Are Cash-Back Apps Really Worth It? Here Are the Ones I Actually Use Daily

If you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered which cash-back programs are truly worth your time. There are so many apps out there promising rewards, but not all of them actually pay out. Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of them—some were great, some were disappointing, and some were just a waste of space on my phone.

But after trying so many, I’ve found a handful of cash-back programs that are 100% legit, easy to use, and actually put money back in my wallet. These are the apps I use every single day, and honestly, they’ve helped me save so much over time.

✔ Capital One Shopping

This one always surprises me because the savings add up fast. Capital One Shopping automatically finds coupons and compares prices while you shop, so I don’t have to hunt for deals. I love how passive it is—just install it and shop like normal.

👉 Click here to check out Capital One Shopping 

✔ Rakuten

Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is one of my all-time favorites. Every time I shop online, I get cash back—sometimes even 10% or more depending on the store. Their quarterly cash-back payouts are the best feeling.

👉 Sign up for Rakuten here

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✔ Honey

Honey does two things I love: automatically applies the best coupons and gives you Honey Gold, which you can redeem for gift cards. It’s great for someone who shops online a lot (guilty!).

👉 Try Honey here 

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✔ Fetch

Fetch is all about scanning receipts. That’s it. You buy what you normally buy, scan your receipt, and watch your points add up. I use this one constantly because it’s quick and effortless.

👉 Download Fetch here 

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✔ Ibotta

Ibotta gives cash back on groceries, everyday items, and even online shopping. I use it almost every time I go shopping because earning a few dollars back each trip adds up fast.

👉 Join Ibotta here 

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Why I Use All of These

I’m always looking for ways to save money or stretch my budget. Using these apps together gives me cash back on almost everything I buy—groceries, clothes, household items, gifts, and more. And since they’re all free, it just makes sense.

The cash back I earn throughout the year helps me during holidays, birthdays, and unexpected expenses. It’s like getting paid for shopping I was already doing.

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Final Thoughts

If you’re trying to save more, earn small rewards, or just make your spending work for you, these are the apps I recommend starting with. They’re legit, they actually pay out, and they’ve made a real difference in my wallet.

Earn cashback as you shop

Thanksgiving and holidays is expensive, trust me I know. But it doesn't have to be. You can always get money back from each purchase using Ibotta. Ibotta is offering 14.35 back on turkey, and giving so much more back on other purchases.

To me this is a win because I know how hard the holidays are and right now with inflation and money being tight you are trying to save as much as you can. Ibotta is free to join and works great. 

There are all kinds of deals in there for household goods to food to baby care and so much more. There also are a lot of stores for it that use it also so you can get your money back for pretty much anything. 

All you have to do is take a picture of your receipt or connect the apps to the stores using your logins and then you're done. I love the connect the store ones because the receipts do not read all the time and it just automatically pulls the purchase. If you shop online you just link your accounts to it and go about it that way. I prefer digital receipts because it's easier to scan since sometimes the paper ones fade out easy and it can be hard to scan them. Also, if you buy gift cards, you can get so much back from them also. 

Something they don't tell you is if you are a new account you have to wait 7 days to withdraw and I did not know that. 

 Save money with Ibotta! Join here