Rakuten Canada has long been one of Canada's favourite cash back sites, thanks to its wide range of over 750 retail partners and legit cash back opportunities. Over the last 10 years, it’s paid out more than $100 million to Canadians, which shows how popular Rakuten Canada really is.
Originally launched as Ebates before being acquired and rebranded by Rakuten in 2014, the platform keeps things simple: shop through Rakuten’s links and earn cash back on your purchases. With retail partners including big names like Amazon, Lululemon and Temu, and multiple cash-out options, it’s an easy, low-effort way to put cash back in your pocket while doing your everyday shopping.
Related links:
Rakuten Canada features
Here are just some of the benefits you can get when doing your online shopping through Rakuten:
Verified on August 29, 2025
Why You Want It
Earn cash back with over 750 retail partners + $5 sign up bonus.
Special Features
- Link a credit card and get cash back when shopping in-store
- Rakuten Button browser extension provides automatic cash back alerts
- Impressive $30 referral bonus
Provinces
ALL
Features
Monthly Fee
$0
Mobile App
Available Retailers Estimate
750
Pay Via Cheque?
Pay Via PayPal?
Pay Via Amazon?
Pay Via Gift Cards?
Pay Via Electronic Fund Transfer?
Minimum Balance To Cash Out
$5.01
Pay Frequency
After a certain amount of time
Limited Payment Wait
Quarterly
Welcome Bonus
$5
Welcome Bonus End Date
N/A
Refer A Friend Offer
30
Rakuten Canada product rating: 5.0 stars
A Rakuten Canada review isn't complete without discussing how easy it is to earn cash back. Their mobile app is fairly highly rated and makes it even easier to shop – and to earn money while you do so. You even have the ability to link a credit card for cash back when shopping in person, so you're no longer limited to online purchases only.
It's little wonder that they've remained one of the most popular cash back services for so long.
But is this all too good to be true? It is frustrating that the cash back is only paid out on a quarterly basis. And really, do we need more reasons to buy things we don't need? While Rakuten Canada does add value to the shopping you already need to do, it also creates opportunities for needless spending.
Learn more about our rating methodology.
The pros of Rakuten Canada
There's a lot to like about this product, but here are the highlights of our Rakuten Canada review.
Pros
It's so easy to earn free money
Whether you need to renew your Disney+ subscription, order flowers for a loved one, or collect back-to-school essentials for the kids, doing your shopping through the Rakuten Canada site or app will earn you extra cash. It's just that simple. Actually, it's even more simple if you choose to add the Rakuten Button (a browser extension) or link a credit card so you can shop and earn in-store, in person. The earning potential is nearly endless.
More than 750 partnering stores and services
750 is a staggeringly large number. A look at the Rakuten Canada site shows its long list of partners is broken up into 16 departments that range from baby supplies to vacation bookings. That's right, they're not all stores – you can subscribe and save on newspaper subscriptions, open accounts with financial institutions like KOHO, and even find real estate agencies.
Browse and earn with the Gift Card Shop
On top of its long, long list of shopping partners, Rakuten Canada also has a page it calls the Gift Card Shop. Here, users can purchase gift cards of nearly any denomination from all kinds of Canadian retailers and companies. From Air Canada to Zehrs, you'll be able to find the gift card you need here, earn cash back when you buy it, and have it shipped to you at no cost. The amount of cash back ranges per gift card.
Welcome bonus and referral program
A $5 welcome bonus awaits anyone who signs up with Rakuten Canada. There's also an impressive referral bonus – a bonus that's gone up in recent years from $25 to $30. When a friend or family member uses your referral link, you both earn when they make their first purchase. And there's no limit to how many times you can earn this bonus, so you'll want to share it with everyone you know.
The cons of Rakuten Canada
Of course, nothing is perfect. Here are a few areas where we think Rakuten Canada could improve.
Cons
Rewards are only paid out 4 times per year
Unfortunately, no matter how much cash back you rake in during a shopping session, you'll have to wait to cash out your earnings. Rakuten Canada provides cash back payments on a quarterly basis and on specific dates: May 15, August 15, November 15, and February 15. This can be frustrating when you've gone out of your way to do your shopping through Rakuten so you can earn. Delayed gratification isn't always fun.
Tricky exceptions for cash back purchases
Naturally, you won't earn cash back on sales tax or shipping costs, but Rakuten also doesn't provide cash back for items you pick up in-store, even if the purchase was made online. But there's also a list of store-specific exceptions for cash back, and these can be hard to remember. For instance, you won't earn cash back on any add-ons you order with your purchase from 1800Flowers.
Cash back amounts change without notice
While it might not be surprising to hear that cash back amounts from Rakuten Canada partners can change on a daily basis, it's still frustrating. If you see that a partner retailer is currently offering a large cash back amount on an item you've been saving up for, but when you go to purchase the item a few days later and find the cash back value has plummeted, you're going to be disappointed. These changes would be more palatable if they were on a set schedule or if there were warning emails sent.
Rakuten Canada alternatives
Rakuten isn’t new and there are other options in Canada, like Great Canadian Rebates.
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account | Rakuten | GeniusCash | Great Canadian Rebates | Swagbucks |
| Genius Rating | ||||
| Why You Want It | Earn cash back with over 750 retail partners + $5 sign up bonus. | Earn up to $250 in bonus cash back + Level up your money & rewards. | Get a $3 sign up bonus + Refer a friend and earn 25% of their rewards. | Earn free gift cards for shopping online + Also earn for web searches and games. |
| Monthly Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Mobile App | | | | |
| Available Retailers Estimate | 750 | 20 | 900 | 1,500 |
| Pay Via Cheque? | | | | |
| Pay Via PayPal? | | | | |
Show More | ||||
| Apply Now See more Rakuten products Compare | Apply Now See more GeniusCash products Compare | Learn More See more Great Canadian Rebates products Compare | Learn More See more Swagbucks products Compare |
People also viewed...
FAQ
What is Rakuten Canada?
Rakuten Canada is a cash back site with a long list of partnering businesses and services. When you join Rakuten, you earn cash back for using its links and making purchases with its partners. The cash back is paid out on a quarterly basis as either a cheque or PayPal deposit. You can see Rakuten Canada's various features laid out here.
How does Rakuten Canada work?
All of the partnering retailers and services you see listed on the Rakuten Canada site provide commission to Rakuten. So when users click on Rakuten's links and make purchases, Rakuten earns a commission on the sales. This commission is then funnelled back to Rakuten Canada's shoppers in the form of cash back bonuses.
Is Rakuten Canada legit?
Yes, Rakuten is a legitimate cash back website that will give you real money. Just don't expect it to be instant cash back in your account – you'll only get paid out 4 times a year. You can read here for more about this and other details to watch out for with Rakuten Canada.
Where can I find the Rakuten Canada login?
If you head to the Rakuten Canada home page, you'll see "Sign In" and "Join Now" options in the top right corner of the home page. You can also download and use the Rakuten Canada mobile app, which is available for both Apple and Android devices.
Rating methodology
To calculate our Genius Ratings, we compare the features of the account or product in question with other similar products in Canada. We give each feature a score out of 5 based on that comparison. Once we’ve rated all the features, we run them through our proprietary algorithm to produce a final rating out of 5.
Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone, and is not endorsed or sponsored by a bank, credit card issuer, rewards program or other entity. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website.
Hot Money Deals This Month
- Get even more cash back with exclusive offers only available on the GeniusCash app
- Explore bigger GeniusCash offers that you won't find anywhere else.
- Connect your credit cards and unlock bonus cash.
- Explore customized recommendations to level up your rewards.
- Refer your friends and family to earn bonus levels and extra cash back.
- Take control of your money with a full-featured chequing account + $50 GeniusCash
- Get up to $500 in cash when you open a new account, complete specified actions, and open 2 registered investment accounts.
- Unlimited free transactions – including debit and Interac e-Transfers®.
- Earn Scene+ points on every debit transaction.
- $50 GeniusCash on approval – ends Oct 31, 2025.*.
- Unlimited transactions + Free identity theft protection + $125 GeniusCash
- Unlimited transactions and Interac e-Transfers.
- Free identity theft protection and access to Coursera online learning.
- $125 GeniusCash on approval – ends Oct 31, 2025.*.
- Trade over 200 cryptocurrencies with the best crypto exchange in Canada + $75 GeniusCash
- Trader fee discounts for active traders.
- No fees to fund your account with Interac e-Transfers.
- Access to plenty of educational resources for free.
- $75 GeniusCash on approval – ends Oct 31, 2025.*.
- Bonus: Get one of the lowest brokerage rates from an online broker from a Big 5 Bank →
