Rakuten Review: Is Getting Paid to Shop Really True?

Chef TastyDecember 25th, 2023

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Getting paid to shop seems too good to be true, right? Who wouldn’t love to go on a shopping spree and earn a portion of the sales back? That’s what Rakuten does – pays you to shop. They partner with 2,500+ stores and have some of the hottest cashback deals on the internet. But is Rakuten worth it? Find out in our Rakuten review below.

What is Rakuten?

Rakuten is an affiliate marketer. The platform works with hundreds of retailers who pay Rakuten for referring its members to their websites. When members make a purchase, Rakuten pays them a portion of the commission they earned as cashback.

In short, it’s a platform to go through to make purchases and earn cash back on things you’d normally buy or even on splurges. It’s like having built-in coupons, only you receive the money back in your Rakuten account rather than as cash off your purchase at the time you buy it.

How Does Rakuten Work?

It couldn’t be easier to use Rakuten. You sign up for a membership and then shop through the platform to earn cash back. In the Rakuten dashboard, you’ll see the percentage of cashback you’ll earn for your purchase. If you want to use it, click the link for the store and shop like normal. Rakuten will credit your account for the purchase typically within 48 hours, but some stores require a longer verification period and can take up to 30 days.

Pay close attention when you accept an offer in Rakuten. Some offers are cash back for any size or type of purchase. Others offer a certain percentage of cash back for different types of purchases. For example, you may earn 3% cash back on your total purchase, but if you buy any home goods, you may earn 20% cash back.

How to Open a Rakuten Account

It’s easy to sign up for a Rakuten account. Simply click ‘Join now’ and provide your email and created password. If you’d prefer, you can use your current Google, Facebook, or Apple account to sign up.

Once you accept the terms and conditions, you’re in and ready to earn cash back. Here’s the best part. If you spend $30 within the first 90 days of joining, Rakuten will pay you a $30 bonus just for joining. But the fun keeps going. If you want to share the love of Rakuten, you’ll earn $30 for every referral you send to Rakuten and they’ll earn the $30 sign-up bonus too. As long as your referral spends at least $30, you both win. If you don’t have a Rakuten referral code yet, use our Rakuten Referral link.

To know more about the Rakuten referral promotion, read our Rakuten referral article.

Rakuten Features

Making money using the Rakuten features is simple. If you prefer the ‘old school’ way of doing things, simply search the Rakuten website for the store you plan to shop. Check out the cashback offer or discounts available and you’re on your way to earning cash back.

If you’d prefer more ‘updated methods,’ check out the options below:

Browser extension	The Rakuten browser extension is like an automated deal finder. You don’t have to go through the Rakuten website to get the deals. Anything you search that Rakuten has a deal or cashback offer for, they will notify you via a pop up in the top righthand corner of your screen. The browser extension also redirects you to similar stores if the one you’re searching for doesn’t exist on Rakuten.
Rakuten app	If you live on your mobile phone, consider the Rakuten app. The app works just like the online dashboard. You search for the retailer you’re about to shop with and make your purchase through your Rakuten account so you get the cash back.
In-store deals	– If you prefer shopping in-store rather than online, Rakuten offers hundreds of in-store deals too. To take advantage, link your debit or credit card to your Rakuten account. Before you shop, activate the offers you want to use and pay with the linked debit or credit card. You’ll automatically earn cashback for your purchase.

Rakuten Pros and Cons

Rakuten offers ‘free’ cash back for your purchases, but like any platform, it has its pros and cons.

Pros	Cons
User-friendly – Rakuten makes it easy to earn cash back. If you can log into their website or app, you can earn money back. If you don’t want the hassle of logging in every time, download the browser extension for an even easier option. Earn cash back – Who doesn’t love to earn money back for shopping? It’s like coupons but better. You can watch your cash accumulate and get a check or cash in your PayPal account. It’s free – You don’t have to pay a dime to use Rakuten and you don’t have to link your credit card for future fees. It’s always free. Earn money through referrals – Just by using a Rakuten referral code, you can make money when your friends sign up under your name. It’s $5, but there’s no limit to how many people you can refer.	Slow payments – Rakuten only pays out quarterly. They total up your cash accumulation for first quarter and mail out checks by the 15th of the following month. Some products excluded – Always read the fine print on a Rakuten offer as many offers exclude certain product types and purchases. You can’t cancel orders – Once you place an order through Rakuten, you can’t change or cancel it. You can return the item (and forfeit your cash back), but you must go through the hassle of returning it.

Pros

Cons

User-friendly – Rakuten makes it easy to earn cash back. If you can log into their website or app, you can earn money back. If you don’t want the hassle of logging in every time, download the browser extension for an even easier option.
Earn cash back – Who doesn’t love to earn money back for shopping? It’s like coupons but better. You can watch your cash accumulate and get a check or cash in your PayPal account.
It’s free – You don’t have to pay a dime to use Rakuten and you don’t have to link your credit card for future fees. It’s always free.
Earn money through referrals – Just by using a Rakuten referral code, you can make money when your friends sign up under your name. It’s $5, but there’s no limit to how many people you can refer.

Slow payments – Rakuten only pays out quarterly. They total up your cash accumulation for first quarter and mail out checks by the 15th of the following month.
Some products excluded – Always read the fine print on a Rakuten offer as many offers exclude certain product types and purchases.
You can’t cancel orders – Once you place an order through Rakuten, you can’t change or cancel it. You can return the item (and forfeit your cash back), but you must go through the hassle of returning it.

How Does Rakuten Make Money?

Because Rakuten is an affiliate marketing platform, they make money when you make a purchase. It doesn’t affect the cost of your products – the retailer pays a certain percentage as commission for the products members purchase.

Rakuten shares a small fraction of the amount with you and keeps the rest. That’s how they’re able to continue offering the great deals and cashback offers to its members.

Who Should Use Rakuten?

Anyone who likes to save money should use Rakuten. Even if you only shop online once in a while, it’s worth getting money back on your purchases. Since Rakuten also works in store at many of the most popular retailers, you really can’t go wrong.

FAQ about Rakuten

Is Rakuten legit and safe?

Rakuten is legit and safe. To date, they have 3 million users and partners with 2,500+ retailers to help you earn money back. They have a B rating with the Better Business Bureau and thousands of 5 star reviews from users.

What is the catch with Rakuten?

There isn’t a catch with Rakuten. As an affiliate marketing platform, they make money when you make purchases through their platform. They share some of the commission with you to encourage you to keep using the platform.

Is there a membership fee for Rakuten?

No, Rakuten is always free. The only time you need to add your credit card to your account is if you want to shop in store and claim offers. You’ll need to use your linked debit or credit card to get credit.

Is Walmart on Rakuten?

Yes, Walmart is on Rakuten. How much cashback you’ll earn varies, as the offers change. Check back often to see the latest offers.

What happens if you return something you bought through Rakuten?

You may return items bought through Rakuten, but it will void the cashback you earned.

How do you get your money from Rakuten?

You have two options to get your money from Rakuten. You can request a check in the mail or link your PayPal account and get your money direct deposited into your PayPal account.

Bottom Line – Is Rakuten Right for You?

Rakuten is right for anyone who likes to shop. If you don’t have time for coupons (or even if you do), Rakuten could save you even more money with minimal effort. You do the same thing you’d do to shop directly through the store, but instead you’ll earn cash back for your purchases. It’s like getting paid to shop. Use a Rakuten referral code to earn your welcome bonus and make sure to share your referral code with friends and family too.

Have you also heard of Ibotta? The typical Ibotta user earns $150 a year from purchases they make at the grocery shopping or online. There are bonus rewards to enjoy as well. Sign-up with Ibotta by following our Ibotta referral guide.

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