Treating yourself (or your loved ones) with gift cards is always a good idea, especially if you’re a student. One of the most common ways to do so is to use gift cards earning apps.
These are slightly different from apps to earn 100 bucks a day. Rather than earning money, you complete tasks and earn reward points that you can use to get gift cards of your choice.
But there are numerous such applications available on the Play Store and App Store. While some of them are legit, others have odd terms and conditions or are designed to collect a large amount of personal data.
This is why I myself tried over 18 popular platforms. Initially, it seemed very time-consuming, and I must admit, some of them seemed quite risky too, but after three months of usage, I have some great recommendations.
Note: My selection criteria were types of tasks, reward system, hidden charges, gift card options (merchants), and the process to redeem the points.
Now, let’s get to know them in detail.
1. Swagbucks
You earn Swagbucks, which is a term used by the developers of the app for points, by completing a variety of different tasks on the app. These can be routine and watching, survey-filling, or productive, like shopping or gaming.
The points you redeem from the app can be converted into gift cards if you want to gift them to someone. You can also donate these points to philanthropic causes. And the good thing about earning points on this app is that you earn points doing things that you would otherwise do.
The app has garnered positive reviews overall. The UI, especially, is quite quirky and excites a younger demographic. On the technical front, the app needs to improve a bit as the app frequently crashes.
The earning opportunities, as diverse as they are, remain limited. It is time-consuming and demands slow accumulation, but one of its biggest strengths is the platform support for the points you earn.
Key Features
- Interesting ways to earn points: You can earn points from multiple activities like playing games, shopping online, or watching promotional videos.
- No charges: There are no hidden charges for using the app and earning the points. The app is completely free to use.
- Bonuses: You get a signing bonus when you sign up for the app. This serves as an instant incentive.
- Referral program: You earn points every time a new friend joins the app using your referral message. This helps build a community.
- Platform support: Multiple prominent platforms like Amazon, Apple, Target, Mastercard, AmEx, Walmart, Starbucks, Uber, and more support the redemption of the points you earn through Swagbucks.
- Offline rewards: You can earn points offline through your activities and chores, like grocery shopping at a nearby store.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fun user interface and user experience. | You can donate your points to noble causes. |
| Multiple platform support to redeem points. | Survey filling is complicated as many users complain about disqualification. |
| You can donate your points for noble causes. | Smaller rewards comparatively. |
| Earn points through offline chores also. | |
| Quick settlement of points and gift cards. |
2. Google Opinion Rewards
If you want an authentic experience and meaningful tasks to earn points, look no further than Google’s Opinion Rewards. Basically, Google wants to serve its users the most relevant search results, and the best way to get accurate search results is by seeking reviews and opinions from users.
On this platform, you earn points by answering a few questions where you need to express your honest views. The points you earn through this app are credited to your Play Store account, where you can use them to make in-app purchases and buy books, games, or movies.
With this, you can earn as much as $1 for each survey you complete. Google also claim that most surveys do not take more than 20 seconds!
The good thing about a Google product is that there is a lot of authenticity in earnings and transparency regarding data safety.
On the flip side, there are fewer earning opportunities than you would imagine. The biggest issue with the app is that it does not allow them to redeem points anywhere other than the Play Store.
The tasks (surveys) are fast and simple. The process of redeeming points is also fairly straightforward. For the amount of time you spend on it, it is for sure worth it, but you have to manage your expectations in terms of earning opportunities.
Key Features
- Google’s support: Since Google hosts a range of services, the surveys are mostly about their products, and you can rest assured about the authenticity.
- Data protection: Google comes into the picture again, as you are almost certain of not exposing your confidential data to third parties.
- Personalized tasks: The app offers personalized surveys based on interests and preferences.
- Region-specific surveys: You may also get surveys specific to your region, making earning points easier.
- Short length of surveys: Most surveys are short and to the point. Google claims most of these surveys only take about 20 seconds to complete.
- Easy redemption: You can redeem lower-value points as well.
- Free: The app is completely free to use, and there are no hidden charges either.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Since it’s a Google product, the highest safety measures are in place for data and sensitive information. | Points are limited only to the Google Play Store. |
| The surveys are reasonably short. | Inconsistent survey opportunities. |
| You can redeem as low as $1 as there are no limits on minimum withdrawal. | Some regions see fewer opportunities to conduct surveys. |
| No referral perks or bonuses on signing up. |
3. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards works slightly differently compared to the previous two. It predominantly encourages users to scan receipts and win rewards based on that. Users can scan bills and receipts from their grocery shopping, restaurant visits, gas station visits or even pharmacy receipts.
The scope to earn is wide here as users can earn points online and offline shopping. The app has a built-in receipt scanner that helps you scan your bills seamlessly. The best part about the app is its collaborations with brands which help you get some great deals on shopping within the app.
Fetch Rewards is a wholesome app for users seeking rewards for shopping. Be it online or offline, Fetch Rewards offers you great rewards. While many apps require you to use their platforms for rewards, Fetch Rewards allows you to earn points even after you make the purchase and scan the receipts afterwards.
It has pretty decent reviews from both Android and iOS users. One of many users’ concerns is the nature of the expiry of the points. If the app can work on it, then it has all the makings to be a top-rated rewards app.
Key Features
- Online and offline points: Users can spend anywhere online or offline. All they have to do is to scan or upload their receipts to win points.
- Brand Collaborations: The app has partnered with many prominent brands to offer great deals with both shopping and earning points.
- In-built Receipt Scanner: The scanner within the app quickly recognizes receipts and fetches relevant data to produce points.
- Platform Support: Support from Amazon, Walmart, Sam’s Club, UberEats and many more to earn and redeem points.
- Donation Support: You can donate all your points for noble causes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Brand-specific offers and deals. | Lower reward points. |
| Seamless scanning of receipts and bills. | Variable points value system. |
| Wide range of earning opportunities. | Expiry of fetch points, which makes them time-bound. |
| Minimum points barrier for the redeeming process. | Minimum points barrier for redeeming process. |
4. Shopkick
Shopkick is one of the most dynamic apps where you can earn rewards on your spending and save a lot of money with some really great deals on the app. One of the biggest perks of using this app is to earn points by entering a few selected stores. You read that right. You can earn points by simply walking into a store.
You can also scan a product from a store and see where else is the same product available for a better deal. You can use the app’s built-in scanner to scan purchase receipts to earn points. On top of all that, you can also earn points by watching promotional videos.
Shopkick is very versatile. Users have enjoyed both the shopping and earning aspects of the app. Most users are very much impressed with the brands and platforms the app has partnered with. While a walk-in earning opportunity is a great and inventive way, it only works in a few regions.
The lower value of earned rewards is a concern among people. What works very well in favor of Shopkick is that it can make up for every drawback by offering great deals on online shopping.
Key Features
- Unique Earnings: There are many unique opportunities to earn points on the Shopkick app, for instance, you can earn points by walking into a partnered grocery store.
- In-built scanner: Use the app’s built-in scanner to upload bills and receipts. Also, use the scanner to scan products to check out better deals.
- Shopping: Apart from earning points, you can also spend the points and shop on the Shopkick app to see great deals on popular products.
- Partnering: The Shopkick app has partnered with major platforms and chains like Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, eBay, Groupon, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Lowe’s, Sephora, Nike, Best Buy, GameStop, etc.
- Challenges: Take up interesting daily and weekly challenges, complete them and win more points.
- Rewards: Exciting rewards on spending as well as referral to friends and family.
- Free: The app is free to use, and there are no hidden charges.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Earn points by just entering stores. | Low value for reward points. |
| Both earning points and shopping available. | Region-specific opportunities for earnings through walking into stores. |
| Wide range of earning opportunities. | Some occasional technical glitches. |
| Signing up bonus. | |
| Multiple partnered platforms and brands. |
5. InboxDollar
InboxDollar is one of the oldest platforms in the segment. The Minnesota-based platform has been handing over vouchers, gift cards, and cashback since 2000. What distinguishes it from other apps is its simplicity.
You can earn points by reading a few emails, signing up for newsletters, or even downloading apps on your phone. While the earning opportunities are quite a lot, perks like a straight-up $5 signing bonus attract most app users.
Apart from the mundane tasks, users can also earn rewards by completing surveys and quizzes about various topics. The app partners with many brands and platforms to offer users great deals and allow them to redeem their points.
InboxDollars is an old-school rewards-earning platform that offers more than just opportunities to earn reward points. While users have not rated other features like online shopping too high, having great deals while performing tasks to earn rewards on the same app is always handy.
The region-specific opportunities to earn points are a downside, but having a wide range of partners for merchant shopping and redeeming points is a big plus.
Overall, the app does all the basic things right. Its user interface and having to facilitate way too many utilities is one place where it falters.
Key Features
- Widespread Earning Opportunities: The app offers a wide range of earning opportunities, including tasks you would do.
- Welcome bonus: The app offers a $5 welcome bonus upon signing up.
- Platform support: The app has partnered with multiple prominent platforms like Apple, Target, Mastercard, Amex, Walmart, Starbucks, Home Depot, eBay, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Booking.com and many more.
- Free to use: The app is completely free to use and does not charge anything to its users for any of its services.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple earning methods like signing up for newsletters and downloading apps. | Basic user interface. |
| Many prominent partners to redeem points. | Survey disqualification. |
| Great deals and offers on shopping online. | |
| Sign up bonus. |
6. MyPoints
MyPoints emphasizes quite a bit on the ever-popular trend of shopping. Most deals that the app offers are through making purchases online. The app is ideal for people who shop quite a lot online.
Apart from that, the app also offers earning opportunities through filling out surveys and watching promotional videos.
The app partners with major grocery chains to make the integration of rewards very convenient for its users. There are daily goals as well to keep you motivated to complete tasks and subsequently earn reward points.
MyPoints is a straightforward app with limited features. The app is rated slightly higher on iOS compared to Android. Users really like the to-do list in the app that acts as a motivation to earn points. There are some technical issues like the app taking too long to reflect recently won points but that doesn’t seem to be a deal breaker.
Overall, it is a decent app with a decent UI and a bit of room for improvement on the technical front. The opportunities to earn are standard but effective. What works the most for the apps is its partnership with vendors and merchants.
Key Features
- Multiple platform support: The app partners with prominent platforms like Amazon, PayPal, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, and many more for the users to redeem points.
- Easy ways to earn points: You can earn points by signing up for email newsletters and reading them.
- Challenges: The daily challenges and to-do lists motivate you to earn more points daily.
- Sign-up bonus: A $10 signing bonus is quite attractive for new users.
- Free: The app is free to use and has no hidden charges.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Sign up bonus of $10 which is rare. | Takes time for points to reflect in the app. |
| Simple methods to earn points. | Surveys are time consuming. |
| Great deals for online shopping. | Low value for reward points. |
| Simple and clean user interface. |
7. Ibotta
Ibotta offers great cashback deals and reward points on your online as well as offline purchases. It urges you to check the app before making any purchase or paying bills. The app partners with prominent retailers and merchants to offer great deals and sizable cashback and reward points for its users.
It has a very simple framework where users need to check on the latest deals and offers for shopping, dining or paying bills both online as well as offline. After you spend, all you have to do is to upload the receipts and you will get the benefit of the relevant deal in terms of cashback.
Ibotta also offers co-earning where you join a team and create a pool of reward points and cashback in collaboration. The app is very highly rated on both Android and iOS. The deals disappear quickly, so the app demands users to always be on it while making purchases. The scanner also has its criticism.
Barring a couple of concerns, the app is pretty effective. It is safe to say that rewards from offline spending are not a strong pursuit for Ibotta. The key to making the most of the app is to use it more often on every transaction you do, especially online.
Key Features
- Referral program: Users can earn extra cash by merely referring the app to their friends and family.
- Wide platform support: Ibotta has support from platforms and brands like Walmart, Uber, Lowe’s, Kohl’s, Kroger, CVS, Rite Aid, Groupon, eBay, Boxed, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Drizly, Hotels.com, AMC, eBags, Thrive Market, Safeway, Walgreens, Costco, World Market, Petco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and many more.
- Collaboration: Users can also join teams to earn points together in collaboration.
- Free to use: The app is completely free to use and has no signing-up charges.
- Milestone deals: Get exclusive deals upon hitting specific spending milestones.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Tracking of your earnings and cashback. | Minimum amount barrier to redeem cash. |
| Support from a wide range of retailers. | Offers expire too soon. |
| Team collaborations in terms of earnings. | Conditions on some offers. |
| E-commerce specific deals. |
Frequently Asked Questions
This could be largely true due to network issues. If there is a break in connectivity, then your playback may not be considered a done task. In that case, you may have to watch the video again.
Mistplay is a legitimate app that works fine and offers great opportunities to earn reward points. It makes payouts through PayPal and has great reviews on both Android and iOS.
One of the most popular apps to earn free gift cards and great opportunities is Swagbucks. It really appears to be a modern-day app with some really exciting features. Google’s app, “Google Opinion Rewards” also works very well and is quite trustworthy.
Wrap Up!
Among the apps listed above, Swagbucks is perhaps a few yards ahead of the rest because of its approach and creativity.
Google Opinion Rewards is the safest and most popular among the lot but can only reward you through the Play Store. Apps with challenges and goals will gain more traction than old-school cashback apps in the coming years.
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