Top Cashback Sites Like Rakuten for U.S. Shoppers
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) is one of the most popular cashback sites, advertising cash back at over 3,500 stores. However, it’s not the only option for U.S. shoppers looking to save. As the landscape of online shopping evolves, numerous alternative sites have emerged to help consumers earn rewards on their purchases. If you want to maximize your savings, consider these 12 top cashback platforms like Rakuten – each offering unique perks to put money back in your wallet.
1. TopCashback
TopCashback is renowned for offering some of the highest cash back rates in the industry. This platform partners with thousands of retailers and uniquely passes 100% of its affiliate commission back to shoppers, resulting in better rates than many competitors. It’s free to join and easy to use via its website or app, and it even provides a browser extension to remind you of cash back when shopping online. Users in the U.S. can withdraw their earnings through PayPal, direct deposit, or gift cards. With a user-friendly interface and a reputation for consistently high rewards, TopCashback is a favorite for those looking to maximize cash back on everyday purchases.
2. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a versatile rewards platform where you earn points (called SB) not only for shopping online but also for taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, and more. For cash back shopping, Swagbucks features deals at hundreds of popular retailers — simply click through Swagbucks to your store of choice and earn points on your purchase. Those points can be redeemed for PayPal cash or a wide selection of gift cards. Swagbucks has paid out hundreds of millions in rewards to its users and is well-loved for its multiple earning opportunities and low payout threshold. U.S. shoppers appreciate the flexibility Swagbucks offers, as it effectively combines an online shopping portal with many other ways to save or make a little extra money.
3. Honey (PayPal Honey)
PayPal Honey, commonly known as Honey, made its name as a browser extension that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout. In addition to instant coupon savings, Honey offers a rewards program called PayPal Rewards (formerly Honey Gold) that gives you points when you shop through its links at participating stores. Over 30,000 retailers are supported, and once you accumulate enough points, you can redeem them for cash back through PayPal or for gift cards (effectively turning those points into savings on future spending). Honey’s ease of use — simply install the extension and shop as usual — makes it a handy tool for shoppers. It seamlessly provides immediate discounts plus long-term rewards, all without you having to search for deals manually.
4. Capital One Shopping
Capital One Shopping (formerly Wikibuy) is a free tool designed to help shoppers save money effortlessly. While not a traditional cash-back portal like Rakuten, it automatically scours the web for better prices and coupon codes when you’re shopping online, and it also offers Loyalty Credits as rewards. After installing the browser extension or using the app, you can shop at thousands of online stores and the tool will apply any available coupons at checkout and even compare prices from other sellers. When you make purchases through Capital One Shopping, you earn credits that can be redeemed for gift cards, which works similarly to cash back. It’s especially useful for finding lower prices on products (for example, it might find a cheaper option on Amazon or another retailer) and then giving you a little something back for the purchase. U.S. shoppers who want to save both upfront and after buying appreciate how this platform makes bargain-hunting and earning rewards almost automatic.
5. BeFrugal
BeFrugal is a dedicated cashback website that prides itself on offering the highest cash back rates — and it backs that up with a guarantee. If you find a higher cashback rate for a store on a competing site, BeFrugal will match and beat it (often by 25% of the difference) to ensure you come out ahead. With over 5,000 partner retailers (including big names like Walmart, Target, and Amazon), BeFrugal gives you plenty of opportunities to earn on your shopping. The platform also provides thousands of coupons and deals, so you can stack promo code savings on top of your cash back. Users can choose from multiple payout options: PayPal, direct deposit, check, or even gift cards (sometimes with a bonus incentive for taking a gift card payout). Thanks to its best-rate guarantee and comprehensive selection of stores and coupons, BeFrugal is a go-to choice for savvy U.S. shoppers looking to squeeze the most out of every purchase.
6. Ibotta
Ibotta is a top-rated cashback app that started off revolutionizing grocery savings and has since expanded to many other categories. With Ibotta, users can earn cash back on everyday purchases by activating offers in the app before they shop. For groceries and essentials, you can scan your receipt or link a store loyalty account after shopping at supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacies to redeem cash-back offers on specific products (like $2 back on a certain brand of cereal). Ibotta also features an online shopping portal and browser extension for earning cash back at popular retailers, travel sites, and even restaurants. The cash you earn with Ibotta accumulates in your account and can be withdrawn to your bank or PayPal (or converted to gift cards) once you reach the minimum threshold (often $20). With over 300 supported retailers and a focus on everyday items, Ibotta is an excellent option for U.S. shoppers who want to save money on both their weekly grocery haul and their online retail therapy sessions.
7. MyPoints
MyPoints is one of the original players in the online rewards space (established in 1996) and remains a popular choice for earning rewards on shopping. Much like Rakuten, MyPoints lets you earn points for every dollar spent at hundreds of retailers when you click through their shopping links. Those points can then be redeemed for PayPal cash or a huge variety of gift cards. What makes MyPoints stand out is its variety of earning methods beyond shopping: you can also get points for taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, or even reading promotional emails. Many U.S. shoppers enjoy using MyPoints as a parallel to Swagbucks (in fact, they are sister sites under the same parent company) — the idea being that if you’re going to buy something online, you might as well earn points for it. With a long track record and millions of members, MyPoints has proven itself as a reliable platform for accumulating rewards, whether through shopping or other simple online activities.
8. Upside
Upside (formerly GetUpside) is a cashback app that focuses on brick-and-mortar spending, particularly for gas, groceries, and dining out. It’s a bit different from Rakuten-style portals, but it’s hugely beneficial for U.S. shoppers who drive or eat out frequently. Using Upside is simple: you open the app to find cash-back offers near you (for example, 10% cash back at a local restaurant or 25¢/gal back on gas at a nearby fuel station). You then claim the offer, make the purchase as usual (pay with a linked credit/debit card or upload a receipt as instructed), and the cash back gets added to your Upside account. Many people use Upside primarily to save money on gas – a significant expense for drivers – but the grocery and restaurant deals can add up too. Once you accumulate at least $10 (or $15 in some cases) in rewards, you can cash out via bank transfer, PayPal, or gift cards. Upside doesn’t require any coupons or pre-planning beyond checking the app, making it a painless way to save money on everyday in-person purchases and a great complement to other online cashback sites.
9. Mr. Rebates
Mr. Rebates is a veteran cashback site that has been around since the early 2000s, offering a straightforward way to get money back from online shopping. The site may not have the flashiest design, but it’s reliable and easy to use: just sign up for a free account, browse or search for the retailer you want, and click through the provided link before you shop. Mr. Rebates features thousands of stores and often provides a welcome bonus (for example, new members might get a $5 signup bonus credited to their account). The cash back you earn is stored in your account until you request a payout via PayPal or check (payouts are typically processed monthly). One nice feature is that Mr. Rebates sometimes lists coupon codes alongside the cash-back offers, so you can double-dip on savings. With its no-frills, reliable approach and a long history of paying out to users, Mr. Rebates remains a trustworthy option for U.S. shoppers to consider as an alternative or addition to Rakuten.
10. RetailMeNot
RetailMeNot is famous as one of the largest coupon and deal sites, but it also offers a cash-back program that functions similarly to Rakuten. On RetailMeNot’s website or app, you can search for a retailer to see not only coupon codes but also Cash Back Offers that you can activate. Once you activate a cash-back deal, you’ll be redirected to the store’s site to shop and automatically earn the specified percentage back on your purchase. RetailMeNot partners with over 5,000 retailers for cash-back, covering everything from major department stores to smaller niche boutiques. The combination of coupon stacking and cash-back in one place is a big plus – you might, for example, use a promo code for an immediate discount and still get a few percent cash back on the post-discount total. Earnings on RetailMeNot’s cash-back program can be paid out via PayPal or Venmo after you reach the minimum required amount (which is relatively low). For U.S. shoppers who are already accustomed to searching RetailMeNot for coupon codes, the added cash-back feature makes it a convenient one-stop platform to maximize savings.
11. CouponCabin
CouponCabin is another long-running platform that blends coupon-hunting with cashback rewards. Founded in 2003, CouponCabin has millions of members and provides coupon codes and deals for thousands of stores, much like RetailMeNot. In addition, it offers cash back at over 3,000 retailers when you shop through its links. The user experience is straightforward: you can browse coupons by store or category, and if a store offers cash back through CouponCabin, it will be clearly indicated – just click “Activate Cash Back” and continue shopping as usual. One of CouponCabin’s strengths is its emphasis on verified coupons (so you waste less time on codes that don’t work) combined with competitive cash-back rates. They also run occasional special promotions, like increased cash-back rates for limited times or bonus cash for frequent users. Payout is flexible (PayPal, check, or gift cards), and customer support is known to be responsive. For U.S. shoppers, CouponCabin serves as a reliable, all-in-one savings hub, where you can confidently grab a coupon and earn cash back in one go.
12. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards takes a unique approach to helping shoppers earn rewards by turning receipts into cash-back opportunities. Instead of requiring you to start your shopping journey at a portal or activate offers in advance, Fetch lets you earn points on the back end of your purchase. After you shop anywhere (grocery store, big-box retailer, convenience store, restaurant, etc.), you simply snap a photo of your receipt with the Fetch mobile app. Fetch will scan the receipt and award you points for every eligible item or partner brand on it – essentially giving you credit for buying products you probably would buy anyway. You can also connect your email and Amazon accounts to auto-fetch (pun intended) receipts for online purchases. The points you accumulate can be redeemed for gift cards to popular retailers (1000 points = $1, and there are plenty of gift card options starting at $3 or $5). While Fetch Rewards doesn’t give a percentage back on the total like Rakuten does, it excels at rewarding everyday purchases across any store. It’s simple, quick, and fun – many U.S. users enjoy scanning receipts to see what points they’ve earned, and the fact that every receipt yields something (even if just a base amount of points) makes it feel very worthwhile. Fetch is a perfect complement to other cashback apps: you can use Rakuten or others for the initial purchase and then still scan the receipt with Fetch for extra rewards.
Bottom Line: Each of these 12 platforms can put extra money in your pocket, just for shopping as you normally would. The best approach for U.S. shoppers is often to use a combination of these services based on where you’re shopping – for example, an online portal like TopCashback or Swagbucks for retail purchases, Ibotta for groceries, and Upside for filling your gas tank. By taking advantage of cashback sites and apps like Rakuten and its alternatives, you ensure that whether you’re buying a new pair of shoes or a tank of gas, you’re always earning a little something back. Happy saving!