RunRunDeals vs Rakuten — Honest Comparison (2026)
Last updated September 2026 · No affiliate spin — both apps stay on most active deal hunters' phones.
Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is a cashback platform: you click through Rakuten before shopping at participating retailers, and Rakuten pays you a small percentage back. Cashback is paid quarterly via PayPal or check. Rakuten earns through retailer affiliate commissions, sharing part of that with you.
RunRunDeals does not pay cashback. It surfaces the deal itself — what to buy at a discount — rather than rewarding you for purchases you would have made anyway. The two are perfectly stackable: find a deal in RunRunDeals, click through Rakuten if the retailer participates, get both the discount and the cashback.
Side-by-side
| Feature | RunRunDeals | Rakuten |
|---|---|---|
| Push notifications for new deals | Yes | Limited (cashback rate changes) |
| Cashback / rebates | No | Yes (primary feature, 1–10%) |
| Editorial deal curation | Yes | No (rate-driven) |
| Amazon coverage | Yes (Lightning, daily) | No (Amazon excluded) |
| Walmart coverage | Yes (daily curated) | Limited (Walmart.com only) |
| Lightning Deal tracker | Yes | No |
| Payout method | N/A | PayPal or check (quarterly) |
| Browser extension | No | Yes |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
- Platform focus
- Web · iOS · Android · Browser extension
- Founded
- 1999 · runrundeals.com is at rakuten.com
When to use Rakuten
You shop frequently at large brand retailers (Walmart.com, Target, Macy's, etc.) and want a passive way to earn cashback on purchases you would make regardless.
When to use RunRunDeals
You want to be the first to know when a deal drops, not just earn a small percentage back on retail-price purchases. RunRunDeals optimizes for discount depth; Rakuten optimizes for purchase rebate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does RunRunDeals offer cashback like Rakuten? +
No. RunRunDeals focuses on finding the deals themselves rather than paying rebates on retail-price purchases. For cashback specifically, Rakuten is the dominant player in the US.
Can I use Rakuten and RunRunDeals together? +
Yes — they stack cleanly. RunRunDeals tells you what to buy at a discount; you can then click through Rakuten's portal to add cashback on top, at participating retailers.
Does Rakuten cover Amazon? +
No, Amazon is not in Rakuten's retailer list. RunRunDeals covers Amazon comprehensively, including Lightning Deals.
Is Rakuten cashback automatic? +
No — you must click through Rakuten before completing the purchase for the cashback to be tracked. Their browser extension or mobile app prompts help with this.
How fast does Rakuten pay out? +
Rakuten pays cashback quarterly. RunRunDeals is not a cashback service so there is no payout cycle to compare.
Is RunRunDeals affiliated with Rakuten? +
No. RunRunDeals is an independent deals app. We earn through standard Amazon Associates and other retailer affiliate programs.
Verdict
Rakuten is a cashback-rebate service; RunRunDeals is a deal-discovery service. They are not competitors — they layer perfectly. Use RunRunDeals to find the discount, click through Rakuten to add cashback when the retailer is supported.
Try RunRunDeals — Free
Takes 30 seconds. iOS & Android. Cancel notifications anytime in Settings.
Get the AppFree mobile app · iOS & Android
Get every deal, the second it drops
Instant push notifications on the deepest discounts, exclusive in-app coupon codes, and a faster, ad-light browsing experience. Download the RunRunDeals app — completely free.
- Instant push alerts
- App-only coupons
- Saved favorites sync
4.6 rating · Nearly 4,000 downloads
