How Much Can You Actually Earn With Rakuten?

Rakuten is one of the few money-saving tools that actually does what it promises without making you jump through hoops. You shop at stores you were already going to shop at. Rakuten gets a referral fee from the retailer. They split it with you. That’s the entire business model.

The honest question isn’t whether Rakuten is legitimate. It is. The question is: how much does this actually put in your pocket, and is it worth any effort at all?

What is Rakuten?

Rakuten (formerly Ebates, which it acquired and rebranded) is a cashback shopping portal. When you click through Rakuten to shop at a partnered retailer, Rakuten earns a commission on your purchase and passes a percentage of that commission back to you as cashback.

The platform partners with over 3,500 retailers including Walmart, Target, Macy’s, Sephora, Best Buy, Nike, Hotels.com, and hundreds more. Rates vary by retailer and change frequently.

You can use Rakuten three ways: through the website (rakuten.com), through the browser extension (which automatically pops up when you’re on a partner retailer’s site), or through the mobile app. All three work the same way, you need Rakuten’s link in the chain to get credit for your purchase.

Who is Rakuten best for?

Rakuten is well-suited for people who shop online regularly, especially at mid-to-large retailers. If you buy clothing, electronics, home goods, or travel through major brands’ websites, you’re probably leaving cashback on the table right now.

It’s also a strong tool for anyone who books travel. Hotel and airline partners often pay 4–8% cashback, which on a $600 flight or $300 hotel night is real money for doing nothing differently.

It’s not designed for grocery shopping (though some grocery delivery services are partners), and it won’t help you at local or independent businesses.

How the cashback works

When you shop through Rakuten, the cashback posts to your account usually within a few days of purchase. It shows as “pending” until the retailer’s return window has passed, typically 30–90 days depending on the store.

Once confirmed, cashback accumulates in your account until the quarterly payout. Rakuten sends “Big Fat Checks” (their term, not mine) four times a year: mid-February, mid-May, mid-August, and mid-November. You get paid for the prior quarter’s confirmed cashback.

The minimum payout is $5.01. If your balance is under that amount on payout day. It rolls over to the next quarter.

Payout options: a mailed check or a PayPal deposit. You choose in your account settings.

How much can you realistically earn?

This depends almost entirely on how much you spend online and which retailers you use. Here are some real numbers:

Rakuten’s own data puts the average user at about $120/year in cashback. That aligns with light to moderate usage.

A regular online shopper spending around $500/month through Rakuten, clothing, household items, electronics, occasional travel, at an average 3–5% rate across purchases would earn $180–300/year before any bonuses.

Heavy users and travel bookers who funnel most of their online spending through Rakuten and prioritize higher-rate categories can earn $500+ annually. Travel cashback at 6–8% on hotel bookings moves the needle fast.

Rates vary significantly:

• Walmart: typically 1–3%
• Macy’s: typically 3–5%
• Sephora: typically 6–10%
• Hotels.com, Booking.com: often 4–8%
• Smaller specialty retailers: sometimes 10–15%

During Cyber Week (Black Friday through Cyber Monday) and other promotional periods, rates on major retailers frequently double. If you have any large purchases planned, check Rakuten before you buy.

The signup bonus

New members who sign up with a referral link and make at least $50 in qualifying purchases within 90 days receive a $50 bonus. That bonus stacks on top of whatever cashback you earned on those purchases.

Making $50 in qualifying purchases at any of Rakuten’s 3,500+ partners is not a high bar. If you sign up and then buy something you were already planning to buy, even a $50 Amazon order, you collect the bonus.

Cashback stacks with other discounts

This is Rakuten’s strongest feature that most people miss: cashback stacks on top of almost everything else.

You can combine Rakuten cashback with:

• Credit card rewards (including cash-back credit cards)
• Store sales and clearance prices
• Coupon codes
• Store loyalty programs

Rakuten doesn’t block coupon use. A Macy’s order with a 30% off promo code, a 5% Rakuten cashback rate, and a 2% cashback credit card gives you all three discounts simultaneously.

The quarterly payout timing

The delay between earning and receiving cashback is Rakuten’s main friction point. You earn cashback in January. It confirms in February, and you get paid in May. That’s a 4-month lag on some purchases.

For most people. This is a non-issue, it’s free money arriving on a schedule. If you’re mentally tracking every purchase and expecting immediate payback, the wait can feel frustrating.

The other consideration: if you return a purchase, the associated cashback is reversed. Don’t spend money you haven’t received yet.

The browser extension vs. the website

The browser extension is the easiest way to use Rakuten consistently. When you’re on a partner retailer’s website, a popup appears showing the current cashback rate and activating it automatically. You don’t have to remember to go through Rakuten first.

The extension does collect browsing data as part of how it detects partner sites. If that’s a concern, you can use the website version instead. It just requires the extra step of visiting rakuten.com first before clicking through to the retailer.

Is Rakuten legit?

Yes. Rakuten has been paying out cashback since 1999 (originally as Ebates). They’re owned by Rakuten Inc., a major Japanese tech company. Payments are reliable and well-documented in the cashback community. There are no significant complaints about withheld payments or closed accounts.

The most common user complaint is cashback not tracking properly when you visit the retailer site first and then go through Rakuten, the retailer’s cookie wins, so Rakuten doesn’t get credit for the referral. Always start from Rakuten and click through to the store. Don’t navigate there first and then come back.

Bottom line

Rakuten is one of the easiest wins in personal finance. You’re not doing extra work, you’re not changing what you buy, and you’re not dealing with sketchy rebate systems. You install a browser extension, shop where you already shop, and receive a check four times a year.

For a typical online shopper, $100–300/year is realistic with minimal effort. For heavier spenders, especially those booking travel online. It climbs from there.

If you’re not using it, the $50 signup bonus alone makes signing up worth 10 minutes of your time.

Sign up for Rakuten and get your $50 bonus

Frequently asked questions

Does Rakuten work with Amazon? Yes, but at a low rate, typically 1–3% on eligible purchases. Not every Amazon product qualifies, and certain categories are excluded. The Rakuten browser extension will show you the current rate when you’re on Amazon.

Can I use Rakuten and a cashback credit card at the same time? Yes. Rakuten cashback stacks with your credit card rewards. You earn both simultaneously.

Why didn’t my cashback track? The most common reason is visiting the retailer’s site before clicking through Rakuten. The retailer’s existing cookie takes priority. Always start your shopping session from Rakuten. Also. Some ad blockers can interfere with tracking, you may need to whitelist Rakuten.

How long do I have to wait for my money? Cashback typically confirms 30–90 days after purchase (after the return window closes). Then it pays out in the next quarterly cycle. From purchase to payment can be 2–6 months depending on timing.

Is there a mobile app? Yes. Rakuten has iOS and Android apps. They function the same as the website for activating cashback before you shop. The in-store cashback feature (link a credit card, shop in-store, earn cash back) is available for select retailers through the app.