20 Best Coupon Apps For Saving Money While You Shop
Don't shop less, just shop smarter.
getty You know what they say: time is money. So, when it comes to shopping on a budget and understanding how to save money, spending hours looking for coupons in papers and searching shelves for sale items doesn't allow you to use your time economically.
Luckily, these mobile phone apps make saving simple. They scan your favorite retailers to bring you the best deals on the items you need. Some will even get you cashback on items that aren’t usually eligible for discounts.
Doubling up on some of the best coupon apps will allow you to maximize your savings.
1. Ibotta
Ibotta is one of the most popular coupon apps because of its instant rebates. You can select cashback offers on your favorite products across hundreds of retailers before you buy them, and then get refunded for some of your purchases by scanning your receipts after shopping.
2. Grosh
This app was originally developed to make building shopping lists easier, but now it's linked with coupon websites to get you deals on items on your list. This means you're getting the most money for your shopping by giving you discounts on things you would have bought anyway.
3. RetailMeNot
The app works with over 50,000 retailers online and in-store to find the best discounts across different retailers. Simply look up the store on the app before you shop and then find a coupon. The coupons can be scanned directly from your phone.
4. SnipSnap
SnipSnap allows you to store all your coupons in one place by scanning them within the app. This means you don’t have to carry newspaper clippings with you to the store.
It also gives you alerts when one of your coupons is due to expire and, using your location, notifies you of any available coupons when you enter a store.
5. Honey
Honey scans coupon codes across the internet to find you a deal automatically once you shop through the app. There is also a Chrome browser extension that will work while you shop to find the largest discounts.
It finds codes for most major retailers and will even work on some of your online restaurant orders.
6. Amazon Coupons
Amazon Coupons allows you to view all the best deals across the Amazon site, showing you offers by category.
While apps like Honey will apply discounts automatically at checkout, the Amazon coupons app is helpful to check that you’re getting the deal by comparing your options. Keep in mind that the coupons are sometimes only available for Amazon Prime members.
(Available on Amazon)
7. SavingStar
SavingStar participates with your favorite grocery stores to bring you the best deals. You simply activate coupons before checkout and link your loyalty card in order to validate your purchases.
They also offer periodic cash rewards when you hit spending targets on the app.
8. Checkout51
Like Ibotta, this app allows you to get rebates on items you’ve already purchased by uploading your receipts. The main downfall is that you must reach $20 in rebates in order to cash out and receive your refunds.
But the app does allow you to link with a desktop so you can get returns on your purchases across several devices.
9. Rakuten
Rakuten allows you to get a small percentage back on your purchases, even without a coupon. This means you’re getting money back for the full price items you couldn’t find a discount for.
The app partners with 2,000 online retailers including Target, JCPenney, and Macy’s. You do have to shop through the app to get cashback, but they don’t require you to upload any receipts.
10. Coupons.com
Coupons.com gives you some of the best coupons you can print and use in-store, and get instant discounts. The app also links to your loyalty card so that any discounts you find through the app can be used in-store and deposited back into your account later on.
11. Gas Buddy
Gas Buddy will compare gas prices in your area to ensure you're getting the best deal on your tank fill up.
They also offer their own Gas Buddy card to get you even more savings on fuel. The card links with your bank account and saves you 5 cents per gallon every time you use it.
12. Receipt Hog
This app is pretty similar to Ibotta as you simply scan your receipts and get discounts on specific items you've purchased. Using multiple rebate apps is a clever way to get savings across as many of your purchases as possible, so it's a good idea to have a couple of these apps to maximize your rebates.
13. GoodRX
Prescription drug costs can derail your budget quickly. It's also pretty difficult to compare prices on these essential items.
GoodRX uses your zip code and prescription name to compare prices in local pharmacies that carry the item. Plus, they often offer extra coupons for even more savings!
14. Shopkick
This app is different from other coupon apps because you get rewarded for visiting stores, regardless of whether they have discounts to offer. Once you enable your location in the app, you can get points (called “kicks”) for simply walking through the door of a store.
If you scan barcodes and make purchases, you earn even more kick points. These can be exchanged for store gift cards to be used later on.
15. Coupon Sherpa
This is one of the original coupon apps and remains a popular pick among shoppers. You can print or download coupons to be scanned at checkout. Find coupons by searching your local stores and save money.
16. Living Social
Living Social gives you discounts on local attractions and events by giving you discounted tickets and coupons. When you’re on a budget it can be hard to keep up with your social life, so this is a great way to save on your plans with friends.
17. Restaurant.com
This app allows you to purchase gift certificates for your favorite eateries at a discounted price. And with small businesses and restaurants suffering from financial turmoil, there's no better time than now to support them by purchasing gift cards.
The app will commonly have $25 gift cards for $6, saving you $19 on your meals. The gift cards can be used in the restaurant or for your takeout orders.
18. Groupon
With over 150 million downloads, this is one of the world's leading coupon apps. You can find discounts for everything from restaurants and gym classes to events and retail stores.
The app is great for last-minute plans at a fraction of the price. You can even search by location and category to find a range of deals.
19. Woot
Woot sends you the best deals in their daily newsletter. This means you can know where you're going to find the best savings before you shop.
They also offer online coupons by scouring several coupon sites so you can get codes across several apps in one place. They specialize in home goods, electronics, and outdoor gear, so it's the perfect app if you're doing some redecorating.
20. Target App
If you’re a frequent shopper at Target, you already know they have some of the most affordable pricing on their goods.
The app allows you to save even more by finding your discounted items. You can get up to 50 percent off by letting your cashier in-store scan the barcode on your app.
Alice Kelly is a writer with a passion for entertainment, lifestyle, and trending topics.