Cashback apps are the easiest free money most Canadians never bother collecting. By stacking just two or three apps — Rakuten for online shopping, Caddle or Checkout 51 for groceries, and Drop for card-linked offers — a typical household can earn $300–$800 a year without changing what or where they buy. The key is layering: start with a cashback app, pay with a rewards credit card, scan your loyalty card (PC Optimum, Scene+), and apply any available promo codes or coupons. All of these stack on top of each other, and a single $100 online purchase can easily return 15–20 % across the layers combined.
Best Cashback Apps Compared
| App | Type | Cashback Rate | Payout Method | Min. Payout | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten | Online shopping | 1–30% | Cheque or PayPal | $5.01 | Online shopping (largest network) |
| Drop | Card-linked + offers | 1–5% | Gift cards | 25,000 pts ($25) | Automatic, hands-free |
| Ampli (RBC) | Card-linked | 1–10% | Cash to bank | $15 | RBC customers; stacks with RBC cards |
| Caddle | Grocery receipts + surveys | $0.25–$5 per offer | PayPal or e-Transfer | $20 | Grocery cashback |
| Checkout 51 | Grocery receipts | $0.25–$5 per item | Cheque | $20 | Grocery savings |
| Paymi | Card-linked | 2–5% | e-Transfer | $10 | In-store automatic cashback |
| Great Canadian Rebates | Online shopping | 1–25% | Cheque or PayPal | $25 | Alternative to Rakuten |
| TopCashback | Online shopping | 1–30% | PayPal or bank | $10 USD | US-focused; some Canadian stores |
| Swagbucks | Shopping + surveys + videos | 1–10% + surveys | Gift cards or PayPal | $5 | Multi-activity rewards |
| PC Optimum | Loblaw stores | 1–5% (points) | Points at checkout | No minimum | Loblaw/Shoppers shoppers |
| Scene+ | Scotiabank + Empire stores | 1–5% (points) | Points at checkout | No minimum | Sobeys/FreshCo shoppers |
How Much Can You Earn Per Year?
| App | Spending Category | Estimated Annual Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten | $5,000 online shopping | $100–$300 |
| Drop | $20,000 all card spending | $50–$150 |
| Caddle | Weekly grocery offers | $50–$150 |
| Checkout 51 | Weekly grocery offers | $50–$100 |
| Ampli | $15,000 card spending | $75–$200 |
| PC Optimum | $6,000 at Loblaw stores | $120–$300 |
| Total (using 3–4 apps) | $300–$800/year |
Rakuten Canada: Best for Online Shopping
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Retailers | 750+ Canadian stores (Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Hudson’s Bay, etc.) |
| Average cashback | 1–5% (up to 30% during promotions) |
| Sign-up bonus | $5–$30 (varies by promotion) |
| How it works | Click through Rakuten → shop as normal → cashback tracked automatically |
| Payout | Quarterly (cheque or PayPal) |
| Browser extension | Yes (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) — reminds you to activate |
| Stacks with | Credit card rewards, store sales, coupons |
Drop: Best for Automatic Cashback
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| How it works | Link your credit/debit cards → earn points automatically when you shop at partner stores |
| Partners | Tim Hortons, Uber, Starbucks, Walmart, Amazon, and more |
| Earn rate | 5–100+ points per dollar (varies by offer) |
| Redemption | Gift cards (Amazon, Starbucks, Uber, etc.) |
| Minimum payout | 25,000 points = $25 gift card |
| Extra offers | In-app offers for bonus points |
Best Strategy: Stack Multiple Apps
| Layer | Method | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cashback app (Rakuten) | Click through before buying online | 1–10% |
| 2. Credit card rewards | Use a cashback or points card | 1–4% |
| 3. Store loyalty program | PC Optimum, Scene+, Triangle | 1–3% |
| 4. Coupon/promo code | Search for codes before checkout | 5–20% |
| 5. Sale timing | Buy during Black Friday, Prime Day, etc. | 10–50% |
| Total stacked savings | 15–40%+ possible |
Example Stack: $100 Online Purchase
| Layer | Source | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten cashback (5%) | Rakuten | $5.00 |
| Credit card cashback (2%) | Rogers World Elite MC | $2.00 |
| Promo code (10%) | Retailer coupon | $10.00 |
| Drop points (bonus offer) | Drop | ~$1.00 |
| Total paid | $82.00 (18% off) |
Bottom Line
Install Rakuten’s browser extension for online purchases (it takes 10 seconds to activate each time), add Caddle or Checkout 51 for grocery receipt scanning, and let Drop run passively on a linked card. Combined with a solid cashback credit card, you’ll recover hundreds of dollars a year on spending you’d do anyway. The setup takes about 15 minutes and the ongoing effort is near zero.
Stacking cashback apps with credit cards
The most effective strategy is stacking — layering cashback from an app on top of credit card rewards:
Example stack for online shopping:
- Click through Rakuten Canada portal (up to 12% cashback on select retailers)
- Pay with a 2–4% cashback credit card (e.g., Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite)
- Activate any card-linked Drop offer for the retailer
Result: 4–16% effective return on the same purchase
Example stack for groceries:
- Browse Checkout 51 or Caddle offers before shopping ($0.50–$2.00 per eligible item)
- Pay with a grocery cashback credit card (e.g., Tangerine World Mastercard at 2%)
- Use PC Optimum points card at Loblaws banner stores
Key rule: Check that stacking is permitted — most cashback apps allow stacking with credit card rewards, but some retailer-specific portals (Amazon’s own cashback portal) may not be combinable with third-party cashback apps.
Frequently asked questions
Is cashback from apps taxable in Canada? Generally no. Cashback rewards are treated as a discount on purchases, not income. This applies to both credit card cashback and app-based rewards like Rakuten. If you earn rewards through a referral program (referring friends for a bonus), that may technically be a different category, but CRA has not issued formal guidance and most Canadians do not report referral bonuses.
Which cashback app is best for groceries in Canada? Checkout 51 and Caddle are the two strongest grocery-specific cashback apps. Checkout 51 has broader offer selection; Caddle offers market research surveys for additional earnings. Use both — check each app’’s weekly offers before your grocery trip and buy only what you need.