Ebates is Now Rakuten, Everything Else is the Same

One of my favorite shopping sites for the past couple years has been Ebates, which recently changed its name to Rakuten. Same site, same deals, new name. It means “optimism” in Japanese and I’m very optimistic you’ll love using it.

So yes, Rakuten is the same as Ebates!

Why Try Rakuten

If you’re shopping online and not using Rakuten yet, stop reading this and just go sign up now. Seriously, you need this in your life. Every couple months I get a refund check anywhere from $20-$50. It’s always a nice surprise to get a check in the mail instead of bills! In fact, shopping portals like Rakuten are one of the best ways to maximize your credit card rewards by double dipping on purchases.

All you have to do is click your store of choice on their site first, and then you get a percentage back on whatever you buy. And it works with Amazon too, so if you are a Prime junkie like me, it really adds up. (At least, it did when I wrote this! Lately Amazon has not been on there.)

Plus you get a $50 bonus when you spend $50, so that’s a pretty good return on a small investment of your time.

And of course you get credit for friends that sign up so if you want to do something nice today, please show some love and use my referral link 😁

https://www.rakuten.com/r/CANDYK392?eeid=28187

Why Did Ebates Change to Rakuten?

The journey began in 2014, when Rakuten, a global e-commerce leader based in Japan, purchased Ebates for about $1 billion. Instead of rebranding right away, Rakuten allowed Ebates to keep operating under its well-known name for several years.

This slow approach gave Rakuten time to get its footing in the U.S. market and avoid confusing customers who already trusted the Ebates brand.

Rakuten the Same as Ebates

Eventually, Rakuten wanted a single, unified name that reflected its worldwide reach. By rebranding Ebates as Rakuten, the company tied its U.S. rewards platform into its larger ecosystem of e-commerce, financial services, and digital entertainment.

What Stayed the Same

For users, the rebrand didn’t affect the shopping experience. The cash-back system, account setups, and payout methods all stayed in place.

The only difference was cosmetic—colors, logos, and the website address. By August 2019, the official switch was complete, and Ebates fully redirected to Rakuten.

I just updated this post in 2025, and Rakuten is still going strong.