Is Rakuten Legit? How I Earned $7,000+ Using Rewards & Referrals
According to Statista, global Ecommerce sales are anticipated to reach $8.1 trillion US dollars worldwide by 2026. Online shopping is simply too convenient and, oftentimes, cheaper to ever slow down.
I've covered ways to save money when shopping online before, such as by using money saving browser extensions. However, today I'm going to dive into one of the most popular rewards programs there is: Rakuten.
I've earned over $7,000 by using Rakuten for the last 5+ years. And my Rakuten review is covering everything you need to know about this platform and if it's legit or not.
Looking for more ways to make money? Checkout:
- Branded Surveys: Share your opinion to get gift cards and PayPal money!
- Capital One Shopping: Automatically apply available coupon codes when shopping online!
What Is Rakuten?
Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, is a Japanese Ecommerce and retail company that was founded in 1997. And it's an easy way to save more money by earning cash back at 2,500+ stores.
While Rakuten is probably best known for their rewards platform in North America, the company is far more than just a loyalty program.
In fact, Rakuten is far more global. The company has a significant presence in Japan's internet and credit card market. It also sponsors the Barcelona Football Club, and has stakes in massive organizations such as Kobo, Pinterest, Lyft, Acorns, and dozens of other companies.
This Rakuten review is going to focus on its money-saving extension, however. And I'm going to share how the platform works and how I've earned $7,000+ in free money with it over the last few years.
How Does Rakuten Work?
Essentially, Rakuten acts as a massive affiliate network for thousands of retailers. When you shop online at a Rakuten-partnered retailer through its website, Rakuten earns commission. Once your purchase is confirmed, Rakuten then splits a portion of that commission with you for shopping through their website.
It's a win-win scenario for everyone!
Rakuten has thousands of partners and new offers every single day, so there is plenty of opportunity to save money. Cash back balance is credited to your account balance as you shop, and the company pays its Big Fat Check every 3 months via PayPal.
How Do I Sign Up?
To get started with Rakuten, all you need to do is to create a free account on their website. Profiles require either a valid email address or a Facebook account to get started.
Note: Rakuten is currently available in Canada, the UK, and the United States.
Make sure you create a profile on the correct platform to ensure offers match your currency. You can create multiple Rakuten profiles if you shop in multiple countries. I use Amazon in Canada and the U.S. so I have two accounts.
Currently, Rakuten offers a $30 sign up bonus for newly referred users who open an account and spend at least $30 on a qualifying shopping offer. This is an amazing way to get paid for shopping, and the bonus is one of the best parts.
If you want to support WebMonkey and earn an easy $30, I would love it if you sign up for Rakuten with my link!
Is Rakuten Legit? – How I've Earned Over $7,000
Yes, Rakuten is legit, and it's one of the most popular shopping platforms in the world. I've also earned over $7,000 in rewards and have always been paid on time. Here's a screenshot of my lifetime earnings for some proof:
Most of my rewards have come from referring family members or readers of WebMonkey. But I've also earned cash back when shopping for things like electronics, flights, hotels, and clothing online.
How much you make largely depends on how often you shop online. But you might as well sign up and download its browser extension so you automatically earn whenever you shop at a partner merchant.
Different Ways To Make Money With Rakuten
Getting started with Rakuten is incredibly easy and free. However, there are several ways to make money you should know.
1. Install The Rakuten Browser Extension
You can save money with Rakuten by shopping directly through its website. However, if you're anything like me, remembering to visit Rakuten before shopping is unlikely.
I have probably forgotten to use Rakuten at least a dozen times. In order to ensure you are eligible for cash back when checking out online, be sure to install the Rakuten browser extension on the computer you do your shopping from.
The extension button highlights red to indicate an online retailer is eligible for cash back. With just one click, the extension redirects you to the same page but flows through Rakuten's system to ensure you are credited.
The extension is available on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. The button also automatically applies coupons at checkout, similar to the Honey extension. Plus, the button has a ‘Price Magic' feature which ensures you get the lowest price available across partnered online retailers.
2. Use The Rakuten Mobile App
If you prefer shopping on your mobile phone, you're in luck: Rakuten has a free app for iOS and Android devices!
This app offers several nifty features to help you save more money, including:
- In-store coupon offers.
- App-exclusive cash back deals.
- Cash back on Lyft rides (app exclusive).
- 5% cash back on thousands of restaurants.
Even if you do all your shopping from a laptop, the app is worth trying out for the exclusive deals and cash back on Lyft and restaurants.
3. Shop In-Store
When it comes to cash back rewards, Rakuten is probably one of the most versatile platforms out there. You don't just have to shop online to save money. In fact, you can even earn cash back for completing in-store offers.
So, how do you use Rakuten in store?
Well, just follow these easy steps!
- Select an offer – Pick the store you will shop at in the app.
- Link offer and card – Link a debit or credit card to the app.
- Pay with a linked card – Make your in-store purchase with the same card. If you're using debit, select ‘credit' when paying.
As you can see from the offers above, there's some pretty decent cash back offers. If you're going on a shopping trip, be sure to check in on Rakuten before leaving!
4. Use Rakuten Travel
If you have upcoming travel plans, you can use the Rakuten travel and vacations portal to score even more cash back.
Rakuten partners with Booking.com for their vacation and hotel deal search engine. Additionally, you can also search for plenty of deals on airlines, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and general vacation packages.
Double-dipping on travel rewards and cash back from Rakuten is definitely the way to go, so don't miss out on the potential for extra savings for your travel plans.
Extra Reading – How To Make Money While Traveling.
5. Use The Rakuten Referral Program
Rakuten undoubtedly has one of the best referral programs in the online rewards industry. Here's how the program breaks down:
- United States – Users earn $10 to $40 for referring new members after they make a purchase.
- Canada – Users earn $10 to $30 for referring new members after they make a purchase.
As mentioned, I've earned most of my money from this referral program. I think it's a great way to get free money for signing up, and I like that both you and the person you invite earn from this referral bonus.
What Stores Work With Rakuten?
Rakuten partners with more than 3,500 partner stores in the United States and over 750 partner stores in Canada. It keeps adding new partners all the time, so it's easy to save money.
You can checkout the complete store directory to find a particular store. Some of the most notable partners include:
- Amazon
- Best Buy
- Hotels.com
- Macy's
- Walgreens
- Walmart
- eBay
- Nike
- Kohl's
- Target
- LG Electronics
- Expedia
- Shein
- Verizon
You get the idea. Rakuten has the best selection of any online rewards platform, hands down. It also has Double Cash Back deals or special offers for stores on a rotating basis, so checking the website regularly is a good idea.
How Much Money Can You Make?
Many offers on Rakuten pay between 1% and 10% cash back. However, you can find offers paying 10% to 50% cash back or even more, especially for products like software or subscription services.
I also like that Rakuten changes cash-back rates often. If you're patient, this usually means you can snag a boosted cash-back rate for a product you've been eyeing.
Realistically, you can probably earn at least $50 to $100 per year if you are diligent with this platform and don't miss out on savings.
When Do You Get Paid?
Rakuten pays out members quarterly with its “Big Fat Check” program as long as you have at least $5 in your account balance. You can get paid with PayPal cash or via check.
I've always chosen PayPal cash for my payment method, and Rakuten has never missed a quarterly payment. I wish it paid monthly, but I like that it pays real money and not gift cards or sweepstake entries.
Note: While many purchases credit cash back to your account within 48 hours, sometimes, retailers need more time to confirm your purchase. Some partners also want to ensure customers don't make returns. This means it can take 30 days or longer to post cash back to your account.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Free to sign up for
- You can get a $30 sign up bonus
- Works with thousands of retailers
- Browser extension automatically claims cash back
- You can use the mobile app or shop in-store
Cons:
- You only get paid quarterly
- Cash back can take 30 days or more to credit
- The coupon finder functionality isn't the best on the market
The Best Rakuten Alternatives
If you're looking for even more cash back, you can try the following websites that are similar to Rakuten:
- Capital One Shopping – Automatically apply available coupon codes at checkout to save money.
- Drop – Earn rewards for shopping online and by playing games.
- Pogo – Automatically earn PayPal cash when you shop with a linked card.
- Honey – Another leading coupon-finding extension.
- Dosh – Another way to earn passive cash back.
- TopCashBack – A U.S. copy of Rakuten.
- Hoopla Doopla – Earn cash back for shopping at hundreds of partners.
- Kudos – This extension helps you choose the best credit card to shop with.
You can also read my post on the best passive income apps for even more ways to save! Plus, you can try out Rakuten Insight if you want to share your opinion to earn PayPal cash and gift cards.
Extra Reading – Rakuten vs Ibotta.
Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up with the provided link.
Is Rakuten Worth It?
Rakuten is worth it if you shop online and want an easy and free way to earn cash back. In contrast, it's not worth using if you never shop online or you want to avoid potentially overspending due to temptation.
However, I think everyone should download its extension at the very least. This way, you never miss out on cash-back opportunities when shopping at an eligible retailer.
Is Rakuten A Scam?
No, Rakuten isn't a scam, and I've earned over $7,000 from using the platform. There's also plenty of other payment proof online, and this is one of the most popular rewards shopping platforms out there.
The main complaints people have are that purchases can sometimes take a while to credit. If you encounter issues, contact Rakuten support to resolve them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rakuten Safe?
As always, I recommend reading the privacy policy to understand more about the sort of data you're giving up. Rakuten isn't different from other rewards platforms. It collects data, uses it for marketing purposes, and shares anonymous data with its partners. By signing up for Rakuten, you consent to the data collection practices outlined in its privacy policy.
In terms of security, Rakuten is safe. You don't have to link your card to receive payment unless you plan on shopping in-store. Otherwise, a PayPal email address is all you need to provide.
How Does Rakuten Make Money?
Rakuten makes money by earning commission from its partner retailers. In other words, stores pay the company to help market their products and services. When Rakuten drives a sale, it gets paid and passes some of the money on to you in the form of cash back.
How Fast Do I Earn Cash Back?
Most payments are credited within 48 hours. However, it can take up to 30 days for some merchants to verify transactions. If you have a question about a purchase made more than 30 days ago you can reach out to Rakuten support.
What Happened To Ebates?
Ebates rebranded to Rakuten in 2014.
Why Do I Have Pending Payments?
Rakuten's minimum cash out amount is $5.01. Additionally, bonus or signup rewards don't count towards this cash out threshold. Therefore, money will sit in your account until you earn enough cash back to qualify for a Big Fat Check.
Money is sent quarterly using the following schedule:
Final Thoughts
If you buy most of your gifts, household goods, clothing, and other items on websites like Amazon for example, this website is a no-brainer.
If you're like me and don't shop much, this platform won't earn a lot. However, if you and some friends refer each other, you're still looking at some free and easy money.
That's all for now! Hopefully, my Rakuten review has shed some light onto the benefits of this platform, as well as why everyone is taking advantage of the amazing referral program.
Sign up for Rakuten and maximize the value of every dollar you spend!
Want more money-making ideas? Checkout:
Rakuten Review
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Earning Potential
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Earning Options
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Reward Variety
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Partner Stores
