How to Choose the Right US Cashback Website

Introduction

In all of the categories we review at No1. Reviews, we work hard to ensure our readers have all of the information they need in order to make an informed decision. This buying guide helps supplement the information in our in-depth expert reviews with more general advice in order to help our readers reach that decision a little more quickly and easily. Making the right choice has never been so easy!

What are Online Cashback Sites?

Online cashback sites are a relatively new development that provide their users with the chance to earn thousands of dollars by simply signing up and using the site for a number of activities (mostly related to online shopping). While the specific activities that generate cash differ considerably from site to site (and are dealt with in each of our in-depth reviews), users who open an account with a service like this have the chance to generate cashback throughout the year with only small changes to their existing online activity. How do they work? Well, many cashback sites generate income through focused, targeted advertising and pass a portion of this on to their users; while other sites make use of affiliate marketing opportunities at online stores and pass a proportion of any money generated on to the end-consumer. Either way, customers benefit by picking up real cash for doing much the same thing that they have been doing online for years…

Earning Opportunities

The best online cashback sites will offer users the chance to earn money through a wide range of activities. In truth, the number of different earning activities users can engage in are practically endless, but the vast majority of sites have the same core features. Many sites offer users the chance to earn by searching the web (using a dedicated search bar), carrying out surveys and quizzes for advertising partners, shopping in the site’s dedicated online store, shopping using affiliate links, watching videos, inviting friends to join and even playing games online! Look out for sites that offer  the widest possible number of earning opportunities as this will ensure that you earn as much as possible!

‘Cashout’

Once you have started earning with one of the cashback sites we have featured in this category, you need a way to get your hands on the money! Many sites offer a number of different ‘cash out’ options, that is, ways to withdraw money from your in-site account. They also offer cash out by check or paypal payment, although some sites only allow in-site credit to be redeemed for gift certificates from a number of high-street stores and online vendors. Before joining a site, check out the cash-out options available to see whether they are right for you (this information is, as always, featured in our in-depth reviews for each site).

It’s also worth bearing in mind that all sites operate a cashout limit and/or minimum balance requirement. This means that users have to amass a certain amount of in-site funds in their account before they are able to cash out. At some sites, this amount is $5, but at others users have to collect $25 or $50 before they can withdraw it from the site, so this is a serious consideration when you’re thinking about which site to join. Again, our individual reviews into each of the major players in this market help our readers decide on a site by providing this information right from the very beginning.

Usability & User friendliness

As with most of the sites and services reviewed at No.1Reviews, one of the most important elements of any site is that it is easy to use. The more user-friendly a site is, the happier you will be to head back time and time again and thus, the more you’ll earn at the site. What’s more, as many services offer additional cashback benefits for those users who refer the service to their friends, better, easier-to-use services are likely to be better received by your friends and thus, earn you more money. It’s win-win all round!

FAQs & Customer Service

Although it is far from the most exciting aspect to consider when joining a site like the ones featured in this category, the availability of good customer service is a key consideration. Whereas all of the sites we have reviewed in this category are free to join, membership comes to nothing if you can’t cash out when you want to or get in touch with someone when a withdrawal or earning opportunity doesn’t go as planned. While in the most part users tend not to have too many problems at sites like these, it's worth bearing this in mind when you’re choosing a site from our listings.

The Bottom Line

As with most sites and services we review, finding the best cashback site is largely down to deciding what it is you want to achieve with the site and finding a site that matches these expectations. Our particular advice for this category, however, is to ensure that you don’t join every site we have suggested and spread your efforts too widely – although this is tempting (from an earning perspective) you will find it difficult to achieve the minimum cash-out amounts at each site and will end up effectively locking your funds into a site for a lengthy amount of time. Enjoy!