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Coupon apps - how to maximize savings
Smartphone apps have transformed couponing. While paper coupons can still be used, clipping dozens of paper coupons and carrying a binder to the store is no longer needed. Today, free mobile apps and browser extensions can help you find digital deals, “hunt for savings” and even automatically apply coupon codes. Find a list of the some of the (if not the best) apps to use for coupons and savings.
These apps work in different ways: Some present digital coupons you “clip,” others let you earn cash back or rewards after purchases, and some combine both - but they all provide some form of deal / coupons. Save money on groceries and household goods, electronics, travel, clothing, gasoline and more. Maybe even best of all, most of them are free to download and use, available for iOS, Android, and desktop browsers. The actual savings you get depend on where you shop, how much effort you invest, and how well you stack offers with store deals.
Top free coupon apps
Groupon, founded in 2008, remains one of the best apps to find local deals. The app is useful for local services, events, restaurants and activities with significant discounts. Savings can run from 10% to more than 80%, but many items are typically discounted between 25-50%. with a list of coupon deals here https://www.groupon.com/coupons.
- Groupon also features a Deals of the Day page that offers some extreme discounts. There is also a section providing coupons and promo codes for use at many major retail outlets like Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and Kohl’s.
- Deals have “promotional value” that can expire, but the amount you paid does not; if the promo window passes you can generally redeem at the merchant for at least the amount paid, subject to the fine print and exceptions such as “final sale.” Read each offer’s restrictions and timelines carefully. Be sure to read the "Fine Print" section within the listing to avoid surprises. Customer reviews included with most listings also provide helpful information.
PayPal Honey (which is owned by PayPal ) is a free app and browser extension that eliminates the need to manually search for current coupon codes. Honey's most popular use is as a browser extension that can be easily added to Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or other browsers. Honey/PayPal can also be used on iPhones or Android smartphones. Learn about Honey, owned by Paypal https://www.joinhoney.com/.
- PayPal Honey is a free browser extension and mobile tool that tests available coupon codes at checkout and can award PayPal Rewards points at participating stores. It removes much of the manual code-hunting. Honey is also available using the PayPal app meaning over 300 million people have access to it worldwide, making it one of the best and most popular apps out there.
- Honey claims to save buyers about ~18% overall on purchases for an annual savings of over $120. It’s easy to use. After installation, a small Honey icon appears on your browser. After shopping online at a participating retailer, go to checkout, click the Honey button, and Honey will test available coupon codes to give you the best deal.
Rakuten, created in 1997, is a free app and browser extension with a primary focus on giving users cashback as a reward for purchases. Rakuten focuses on cash back for online and in-store shopping through its app, site or extension. Payments are issued quarterly and you can choose a mailed check, PayPal, or AmEx Membership Rewards points. Rakuten also lets you link a card for in-store offers at select retailers. The coupon finder from Rakuten is here https://www.rakuten.com/coupons.
- You can earn rewards when shopping at a store in person by linking your credit card to the Rakuten app. Rakuten also offers its own Visa credit card that you can use to get additional coupon deals and an extra percentage back on eligible purchases made via Rakuten. Reward payments are made quarterly via check or PayPal (once you meet minimums)
Flipp is a free app that allows you to prepare a digital shopping list and find the best prices in your area for the list items. It promotes access to deals from over 2,000 retailers and emphasizes grocery savings. The coupon apps lets you browse weekly flyers from local retailers, or you can search for an item and let Flipp do the browsing for you. You'll get a side-by-side comparison of prices at nearby stores, which is a great, one of the best features to have. You can manually search for items by store, item, or brand. If you want to limit shopping to one store, just tap on the item in the store's flyer and it will be added to your list. Flipp coupon deals and the app details can be found https://flipp.com/en-us/coupons.
- Flipp aggregates weekly circulars so you can compare prices across nearby stores, build a shopping list, and load digital coupons to loyalty cards. Flipp includes a growing list of pharmacies, pet stores, office supply retailers and sporting goods, apparel, and electronics stores. However since it does focus on grocery stores, it is one of the best coupon shoppings apps to save money on food costs.
- Add your grocery store loyalty cards to the Flipp app, and you can review Flipp's digital coupon section and load coupons onto your stored cards. This equates to even more savings.
Checkout 51 is a coupon app for food, with some gas deals now offered. Checkout 51 focuses largely on grocery and consumable goods. Each week it releases a set of offers; you select the ones you want, shop, and upload your receipt to get rebates. It’s simple and streamlined, though with more limited scope relative to broader apps. as listed on the Checkout 51 site https://www.checkout51.com/.
GoodRx is a free and easy-to-use app that may save you up to 80% of the cost of your prescription medications. Founded in 2012, GoodRx can be used at more than 70,000 pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Walmart, Safeway, and Kroger. Good Rx is the market leader when it comes to saving money on prescription drugs, making it the best app for medications. To use the app, you simply find your drug's name, specify the dosage, quantity, and form, such as tablets or liquid, and enter your zip code. GoodRx will display prices you'll pay to fill that prescription at nearby pharmacies.
- You can either print the coupon or save it on the GoodRx app. Just show the physical or digital coupon to the pharmacist when you drop off your prescription. You can use GoodRx whether or not you have insurance. You just cannot combine it with insurance to lower your copay. Read more on GoodRx.
GasBuddy is a free app designed to find the best prices for fuel near your location. You can search for any type of fuel and then sort the gas stations by price, location, and special features like restrooms, restaurants, and stores. GasBuddy shows nearby fuel prices, supports price reporting and can provide extra savings using “Pay with GasBuddy+” exists as another ways to save. It’s a linked card that can reduce per-gallon costs, with up to ~30–33¢/gal advertised when stacking an activated Deal Alert with the card’s savings (offer availability varies by stations though). Learn more about GasBuddy or other gasoline apps for coupon deals.
- GasBuddy launched its app in 2010 and relies on price information submitted by users including spotters, stations, and credit card companies. Each price notes when it was last updated. Savings are based on where you pump. The program advertises up to about 30 cents per gallon off, depending on the station and offer.
- GasBuddy currently includes 150,000+ gas stations in its network. You can sort by price, location, and station features. The app also lets you report prices, track fuel usage, and earn points for entering daily drawings.
Ibotta is a free app that, with a little effort, lets you earn cashback for in-person and online shopping. Ibotta partners with more than 1,500 brands and retailers. Ibotta pays cash back on groceries and many other categories. You activate offers, shop, then scan the receipt or link a loyalty card. Withdrawals are available once your balance reaches at least $20, with options that include PayPal, bank (where supported), and gift cards. Additional rewards can be earned by referring friends and learn all about Ibotta coupons and deals https://ibotta.com/home.
Receipt Hog is another receipt scanning app that allows you to earn cash and gift card rewards. After installing the free app and creating an account, all you need to do is scan receipts using the in-app camera. Receipts from virtually any type of retailer will earn some type of reward. Receipts can come from grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, department stores, and many other sources. You can also provide receipts from online shopping and link loyalty cards to your account as noted here https://receipthog.com/rewards/.
- Receipt Hog pays in “coins” for receipts from many types of stores. Coin values convert to cash or gift cards at fixed tiers; for example, 1,000 coins equals $5, with additional tiers at 2,900, 4,300 and 6,500 coins.
- Some receipts, called "spin" receipts, do not directly earn coins but give users a chance to play an in-app game called Hog Slots in which bonus coins, coupons deals and other prizes are awarded. Coins can also be earned by completing surveys and referring friends. Bonuses can be earned for uploading receipts weekly.
 KCL Coupons, is part of the The Krazy Coupon Lady website. KCL is an app from the well-known coupon site. It aggregates deals and digital coupon codes from major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Kohl’s, and provides helpful deal alerts. It’s a good tool to keep an eye on in-store and online deals alike, with both digital and printable coupons tracked on the KCL app https://thekrazycouponlady.com/coupons.
Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, Rakuten is a longtime favorite for online shopping. Created in 1997, is a free app and browser extension with a primary focus on giving users cashback as a reward for purchases with a secondary listing coupons. Rakuten partners with thousands of stores including Walmart, Kohl's, Nike, Nordstrom, and Target.
- When you shop through Rakuten’s app, website, or browser extension, you earn cash back (typically 3-10%, sometimes higher during special promotions). Payments go out quarterly via check or PayPal. You can also link your credit card for in-store rewards at select retailers. We have more information listed about Rakuten coupons and savings.
What you can realistically expect to save when maximizing a coupon app
As noted, how much you save using coupon and shopping apps will depend on where you shop, how much you spend and how much time you put into finding the best offers. But no matter what, you will almost be guaranteed to save money with one or more of these free, best apps out there iOS or Android. The amount saved depends heavily on your shopping habits. Even the best apps won’t save you much if you don’t stack the coupons and strategize. Here’s how to get more value.
- Stack offers whenever possible. Use store loyalty discounts, digital coupons, and rebate apps together. For example, apply a store coupon first, then use Ibotta or Rakuten on top.
- Use multiple apps in tandem. For instance: scan the same receipt across FetchRewards, Ibotta, and Checkout 51. Because they don’t conflict, you can stack rewards. Also use batch receipt scanning. Rather than submit receipts one by one, wait until you have a stack and scan in one sitting.
- Shop through cash-back portals. For online shopping, always launch retailer sites via the app or extension (Rakuten, Honey, Capital One Shopping) so your purchase is tracked properly.
When you do all that, and use the coupon apps on a regular basis, users often save 5–10% on groceries / household products across months of consistent use (or more during promotions). When it comes to gas, apps like Upside might save a few cents per gallon. And other shopping, like online and general retail, these coupon and cash-back apps can stack over time, especially during big sales events.
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