Rakuten vs TopCashback vs Be Frugal: Which Cashback Site Should You Use?:

Shop online?

Who doesn’t?

Cashback sites allow you to get money for your online shopping.

Just for taking the extra step of going through a portal, you get free money.

There are many portals out there though.

Not all are legit either.

Which one is the best for you?

I did some research to find the most popular sites.

What are cashback sites?

Cash back sites work as middle men.

Instead of going directly to a merchant, you go through their portal.

These sites make commission for referring you to retailers.

They share some of this commission with you in the form of cash back.

How To Pick The Right Cashback Site For You?

Here are things you should look for when choosing a portal:

1. Highest percent of cash back

Of course, which site has the highest rate for the store you are shopping at?

This will vary day by day and store by store.

Some portals may not have your store, and their may be some sites that typically have the highest rate at the merchants you shop at.

Always use Cashback Monitor in any search first.

2. Payment method

Different sites offer different payment methods.

Most offer PayPal and gift cards.

Some will offer a transfer to your bank, saving you time from using PayPal.

This is the best option.

3. Payout minimum

Most sites will require a minimum before you can cash out.

For example, Rakuten requires $5.

Be Frugal asks $.01 or a penny.

Others ask a least $25.

I personally like the ones that ask a low amount.

4. How long to receive your cash

This is a big one to me.

Though this depends on your merchant, there is still an average time for each site.

For instance, I usually get paid within a month with Swagbucks which is why it is one of my top portals.

I also get paid quickly with TopCashback.

I love Rakuten, but you may have to consider that it will take 3 months to get paid.

Some things To Note About Cashback Sites

1. No one site will give you the highest rate at every retailer

No one site will have the highest rate at each retailer at all times.

Rakuten may have the highest rate at Macy’s this week, but Be Frugal may have the highest rate next week.

So, you should probably pick 2-3 portals as your main portals.

That way you always get the highest rate.

2. Make sure to use Cashback Monitor first

I do not shop online without first going to Cashback Monitor.

It will tell you the cashback, airline, and points sites with the highest rate.

You can then make the best choice.

The Top Cashback Sites of 2020

1. Rakuten (formally Ebates)

This is the most popular and well known of the cash back sites.

Most people have heard of Rakuten.

It was founded in 1999 and was one of the first.

It has a huge number of retailers and is simple to use.

If you have never used a cashback site, we suggest you start with this one.

Although it is probably the easiest to use, you can only get a payout four times a year, every quarter.

Although that is not my favorite part, it takes that much time to build your cash anyway, so it is ok.

Rakuten is one of the few cashback sites that you can earn money for your online shopping as well as in-person shopping.

If you travel, your Rakuten points can be turned into American Express Membership points too.

• Sign-Up bonus: Sign up here, get $10
• Minimum payout to cash out: $5 (every quarter)
• Referral bonus: Up to $30 per referral
• Number of merchants: Over 2500
• Payment Methods: Gift card, PayPal
• Top features:
  • Simple to get started with
  • In store offers if link card
  • Have double deals
  • Convert to American Express Membership Rewards for travel

Read our full Rakuten review here

2. TopCashback

TopCashback is another great cashback portal.

It offers no minimum to cash out and pays pretty quickly.

I get my cash around a month’s time.

That is quicker than a lot of other portals.

They claim to offer 100% commission, and say that helps them give you the highest rate.

Keep in mind that no portal will have the highest rate at every merchant.

Again, use Cash Back Monitor.

• Sign up bonus; There was no sign up bonus but sign up here, some large finance sites seem to be able to get one though
• Referral bonus; Earn $10 when your referral earns $10 in cash.
• Minimum to cash out: Any amount even a penny
• Number of merchants: 4,400
• Payment method: ACH, PayPal, gift cards, American Express Rewards card
• Top features:
  • No minimum to cash out
  • Pays in about a month, which is quicker than other portals
  • Bonus on certain payouts like American Express Reward cards
  • Lots of retailers

Read our TopCashback review here

3. Be Frugal

Be Frugal only requires a penny to cash out and with my recent test, pays pretty quickly.

They are pretty popular too.

They are always listed as one of the best cash back sites.

This is one of my top three or four portals.

Most people should pick 2-3 portals because not every site will be the highest for all the merchants they shop at again.

They partner with over 3000 retailers.

They also offer some of the best coupon codes.

I am signed up for their e-mail list which I recommend for everyone.

They seem to find some of the best deals.

Sometimes, I just find a good deal here.

I have gotten everything from free shipping to 50% off with their coupon codes.

• Sign-up bonus: Sign up here, earn $10
• Referral bonus: Earn $10
• Minimum to cash out; $.01 for PayPal
• Number of merchants: Over 5000 stores
• Payment method: Direct deposit to bank account, PayPal, gift cards, Venmo, check
• Top features:
  • Large amount of stores
  • Various payment options
  • Can cash out with a penny
  • Pays quickly

4. Mr. Rebates

Mr. Rebates is another popular site.

It has over 2500 retailers.

It was founded in 2002.

It has a unique referral program where you earn 20% of all your referral’s earnings.

• Sign up bonus: Sign up here, earn $5
• Referral bonus: 20% of your referral’s earnings
• Minimum to cash out: $10
• Number of merchants: Over 2500
• Payment method: PayPal, Check
• Top features:
  • Earn higher than normal with their store of the week
  • Great referral program
  • Over 2500 stores

5. Swagbucks

Most people know Swagbucks for surveys.

There are lots of other ways to make money with the site though.

It’s cashback portal is actually very competitive.

Most people overlook it.

With rates that are as high as the other top cashback sites and a way to increase your cash with other activities, Swagbucks should not be ignored.

Here are some of the other ways to make money with the Swagbucks:

• Watching videos
• Taking surveys
• Surfing the internet
• Playing games

I will write a extensive guide on how to make money with Swagbucks soon.

A lot of my extra money comes from the site.

Swagbucks is one of my four main online shopping portals.

• Sign-up bonus: Sign up here, $13 ($10 for spending $25 & $3 for earning 300 SB)
• Referral bonus: $3
• Minimum to cash out: $3 (300 SB) for gift cards & $5 (500 SB) for PayPal
• Number of merchants: Over 1500
• Payment method: Gift cards, PayPal
• Top features:
  • Many other ways to make money
  • PayPal
  • High rates at some retailers

6. Ibotta

Ibotta is famous as a grocery app.

It also has some competitive rates for it’s online shopping portal though it does not have as many retailers as the others on the list.

Because you can combine your cash with other things, your money will build up faster though.

• Sign-up bonus: Sign up here, $10 after spending $25
• Referral bonus: $5, sometimes more
• Minimum to cash out: $20
• Payment method: PayPal, gift cards
• Top features:
  • Competitive rates
  • Other ways to make money
  • Discount on gift cards

7. Rebates Me

Rebates Me is a cashback site that offers deals, discounts and cashback.

I tried it for the first time last year.

They offered $95 for my blog hosting for my other business, which was way ahead of the other portals.

I got paid when they said, and everything went smoothly.

• Sign-up bonus: Sign-up here, get $10
• Referral bonus:$10
• Minimum to cash out: $20
• Number of merchants: Over 3,000 sites
• Payment method: Gift card, PayPal
• Top features:
  • Over 3000 retailers
  • Referral program
  • Cash out as soon as you hit $20 minimum

8. Extrabux

Extrabux partners with thousands of merchants.

It’s headquarters are in San Francisco.

It was started in 2006.

Join for free.

• Sign-up bonus: Sign up here, earn $5
• Referral bonus: Earn $5 plus % of referral’s money
• Minimum to cash out: $10-$25 depending on method
• Number of merchants: over 2500
• Payment method: Check, ACH, PayPal, Amazon gift card
• Top features:
  • Free to join
  • Sign up bonus
  • Referral bonus
  • high rates at stores
  • Coupons up to 25%
  • Looks for free shipping

9. Giving Assistant

Giving Assistant is different than the other cashback sites on this list.

They offer the ability to donate any or all of your rewards to the charity of your choice.

They also offer a quick payout and $1 minimum to cash out.

• Sign-up bonus: No sign-up bonus, but sign up here
• Referral bonus: $5
• Minimum to cash out: $1
• Number of merchants: Over 3000
• Payment method: PayPal, e-check
• Top features:
  • Payout quickly
  • $1 minimum to cash out
  • Can donate to charity

10. My Points

My Points has been around since 1996.

It is owned by the same company that owns Swagbucks.

Like Swagbucks, there are many other ways to make money.

• Sign-up bonus: Sign up here, $10 Amazon card or prepaid visa card
• Referral bonus: $5 after referral spends at least $25 plus 10% of all their earnings
• Minimum to cash out: $5 (790 points)
• Payment method: PayPal, gift cards, miles
• Top features:
  • Easy to use
  • Many deals
  • Many ways to redeem

Summary

If you shop online, cash back sites are a no brainer.

You are leaving money on the table if you are not using one.

There are so many portals that it can be hard to choose though.

I hope this lists helps you pick the right one for you.

It is best to get started with 2-3 sites.

No one site will have the highest rate at every merchant at all times

If you pick too many, you will have $1 in a lot of different accounts.

Of course, if you want to make an easy $100, you could sign up for these and all the ones on our top site page though.

Since they all give around $10 for signing up, that should be at least $100.

It will not be immediate, but it is an easy $100.

I hope this post was helpful.

Everyone who shops online should get cash for it.

Do you use a cashback portal yet?