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You are here: Home / Personal Finance / Ibotta vs. Rakuten: Which Cash-Back App Is Better in 2022?

Ibotta vs. Rakuten: Which Cash-Back App Is Better in 2022?

Published: May 7, 2020 by David Em Updated: June 18, 2022
More Money More Choices may earn a commission on purchases made from affiliate links on this page.

Ibotta and Rakuten are two excellent cash-back apps. Both apps maximize your shopping by giving you a rebate.

Table of contents show
Ibotta versus Rakuten
Ibotta: Benefits, drawbacks, and how to use it
Rakuten: Benefits, drawbacks, and how to use it
Use Rakuten and Ibotta together to maximize your spending
How cash-back apps and sites work
Conclusion
Person shopping online with their laptop.
Cash-back apps maximize your spending because you get a part of the total you spent back. Photo courtesy of Pexels.

A cash-back app allows you to make the most of what you buy.

It works by giving you a certain amount back from your purchases.

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You’ll earn cash or points, depending on the cash-back app.

If the cash-back app offers points, you can redeem them for rewards and gift cards.

Rakuten, previously Ebates, and Ibotta are two excellent cash-back apps. You can use either one to buy things online or in-store.

There are many categories to earn cash back, including groceries, travel, and clothes.

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The following is a comparison of Rakuten and Ibotta. It’ll help you decide which one provides the most value to you.

Ibotta versus Rakuten

Rakuten and Ibotta have a lot in common. But, there are several key differences.

Both cash-back apps pay well, are legit, and established.

The following table shows how Rakuten and Ibotta stack up.

FeatureRakutenIbotta
AvailabilityBrowser extension and mobile app (iOS and Android)Browser extension and mobile app (iOS and Android)
Minimum to withdraw$5.01$20
Number of retailersOver 2,500Over 2,000
Redemption optionsPayPal or checkPayPal, bank deposit, or gift card
Referral bonus$30 per referral$10 per referral
Best forOnline shoppingIn-store shopping and groceries
Visit RakutenVisit Ibotta

With Rakuten and Ibotta, you can shop the best deals, get paid for what you buy, and bonuses for referrals.

Both are straightforward ways to save more money.

Use Rakuten if most of your shopping is online and Ibotta for in-store shopping and groceries.

Ibotta: Benefits, drawbacks, and how to use it

Ibotta began in 2011 as a grocery rebate company. Now, it has more than 2,000 partner stores across various categories.

With Ibotta, you earn money back from in-store, online, and mobile app purchases. Also, it’s free to sign up and use.

The Ibotta platform is safe, and your data is secure. You can confidently link your bank and loyalty accounts.

Benefits of Ibotta:

  • Get cash out anytime with a minimum $20 withdrawal.
  • Free to sign up and use.
  • Over 2,000 retail partners.

Drawbacks of Ibotta:

  • Requires an app.
  • $3.99 maintenance fee if you don’t use the app for 180 days.

Take the following steps to use Ibotta:

  1. Download the free Ibotta app.
  2. Set up an account.
  3. Find offers to claim.
  4. Add the offer.
  5. Shop and upload the receipt within seven days.
  6. Get cash out after you reach a $20 balance.

To get cash-back for online shopping, you must use the Ibotta app or install the Google Chrome browser extension.

Ibotta is a straightforward cash-back app. If you link a loyalty account, Ibotta can track the sale without a receipt.

Otherwise, you need to upload a receipt. It’s best to do it when you get home from the store, so you don’t forget.

Rakuten: Benefits, drawbacks, and how to use it

Rakuten is a cash-back website and app that began in 1997. In 2014, Rakuten acquired Ebates and now has more than 2,500 stores in its network.

Rakuten is the best cash-back app for online shopping.

It offers a browser extension available for Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox.

It tracks your purchases, so you don’t need to upload a receipt.

Also, Rakuten has a credit card without an annual fee.

You earn an extra 3% cash-back when you shop through Rakuten and 1% on everything else.

Benefits of Rakuten:

  • Use the app, website, or browser extension.
  • Free to sign up and use.
  • Over 2,500 retail partners.
  • Significant cash-back when you pair it with the Rakuten credit card.

Drawbacks of Rakuten:

  • Payments are sent quarterly.
  • May lead to impulsive buying.

Take the following steps to use Rakuten:

  1. Download the free Rakuten app.
  2. Create an account.
  3. Search for stores or products through the app or website.
  4. Shop to accumulate cash-back.
  5. Get cash out through PayPal or a check.

Rakuten sends payments every three months. The following table shows Rakuten’s payment schedule.

Purchase posting datePayment sent date
January 1 to March 31May 15
April 1 to June 30August 15
July 1 to September 30November 15
October 1 to December 31February 15

Use Rakuten and Ibotta together to maximize your spending

Instead of choosing one cash-back app, you can use Rakuten and Ibotta together.

When you shop, compare the offers on Rakuten and Ibotta. You can see which is better for what you want to buy.

By using both cash-back apps, you can earn more than you would with one of the platforms.

How cash-back apps and sites work

Cash-back apps and sites sound incredible, but is there a catch? No, there’s no catch.

Cash-back apps work by sending traffic to retailers.

If you buy something, the retailer pays the cash-back app a commission.

Then, the cash-back app sends you a part of the commission.

Rakuten and Ibotta are free to use and allow you to save money when you shop.

Conclusion

Rakuten and Ibotta are two excellent rebate programs. They pay you when you shop at partner stores.

Both have more than 2,000 partner retailers, making it intuitive to earn cash back.

Out of the two, Rakuten is better because you’ll earn more.

You can also use both. Use Rakuten for online shopping and Ibotta for in-store shopping and groceries.

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Featured image courtesy of Pexels.

Portrait of David Em.

About David Em

Founder

David Em is the founder of More Money More Choices, which he launched to help you take control of your finances and build your dream life. Before More Money More Choices, David worked in leadership positions in the finance industry.

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