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RebatesMe stands out among many online shopping portals for earning extra rewards on purchases you were already planning to make. The site has quietly built a reputation for reliable tracking, frequent flash bonuses, solid cash-back rates, and occasional referral bonuses, especially for frequent online shoppers who like to compare before they click.
With more than a decade in business, RebatesMe has matured into one of the more trustworthy options for cash-back shoppers. But how does it compare to better-known names like Rakuten or TopCashback — and is it worth adding to your rotation? Let’s take a closer look.
What Is RebatesMe?
RebatesMe works on the same principle as dozens of other cash-back portals. When you navigate to a store's website using a referral link provided by RebatesMe, the store pays them a commission. Part of that commission is shared with you in the form of cash back.
RebatesMe isn’t the most widely known portal, but it’s actually one of the better-established players in the cash-back space, with more than twelve years in business.
There's a reason to pay attention to this. Newer portals can be less reliable at tracking purchases and making prompt payments. And many go out of business before they get established. On the other hand, RebatesMe has had ample time to hammer out all the kinks.
RebatesMe members can earn up to 40% cash back with over 10,000 merchants. Per RebatesMe, the average member earns 5% cash back per order and $128.40 cash back annually. That cash back stacks with credit card rewards, giving decent returns on your online purchases.
Check out our beginner’s guide to shopping portals if you need a detailed refresher on how these sites work.
RebatesMe categories
- Travel and vacations
- Grocery stores
- Department stores
- Home and garden
- Fashion and apparel
- Beauty and personal care
- Sports and outdoors
- Health and supplements
- Baby, kids, and toys
- Jewelry and watches
- Electronics and office
- Pet supplies
- Books and education
- Entertainment and occasions
- Auto and tire
- Subscription and services
Essential Things to Know About RebatesMe
- Cash back can take 90 days to post to your account
- You must have at least $10 in your account to cash out your funds
- A $4.99 monthly maintenance fee will be imposed after 12 months of inactivity on the account.
- You can track your RebatesMe balance, points expiration, and more through AwardWallet.
- Ensure cookies are enabled and not deleted when shopping. Cash back will not post to your account if you don't enable cookies.
- Do not have any items in your shopping cart with a merchant before clicking on that merchant through RebatesMe.
- If you close a store's website while shopping, you will need to click on that merchant again through RebatesMe to earn cash back.
How Does RebatesMe Compare to Other Sites?
In terms of ongoing cash-back rates, RebatesMe isn’t always the most rewarding, but it’s typically among the top few portals, along with TopCashBack. Cashback Monitor is an excellent tool to compare the rewards you’d get from different portals when buying from a given merchant.
Usually, the best strategy is to check Cashback Monitor to see who's offering the best rate, and then use that portal's link to claim the biggest reward. But don't be afraid to accept a slightly lower percentage rebate if it helps you earn a welcome bonus.
Cashing Out Your RebatesMe Rewards
One unique way RebatesMe stands out is in how it pays out your cash back earnings. In addition to requesting your cash back via PayPal, you can have the funds put on your credit card. Alternatively, get paid through Alipay, a platform primarily used in China.
RebatesMe New Account Bonus
At the time of writing, you can join RebatesMe and receive a $5 bonus after making $15 in eligible purchases within 30 days. New members can claim the sign-up bonus only once per email address.
When you sign up for RebatesMe, you will also receive an exclusive bonus from many retailers for your first purchase. In other words, get additional cash back on your first purchase when spending $15 to earn the $5 bonus as a new member.
RebatesMe Referral Program
RebatesMe runs a referral program, although the bonuses are a fraction of what they used to be. Currently, members can earn a $10 referral bonus for every new member they sign up. To earn the bonus, the new member must earn $10 or more in confirmed cash back within 90 days of joining.
You can find your unique referral link or a 6-digit referral code in your dashboard. Only new members who have never previously registered with RebatesMe are eligible. Some merchants and purchases are excluded from the $10 cash back requirement that the new member must meet within 90 days. Orders of gift cards do not qualify for the activation of the sign-up and referral bonuses.
From time to time, RebatesMe offers promotions with enhanced referral bonuses, such as $30 or $40 per new member, plus a bonus for the referrer. Typically, Black Friday has the best promotion each year. Without a promotion, the base referral bonus is $10, and the new member can only claim the usual $5 new-member bonus.
Referral program terms and conditions
- Members cannot refer themselves or anyone in the same household or at the same address
- Duplicate and fake accounts are ineligible
- One-time purchase accounts in order to qualify for the referral reward
- Members are not allowed to post a referral link on websites, merchant pages, coupon platforms, or social media accounts they do not directly own or manage.
Anyone who violates these rules will have their referral bonus reversed.
Final Thoughts
RebatesMe may not be the flashiest shopping portal, but it consistently delivers competitive cash-back rates, quick payouts, and solid reliability. Members can earn up to 40% cash back at over 10,000 stores, although the average cash back per purchase is 5%. The average RebatesMe member earns $128 cash back annually.
If you’re looking for an easy way to stretch your online shopping budget and stack rewards, RebatesMe is well worth a look.
