular stores
  • Featured Daily Deals for bigger earnings
  • Great referral bonus system with frequent promotions for $10 – $40 per qualified referral, and referral bonuses are unlimited
• Full Review: More On Rakuten

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TopCashback [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Use our link below for an initial $15 sign-up bonus. Once you’ve joined for free, you can start making $10 per qualified referral. For the Tell-a-Friend bonus to be applied to your account, your friend must authenticate their TopCashback.com account and reach a minimum cashback threshold of $10 cashback.
• Favorite Features:
  • Free payouts through ACH, PayPal, Amazon.com Gift Card and American Express Rewards Card.
  • Get a bonus on your cashback rebate when requesting payout by Amazon.com Gift Card or American Express Rewards Card.
  • No minimum pay-out threshold.
  • Stack the savings with cashback + coupons.
  • Over 7,000 Online Stores.
• Full Review: More On TopCashback

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RebatesMe [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Use our link below with referral code 1IG4MH for an initial $30 sign-up bonus. Once you’ve joined for free, you can start making $10 per qualified referral. You will only be able to cash out this bonus once you’ve accumulated at least $10 in cash back through online purchases within 365 days of your join date.
• Favorite Features:
  • You can use PayPal, Credit Card or choose a Gift Card to receive your Cash Back.
  • When your account’s available Cash Back amount reaches a minimum of $10, you can request a payment.
  • For your first Cash Out you are only required a minimum of $0.01 available Cash Back.
  • BBB Rating: A+
  • Over 4,000 Online Stores.
• Full Review: More On RebatesMe

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DOSH [Bonus Available]

• Referral Bonus: Use our link below with referral code TONYP88 to sign up, connect a debit or credit card, and make a purchase at a DOSH merchant. Once you have an active account you can earn $10 per qualified referral.
• Favorite Features:
  • Automatic cash back at thousands of places when you shop, dine, or book hotels.
  • No coupons or receipt scanning.
  • Download the Dosh app and link your cards, or check if your favorite way to pay offers a cash back experience powered by Dosh.
  • Over 10,000 places to get cash back.
• Full Review: More On DOSH

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Mr.Rebates [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Sign up as a new member for free and get a $5.00 bonus (after first purchase). Once you’re a member, you can start making referrals and each time your referral gets cash back, you get a bonus equal to 20% of their rebate. Referrals can be made via your personal link, email, Facebook or Twitter.
• Favorite Features:
  • Mr. Rebates has given members cash back for online shopping since 2002.
  • Shop at over 2500 different cash back stores.
  • Once you’ve earned enough rebates in your account, you can simply cash out and Mr. Rebates will send your balance via a mailed check or Paypal.
  • A mobile app is available for both Android and iOS
• Full Review: More On MrRebates.com

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Swagbucks [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Sign up for free and earn 300 SB bonus points, a $3 value, when you earn at least 300 SB within 30 days. You can then make referrals and earn $3 per qualified referral. You’ll also get 10% of your referrals’ earnings for life
• Favorite Features:
  • You can earn cash back for online shopping like with the other cash back portals, but Swagbucks offers many other options for earning points, such as by watching partnered videos, completing surveys, browsing offers, entering contests, etc.
  • Cash back shopping at over 1500 retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Starbucks.
  • Earn SB points for every dollar you spend plus get access to exclusive deals and coupons to your favorite retailers.
  • Redeem for gift cards or cash back through PayPal.
  • Swagbucks will give you the most variety to earn, but it will require plenty of time invested to maximize. This may not be the best option for someone just looking for a portal for earning cash back for shopping.
  • Our referral link for the 300 Swag Bucks bonus
  • Our referral link for a 1000 Swag Bucks bonus when you add the SwagButton on your laptop or desktop.
• Full Review: More On Swagbucks

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BeFrugal [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Join BeFrugal for free and earn a $10 bonus payable when you earn $10 in Cash Back. You can then earn a $10 per qualified referral, and your referrals can still earn their own $10 bonus. To qualify for a $10 Refer-a-Friend bonus, new referrals must click on your unique Refer-a-Friend link, join BeFrugal and earn $10 or more in Cash Back (not including bonuses and earnings from non-purchase activity) within 365 days of account creation.
• Favorite Features:
  • Earn up to 40% Cash Back at 5000+ top stores
  • Receive payments via check, PayPal or Amazon.com Gift Card
  • 1000s of exclusive coupons that you can stack with the cash back earnings
  • Also find printable restaurant and fast food coupons, offering the latest coupons for over 250 popular restaurants
• Full Review: More On BeFrugal.com

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Honey [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Get a 500 Honey Gold points bonus when you create a free Honey account using the referral link below and earn Honey Gold points on your first purchase. Your bonus will post to your account within approximately 60 days after the qualifying purchase. This offer is only valid for new members. You can also refer up to 200 friends for a maximum of 100,000 Honey Gold points ($1,000 in value). Notice: Sometimes Honey will remove the sign up incentive for those getting referred.
• Favorite Features:
  • Rack up Gold points that you can redeem for cash or other rewards.
  • Savings Finder tool automatically finds and applies coupon codes on 40,000+ popular sites.
• Full Review: More On Honey

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GoCashBack [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Get a $5 cash bonus when you sign up for a free GoCashBack account with our referral link (use code U7JGVF). This offer is valid for new members only. Important: You’ll need to earn at least $20 in cash back through shopping on GoCashBack in order to have your sign-up bonus and referral bonuses become available. With an active account, you can earn $5 + 5% commission for making referrals.
• Favorite Features:
  • GoCashBack.com is one of the fastest growing cash back websites allowing you to get up to 31% cash back at your favorite stores.
  • Use the GoCashBack App to check your cash back status from anywhere and click through while on the go to save when you shop from your phone.
  • You can even get cash back when you dine out locally or at special events.
• Full Review: More On GoCashBack

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Extrabux [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Sign up for free and earn a $20 welcome bonus. Once you’ve signed up, you can get a $5 cash bonus for every friend you refer. Earn additional cash when your friends shop (equal to 5% on the cash back your friends earn). Your friends also get a $20 cash bonus when they sign up. You can make referrals using all of the popular contact and social media platforms.
• Favorite Features:
  • Earn up to 30% cash back, get money-saving coupons, and find the best price on every purchase at 2,500+ stores.
  • Receive your cash back via your credit card, PayPal, or a check in the mail. Or, you can donate it to a charity.
  • Hot Deals section for bigger cash back and coupon promotions
• Full Review: More On Extrabux

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iConsumer [Sign-Up Bonus Available]

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: Use your personalized invite after you sign up for a free account. You’ll earn at least 100 shares after your referrals have tried the iConsumer Button for their desktop for 6 months, no purchase necessary. On top of that you’ll earn 150 shares of stock + $10 per referral when they make their first qualifying purchase (10 shares of stock in their first 90 days) as an iConsumer member. You can refer via your own link, Facebook, Twitter, Email or LinkedIn. Use our link below (code AJoMUXi) to sign up.
• Favorite Features:
  • Not only will you earn cash back for online shopping, you’ll also be able to earn shares of iConsumer.
  • iConsumer stock – earn shares every time you shop or refer a friend. You’ll get free shares of the company for joining.
  • Great deals and cash back at over 45,000 stores and brands.
• Full Review: More On iConsumer

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Credit Card Portals

• Sign-Up/Referral Bonus: There are no sign-up bonuses for these portals, as you can only access them through your eligible credit card. Other credit card issuers have their own cash back shopping portals, but Chase and Discover have the best options. You’ll usually be able to earn sign-up bonuses when applying for these eligible credit cards. Great options for these respective portals include:
  • Chase: Chase Freedom Flex^SM, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®
  • Some Discover cards
• Favorite Features:
• You’ll be able to stack your credit card rewards with the rewards/cash back using the associated shopping portal, thereby boosting the earning power of the card.
• Full Review: More On Credit Card Portals

Bottom Line

• Choose the cash back site(s) that fits your needs best
• Remember to always check the cash back site to see if your merchant is partnered, whatever it may be that you’re planning to pay for online. This includes everything from goods, services, and travel. We’re all so used to quickly jumping on Amazon (a typical cash back partner by-the-way) and getting things shipped out via Prime ASAP that it’s easy to forget to blast up the cash back portal first to save. Perhaps consider setting your chosen cash back site as part of your tabbed home pages at browser launch!
• Maximize your earnings by referring friends and family to use these shopping portals as well, as they are all free to use and earn with.

Read more: See the best bank promotions here and the best investing promotions here.