Inflation has been squeezing household budgets, but discount shopping apps can help keep some cash in consumers’ wallets.
The best shopping apps to save money include a mix of options that provide digital coupons, deal alerts, cash back and other perks. To maximize savings, you could also use a rewards credit card along with an app to get additional cash back, points or miles. Just be sure to pay off your balance each month to avoid pricey interest charges.
Here are some of the best discount shopping apps available today:
— Your Favorite Store’s App.
— The Krazy Coupon Lady.
— CouponCabin.
— Flipp.
— RetailMeNot.
— Honey.
— Pricepulse.
— Fetch.
— Ibotta.
— Dosh.
— TopCashBack.
— Raise.
Your Favorite Store’s App
The very first app you should download is the one for whatever store you shop at most often. Many major grocery chains, such as Meijer, Kroger and Albertsons, have mobile apps that make it easy to clip digital coupons, earn points for rewards and browse sale items. Discount shopping apps aren’t limited to grocery stores either, so check for money-saving apps from any of your go-to retailers.
— Best feature: Many offer customized coupons based on your shopping habits
— Best used for: Groceries and household goods
— Platform: Typically Android and iOS
The Krazy Coupon Lady
If you aren’t loyal to a specific store, The Krazy Coupon Lady app can help you find the best deal on the products you love. The app allows users to set up alerts for favorite brands and products, and includes information about rebates, coupons and other promotions. The shopping list feature will save deals by store to make them easy to track and retrieve.
— Best feature: Customizable deal alerts
— Best used for: Deals on favorite products and brands
— Platform: Android, iOS, desktop
CouponCabin
CouponCabin can be used to find deals online and in stores. “This is ideal for anyone who primarily orders from their mobile device,” says money-saving expert Andrea Woroch.
The app can find online promo codes or be used to download in-store coupons that can be scanned at the register. Plus, CouponCabin awards up to 20% cash back on eligible purchases from more than 6,000 cash back partner sites.
— Best feature: “Today’s Best” section that highlights current best deals
— Best used for: Online shopping
— Platform: Android, iOS, Chrome browser extension, desktop
[Read: How to Create and Maintain a Family Budget.]
Flipp
Weekly runs to the grocery store may be easier with the use of Flipp. The app lets you browse the ads of more than 2,000 stores, load coupons to your loyalty cards and create digital shopping lists. It may be the ideal solution for those who enjoy hunting for deals themselves but want to streamline the process.
“Flipp is one of my No. 1 editor picks as a go-to shopping app (for) 2023 for finding weekly shopping deals,” says Jeanel Alvarado, editor in chief of website RetailBoss. She says the app also makes it easy to access loyalty cards at checkout for additional savings.
— Best feature: Ability to add store loyalty cards
— Best used for: Managing shopping lists for multiple stores
— Platform: Android, iOS, desktop
RetailMeNot
RetailMeNot started out as a website where people could share and search for coupon codes, but it has since expanded to offer a browser extension and app as well. Regardless of how you access RetailMeNot, the company provides a simple way to find deals and even earn cash back. At any given time, there are more than 200,000 money-saving offers available.
— Best feature: Browser extension applies coupon codes and cash back offers automatically
— Best used for: Online shopping
— Platform: Android, iOS, Chrome browser extension
Honey
Another option for online shopping discounts is Honey. It will automatically search for coupon codes and, on Amazon, it will notify shoppers if an item is cheaper from another seller. If a product isn’t priced right, Honey can add it to a droplist and notify you when the price goes down. Eligible purchases also earn points that can be redeemed for cash, gift cards or PayPal shopping credits.
— Best feature: Droplist to save items and track prices
— Best used for: Online shopping
— Platform: Android, iOS, browser extension, desktop
Pricepulse
Pricepulse is one of the best discount shopping apps for Amazon deals. Available as a browser extension, Pricepulse can provide the price history of products listed on Amazon, and advise on whether now is the time to buy or if a lower price could be coming. Users can also create a watchlist that will send notifications when a price drops.
— Best feature: Top Amazon deals featured on website
— Best used for: Amazon shopping
— Platform: Android, iOS, Chrome browser extension
[READ: 10 Simple and Free Budgeting Tools.]
Fetch
There are several money-saving apps that allow users to scan receipts in order to earn cash back and rewards. Among them, Fetch may be the easiest to use. Simply sign up and scan receipts from any store to earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards. Purchasing specific brands, referring friends or redeeming special offers can all provide additional points.
“Check the special deals section to see which brands, products and stores will earn you the most points to rack up free gift cards faster,” Woroch advises.
— Best feature: Ability to upload both physical and digital receipts
— Best used for: Brand name purchases
— Platform: Android, iOS
Ibotta
Originally an app that only provided rebates on in-store purchases, Ibotta now offers cash back for online shopping as well. Shoppers can choose from thousands of offers available at more than 2,000 retailers. They include grocery stores, travel providers, specialty shops and more. Ibotta can be linked to loyalty accounts, or receipts can be uploaded to claim rebates.
“I’ve been using it for years, and I still haven’t gotten sick of it,” says Matt Benton, CEO of the underground infrastructure website Trenchless Information Center. “The app is very easy to use and intuitive. Plus, there are so many categories of things to buy that there’s almost always something available for me to get some money back on.”
— Best feature: Alerts that notify you of deals in a nearby store
— Best used for: Cash back from retail and grocery purchases
— Platform: Android, iOS, Chrome browser extension
Dosh
Dosh is another relatively hands-off way to save money. You simply link your credit card in the app, and cash back will automatically be applied to eligible purchases. There’s no need to save offers on your phone or account first. Shoppers can earn cash back at more than 10,000 retailers and restaurants, and the company advertises up to 40% cash back on stays at more than 600,000 hotels globally.
— Best feature: Links to credit card for hassle-free savings
— Best used for: Everyday purchases and hotel stays
— Platform: Android, iOS
TopCashBack
TopCashBack offers a simple way to earn cash back on online purchases. “By shopping through TopCashback’s app, you’re guaranteed to earn the highest percentage of your money back from over 7,000 retailers,” says Rebecca Gramuglia, consumer expert at TopCashback.com “The app is free to download, use and cash out.”
The app also provides cash back on digital gift card purchases from more than 300 retailers, such as Target and Bath & Body Works. Payouts can be delivered via a bank transfer, PayPal or gift card redemption.
— Best feature: Cash back for gift card purchases
— Best used for: Online shopping
— Platform: Android, iOS, browser extension
Raise
Using a discounted gift card to pay for a purchase can be an overlooked money-saving strategy, but Raise makes it easy to put into practice. The website or its app can be used to search for discounted gift cards from more than 4,000 brands, including big names like Lowe’s, Old Navy and Target. If a discounted gift card is not available, you may be able to earn cash back for the purchase of a gift card at face value from more than 150 retail partners.
— Best feature: Gift cards can be stored in app for easy access
— Best used for: Purchases in which other discounts might not be available
— Platform: Android, iOS, desktop
[SEE: 10 Best Budget Apps.]
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12 Best Discount Shopping Apps originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 02/22/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
