Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is the portal your parents have heard of. Bought by the Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Group in 2014, it's the safest, most established name in US cashback with a 3,500+ store catalog that covers virtually every major online retailer. It's not the highest-paying portal on any given day, but the sheer breadth of coverage and the ritual of the quarterly Big Fat Check keep it near the top of most shoppers' stacks.
Sign up at rakuten.com — new members typically get a $10–30 welcome bonus after spending $25 at a partner store.
Install the Rakuten browser extension or use the mobile app; both auto-activate cashback when you visit a covered retailer.
Shop as normal — the affiliate cookie is set at click-through, and the extension will nag you if you land on a covered store without activating.
Earnings compile all quarter and pay out on a fixed schedule via check, PayPal, or as a statement credit to a linked American Express card.
Cashback newcomers and casual shoppers who want the most recognizable brand and the widest retailer coverage. The quarterly payout schedule is also a mental savings trick — money you forget about all quarter arrives as a lump sum you actually notice.
Rakuten's rates have quietly drifted down over the last five years as the company monetizes more of the commission itself. On the same store, TopShoppa or TopCashback often pays 1–3% more — worth comparing on any purchase over $100.
Still the default choice for retailer coverage, but no longer the automatic pick on rate. Use it for stores TopShoppa and TopCashback don't cover.