I Tested 24 Cashback Sites: Here Are the Only 10 That Actually Pay (2026)

Rakuten is the best overall cashback site in 2026, offering up to 40% back at 3,500+ stores and a $30 to $50 sign-up bonus.

While the average American household spends $78,535 annually according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure report, using cashback sites like TopCashBack (offering 35% rates) or Ibotta can realistically save the average shopper between $200 and $500 every single year.

I’ll be honest with you: when I first heard about getting paid to shop years ago, I thought it sounded like a total scam.

But after using these cashback sites and apps for over a decade and earning thousands of dollars in actual cash, I can tell you that this is real money and not using them is like refusing to accept a “free money” windfall.

The trick is knowing which platforms actually pay out.

I’ve personally tested the tracking systems and payout speeds for dozens of apps to find the ones that don’t glitch or disappear with your earnings.

Whether you want a “Big Fat Check” from Rakuten or a lightning-fast $0.01 payout from TopCashBack, I’ve done the legwork to find the platform that gets YOU the most money back based on how you shop.

What is a Cashback Site?

Cash back sites are like the middleman between you and online stores.

When you shop through their links, they get a commission from the retailer and share a portion with you.

Your average cashback deal gets you anywhere from 1% to 5% cash back, although there are online retailers that give you up to 45% cashback.

You may think a few percent cashback won’t matter, but when you look at that average annual spending I mentioned earlier, the math is undeniable. Even a tiny 2% rebate across your normal shopping categories can mean over $1,500 back in your bank account.

Most active users I talk to easily clear $200–$400 per year without changing a single habit, and for “power shoppers,” that number often climbs well over $1,000.

Want to see what your specific slice of the pie looks like?

Use the calculator below to see how much you’re currently leaving on the table based on your monthly groceries and online orders:

Not all cash back sites are the same. Some have terrible tracking systems (meaning they don’t credit your account even though you did shop through their portal), others take forever to pay out, and some have even gone out of business with people’s earnings.

Plus the fact that well have different shopping habits with our own favorite online stores to shop, makes finding the top cashback platform even trickier.

Rakuten may be great for me because I shop a lot online, but it may not be great for you because you shop at international store a lot. You see what I mean?

I have been using and testing all kinds of cashback sites and apps for years. So I decided to sue my own personal experience and expertise to create the ultimate guide for anyone who is looking for the best cashback sites that gets THEM the most money back.

So let’s start with the most important question.

What is the best cash back site?

Rakuten is the best overall cash back site for most people.

As I explained in my detailed review of Rakuten, it offers reliable tracking, partnerships with over 3,500 stores, cashback rates up to 40%, and a $30 to $50 sign-up bonus (the exact amount changes, but it’s usually around there).

Rakuten has paid out over $1 billion to users and has the most trustworthy tracking system in the industry.

So overall, for the average shopper it’s a great place to start.

My Personal Testing Log: Does it actually pay?

I’ll be honest: since I shop online almost every day, I don’t keep a formal spreadsheet for every single cent I earn. It would take way too much time.

However, I went back through my receipts and account activity for my favorite sites from the last few months to put this table together.

This is my actual experience with the platforms I use most.

Date Received	Platform	Amount	Payment Method
Nov 15, 2025	Rakuten	$42.18	Check (“Big Fat Check”)
Oct 28, 2025	TopCashBack	$12.50	Direct Deposit (ACH)
Sept 12, 2025	Ibotta	$23.10	Amazon Gift Card
Aug 05, 2025	Swagbucks	$25.00	PayPal

As you can see, the amounts vary, but the money is legitimate. I’ve personally verified that these specific sites don’t “glitch” out when it’s time to pay you what you’ve earned.

Methodology:I went back and looked at my own receipts for stuff I bought that cost between $10 and $50. I checked the day I bought the items against the day the money actually hit my account to make sure it was right. I’ve hidden my private info, but I keep these records on file to prove the sites are legit.

Note: I am an affiliate for some of these sites, but the log above does not include any commissions. These are 100% cashback earnings from my own shopping so you can see what a typical person realistically earns.

Top 10 Cash Back Sites

Here’s a quick comparison table with the most important info you need to know right now.

I’ve tested every single one of these sites personally over the years, and they’re all currently active and paying out.

Use this table to quickly compare and find the perfect site for your shopping habits!

Site	Best Cashback Rate	Sign-up Bonus	Minimum Payout	Payment Methods	Mobile App Rating	Best For
Rakuten	40%	$30-$50	$5.01	PayPal, Check, Amex	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8	Overall Best
TopCashBack	35%	None	$0.01	PayPal, Check, Gift Cards	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.7	Highest Rates
Capital One Shopping	25%	None	$25	Gift Cards, Bank Transfer	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5	Browser Extension
Swagbucks	10%	$10	$3	PayPal, Gift Cards	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.3	Multiple Earning Ways
Mr. Rebates	30%	$5	$10	PayPal, Check, Gift Cards	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.2	Low Payout Threshold
BeFrugal	15%	$10	$25	PayPal, Check	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.1	Large Store Selection
Ibotta	10%	$10	$20	PayPal, Venmo, Gift Cards	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6	Grocery Shopping
Extrabux	30%	None	$10	PayPal	⭐⭐⭐ 3.9	International Stores
RetailMeNot	12%	None	$20	PayPal	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0	Coupons + Cashback
Tada	15%	$15	$20	PayPal, Gift Cards, Visa	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.1	Receipt Scanning

Quick Note: I update this table monthly with the latest rates and bonuses. The “Best Cashback Rate” shows the highest percentage I’ve seen on each site recently. Most purchases will earn you 1-5%, but these sites occasionally offer those amazing high-percentage deals on select stores. I just want you to know that so you don’t go in thinking you are gonna get 40% cashback on everything you buy through Rakuten, but then end up getting 1%.

Don’t Get Cheated: 4 Tips to Always Get Your Cash

I read through hundreds of complaints from people who didn’t get their money. Most of the time, it’s because of a simple mistake.

Here is how you can stay safe and make sure your cash always hits your bank account:

• Clear your “Cookies” first: If you were looking at a store earlier, the cashback site might get confused. Clear your browser’s history before you click their link to start fresh.
• Don’t use other coupons: If you use a coupon code from a different website, it might “break” the tracking. The cashback site won’t know you bought anything, and you won’t get paid.
• One person, one account: Sites like Rakuten are very strict. If you and your roommate both try to get a “New User Bonus” from the same computer or Wi-Fi, they might flag your account as suspicious and lock your money.
• Take a “Proof” screenshot: For big purchases over $100, take a screenshot of your activated cashback screen. If the money doesn’t show up in a few days, send that photo to customer service. They usually fix it right away if you have proof!

Remember, these sites want to pay you, but they have to follow strict rules f

How Do Cash Back Sites Work? (The Simple Explanation)

As I explained earlier, cash back sites work through a simple 4-step process:

1. Click through the cashback site to the store you want to shop from
2. Shop normally and complete your purchase
3. The store pays the cashback site a commission (normally 3 to 10%).
4. Cashback site gives you a portion of that as cashback.

So why do retailers pay these commissions?

Simple!

It’s cheaper than traditional advertising!

Instead of spending millions on TV commercials or Google ads that might not work, they only pay when someone actually makes a purchase.

As for how much you can realistically earn, I’ve been tracking this for years and here’s what I see:

• Casual shoppers: $100-$200 per year
• Regular online shoppers: $300-$600 per year
• Strategic shoppers (stack deals across multiple sites): $800-$1,500+ per year

Obviously these are just estimates based on my own personal experience and reading other people’s experience with cashback platforms on forums like Reddit and Quora. But it should give you a good idea of how much you can make based on your shopping habits.

Best Cash Back Sites Ranked by Performance

Alright, let’s get to the list of the best high paying cashback websites.

I have used and tested these sites over the years. I checked their tracking systems, compared their rates, dealt with their customer service, and actually got paid for shopping with them.

Here are the sites that consistently deliver the best combination of high rates, reliable tracking, and quick and easy payouts.

How I Found the Truth:

I want to be 100% honest with you. Below each review, you’ll see a section called “Common User Complaints.” I didn’t just guess these. I spent hours reading real stories on Reddit, Trustpilot, and the Apple App Store to see where these sites sometimes fail. While these companies are safe and legitimate, knowing about potential “tracking errors” helps you avoid them so you actually get paid!

1. Rakuten

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars

Best For: Overall best cashback experience with the most reliable tracking

Sign-up Bonus: $30-$50 (when you make your first $30-$50 purchase)

Top Cashback Rates:

• Sephora: 8%
• Nike: 6%
• Macy’s: 5%
• Best Buy: 2%

Payout Details: $5.01 minimum, paid quarterly via PayPal, check, or American Express reward points. Payments typically arrive within 2-3 days of payout date.

Pros:

• Rock-solid tracking system that rarely misses purchases
• Huge selection with over 3,500 partner stores
• Browser extension makes it foolproof to use
• Quarterly big fat checks feel amazing

Cons:

• Only pays quarterly (can feel like forever when you’re starting)
• Some competitors offer higher rates on specific stores
• Customer service can be slow during peak shopping seasons

Mobile App: Available on iOS and Android, 4.8/5 rating with over 100k reviews

User Experience: Easy to use site and apps. They also have a great browser extension that pops up automatically when you’re on a partner site. I personally never had a purchase fail to track.

Common Complaints: Many people get upset because their “Referral Bonus” is denied for simple reasons, like having two people in the same house sign up. Also, remember they only pay every 3 months, so it feels slow.

Bottom Line: If you’re only going to use one cashback site, make it Rakuten. I’ve earned over $3,000 through them over the years and they’ve never let me down.

2. Capital One Shopping

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars

Best For: Automatic coupon finding and price comparisons

Sign-up Bonus: None

Top Cashback Rates:

• Sam’s Club: 10%
• Wayfair: 3%
• Academy Sports: 5%
• Family Dollar: 2.4%

Payout Details: $25 minimum, paid via gift cards or bank transfer. Processing takes 5-10 business days.

Pros:

• Automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout
• Real-time price comparisons across multiple retailers
• Works seamlessly in the background
• No signup required – just install and go

Cons:

• Limited cashback rates compared to dedicated sites
• Fewer store partners than competitors
• Gift card-focused payouts (no PayPal option)

Mobile App: iOS and Android available, 4.5/5 rating

User Experience: This feels like having a personal shopping assistant. I love how it automatically scans for better prices and applies coupons without me having to think about it. They also have partnered up with a ton of offline businesses which allows you to use their “Local Offers” section to earn 3% or more cashback from local businesses including restaurants and retailers in your area.

Common Complaints: A lot of users say their “Shopping Trips” were recorded, but they never got the credit. Also, the mobile app can crash on Android phones, and it’s very hard to talk to a real person if you have a problem.

Bottom Line: Perfect as a secondary cashback tool that works alongside your primary site. The automatic features alone make it worth installing.

3. TopCashBack

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars

Best For: Highest cashback rates and lowest payout minimum

Sign-up Bonus: None

Top Cashback Rates:

• Dell: 12%
• HP: 8%
• Hotels.com: 6%
• Groupon: 15%

Payout Details: $0.01 minimum (yes, one penny!), paid via PayPal, check, or gift cards. PayPal payments typically process within 24-48 hours.

Pros:

• Consistently offers the highest rates in the industry
• Ridiculously low payout minimum
• Fast PayPal payments
• Clean, no-nonsense interface

Cons:

• No sign-up bonus to get you started
• Smaller store selection than Rakuten
• Mobile app isn’t as polished

Mobile App: Available on both platforms, 4.7/5 rating

User Experience: Very easy to use and with over 4,400 merchant stores, you can earn rebates no matter where you shop from! Their site may seems very simple and not fancy like some of the other ones, but I like it because it does what it’s supposed to do, which is get you cashback for shopping. Not to mention, if you are an eBay shopper, you can get cashback for your eBay purchases.

Another cool thing that I personally like is that they have tons of brands that support ethical and sustainable choices.  So if that is important to you, you’ll enjoy this part of it.

Common Complaints: High-value deals (like signing up for a new phone or insurance) often fail to track. Their “pending” status can also last for 6 months or more, which is frustrating if you need the money now.

Bottom Line: Use this when TopCashBack has a better rate than Rakuten. I regularly compare rates between the two and go with whoever’s paying more.

4. Mr. Rebates

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Stars

Best For: Low payout threshold with consistent rates

Sign-up Bonus: $5 welcome bonus

Top Cashback Rates:

• Amazon: 7% (select categories)
• JCPenney: 6%
• Target: 1%
• Walmart: 1%

Payout Details: $10 minimum, paid via PayPal, check, or gift cards. Payments process within 7-10 business days.

Pros:

• Been around since 2002 – proven track record
• Low $10 minimum payout
• Good customer service response times
• Regular special promotions and bonus rates

Cons:

• Interface feels dated compared to newer sites
• Smaller store network than top competitors
• Rates aren’t always the highest available

Mobile App: iOS and Android, 4.2/5 rating

User Experience: It’s not the prettiest site, but it works. And it is one of the few sites that gets you decent cashback on Amazon. As an Amazon Prime member, that is really great. I’ve never had issues with tracking or payments. They also have a decent coupon section.

Common Complaints: The website looks like it’s from the 1990s and is hard to use on a phone. If your cashback goes missing, users say the customer support team often says “no” to fixing it.

Bottom Line: Solid backup option when other sites don’t have the store you’re shopping at. The $5 bonus makes it worth signing up.

5. Swagbucks Shopping

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Stars

Best For: Combining cashback with other earning opportunities

Sign-up Bonus: $10 when you earn your first 2,500 SB

Top Cashback Rates:

• Old Navy: 8%
• Nike: 4%
• Target: 1%
• Best Buy: 2%

Payout Details: $3 minimum (300 SB), paid via PayPal or gift cards. PayPal payments process within 1-2 business days.

Pros:

• Earn points for surveys, videos, and other activities
• Very low payout threshold
• Fast PayPal processing
• Tons of gift card options

Cons:

• Cashback rates aren’t the highest
• Points system can be confusing initially
• Site can feel cluttered with all the earning options

Mobile App: Excellent apps on both platforms, 4.3/5 rating

User Experience: Swagbucks one of the very first reward sites that I started using to earn extra cash online. It has come a long way since those days. And while it didn’t start as cashback site, its cashback shopping portal is great considering you can shop at thousands of stores they have partnered with.

Common Complaints: The biggest complaint is being “kicked out” of a survey after you’ve already spent 15 minutes answering questions. Some users also have their accounts locked without being told why.

Bottom Line: Perfect if you’re already using Swagbucks for surveys or other activities. Otherwise, you’ll get better cashback rates elsewhere.

6. BeFrugal

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Stars

Best For: Shopping at stores you can’t find on other platforms.

Sign-up Bonus: $10 welcome bonus

Top Cashback Rates:

• Overstock: 8%
• Groupon: 12%
• 1-800-Flowers: 15%
• GameStop: 6%

Payout Details: $25 minimum, paid via PayPal or check. Processing takes 5-7 business days.

Pros:

• Over 5,000 partner stores
• Good mix of online and local offers
• Helpful browser extension
• Regular bonus promotions

Cons:

• Higher payout minimum than competitors
• Interface could be more user-friendly
• Customer service can be hit-or-miss

Mobile App: Available on both platforms, 4.1/5 rating

User Experience: The sheer number of stores is impressive (over 5000 stores,) but finding what you want can take some digging. Organization could be better. They also have a browser extension that does make it easier to ern cashback, especially if you are one of those people who forgets to go through cashback sites until it’s too late, lol.

Common Complaints: It can take a long time to get an answer from their support team (sometimes over a week). Also, you have to earn $10 in real cashback before you are allowed to touch your sign-up bonus.

Bottom Line: Great backup site when your primary cashback site doesn’t have a particular store. The $10 bonus makes it worth joining.

7. Extrabux

⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 Stars

Best For: International shoppers and hard-to-find stores

Sign-up Bonus: None

Top Cashback Rates:

• AliExpress: 8%
• Booking.com: 4%
• Expedia: 5%
• Microsoft Store: 4%

Payout Details: $10 minimum, PayPal only. Processing takes 7-14 business days.

Pros:

• Works internationally (not just US)
• Over 6,000 partner stores
• Good rates on travel booking sites
• Browser extension available

Cons:

• Customer service is inconsistent
• Tracking can be unreliable
• Limited payment options (PayPal only)

Mobile App: Basic app available, 3.9/5 rating

User Experience: Functional but not polished. I’ve had tracking issues more than once, which is frustrating. But if you are an international shopper, I love that you can even change your language preference in Settings.

Common Complaints: Since they work with many international stores, it can take a very long time for your purchase to be confirmed. Their email support is also very slow compared to bigger sites.

Bottom Line: Only recommend if you need international shopping options or they have an exclusive store partnership you can’t find elsewhere.

8. RetailMeNot

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Stars

Best For: Combining coupons with cashback offers

Sign-up Bonus: None

Top Cashback Rates:

• Best Buy: Up to $70 cashback (spend-based tiers)
• Amazon: Up to $10 cashback (spend-based tiers)
• Target: 2%
• Walmart: 1%

Payout Details: $20 minimum, PayPal only. Processing takes 7-10 business days.

Pros:

• Massive coupon database alongside cashback
• In-store cashback options with linked cards
• Well-known brand with good reputation
• Spend-based bonus cashback on major retailers

Cons:

• Lower overall cashback rates
• Tier-based system can be confusing
• Limited to PayPal payments only

Mobile App: Excellent mobile experience, 4.0/5 rating

User Experience: The combination of coupons and cashback is convenient, but I wish the cashback rates were more competitive.

Common Complaints: Some cashback stays “pending” for over 7 months. Users also report that if they use a coupon they found on a different site, RetailMeNot will cancel their cashback entirely.

Bottom Line: Great supplementary site if you’re big on couponing, but not my first choice for pure cashback earning.

Which Cashback Site Pays the Most?

TopCashBack typically pays the highest rates, often offering 1-2% more than competitors. But, based on my own personal experience, I think Rakuten has the most reliable tracking and largest store selection.

Highest paying sites by category:

• Overall highest rates: TopCashBack (up to 35%)
• Most reliable: Rakuten (up to 40%)
• Groceries: Ibotta (up to 10% plus bonuses)
• Lowest payout minimum: TopCashBack ($0.01)

The best strategy is comparing rates between TopCashBack and Rakuten for each purchase.

Best Cash Back Sites by Category

Here’s the thing about cashback sites…

While the big players like Rakuten work great for general online shopping, for some stuff, those little specialized sites and apps are much better.

I’ve found that mixing and matching based on what you’re buying is the best way to go if you want to get the most money back.

Here are some of the other cashback apps and sites that I personally use and would recommend.

Best for Groceries & Everyday Shopping

This is where things get interesting because grocery cashback works completely differently than online shopping.

Instead of clicking through links, you’re dealing with receipt scanning and store-specific offers.

And since we all buy groceries, this is helpful for everyone.

Ibotta

I’ve been using Ibotta since 2015, and it’s still my go-to for grocery cashback.

Here’s why it works so well:

• How it works: Browse offers before shopping, buy qualifying products, scan your receipt
• Typical earnings: 25¢ to $3 per item, plus bonuses for buying multiple items
• Best stores: Walmart, Target, Kroger, Safeway, CVS, Walgreens
• Payout: $20 minimum via PayPal, Venmo, or gift cards

What I love about Ibotta is the bonus structure. Buy 5 different offers in one trip and get an extra $2. Complete 20 offers in a month and get another $5 bonus. These bonuses add up fast.

Checkout51

Checkout 51 is easier to use than Ibotta but has fewer bonuses:

• How it works: New offers every Thursday, buy products, scan receipts
• Typical earnings: 25¢ to $5 per item
• Best feature: Works at ANY store (even small local shops)
• Payout: $20 minimum via check only

I use Checkout51 when Ibotta doesn’t have offers for products I’m buying anyway. The any-store policy is clutch for local grocery runs.

Fetch Rewards

This is the laziest way to earn grocery cashback, and I mean that in the best way:

• How it works: Just scan ANY grocery receipt, and no you don’t have to activate any offers
• Typical earnings: 25-50 points per receipt (325 points = $3)
• Best feature: Earn points on every receipt, regardless of what you buy
• Payout: $3 minimum for gift cards

I scan every single grocery receipt into Fetch. It takes 10 seconds and adds up to about $50-60 per year with zero effort.

Best Receipt-Scanning Apps

These work differently than traditional cashback sites because you’re earning from ANY purchase, not just specific retailers or offers.

Think of them as getting paid for your shopping data.

Receipt Hog

• How it works: Scan any receipt from anywhere and earn coins
• Earning rate: 5-20 coins per receipt (1,000 coins = $5)
• Best feature: Accepts receipts from gas stations, restaurants, retail stores
• Reality check: Very slow earning – maybe $20-30 per year

I still use Receipt Hog because it literally takes 5 seconds to scan a receipt, but don’t expect to get rich.

By the way, if you are looking for Shopium cashback site, it is now part of Receipt Hog.

Tada (Former Shop at Home)

They offer some of the highest cashback I have ever seen. This is a great site for getting cashback on groceries even milk and bread!

Here are a few current offers:

• Amazon.com: 14%
• JCPenny: 9%
• Walmart: 6%

One great feature of Tada is that during the holidays they offer extra cash back.

For example, currently they have this:

• Extra $5 when you spend $150
• Extra $10 when you spend $250
• Extra $15 when you spend $350

And this is on top of the normal cashback you get for shopping through them.

CoinOut

• How it works: Scan receipts and earn the “change” from rounded-up totals
• Example: $23.67 purchase = 33¢ earnings
• Reality: Extremely slow earning, maybe $10-15 per year

Honestly, I stopped using CoinOut because the earnings are so minimal it’s not worth the time.

Best for Online Shopping Only

If you want to focus purely on online shopping without the receipt-scanning hassle, these sites offer competitive rates:

GetPaidTo

Similar to Swagbucks but focused more on shopping:

• Cashback rates: 1-6% at most stores
• Other earning: Surveys, videos, games (500 points = $1)
• Payout: $1 minimum via PayPal or gift cards
• Best feature: Very low payout threshold

I use GetPaidTo occasionally when they have exclusive offers, but the rates usually aren’t competitive with the big players.

Honey Comparison

I should mention Honey here because people always ask about it.

Honey is mainly a coupon browser extension that automatically applies promo codes. And yes, they are owned by PayPal and yes I know about some of the controversy surrounding the browser add on but I am not gonna get into that now since it requires a totally separate article.

They do have a cashback program called Honey Gold, but the rates are typically lower than dedicated cashback sites. I use Honey for coupons and stick with Rakuten/TopCashBack for cashback.

Best for Travel & Hotels

Travel cashback is tricky because loyalty programs often conflict with cashback sites. Here’s what actually works:

Upromise

• Travel rates: Up to 5% on hotels and travel bookings
• Unique angle: Earnings go toward college savings or loan payments
• Best for: Parents or students with education expenses
• Reality: Rates are decent but not spectacular

I recommend Upromise if you’re already saving for college expenses. Otherwise, the rates aren’t compelling enough.

Honestly, for travel I’ve found better value in these approaches:

1. Credit card travel portals: Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards often beat cashback sites
2. Hotel loyalty programs: Direct booking bonuses usually exceed cashback rates
3. Airline shopping portals: Airlines often offer 2-3x miles vs. 2-3% cashback

Here’s the thing though…

Travel cashback sites rarely beat credit card portals or direct hotel loyalty programs. I’ve tested this extensively, and the math usually favors traditional travel rewards over cashback sites.

I use cashback sites only for travel gear and accessories (luggage, travel gadgets, etc.) but book actual travel through credit card portals or directly with hotels/airlines for loyalty benefits.

Problems with Cashback Sites

Like anything that has to do with tracking things, cashback tracking isn’t prefect either. While I personally haven’t lost out on anything, I have seen pole complain about not getting credited for certain shopping sessions.

Now, I think a lot of times the problem may be the technology and on the cashback site’s side, but I also thin sometimes the problem is the user (not clicking the store link directly from the cashback site, etc.). So I think understating how this whole tracking things works can help you not lose out on any credit.

Why Cashback Sometimes Doesn’t Track

About 90% of tracking fails come down to cookie or browser issues (old cookies, ad blockers, etc), using incognito mode, using VPNs or even clicking around during checkout.

To make sure you always get credited, follow this guide:

Before shopping

Close all tabs, clear cookies from the past hour, turn off ad blockers, and always start from the cashback site, not directly from the store.

While shopping

Click through from the cashback site, shop in one browser window, finish your order right away, and don’t click other links or ads during checkout.

After checkout

Take a screenshot of your confirmation page, check your cashback account within 24 hours, and hang onto your receipt and order number.

Filing Missing Cashback Claims

If you do all of that and for some reason you still don’t get the cashback credit, you can actually file a claim.

Here’s how:

You’ll need your order email, receipt, a screenshot of your cashback click, and your cashback account email.

Wait about 48 hours and if you don’t see credit in your account, file a claim using the website’s own support system or contact page.

Now, each site has a different time line for processing claims and even responding.

Typical Claim Times:

• Rakuten: 5–10 days
• TopCashback: 3–7 days
• Others: 1–3 weeks

Hopefully, you will get credit quickly.

Cash Back Sites That Are No Longer Available

When I originally published this post, the list was different. Since then some sites have merged, some got bought up by bigger companies. And some just went out of business. They weren’t necessarily scams, they just couldn’t compete with the bigger companies.

If you’ve been wondering “whatever happened to FatWallet?” or other sites you used to hear about, here’s the story.

FatWallet (1999-2017)

FatWallet was one of the original cashback sites. They started as a coupon site in 1999 and added cashback later, building up over 3 million users and paying out $45 million over their lifetime.

What killed them? Competition from bigger players like Rakuten, plus they never really adapted to mobile shopping. Their interface felt dated, and they couldn’t keep up with the marketing budgets of newer companies. They officially shut down in 2017, giving users about 6 months notice to cash out.

Paribus (2014-2016)

Paribus was actually pretty innovative, they automatically scanned your email for receipts and got you refunds when prices dropped after you bought something. Capital One saw the potential and acquired them in 2016, eventually integrating the technology into what’s now Capital One Shopping.

BigCrumbs/MainStreetSHARES (2005-2018)

BigCrumbs was another early player that offered decent cashback rates and had partnerships with major retailers. Around 2015, they tried to reinvent themselves as MainStreetSHARES with some complicated profit-sharing model that promised users would get equity in the company.

The new model was confusing and never took off. They struggled financially and eventually shut down in 2018.

Lemoney

I came across Lemoney last year and was impressed with their “Turbo Cashback” promotions. But they always seem to have some issue. Their Chrome extension has a warning on the Chrome Store saying it was removed because it no longer follows best practices. Their website is down most of the time. So while it’s not officially dead, I just can’t recommend it because of all the complaints and reliability issues.

Other cashback sites that no longer work:

• Ebates before Rakuten: Technically Ebates didn’t close, Rakuten bought them in 2014 for $1 billion. All users got transferred seamlessly.
• BerryCart: Focused on organic/health foods, couldn’t achieve enough scale
• Punchcard: Receipt-scanning app that never gained traction
• CashCrate: Changed business models several times before essentially giving up on cashback.

The sites I recommend in this guide have all been operating successfully for 5+ years with consistent payouts. That said, I still recommend cashing out regularly rather than letting large amounts accumulate, just in case.

Quick Tip

While cash back is one of the best ways to earn money on your shopping, another great strategy for managing your budget is using a “Buy Now, Pay Later” service for larger purchases.

To see the huge list of major retailers that offer these interest-free payment plans, be sure to check out this guide on stores that accept Afterpay

Final Thoughts on Cashback Sites

As you can see, these days there are a ton of cashback sites and apps out there all claiming to be the best. But really, the best one for you is the one that you actually use and that it gets you the most cashback at stores where you shop from.

That said, if I were a beginner, I would start with these three sites:

1. Rakuten for the most reliable tracking,
2. TopCashBack for higher rates,
3. and Ibotta for groceries.

If you do nothing else today, sign up for Rakuten and install the extension. It takes 2 minutes, and you’ll literally see the ‘Cash Back’ button pop up the next time you shop. Don’t leave that $30+ on the table.

Also, be realistic. getting paid to shop isn’t a job. You are not gonna make a full time income with cashback sites.

That said, if you are going to buy something (hopefully things you actually need can afford), you may as well get paid for it by using one of these top cashback sites!