Back in the day, if a local grocery shop had a discount on some product, you knew all the neighbors would be preparing it for dinner. Nowadays, shopping apps personalize discounts so everyone can get the best prices for exactly what they need. Going old-school and relying on in-store promotions makes you miss out on many saving opportunities.
There are top shopping apps for every need – cashback, price comparison flash sales, for small businesses, and by every major retailer. It’s also a sure way to save money when shopping online. All you need to do is find out which of the best shopping apps to choose.
Best Shopping Apps for All Types of Shoppers
We categorized the top shopping apps into different categories by their use cases. Programs from specific retailers and cashback apps are perhaps the most well-known. But we didn’t look only into the most popular shopping apps. Instead, we focused on the utility for a specific purpose.
Cash-Back & Rewards Apps
Cashback is an incentive given by shops or third-party providers that returns a portion of your spending back to you. With the advent of shopping apps, cashback has become much more popular as well. The best cashback platforms are those that support more shops and return the largest portion of your spending.
1. Rakuten
Rakuten is one of the oldest and most popular cashback apps. It supports hundreds of different brands and services in its own shopping app that returns you up to 20% of what was spent. The rewards are paid via PayPal, gift cards, donations, and other options.
Pros
- Trustworthy brand
- Convenient app and browser extension
- Lots of deals available
Cons
- Available only in six countries
- The cashback rate varies every month
2. Ibotta
Just like Rakuten, Ibotta is a cashback platform, available on both Google and Apple app stores. It stands out with a bit more generous cashback rate, but you’ll need to add specific offers and submit receipts after purchase. The rewards are paid in cash, PayPal, or gift cards.
Pros
- Sign-up bonus of $5
- High potential for earnings
- Cashback stacks with other offers
Cons
- Some competitors are easier to use
- Minimum payout threshold of $20
Comparison Shopping Apps
Another important function of a shopping app is to help compare prices. The aim is to empower users with tools for finding the lowest prices for products in different stores. There are many such shopping apps, but the best ones tend to be the most thorough and user-friendly.
3. ShopSavvy
ShopSavvy presents itself as a transparent service that provides users with information about prices and even suggests various deals.
Price tracking, drop alerts, shipping costs, and other features are best on the apps from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, but there is a web version as well.
Pros
- Large product database
- Timely alerts
- Good for local store finding
Cons
- Pricing data needs to be double-checked
- Pushes their affiliate offers
4. Google Shopping
Google Shopping is a product discovery tool from the search engine giant. It ranks product listings with prices according to your search queries in a separate shopping tab.
While it isn’t a separate shopping app, the required functions are integrated into Google Search for a no-nonsense way to find the best prices.
Pros
- Fast and comprehensive
- Well integrated into Google search
- Direct links to sellers’ websites
Cons
- Limited availability outside of the US
- Less convenient on iOS (unavailable on Apple App store app)
Flash Sale & Discount Apps
A discount shopping app might do more harm if you want to stay frugal. These shopping apps have great discounts and limited-time deals, but they also might encourage impulse buying. With good self-control and buying habits, knowing where to look for promotions is very useful.
5. Wish
Wish is an affordable shopping app with frequent discounts, a money-back guarantee, and free shipping if you spend enough.
They have it all – watches, accessories, electronics, home accessories, and much more. The quality might not be the best, but it definitely has the most sales offers and promotions.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Large product selection
- Easy-to-use app available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store
Cons
- Quality fluctuations
- Long shipping time
6. Groupon
Groupon is an American e-commerce shopping app famous for the great deals it offers. Restaurants, retailers, manufacturers, and other businesses use it to offer their services to a large group of customers for almost wholesale prices. It also includes other offers, such as coupons and cashback.
Pros
- Best deals on the market
- Local services
- Helps to discover new products and services
Cons
- Purchases from Groupon might be of lower quality
- Promotions end quickly
Apps for Specific Retailers
A shopping app might not necessarily give you better prices, but it might aim to improve your experience. Saving time on purchases is as important as saving money. All major online and in-store retailers have shopping apps of some kind, but there are two you most definitely need to look into.
7. Amazon Shopping
Amazon is the biggest online retailer, operating in almost every country in the world. While it’s an exceptional feat for e-commerce to scale so well, it doesn’t have a very friendly user experience or design.
That’s why using the Amazon Shopping app is much more convenient, and you can save money by tracking prices more easily. Although the app is better rated in the Apple App Store than in the Google Play Store.
Pros
- Easier navigation and search
- Offline access
- Notifications for selected products
Cons
- Overwhelming amount of products
- Privacy concerns
8. Walmart App
Chances are you have been to a Walmart. They are everywhere in the US, but their online presence is much more convenient with the Walmart shopping app.
It allows consumers to browse and purchase millions of Walmart products, get notifications for deals, add money to their Walmart wallet, and much more.
Pros
- Easy to use price checking
- Quicker in-store purchases with Walmart pay
- Exclusive deals and early access promos
Cons
- Incompatible with some devices
- May encourage impulse spending
Online Grocery Shopping Apps
Purchasing groceries online helps you save time, plan your budget, and avoid impulse buying. A good online shopping app will allow you to realize all of those functions with convenience and flexibility.
9. Instacart
Instacart is one of the most popular shopping apps for shopping for groceries and other products from stores nearby with timely delivery.
You simply make a shopping list, and a personal shopper in your area visits the stores, purchases what’s needed, and delivers it. If you have some free time, you can even become one of the shoppers and make money.
Pros
- App with 4.8 stars on the Apple App Store
- Wide selections goods
- Quick delivery
Cons
- Inconsistent delivery time and quality
- High costs
10. Shipt
Shipt is one of Instacart’s closest competitors, also offering same-day delivery from various local grocery stores and shopping malls.
Which one is better usually depends on your area since both apps compete for the best shoppers to deliver the goods. Shipt is a bit cheaper, but ratings are lower in places like the Apple App Store.
Pros
- Flexible ordering options
- Large selection of stores
- Membership program bonuses
Cons
- Small orders are very expensive
- Delivery time varies
Shopping Apps for Small Businesses
Sometimes, you are a seller as well. Clothes, used electronics, furniture, or hand-made crafts are best sold on your own websites or e-commerce platforms. Some of the most popular shopping apps are made to help small businesses and individual sellers start easily.
11. Shopify
Shopify is the most popular e-commerce tool for designing and maintaining websites without any coding or design skills.
Their e-shopping app for Android devices and the Apple app store helps owners run campaigns, contact customers, renew products, and much more. Everything you need to maintain a website can be done on the go.
Pros
- All you need for an e-commerce store
- A wide range of third-party integrations
- User-friendly app
Cons
- Expensive
- Some essential features are missing from the app
12. Etsy Seller App
Etsy wouldn’t be what it is without tending to its sellers, and that’s what the Etsy Seller App excels at. It’s a tool for Etsy shop owners to manage, customize, and optimize their shops. The notifications and analytics tools are what you need to keep your side hustle up and running.
Pros
- Sales data on the go
- Real-time Notifications
- Marketing tools for promotions, coupons, and other offers
Cons
- Difficult to track competitors
- Limited customization
Conclusion
Shopping apps can help you become a more frugal shopper, but you’ll still need to find other hacks that save money while shopping. Finding discounts and receiving cashback with popular shopping apps on our list is a great start. The aim, however, should be to develop money-saving habits with these apps.