Buzz
In recent years, a multitude of apps have emerged, all claiming to offer cash back on your purchases. However, many are more trouble than they’re worth. Here’s a guide to the ones that truly deliver and the ones that’ll just waste your time.
The Cash Back Apps That Actually Save You Money
The apps listed below offer a broad selection of cash back deals that are actually beneficial, along with substantial savings. If you're aiming to boost your finances, these are definitely worth considering.
SavingStar
The SavingStar app (Free for iOS and Android) allows you to link your grocery store loyalty card to your account and find cash back offers for your next shopping trip. After purchasing an eligible item, use your loyalty card at checkout or upload a photo of your receipt to get cash back credited to your SavingStar account. Once you reach $5, you can request a payout via PayPal, bank transfer, or an Upromise account. The SavingStar website also offers online shopping with cash back at popular stores.
Even if your favorite grocery store doesn't use a loyalty or rewards card, you can still get cash back by submitting a photo of your receipt. This includes stores like Walmart, HEB, and Target. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can upload receipts through the SavingStar website as well.
BerryCart
For those who regularly shop for organic, gluten-free, or non-GMO items, the BerryCart app (Free for iOS
Before you get your cash back, BerryCart offers what it calls "Bite-sized insights about each product." These are short, fun facts, quizzes, and testimonials. If you're into healthy living, these insights are a quick and easy way to gain useful information while you shop.
Ibotta
The team behind Ibotta (Free for iOS and Android) boasts of being "Better than Coupons," and they might just be onto something. Ibotta goes further than many other cash-back apps by offering rebates for both grocery and retail stores. Before heading to the store, you can unlock cash-back offers by completing quick tasks. For example, I unlocked a $5 rebate at Aeropostale by answering a simple poll and reading a single fact about the store, which took less than 30 seconds. After shopping, I snapped a picture of my receipt, and the $5 was added to my Ibotta account. Once your balance reaches $10, you can redeem it via PayPal or a variety of gift cards.
Ibotta doesn’t come with many drawbacks. The main complaint from users is the difficulty of scanning receipts into the app. However, the app now supports QR code scanning, which should make submitting receipts a lot easier.
Apps That Aren't Worth Your Time
For every great app, there’s one that just doesn’t live up to expectations. Here are a few apps that have gained attention but fall short when it comes to offering deals you can actually use.
CartSmart
The CartSmart app (Free for iOS and Android) allows you to create a "Smartlist" for your next grocery run. When you purchase items from your list that qualify as "Smart Deals," you'll earn money back after your receipt is verified. Current Smart Deals include popular products like olive oil, salad dressing, and fresh produce. Payments are made via PayPal with no minimum balance requirement. A standout feature of the app is the access to store flyers while planning your next shopping trip.
However, the selection of products eligible for cash back is too small to make this app truly worthwhile. It's not worth the effort to buy specific items just for a small return on your purchase. When we checked, there were fewer than twenty items available. Additionally, while the store flyers feature sounds promising, the selection of stores is limited to Safeway and Kroger, which is quite restricting.
Checkout 51
Checkout 51 (Free for iOS and Android) lets you browse grocery deals and coupons, allowing you to pick up items you would have bought anyway and earn cash back. In my area, the app offered $0.50 back on a gallon of milk, $1.00 back on Clorox wipes, and $3.00 back on Advil. You can request a payout by check once your account balance reaches $20.
For me, the app doesn't quite deliver when it comes to the selection of available cash-back offers. Many of the products listed are ones I wouldn't buy, and they rarely get replaced with better options. Although new offers are refreshed every Thursday, the app would be much more valuable if there were simply more offers available. If Checkout 51 could expand the range of everyday items eligible for cash back, it would truly become an app you can't live without.
Snap by Groupon
Groupon (Free for iOS and Android) entered the cash-back scene last year with their Snap app. It gives you cash back on grocery items regardless of where you bought them. You simply scan your receipt, tell the app which eligible items are listed, and it credits your Snap account. Once your account hits $20, you can cash out via check.
While the app is easy to use, the limited number of cash-back items makes it hard for me to fully recommend it. Currently, only 40 grocery items are available for cash back. For a company as large as Groupon, with its extensive coupon market presence, you'd expect much more than this.
When comparing the usability and features of these apps, some clearly stand out. Personally, I find the Ibotta and SavingStar apps to be a winning combination. They offer a wide range of cash-back opportunities, and they both do exactly what they promise in an easy-to-understand manner. More importantly, the savings they deliver far outweigh the time spent using them.
