Rakuten: Refer A Friend & You Both Get A $40/4,000 Membership Rewards Bonus

Update 11/27/24: Offer is back. There is also a better $50 offer for signing up via SoFi if you’re in P1 mode.

The Offer

Direct link to offer (my referral link)

  • Shopping portal Rakuten (formerly called eBates) is offering a referral bonus of $40. When you invite a friend to become a member and they spend $40 you’ll both earn a $40 bonus.

Our Verdict

The best referral bonus in the past has been $30. The nice thing about eBates/Rakuten is that you can convert cash back into American Express membership rewards as well at a 1¢ = 1 point rate which is nice. A lot of readers also seem to have less tracking issues with eBates/Rakuten than other portals, but the rates they offer are generally lower as well (use cashbackmonitor to compare). Definitely worth signing up for an account if you don’t already have one

Please do not share your own referrals in the comments below, instead you can share them on this linked post (if using one of these, make sure it says $40 and not lower).

Post History:

  • Update 4/29/24: Back again
  • Update 11/20/23: Deal is back
  • Update 5/8/23: Deal is back through 5/15/23. (Rakuten is also currently offering this week 15-20x back at online retailers such as Dell, Saks, Zappos and more.)
  • Update 11/30/22: Offer ends tomorrow, 12/1/22 at 11:59pm ET
  • Update 5/9/22: Deal is back for May 8th through May 16th.
  • Update 11/19/21: Deal is back Reposting 5/14/21 as this deal is back (might be targeted to some links, our link below works). Also a good time to sign up now for Rakuten if you want to take advantage of the 15% stores deal and the free hat/shirt deal. Hat tip to Chase-ing UR points
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98 Comments
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Mat
Mat (@guest_1973260)
December 20, 2024 16:50

Rakuten is a big scam.

My P2 referred me and I made a purchase from Walmart of $30+. The bonus was pending and a few days later changed to ineligible. On my end, it says the purchase don’t qualify (I don’t read that anywhere) and on P2 account it says that I didn’t make the purchase within the time frame (I made the purchase a few days after getting the referral). I sent an email and I didn’t get a response and the phone number doesn’t work.

So be aware, they won’t pay.

Gadget 🕵️‍♂️ Bank Bonus Geek 🔗
November 28, 2024 01:30

P1 and my P2 both have $40 links so I’m pretty sure everyone does.

Not Sam
Not Sam (@guest_1960820)
November 28, 2024 08:33

Seems like it. Expires 12/8

xhabeshi
xhabeshi (@guest_1843323)
May 11, 2024 10:12

It looks like $40 referral came back

Jake
Jake (@guest_1837669)
April 29, 2024 21:30

when I click the referral link it only says “Get an extra 10% Cash Back today!
Asher invites you to join Rakuten with an extra 10% Cash Back on purchases made in your first 7 days.” Doesn’t mention the $40 offer anywhere yet

Glenn
Glenn (@guest_1837703)
April 29, 2024 23:39

Same here Jake. I think what once was in fact is now different. Chuck should revise the description as it is not accurately reflecting the current offer.

Find Flights For Me
Find Flights For Me (@guest_1837777)
April 30, 2024 07:18

Yes many of the blogs seem to have misinterpreted the current offer. The referrer (blog/you/I) get $40. The new referee gets an extra 10% cash back up to $50 for the first 7 days (so $500 spend).

Chuck
Editor
Chuck(@chucksithe)
May 5, 2024 23:21

Yep, looks like it’s 10% now. The referral offer is constantly changing. I’ll update as Expired.

Unotime1
Unotime1 (@guest_1751293)
December 4, 2023 22:19

As Bob the Bonus 🖇️ said below, this is now $30. And requires you to spend $30. Not a bad deal, but not the same as $30 cash…
Relatedly, their Sofi bonus is now back to $175 down from $200. So now looks like Swagbucks might be better option for the Sofi deal
(https://www.doctorofcredit.com/sofi-checking-5000-direct-deposit-required/)

Bob the Bonus 🖇️
Bob the Bonus 🖇️ (@guest_1748949)
December 1, 2023 08:46

Referral bonus is now $30. Ends 12/31/2023

Bob the Bonus 🖇️
Bob the Bonus 🖇️ (@guest_1746097)
November 27, 2023 05:53

The latest promotion ends on 11/30/2023

Credit Card Offers
Credit Card Offers (@guest_1740823)
November 20, 2023 19:14

Capital One Shopping is offering $75 for selected users for referring right now

AdoptaPetInstead
AdoptaPetInstead (@guest_1740824)
November 20, 2023 19:20

Referral season

Betelgeuse ㊙️
Betelgeuse ㊙️ (@guest_1740845)
November 20, 2023 19:48

Unfortunately capital shopping doesn’t let you get cash back only gift cards.

Alex🔗
Alex🔗 (@guest_1740687)
November 20, 2023 17:34

Thank you for posting!

favo🔗
favo🔗 (@guest_1734379)
November 10, 2023 11:05

Right now there is a $30 referral from 10/1/2023 – 12/31/2023