Capital One Shopping Review: How It Works, Pros and Cons
Capital One Shopping is a free browser extension and mobile app designed to help you save money while shopping online. It does this by applying coupon codes and comparing prices — burdens the shopper used to have to bear on their own. Curious whether or not you should add it to your arsenal of savings tools? Our Capital One Shopping review will cover how it works, its pros and cons, and whether it’s a worthy addition compared to other money-saving tools like Honey and Rakuten.
What Is Capital One Shopping?
Capital One Shopping is a free tool that helps you save while shopping online. It works by applying coupon codes, identifying better prices from other retailers and tracking price drops on saved items. Initially launched as Wikibuy, it was later acquired by Capital One and rebranded. Notably, using Capital One Shopping does not require a Capital One credit card, making it accessible to anyone looking to save money.
How Much Can You Save with Capital One Shopping?
Capital One Shopping has helped millions of users save money shopping online by automatically applying coupon codes and performing real-time price comparisons. While exact savings vary by person, item and retailer, many users have reported significant discounts thanks to the tool’s automatic features.
For example, one online shopper might use a promo code to save $15 on a $100 electronics order, while another may receive $30 in shopping rewards after booking a hotel through a partner retailer. One person even claimed over $1,400 in cumulative savings over two years using the tool regularly.
It’s important to note that Capital One Shopping doesn’t guarantee savings on every purchase. How much you save depends on coupon availability, which stores you shop at and whether better prices are available from other sellers. That said, this free tool makes it much easier to find hidden deals without much effort.
How Capital One Shopping Works
Capital One Shopping works by scanning the pages you visit online and identifying opportunities to save money, whether by applying promo codes, identifying better prices or offering shopping rewards for eligible purchases. After installing the Capital One Shopping extension, it automatically activates when browsing retail websites.
Once you get the browser extension or the app, it’s easy to use from there.
When viewing a product, the free browser extension checks for working coupon codes, compares prices at competing retailers and prompts you to activate Capital One Shopping rewards when eligible. You’ll also receive a pop-up if a better deal is found elsewhere, and you can click it to go to the lower-priced product.
The tool uses a smart price comparison tool and integrates directly into popular sites like Amazon, where a small banner displays whether the same item is available at a better price elsewhere. You can also shop directly through the Capital One Shopping website to search deals across thousands of stores.
Browser Extension:
- Works on supported websites.
- Suggests and applies available coupons.
- Compares prices across multiple retailers.
- Lets you earn rewards.
Mobile App:
- Get the app and put the Safari browser extension on your phone.
Capital One Shopping Rewards:
- Users earn rewards on eligible purchases.
- These can be redeemed for gift cards at select retailers.
Price Tracking Feature:
- Users can track specific products and receive notifications when prices drop.
Key Features and Benefits of Capital One Shopping
The following features are not only available with Capital One Shopping, they require very little effort from you.
- Coupon application: Finds and applies promo codes available.
- Price comparison tool: Compares prices from various retailers to help users get a better deal.
- Shopping rewards: Earns rewards on select purchases, redeemable for gift cards.
- Price drop alerts: Notifies users when the price of a saved item goes down.
- Accessibility: Works with thousands of retailers and does not require a Capital One credit card.
Capital One Shopping Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Free to use.
- Works in the background without requiring manual searches.
- Can be combined with store loyalty programs.
- Can help save money by applying coupon codes and comparing prices.
Cons:
- Doesn’t always find working coupons.
- Rewards are limited to select purchases.
Capital One Shopping vs. Competitors
So, how does it stack up when it comes to similar savings tools?
Capital One Shopping vs. Honey:
- Honey primarily focuses on finding and applying coupon codes.
- Capital One Shopping offers both coupon application and price comparison, making it a more comprehensive tool.
Capital One Shopping vs. Rakuten:
- Rakuten provides cashback on purchases, while Capital One Shopping offers rewards that can be redeemed for gift cards.
| Feature | Capital One Shopping | Honey | Rakuten |
| Finds Coupons | Yes | Yes | No |
| Price Comparison | Yes | No | No |
| Rewards Type | Credits for Gift Cards | No | Cashback |
| Works on Mobile | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Is Capital One Shopping App Legitimate?
Yes, this is a safe and legitimate way to be a smarter shopper. Capital One Shopping does collect shopping data to enhance its price comparison features. However, it does not share personal payment information in order to provide a safe shopping experience.
It also has generally positive ratings on Trustpilot and Reddit, a 4.8 rating on Google Play and 4.9 on the Apple Store. Users say they appreciate the savings, but some express concerns about data privacy.
If you want to check out your other options when it comes to money-saving browser extensions, we made a list of our favorites.
Tips to Maximize Capital One Shopping Savings
Capital One Shopping offers plenty of ways to stretch your dollars further, whether you’re a casual browser or a dedicated deal hunter. But like any free tool, the savings you get often depend on how you use it. You can unlock even more value from the Capital One Shopping extension and mobile app by taking a few extra steps.
Here are some simple but effective tips to help you make the most of this money-saving platform:
- Install the extension on your primary browser: The free browser extension works automatically in the background to find coupon codes, activate shopping rewards and compare prices in real time.
- Use the universal product search on the Capital One Shopping website: Use the search tool on the Capital One Shopping website to find the best deal from thousands of participating retailers.
- Sign up for deal alerts and email offers: Capital One occasionally sends users special promo codes or elevated shopping rewards through personalized emails.
- Add items to your watchlist: Save the product and let Capital One Shopping notify you when its price drops, which is a great way to time your purchases for maximum savings.
- Activate shopping rewards before checkout: Click the pop-up on eligible purchases to earn rewards. You may not receive the credit if you don’t activate it beforehand.
- Shop through the app when using mobile: While the Capital One Shopping extension is ideal for desktop, using the app ensures you can still access offers when shopping online from your phone or tablet.
- Stack deals when possible: Combine promo codes with store discounts and loyalty perks to maximize savings.
- Prioritize high-value purchases: You’re more likely to notice significant savings on big-ticket items like electronics, travel bookings or appliances.
- Check the homepage for Your Personalized Deals: The Capital One Shopping dashboard often features bonus offers or elevated rewards tailored just for you.
Applying these tips in Capital One Shopping can help you save money more consistently and spot patterns where and when the best deals appear. Whether you’re chasing a small discount or maximizing your Capital One Shopping rewards, these strategies can turn occasional savings into long-term value.
Final Verdict: Should You Use Capital One Shopping?
Capital One Shopping is a valuable tool for online shoppers looking for savings without additional effort. With features like coupon application, price comparison and shopping rewards, it’s a great addition to other money-saving apps like Rakuten and Honey. While it may not always find perfect deals, it’s worth trying for those who want to maximize savings on their purchases.
Capital One Shopping App FAQs
Yes. Capital One Shopping is a free tool that anyone can use with no credit card or subscription required. You simply download the Capital One Shopping extension or app and start using it to find coupon codes and compare prices while shopping online.
Like any service, Capital One Shopping has its limitations. The most common complaints are that rewards can take time to process, the mobile app may lag and rewards are only redeemable as gift cards, not cash. This Capital One Shopping extension review also found that it doesn’t always find the absolute best price, but it usually comes close.
If you’re still wondering, is Capital One Shopping legitimate? The answer is yes, Capital One Shopping is safe to use and does not store or share your payment information. The extension only tracks your activity on retail sites to provide price comparison tool results and relevant promo codes. Capital One uses encrypted technology and industry-standard security protocols to safeguard your data.
