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Rakuten Cash-Back Stores & $50 Bonus Guide

Woman shopping online with Rakuten cash back stores bonus graphic

Intro: Get Paid to Shop the Stores You Already Love

If you’re going to shop online anyway, you might as well get paid for it.

Rakuten is a free cash-back site that lets you earn money back at 3,500+ stores every time you click through their site or app before you buy. Rakuten

On this page I’ve pulled together:

  • How Rakuten works
  • A list of popular stores and their current sample cash-back rates
  • How to snag a $50 bonus as a new member
  • A smart extra app, Upside (GetUpside), to earn cash back on gas & restaurants while you’re out shopping Upside+2Google Play+2

Disclosure: Some links on this page are referral or affiliate links. If you sign up or shop through them, I may earn a commission or bonus at no extra cost to you.

How Rakuten Works (Quick Version)

  1. Join Rakuten for free
    • Create an account on Rakuten.com or in the app. Rakuten+1
  2. Start at Rakuten before you shop
    • Search for your store (Best Buy, Macy’s, Nike, etc.).
    • Click “Shop Now” or activate via the browser extension.
  3. Shop like normal on the store’s site
    • Add items to your cart and check out as usual.
  4. Earn cash back
    • The store pays Rakuten a commission for sending you.
    • Rakuten shares that with you as cash back, paid out quarterly once you have at least $5 in rewards. Rakuten
Shopping bags and laptop graphic showing how to earn cash back with Rakuten
Use Rakuten at participating stores to earn cash back on purchases youre already making

New to Rakuten? Grab Your $50 Referral Bonus

If you’re brand new to Rakuten, you can start with what feels like “free” cash.

  1. Join Rakuten with my invite link:
    👉 https://www.rakuten.com/r/IAMCED6?eeid=28187
  2. Spend $50 or more through Rakuten at participating stores within your first 90 days (check Rakuten’s exact terms on the signup page). Rakuten+1
  3. Rakuten credits you a $50 bonus, and I receive a bonus too as a thank-you for the referral.

That $50 is on top of:

  • Store sales & coupon codes
  • Rakuten’s regular cash back
  • Any rewards from your credit/debit card

If you were going to spend $50 anyway, this is a simple way to get a big chunk of it back.

Popular Rakuten Stores & Sample Cash-Back Rates

⚠️ Important: Cash-back percentages change constantly.
The rates below are examples pulled from Rakuten around early December 2025.
Always check Rakuten for the current rate before you buy.

1. Big-Box & Department Stores

Best Buy – Up to 5% Cash Back Rakuten+1

  • Great for: TVs, laptops, gaming, appliances, smart home tech.
  • Example: Holiday / Cyber deals plus up to 5% cash back on eligible purchases.

Macy’s – Around 6% Cash Back Rakuten+1

  • Great for: Clothing, shoes, bedding, kitchen, beauty and gifts.
  • Example: Extra 10–30% off sales plus around 6% cash back during holiday promos.

Target – Around 1% Cash Back Rakuten+1

  • Great for: Everyday essentials, toys, home decor, small appliances.
  • Example: Holiday deals plus about 1% cash back on qualifying online orders.

2. Fashion, Shoes & Sportswear

Nike – 8% Cash Back Rakuten+1

  • Great for: Sneakers, athletic wear, fan gear.
  • Example: Nike page showing 8% cash back on many online purchases.

lululemon – 6% Cash Back (often higher during promos) Rakuten+1

  • Great for: Premium workout gear, athleisure.
  • Example: Regularly around 6% cash back, with occasional limited-time boosts (e.g., 12–15% during special events).

Skechers – Up to 10% Cash Back Rakuten

  • Great for: Walking shoes, casual sneakers, work shoes.
  • Example: Holiday promotions with up to 10% cash back plus sales.

3. Beauty & Wellness

Ulta Beauty – Up to 4% Cash Back (sometimes higher on select promos) Rakuten+1

  • Great for: Makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance, beauty tools.
  • Example: Ulta holiday page showing “Up to 4% cash back,” with some specific promotions temporarily boosted to 10%.

Each & Every – 7.5% Cash Back Rakuten

  • Great for: Natural deodorant & personal care.
  • Example: Cyber Monday listing with 7.5% cash back plus special bundle offers.

4. Pets & Home

PetSmart – Up to 10–15% Cash Back during promos Rakuten+1

  • Great for: Pet food, toys, grooming, accessories.
  • Example: Cyber Week deals showing 15% cash back and holiday pages with around 10% cash back plus extra % off select items.

Home & Decor (various stores)
Rakuten also features many home brands (furniture, decor, bedding, kitchenware) with 2–10%+ cash back, depending on the store and promotion. Check the “Home & Garden” category for current highlights. Rakuten+1

5. Travel, Experiences & Services

Viator – 10% Cash Back Rakuten+2Rakuten+2

  • Great for: Tours, excursions, travel experiences.
  • Example: Holiday listings showing 10% cash back on eligible bookings.

Current (Banking App) – $30 Cash Back Rakuten

  • Great for: Banking customers looking for cash bonuses.
  • Example: Rakuten store page showing $30 cash back for qualifying Current sign-ups.

Rakuten also has categories for:

  • Travel & Vacations
  • Banking & finance tools
  • Food, drinks & restaurants (select partners) Rakuten+1

Love to Eat Out While You Shop? Stack Rakuten with the Upside (GetUpside) App

Rakuten is perfect for online shopping, but what about all the gas and food you buy while you’re out doing your errands and holiday runs?

That’s where the Upside app (previously known as GetUpside) comes in.

What Upside Does

Upside gives you cash back on gas, groceries, and dining at participating locations:

  • Up to 25¢ per gallon cash back on gas
  • Up to 45% back at restaurants
  • Up to 30% back at grocery stores, in select areas Google Play+2Google Play+2

Users earn an average of about 8% cash back on groceries and dining, on top of normal credit card rewards. Google Play+1

You:

  1. Download the Upside app (iOS/Android). Upside+1
  2. Claim an offer at a nearby gas station, restaurant, or grocery store. Upside+1
  3. Pay as usual with your card.
  4. Follow the instructions in the app (check in or upload your receipt).
  5. Earn cash back you can cash out to your bank, PayPal, or gift cards. Upside+2Google Play+2

How to Use Upside & Rakuten Together

  • Use Rakuten for your online orders (clothes, gifts, electronics, beauty, pet supplies, etc.).
  • Use Upside for your offline life while you’re out:
    • Filling up the tank
    • Grabbing lunch or dinner
    • Picking up groceries on the way home

That way:

  • Your online purchases earn Rakuten cash back.
  • Your gas and meals earn Upside cash back.
  • Your credit card can still earn its own points or cash back on top of both.

Simple “Do This First” Checklist

  1. Join Rakuten (with the $50 bonus):
    👉 https://www.rakuten.com/r/IAMCED6?eeid=28187
  2. Install the Rakuten browser extension so you don’t forget to activate cash back. Rakuten+1
  3. Download Upside (GetUpside) to your phone for gas, dining, and groceries. Upside+1
  4. Before you buy anything online, search the store on Rakuten and click through.
  5. Before you fill up or eat out, open Upside and see which locations nearby are paying you cash back.

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