This Rakuten vs Rebatesme post provides a side by side comparison of 2 of the best cash back apps.
If you’re looking for a way to save money on your everyday purchases, you should check out cash back apps. These apps give you money back on the things you buy, and there are a few different options available.
In this article, we will compare Rakuten and RebatesMe, two of the most popular cash back apps. We’ll discuss the features of each app and help you decide which one is right for you!
After reading this article, you should be able to make an informed decision on whether to go with Rakuten, RebatesMe or both.
Let’s start with an overview of each of the cash back apps.
Overview of Rakuten
Formerly known as Ebates, Rakuten is a Tokyo-based cashback app that has been around since 1997. The app operates across different countries including Canada and the US.
In Canada, Rakuten partners with over 750 stores while it partners with over 3,500 stores in the US. Accordingly, it has disbursed over $100 million in cash back to its Canadian users and over $3.7 billion cashback to US users.
With over 17 million users and 10,000 employers worldwide, Rakuten is recognized by many as one of the top cashback sites in the world.
Besides offering access to up to 30% cash back on online and in-store purchases, Rakuten also offers coupons for accessing the hot deals in the market.
In the end, Rakuten will disburse your earned cash back after every three months via cheque, PayPal or electronic Amazon gift certificates.
Learn more:
Key Features of Rakuten
Rakuten is a top cash back sites for US and Canada residents. However, it is more unique because of the following key features:
1. Cash Back
Cash back is the major trademark of Rakuten. When you make purchases through the Rakuten website or mobile app, you will earn up to 30% cash back depending on the item or shop you purchase from.
As of the time of writing, the following are some of the partner stores in Rakuten across Canada and the US.
- Avira
- The Adventure Challenge
- Banana Republic
- Canadian Tire
- Crocs Canada
- Sephora
- Old Navy
- Best Buy
- Kohl’s
- JCPenney
- Macy’s
- Priceline
- Nordstrom
- Target
That said, you can shop across various categories on Rakuten such as accessories, clothing, electronics, home & garden, health & beauty, food & drinks, etc.
In the end, you will receive your earned cash back quarterly via cheque, PayPal or electronic Amazon gift certificates (if you reside in Canada).
However, US residents will receive their first cash back disbursement within 15 days of earning. After that, they will receive quarterly payments.
2. Rakuten Cash Back Visa Card (Expired)
The Rakuten Cash Back Visa Card is a prepaid card available only for US residents at the moment.
With no annual fees, the card offers 3% extra cash back on every purchase made through Rakuten. When you make a purchase with the card at any store that accepts a Visa card, you will earn 1% cash back.
As a way of saying welcome, the Rakuten Cash Back Visa Card rewards you with a $10 bonus upon making your first purchase.
With these benefits, you can save more on your purchases by using the Rakuten Cash Back Visa Card.
Update: Rakuten is no longer issuing visa card to clients.
3. Coupons
If you’re looking to take advantage of the current hot deals in your area, Rakuten got you covered with the coupons you need to access them.
A coupon helps you claim some of the top promotions out there that you wouldn’t otherwise access.
The following are some of the current coupon deals on Rakuten with their varying cash back and expiry dates.
| Store | Coupon Cashback |
|---|---|
| LifeLack | 30% Cash Back |
| AVG | 12.5% Cash Back |
| Oakley | 12% Cash Back |
| The Body Shop | 9% Cash Back |
| Shein | 6% Cash Back |
| Italist | 5% Cash Back |
| Bluemercury | 4% Cash Back |
| Booking.com | 4% Cash Back |
Rakuten Pros and Cons
Below are some of the top pros and cons of Rakuten that you need to consider when comparing it with RebatesMe.
Pros
- Multiple partner stores
- Access to competitive cash back
- Access to hot deals through coupon codes
- Competitive welcome bonus
Cons
- Quarterly cash back payment
Overview of RebatesMe
RebatesMe is a US-based cash back site founded in 2013. With more than 4,000 partner stores, the site offers access to some of the competitive cash backs and hot deals in the market.
Besides the US, RebatesMe is also available in Canada, Australia, UK and other countries, making it a multinational cash back site.
Through RebatesMe, you can access up to 15% cash back on your online or in-store purchases. Some of the featured coupons on the site also offer you up to 15% cash back on purchases.
Once you hit the $10 threshold, you can request for withdrawal and have your earned cash back disbursed via PayPal, credit card or gift card.
With a competitive referral program and zero monthly fees, RebatesMe has positioned itself as one of the best cash back sites out there.
Learn more: RebatesMe Review
Key Features of RebatesMe
The following are the key features of RebatesMe that distinguished it from the competition.
1. Cashback
When you make purchases through RebatesMe, you get up to 15% cash back depending on the store or item you purchased.
The following are some of the partner stores you can make purchases from through RebatesMe:
- Sephora
- Macys
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- eBay
- Adidas
- Nike
- Walmart
- Samsung
- Carter’s
As per purchase categories, RebatesMe got you covered with multiple options, ranging from:
- Beauty & Personal Care
- Health & Supplements
- Fashion & Apparel
- Jewelry & Watches
- Home, Auto & Pets
- Electronics & Office
- Sports & Outdoors
- Travel & Vacations
- And more
After you request withdrawal upon reaching the threshold ($10), it will take RebatesMe two business days to confirm the payment information.
Following that, you will receive your earned cash back according to the schedule of your chosen withdrawal method. For PayPal withdrawal, it takes 48hours to deliver. And for a credit card withdrawal, the payment will arrive within a week.
2. Coupons
RebatesMe also features some of the current hot deals in Canada that you can access using a coupon code.
Depending on the coupon code, you can access up to 15% cash back through RebatesMe. To illustrate, here’s a highlight of the available deals on the site at the time of writing.
| Store | Coupon Cashback |
| Macys | 15% Cash Back |
| MAC | 12% Cash Back |
| Belk | 12% Cash Back |
| ESTEE LAUDER | 12% Cash Back |
| Carter’s | 10% Cash Back |
| Sephora | 8% Cash Back |
| NeimanMarcus | 7% Cash Back |
| Harrods | 6% Cash Back |
RebatesMe Pros and Cons
The following are the pros and cons of RebatesMe that you need to consider when comparing it with Rakuten.
Pros
- Partners with thousand of stores
- Access to cash back and hot deals
- Multiple withdrawal options
- Quick withdrawals
- Competitive welcome bonus
Cons
- Low cash back rate
- Relatively high withdrawal threshold
Rakuten vs RebatesMe
From the above overview of Rakuten vs RebatesMe, we can highlight the following similarities and differences.
| Feature | Rakuten | RebatesMe |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fees | None | None |
| Cashback | Up to 30% | Up to 15% |
| Coupons | Yes | Yes |
| Referral bonus | $40 | $25 |
| Withdrawal threshold | $5.01 | $10 |
| Withdrawal timeframe | Quarterly | Instantly |
| Payment methods | Cheque, PayPal & Electronic Amazon Gift Certificates (Not available for US residents) | PayPal, Credit Card and Gift Card |
| Prepaid card | Yes | None |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Accessibility | Web portal, mobile app and browser extension | Web portal, mobile app and browser extension |
Let’s now take a detailed comparison of Rakuten vs RebatesMe for a better understanding of how they differ.
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Cash Back
Both Rakuten and RebatesMe offer you access to some of the competitive cash back out there. But from the above review, it’s obvious that Rakuten offers access to higher cash back than RebatesMe.
Earning up to 30% cash back on Rakuten means earning 2x of RebatesMe’s advertised maximum cash back (15%).
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Coupons
Both cash back apps offer coupon codes that give you access to up to 15% cash back from some of the hottest deals out there.
In this regard, you can’t make the wrong choice with either Rakuten or RebatesMe so far they feature your favourite stores.
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Referral Bonus
The two cash back apps welcome new users with $40 back upon signing with a referral link. The following are the referral links you can use to claim these competitive welcome bonus:
- Rakuten Canada – sign-up here
- Rakuten US – sign-up here
- RebatesMe – sign-up here
Besides the $30 sign-up bonus, both Rakuten and RebatesMe also offer varying referral bonuses upon inviting your friends and family using your unique referral link.
While Rakuten offers up to $40 bonus per referral depending on the current promotion, RebatesMe offers a $10 bonus per referral (but could be higher depending on the current promotions). The difference is clear!
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Withdrawal Threshold
With the exception of bonuses, you need to earn at least $5.01 to request withdrawal on Rakuten.
On the other hand, RebatesMe requires you to earn $10 (excluding bonuses) before you can request a withdrawal.
While Rakuten has a relatively low withdrawal threshold, RebatesMe outshines it in times of quick withdrawals.
You can request a withdrawal on RebatesMe once you reach the withdrawal threshold. However, you can only receive your earned cashback quarterly on Rakuten.
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Payment Methods
Rakuten supports withdrawals via cheque and PayPal. However, Canadians can also request withdrawals through electronic Amazon gift certificates.
On the other hand, RebatesMe supports withdrawals through PayPal, credit cards and gift cards.
Overall, you can’t go wrong with either of the two cash back apps based on their payment methods.
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Accessibility
Both Rakuten and RebatesMe allow you to sign-up using any of the following options:
- Email address
- Google account
- Apple account
- Facebook account
In addition, you can make purchases on either of the cash back sites through their web portal, mobile app or browser extension.
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Prepaid Card
Finally, you can earn extra cash back on Rakuten by using its cash back prepaid card. This service is not currently available on RebatesMe.
What this means is that you can earn more cash back through Rakuten than on RebatesMe even when you make purchases on the same items and stores.
This is because in addition to the assigned cash back reward on a featured item on Rakuten, the Rakuten Cash Back Visa Card rewards you with 3% extra cash back on purchases via Rakuten and 1% cash back on purchases elsewhere.
But if you already have a cash back card, the Rakuten Cash Back Visa Card may not be a point of consideration here.
Update: Rakuten is no longer issuing visa card to clients.
Rakuten vs RebatesMe: Which to Choose?
Rakuten and RebatesMe are both great cash back apps with a lot to offer users. Rakuten is a great choice if you’re looking for an easy way to save money on your online purchases. Also, RebatesMe is best for those who want to get the most cash back on their purchases.
With their side-by-side comparison, you have enough information to decide yourself which of the two cash back apps suits your needs.
But if you’re still not sure about which to choose, I recommend you consider the following factors to make an informed decision:
- Cash back rate
- Withdrawal threshold and timeframe
- Payment methods
- Referral bonus
So which cash back app is the best? Rakuten or RebatesMe?
It can be tough to decide, as both apps have their pros and cons. Bottom line is, you don’t have to choose! Simply sign up both services and check for the one with the best offer whenever you need to make a purchase.
That way, you can be sure of maximizing your cash back earnings over time.
Sign up for the cash back sites in the links below:
- Rebatesme – $25 bonus
- Rakuten US – $40 bonus
- Rakuten Canada – $30 bonus
Verdict on Rakuten vs RebatesMe Comparison
There you have the similarities and differences between Rakuten vs RebatesMe. Both apps are worth checking out considering their number of partner stores, cash back rate, payment method and referral bonus.
Bearing their pros and cons in mind, I hope you can now determine which of the two apps suits your needs.
But since the two apps support different stores and charge no fees, there’s nothing wrong with signing up for both of them. This will even give you the opportunity of accessing as much cash back out there.
If you’re liked this article, I recommend you check out our related posts to learn more on how to save costs on your everyday purchases in Canada.
