Shopkick has shut down
Shopkick, Inc. filed for relief under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on May 29, 2026, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, case number 26-10877. Chapter 7 is a liquidation rather than a reorganization, so the company is being wound up. The iOS app has been removed from the App Store and the company website now serves only the bankruptcy notice.
Treat any kicks you had saved as lost. Unredeemed points rank as an unsecured claim, behind secured lenders, employees and tax authorities, and unsecured claimants are rarely paid anything. The case docket is public under case number 26-10877. The one exception is a gift card you had already redeemed, because that balance sits with the retailer rather than with Shopkick, so the code should still work.
So this page is now the whole answer rather than a comparison. Every app below is live and paying right now.
Start with these three
Shopkick paid you in points that vanished when it closed. These three pay actual cash, and two of them pay before you have done anything at all.
Bigcash, $15 on signup
The fastest guaranteed money here. $15 is credited the moment you create an account, with no purchase and nothing to complete first. Mobile web, so there is no app to install, and it cashes out to PayPal.
Testerup, around $8 a task
App and game testing rather than shopping, and you see the payout before you start, so there is no walking into a store hoping a scan registers. $10 on signup and it pays to PayPal.
ReferralWallet, live cash bonuses
You rip a pack and claim a real cash signup bonus. The point is that it only shows offers that are genuinely running right now, which is exactly the problem with lists like this going stale when an app shuts down.
If you’re looking to make some extra side income then you’ve come to the right place. I know it’s tough out there, wages stagnant, inflation and cost of living rising all over the map!
What can you do?
Well, one thing that most people have resorted to is creating flexible sources of income. I’m not any different. I’ve tried a lot of side hustles and I’ve rounded up what I consider your best options if you used Shopkick and need somewhere to go now that it has closed.
These are some of the best apps like Shopkick. I have used most of the Shopkick alternatives out there, and these are the ones that actually still pay real money.
What was Shopkick?
Shopkick let you earn points, called kicks, just for shopping. You got them for walking through the door at stores like Walmart, Target and TJMaxx, for scanning barcodes, and for buying particular products. You then traded kicks for gift cards.
The walk in and earn mechanic was genuinely unusual, which is why nothing on the list below replicates it exactly. Nobody else pays you simply for showing up.
It ran for well over a decade before the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If you are here because the app stopped opening, that is why.
Best Apps like Shopkick
Here’s the list of the best apps like Shopkick.
Rakuten
- iPhone: 4.3, 25,932 + reviews
- Android: 4.2, 59,293+ votes
- Payment methods: Paid in gift cards or via PayPal
- Quick summary: Rakuten is the perfect way to extend your cash back opportunities wherever you go. It offers so many more opportunities to save money over Shopkick, so it is a must-have.
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) is a Shopkick alternatives where you can save up to 40% in just one tap. You can get cash back and coupons at 2,500+ stores that help you build your beer money fund.
Rakuten is my favorite way to make money when I shop online and right now they are offering a $10 sign up bonus through this link.
InboxDollars
- iPhone: 4.4, ‎106,369+ reviews
- Android: 4.2, ‎94,251+ votes
- Payment methods: Paid in gift cards or via check
- Quick summary: With InboxDollars, you can earn cash for sharing your opinion and completing surveys. Join the millions of InboxDollars members who have earned over $50 million in cash to date.
Earn cash, not points. InboxDollars pays members to read emails, take surveys online, play games, and search the web.
Overall, InboxDollars is super easy to navigate. I’ve tried other apps like Shopkick and just end up overwhelmed.
It also does a nice job of breaking down the offers into categories. And you’ll always see the amount of money you’ve earned at the top of your window, which is exhilarating!
Right now they are offering a $5 cash bonus just for joining.
Nielsen Mobile Panel
- iPhone: 4.4, 2,000+ reviews
- Android: 4.4, 13,000+ votes
- Payment methods: Gift cards, sweepstakes entries, and earn $50 per year for having the app installed on your device
- Quick summary: For installing the Nielsen App on your computer or mobile device, you will automatically be entered into sweepstakes. There are opportunities to even earn $50 per year by having their app installed for one year.
Just like Shopkick, Nielsen Mobile Panel is your opportunity to be a part of the research they do at its company. This panel helps them understand how consumers use the Internet and mobile devices by studying the websites and apps people like you visit.
By installing its app either on your smartphone or tablet, you are contributing to the measurement of the digital landscape and are eligible to earn rewards (it’s that simple). If you have the app installed and just leave it for a year, you can collect $50.
Sign up for Nielsen Mobile Panel here.
Swagbucks
- iPhone: 4.4, ‎13,674+ reviews
- Android: 4.2, ‎39,986+ votes
- Payment methods: Paid in gift cards, or cash via PayPal
- Quick summary: With Swagbucks, you can put cash back in your wallet for answering fun surveys and polls. You can also get free gift cards and cash for shopping and discovering content online. Plus, they’ll even give you a $10 welcome bonus.
Who doesn’t love Swagbucks? This app similar to Shopkick lets you earn money in so many ways like taking surveys, shopping online or playing games, but many people love racking up SB (Swagbucks) watching videos in their spare time.
Over the lifetime of their company, Swagbucks has paid out more than $250 million to its users (payment in retail gift cards) according to Insider. You can cash out your SB as gift cards to hundreds of merchants or get your cash by PayPal. Many claim this to be one of the best alternatives to the money-saving app Shopkick.
Click here to start earning money with Swagbucks.
Survey Junkie
- iPhone: 4.5, ‎17,660+ reviews
- Android: 4.3, ‎8,220+ votes
- Payment methods: Paid in gift cards, or cash via PayPal
- Quick summary: With Survey Junkie, you’ll complete easy tasks to earn cash and rewards. If you like taking fun and interesting surveys, this is a good app for you. You can earn points that can be easily be redeemed.
Survey Junkie’s interface is super smooth and intuitive (unlike the majority of survey company apps that look like they were built in 2005), and members are paid in cash via Paypal.
Oh, and Survey Junkie also has an 8.9/10 rating on TrustPilot , the highest of any online survey company.
This is one is the more reputable Shopkick alternative out there and I use it often.
Click here to start earning money with Survey Junkie.
Upside
- iPhone: 4.8, ‎‎‎79,149+ reviews
- Android: 4.6, 56,249+ votes
- Payment methods: Paid in gift cards or via PayPal
- Quick summary: Upside helps you earn cash back on gas and food. It’s a wonderful Shopkick alternative that even helps you find unbeatable deals.
Save up to 25¢/gal on gas and never pay the price on the gas station sign. Get bonus cash back deals on convenience store items and auto services (car wash, oil change, and more).
Upside is easy to use. Just open the app to see cash back offers near you, pay with any credit or debit card and take a picture of your receipt.
Earn cash back in your account and cash out whenever you want via PayPal, check or egift card.
Upside works with major gas stations like Shell, BP, Exxon and more. See gas prices near you at 10,000+ stations and earn fuel rewards with real cash back every time you fuel up.
Get started with Upside and check what it pays at the stations and restaurants you already use.
MyPoints
- iPhone: 4.2, ‎‎‎1,136+ reviews
- Android: 4.2, 1,125+ votes
- Payment methods: Paid in gift cards
- Quick summary: MyPoints is the perfect way to extend your earning opportunities wherever you go. It offers so many more opportunities to earn money over Shopkick, so it is a must-have.
Need another app that pays you real money? The MyPoints app is the perfect way to extend your earning opportunities wherever you go. Whether you want to shop at all your favorite retailers from the convenience of your phone or take surveys on the go, the MyPoints app has you covered.
Find a fancy hotel or shop for a new pair of kicks at your favorite retailer. Shopping not your bag? Like to share your opinion? Who doesn’t? Share feedback on a variety of topics including movies, TV shows, shopping experiences and even new products and services. Reward yourself with great experiences as well as free gift cards.
Best Apps like Shopkick
These best apps like Shopkick that pay you are easy to sign up for and use.
Anyone can save money through the best apps like Shopkick and have extra money to help with home renovations, pay off debt, or treat yourself to spur of the moments entertainment costs.
Being able to pay for more stuff without much effort? It sounds like a win to us.
Even though these apps can be easily used to save and make money online fast, always be wary of disclosing information like your credit card. Watch out for scams, and happy earning!
Had you had any success with these apps like Shopkick? Please share your experience in the comments below!
