4.1/5 · Good
Rakuten
- Best for: Online shoppers at its 3,500-plus partner stores
- What Sets It Apart: Pays in Amex Membership Rewards points or Bilt Points as well as cash
- Welcome Offer: An extra 10% at participating stores for a limited time after you join, up to $50
- Rewards: Rates vary by store, such as 1% at Target and 2% at Macy’s (Nov. 9, 2026); restaurant offers paying 5% and in-store offers on a linked card
- Payouts: Feb. 15, May 15, Aug. 15, and Nov. 15, once more than $5 is confirmed; check, PayPal, Bilt Points, Samsung Cash, or Membership Rewards points
- Features: Extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari; iOS and Android apps; $50 per friend who joins through your link and spends $50 within 90 days
- Cost: $0 to join or use; Rakuten can take $5 a month from your balance after 12 months without shopping
- Eligibility: Residents of the 50 states and D.C., 18 and older
- Pros: No fee; no receipts to scan; restaurant and in-store offers; one-click browser extension
- Cons: Paid only four times a year; coupon codes Rakuten doesn’t list and ad blockers can cost you cash back; no regular cash back at Amazon; extension tracks pages you visit
Over 3,500 stores pay Rakuten, the cash back shopping portal once called Ebates, for sending them shoppers, and it pays you a percentage of each order you start at its site, app, or browser extension. It suits anyone who already buys from those stores and can wait a few months for the money.
Key Features
- No fee to join or use
- Cash back at over 3,500 online stores at rates that vary by store, such as 1% at Target and 2% at Macy’s on Nov. 9, 2026
- 5% back on dine-in bills at participating restaurants, plus in-store offers, on a linked Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card
- Payouts on Feb. 15, May 15, Aug. 15, and Nov. 15 once more than $5 is confirmed, by check, PayPal, Bilt Points, Samsung Cash, or, for eligible cardholders, Amex Membership Rewards points
- An extra 10% at participating stores for a limited time after you join, up to $50
Pros
- No fee and no receipts to scan
- Restaurant and in-store offers on top of online stores
- One-click browser extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari
- $50 for each friend who joins through your link and spends $50 within 90 days
- Extra rewards on purchases you start at Rakuten with the Rakuten American Express Card
Cons
- Paid only four times a year, after cash back usually waits 3 to 14 weeks to confirm
- Coupon codes Rakuten doesn’t list, ad blockers and similar tools, and other rewards extensions can cost you the cash back
- No regular cash back at Amazon, which isn’t a Rakuten partner
- Rakuten can take $5 a month from an idle balance after 12 months without shopping
- Extension records the pages you visit, even when you aren’t using it
Anyone who already shops online at its partner stores earns cash back for one extra click, so install the extension and start every purchase there. Shoppers who buy mostly from Amazon get little here, and a cash back credit card that pays on every purchase serves them better.
Learn more about Rakuten or see how it compares to the best shopping browser extensions.
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