Extreme couponing is a great way to save money on the things you buy everyday. Done the old-fashioned way – clipping physical coupons from newspapers, flyers, and catalogs – it’s also extremely time- and energy-consuming.
Coupon apps make it easy to find, save, and use digital coupon codes and physical coupons redeemable for merchandise at brick-and-mortar stores. Others deliver cash back at the point of sale, not unlike cash back credit cards (without the credit check and potential credit score damage). Some can even reduce shopping bills after the fact, thanks to handy receipt-upload functions that deliver retroactive discounts or cash back.
Top Couponing Apps to Save Money
Armed with your favorite coupon apps, you’ll clip coupons no longer.
That’s isn’t to downplay the utility of top retailer coupon apps like the Target app, which offers in-house discounts on hundreds of products at any given time and pairs beautifully with the Target REDcard‘s across-the-board 5% discount on in-store and online Target purchases. It’s simply overwhelming to catalog every single worthy retailer coupon app.
Rakuten
Formerly known as Ebates, Rakuten is a digital coupon and cash back app that promises up to 40% off select purchases with more than 2,500 retailers – though, of course, you won’t save 40% on every purchase made with Rakuten stores.
Rakuten offers multiple ways to save through its user-friendly app:
Coupon Codes. Rakuten offers fresh coupon codes from dozens of participating retailers. Redeem at the digital point of sale for instant savings.
Affiliate Cash Back. This is Rakuten’s bread and butter. Browse the app for offers from thousands of affiliates, then click the link and check out without closing out the app or browser window. Once the purchase is complete, provisional cash back is logged to your account, pending retailer verification.
Double Cash Back. Purchases with select retailers earn double cash back when made through the Rakuten app. Many of these deals are time-sensitive, so check the app frequently and act quickly when you see a store you’re planning to patronize in the near future.
Rakuten credits cash back to user accounts once the retailer verifies the purchase. This can take a while; Rakuten’s customer service team is happy to answer questions in the meantime. But you’re guaranteed to receive one payout per quarter. And, for a limited time, earn a $30 bonus when you create your Rakuten account.
Drop
Drop is a user-friendly shopping app that partners with some of the biggest names in retail and consumer services: Walmart, Postmates, and Expedia, just to name a few.
Drop’s process couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do is securely link your payment card to the app and shop your preferred brands to earn points on every completed transaction. Then, redeem for good-as-cash gift cards and coupon codes at major retail partners like Amazon and Starbucks. Link as many cards as you’d like and manage them from your Drop dashboard.
Coupons.com
Coupons.com is a mobile coupon app that offers three distinct ways to save:
Printable Coupons. Yes, they’re still a thing. Coupons.com’s vast printable coupons database includes hundreds of product-specific coupons redeemable at your favorite grocery stores, drugstores, and superstores. Before you embark on a coupon-printing spree, arm yourself with our favorite budget-friendly printer.
Digital Coupons and Cash Back Offers. Prefer to save paper? Use Coupons.com’s digital coupons to save serious cash in the real world. Simply present the coupon for scanning at the point of sale and reap the savings. For digital purchases, Coupons.com’s cash back offers deliver savings after the fact.
Digital Coupon Codes. No coupon required – just an alphanumeric code. Coupons.com offers active coupon codes for dozens of popular online (and offline) retailers, including Amazon, Overstock, Petco, and Target. Coupons.com doesn’t guarantee acceptance, but the breadth of the database raises the overall likelihood of success.
To be clear, you don’t need the Coupons.com app to use the platform’s printable coupons database. The desktop version works just fine. But it’s nice to have the option to clip virtual coupons, too.
SavingStar
SavingStar bears more than a passing resemblance to Ibotta, but that’s okay: There’s plenty of room for coupon apps that work through store loyalty cards.
To start saving with SavingStar, upload your store loyalty cards to the app and browse retailer-specific rebates in SavingStar’s database. Add any that appeal to you, then head to the store and shop away. As long as you use your store card at checkout, you’ll receive cash back in the app within a few business days. You can cash out via PayPal or EFT to your bank account once your rewards balance reaches $20.
Like Ibotta, SavingStar offers a way around the store loyalty card problem. If you don’t have a loyalty card or the participating retailer lacks a loyalty program altogether, just add the rebates to your account and take a photo of your receipt to match them with active SavingStar offers. You’ll see no delay in cash back delivery.
Ibotta
Ibotta remains one of the most popular mobile coupon apps on the market, and it’s not difficult to see why.
For starters, Ibotta is eminently user-friendly. It boasts a vast array of participating retailers – about 275 in all. And its geolocation feature makes it a snap to find stores and products in your area.
Here’s how Ibotta’s in-store process works. Open the app and complete simple tasks to load offers on products at participating retailers near you. Load your store loyalty cards to connect your retail rewards accounts and maximize your return on spending. Then, go shopping!
If you’ve loaded your loyalty cards, you’ll automatically receive any cash back for which you’re eligible within 48 hours of the sale. If you haven’t, simply snap a picture of your receipt and Ibotta will match your purchases against cash back-eligible items. You’ll still receive your cash within 48 hours.
Want to save a trip to the store? You can also earn cash back on mobile purchases when you use the links or codes served in the Ibotta app.
Unlike some coupon apps, Ibotta pays hard cash. Cash out via PayPal once your rewards balance hits $20, or load your earnings on a gift card to redeem directly at your favorite retailers.
New to Ibotta? Sign up now and receive a $20 bonus.
Honey
Honey is a user-friendly coupon app that claims to deliver average savings of about 18% on customer purchases, working out to $126 per year. That’s serious money for those committed to using Honey for everyday (or, at least, every-week) purchases.
With thousands of vendors in its database, including national restaurant chains and travel booking platforms, Honey makes it incredibly easy to save. The app automatically finds digital coupons, promo codes, and instant savings opportunities, then serves them to you on a dollar-lined platter – virtually eliminating the work of scouring the Internet or newspaper for fresh coupons.
Honey finds discounts without coupon or promo codes, too. Just add items you’ve been eyeing to the app’s Droplist to receive notifications whenever the price drops.
Honey also has a handy browser extension that’s perfect for desktop shopping on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and throughout the rest of the year too.
Dosh
Dosh is a lightweight app that automatically earns cash back at countless partner merchants, including household names like Walmart, Pizza Hut, and World Market. All told, Dosh earns cash back at more than 100,000 non-hotel locations worldwide and some 600,000 hotels.
Dosh is easier to use than old-school coupon apps. To get started, simply download the app, link your cards, and shop or book with partner merchants and hotels as you normally would. Dosh doesn’t store your payment card information — a key pillar of its commitment to users’ security.
Dosh-eligible purchases accrue cash back automatically. Cash out as soon as your wallet balance hits $25, or wait a while to take home a bigger haul.
