Cashback comes in two main forms: a credit card that returns a percentage of every purchase, and an app or browser extension that pays you for shopping through its links. Both sound like free money, but they work differently, and the one that earns more depends entirely on how you shop.

A cashback card pays automatically on nearly everything you buy, while a cashback app pays only when you start your shopping trip through it, often at higher rates for specific stores. Understanding that trade-off is the key to choosing, or better, combining them for the best total return.