Cashback Apps Compared
A side-by-side look at 7 cashback and rewards apps. They earn in different ways (shopping portals, receipt scanning, linked cards and coupon extensions), and they differ most in how you get the money out: cash or gift cards, the minimum, how long earnings sit pending, and what happens to a balance you stop using.
Terms checked October 20, 2026
Cashback apps are paid by stores and brands for sending them customers, and pass part of that to you. Shopping portals (Rakuten, Swagbucks) pay when you start an online purchase from their link; receipt apps (Ibotta, Fetch) reward groceries and other in-store buys; card-linked apps (Upside) match a purchase to a card you saved in the app; coupon extensions (Capital One Shopping, Honey) test codes at checkout and add rewards at partner stores. Each figure below comes from the app's own terms or help center; earning rates vary by store and offer, so we do not estimate what you will earn. Nothing here is financial advice.
Compare cashback apps
| App | How you earn | Cash-out methods | Minimum | If you stop using it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RakutenShopping portalPays cash | A percentage set by each store, shown before you shop; 5% at participating restaurants with a linked card | PayPal, check, Bilt Points or Amex Membership Rewards points, sent four times a year; instant gift cards for select members | $5.01 in confirmed cash back | $5/month fee after 12 inactive months |
| IbottaReceipt scanningPays cash | A set amount or percentage per offer, shown in the app | PayPal, bank transfer or gift cards (no Venmo) | $20, plus one redeemed offer, a 7-day wait after the first, and a verified phone number | $3.99/month fee after 180 inactive days |
| FetchReceipt scanning | Points per receipt (at least 25) plus offer points on featured brands; not a percentage of spend | Gift cards, Visa and Mastercard reward cards, donations or sweepstakes entries; no cash or PayPal | 3,000 points for most rewards; the first redemption is limited to $10, $25 or $50 cards | All points expire after 90 inactive days |
| UpsideGas & diningPays cash | Cents per gallon on gas and a percentage at grocery stores and restaurants, set per offer and location | Bank transfer or gift cards (PayPal removed from all accounts on Aug 14, 2026) | $1.01 by bank ($1 fee under $10); most gift cards $10 | Expires after 6 inactive months (terms) |
| Capital One ShoppingBrowser coupon | Shopping Rewards set per store, earned on the subtotal; coupons and price comparisons earn nothing | E-gift cards only; Shopping Rewards cannot be cashed out | $5.00 in Shopping Rewards | No expiry while the account is open |
| HoneyBrowser couponPays cash | PayPal Rewards points set per store on the subtotal; coupon codes save money but earn no points | Cash to your PayPal balance, points at PayPal checkout, gift cards, or a PayPal Giving Fund donation | 1,000 points for a gift card; PayPal shows any cash-out minimum when you redeem | Need 10+ points every 365 days |
| SwagbucksShopping portalPays cash | SB per store purchase, survey or offer, shown before you start | Gift cards, PayPal, prepaid Visa or Mastercard reward cards, or donations | The SB price of each reward is shown in the Rewards Store | Account may close after 12 inactive months |
No apps match those filters.
What happens to a balance you stop using
This is the rule people miss. Two of these apps charge a monthly fee on an inactive balance, and others let points expire or close the account:
| App | Rule in its terms |
|---|---|
| Rakuten | After more than 12 months in a row with no shopping trip, Rakuten may take $5.00 a month from your balance until you shop again or it reaches $0 (never below zero). After 36 inactive months with a $0 balance it may close the account. |
| Ibotta | If you redeem no offer, finish no game offer and get no referral bonus in any 180-day period, Ibotta takes $3.99 a month (or what is left, if less) from your balance. No fee in the first six months after you join. A balance under $20 is lost if the account is closed. |
| Fetch | All points expire if you neither earn points nor redeem a reward for 90 days. Fetch sends a notice by email or text after 60 days. |
| Upside | Upside's terms (February 4, 2026) say cash back expires if the account is inactive for six months in a row, meaning no cash back earned or redeemed. Its help center says cash back never expires while the account is in good standing. |
| Capital One Shopping | Unused Shopping Rewards do not expire while the account is valid. Deleting the account loses them, and Capital One Shopping may ask you to link a card or bank account and a US phone number before you redeem. |
| Honey | Points expire unless you earn at least 10 points in every 365-day period. If Honey is linked to PayPal, 3 eligible PayPal transactions in that period also keep them. |
| Swagbucks | An account with no login, redemption or new earning for 12 months in a row may be deemed inactive and closed. Closing your account cancels unredeemed SB. |
How to choose a cashback app
- Want cash, not gift cards? Rakuten (PayPal or check), Ibotta (PayPal or bank), Upside (bank), Honey (PayPal balance) and Swagbucks (PayPal) pay cash. Fetch and Capital One Shopping pay in gift cards or reward cards.
- Small balances? Minimums run from $1.01 at Upside (with a $1 fee under $10) and $5.01 at Rakuten to $20 at Ibotta.
- Need the money soon? Rakuten pays four times a year (by Feb 15, May 15, Aug 15 and Nov 15). Capital One Shopping rewards take 30 to 90 days to post and Swagbucks shopping points 32 to 75 days.
- Use an app only now and then? Check the table above: Ibotta charges $3.99 a month after 180 days with no redeemed offer, Rakuten may take $5 a month after 12 months without shopping, and Fetch points expire after 90 days.
- Browser extensions see what you browse. Rakuten's and Capital One Shopping's privacy policies say their extensions collect the pages you visit, and Honey's says it collects page views and searches on shopping sites; each review lists what is collected and shared.
Cashback is a small rebate on spending you planned anyway. Track where it goes with a budgeting app, and move cash payouts to a high-yield savings account.
Popular comparisons
Deciding between two specific apps? These go deeper:
How we compare
We read each app's terms of service, help center and privacy policy, plus SEC filings and court records where they apply, quote every fact from those sources and link them in each review. We did not run long-term hands-on tests, so we do not score apps with stars or estimate earnings. Sign-up bonuses change often and are not listed. We re-check cash-out rules and fees about once a month. We do not earn a commission from any app on this page. Nothing here is financial advice.