Best Cash Back Apps in Canada

The best cash back apps in Canada include GeniusCash, Rakuten, and Checkout 51. Each takes a slightly different approach and partners with different brands, but they all offer excellent value.

This article covers the top 5 cash back apps for Canadians, offering explanations of how they work and what their pros and cons are. This way, you can choose the app or apps that best work for your lifestyle and spending habits.

Best cash back apps: Overview

Before you start downloading multiple apps and straining your phone's storage capacity, take a look at some of the best cash back apps to use:

Best cash back apps: GeniusCash [geniuscash]

GeniusCash is moneyGenius's very own cash back app, and it's more than just a rewards app. Download the app for Apple or Android devices and start earning real cash for your everyday purchases. You can also earn rewards for opening new accounts through cash back offers.

Better yet – the app gives recommendations tailored to your financial needs and goals. This way, you know you're getting the right products or maximizing your rewards to the fullest.

Key features

• Access to exclusive deals and promotions: The Offers tab lets you explore all current GeniusCash Offers, categorized for easy browsing. You can find exclusive offers that aren't available anywhere else – even on creditcardGenius. Plus, taking an offer in the app levels you up so you can earn more cash back over time.
• Easy to earn cash back: As of early 2026, GeniusCash has delivered over $5.6 million to Canadians. The app makes it easy to earn cash back and get real money deposited into your bank account. You can earn big payouts on offers or small payouts by tracking your monthly spend in GeniusCash Max. $1 GeniusCash = $1 CAD, so it's easy to know exactly how much you'll earn.
• Free financial learning: The app features daily activities to help you boost your financial knowledge. The best part? You get rewarded for completing them. Play trivia games or read up on TFSAs to earn GeniusCoins, which can be used to purchase levels. Since levels earn you monthly cash back, you're basically getting paid to learn and play games.

GeniusCash downsides

• Manual spend tracking: When open banking arrives in Canada, GeniusCash Max will be updated to let you securely connect your cards. Until then, you'll need to input your monthly spend manually.
• No monthly cash back at level 0: To earn Max payouts each month, you'll need to level up. You can earn levels by taking Offers (which have their own bigger cash payouts), or you purchase levels in the shop with coins earned from Quests. Most Quests offer small amounts of coins, so levelling up can feel far away – but keep an eye out for special Quests with huge payouts. With the right Quest, you can earn enough coins to purchase a level in a matter of minutes.

Best cash back apps: Rakuten

Rakuten is one of the most popular cash back apps in Canada for many reasons. It's highly rated, has solid customer support, and partners with many of the most popular Canadian brands.

Once you sign up for a free account, you'll earn cash back for online or in-store purchases. Since Rakuten is constantly adding new offers and limited-time bonus rates, you'll want to check your account often to see what's available.

Key features

• High cash back rates for big retailers: Make purchases at participating online retailers and earn incredible cash back. At the time of writing, NordVPN is offering 100% cash back.
• Extensive number of partner brands: Rakuten consistently expands its partnerships, and at the time of writing, it claims to partner with and have offers for 3,500+ brands. You can shop for clothing, electronics, groceries, beauty, sports gear, home decor, baby gear, pet supplies, and more.
• Generous referral bonus: At the time of writing, Rakuten users can earn $30 through referrals – that's in addition to the $5 bonus you get just for joining.

Rakuten downsides

• Limited to partnered stores: The best cash back opportunities are from apps and platforms that let you earn rewards on all your purchases, anywhere. Unfortunately, Rakuten only offers cash back on purchases made through its retail partners.
• Delayed payments: Rakuten doesn't pay out cash back on demand. Instead, you'll have to wait for the next quarterly payment, which could be months away.

Best cash back apps: Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is one of the oldest and most established cash back apps in Canada, having started in 2012. Its simple model makes the free app easy to use – just sign up and download the app, shop for your groceries, choose your offers, and scan your receipt.

Once you accumulate $20 in rewards, you can request a payout and receive your money via cheque or a third party, like PayPal.

Key features

• New offers and promotions every week: Check the app at least once a week to see what new offers have been loaded. Since offers disappear after the max number of redemptions, act fast if there's an item you want to buy.
• Additional opportunities to earn cash back: You may occasionally see offers to earn cash back for taking surveys and more. As mentioned below, Americans can earn on their gas purchases, but this isn't available in Canada yet.
• Plenty of brand partnerships: While it doesn't publish an exact number, there are many, many popular brands that work with this app. At the time of writing, Checkout 51 had offers from Arm & Hammer, Ocean Spray, Colgate, CoverGirl, Minute Maid, and many other well-known brands.

Checkout 51 downsides

• You can only cash out via cheque: You can cash out at any time after reaching $20 in cash back, but your only payment option is a cheque – though Venmo is an option in the U.S. Since a cheque has to be sent by snail mail, it could take a while for you to receive your payment.
• Cash back on gas only available in the U.S.: The site highlights cash back for gas, but notes that only U.S. users are eligible.

Best cash back apps: Caddle

The Caddle app is a top option for those who primarily want cash back on groceries – you simply download the app, load your preferred offers, make your grocery purchases, and scan your receipt to earn. Once you've earned a minimum of $20, you'll receive a payout via Interac e-Transfer.

You'll also get unique opportunities to earn cash back by completing surveys, watching ads, or writing product or brand reviews.

Key features

• Fresh offers every week: Your grocery list changes from week to week, and so do Caddle's offers. Check back regularly to see what you can earn.
• Additional opportunities to earn: Scanning receipts is your primary earning method, but you can earn cash for taking surveys, watching ads, and writing reviews. The available options refresh every Thursday.
• Convenient e-Transfer payments: While you have to wait to earn a minimum of $20, at least there's no waiting for a cheque to arrive. Caddle pays out quickly via Interac e-Transfer.

Caddle downsides

• Limited to grocery receipts: It's not explicitly stated, but users can't earn cash back when shopping online or at non-grocery retailers, like hardware or convenience stores. The only way you'll earn is by uploading images of your paper receipts (from grocery stores) to the app.
• Cash back is low for optional earning: There are several ways to earn outside of scanning receipts, but surveys through Caddle have very low rewards – about 5 cents per survey.

Best cash back apps: PC Optimum

PC Optimum is the rewards program run by Loblaws, and while it doesn't technically offer cash back, points can be redeemed for discounts on your purchases, so the result is the same. Members earn PC points for shopping at Loblaws-owned stores or using a PC Financial credit card. Using an eligible credit card means you can earn rewards on all your purchases, not just on items with a current offer.

You can redeem your PC points for cash back at participating stores, gas stations, and pharmacies – 10,000 points are worth a $10 discount. To really maximize your PC points, redeem them for car washes at participating Esso stations.

Key features

• Member-exclusive pricing and promotions: By participating in PC Optimum, you'll get offers tailored to your spending preferences and exclusive opportunities to earn points.
• Co-branded credit cards earn accelerated rewards: If you open a PC Financial credit card, you're not limited to earning points at Loblaws-branded stores. Instead, all of your purchases will earn you PC points at a faster rate.
• Flexible redemption options: Sure, you can redeem your points for store discounts, essentially as cash back, but you can also put points toward free car washes, credit card statement credits, credit card annual fee discounts, and charitable donations.

PC Optimum downsides

• Lower reward rate than other credit card reward programs: If you're going to focus your spending energy towards a credit card program, you might choose one that earns a higher reward rate, like Amex Membership Rewards.
• Limited to Loblaws-owned stores and program partners: Unless you have a PC Financial credit card, you'll only earn rewards at program partners and Loblaws-owned businesses like Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart, and No Frills.

Did you know you could earn PC points at Specsavers?

FAQ

What are the best cash-earning apps in Canada?

The best cash back apps in Canada include GeniusCash, Rakuten, Checkout 51, Caddle, and PC Optimum. These are all legitimate apps available for download from the App Store and Google Play, and they offer verified payouts – although PC Optimum is technically more of a rewards program than a cash back app.

What is the best app to get cash back?

We're partial to the GeniusCash app, but the best app to help you to earn cash back really depends on your shopping preferences. Your preferences for cashing out also matter. Narrowing it down can be tricky, so you might decide it's worth using more than one app.

What app is better than Flipp?

Since Flipp is an app for viewing flyers and not for earning cash back, it's hard to compare them. If it's cash back you want, GeniusCash, Rakuten, Checkout 51, Caddle, and PC Optimum are all excellent options with unique features and benefits.

Which app gives the highest cash back?

The app that gives the most cash back really depends on your personal spending habits. GeniusCash offers excellent cash back on a variety of personal finance products, and Rakuten offers cash back from a huge library of partner brands, up to 100% back.

Does Ebates Canada still exist?

Technically, yes, but it isn't called Ebates Canada anymore – it was bought out and rebranded to Rakuten. If you previously enjoyed Ebates' easy-to-use interface and want to earn cash back on everyday shopping, you'll appreciate the Rakuten mobile app and website.