7 Apps to Help You Cut Costs on Groceries

Making the most of your grocery budget is a great way to enjoy a feast without breaking the bank. You can still enjoy gourmet items and stock up on staples if you know how to shop the sales. Whether you want to get notified when something you love is going on sale or save a buck at checkout, apps make “clipping” coupons and bargain hunting digital. You won’t need to cart around papers or circulars to find out how to save. Just pull your phone out of your pocket instead.

Downloading one of these apps can help you capture extra savings. Some are store-specific, while others can be used almost anywhere that you grocery shop. They use different models, including cash back, rebates that provide savings after you make a purchase, and coupons that give discounts right at the register. If you really want to get the best deals, peruse a few apps while making your grocery list to find out which stores have the best prices. Here are the best apps for saving money on groceries.

One of the best ways to get great deals on groceries at places that you’re already going is to use the store app. Safeway, Giant, Wegmans, Albertsons, and Kroger are just a few of the stores that have their own apps. You may need to sign up for a store loyalty program, but most are free to use. Not all stores have loyalty programs or apps, however. Case in point: Trader Joe’s never offers discounts or a loyalty program.

The downside is that each store with an app uses a separate interface, so you have to go back and forth between multiple apps on your phone. If you’re a dedicated bargain hunter, you may even need to make a plan about which products you’ll get at each store for the best deal. This can take extra time, but it’s a great way to enjoy savings.

When shopping at Whole Foods, you can save 10% off sale prices if you’re an Amazon Prime member by downloading the app and connecting your account. Target’s app lets you browse by the type of items that you need and sign up for extra savings through Target Circle. Costco’s app is a must-have upgrade for shoppers. It shares promotions that are already going on in the store (you don’t need an app to take advantage of those), plus online-only deals. You can also keep your membership card digital using the Costco app, which can make the shopping experience smoother.

If you want to earn rewards when purchasing groceries, Ibotta is a fantastic app to download. It gives cash back on purchases you would already be making, as long as they are included in the rebate. You can search before your shopping trip to see what items have a rebate, either from the manufacturer or from the grocery store. One of the most helpful features is the ability to search by store. If you know you’re planning a trip to Aldi, you can filter out any products that aren’t carried on the store shelves. However, pay close attention to the size and type requirements, since some of the savings are hyper-specific. Even if you get the same product in another size or flavor, it may not be compatible and won’t scan correctly on the app. 

All you have to do is scan your receipt to get money credited to your account. You can cash out once your account hits a minimum — usually within a shopping trip or two for most customers. You’ll have to buy items at the normal price, however, so be prepared to spend a little more upfront. The nice thing is that Ibotta gives you actual cash back, not just points or gift cards.

If you want to maximize your savings, use Ibotta to help build an efficient grocery list. Add items that you’re going to get cash back on, but be sure that they are products that you will actually use.

Similar to Ibotta, Checkout 51 gives you rebates on your purchases. After you scan in your receipt, you can get cash back credited to your account. Once you hit a minimum balance, just cash out and get the money transferred to your bank.

Checkout 51 tends to have more manufacturer rebates compared to Ibotta, which is heavier on store-specific offers. But both are very similar and can be used at the same time. However, you can’t get cash back on a single item twice, since once you get the rebate code activated, the item won’t be eligible for a rebate anywhere else. Even so, it’s a good idea to check multiple apps, including Checkout 51, for rebates often. 

Using Checkout 51 involves a lot of receipt uploading, but it is a great way to make the most of your savings. You’ll have to wait for your receipt to process and be approved, which might take a day or two. But you’ll have an idea of your savings once you activate offers and make purchases, provided that you purchase the required item in the right size or quantity. Checkout 51 also has rebates and savings on gas, so don’t forget to check your app when you fuel up on your way home from the grocery store.

Some of the best deals at the grocery store are in the weekly flyer, so make sure you pick one up if savings is a top priority. If you don’t like browsing through sale ads to figure out where you should shop, however, Flipp is a good alternative since the app does all of the work for you. The app puts everything in one place and finds out where the best deals are, taking a lot of the work out of the process. All of the circulars that you would normally browse online, pick up at the store, or get delivered in the mail are in one spot. Put in your zip code to get customized recommendations for stores in your area, saving money on gas required to run around as well.

Take advantage of special deals and sales at your grocery store by using Flipp’s notification system. You can also make a shopping list, and Flipp will figure out where you should pick up each item for the best price.

This app doesn’t provide cash back or rewards, however. It just helps you save money from the start with bargain hunting. You can start with Flipp to find the best prices, then still upload your receipts for purchases made to another app like Ibotta or Checkout 51 if any of your items are eligible for rebates.

There aren’t as many grocery stores on Rakuten, but you can get in the habit of finding deals when you use this app. Just go onto the app, then click on the store that you want to shop at. You’ll be redirected to the normal shopping interface, but you get a percentage back in the form of a reward. This is given either as a check or a PayPal transfer. So the next time that you plan to stock up on snacks for the big game or make tasty apps before a dinner party for your friends, start at Rakuten and let the app reroute you to your chosen store for the purchase.

Safeway, Food Lion, and Giant are just a few of the mainstream stores that participate. Some only approve cash back for online purchases, while others allow in-store receipt uploads as well. You do need to purchase something in order to get rewards. Sometimes it applies to a particular product, and other deals are storewide. There is generally a cap, and it can take a while for your rewards to add up. You can only cash out every quarter, so be prepared to wait to actually see any rewards come back to you. However, if you’re getting cash back on things you would be purchasing anyway, you may as well go through Rakuten to get a little something back.

There aren’t a ton of grocery stores on Retail Me Not, but you can still find a few spots to save if you look through the app. It may take a bit more searching, and the rewards tend to be a bit lower compared to other apps built for grocery store savings. Not all of the offers provide cash back or rewards, however. Some just show existing sales or promotions that you can take advantage of when shopping. This is a great way to know when it’s time to stock up on grocery staples that you’d be purchasing in the future.

Most rewards come from savings codes, which you’ll use when you check out online. You can get cash back on products or a percentage off your order. Some of the deals redirect you to a store website or circular where sales or promotions are listed. But it generally means no time required for uploading receipts or keeping track of specific items.

A lot of the biggest deals are at stores other than supermarkets, so this will likely be one of your less frequently used apps if you’re looking for grocery-specific offers. But it doesn’t hurt to check occasionally, especially if you’re shopping online for delivery or curbside pickup. You can also find frequent deals on meal services.

Shopkick has a lot of offers on everything from grocery purchases to videos. If you are more of an online shopper, this app will cater to you and still includes plenty of offers. It isn’t specifically grocery store-focused, but it still includes offers on products from brands like Heinz, Kellogg, and Barilla. It doesn’t have quite as many grocery items as some other apps, but it still offers a decent selection of staples. There are also plenty of household goods items, like paper goods and soap, that you may be picking up when you do your grocery shopping.

You’ll earn rewards, which the app calls “kicks,” when you snap pictures of your purchases and receipts at the grocery store. You can even earn a few “kicks” just by walking into the store or scanning items on the shelves, no purchase necessary. You get even more when you purchase certain products and upload your receipt, similar to Ibotta and Checkout 51’s model. Before you go shopping, double-check that your Bluetooth is on and that the app can connect to get credit for the things you do in the store.

You can also use this app at other retailers besides just grocery stores. If you’re an enthusiastic shopper, it can definitely pay (in the form of gift cards or cash back) to use Shopkick.