I finally tried that cashback browser extension I kept ignoring for months

I always figured those things were selling my data for pennies, but I gave it a shot on a $250 plane ticket. It popped up and offered me $12.50 back for a hotel booking I was about to make on the same site. Has anyone else seen real payouts from these things or is it mostly fluff?

2 comments

2 Comments

scott.mia1mo ago

Point out that the affiliate thing isn't quite right. The extension saves cookies so when you later buy from the same site, it gets the commission on that purchase too, not just when you click through something. I've cashed out like $40 total over a year. It's not nothing but I wouldn't call it real money either.

felix_bailey451mo ago

The thing about "selling my data for pennies" hit home for me. But here's something I haven't seen anyone mention yet. Those extensions are basically affiliate links in disguise. When you book that hotel, the company pays them a commission. The cashback is just them giving you a slice of that cut. So the real question is whether you're okay with them tracking your browsing habits to figure out what deals are worth showing you. I've gotten actual payouts from them, like $5 here, $10 there, but it adds up slower than you think. You're just trading your privacy for pocket change basically.