Just like some big city grocery store, the app marketplace is really crowded these days—so crowded that it can sometimes be hard to pick which app is best for a specific task. I swear I spent a year searching for the best grocery app to earn rewards for shopping. Why the dedication? Because I shop a ton—I have three hungry boys at home after all—and quite frankly I like saving money. A lot.
I’ve given many of the contenders for best grocery app a whirl over the past year or two and now, to save you some time and effort, I’d like to share my favorites. These are all apps that let you earn rewards for the shopping you do anyway. They’re all sure to help you save some serious cash, too!
My First Grocery App: Ebates
Ebates was the very first grocery app I tried when my boys were young, and it was another mom who tipped me off to the idea of shopping apps. Ebates is a centralized platform where shoppers can search for deals and coupons from more than 1,800 retailers, saving you money when you shop online. I used Ebates for a few months, and it really did help me start to stretch my budget.
Eventually, though, I started to wish there were cash back apps like Ebates that could do a bit more to bolster my budget. So, I ended up seeking out newer apps, many of which are way more fun to use! Finding a grocery app to earn rewards for shopping that is also fun to use is key because then it’s much easier to remember to use it. At least for me anyway!
Best Grocery App for Couponing: SavingStar
What I liked when I started using SavingStar was how it reminded me of the days when I used to clip coupons. While that’s fun and nostalgic, it’s nice not to be bothered with all that paper anymore! Which is where SavingStar comes in. SavingStar is a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores.
More than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar. For a long time, it was my companion app to another shopping rewards app, Ebates, since I’d use Ebates online and SavingStar in the real store. Some words of warning, though: SavingStar is generally free to use, but if an account is inactive for 180 straight days, they will charge a fee of $3.99.
To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after they make purchases. Rewards add up until they can eventually be cashed out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes.
Best Grocery App to Earn Rewards for Shopping: Shopkick
In the end, I discovered the best grocery app to earn rewards for shopping, one that is also a ton of fun to use—Shopkick. What Shopkick does is give you points—called kicks—for things you’re already doing when you shop, like buying products, scanning the barcodes on featured items for more info, and even just walking into some stores. Then, you can turn those points into gift cards to your favorite stores.
Shopkick essentially turns all of your trips out to the store into a scavenger hunt for points.
Shopkick essentially turns all of your trips out to the store into a scavenger hunt for points. I’ve had a blast challenging myself to maximize points, which has added up to huge savings. I’ve also started to use Shopkick’s social media channels, which is a fun way to meet other Shopkickers. I’ve spent hours upon hours on Shopkick’s Facebook page sharing shopping tips with other moms and funny memes, and just talking about life in general.
Feel free to try out some of the other shopping apps out there, but if you want to avoid endlessly searching the crowded app marketplace, take my word for it and download Shopkick, ASAP. It’s the only shopping rewards app I actually look forward to using when I head to the store!
Get to know one of the best grocery apps to earn rewards for shopping. Download Shopkick today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of a free shopping sidekick.
And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily fun and inspiration.
Image courtesy Wavebreak Media Ltd
