Best Apps For Cheap Shopping

Shopping is a great way to relax, but it can be expensive. When you’re looking for a bargain, it can be hard to know where to start.

Fortunately, there are many apps that can help you find the best deals on your favorite things—and more!

Here are five of the best apps for cheap shopping:

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Best Apps For Cheap Shopping

11 Best Shopping Apps to Score Epic Savings

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If you love the convenience of shopping from your phone, then these shopping apps are the perfect addition to your app arsenal. Easily shop on the go and snag the best price with every purchase.

Trinity Owen

Written by Trinity Owen

Last Updated: February 21, 2022

Trinity Owen

Reviewed by Megan Robinson

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Raise your hand if you enjoy the convenience of shopping on your mobile device.

If that’s you, these mobile shopping apps are the perfect addition to your smartphone. You can now easily shop on the go while snagging the best deal with every purchase.

Convenience doesn’t always have to cost more money. In fact, with competition for your online dollars on the rise, many of these companies literally pay you to make your everyday purchases through their shopping app (both online and in-store).

In this complete list of shopping apps, we’re going to share some of our top picks. Not only will these apps help you find what you need when you need it but you’ll also get the best price or cash back value possible if you’re willing to give it a try!

So without further ado, let’s look at the best price shopping apps to download today. If you love all things convenient and saving money, then these are meant for you.

11 Best Shopping Apps to Save Money Online

From purchasing cheap gifts online to saving money on groceries, you’ll find at least one phone shopping app on this list that will make your shopping experience better (and cheaper).

Shopping Apps That Offer Cash Back

We recommend downloading each of these three cash back apps so that you can compare the value for each potential purchase.

For example, a purchase on one shopping app might reward you 2% cash back while on another it might reward you 3%. It might seem like a small amount on its own, but if you earn an extra 1% with every purchase, your cashback will grow much quicker.

Related: The Best Cash Back Apps to Save Money on Everything

1. CapitalOne Shopping

CapitalOne Shopping is an online browser extension and app that applies coupons when you shop, lets you earn credits for shopping locally, and tells you when there’s a better price somewhere else. You can also add items to your CapitalOne Shopping watchlist so you can track prices and be notified when there’s a better deal.

Note: CapitalOne Shopping compensates us when you get the CapitalOne Shopping extension using the links provided.

How It Works: You can get the browser extension on your computer or download the app via the Google Play or iPhone App Store. Once you have these installed and have created your account, you can shop normally on your regular browser. CapitalOne Shopping will notify you when there may be relevant coupons or when there’s a better price on a different site. When you use the CapitalOne Shopping app, you can type in a product you’re interested in and CapitalOne Shopping will show you available deals. You can also scan item barcodes directly through the app.

You can also link your credit card to CapitalOne Shopping to get loyalty credits when you shop with a participating store or restaurant. These credits can then be redeemed for gift cards to popular retailers such as Sephora, eBay, and Walmart.

Stores on CapitalOne Shopping: Most popular retailers partner with CapitalOne Shopping including Amazon, Groupon, Kohl’s, Walmart, eBay, and Nike.

Payout Minimum and Method: If you use a coupon from CapitalOne Shopping, it will be applied directly to your order so you’ll save money instantly. If CapitalOne Shopping tells you where you can find a cheaper version of what you’re buying, then you’ll also save money automatically. But if you earn CapitalOne Shopping credits, then you’ll have to redeem those for e-gift cards.

Where to Sign Up: You can sign up for CapitalOne Shopping here. Be sure to download CapitalOne Shopping wherever you shop most, whether it’s on your computer or your phone.

Related: CapitalOne Shopping Review

2. Dosh

dosh logoDosh is a cash back shopping app that rewards you for everyday shopping you’re already doing — both online and in-store. Link your card to the app once and enjoy cash back benefits over and over just by going about your normal shopping habits.

How It Works: Similar to Rakuten, you’ll receive cash back for shopping at your favorite stores. But you’ll want to continue reading about the convenience of Dosh because it currently works differently.

Dosh simply asks you to link your credit card (confirmed secure) and gives cash back for going about your day-to-day shopping. Dosh lets you earn cash back just for walking into a store and swiping your credit or debit card at the checkout.

You won’t be able to use both Dosh and Rakuten on a single purchase, but you can certainly compare cash back offers before making your decision to use one or the other. Plus, Dosh has a much wider selection of in-store cash back opportunities. Basically, you’ll link your pay card once and let Dosh take care of the rest.

Dosh is one of those shopping apps that doesn’t control or pressure you to make purchases you don’t need simply because something is “on sale.” Instead, you truly go about your day and shop for things you need. At the end of the day, you’ll have a nice bonus waiting for you in your Dosh account.

Stores on Dosh: Nike, Walmart, Gap, Fitbit, Sam’s Club, Callaway, Patagonia, Snapfish, Forever 21, Hilton, and Jack in the Box are a few popular brands that work with Dosh. Use your credit card at any one of your favorite stores and watch your cash back add up in your Dosh account.

Payout Minimum and Method: Like most other shopping apps, Dosh has a minimum balance requirement of $25 before you can cash out your earnings. But once you’ve crossed the threshold, that money goes straight to your bank account via Direct Deposit or your PayPal account upon request.

Where to Sign up: Sign up for Dosh and earn your first $5 cash back when you link your first card.

Refer a Friend Bonus: Dosh will credit you an extra $5 for each friend you refer to the free app. Each friend referred needs only to link their credit/debit card to the app and you’re already $5 richer.

Though the referral rate is lower than Rakuten, it’s often simpler to have a friend link their card than it is to have them spend their first $25. And Dosh is equally as legitimate and safe as Rakuten, so you can rest assured you’re referring only the best free shopping apps on the market.

Related: Dosh Review

3. Drop

drop logoDrop is similar to Rakuten in that it issues “cash” back for all purchases made through qualifying links. The main difference is that Drop pays you back in gift cards rather than cash. But if you like the idea of racking up credits toward free gift cards to your favorite stores then keep reading about this unique shopping app.

How It Works: Sign up for a free Drop account to start earning points toward your favorite gift cards. In order for purchases to qualify, simply open the Drop app, click on any referral link to your favorite online store, and place your order. You’ll receive a nice chunk of points in your Drop account.

Once you accumulate at least 5,000 points on Drop, you can redeem them for a $5 gift card of your choice. Though similar to both Rakuten and Dosh, Drop sets the bar high and keeps up by dishing out great offers to popular brands.

You can download all three apps and compare cash back values and shop through the link that gives the best reward for your online shopping trip. Or if it’s too much to keep up with on each purchase, simply commit to one cash back app of your choice.

Stores on Drop: Best Buy, Jet, Walmart, Forever21, Costco, Nike, Krispy Kreme, Gap, Aerie, Adidas, Instacart, and Uber are a few popular stores you can earn points for shopping.

Payout Minimum and Method: The minimum payout on Drop is lower than many similar apps, but it comes with a price. Drop only allows you to redeem rewards for gift cards rather than cash.

Keep in mind that you can only earn up to 5,000 points per week, so having another mobile shopping app like Rakuten or Dosh nearby will help you make sure you never miss an opportunity to earn.

Where to Sign up: Sign up for Drop to start earning points toward your favorite gift cards.

Refer a Friend Bonus: For each friend you refer to Drop, you receive 5,000 points, which equates to a $5 gift card of your choice. You can refer as many as 20 friends to Drop and earn up to $100 toward gift cards.

Related: Drop App Review

4. Rakuten

rakuten logoRakuten is a popular shopping app that issues cash back for shopping at popular online stores (and a few local stores). It’s one of my personal favorite shopping apps and makes mobile shopping both seamless and rewarding.

How It Works: Shopping on Rakuten is easy and you can do this both on the dedicated Rakuten app and on a computer.

Simply open the Rakuten app on your phone (or visit the website on a desktop or laptop) and search the store of your choice in the search bar. Then click on any referral link to visit the store of your choice and go about your normal shopping at the online store.

By using Rakuten’s link to the store’s website, you’re giving it referral credit for your purchase. In return, Rakuten refunds you a percentage of your purchase in the form of cash back every time. It’s extremely easy to use, convenient, and it pays to shop.

If you’re really ready to commit to earning cash back with every purchase, Rakuten has a fantastic Google Chrome extension that reminds you to use it when shopping through one of its partner sites.

If you install and activate the extension, simply go about your normal day-to-day activity and the extension will prompt you to apply Rakuten to every online purchase that offers cash back.

Stores on Rakuten: You’ll find almost all of the most popular stores on Rakuten (plus the not-so-popular ones). Amazon, Best Buy, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Priceline, and Target are just a few stores that Rakuten pays cash back to shop on.

Payout Minimum and Method: Rakuten pays your cash back rewards quarterly. It sends your “big fat check” in the form of a paper check, a PayPal deposit, or a transfer to a charitable cause, friend, or family member.

Where to Sign up: Sign up for Rakuten and receive a bonus of $10 (+ cashback percentage) after spending your first $25 through Rakuten’s links. It’s completely free and easy to earn cash back on each of your purchases.

Refer a Friend Bonus: When you find a good thing, it’s always great to share with your friends, right? Well, luckily enough, you can earn a pretty sweet cash back bonus for each friend you refer to Rakuten. You’ll earn $25 per friend that makes their first online purchase of $25 or more.

If you know anyone who shops online and likes to save money, then sign up for Rakuten, use it, love it, and share it for an extra bonus.

Related: Rakuten Review

Money-Saving Grocery Shopping Apps

Grocery shopping is something that we all do but not many of us enjoy. Crowds, prices — whatever makes grocery shopping your less-than-favorite activity, these shopping apps can help alleviate some of your troubles.

5. Ibotta

ibotta grocery shopping app logoIbotta rewards you in cash for making purchases at popular stores that you already frequent (without linking a card). Simply review the offers before each grocery shopping trip and add the items you need to your list in order to snag the cash back rewards.

How It Works: You’ll have to be a planner in order to make apps like Ibotta work in your favor. It’s not something you’ll get the most out of by simply shopping as you normally would. Instead, the app gives you fresh offers that you can plan ahead for.

To use Ibotta, you’ll need to login to the shopping app and complete simple tasks to add offers to your shopping list. Buy the selected products at a participating store and then upload a photo of your receipt to the Ibotta app. You’ll receive your partial refund credit in your Ibotta account within 24 hours.

You can also earn cash rewards for linking a store loyalty card to your Ibotta account or by making mobile purchasing using the shopping app. Ibotta works hard to make your shopping experience as seamless as possible, but at the end of the day, you’ll need to shop with purpose and save that receipt to make the most of this shopping app.

Related: How This Savings Pro Collected $830 from Ibotta and Rakuten Last Year

Stores on Ibotta: You’ll find popular stores that partner with Ibotta such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, Target, Whole Foods Market, and many more. Credits are issued for a wide variety of deals but groceries tend to be the most popular on Ibotta.

Payout Minimum and Method: Once you’ve reached $20 in Ibotta credit, you can request a payout to your PayPal or Venmo account. You can also redeem popular gift cards in exchange for your Ibotta credit earned.

Where to Sign up: Sign up for Ibotta and receive a $10 bonus when you start redeeming deals. There are many popular items on Ibotta that you probably already have on your shopping list, like a gallon of milk or a box of Oreos.

Refer a Friend Bonus: Earn an extra $5 for each friend you refer to the Ibotta grocery shopping app. Ibotta is also a little different when it comes to teaming with your friends on the app. You can actually create a team within the app and set goals together. Once you hit your target, your team will earn extra bonus cash.

Related: Ibotta Review

6. Instacart

instacart logoInstacart is a fun grocery shopping app that you can participate in from both sides of the coin. Either sign up to receive your groceries on your doorstep or sign up as a shopper and earn money delivering groceries to others.

How It Works: As a consumer using Instacart, you’ll simply open the shopping app, select a grocery store in your area, and shop for the products you’d like to purchase.

You’ll be able to find most items at the store of your choice on Instacart and place them in your online cart. Then submit your order to receive fresh groceries delivered right to your doorstep. This is grocery shopping at its finest. No need to face the shopping crowds to search for the freshest bunch of bananas – have someone else do it for you.

If you sign up for Instacart Express ($99 per year), you receive all deliveries of $35 or more for free! If Instacart is available in your area, you might be able to cross one chore off your list without lifting a finger. Remember that time is money. If you’re stretched too thin as it is, then $99 per year for unlimited grocery deliveries might be a lifesaver.

If you prefer to be on the other side of this unique shopping app, you can sign up to be an Instacart shopper and deliver groceries to your neighbors. As long as you don’t hate grocery shopping, you have your own car for running deliveries, and have the extra time, this could be a good way to make extra money. Instacart shoppers typically earn $10 to $15 per hour delivering groceries.

Stores on Instacart: It’s hard to say exactly which stores you’ll find on Instacart because it’s specific to your location. If you have Sam’s Club, Aldi, Tops, Costco, or other major grocery stores in your area, chances are, Instacart is also available.

Where to Sign up: Sign up here for Instacart to get your $10 off your first order dropped off at your doorstep. When your weeks are busy, you’ll be happy to take one extra task off of your to-do list.

Refer a Friend Bonus: If you love Instacart, you can refer friends for an extra $10 in grocery money. When your friend uses your referral link, they can also save an extra $10 on their first $35 minimum purchase.

Related: How to Become an Instacart Shopper (Earn $50-$1,000+ Per Month)

7 Amazon Fresh

the amazon fresh mobile shopping app offers cheap groceriesAmazon Fresh is a subscription-based grocery shopping app that offers great deals on fresh produce and meat delivered right to your doorstep. You do all the shopping from your phone and receive high-quality food in a timely manner.

How It Works: As a trusted shopping app for all kinds of products, it’s no wonder that Amazon made its way into the online grocery shopping market. Its availability is still limited to select areas. However, if you have the option to sign up, it’s worth giving it a try.

You can order all kinds of fresh foods with Amazon Fresh and save yourself countless trips to the grocery store. Simply sign up and visit the website. From there, you can peruse the fresh vegetables, deli meats and cheeses, fruits, packaged products, and much more.

Skip the hassle of grocery shopping at your local store. Instead, have your items dropped off at your doorstep while they’re still fresh and ready to eat.

Where to Sign up: Sign up for Amazon Fresh here to receive a 30-day free trial (available to Amazon Prime members only). At the very least, you can enjoy 30 days grocery-shopping-free convenience. If you don’t love it, you can cancel your subscription at any time; no payment or cancellation fee required.

Best Apps to Get Unique Deals

If you’re anything like I, you probably want to find the best home shopping apps that offer extra savings, secure transactions, and a user-friendly interface. If that’s the case, you’ll want to give this next set of shopping apps a try.

8. Raise

raise logoRaise is an amazing marketplace to shop for discounted gift cards to every store you can imagine. It’s the perfect place to check for discounted gift cards right before placing an online or in-store purchase.

How It Works: If you’re willing to work Raise into your routine shopping habits to actually save you money (rather than cost you extra for something you don’t need), simply download the Raise shopping app and check for discounted gift cards while you shop.

Whether you’re shopping online or in store, you can look up the going rate for a gift card to see if it will help you save money on the purchase you’re about to make. Physical gift cards can take up to two weeks to arrive in the mail, but digital delivery is often instant. Purchase your discounted gift card and use it at checkout to save money every time you shop.

You can even stack your discounted gift card purchases from Raise with cash back benefits from Rakuten . To do this you’ll simply open Rakuten, click any referring link to Raise, and purchase your gift card.

Then turn around and make the final purchase at the store using the gift card you bought on Raise. It may seem confusing at first, but once you’ve saved your first few dollars with Raise and earned cash back with Rakuten, you’ll never want to go back to paying full price!

Stores on Raise: Find great discounts on gifts cards to Regal Cinemas, Outback Steakhouse, Red Robin, IHOP, DSW, Nordstrom, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, Nike, and many more of your favorite retailers.

Where to Sign up: Sign up here and earn a $5 credit toward an already discounted gift card. It’s completely free to peruse the Raise Marketplace for discounted gift cards. Plus, you can save hundreds of dollars if you use it regularly.

Refer a Friend Bonus: You can earn some extra credit toward already discounted gift cards by suggesting Raise to your friends and online acquaintances.

Share your link via email, text, or social media and give your friends a $5 credit toward their first purchase. In return, you earn a cool $5 for each friend that takes you up on your offer. It’s a win-win situation for both of you!

Related: Raise Review

best apps for cheap online shopping

Wish is an interesting shopping app which connects the buyers directly with the manufacturers for the cheapest deals possible. It is an incredibly popular app for Android and iOS, and you would want more cheap shopping apps like Wish, right?

Of course, if you are a shopaholic, you need more options, right? Nowadays, you will find every new ecommerce website or app offering a special deal – which is usually exclusive. So, you should browse through all the alternative apps available for the best shopping deals.

For the very same reason, we will list all the best wish alternative shopping apps that we think you would like.

Note: The shopping apps like Wish are listed in no particular order of ranking. Choose what you think the best for your shopping needs.

Contents [hide]

11 Cheap Shopping Apps like Wish

AliExpress
Overstock
Zulily
Joom
Banggood
Geek
Hollar
Cute
LightInTheBox
YoShop
Mama
Wrapping Up
Related Resources:
11 Cheap Shopping Apps like Wish
Looking for the best alternatives to Wish app? We have got you covered with 11 best shopping apps like Wish. We’ll also provide the download link for each of these Wish alternatives.

So no matter whether you looking for a cheap shopping app like Wish on iOS or Android phone, here, you’ll certainly find some cheap shopping apps similar to Wish.

AliExpress
aliexpress – Apps Like Wish: Cheap Shopping Apps like Wish
AliExpress is one of the hottest shopping apps for almost any type of stuff that you want to purchase. For me, it will be about all things tech, for obvious reasons.

You get insane cheap deals and some good alternatives to branded items as well. Fret not, the shopping experience using this app is secure and can be trusted with. However, you have to keep the customs in mind – depending on what country you live in, your order might never get to you.

But, then again, they offer refunds and buyer protection as well.