Drop App Review 2024: Pros, Cons & How It Works
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Drop has evolved over the years and now allows users to earn rewards by more than just shopping online. Enter Drop Spin, Games, Surveys and Boosts. Here's how to use them so you can earn the most.
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Every time I go to the mall, I’m reminded of why I love shopping online.
I hate sitting in traffic, trying to find a parking space, and standing in long lines. The crowds don’t generally help the experience, either.
Online shopping is the opposite. Plus, with online shopping, you can easily comparison shop to find the best possible deal. You can take your time and look for extra discounts, promo codes, or coupons without feeling rushed or claustrophobic.
Some apps have also made it easier to earn even more from your online purchases. They let you earn extra cashback on your transactions and redeem those rewards for money or gift cards.
But with so many apps on the market, it can be confusing to figure out which one is best. Read our Drop review to see if this cash-back app should join your arsenal or if you should avoid downloading it.
What is the Drop App?
Drop is an app that offers rewards when you shop and then purchase something through the app. It works on the same premise as other cash-back sites and apps and is available on both iPhone and Android devices. You can also add a credit card to your Drop profile so you’ll get credit when you shop online and in store.
Drop is an app that rewards users for spending at select retailers. Choose your top offers to earn rewards at the places you shop most often. Then spend as usual and earn cash back automatically. Exchange your points for gift cards to places like Netflix, Starbucks, and other favorites.
Show Hide moreIs the Drop App Legit?
While it is legit, The Drop app has a 2.5 out of 5 score on Trustpilot with 13 reviews. It also has an F rating from the Better Business Bureau with three reviews.
There have been 15 complaints in the last 12 months. On the other hand, Rakuten, one of Drop’s top competitors, has a 4.6 Trustpilot score with more than 12,000 reviews.
The main complaints are that rewards are hard to redeem and customer service isn’t very helpful. If you do choose to use this app, proceed with caution.
How Does Drop Work?
The Drop app works similarly to other cash-back sites. You open the app, scroll down for a retailer, click on its link, and then buy something. Drop will show how many points you may earn for shopping on a certain site or with a specific retailer.
Download the app
First, you’ll download the app and then register for a free account. Either an email address or a Facebook account can be used for registration.
Select five merchants to earn ongoing points
Drop will ask you to choose the retailers you use most. My list included Safeway, Urban Outfitters, Lyft, Walgreens, and Whole Foods. Once you create an account, you’ll be able to see the wider list of Drop retailers which includes:
- Starbucks
- Lululemon
- GrubHub
- Uber
- Nike
- Warby Parker
- ASOS
- BarkBox
Link credit card accounts
Next, Drop will show you the most popular banks and ask you to link your credit card. You’ll have to log in to your credit card account and receive a special verification code to prove it’s yours. If you don’t have a credit card, you can link your debit card instead.
Redeem rewards
Once you have enough rewards, you can redeem them for retailer gift cards. When you log on to the Drop app, you’ll see a list of retailers with their respective point totals. For example, Gap pays out 30 points for each dollar spent while Instacart pays out 5 points.
Currently, there’s no option to get the money back as cash or direct deposit.
Earn extra points with referral codes
If you refer people who download the Drop app, you can earn an extra $5 per referral. Your friend will also get an extra $5 in their account. Remind them that they’ll need to add in your special code when they open their account.
This is a great way to earn extra rewards because you don’t have to buy anything. You can share this code on your social media profiles or in an email. The referral code only works for up to 10 friends, so if more than 10 try to use it, they won’t be able to.
The $5 is added to your account when the friend creates their account, confirms their email address, and links their card.
Related: Capital One Shopping vs. Honey: Which Cash Back Browser Extension is Better?
Drop App FAQ
Using Drop is fairly simple, but there are still some things you should know before signing up.
Can I still earn credit card rewards while using Drop?
It’s not clear if using Drop will affect your ability to earn credit card rewards, but it doesn’t seem like it should. You may have to call your personal credit card issuer to find out.
How does Drop make money?
Drop makes money when you buy something through its app. The retailer gives Drop a percentage of what you spent, which it then passes along to you. This is similar to how other cash-back apps and websites make money.
Do Drop points expire?
Drop points never expire, so you can earn points and redeem them when you want.
How long does it take to receive rewards?
How many points you earn depends on your shopping history and how often you use the Drop app. Drop claims that the average user redeems their first reward within two months.
How does Drop use my personal information?
Drop may use your personal information to do market research or recommend products or services. The company says it only uses your information to provide more personalized recommendations and to verify the transactions. Drop may share user data, but it will be anonymous and not have names attached.
Related: 13 Companies That Pay You for Your Data
Is the Drop app safe?
The Drop app uses the same encryption that your bank does, so you don’t have to worry about hackers stealing your credit card information. You can also enable two-step verification and add your phone number to the Drop account so you’ll receive a text verifying any changes to your password or account settings.
Who should use Drop?
If you do a lot of online shopping, you’re probably missing out on rewards by not using Drop or a similar cash-back service. This app can help you get money back on purchases you were already planning to make.
However, if you shop too much or already spend too much money, then using Drop might encourage you to spend more than you can afford.
Drop Alternatives
Drop isn’t the only cash-back app on the market. There are many Drop alternatives you should research before downloading Drop on your phone.
Rakuten
Rakuten is the premier cash-back shopping app. You can use Rakuten via the mobile app or on your desktop. Install the browser extension and Rakuten will notify you when there’s cashback on the site you’re on.
Rakuten pays out in cash every quarter and includes thousands of retailers such as Amazon, Target, and Macy’s. Link your credit card with Rakuten to get rewards when you shop in store.
Rakuten also has a travel deals section where you can search for hotel and vacation rentals, rental cars, flights, and vacation packages. Everything available on the Rakuten travel page will also offer cashback.
Related: DollarSprout’s Rakuten Review
Ibotta
Ibotta is primarily a cash-back app for grocery store purchases, but it also supports other retailers like iTunes, eBay, and Best Buy. Consumers can check Ibotta before going shopping to see if there are any extra coupons in addition to the cash-back offers.
There are a few ways to earn cashback with Ibotta. Either scan your receipt after your purchase or link a store loyalty card to receive your rewards automatically. Ibotta is one of the best ways to earn points by buying essentials like food, household items, and toiletries.
Related: DollarSprout’s Ibotta Review
Shopkick
You can earn Shopkick points by scanning products, buying certain items, and scanning your receipt after checkout. Sometimes you can even get Shopkick points simply by entering the store.
Shopkick isn’t a direct competitor or alternative to Drop. You can still use Shopkick in conjunction with Drop or some other cash-back app. The main issue you may run into is only being able to link your credit card to one of the apps.
You can redeem Shopkick points for gift cards to retailers like Starbucks, Target, and Walmart. Shopkick points only expire after six months of inactivity.
Related: This Savings Pro Collected $830 from Ibotta and Rakuten Last Year. Here’s How She Did It.
Honey
Honey is a cash-back site that also shows promo codes. You can install Honey as a browser extension or use it directly through the Honey website. There’s no app version to download.
The promo codes are sometimes expired or ineligible, but you can still earn points by activating the cash-back option.
Honey also has a Droplist feature that works like a shopping wishlist. You can add certain items on this wishlist and when the price drops, Honey notifies you. This comes in handy if you always want to be sure you’re paying the least amount possible.
The Honey main page shows deals and sales from stores and brands like Adidas, Target, and Nordstrom Rack.
Related: DollarSprout’s Honey Review
Drop App Review Summary
The Drop app isn’t as intuitive as other cash-back apps and portals, and with so many other options, there’s no real reason to download Drop. It adds extra steps that are cumbersome for the modern shopper. Reviews for Drop are also lower than they are for competitors like Rakuten or Honey.
If you want to earn cashback while you’re shopping, check out Rakuten or even Dosh instead. Both of these services offer better rewards that are easier to redeem than Drop.
