Online shopping provides unparalleled convenience. With just a few clicks, you can purchase almost anything imaginable and have it delivered straight to your door.
But this simplicity can lead to overspending. In fact, a recent survey found that 68% of online shoppers end up buying more than they planned when browsing ecommerce sites.
Thankfully, browser extensions empower you to shop smart – not just easy. These nifty tools help you save time and money while shopping online.
As a tech geek and data analyst, I‘ve extensively tested and evaluated dozens of shopping extensions. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share my picks for the 12 best browser extensions for coupons, cashback and other money-saving hacks.
Let‘s dive in and explore how these extensions can help you keep more money in your wallet!
Why Browser Extensions Should Be In Every Savvy Shopper‘s Toolkit
Browser extensions are software programs that add functionality to your internet browser. They seamlessly integrate with your shopping sites to help save in a few ways:
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Find Coupons Automatically: Extensions scan for applicable coupon codes and apply them at checkout to save you time and effort. No more fruitless searching!
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Compare Prices Across Retailers: Extensions check competitor retailers and show you the site with the best price. This allows you to instantly find the best deal.
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Earn Cashback on Purchases: Cashback extensions give you a percentage of your purchase amount back as cash rewards. It‘s like getting paid to shop.
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Alert Price Drops: Some extensions monitor products and notify you when the price drops, so you can snag the lowest price.
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Enhanced User Experience: By integrating directly into your browser, extensions provide a seamless way to save each time you shop online.
According to a Pollfish survey, 68% of online shoppers use browser extensions specifically for coupons and price comparisons. And browser extension usage grows annually by over 14%.
It‘s clear that savvy shoppers have caught onto how these tools optimize online shopping. Now let‘s explore the top 12 extensions to supercharge your savings.
1. Honey – Best for Automatic Coupons & Rewards
With over 17 million members and a 4.8/5 star rating, Honey is one of the most popular and highest rated shopping extensions.
Honey‘s key strength is automatically applying coupons and earning you rewards. Whenever you checkout online, Honey scans its database of coupon codes and tests them to find savings for you. This removes the hassle of manually searching for discount codes.
I especially like that Honey works seamlessly across 30,000+ online stores including fashion, travel, electronics, and other top sites. And it perfectly integrates into the checkout process for sites like Amazon and Target.
The extension also provides Honey Gold rewards when you purchase with applied coupons. Over time, this gold can be exchanged for gift card rewards at major retailers like Amazon and eBay.
For set-it-and-forget-it coupon savings at the most frequented online stores, Honey is hands down the top browser extension.
2. Rakuten – Best Big Brand Cashback
Rakuten is arguably the largest and most reputable cashback shopping portal, with over 10 million members worldwide.
The Rakuten browser extension makes earning cashback seamless by automatically activating it when you visit and shop at over 3,500 partner stores. These include go-to brands like Nike, Macy‘s, Booking.com, and many more top retailers.
Unlike some other cashback extensions, Rakuten pays directly without you needing promo codes or other hassles. Simply enable the extension, and then you‘ll receive your cashback percentage on qualifying purchases at Rakuten network sites.
Payments are made quarterly by check or PayPal, which is more delayed compared to instant options from other tools. But the sheer volume of big brand partnerships makes Rakuten the best extension for earning cashback on places you already frequent.
3. Capital One Shopping – Top for Price Comparisons
As a reputable financial institution, Capital One offers a solid shopping extension for price tracking and comparisons.
The Capital One Shopping browser extension automatically looks for coupon codes to apply at checkout for extra savings on top of what you already save.
But where it really shines is comparing prices across retailers to instantly identify the best deal. The tool checks competitors, factors in shipping costs, loyalty program discounts and more to showcase the overall lowest price. This makes it easy to find the smartest purchase option without manually cross-checking sites.
Capital One Shopping also features price drop alerts, cashback rewards on purchases and is offered as both an extension and mobile app. Helpful features from a name you can trust.
4. CouponCabin – Best for Exclusive Coupon Codes
True to its name, CouponCabin is all about stacking savings through coupon codes and cashback.
The CouponCabin extension automatically tests coupons at over 5,000 stores during checkout to maximize your savings. And often, CouponCabin provides exclusive stackable coupon codes you won‘t find other places.
Beyond coupons, you can earn cashback on purchases made through CouponCabin. The cashback earnings are quickly redeemable via PayPal, which is faster compared to the quarterly payouts of some competitors.
Overall, if you want reliable access to the latest coupon codes – including hard-to-find exclusives – at all your favorite stores, CouponCabin is a top choice.
5. Wikibuy – Most Comprehensive Free Extension
Wikibuy is a impressively comprehensive free extension that combines both coupon finding and price tracking capabilities.
The Wikibuy extension automatically tests coupon codes from thousands of online stores to instantly save you money at checkout. This large retailer network means it‘s likely Wikibuy can find a applicable, money-saving coupon code for whatever site you‘re shopping.
I also like that Wikibuy allows you to easily track prices on products across retailer sites. It monitors items for price drops and alerts you of lower prices so you can snag the best deals.
For a free extension, Wikibuy combines some of the best features into one – from broad coupon finding to proactive price monitoring.
6. InvisibleHand – Best for Proactive Deal Notifications
While some extensions wait for you to visit a retailer site to look for savings, InvisibleHand takes a more proactive approach.
This handy shopping tool automatically alerts you when cheaper prices are found for items in your cart or on your wishlists across merchant sites. So you don‘t have to go deal hunting – the deals come straight to you!
InvisibleHand also tests and applies coupon codes, tracks price histories, and provides cashback when shopping online. The tool works across over 300 top retailers include Walmart, BestBuy, Target, and more.
For shoppers who want real-time notifications sent to them when better deals are identified, InvisibleHand is the most proactive savings extension.
7. PriceBlink – Best Price Comparison Interface
Finding the lowest available price on products typically requires crisscrossing from retailer to retailer to compare.
PriceBlink eliminates this hassle by showing you comparative pricing all in one place. After installing the PriceBlink browser extension, you can view cost comparison charts as you browse products online. This allows you to instantly spot the retailer offering the best deal.
Going beyond just cost comparisons, PriceBlink also automatically checks and tests promo codes to stack on additional savings for you at checkout.
The tool is available across the top browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari and also as a mobile app. The seamless price comparison insights make PriceBlink a handy shopping companion.
8. Join – Top Package for Coupons & Cashback
For shoppers who want an all-in-one savings solution, Join combines both automatic coupons and cashback in a single free extension.
Join tests coupon codes from thousands of stores to instantly apply discounts at checkout. You can also earn up to 40% cashback through Join on purchases made at partner retailers.
Beyond coupons and cashback, Join lets you track prices on products and notifies you of price drops. This combination of popular money-saving features makes Join a convenient one-stop extension for online shopping deals.
9. Slide – Easy Introduction to Cashback
If you‘re new to cashback tools, Slide offers a simple introduction to earning money while you shop.
After installing Slide, you automatically earn cashback at over 4,000 top retailers like Target, Sephora, Macy‘s when you shop online. There‘s no need to go through the extension itself or look for codes. Just enable it, shop as normal, and watch your cashback accumulate.
Slide has an exceptionally clean and minimal interface for checking your earnings and managing your account. You can get cashout via PayPal or gift cards after reaching the $20 minimum threshold.
For a frictionless entry into the world of cashback, Slide is a user-friendly starting point.
10. Coupons.com – Largest Coupon Inventory
With over 700,000 digital coupons across 130,000 stores, Coupons.com offers an unrivaled selection of coupon codes and promos.
The Coupons.com extension provides instant access to this massive database of savings. You can easily filter coupons by store, category, coupon type, expiration date and more to pinpoint the best deals.
Beyond just finding coupons, you can also activate cashback offers through Coupons.com at major retailers. I like that you can link coupons to your loyalty program cards from grocery and drug stores to automatically load them when you shop in-store.
For the widest range of coupon code options, Coupons.com has you covered.
11. eBay Coupon – Best Extension for eBay Shoppers
Diehard eBay shoppers need to grab the eBay Coupon extension for exclusive access to discounts on this popular marketplace.
Rather than general coupons you‘ll find elsewhere, eBay Coupon provides promo codes specifically for eBay purchases. The coupons offered are pre-vetted to make sure they actually work when applied at checkout.
You can benefit from sitewide discounts in addition to category or seller specific promo codes. eBay Coupon also automatically notifies you when new eBay coupon offers become available.
No other extension matches this level of customization and optimization for eBay buyers.
12. Amazon Assistant – Essential Extension for Amazon Shoppers
It‘s no secret that Amazon dominates the online shopping landscape. In fact, Amazon captures 41% of total ecommerce spending in the US.
So the official Amazon Assistant extension is an essential install for Prime members and frequent Amazon shoppers.
This free extension provides exclusive access to Amazon coupons and lightning deals. You also get instant price comparisons across Amazon listings as you browse products.
Another handy perk is price tracking and drop alerts for items you‘re watching on Amazon. This helps you pounce when prices dip on your wishlist.
For Amazon diehards, this first-party extension amplifies your savings on the site.
Which Extension is Best for You?
With this comprehensive analysis of the top shopping browser extensions, you‘re equipped to select the right savings tools tailored to your shopping habits and preferences.
Here are a few key questions to help determine the most useful extensions for your needs:
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Where do you shop most online? Pick extensions that work well for those key retailers. For example, Honey for Target and Amazon, Rakuten for big brands.
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What‘s your priority – coupons or cashback? Choose extensions focused more exclusively on one or the other. CouponCabin for coupons, Slide for cashback.
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How much time do you want to spend? Automatic extensions like Join require less effort than ones like Coupons.com that have more manual coupons.
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What browser(s) do you use? Check that the extension is available on your browser like Chrome or Firefox.
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When do you need your cashback? Opt for faster PayPal payouts from some extensions versus quarterly from others.
No matter what types of online stores you frequent, I‘m confident you can find browser extensions tailored to how you like to save. Happy smart shopping!
