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Coupon Cactus Review
- Basics: Coupon Cactus is a basic, no-frills cash-back portal that only offers coupons and cash back via their desktop website.
- Pros: With coupons and cash back at over 17,000 retailers, there are plenty of shopping options with Coupon Cactus.
- Cons: You canโt earn cash back from top retailers like Walmart, Target, and others.
- NUMBER OF STORES:
17,000+
- MINIMUM PAYOUT:
$10
- PAYOUT OPTIONS:
Check, PayPay
- WHAT'S UNIQUE?
Lists many stores, but doesnโt work at top retailers
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Our Coupon Cactus review will examine why the site seems to have a negative reputation. Is it as bad as some reviewers say? Weโll go over everything you need to know to decide if Coupon Cactus is worth using.
Table of Contents
What Is Coupon Cactus?
Coupon Cactus is an online portal that offers cash back and coupon codes for over 17,000 retailers.
Like most other portals, Coupon Cactus requires users to shop via a supplied link on their website to receive cash back.
While most other companies in the cash-back space offer apps or browser extensions to give users more shopping options, Coupon Cactus only offers a website that works best on a desktop computer.
Check out my full video walkthrough below.
Coupon Cactus At a Glance
Number of Stores | 17,000+ |
How to Earn Cash Back | Earn a percentage of your purchase back as cash that can be withdrawn via check or Paypal. |
Fees | None |
Minimum Payout | $10 |
Payout Timing | Quarterly |
Payout Options | Check, Paypal |
Payout Bonuses | None |
Mobile App | No |
Desktop Version | Yes |
Browser Extension | No |
In-Store Cash Back | No |
Coupons | Yes |
Sign-Up Bonus | $3, if you like them on Facebook |
Referral Bonus | 25% of all cash back your referral earns |
Customer Support | Email only |
How Does Coupon Cactus Work?
Coupon Cactus is a bare-bones cash-back platform.
You have the standard method of receiving cash back by shopping through the link that Coupon Cactus provides.
You can also shop using coupon codes that are provided which will save even more money on your purchases.
Shopping can only be done via the Coupon Cactus website, and payouts are made quarterly.
Number of Stores
Coupon Cactus states that its service works with over 17,000 retailers.
Looking deeper into this, it appears that this number is referencing stores that only offer coupons as well.
The number of stores that offer cash back appears to be much smaller than the 17,000 stated.
Worse yet, some of the very top retailers in the country arenโt listed at all, including Walmart.
(We tried searching โwal-martโ, too.)
Ways to Get Cash Back
There is only one way to get cash back using Coupon Cactus.
This is by shopping online after clicking a provided link on the Coupon Cactus website.
You can use the top navigation bar to search available stores by name, category, most popular, and more. You also have the option of manually searching using the search bar.
Once you see the store you want, click on the link and it will take you to that storeโs page on Coupon Cactus.
Here, you will finally see the option to shop and earn cash back.
Unlike Rakuten and others, there is no app, so if you wanted to use your phone you would have to use the web browser.
Unfortunately, the website is not mobile-friendly so attempting to get cash back on your phone is considerably more difficult.
Navigating the website could be easier, but finding and selecting the store you want to shop at is a fairly simple experience.
Coupon Cactus states that most cash back will hit your account within 2-7 days, but certain retailers can take up to 90 days depending on their terms of service.
Fees
There are no fees to use Coupon Cactus.
Payouts (Minimums, Timing, Options, Bonuses)
Payouts with Coupon Cactus are made on a quarterly basis.
Quarter # | Purchases Posted Within | Your Check Mailed on |
---|---|---|
Quarter 1 | January 1 - March 31 | May 15 |
Quarter 2 | April 1 - June 30 | August 15 |
Quarter 3 | July 1 - September 30 | November 15 |
Quarter 4 | October 1 - December 31 | February 15 |
To receive your cash, you will need to have at least a $10 balance before the payout date. If your balance is lower, it will roll over into the next quarter.
This payment setup is similar to Rakuten, so it isn’t anything unheard of among cash-back portals.
Payout options are also the same as Rakuten. Users can opt to have a physical check mailed to them, or they can have their payments sent via Paypal.
There are no bonuses available.
Platforms (Mobile App, Desktop Version, Browser Extension)
Coupon Cactus only has one available platform, which is the desktop version.
Although the website is functional and has everything you need, it looks like it hasnโt been refreshed in years and is not mobile-friendly, which makes using the portal on a phone very frustrating.
On the website, you can do everything you need to. You can search for stores manually using the search bar, by category, or alphabetically.
You can also access your account settings, see your cash-back balance, and make referrals to bring your friends onto the platform.
Unlike the majority of other cash-back programs, there is no mobile app for Coupon Cactus.
Because the site isnโt mobile-responsive, using Coupon Cactus on your phone is difficult and frustrating.
For example, simply reading the words on the site is a challenge.
There is also no browser extension, which is personally my favorite feature of other rewards portals such as Capital One Shopping.
Having the ability to go directly to the retailerโs website and start earning cash back by clicking a popup saves a lot of time and also reminds you of potential cash-back opportunities you may have missed.
There is a lot for Coupon Cactus to add, and if they decide to make an app and browser extension they can quickly be competitive with the bigger players in the field.
In-Store Cash Back
There is no potential of earning in-store cash back with Coupon Cactus.
Coupons
If you couldnโt tell from the name alone, Coupon Cactus has loads of coupons for retailers all across the internet.
Using the available coupons for your purchases is simple.
You can search for your retailer of choice using whichever method you choose, and click on the name of the retailer.
You can also search for coupons by category. This search is from the โchildrenโs clothingโ category.
You also have the option to share these coupons on social media and via email.
Sign-Up Bonus
Coupon Cactus currently provides a $3 sign-up bonus if you like their Facebook page after creating your account.
Referral Bonus
Coupon Cactus offers a decent referral program.
You refer friends and family via email invites, and if they sign up using your link you will receive 25% of all the cash back they earn from Coupon Cactus.
There doesnโt appear to be a maximum referral limit, however, you can only refer 4 individuals at one time.
Coupon Cactus states that if the account of the referral is inactive for one year, the referral connection will be broken, preventing you from earning any more of their cash back.
Related: Best Referral Programs to Make Money
Customer Support
The only method of contact is via submission of a form on the website.
They have a live chat box on the home page, but reviews state they are never online and I have not seen it online during my research.
How Much Money Can You Make With Coupon Cactus?
Coupon Cactus uses a percent-based system that is paid out as straight cash.
The more money you spend, the more cash back you will get in dollar value.
Perusing the website, it appears that most stores are in the 1%-5% range for cash-back which is fairly similar to their competitors.
The problem is that the retailers where folks make most of their purchases arenโt offering cash back or even coupons through Coupon Cactus.
Retailer | Cash Back Rate | Coupons? |
---|---|---|
Walmart | 0.0% | No |
Amazon | 0.0% | No |
Home Depot | 0.0% | No |
Target | 0.0% | No |
Apple | 0.0% | No |
Is Coupon Cactus Legit?
I am hesitant to say that Coupon Cactus isn’t legit.
However, I will say that there are numerous reports online of users not receiving their cash back and also being unable to reach customer service to resolve the issue.
TrustPilot is a good website for reading consumer reviews of online services and Coupon Cactus currently is sitting at a 2-star rating out of 5.
There are of course positive reviews, but the negative reviews overwhelmingly include missing cash back and little or no customer service.
On SiteJabber, another review website, Coupon Cactus fares slightly better with an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5, though the common theme of missing cash back remains.
We earn a commission on this offer.
Number of Stores
17,000+Not all retailers availablePayout Minimum
$10Payout is quarterlyPayout Options
Check or PayPalEarn more with referral bonusCoupon Cactus Tips and Hacks
1. Make use of referrals
Referrals are often a great way to make extra money on cash-back websites, and Coupon Cactus is no exception.
With referrals, you will earn 25% of all the cash back your referrals earn for the life of their account.
2. Use the available coupons
Receiving cash back is nice, but with Coupon Cactus you have to wait for the quarter to end to receive it.
Using the many available coupons can save you money right off the bat, preventing the need to wait for cash back.
Coupon Cactus Pros and Cons
Pros
- Good Referral Bonus: Referring a friend will get you 25% of their cash back for life. If they are big shoppers, you can earn quite a lot.
- Familiar Payouts for Rakuten Users: The payout for Coupon Cactus works the same as Rakuten. Once per quarter, you will get paid either via check or Paypal.
- Large Selection of Stores: Coupon Cactus boasts over 17,000 retailers. They donโt have the big ones, but they might have discounts for smaller stores that arenโt listed on other sites.
Cons
- Top Retailers Arenโt Partners: You canโt earn cash back or even see coupons for Target, Walmart, Amazon, Apple, Home Depot, and other top retailers.
- Poor Reviews: There are numerous reviews across the internet stating that cash back was never received and that customer service will not reply to inquiries.
- No App: The only way to use Coupon Cactus is their website. And unfortunately, the website is old and clunky.
Alternatives to Coupon Cactus
Coupon Cactus | Rakuten | TopCashBack | BeFrugal | |
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Mobile App |
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Desktop Version |
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Browser Extension |
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In-Store Cash Back |
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Coupons |
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Sign-Up Bonus |
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Referral Bonus |
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Is Coupon Cactus Worth It?
To be honest, I would skip Coupon Cactus.
Competitors like Rakuten and TopCashBack that offer cash back from the top stores, and a better experience overall.
Who Coupon Cactus Is Best For
If you already have signed up for the rest of the various cash-back portals, then Coupon Cactus could be of use for you.
Itโs also good if you have a lot of friends that you could refer. By simply referring friends and having them use the system, you can get 25% of their cash back automatically.
Who Coupon Cactus Is Not For
If you have other cash-back portals that you enjoy using, I would skip Coupon Cactus.
The shopping experience is worse than most competitors and there are a lot of reviews online that make it seem like the company isnโt very transparent.
How to Use Coupon Cactus (Step-by-Step)
Although the rest of the experience is less than ideal, signing up for Coupon Cactus is very easy and straightforward.
Step 1: Go to the site and select the blue โsign upโ button on the top.
Step 2: Input your personal information and also choose how you want to get paid (check or Paypal).
Step 3: Click โcreate accountโ and youโre ready to start shopping.
Final Thoughts on Coupon Cactus
Coupon Cactus has some major drawbacks. The site doesnโt work with most major retailers and doesnโt have an app or browser extension.
If that isn’t enough, the overwhelmingly negative reviews on the internet make it seem like choosing Coupon Cactus as your cash-back portal may not be worth the hassle.
On the plus side, signing up and using the website is free.
Each individual has their own preferences when it comes to websites, so go ahead and sign-up if you feel it may suit your needs.
While it lacks top retailers, Coupon Cactus has a massive list of partners. You may find a niche store that other platforms donโt partner with.
We earn a commission on this offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some short answers to basic questions people often have about Coupon Cactus.
- Can I use Coupon Cactus on my phone?
- How will I get paid from Coupon Cactus?
Author:
Evan Diaz, MBA, covers personal finance topics for Money Done Right. After getting his MBA and working in investment banking, Evan began writing full-time. He's an avid investor and has a passion for helping people improve their finances.