I joined Rakuten and went through its cashback offers, referral program, payouts, app and support. It is a legit cashback site with plenty of offers and a $10 welcome bonus, but payouts come every 3 months and the offers are only for a few countries. Below is what I found, and which cashback sites I recommend.
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 Rakuten himself and does not earn a commission from it.Learn more about Mikael
Last retested · First published
Legit, with plenty of offers, but slow payouts
A big cashback site, formerly Ebates. Many shops and a $5 payout threshold, but payments come every 3 months and offers are for 6 countries only.
On this page
The short answer
Rakuten is a legit cashback site with plenty of cashback offers and a $10 joining bonus. If you shop online anyway, it can get you some great savings.
But the offers are only for the US, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and Japan, even though you can join from all countries. Payments are sent every three months, and the earning potential is low, because you save rather than earn. Some readers also report missing cashback.
- Plenty of cashback options
- Easy registration process
- Excellent support provided, in my experience
- Offers a great welcome bonus
- Low $5 payout threshold
- Chrome extension and app with app-only deals
- Low earning potential (as you save and do not, as such, earn)
- Only has offers for certain countries, even though you can join from all countries
- Slow payout process
- Some readers report missing or lower cashback
My experience with Rakuten
I joined Rakuten, went through its cashback offers and member dashboard, and contacted support a few times. This is what I looked at, and what I did not test.
- First tested
- October 2019Review first published Oct 31, 2019
- Latest retest
- Checked: offers, payouts, support
- Support
- Fast and helpfulI contacted them a few times when I first joined
- Registration and the member dashboard
- The cashback offers
- The referral section
- The payout options
- The mobile app
- Contacting support
- A cashback payout. My review does not show a payment from Rakuten.
- The Chrome extension.
- Gift card payouts.
My Rakuten video
In the video below, I give you an inside look at Rakuten and show exactly how it works. It does not show a payout.
Screenshots from Rakuten
Not in one of Rakuten’s 6 countries, or want faster payouts? Compare the best cashback sites.
See the best cashback sitesRakuten at a glance
| What it is | Cashback site. Formerly Ebates. |
|---|---|
| Since | 1997 |
| Members | 15+ million in the US alone |
| Cost to join | Free |
| Joining bonus | $10 when you spend at least $25 through Rakuten within 90 days |
| Ways to earn | Cashback offers, referrals |
| Minimum cashout | $5 |
| Payout methods | PayPal, check, and gift cards (Grubhub, Ulta Beauty and more) |
| Payout schedule | Every three months |
| Apps | Android and iOS, with app-only deals every week. Chrome extension. |
| Where it works | Offers for the US, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Japan. You can join from all countries. |
| Support | Help topics and a contact form |
Is Rakuten legit and safe?
Yes, Rakuten is a legit cashback site. But that does not automatically mean you should join right away. Here is what you should know.
- Some readers report missing cashback
In 2023 and 2024, several readers told me cashback did not show up, came in lower than advertised, or needed order documents for every purchase before Rakuten would look into it. Other readers in the same period were paid. Take a screenshot of an offer before you buy.
- Slow payouts
Payments are sent every three months. A check comes by post, which takes even longer. For PayPal, you are asked to verify, and the money goes to the PayPal email in your Account Settings.
- Offers for 6 countries only
You can join from anywhere, but outside the US, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Japan, registering is pretty useless.
- Only buy what you need
Cashback is a rebate on what you spend. Do not let a promised cashback decide a big purchase for you.
- Rakuten does not sell products
It links to shops. For a faulty product, contact the shop you bought it from. Nobody can open a shop on Rakuten, so be careful if someone asks you to.
My takeThe main strength of Rakuten is the volume of cashback options it offers. It is one of the best cashback sites I have seen, and if you shop online anyway, why not get savings while doing it? Just do not expect to earn a lot, and expect to wait 3 months for your money.
How you earn on Rakuten
There are 2 ways to earn. Cashback offers are the main one. Tap one to read more.
Cashback offersA % of what you spend
Click a cashback offer and Rakuten sends you to the shop, for example Amazon. When you buy something, you get a percentage of what you spent in your Rakuten account. There are offers from many shops, including hotels and booking sites.
The Rakuten Chrome extension tells you when a partner shop has a deal and applies the best coupons for you. The app has app-only deals that drop weekly.
Referral program$25 per referral
Share your referral link or send an invitation email. When your referral joins and completes one cashback offer, you get $25 in your Rakuten account. The dashboard shows which referrals qualify. You can cash out referral rewards to PayPal, like your cashback.
How much can you make?
If you expect to earn a lot, you might be disappointed. You save on what you buy, rather than earn. In my experience, you won’t earn a lot from cashback websites.
But there are so many offers that you will likely find the shops you already use. The $10 sign-up bonus is a nice head start: spend at least $25 through Rakuten within 90 days of joining.
Payout methods and minimums
| Method | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal | $5 | Sent every three months. You are asked to verify. |
| Check | $5 | Sent every three months, by postal mail |
| Gift cards: Grubhub, Ulta Beauty and more | Depends on the card | Added recently |
Cashback adds up in your Rakuten balance. Once you have more than $5, Rakuten pays you on its next payment date, every three months. The app shows the payout schedule.
What 27 readers told me
This review has 27 comments since 2021: 15 from readers and 12 replies from me. These are the things readers mention most.
Readers from 2023 and 2024 say cashback did not arrive or was lower than the offer, and support was slow to reply.
Readers were paid, by check or on the three-month schedule shown in the app.
Faulty products, offers to open a shop, and cancelling. Rakuten links to shops; it does not sell products itself.
A price that went up after clicking a rebate, and whether referral rewards go to PayPal (they do).
“I began the inquiry process via the HELP MIssing Cash Back link however the missing rebates are too many to submit one by one.”
Mikael: I agree it sounds like terrible customer service and not realistic to provide everything they ask.
“I then clicked on the Rakuten pop up for a 12%rebate and the price I was looking at increased significantly right before my eyes.”
Mikael: That sounds sketchy for sure. I have not experienced that before but definitely sounds like something to be aware of and keep an eye on.
“I have only recently signed up with Rakuten, have made purchases and received my 1st check.”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Cashback sites I have tested
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| BeFrugal | Plenty of cashback offers, with PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or bank payouts | $0.01 for bank, PayPal, Venmo and Zelle | 3.4 / 5 |
| Swagbucks | Cashback shopping plus many other daily ways to earn | About $5 PayPal; gift cards from 100 SB | 4.3 / 5 |
| Ibotta | US only. Cashback on groceries, in store and online | $20 | 3.3 / 5 |
| Fetch | US only. Scan any receipt for points | Gift cards from $3 | 3.3 / 5 |
See all the best cashback sites, including sites that pay you wherever you live.
How I scored Rakuten
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. See how I test and rate.
Rakuten scores 62 out of 100. Compare it with the other cashback sites I have tested.
See the best cashback sitesRakuten FAQ
Is Rakuten a scam?
No. Rakuten is a legit cashback site that has been around since 1997. But some readers report missing cashback, so keep proof of the offers you use.
Is Rakuten the same as Ebates?
Yes. Ebates changed its name to Rakuten. It is the same site, just with an update and a new name.
How does Rakuten pay?
Through PayPal or check, and now also gift cards. Payments are sent every three months once you have more than $5.
How do I get the $10 joining bonus?
Make purchases through Rakuten for at least $25 within 90 days of joining.
Which countries can use Rakuten?
Anyone can join, but the offers are for the US, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Japan.
Is there a Rakuten app?
Yes, for Android and iOS. It has app-only deals that drop weekly.
How do I contact Rakuten support?
Check the help topics, or use the contact form on the support page.
Who tested Rakuten 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 questions about Rakuten or experiences you would like to share, then feel free to leave a comment below – it would be great to hear from you.
I saw a Black Friday 20% off promotion for my purchases on HP.com, which convinced me to make my purchase. I received an email saying I received $206 in cashback. But since the next day, I have been unable to log into my account. I sent emails, and only received the response that a “specialist” was looking after me. Right now it’s a big REDFLAG.
Sorry to hear that. Hope they solve it soon. Keep me updated.
Something is going on with Rakuten, probably poor management. I’ve shopped for years but noticed for the last 6 months, they will change “how much” you receive from Advertised offered. Take a snapshot of an offer if you’re interested in. They may honor it. I’ve lost faith in their business practices. I’m still waiting for my CashBack at one store. I never received the 6% offer, instead they deposited only 2% offer and have not responded to my inquiries. I will never use them again.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
I found a product that I wanted to buy. I then clicked on the Rakuten pop up for a 12%rebate and the price I was looking at increased significantly right before my eyes. The price increase was significantly more than the 12% I was supposed to be saving. What is up? Seems like a bait and switch.
Thanks for sharing. That sounds sketchy for sure. I have not experienced that before but definitely sounds like something to be aware of and keep an eye on.
Reading the information above, a comment was made about having to wait three months before can receive a payment. I offer that this is not true as I have only recently signed up with Rakuten, have made purchases and received my 1st check. The check is a small one but the point of my comment here is to dis-spell the wait time of three months before your first check.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
That happened with me also. But it was timing. The first check was a little over a dollar and the second one is on the way for 40 plus dollars. They show a payout schedule on the app. It is every 3 months.
Hi Rita,
I can validate that this claim is True! I’ve been waiting for 2 months to receive my CashBack from a merchant. Rakuten told me it some times takes up to 45 days…. well, now they won’t respond to my emails after I waited! It’s definitely a SCAM! I’m won’t be using them anymore.
Rakuten used to be legit, but now they have a lot of complaints where they use excuses to not pay people and stop responding when you complain. All I can say is don’t let it their promised “cash back” influence your buying decision as I did for a Lowe’s refrigerator… because you won’t get any real help in trying to get them to honor their promise.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
I recive my payments, every 3 months.
I bought a camera which on arrival with me was faulty .. on TV, AV and P it rendered only black and white images … Only Pictogram returned colour but I was stuck with an aperture of f2. I emailed their Customer Service on numerous occasions and was told that I needed to send a video illustration of the problem. Their request made no sense to me so I asked them what should I video to show the problem … they could no tell me and told me that if I did not send the video they would pay out the seller. Their ‘scheme’ appears to be similar to the guy who called you to say they asked him to supply a crazy amount of transaction detail; It seems that claimants are given mission impossible requests to fulfil allowing this company to keep the money for the defective items; I will NEVER buy from this company again. Amazon and Ebay offer a genuine money back guarantee .
I think you have maybe confused what this review is about. Rakuten is not the platform that is doing the selling. It is a cashback platform and if you have issues with any products, you need to contact the platform you bought it on. Rakuten is just linking to platforms where you can buy products.
I bought a Dyson vacuum for approx $1000 dollars & Rakuten was suppose to give me 10% back but did not. I purchased around July of 2022. I’m giving up on getting this money back.
Sorry to hear that. Did you contact their support about this?
Mikael,
I don’t understand your comments. Do you work for Rakuten or is this your site?
I have nothing to do with Rakuten. I have just reviewed it here on my website as I love testing ways to earn online and try to help people whenever they comment or have questions.
Hello. I want to add my two cents regarding Rakuten. I have been using Rakuten since 2019 and have always questioned if I am acutally getting my rebates as promised. As of November 2022, I have been making purchases which are linked to Rakuten rebates and have noticed that I have not been receiving my rebates. There a numerous transactions in which I have not received my rebates. I began the inquiry process via the HELP MIssing Cash Back link however the missing rebates are too many to submit one by one.
I contacted customer service, here is their reply:
“For these missing orders, please send along the order confirmation pages (that include an order number, products purchased, order date, and price breakdown showing product total, shipping, tax, and method of payment) so that we can look into this matter for you.
Member Services
Rakuten.com”
I am disappointed that I have to submit documentation for all of my transactions. The whole purpose of using Rakuten is for its simplicity in making a purchase and Rakuten providing the rebate as a purchase is being made.
The fact that I now have to provide documentation to prove I made a purchase so that I can get my rebate is ridiculous. Especially since they are requesting for me to submit each request one by one.
What is the purpose if have a transaction number?
To add insult to injury, all this additional work to get only 3% max rebate?
I will no longer use Rakuten. The additional work is not worth the so call “savings”.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. First of all, I just want to let you know that some of the info you shared in your comment has not been made public due to privacy reasons. But anyway, sorry to hear about your experiences. Unfortunately, I do not really have any good advice. I agree it sounds like terrible customer service and not realistic to provide everything they ask.
I definitely understand you are choosing not to use them anymore. Unfortunately, there is not much else I can say or do.
Hi had a women contact me wanting me to open up a shop on This platform with her referral code. Should I be alarmed ? Is this a scam ? We are located in Australia ??.
You cannot as such open a shop on Rakuten, so sounds like you should be careful of believing the one that reached out to you.
I signed up and it’s not for me but they won’t let me cancel ?
I have not made any sales or anything and want to cancel but I just get ignored by customer support
I do not understand what you mean about not making sales? Rakuten is a cashback site and you do not make any sales there.
Thanks! But to be more clear, can the rewards I earn from Rakuten’s referral program be also turned into Paypal cash like what I earn from the cash offers?
Yes.