Great Canadian Rebates Review: How to Earn Cashback in Canada

If you’re a regular online shopper, cashback platforms can help you save on purchases you were already planning to make. Great Canadian Rebates is one of the country’s longest-running cashback websites, offering rewards for shopping at over 900 retailers. But is it actually worth using? I’ll walk you through how it works, share my firsthand experience, and explore the site’s pros and cons to help you decide.

What is Great Canadian Rebates?

Great Canadian Rebates is a Canadian cashback website that launched in 2005. It partners with over 900 retailers, including major brands in travel, fashion, finance and technology, and it pays users a percentage of their spending when they shop through its platform.

Instead of going directly to a store’s website, you log in to your Great Canadian Rebates account and click through their link. When you make a purchase, the platform earns a commission from the retailer and passes a portion of it to you as a cashback rebate.

Is Great Canadian Rebates legit?

Yes, Great Canadian Rebates is a legitimate cashback platform. It has been operating for over two decades, and I found it in the Ontario business registry. The company also has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), though it’s not an accredited business.

How much can you earn on Great Canadian Rebates?

Earnings depend on how much you spend and which retailers you shop with, but Great Canadian Rebates’ cashback rates range from 1% to 5%. The easiest way to maximize your rewards is by applying for eligible credit cards, as you can earn up to $150. Great Canadian Rebates also offers monthly cashback boosts for select retailers, so be sure to check those deals regularly to earn even more on your everyday purchases.

What I like about Great Canadian Rebates

• Wide range of retailers. Great Canadian Rebates partners with over 900 retailers across categories like travel, fashion and technology. You can even get cashback on services like QuickBooks and TurboTax subscriptions, or by applying for an eligible credit card or bank account.
• No fees. It’s free to sign up for and use Great Canadian Rebates, and the platform covers any withdrawal fees.
• Fast cashback rebates. Great Canadian Rebates says most cashback rewards will be posted to your account within 72 hours, but I received mine in less than 24 hours. However, travel rebates can take up to three months.
• Monthly payouts. Once you’ve held the required balance in your account for a minimum of 58 days, you can receive monthly payouts on the closest business day to the 28th.
• Referral bonuses. Most cashback sites only provide a one-time bonus for referrals, but Great Canadian Rebates offers 25% of all cashback your referrals earn for 2 years, which can add up quickly if you refer multiple friends.
• Gift cards. You can also purchase gift cards from a wide range of retailers through Great Canadian Rebates and earn 1% to 3% cashback.

The downsides of using Great Canadian Rebates

• Basic mobile app. At the time of writing, the Great Canadian Rebates mobile app is only available on the Apple App Store, and it doesn’t offer many features. While you can view current deals and track your pending cashback, it lacks the detailed breakdown available on the desktop site, including where you earned the cashback and how much you spent to earn it.
• No coupon stacking. When taking advantage of a promotion from Great Canadian Rebates, you can’t use other coupon codes alongside it.
• No browser extension. Unlike some other cashback platforms, like Rakuten, Great Canadian Rebates doesn’t have a browser extension, so you need to manually navigate the site to activate deals.
• Minimum balance requirements. You must hold a minimum balance in your account for 58 days before requesting a payout. The balance varies depending on your payout method.
• Online only. You can only earn cashback on purchases made through Great Canadian Rebates’ website or app, so you won’t earn rewards when shopping in physical stores.

Alternative: Get Cashback Through Swagbucks

• Earn 1% – 10% cashback
• Multiple ways to earn, such as cashback, surveys and games
• Cash-outs from $5

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My experience with Great Canadian Rebates

To test Great Canadian Rebates, I took advantage of the boosted cashback rate of up to 4.5% from SkipTheDishes. I placed a $53.61 order, but only received cashback on my subtotal of $37.27, as Great Canadian Rebates doesn’t cover taxes and shipping and handling fees. Here’s what the process was like:

What are the ways to earn?

Great Canadian Rebates offers several ways to earn cashback and bonuses.

Shopping

The main way to earn cashback from Great Canadian Rebates is by shopping through its website or iOS app. Instead of going directly to a retailer’s site, log in to your Great Canadian Rebates account and look through the available offers. When you find one you like, select it and click the provided link to start shopping. Once you complete a purchase, the retailer will confirm it with Great Canadian Rebates and pay them a commission for the sale. You’ll receive a portion of that commission as cashback.

Referral bonus

The Great Canadian Rebates referral program lets you earn 25% of all cashback (except travel transactions) earned by each new member you refer for 2 years from the date they join. There’s no limit to the number of people you can refer, and referral bonuses are calculated and posted to your account daily.

Sign up for the weekly newsletter

If you sign up for Great Canadian Rebates’ weekly newsletter, you can earn $3. However, I didn’t notice the option to sign up for the newsletter when I created my account, and now I can’t find a way to claim the bonus. The option to sign up for the newsletter is near the bottom of the application, so don’t miss it if you want to earn an additional $3.

Contests

Great Canadian Rebates used to post contests on its Facebook page and website for a chance to win money, but they haven’t posted one since July 2024, despite having an active Facebook page.

How do I get paid?

You can receive your earnings via direct deposit, PayPal or eGift cards of your choice. If you opt for an eGift card, you can get a bonus of up to 4% extra cashback.

Payments are issued automatically by the 28th of each month, provided you’ve maintained the required minimum balance for at least 58 days. The required balance varies depending on your chosen payout method:

• eGift cards: vary by gift card but typically between $5 to $100
• Direct deposit: $12 minimum
• PayPal: $12 minimum

If your balance doesn’t meet the required minimum, it will roll over to the following month. Sign-up bonuses don’t count towards the payout threshold, but referral bonuses do.

Great Canadian Rebates reviews

There aren’t a lot of reviews for Great Canadian Rebates, with only six on Trustpilot and one on the BBB. Trustpilot reviews are mixed, with half the users reporting receiving their payouts promptly, while the other half say they never received their payout and that customer service was unresponsive. The single BBB review also describes a similar negative experience, highlighting the fact that they’ve been waiting six months for their cashback.

As of March 17, 2026

What does Reddit say about Great Canadian Rebates?

There aren’t a lot of new Reddit threads about Great Canadian Rebates, but the few I found were from users asking how the referral program or credit card rebates work. Other users responded with solutions and praise for the platform.

I also found two threads from users saying they didn’t receive their cashback, and they had a bad experience with customer support. However, other users replied to this thread saying they’ve generally had a good track record with Great Canadian Rebates.

How does Great Canadian Rebates make money?

Great Canadian Rebates generates revenue through its partnerships with over 900 retailers. When you shop via a link on their site or app, the retailer pays Great Canadian Rebates a commission for directing the sale. The platform then passes a portion of that commission back to you as cashback, keeping the remainder to support its operations.

Verdict: Is Great Canadian Rebates worth it?

From my experience, I think Great Canadian Rebates is worth giving a try. It’s free to join, the site and app are easy to navigate, and cashback is posted to your account within 72 hours. It won’t replace a full-time income, but if you shop online regularly, it’s a simple way to earn some extra money on purchases you’re already making.

I haven’t used Great Canadian Rebates for very long, but I will start checking it for rewards before making any online purchases in the future.

Bottom line

Great Canadian Rebates is a legitimate and easy-to-use cashback platform that can help you save money on purchases you’re already making. However, it won’t be a significant income source. If you regularly shop online, it’s worth using as a passive savings tool, but if you’re looking for a way to make extra money, you may want to consider a side hustle to boost your income instead.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I switch my payout method?

  Yes, you can change your payout method by selecting My Account, then Payments. Just ensure you change it at least two days before the 28th of the month if you want to receive your payout on time.

• What currency will I receive my cashback in?

  Great Canadian Rebates pays all cashback rebates in Canadian dollars. If you make a purchase in another currency, Great Canadian Rebates will convert the amount to Canadian dollars using the daily exchange rate before calculating your cashback amount.

• What payout methods does Great Canadian Rebates offer?

  You can receive a payout from Great Canadian Rebates via PayPal, direct deposit or eGift card at the end of each month if you maintain the required minimum balance.

• Can I earn cashback on in-store purchases?

  No, Great Canadian Rebates only offers cashback on eligible online purchases.

• Do I have to pay to use Great Canadian Rebates?

  No, it's completely free to use Great Canadian Rebates, and if you choose PayPal as your payout method, the platform even covers the associated fees.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Leanne Escobal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Rebecca Low

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Rebecca Low is a writer for Finder. She has contributed to a range of digital publications, including Wise, income.ca and Indeed, writing on topics like personal finance, career development, and travel. See full bio