Today’s economy offers endless opportunities to earn money—from simple tasks to virtually doing nothing at all. Over recent months, we’ve explored various money-making strategies, including taking surveys and playing video games.
But what about earning money while spending it? This concept sounds almost too good to be true, yet while you won’t become wealthy, it offers a straightforward method to add extra cash to your wallet.
That’s where Shopkick comes in. You might already know apps that scan receipts. Shopkick operates partly in this space but provides additional earning opportunities through redeemable gift cards—including rewards simply for entering participating retailers.
This Shopkick review breaks down everything you need to know about the app and whether it’s worth using to earn some extra dollars.
What Is Shopkick?
Shopkick is a mobile shopping app that rewards users for both digital and physical retail activities. These activities include:
- Walking into certain stores
- Scanning items
- Making in-app purchases
- Submitting receipts
Each activity earns you “kicks”—essentially points you can accumulate and redeem for gift cards.
Some notable Shopkick partners include:
- Amazon
- Starbucks
- Best Buy
- Marshalls
- American Eagle
Beyond retail partners, Shopkick collaborates with charities like Feeding America and the Red Cross. The platform also features direct “product kicks” from major brands including Unilever and L’Oréal.
How Does Shopkick Work?
Remember Foursquare? For those unfamiliar, this platform allowed users to check-in at various locations, functioning as a social network where friends could track each other’s activities and whereabouts.
Shopkick functions similarly but strips away the social component, offering points as rewards instead.
Unlike location-based apps, Shopkick doesn’t rely on GPS. Partner businesses install specialized devices that emit inaudible sounds, which your smartphone’s microphone detects when your phone is unlocked and the app is active. This approach benefits both parties: users gain enhanced privacy and location control, while retailers ensure customers actually enter their stores (GPS allows detection from up to 1,000 feet away), creating genuine foot traffic.
How Do You Make Money With Shopkick?
Shopkick provides several avenues for earning cash rewards:
Walk-Ins (25 Kicks)
This is our favorite feature. Simply walk into a participating store—no purchase required. In mall settings, you can sometimes earn kicks just by walking past certain retailers.
Scanning In-Store Items (10+ kicks)
Use your smartphone camera to scan specific products. These items typically feature special promotions and exclusive discounts.
Scanning Receipts (100+ kicks)
Scan your receipt after completing a purchase to earn rewards.
Linking A Payment Card (200 kicks)
Connecting any credit or debit card automatically awards 200 kicks.
Visiting Online Shops (10 kicks)
Earn kicks in the digital realm by browsing online stores—but you must access them through the Shopkick app.
Watching Videos/Ads In The App (5 Kicks)
View advertisements and promotional content within the app to earn rewards.
Referral (250 Kicks)
Earn rewards when someone you refer signs up and begins using the app.
How Many Kicks Do You Need To Get A Gift Card?
The standard rate is 250 kicks equals $1 in gift cards. Therefore, $10 requires 2,500 kicks, though some cards become available at 500 kicks.
How To Earn Money Quickly On Shopkick
Several strategies can maximize your earnings. Keep the app open whenever you’re near participating stores. If you have spare time, scan products even when you’re not planning to buy them.
Set realistic expectations from the beginning—Shopkick won’t make you wealthy. However, earning a few dollars weekly through store visits and linked card purchases requires minimal effort.
Earning even $5 weekly demands consistent engagement unless you’re willing to browse numerous online stores and watch multiple videos.
Is Shopkick Legit?
While Shopkick might not be a household name, the company has operated since 2009—practically ancient in app world terms.
Today, Shopkick boasts 7.5 million active users and has generated over $2.5 billion in sales for partner brands and products.
How Does Shopkick Make Money?
Shopkick generates revenue through multiple channels. Their primary income stream involves anonymizing user shopping data and selling it to partner retailers and market research companies.
This model mirrors other receipt scanning apps and gaming reward platforms.
Additional revenue comes from partnerships, sponsorships, and promotional campaigns.
Is Shopkick Safe?
Users concerned about data privacy should proceed with caution. While data is anonymized, retailers develop detailed consumer profiles based on your activity.
The positive aspect is GPS tracking isn’t used, though the app does access your microphone—something that makes many users suspicious about phones listening.
The platform maintains robust security standards. Your identity won’t be compromised, but if targeted Facebook ads based on your Google searches already unnerve you, this app likely isn’t suitable.
Is Shopkick Worth It?
The effort required is minimal. While we wouldn’t recommend touching random products in stores given current health considerations, walking into stores to earn points remains simple.
Building significant earnings takes considerable time, so if your goal is making an extra $500 monthly or more, explore alternative options. Remember, you must keep your phone unlocked with the app active to receive credit.
The crucial element involves linking a credit card that already earns points or cash back. As one component of a broader personal finance strategy, it’s reasonably effective. Just don’t abandon your regular income source!
Pros
- Get rewarded for shopping.
- Easy to get kicks, don’t even have to walk into stores
- Simple to use
- Doesn’t use GPS so a little more private
- Huge number of partner retailers
- Linking a payment method speeds up kick process
Shopkick Cons
- Can take a long time to earn real value unless you also watch videos and do other activities
- Have to shop through their portal, which can be annoying
- Not great overall for data privacy
- Can’t redeem for actual cash.
Shopkick Alternatives
Numerous cashback and receipt apps dominate the market. From Fetch Rewards to CoinOut to Ibotta, options are virtually limitless. However, Shopkick is most frequently compared to Rakuten.
Shopkick vs. Rakuten
Rakuten leads the industry, and you’ve likely encountered their commercials or advertisements. What appeals to us about Rakuten is the streamlined process—shop through their portal and automatically receive cashback.
Another significant advantage: they provide actual cash rather than just gift cards. The same data privacy concerns apply, and you won’t earn points for physical in-store visits. Consider using Shopkick for offline shopping and Rakuten for online purchases.
Shopkick Review: The Bottom Line
Shopkick rewards everyday shopping activities. The app allows you to earn modest amounts simply by making purchases or entering stores. If you’re interested in generating small amounts of essentially passive income, it’s worth trying. However, don’t invest excessive time and energy—almost any other side hustle will deliver better returns on your effort!
