It’s amazing how much can change in a decade. If you looked in your wallet ten years ago, you would probably see a lot of reward cards. From your grocery store to the coffee shop around the corner, your rewards cards probably took up more space than your credit cards.
While physical rewards cards aren’t as common anymore, loyalty programs are just as popular now as they were back then. These days, all our loyalty points are tracked electronically. When you combine that with a game-like shopping experience, you have a recipe for a successful shopping app.
The Drop app aims to build brand loyalty and helps you earn rewards along the way. So, is Drop really worth it? Let’s find out.
What is Drop?
Drop is a rewards app that allows you to earn points when you shop at some of your favorite stores, or complete other microtasks such as taking online surveys or playing games. When you earn enough points, you can trade them in for free gift cards.
The number of points that you earn with each purchase depends on the merchant. All Drop points are equal in value (1,000 = $1 in gift card rewards.)
How to Earn Drop Points
Drop use to mainly focus on earning points when you shopped, now they have grown and expanded your earning options:
Play Drop Spin Weekly
In my opinion, one of the most fun ways to earn points with Drop is by Playing Drop Spin every week! You just open the app and each day you get to play for a chance to win point boosts, free points, or a grand prize of 250,000 Drop points…I mean, why not!?
Earn Points with In-App Purchases
With Drop, you can turn your everyday shopping into Drop points. They have partnered with over 500 major brands, you can do as much of your shopping through Drop as you like and earn points on everything you purchase.
Earn Points Playing Games
In your spare time, you can open the Drop app and get rewarded for playing games. Use the app to find popular mobile games and complete in-game tasks to earn Drop points.
Earn Points Completing Surveys
If you like sharing your opinion, you can earn points responding to trending topics through Drop. Surveys can take as little as 1 minute to complete, and your points add up quickly.
Drop Premium Points
If you choose to join Drop Premium, which is still free, you will link your credit card to the app, and earn 1,000 “Monthly Point Drops” just for having your card synced.
Earning Potential
In terms of rewards, most users will earn about 1% – 2% back on their purchases. Every merchant sets the number of Drop points that you receive with each transaction. You may receive more points at one of your favorite stores than at another.
Drop also sets an earning cap of 500 points per week. Anything earned beyond that won’t count. Your points won’t show up in your account immediately, so don’t panic if you log in and don’t see them. Because Drop works by verifying your purchases through your bank, it will take a few days for the transaction to go through and be verified. Typically, it takes about two to three days for points to show up in your account.
You must accrue at least 5,000 points, or $5 in gift card rewards before you can redeem a gift card. You can redeem your gift cards at popular retailers like Amazon, Starbucks, Whole Foods, and more.
When it comes time to redeem your rewards, Drop will send them to you in the form of a virtual gift card. This means that you can receive your rewards more quickly and without the added stress of your gift card potentially getting lost in the mail.
Getting Started
Unlike most apps, Drop requires more than just an email and password to get started. Let’s go over how you get started on earning rewards through Drop.
Download Drop App
The first and most obvious step is to download the Drop app. The app is available through the App Store, Google Play, or the Drop website. If you choose to download through the website, Drop will send a download link to your phone.
Create Account and Link Bank Account
Once the app is downloaded, you will need to create your account. This part is simple and requires basic information. You will be prompted to link your bank account after your account is created.
Remember, Drop works by lining up purchases made at stores on the backend. They will reward you automatically when you make purchases at your favorite stores. If you are not comfortable providing your bank login, this may be an app to skip.
Select Favorite Stores
Now it’s time to select your favorite stores. When I began researching for this article, I noticed that all of the reviews noted that you can select five favorite stores to redeem rewards from. When I went to create my account, I was only able to select two stores. Only being able to earn cashback from five stores was one thing, but two is downright frustrating.
Regardless of the number of stores, you cannot change them once you select them. Make sure you put some thought into which stores you choose. I recommend picking a grocery store, a store where you get your basics, or anywhere else you shop frequently.
Once you’ve picked out your favorite stores, you are all set. Drop is ready to help you earn rewards in the background on your everyday purchases.
Promotions
Like other shopping apps, Drop offers bonuses for spending a certain amount or for shopping at a certain store. They will alert you if you can earn extra points by shopping at one of your favorite stores. They will also give you a supercharge bonus if you make at least five purchases at one of your favorite locations.
Drop rewards you for referring friends to the app. If someone uses your referral link to create an account, you’ll both receive 5,000 points. Linking a second card or completing a certain number of purchases will also earn you extra points.
Security
Linking a bank account to an app can be nerve-wracking. I get it, but you should know that Drop protects your information with impressive security features. They boast the same security features as top fintech apps, such as Acorn.
Drop uses Transport Layer Security, or TLS, to make sure that any information transmitted through Drop is secure and not susceptible to interception. Any personal or transactional information is secured with both software and hardware encryption.
Your bank information is also never stored on Drop’s servers, so you can feel good knowing that a hacker can’t simply download your information from a server.
Lastly, DigiCert, an industry leader in online security, certified Drop’s security through a rigorous verification process. It’s important to know the ways that Drop protects your information so that you can feel safe using the app.
Customer Support
When money is involved, people want help immediately. Unfortunately, customer service is not one of Drop’s strengths.
Many people have complained that emails about their accounts and technical inquiries often go without a response or are delayed. This can be frustrating if your points aren’t being posted or you haven’t received your rewards yet.
However, Drop is working diligently to fix any bugs on their site or problems with response time. They’re not perfect, but they’re getting better.
Pros and Cons
As with any cashback app, there are things that make it great and things that make it not so great. Here are some of pros and cons of using Drop.
Pros:
- Consistent Point Values
- Can Use In Addition To Other Cashback Tools
- Rewards For Stores That Usually Don’t Discount
Cons:
- Can Lead to Overspending
- Rewards Only Available in Gift Cards
Alternatives to Drop App
Because you can use Drop in addition to other top shopping apps, these are some additional tools that you can use.
Rakuten
Rakuten is an app and browser extension that gives you anywhere from 1% – 40% cashback at thousands of retailers. Their partners include stores like Target, Amazon, Sephora, and more.
Their referral program is one of the best around. Each time someone you know signs up and makes a purchase, they get $10, and you get $25. This is a no-brainer way to create some extra cash for yourself.
Capital One Shopping
In the era of online shopping, the name of the game is finding the best price for what you want. That’s what makes Capital One Shopping such a game-changer. Capital One Shopping is a browser extension that scans the internet for better prices across all retailers. It also applies any active discount codes that can apply to your purchase. The is a no-brainer way to save money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Drop cost money?
Drop is completely free to download and use. So all in all you’re earning free rewards points without having to pay a dime. And since you’re earning points for purchases you’re already making, it’s really a great deal.
Does Drop app sell information?
According to the Drop website, they state, “We may share your Information with our affiliates and subsidiaries for the purposes of providing the Services. In connection with the delivery to you of any Drop Rewards that you may redeem, we may share some of your Information with third parties in order to process the transaction you have requested.”
Is Drop trustworthy?
Yes, Drop is a legitimate, trustworthy rewards app that allows you to earn free gift cards for shopping at hundreds of popular brands, plus completing other tasks, such as taking online surveys for gift cards.
Should You Earn With Drop?
Ideally, Drop should be a tool in your kit that you use to earn a little bit back on a purchase you make regularly. It should be a pleasant surprise, but not a driving reason for you to make purchases.
Shopping gamification is purposefully addictive. You should evaluate if you really need to make a purchase before you go chasing rewards points. If you’re the kind of person that can get carried away with spending trying to chase rewards, this probably isn’t the app for you.
Only receiving cashback on a few stores can be frustrating, but any cashback is good cashback.
Drop is legit, but you won’t get rich from it. Cashback or rewards are merely a way to earn a little bit back on purchases you already make. Whether it’s helping you beef up your Amazon balance or pay for your weekly latte, Drop is a passive way to earn some fun money.
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