It’s no secret that Amazon already offers some of the lowest prices on just about everything.

And while most of us just add an item to the cart and buy without thinking, there are even more ways to save if you set aside a few minutes of your time before hitting that “buy it now” button.

What’s known as a “cash back,” this is the process of using a third-party website or even credit card to get X% back on your purchase.  While you won’t see the money come off instantly, you will generally have to wait 30 to 45 days or so.  Regardless, it’s a way to save up to 10% all of the time.

In today’s post, I wanted to talk about the many legitimate cashback websites and credit cards that will essentially give you cashback just for shopping as you normally would.

How to Get Amazon Cash Back on Purchases

Swagbucks

Let me just put it out there:  Swagbucks is awesome.  I promote them so much on this website because I feel it’s one of the best ways to make a few extra bucks every month doing very little work.  No, you won’t get rich, but I make about $200~ a month doing surveys only.  It really adds up.

While Swagbucks is known for its surveys, you can earn “Swagbucks” for shopping as well, all of which can be redeemed for a variety of gift cards, including cash.  It works like any cashback website, wherein you click on a special link and shop as you would.  Then, when your purchase completes, you get a certain percentage back into your account.  In this case, it’s the “Swagbucks,” but you can turn it into cash, so there’s no need to worry.

As I’m about to get into later on in this guide, there are very few websites that offer cashback on Amazon, so when you do find one, you will want to book it for future reference.   I will cover them all, I promise!

And as a note, Amazon only offers cashback in certain categories most of the time, but there are quite a few, so at least look and make it a habit to check out these websites before making a purchase to get a few bucks back.

As I write this, for example, here were the rates offered by Swagbucks for Amazon and the categories accepted…

As you can see, Swagbucks will offer up to 5% cashback, however, these rates could change, so use this as a reference only for now.

• Website: Swagbucks

Ebates/Rakuten

Ebates is one of my favorite cash back shopping websites.  They work with thousands of retailers, and from my experience, they almost always offer the best cashback rates.  It’s as easy as signing up, clicking on the “shop now” link via your portal, as seen below, and shopping as you normally would.  It’s like getting paid to shop.

While they do work with Amazon, they are often limited in categories as to where you can get cashback.  This is the case for all of the companies I mention here.

For example, as I was writing this, here’s where you could get a certain percentage back…

At least checkout Ebates as the rates and categories always change.  I have seen rates as high as 10% during promotional periods, but most of the time, it’s in the three to five percent range.

Not only is Ebates awesome for Amazon cashback, but it’s also a great website to use for any online shopping as they work with just about any big-name retailer.  It’s 100% free to use!

• Website:  Ebates

Amazon Credit Card

If you don’t mind signing up for a credit card, the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card offers up to 5% cashback on all Amazon purchases if you’re a Prime member.  If not, you can still get a cool 3% back on every Amazon purchase.  There are no restrictions.

As with any credit card, the perks can really add up, especially in the cashback department, but as always, it’s so important to pay your credit card bill off in full to take full advantage.  In doing so, you can avoid the pesky interest rate fees that often wipe away any rewards you earned in the first place.

Aside from earning cashback on all Amazon purchases, you can earn 3-5% off at Whole Foods, depending on your Prime status, as well as 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% back on everything else.

If you do a lot of shopping on Amazon, the card could make sense as you could combine the many cashback websites I mentioned along with your credit card, so it could be possible to earn more than 10% back.

It’s as easy as using to get your cashback, no matter what you buy.  So, unlike the other options I mention, there will be no category restrictions.

There are no annual fees or foreign transaction fees.

• Website:  Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card

TopCashback

Topcashback is another website that works just like Ebates and may be another one to check out as their rates can sometimes be higher than that of Ebates.

Like Ebates, TopCashback offers Amazon cashback, but it will only apply to certain categories.  As I was writing this, here were the Amazon cashback rates being offered…

Granted, these rates are subject to change, but it can at least give you an idea as to what they can offer you.  Looking at it, they beat Ebates in a few categories, but not all.  This is the reason why you should compare as many cash back sites as possible to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.

Again, to use, it’s very simple.

You will create an account, find a retailer of choice and just click on the “Get Cashback” button to get X% back after your purchase.  Joining is 100% free.

• Website:  TopCashback

BeFrugal

BeFrugal is yet another cashback website I want to mention here and works just like the other two I mentioned in TopCashback and Ebates.

I did write an in-depth review in regards to this website and what I found out was that they could be okay in terms of their rates.  Nonetheless, it’s one to check out.

As you’re probably wondering, yes, there are restrictions, most of which are listed below…

Again, this can change, but I just wanted to use this graphic as a reference to show you how much you could get back shopping with Amazon online.

• Website:  BeFrugal

Mr. Rebates

As the last cashback option on this list, Mr. Rebates isn’t my favorite choice, but there are occasions where you can get the best rate.  I reviewed them in the past and what I found out is that they may be a top 5 cashback company, but their rates rarely show up at #1.  It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t avoid them, however.

Again, there are Amazon restrictions, which is said to be the case most of the time, but here were the Mr. Rebates rates at the time of writing this…

As you can see, they were competitive, but they weren’t the best.  It’s another choice to consider when comparing, but I wouldn’t put it high on my list.

I mention a lot of these cashback websites and I can’t stress it enough that it’s so important to compare.  Even a one percent difference can save you a few dollars.

• Website:  Mr. Rebates

MyPoints

MyPoints, owned by the same company as Swagbucks, also offers Amazon cashback opportunities.  And like Swagbucks, you can make money in other categories as well, such as surveys, completing offers, etc.

MyPoints will reward you with points, with the points varying dependent upon the category you choose.  Nonetheless, you can exchange these points for a variety of rewards, including cash.

The company uses an odd point exchange ratio, so you will have to use some math, but the more your gift card is worth, the more your points are valued.  In the end, every point is worth about $0.006~ in value and can be redeemed for cash.  You just have to use your math brain for a moment.

While I was writing this, these were the rates they were offering the following rates…

I’m putting them on the bottom here as the rates are too competitive and the points exchange rate is quite annoying.  But, as with all of my guides, I always do my best to include all of your options so that you can make your best judgment.

• Website:  MyPoints

Discover it® Cash Back

I did mention the Amazon credit card option above, but there’s another option on the market that offers 5% back, even if you don’ have a credit card — the Discover it® Cash Back card.

The Discover it® Cash Back offers 5% cash back at different places each quarter, with Amazon often an option.  So, while you won’t get 5% all of the time, Amazon does pop up quite a bit.

Now, the cool thing about this card is that Discover will match all of the cash back you earned at the end of the first year, essentially meaning you can earn up to 10% back.  You won’t earn it until your first year, but this could make for a great choice if you’re going to make a lot of Amazon purchases in 365 days.

Again, it’s a credit card, so if going this route, just make sure that you’re disciplined enough to pay your bill off in full to avoid any interest charges.

You can learn more about the Discover Amazon program via the link below.

• Website:  Discover it® Cash Back

Bookmark CashbackMonitor.com

Above, I mention many of the great cashback websites that work with Amazon, but sadly, I can’t update the rates constantly.  Yes, they do change a lot.

This is where CashbackMonitor.com comes into the picture.

In short, CashbackMonitor.com will monitor the many cashback websites online and will list the highest offer at that time.  It’s updated almost daily and you can even view the best rate history to see if you’re getting the best rate at the moment.

So, not only does the website work with Amazon, but they work with thousands of retailers.  Using this tool is a fantastic way to know which company is offering the best rate and is highly recommended any time you make a purchase online.

Aside from cashback websites, they also compare travel miles, credit card points, and even other reward platforms to show you how much you can earn via your online purchases.

CashbackMonitor is 100% free to use and is a fantastic tool to stay on top of the current cashback rates.

• Website:  CashbackMonitor.com

Final Thoughts

Earning cash back at Amazon is entirely possible.  You just need to know where to look as well as which categories work for your purchase.

In my opinion, the best way to go about getting cash back is by using your Amazon credit card, again, if you make a ton of purchases annually as well as any of the cashback websites mentioned prior.  Yes, you can combine the two strategies.  They all vary, so you do want to do your comparison homework ahead of time.

In following this routine, I don’t see why you can’t earn 5 to 10% or more back on your average Amazon purchase.

I’ll stress it again.  I can’t update the rates all of the time, so I just want to make it clear that comparison shopping for rates is so important.  Just make sure you check them out either individually or even refer to the CashbackMonitor.com tool to help you with your homework.  In the end, I can promise you that cashback is possible, even if it’s just 3%.