Is Dosh Legit Or A Scam? (My Honest Review!)
If you want an easy passive income idea, using cash-back reward apps is one of the best ways to get started.
This category of passive income apps is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, I've been testing out and using these types of apps ever since college to make some extra cash.
Dosh, a leading U.S. rewards app, is one of the most popular ones in the space. And unlike many apps that require pre-claiming offers before shopping, Dosh is completely passive and pays real cash.
But is Dosh legit? And how much money can you realisitcally make with this app?
My Dosh review is sharing how the app works, its earning potential, and testimonials from other Dosh users so you can decide if this app is worth your time.
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What Is Dosh?
Dosh is a automatic cash back app that pays you to shop at hundreds of brand partners. And unlike many other reward apps, Dosh is completely passive and doesn't require scanning receipts or claiming offers before shopping.
The app works by connecting to your bank account and debit / credit cards so it can monitor your spending. In other words, you're selling your data to Dosh in exchange for cash back.
Dosh's passive nature is also its unique selling point. In contrast, popular apps like Ibotta and Fetch all require taking photos of receipts to earn cash back after shopping.
This app also has competitive cash-back rates. Users can earn as much as 10% back from different stores, restaurants, hotels and other retailers. And again, all of this free money is completely passive!
Is Dosh Legit?
Yes, Dosh is legit and pays you with automatic cash back for shopping at hundreds of its partners. The app also has thousands of positive reviews, and there's online payment proof as well.
I've used Dosh in the past when I lived in the United States as well. I've found that the app is very easy to use, and it's a nice addition alongside more active apps like Fetch and Drop.
The main downside of Dosh is that it doesn't pay very much, so it can take months to cash out. But the app lets you make money on autopilot for shopping, so it's essentially free money in exchange for your transaction data.
How Does Dosh Work?
Dosh is a very simple rewards app and works in five simple steps:
- Download Dosh and link your cards
- Shop at Dosh partners
- Earn travel rewards
- Invite your friends
- Cash out
Let's take a look at how each of these steps works in a bit more detail.
1. Download & Link Your Cards
Dosh is available for free on Android and iOS. You must be 13 or older to use Dosh, and the app is only available in the United States at this time.
After downloading the app, you then link your bank account and debit and credit card(s) to Dosh by using the in-app connection prompts.
You have to connect your bank account so Dosh can monitor your transactions to pay you cash back. This is the same process similar apps like Pogo use, and it's necessary to make money with Dosh.
You get a $1 bonus for signing up and linking a card. Dosh also works with Braintree, a financial services company owned by PayPal, to securely access and store any financial data.
2. Shop At Dosh Partners & Earn
Once you link your cards to the Dosh app, all you have to do is shop at Dosh partners to earn. You earn cash back automatically from eligible purchases, so there's no need to scan barcodes or receipts or to even pre-select sponsored offers before shopping.
I like Dosh since it works with dozens of major brands, including:
According to Dosh's website, there's over 10,000 locations where you can shop to earn rewards. And cash back rates often range from 1-2% to 5% or more depending on the partner and promotion.
As you can see in the screenshot above, there's a nice $2.18 cash back payout from a $108.96 purchase at Office Depot. This might not sound like much, but it adds up over time.
I also like that Dosh is completely passive and also works with so many major brands and industries.
The main downside is that once you complete a purchase, it takes around 90 days for it to go from “pending” to actually depositing in your Dosh wallet. This is to ensure that you don't return purchases, but it means Dosh isn't always quick money.
3. Use Dosh Travel
One new Dosh feature you can use to earn even more cash back is Dosh Travel.
This travel booking site lets you earn cash back from over 600,000 hotels around the world. And its travel search tool makes it easy to search for accommodations in different cities and to compare different prices and cash-back rates.
Dosh says you can earn up to 40% cashback on hotel stays. When I searched for a somewhat last-minute trip in London, England, Dosh had dozens of hotels to choose from, some of which paying $100 to $250 or more in cash back for a several night trip.
Also note that travel cash back deposits in your Dosh wallet 30 days after check-in, so you can get cash back faster than regular purchases.
4. Invite Your Friends
Similar to other apps that pay real money, Dosh has a referral program that rewards you for referring your family and friends.
You earn a $5 referral bonus for each new Dosh member that you refer. The person you invite has to link their bank and at least one card to Dosh for you to earn this bonus.
This is a nice way to get $5 fast while sharing a nice passive income app with people you know. And a $5 bonus is pretty competitive in the world of sign up bonus apps.
5. Get Paid
You can cash out with Dosh once you earn $15, and the app pays members via PayPal, Venmo, or bank transfer. You can also donate your earnings to various charities.
I love the fact that Dosh pays you with free PayPal cash or direct deposit. And the app also lowered its minimum cash out requirement from $25 to $15, which is a step in the right direction.
In comparison, apps like Ibotta take $20 to cash out. And shopping extensions like Rakuten only pay you quarterly, so Dosh is a bit more competitive now.
Also note that Dosh payments generally process in three to five business days once you cash out.
How Much Does Dosh Pay?
Dosh typically pays 1% to 2% cash back on shopping offers. However, you can earn 5% or even more depending on the partner and current promotion. Ultimately, how much money you make with Dosh depends on how often you shop and how much you spend.
For most shoppers, earning $5 to $10 per month with Dosh should be possible if you shop at several of its partners. And this is especially true if you do a lot of your weekly shopping at major partners like Costco or Walmart.
Features like Dosh Travel pay even more, so this is an excellent app for any travel junkie. But don't expect to earn $100 a day or anything even close to this amount with this cash-back app.
Is Dosh Safe?
Yes, Dosh is safe, and the app doesn't sell customer data to third parties. It doesn't store credit and banking information either, and the company works with Braintree, a PayPal service, to securely access financial information. Finally, the app uses 256-bit encryption to protect customer data.
You still have to be comfortable with giving up your data to make money with Dosh. But the app is safe and secure and uses the same processes many leading Fintech and investing apps use.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Dosh is completely passive
- You can cash out with PayPal, Venmo, or direct deposit
- Dosh lowered its minimum cash out requirement to $15
- Works with hundreds of partners, including many major retailers
- Lucrative travel rewards for hotel bookings
- Double or triple your rewards by using credit card rewards or using receipt scanning apps like Shopkick
Cons:
- You have to link your bank account and cards to use Dosh
- Only available in the United States
- Purchases can take up to 90 days to credit to your wallet
- Some users may have privacy concerns about sharing their purchasing data
- Charges a $4.99 per month maintenance fee to your Dosh wallet on account that have been inactive for over 12 months
Other Dosh Reviews
After testing out Dosh, I think it's one of the best passive income apps out there. And I love that you don't need to scan receipts or select offers before shopping to earn.
But one of the best ways to tell if a side hustle idea is worth using is to read testimonials from other users.
And thankfully, there are plenty of Dosh reviews on the Google Play Store where other people share their experiences:
- One user says: “Once you can get everything established, it can be a great app. But the set-up is unclear & difficult to establish. Everytime I attempted to link my bank I kept getting an error message.”
- One user says: “It took a while to reach the $25 minimum balance on this app. if your balance is less than 25 bucks you cannot transfer anything to your bank account. I use it for cash back on gas and the app has some good deals on Sephora/Forever 21 and pizza places.”
- Walter M says: “Dosh was one of the better cash back apps until they started with the absurd and outrageously large inactivity fee. $4.99 per month if you don't use it in 365 days. Also, if the cash out amount were lower, it would be better.”
As you can see, these Dosh users are happy with the app once they get it working. But many negative Dosh app reviews say linking your cards is glitchy and doesn't always work.
Users also claim about the new inactivity fee that charges your Dosh wallet $4.99 per month if you don't use the app in a year. So, if you're a Dosh user, make sure you shop consistently to avoid losing your funds.
This Dosh review from money-saving expert Jen at Modern Frugality also shares how the app works and why it's the only cash-back app she uses.
In her review, Jen explains how she likes the passive nature of the app. But she admits that Dosh doesn't pay as much as apps like Ibotta or Fetch and isn't a good app for impulsive spenders.
The Best Dosh Alternatives
After testing out cash-back apps for years, I've found plenty of reliable ones you can use to save more money. And many of them can stack with Dosh or are excellent alternatives.
Some of the best apps like Dosh you can try include:
- Pogo: This app lets you get free PayPal money whenever you shop with a linked card.
- Capital One Shopping: Automatically apply available coupon codes at checkout with this leading shopping extension.
- Upside: My favorite gas rewards app that pays up to $0.25 per gallon.
- Fetch: The best way to get free gift cards for grocery shopping.
- Swagbucks: This gpt site pays you to shop online, complete cash surveys, surf the web, download apps, and more.
- Bridge Money: Like Dosh, Bridge Money pays you with small amounts of cash for shopping with a linked card.
- Receipt Hog: Another receipt-scanning app with PayPal and gift card prizes.
I also made a video that shares some of the highest-paying apps in the cash-back space that you can check out for more info.
Of course, these apps won't make anyone rich. But in my experience, earning $10 to $25 a month or more is quite feasible if you stack a few apps.
Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up with the provided link.
Is Dosh A Scam?
No, Dosh isn't a scam, and the app pays you with cash back automatically for shopping at its partners. However, some users complain that Dosh takes a long time to cash out with and that the app has many glitches.
Ultimately, this app takes most people a while to cash out with. I think it's a great way to earn money online for beginners, but have realistic expectations and patience when using Dosh.
Final Thoughts
I love apps that give free money for the things you are buying anyway. And I regularly use several different money saving apps including Ibotta, Fetch Rewards, Rakuten and more.
When I'm in the United States, I also try to use Dosh. I love how passive the app is, and the partner variety and cash-back rates are competitive.
It still takes a while to cash out, and the new Dosh maintenance fees and app glitches are downsides. But at the end of the day, you can get free money with this app if you're comfortable sharing your purchasing data and link your cards.
Hopefully, my Dosh review helps you decide if this app belongs on your smartphone.
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