I tested ShopSmarter to see if its cashback offers are worth it. It is legit and pays 10% cashback at more than a thousand stores, but you pay a monthly membership fee for it. Below is what I found, and which free cashback sites I recommend instead.
Tested by Mikael (EarnWithMike)Founder and lead testerMikael founded PaidFromSurveys in 2016 and has personally tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites since then. He shows his tests and payment proof to 555K+ subscribers on his YouTube channel, EarnWithMike. He tested ShopSmarter himself and does not earn a commission from it.Learn more about Mikael
Last retested · First published
Legit, but you pay a monthly fee for cashback you can get free elsewhere
10% cashback at more than a thousand stores, paid automatically. The membership fee eats most of it.
On this page
The short answer
ShopSmarter is legit. You can really earn cashback rewards from its offers, at a fixed 10% rate, at more than a thousand stores.
But you have to pay a monthly membership fee ($12.97 when I tested it). You need to spend around $130 a month just to break even. There are a lot of good cashback sites that offer free membership, so there are simply better options out there.
- Offers a decent cashback rate
- No payout threshold
- Processes payments automatically
- More than a thousand stores
- You must pay to become a member
- Long wait time to receive earnings
- The free trial charges your card automatically if you do not cancel
- Only available in the US and Canada
My experience with ShopSmarter
I went through the ShopSmarter sign-up, the cashback offers in the member dashboard, the payout options and the support options. This is what I looked at, and what I did not test.
- First tested
- September 2024Review first published Sep 23, 2024
- Latest retest
- Checked: cashback offers, fee, payouts, support
- Membership fee
- $12.97 a monthWhen I was testing it
- Cashback rate
- 10%Fixed, on every offer
- The registration form and the membership options
- The cashback offers in the member dashboard
- The member dashboard on a phone
- The FAQ and the Contact Us page
- A cashback payout. My review does not show a payment from ShopSmarter.
- The phone hotline.
Inside ShopSmarter
These screenshots show the cashback offers, the member dashboard on mobile and the sign-up.
Screenshots from my test
ShopSmarter at a glance
| What it is | Paid cashback site |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | A monthly membership fee: $12.97 when I tested it. A 7-day free trial is available. |
| Ways to earn | Cashback offers only |
| Cashback rate | A fixed 10% of your order subtotal, after discounts, without taxes, shipping and fees |
| Stores | More than a thousand |
| Minimum cashout | None. Payments are automatic. |
| Payout methods | PayPal or check by postal mail |
| Payout timing | The 15th day of the following month |
| App | No app. The member dashboard is optimized for mobile. |
| Who can join | US and Canada only |
| Support | FAQ, a contact form, and a 24/7 phone hotline on the Contact Us page |
Is ShopSmarter legit and safe?
Yes, ShopSmarter is legit. You can really earn cashback from its offers. But it costs money every month. Here is what you should know.
- The fee eats your cashback
With 10% cashback and a monthly fee, you need to spend around $130 a month just to break even. You only profit if you spend quite a bit.
- The free trial charges your card
The 7-day trial is free, but ShopSmarter automatically charges your credit or debit card when it ends. Cancel before the trial ends if you do not want to become a member. If you see a charge you did not expect, contact ShopSmarter support, or contact your bank and block the payment.
- You wait for your cashback
Cashback is paid on the 15th day of the following month. Cancelled orders and returned products do not earn cashback.
- Always start from the dashboard
Access the online store through ShopSmarter’s dashboard. That is the only way it can track your purchase and give you the cashback.
My takeIf it weren’t for the monthly membership fee you have to pay, ShopSmarter would be a better cashback site. It’s a bit counterintuitive to have to pay just to get access to cashback offers. There are a lot of good cashback sites that offer free membership, so why would you pay to be a member of one?
ShopSmarter charges a monthly fee. These cashback sites are free to join.
See the best cashback sitesHow you earn on ShopSmarter
There is only one way to earn: cashback offers.
Cashback offers10% of your subtotal
Log in to the member dashboard and browse the stores with cashback offers. There are more than a thousand, including a good number of popular stores.
Every offer pays a fixed 10% of your order subtotal: the cost of your purchase minus taxes, shipping and handling, and other fees. If you use a coupon, the 10% is calculated after the discount. The cashback is credited as long as you don’t cancel the order or return the product.
How much can you make?
It depends on how often you shop at its partner stores. But you have to subtract the monthly membership fee: $12.97 when I tested it. The fee may change, but being a member will always cost a certain amount.
With 10% cashback, you have to spend around $130 a month just to break even. That is why its earning potential is very low. If it were free to join, its earning potential would be significantly better.
Payout methods and timing
| Method | Minimum | When |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal | None | The 15th day of the following month |
| Check by postal mail | None | The 15th day of the following month |
Payments are automatic, so you don’t need to hit a threshold. I prefer PayPal, because a check is a bit of a hassle. If you want more sites that pay through PayPal, see the top sites that pay via PayPal.
Free cashback sites I have tested
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swagbucks | Many daily ways to earn, one of the biggest GPT sites | About $5 PayPal; gift cards from 100 SB | 4.3 / 5 |
| BeFrugal | Cashback in cash, with PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or bank payouts. Most shops are for the US. | $0.01 for bank deposit, PayPal, Venmo and Zelle | 3.4 / 5 |
| MyPoints | Shopping cashback and deals, from the company behind Swagbucks | $15 for PayPal and gift cards | 3.4 / 5 |
| Rakuten | A big cashback site with many shops, paid every 3 months | $5 | 3.1 / 5 |
See the best cashback sites. They all offer free membership. If you don’t want to spend money to earn, see the top survey and GPT sites in your country.
How I scored ShopSmarter
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. See how I test and rate.
ShopSmarter scores 44 out of 100. These cashback sites are free to join.
See the best cashback sitesShopSmarter FAQ
Is ShopSmarter a scam?
No. ShopSmarter is a legit cashback site. But you have to pay a monthly fee, and there are free cashback sites.
How much does ShopSmarter cost?
It was $12.97 a month when I tested it. The fee may change. There is a 7-day free trial.
How do I stop ShopSmarter charging me?
Cancel before the 7-day trial ends, because it automatically charges your card afterwards. If money is taken from your account, contact ShopSmarter support, or contact your bank and block the payment.
How much cashback does ShopSmarter pay?
A fixed 10% of your order subtotal, after discounts and without taxes, shipping and fees.
How and when does ShopSmarter pay?
Automatically, through PayPal or a check by postal mail, on the 15th day of the following month. There is no threshold.
Who can join ShopSmarter?
Only people in the US and Canada.
How do I contact ShopSmarter?
Through the contact form, or by calling the hotline on the Contact Us page. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Who tested ShopSmarter for this review
Founder of PaidFromSurveys.com since 2016. Mikael has tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites and shares his tests with 555K+ subscribers on YouTube (October 2026).
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with ShopSmarter, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
I NEVER SIGNED UP FOR THIS AND YOUR TAKING MONEY OUT OF MY ACCOUNT. HOW DO I STOP THIS
You would need to contact their support about this. Or contact your bank and block the payment.