When it comes to creating passive income, it's safe to say that passive income apps are some of the easiest ways to get started.
I mean, the fact that you can start earning cash and free gift cards just by installing a few reward apps is pretty awesome if you ask me.
Now, no smartphone app is ever going to make you a millionaire.
However, I still think it's nice to earn free money without putting in much effort, especially if you don't have to change your shopping habits.
Out of all the reward apps out there, it's also safe to say that one of the most passive options is Dosh.
No other app makes it so easy to earn real cashback rewards for shopping and keeps things 100% passive.
So, today we're going to take a look at what makes the Dosh app so special, as well as other apps like Dosh you can use to take your rewards to the next level.
Let's get to it!
What Is Dosh & Why Is It Cool?
If you haven't heard of Dosh, this app is probably going to be your new favorite reward app.
Dosh is a free, US-only rewards app that lets you passively earn cashback for shopping at more than 100,000 locations across the country.
Earning rewards with Dosh is also simple, and takes three easy steps:
- Link Cards. Connect your debit and credit cards to Dosh to let the app track your spending.
- Shop. Shop at hundreds of Dosh partners and automatically earn cashback to your Dosh wallet.
- Redeem. Cash out through direct deposit, Venmo, PayPal, or a charitable donation when you reach $25.
The beauty of Dosh is that you don't have to pre-select rebates or worry about clipping coupons. Once you link your cards, you'll always earn cashback for shopping at partners.
Plus, Dosh works with plenty of stores you probably shop at already, such as:
- Walmart.
- Instacart.
- Dunkin' Donuts.
- Pizza Hut.
- GNC.
A lot of stores pay 1% to 2% cashback, but you can find stores that pay 5% or more as well.
Anyway, you probably know why Dosh is an awesome app, and the good news is, there's more where that came from!
The Best Apps Like Dosh To Earn Cashback Rewards
If you're looking for other Dosh alternatives to earn even more money from shopping, you're in luck.
There are a few other smartphone apps that definitely deserve a spot on your smartphone if you want to earn more rewards or mix things up a bit.
1. Pei
Pei is a free app that pays you with cashback or Bitcoin for shopping at your favorite stores.
In all honesty, Pei is one of the most similar apps to Dosh out of everything in this list.
Like Dosh, you link your credit and debit cards to Pei to let the app track your spending. When you shop at Pei partners, you get paid.
Examples of partners include:
- Lyft.
- Sephora.
- H&M.
- Taco Bell.
- Starbucks.
- Target.
- Uber.
You can also earn a whopping 20% cashback from some partners, although most retailers pay around 1% to 2%.
Pei does have a “spend $20 get $2” bonus category that rotates through different retailers, which is slightly more versatile than Dosh.
Plus, you can also activate cashback boosts for a specific merchant to earn an additional 1% cashback on everything you buy with a specific card for 48 hours (up to 500 points in bonuses).
You also need $25 to cash out, and your options include Bitcoin or PayPal.
Ultimately, if you're looking for another app like Dosh, you need to try out Pei.
Checkout our Pei app review for even more details!
2. Bumped
If you want to get started with investing but don't know where to begin, you absolutely need to try Bumped.
Bumped aims to help you turn your spending into ownership.
The app accomplishes this by giving you fractional shares in the companies you purchase from.
This is basically like Dosh's cashback system, except you get fractional shares instead of cashback.
If you ask me, this is a major win over apps like Dosh since your shares can technically grow in value over time, whereas cashback can't unless you invest it yourself.
Anyway, once you create a Bumped account, you link your cards and select one company from 16 different categories to earn stocks from.
There are hundreds of brands to choose from, such as:
- Kroger.
- Walgreens.
- Uber.
- Dunkin' Donuts.
- Domino's.
- Sam's Club.
- Netflix.
- Spotify.
- Walmart.
- Target.
In other words, Bumped lets you earn fractional shares for pretty much anything you'd want to buy.
Most catageories around around 1% or 2% worth of your purchase as fractional shares, which is similar to Dosh.
However, over the course of the year, this is probably several hundred bucks in free stocks just for downloading an app!
Stocks accumulate in your Bumped brokerage account, and you can always sell if you need the cash for something.
Checkout our Bumped app review for even more info.
If you want to try other investing apps, you can also look into the Acorns spare change app!
3. Drop
Drop used to be exactly like Dosh, just for five of your favorite stores.
Nowadays, the Drop app is a little less passive, which is unfortunate if the main reason you use Dosh is to enjoy passive earnings.
However, Drop is definitely one of the most lucrative reward apps if you put in a bit of effort.
Currently, you can earn Drop points (which are redeemable for free gift cards) by doing things like:
- Shopping through Drop at partner merchants.
- Signing up for new subscription services.
- Answering surveys.
- Playing video games.
- Refering friends to Drop.
Some Drop offers are pretty insane, and you can earn $50 to $100 or more by signing up for new services.
Plus, the regular cashback amounts you get from shopping through the app aren't too shabby either, and you can find offers of 5% or more pretty regularly.
Drop's advantage over Dosh and other apps is that you can redeem gift card rewards starting at $5 as long as you shop through the app once.
Gift card options include Amazon, Starbucks, H&M, Domino's, and plenty of other rotating retailers.
If you want to start earning free gift cards, you should definitely signup for Drop today and get started!
You can also read our Drop review for more info on how to maximize your earnings!
4. Ampli
Ampli is basically the Canadian equivalent of Dosh, and the app is actually powered the Royal Bank of Canada.
Like Dosh, Ampli's competitive edge is that you don't have to put in any extra work once you link your cards.
In fact, all you have to do is shop at Ampli partners to earn real cashback; there's no point system or gift card rewards, just straightup cash.
Unlike Dosh, Ampli also lets you cash out once you reach $15, which is incredibly reasonable in the world of reward apps.
Plus, Ampli has hundreds of partners, including massive companies like:
- DoorDash.
- Adidas.
- Boston Pizza.
- Hello Fresh.
- Rexall.
- Sephora.
- Petro Canada.
If you're a Canadian who can't use Dosh, you absolutely need to try Ampli and Drop together to maximize the rewards you get with your smartphone.
Ampli's a realtively newer app, but the platform has already paid out more than $1,000,000 to users.
And to make matters better, you can earn a free $5 signup bonus by using the code WORLD5 for an easy startup bonus.
You can also checkout our Ampli review for all the details!
5. Fetch Rewards
If you do most of the grocery shopping for your household, Fetch Rewards is another must-try app in addition to using Dosh.
Now, while Fetch Rewards isn't as passive as Dosh, it's definitely one of the more passive receipt scanning apps in the business.
Essentially, Fetch Rewards pays you for buying products from partner brands and then uploading a receipt to provide proof of purchase.
Other apps like Fetch Rewards typically involve pre-selecting rebates to add to a virtual shopping list and then shopping for them, which just sounds like a lot of work.
In contrast, Fetch Rewards is more passive, and once you upload your receipt, you earn Fetch Reward points for eligible products.
The best part is that you don't even need to know that you're buying an eligible product; Fetch Reward pays you as long as your receipt is eligible.
Additionally, you can cash out through a variety of free gift cards once you reach 3,000 points, or $3.
Gift card options include:
- Best Buy.
- Sephora.
- Old Navy.
- Free Google Play credit.
- Staples.
- Burger King.
- Domino's.
- IHOP.
- Target.
A lack of PayPal cash is a downside, so you're better off sticking with Dosh if you just want cashback.
Additionally, you could also try Caddle or Checkout 51, two other grocery reward apps that have cash reward options.
Signup for Fetch Rewards on Android or IOS to start earning rewards!
Final Thoughts
I've always had a soft spot for reward apps ever since I got started with phone farming as one of my college side hustles.
In reality, these apps won't make you rich, but I figure you might as well earn some freebies for spending your hard-earned money.
Plus, by using apps like Dosh, you can keep things passive, meaning you're not expending energy on clipping coupons or pre-selecting rebates.
Of course, there's a limit to how much you can earn based on how much you spend.
However, I still think an average user can redeem a few rewards or cashouts per year if they use some of the apps mentioned in this list.
Hopefully, the next time you shop, your smartphone helps you earn some points and rewards!
Thanks so much for reading!
If you want more serious ways to boost your income, I suggest checking out my posts on:
- The best gig economy apps to start a new side hustle.
- 27 apps that pay you to drive.
- 10 apps that pay you for playing games.
Catch you guys in the next one!
