The 15 Best Mobile Coupon Apps That Will Help You Save Big Bucks

Everyone wants to save money on their purchases but not everyone has the time and patience for extreme couponing. It can take hours to search for the best deals and clip them out.

However, couponing has become a lot easier because of mobile coupon apps. If you have a smartphone, you are sitting on some of the easiest ways to save money.

You just have to download the right apps to help you keep your costs down. Here are 15 of the best.

1. Ibotta

Ibotta is one of the most popular mobile coupon apps. It allows you to get cash back on purchases from a wide range of establishments including grocery stores and hotels.

Good to Know: Many of the top retailers like Walmart and Target can be found on the app.

How It Works

• The first thing you need to do is download the app on your Android or iOS phone and sign up.
• You then answer some questions regarding your favorite stores.
• Your homepage will then be populated with offers from these establishments.
• You can still browse more stores in the app, but your favorites will be at your fingertips.
• Select the offers you want to take advantage of, and they will be added to your account.
• When you’re done shopping, upload a photo of your receipt to redeem the offer.

Ibotta has also partnered with some retailers to offer in-app purchases. This means you can shop directly from your phone and get cash back without leaving your home. When you shop on your phone, there’s no need to upload receipts. No matter how you shop, you get your refund within 24 to 48 hours via PayPal, Venmo or a gift card.

2. Rakuten

Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is one of the leading mobile coupon apps. You can earn up to 40 percent cash back at more than 2, 500 online stores.

Great Advantages

• Rakuten is attractive because you can get rewards at most of the leading retailers including Old Navy, Macy’s, and Walmart.
• In addition to popular stores, Rakuten also has arrangements with travel and vacation brands like Expedia, Choice Hotels, City Sightseeing, and Condor.
• It’s also super easy to use. You simply go to the app, search for the store you want to patronize, click the link and shop as usual.

Rakuten lets you claim your savings via PayPal or check.

3. SavingStar

SavingsStar is another one of the best mobile coupon apps. It helps you to get some money back in your pocket when you shop at grocery stores and pharmacies. SavingStar partners with more than 100 establishments including Winn-Dixie, Sam’s Club, CVS, and Walgreen’s.

How to Use It

• The app offers you two ways to save: using your store loyalty card and scanning your receipt after purchase.
• In the first instance, you can search for stores near you by zip code and then add your store loyalty cards to your SavingStar account using the app or website.
• You then activate the offers you want to redeem before you head to the store to make your purchase.
• The app will recognize your purchase within two to ten days, and you will be credited the amount advertised in the offer.

Pro Tip: If you shop at retailers that don’t have rewards programs linked to SavingStar, you can take a picture of your receipt instead. The process for redeeming rewards this way is also pretty simple. You activate the offer in the app, make your purchase, and upload a photo of your receipt. You will also be required to scan the barcodes of eligible products. Your refund will be processed within three days.

4. Groupon

Most mobile coupon apps help you to save on products, but Groupon lets you save on experiences.

• If you want to visit a tourist attraction, get a spa treatment or eat at a popular restaurant, you should check Groupon for local deals.
• Sometimes you can save up to 70 percent by using this app and first-time users often get additional discounts.
• If you like to travel, you’ll realize that Groupon has loads of deals on vacation activities around the world.
• Some of them are packaged to suit couples or groups so the savings can be significant.
• Groupon also offers coupon codes which can help you to save a few bucks when you shop at selected retailers.

5. RetailMeNot

If you’re looking for mobile coupon apps which give you access to an extensive range of retailers, try RetailMeNot. This is the app for you if you like to shop around or you prefer smaller specialty stores.

Good to Know: RetailMeNot has coupon codes for around 5,000 partners so it’s highly likely it includes your favorite stores.

Offers include sales, cash back opportunities, in-store coupons, and online promo codes.

How It Works

• If you know exactly which store you want to shop at, you can type the name in the search bar.
• Otherwise, you can browse the app’s exclusive offers or trending offers to find deals which are only available for a limited time.

RetailMeNot also sells gift cards for up to 25 percent off the regular price. All these options mean you have several opportunities to save when you shop at your favorite stores.

6. Drop

Drop is another one of those great mobile coupon apps for iPhone and Android.  It works differently from Ibotta and SavingStar and is aimed at millennials.

• Whenever you make purchases with your linked debit cards or credit cards at selected merchants, you automatically get points.
• This means you earn rewards from various types of spending.
• There is no need to upload receipts or scan barcodes.

Getting Started with Drop

• The first thing you need to do is download the Drop app, answer a few questions, and link your cards.
• You then pick five of your favorite brands.
• Their offers will populate your home page so you should choose the brands you spend with the most.
• You will still be able to browse offers from other establishments and bonus offers are uploaded frequently so you have even more chances to earn points.
• Earn points when you buy food, clothing, home goods or groceries and even when you take an Uber or Lyft ride.

You can redeem your points for gift cards from a range of retailers.

7. Spent

This is another app which lets you get cash back on purchases made with your debit and credit cards. It was launched in 2018 so it’s among the newer mobile coupon apps.

• When you use Spent, you don’t have to take any action whatsoever to get your money back.
• Simply spend as you normally would at select brands and retailers including Whole Foods, Starbucks, Uber, Airbnb, and Petco.
• If you combine a gift card with your purchase, you get extra rewards.
• Spent supports both online and brick-and-mortar retailers.

Steps to Registering with Spent

• The first thing you need to do is download and install the app and sign up for the service.
• Begin browsing through the offers and when you find one you like, select it.
• Next, follow the prompts to link your cards and bank account details with your Spent account.
• The app will then begin to track your transactions so you can earn cash back.
• You’ll be able to withdraw your funds through PayPal.

8. ShopKick

What do you think about getting points even if you don’t buy anything? You probably love the idea. If so, you’ll love Shopkick. This rewards and deals app rewards you for simply visiting retailers.

Good to Know: If you do lots of browsing in the mall even when you don’t plan to make a purchase, this may be just what you need. You’ll need to keep your location services on since the app needs to know when you’ve walked into a store.

Shopkick will alert you to any coupons or deals being offered by the establishment so you don’t miss out on opportunities to keep some money in your pocket.

• You also get points for things like social sharing and taking surveys.
• Once you accumulate enough points, you can exchange them for retailer gift cards.

The app needs to be running to get points but if you’re going on a long shopping trip, you can get quite a few points for just browsing like you normally do.

9. Walmart Savings Catcher

There’s a Walmart in almost every town and most people buy at least a few items there.

The Walmart Savings Catcher ensures you get the lowest possible price on packaged groceries, health and beauty products, and paper products.

• After you make purchases in-store using Walmart Pay, you must scan the barcode on the receipt within seven days.
• Walmart will then assess the prices you paid against those advertised by other local retailers in their weekly ads.
• If an advertised price is lower than what you paid for the same item, you get the difference on a Savings Catcher eGift Card.

This card can be used to make purchases in Walmart stores or on Walmart.com.

10. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards gives you points when you upload a photo of your receipt, but it is different from top mobile coupon apps like Ibotta and SavingStar.

• You don’t need to take surveys, shop at specific stores, or even claim an offer before you make your purchase.
• All you have to do is take a picture of your receipt from grocery stores, drug stores, and even liquor stores and points will be sent to your account.
• You earn points for every purchase from more than 250 brands including 7-Eleven, Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Safeway, and Family Dollar.
• This means you don’t have to spend time driving around looking for eligible stores.

You can redeem your points for gift cards to hundreds of retailers.

How It Works

• After you download the app and sign up, you’ll be prompted to select the state you reside in and enter your phone number.
• You then get two options for earning points.
• You can earn when you buy any product from a qualifying brand and earn ten points for every dollar spent.
• Alternatively, you can get a specified number of points for buying certain items and quantities.
• Once you have 3, 000 points, you can redeem them.

11. Dosh

Dosh is a good option if you do a lot of shopping. It is an automatic cash back app which can get you refunds of up to ten percent when you use your credit and debit card at participating establishments.

Good to Know: You can get refunds from thousands of places including retail stores, gas stations, and restaurants. Dosh rewards you for both in-store and online purchases.

• The app’s network also includes a number of hotels around the world.
• You get a $5 bonus just for signing up and linking a card and $25 for a hotel booking.
• Dosh lets you transfer your savings to PayPal, a bank account or a charity.
• If you want to benefit from savings without having to do anything, Dosh is one of the top mobile coupon apps.

12. Target App

Target’s in-store coupon app, Cartwheel, has now been integrated into the store’s main app. It allows you to select offers of up to 50 percent off items you love.

• You can find Cartwheel Offers on the app’s home screen or scan an item’s barcode to see if there are any applicable deals.
• You can also stack app-only coupons, manufacturer coupons, and rebate apps for even more savings on in-store purchases.

If you already buy lots of items from Target, it makes sense to get the app.

13. Coupons.com

The coupons.com app makes it easy to browse hundreds of coupons from popular stores including Target and Walmart.

• At most stores, you can connect your retailer’s loyalty card to the app.
• You then add the coupons you want to redeem, do your shopping as usual and scan your loyalty card at the cash register.
• The savings are then reflected in your account.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a loyalty card, you can add the coupons you want to your account, shop, and then snap a photo of your receipt to validate the purchase. You get your money back through PayPal.

14. Grocery iQ

As the name suggests, the app is targeted at grocery shopping. If you do most of your household’s food shopping, you need to have it on your smartphone. However, if you coordinate the shopping with another person, it can be even more helpful.

Good to Know: Grocery iQ allows you to build a shopping list, search for applicable coupons, add your store loyalty cards and sync the list with other people.

This means everyone in the household can get what they need, and you have a pretty good idea how much you will be able to save before you head to the store.

Having a list also helps to reduce the likelihood of impulse buying which can be detrimental when you’re trying to save money.

Things to Note

• The app has a lot of convenient features.
• For example, GroceryiQ keeps a history of your shopping trips and you can add items to your list by scanning barcodes.
• You can even add items to the grocery list by voice.
• There are some coupons you will have to print out but at least you don’t have to find, match and clip them.
• If you want to streamline your family’s grocery shopping and save as much as possible, this app allows you to meet both goals.

15. SnipSnap

SnipSnap is a coupon app which helps you to save in a couple of ways. You can either activate offers from your favorite stores or scan barcodes on paper coupons and store them electronically.

Good to Know: SnipSnap is easy to use. When you head to the checkout counter, the cashier will either scan your phone or type in the coupon code. You get your savings at the register so there is no need to wait for a payout.

• SnipSnap also displays specials and coupons based on your location.
• This comes in handy if you’re walking through a shopping center or making an unplanned trip to the mall.

You can even look for offers while you’re standing in the checkout line to get some last-minute savings.

SnipSnap Pro Tip

When you search retailers for coupons and download them to SnipSnap, the app sorts them by expiration date. This helps you to ensure they don’t go to waste but you can sort them by retailer if that works better for you.

How do you save on everyday purchases? Which mobile apps coupon apps do you prefer to use?