Capital One Shopping Review: How It Works, Pros and Cons

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Capital One Shopping is a free browser extension and mobile app designed to help you save money while shopping online. It does this by automatically 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?

This screenshot of the Capital One Shopping interface shows what it looks like in your browser.
This screenshot of the Capital One Shopping interface shows what it looks like in your browser after getting it and making an account.

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 Capital One Shopping Works

Once you get the browser extension or the app, it’s easy to use from there.

Browser Extension:

  • Works automatically 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

A screenshot of Capital One Shopping shows where to see your savings and rewards.
This screenshot of Capital One Shopping shows where to see your savings and rewards.

The following features are not only available with Capital One Shopping, they require very little effort from you.

  • Automatic coupon application: Automatically finds and applies promo codes available.
  • Price comparison tool: Compares prices from various retailers to ensure 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.
  • Saves money by automatically 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
Automatic 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 Safe and Legit?

Yes, this is a safe and legitimate way to be 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 4.7 rating on Google Play and 4.9 on the Apple Store. Users say they appreciate the automatic savings, but some express concerns about data privacy.

Final Verdict: Should You Use Capital One Shopping?

Screenshot show what you see when you go to download Capital One Shopping.

Capital One Shopping is a valuable tool for online shoppers looking for automatic 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.