Swagbucks vs Ebates: Cash Back, Coupons, and More

Looking to earn cash back, save with coupons, and make money on the side? This Swagbucks vs Ebates comparison will help you figure out which platform is best.

Who doesn’t like extra money in their bank account? If you do, there are a couple of websites out there perfect for you. Both Swagbucks and Ebates put money back in your wallet when you shop online. But they’re not the same and one has a clear edge over the other. In this guide, we compare Swagbucks vs Ebates to help you decide where to invest your time and efforts to make a quick buck.

Swagbucks vs Ebates: What Are They?

Ebates (now known as Rakuten) is a cash-back site. It offers cash back whenever you make a qualifying purchase, so you end up saving money when you shop. It’s been around for some years now and has a loyal user base. It’s pretty good, for what it is, although it does have some limitations.

Swagbucks is also a cashback site. When you shop from brick-and-mortar and online retailers, you earn SB (or rewards points). Once you have enough, you can redeem them for real money or free gift cards. Unlike other cashback apps, however, Swagbucks also lets you earn cash for quick online tasks.

Getting Cash Back When You Shop

Here is how each platform lets you get free money from your everyday purchases. If you’re going to spend money, why not get some of it back?

Swagbucks

The Swagbucks mobile app and website give you access to unbeatable cash-back offers. They range anywhere from 1% to 8% or more, depending on the online store. For example, if you want to splurge on Kohl’s Black Friday deals, browse through Swagbucks to see if there are any offers available. If there are, you’ll get some of the money you spend back, increasing your savings.

But Swagbucks doesn’t just pay you back for online shopping. Scan your receipts from brick-and-mortar stores and you’ll earn points too, even if you paid with a debit card. Try it now with the app and your grocery store receipts to see how much cash or gift card value you can get back.

Ebates (Rakuten)

Like other cashback apps, Ebates also has a variety of shopping cash-back offers. Browse through the main page to see if you find something that appeals to you. See anything? If so, shop using that link. You’ll be able to cash your rewards into a PayPal account or as a check.

The main downside of Ebates cash-back rewards program is that it only works with online retailers. Any money you spend outside of the house, running regular errands, isn’t eligible for cash back.

Discounts on Brands and Retailers

Besides you being able to get more money back in your pocket, Swagbucks and Rakuten have coupon codes you can use. Typically, these mostly work when shopping online, but they’re still a great way to save money and get access to huge savings.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks lets you save extra cash online when you use promo codes. After all, it’s also a rebates site. There are plenty of offers to choose from, some giving you as much as 60% off on your in-person and online purchases. Sometimes, you can get coupons for the entire store. Other times, only some items are covered by the coupons. Either way, it’s a good way to save. All you have to do is use the search engine at the top of the screen to look for offers on your favorite products, brands, and stores.

Ebates

There are also coupons available online alongside Rakuten cash-back offers. Browse carefully to see which ones are worth your time and which ones aren’t. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you could find discount codes of up to 30% for online retailers.

Can You Make Money Online?

Getting cash back and using coupons when shopping is a great way to save some money with very little effort. But what about making money? Is it possible to actively earn cash on either platform?

Swagbucks

With Swagbucks, you can indeed earn money for performing quick and easy tasks online:

Answering online surveys: Brands want to know what consumers like you have to say about their products and shopping habits, so they pay Swagbucks to send surveys your way. In turn, you get paid and the opportunity to influence the products of tomorrow. Some surveys are quick to complete and take less than 5 minutes. Others take longer, but also have a higher cash reward. You can complete several a day, and since Swagbucks matches you with surveys based on your profile, they’re bound to be interesting and engaging.
Playing online games: If you’re a fan of playing games on your phone, you’ll love this feature. Browse the mobile app to see which games are available to you, download the one you like, and play for a few minutes. Once you’re done, you’ll earn points.
Watching videos: This is the definition of passive money. With Swagbucks, you can watch ads all the way through to get paid. You don’t even always need to take notes or give your opinion on the ad. It’s a good way to earn a quick buck while doing something else at the same time, such as watching a show or a movie.
Sharing Swagbucks with your friends: Every friend you bring to the platform gets you a referral bonus of 300 points. You also get to keep 10% of their points for the entire time they use the platform.
Entering sweepstakes: You can enter giveaways hosted by Swagbucks to earn points, that can then be redeemed for cash and sent to your PayPal account. These cost some points to enter, but the pay off can be worth it.

The Swagbucks rewards program works in a very simple way. 1SB (or 1 point) equals 1 cent, meaning that 100SB is worth $1. You can then redeem points for gift cards or, if you prefer cash, PayPal money. Keep in mind that you can then send your earned cash to your bank account.

Ebates

With Ebates, the only way to earn rewards is through friend bonuses. You can get $30 if the friend you invited spends $30 on a merchant through the Rakuten website. Once they do, you’ll receive your referral bonus, which you can cash through PayPal or have a check sent your way.

Which Is Better, Swagbucks or Ebates?

As you can see, Swagbucks is a lot richer than Ebates. Not only can you take advantage of your favorite cashback program and use coupon codes with in-person and online stores, but also get the chance of earning money. That said, Rakuten does have some very good offers and an interesting sign-up bonus.

Here is a quick comparison of the two platforms.

If you love online shopping, both Swagbucks and Ebates are worth considering.
If you do some of your shopping in person, then Swagbucks is the only one that lets you earn cash back.
If you need to make some money every month and you have free time, Swagbucks can help you better your financial situation.

Which free account will you create today?