City life comes with perks—walkability, endless food options, and vibrant energy—but commuting costs can drain your budget fast. Whether you take taxis, rideshares, trains, or simply grab takeout between meetings, there’s one consistent way to lighten the load: cashback apps. These tools reward you for spending on the things you’re already doing, from hailing a cab to paying for lunch on the go.
Here are the top 10 cashback apps every urban commuter should know, including how each one can help you stretch your travel budget and daily spending.
Best for: Earning cashback on rides, fuel, food delivery, and everyday essentials.
Fluz lets you buy digital gift cards for merchants like Uber, Lyft, Chevron, Uber Eats, and Airbnb—then rewards you with instant cashback. Use it to prepay your daily commute, food runs, or even transit-friendly hotel stays. The referral program makes it even more valuable if you invite fellow commuters.
Best for: Booking travel, shopping for tech, and ordering delivery.
Rakuten’s browser extension and app offer cashback at thousands of retailers. Urban commuters can use it for cashback on Uber Eats, Grubhub, and office needs like noise-canceling headphones or a new backpack. It’s especially powerful when stacking with retailer promo codes.
Best for: Grocery shopping and convenience store stops.
Ibotta offers cashback on everyday purchases at stores like CVS, Walgreens, and grocery chains. If you pick up snacks, coffee, or cold medicine on your way to work, this app turns those pit stops into earnings. Add offers before shopping and scan your receipt afterward.
Best for: Drivers and rideshare commuters.
Upside gives cashback at gas stations, restaurants, and convenience stores. If you drive for work, carpool, or use a family car to commute, this app offsets fuel costs by giving you money back per gallon. Use in tandem with Fluz fuel gift cards for double-dipping.
Best for: Automatic cashback at partnered restaurants and services.
Dosh links directly to your card, offering seamless cashback when you spend at eligible local spots. Urban commuters benefit from walkable coffee shops, fast lunch chains, and dry cleaners—all earning passive rewards in the background.
Best for: Online shopping and restaurant delivery.
While known for finding coupons, Honey also offers cashback through its “Honey Gold” rewards program. It’s a solid supplement for commuters ordering delivery, refilling MetroCards online, or picking up transit accessories through ecommerce.
Best for: Receipt-based cashback on food and personal care.
Scan receipts from gas stations, grocery runs, and pharmacies to earn points you can redeem for gift cards. Fetch is low-maintenance and especially useful if your commute includes routine purchases like snacks, energy drinks, or coffee.
Best for: Seamless, passive cashback for in-person spending.
Pei functions like Dosh, linking to your card and automatically giving you cashback at participating locations—often restaurants, convenience stores, and small businesses. It’s set-and-forget, ideal for busy commuters who don’t want to manually activate deals.
Best for: Points-based rewards for transportation and lifestyle spending.
Drop users earn points on purchases with popular merchants like Uber, Starbucks, and Amazon. Those points can be exchanged for gift cards, including for transit-friendly stores or takeout favorites.
- GetUpside Transit Pass (coming soon in select cities)
Best for: Prepaid local transit with cashback bonuses.
Upside is expanding its features to include prepaid transit passes, allowing you to load funds for subway or bus travel while earning cashback. Watch for this rollout in cities with established public transport networks.
