Is The BeFrugal App Legit (And Can It Save You Money)?

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the vast amount that can accumulate from bills, subscriptions, outings, and so on. But would you believe there are apps to help you save money while having your purchases work for you? Nowadays, an array of apps exist that not only offer you up-to-date savings and coupons but can also reward you for buying with special cash-back offers. Among these apps is BeFrugal, which, as its name suggests, is made with penny pinchers in mind. But does that mean it's worth your download? 

BeFrugal helps you find offers from thousands of grocery stores, retailers, and restaurants. After picking your store and completing your buy, BeFrugal records what you got, waits until the purchase is finalized, and then notifies you of your cash-back reward. While some apps that make similar claims can turn out to be scams, BeFrugal is fortunately a quality choice that will save you money, and it stacks up to the competition. 

In fact, the app comes with some perks that make it a cut above others, such as giving first-time users a $10 signup bonus and only requiring a minimum of $0.01 to deposit your payment to your bank, PayPal, or Venmo account. Nevertheless, there are some factors users should keep in mind. 

Overall, BeFrugal is highly regarded among the vast sea of cash-back apps you'll find. It currently holds a rating average of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google Play based on over 4,000 reviews and a 4.7 average on the iOS App Store with more than 6,000 ratings. That places it alongside other acclaimed apps of its type such as Ibotta, Fetch Rewards, Rakuten, and Dosh. 

But before getting BeFrugal for yourself, it's worth taking note of some potential downsides. Likely as a way of avoiding fraud tactics, BeFrugal takes a few days to allow your purchase to process before giving you your cash-back points. So if you're expecting to earn money from your purchases right away, you may be disappointed. Additionally, while the app offers printable coupons for in-store purchases, its cash-back feature only applies to online buys. If you do more in-person shopping, receipt-scanning apps such as Fetch or Ibotta might be better options. 

Before shopping through BeFrugal, it's important to look through the shop's terms and exclusions. Many times, frustrated users who have reported not getting their cash back or not having a deal go through may have not looked through these conditions which often list purchase minimums and qualifiable items. Finally, while users from any country can join, the app's list of stores and retailers are primarily based in the United States, meaning a good chunk of deals may not be useful to international applicants.