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One fairly new popular rewards program is the Drop app. It’s a great way to earn money and other perks when you make everyday purchases. This is a common incentive offered by credit card companies, but opportunities have expanded in recent years.
To put it simply, you earn a certain percentage of the money you spend. It’s essentially free money for you! They offer a free rewards system where you can earn gift cards. Though it hasn’t been out long, it’s gained a lot of popularity among young adults.
In this Drop app review, we’ll discuss everything that you need to know. From the company’s history to all of the benefits, we’ve got you covered. If you want to learn about a new way to get free rewards, read on.
The best part? You get a $1 registration bonus when you sign-up and link your first credit/debit card.
Table of Contents
What Is The Drop App?
On the About page of Drop’s website, they describe the app as a “financial technology company focused on bringing value to millennials.” Their aim is to help users earn rewards from places they already shop.
Drop allows you to earn points from all sorts of different brands. I was happy to see that there are companies that you’d make everyday purchases from. This means that there’s no extra spending required, and you can still live frugally. Some of the major brands displayed on their main page include:
- Amazon
- Starbucks
- Trader Joe’s
- Safeway
- McDonald’s
- Wal-Mart
- Costco
- Nike
- Whole Foods
- Uber
According to CrunchBase, Drop was founded in August of 2015. The current team behind the company consists of CEO Derrick Fung and eight other employees.
The company headquarters are located in Canada, and they expanded to an NYC office as they grew. Drop is backed by several major investors, including ones who funded Angie’s List, Dollar Shave Club, and other successful businesses.
How Do You Join The Drop App?
You can join Drop through downloading their app. You can use the Frugal For Less code frugal4less to join and get a $1 bonus when you link your first credit card.
The Google Play Store has a Drop app, and it’s certainly for this company. The description of the app states “Signing up is quick and easy (it only takes a minute), and we’ll even load your account with 1,000 points to get you started.”. This indicates that you join Drop by downloading the app, and it sounds like the process is fast.
Additionally, there are over 600 Google Play reviews. Many of these reviews directly mention using the app and the app’s benefits.
The app’s info section indicates it has been downloaded 50,000 to 100,000 times, and that the most recent update occurred in July 2017. You can also download the iOS Drop app for iPhones. The most recent update for that app also occurred in July 2017, so it’s seemingly up-to-date.
Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to join drop. However, you will need to have a credit card or debit card in order to earn points and redeem points.
How Do You Earn Points With The Drop App?
Once you’ve downloaded the app and joined Drop, you’ll need to follow a few steps to begin earning points:
- Input the referral code frugal4less to begin using the app. Again, you’ll need this in order to access the app and get all of the perks that it offers.
- Link your debit or credit card by providing your bank login information. This will link all of the cards associated with your bank. You can read about Drop’s security and privacy systems if you have any concerns.
- Choose five retailers that you shop at; these places are where you will earn points. Make sure to choose retailers that you shop at frequently. You cannot change your five chosen retailers once you’ve selected them. Choose wisely!
When you shop at a retailer, you earn points via the Drop app. Each point is worth 1/10th of a penny. That means that 1,000 points are equal to $1.00. Drop points do not expire, so you can let them build up to redeem larger rewards.
The number of points you can earn per dollar depends on the retailer you spend money at.The list below is based on info from DoctorOfCredit.com; it shows several merchants Drop is affiliated with. This list was posted in June of 2017, so it is very up to date:
- Amazon.com – 20 points per $1 (2%)
- Walgreens – 10 points per $1 (1%)
- Walmart – 10 points per $1 (1%)
- Target – 10 points per $1 (1%)
- Whole Foods Market – 10 points per $1 (1%)
- Trader Joe’s – 15 points per $1 (1.5%)
- Safeway – 11 points per $1 (1.1%)
- HEB – 20 points per $1 (2%)
- Fred Meyer – 20 points per $1 (2%)
- Uber – 15 points per $1 (1.5%)
- Starbucks – 15 points per $1 (1.5%)
- McDonald’s – 10 points per $1 (1%)
- Dunkin’ Donuts – 17 points per $1 (1.7%)
- Chipotle – 15 points per $1 (1.5%)
- 7-Eleven – 19 points per $1 (1.9%)
- Shell – 3 points per $1 (.3%)
- Bath & Body Works – 18 points per $1 (1.8%)
- Urban Outfitters – amount unknown
- Macy’s – 10 points per $1 (1%)
- H&M – 5 points per $1 (.5%)
- Seamless – 20 points per $1 (2%)
- Blue Bottle Coffee – amount unknown
- Peet’s Coffee & Tea – amount unknown
Every time you make a purchase at one of your five chosen retailers, you’ll earn points. Just make sure that you use whatever card(s) you have linked to Drop. According to the Drop FAQ section, your points will be reflected in your account five days after you make a purchase.
How Much Do You Earn With The Drop App?
The number of points you earn with Drop depends on a few different factors. The two main factors are your spending habits and the points per dollar each merchant offers.
For example, a full grocery shopping trip will earn you more points than a quick stop to buy a gallon of milk. This doesn’t mean you should overspend though. Simply make the purchases you would normally make, and enjoy the free points.
Next, you’ll need to carefully consider the five merchants that you choose. Let’s say that you visit Starbucks and McDonald’s on an equal basis.
You’ll earn more points from Starbucks (15 points per $1) than you will from McDonald’s (10 points per $1). Because of this, you should prioritize adding Starbucks to your list of five merchants.
Drop states that most users redeem points for their first gift card within one month of downloading the app. From what I’ve read, you will need a minimum of 5,000 points in order to redeem them for rewards.
All rewards offered by drop come in the form of gift cards. So if Drop’s statistics are accurate, you’ll earn about $5 in points every month. That’s not bad!
In the Drop app, you can only see how many points per dollar a merchant offers once you’ve added them to your list. Fortunately, I found this information online fairly easily.
These are the free gift cards you can get when you redeem your Drop points:
- $5 Starbucks – 5,000 Points
- $5 Aerie – 5,000 Points
- $10 Old Navy – 10,000 Points
- $10 Dunkin’ Donuts – 10,000 Points
- $10 iTunes – 10,000 Points
- $10 Amazon.com – 10,000 Points
- $10 American Eagle Outfitters – 10,000 Points
- $10 Gap – 10,000 Points
- $10 Nordstrom – 10,000 Points
- $15 Groupon – 15,000 Points
- $15 AMC – 15,000 Points
- $15 Banana Republic – 15,000 Points
- $20 Whole Foods Market – 20,000 Points
- $25 Barnes & Noble – 25,000 Points
- $25 Applebee’s – 25,000 Points
- $25 Lyft – 25,000 Points
- $25 Apple – 25,000 Points (This is for www.apple.ca)
- $25 JCPenney – 25,000 Points
- $50 Hotels.com – 50,000 Points
- $50 Best Buy – 50,000 Points
- $100 American Airlines – 100,000 Points
In addition to spending, there are other ways that you can earn points on Drop. I’ve compiled a list of ways to earn these points. These come primarily from user reviews and feedback found online.
- Get 1,000 points for downloading the Drop app.
- Get 100 points when you link your first debit or credit card to the Drop app.
- Share your referral code with one person to receive 1,000 points ($1). You receive this code when you download the app.
- Share your referral code with five people to receive 5,000 points.
- Earn 20 extra points for visiting their social media pages. You can earn 10 points for visiting their Twitter and 10 for visiting their Facebook.
- Register your e-mail address to receive 50 points.
- Look in the Bonus section for special one-time spending offers. You’ll see offers such as “Spend X amount at Y merchant and receive Z bonus points”.
- Earn extra points with the Drop Supercharge bonus. When you make purchases at one of your chosen Drop merchants five times, you unlock this bonus. The bonus allows you to play the game Snake, and you can earn about 100 points doing so.
- Earn 30 points when you redeem your first reward.
- Earn 50 points when you enable Drop app notifications.
There are likely other methods to earn points similar to the ones listed above. Locate the ‘Bonus’ section in the app to find more ways to maximize your earnings.
Feedback From Drop App Users
Lastly, I want to go over all of the customer feedback I’ve found along with Drop app reviews. Like any smartphone app, users list many differents pros as well as some cons.
I’ve summarized the points below to give you an unbiased peek into what users think. I’ve also provided statistics related to the feedback and ratings Drop has received:
- Google Play Store Statistics:
- The Drop app has an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store. This is based on a total of 605 reviews.
- 42.81% of the Google Play Store reviews for Drop are 5-star reviews.
- 16.53% of the Google Play Store reviews for Drop are 4-star reviews.
- 9.59% of the Google Play Store reviews for Drop are 3-star reviews.
- 11.07% of the Google Play Store reviews for Drop are 2-star reviews.
- 20% of the Google Play Store reviews for Drop are 1-star reviews.
- Google Play Store Reviews:
- One recent Drop review mentions that the Drop app team provides excellent customer service. The user had trouble linking his cards when he downloaded the app. Drop assisted him and provided 2,500 bonus points for the inconvenience.
- One recent reviewer says that he has been unable to link a card. Because of this, he is unable to use the app.
- Another user says the app isn’t perfect but still gives it a 5-star review. The user says she’s very happy with it, the support team is very responsive, and she enjoys earning little perks for her daily purchases.
- A 1-star reviewer says he was unable to receive or redeem points. He hasn’t been able to fix the issue with support and expresses his disappointment.
- One reviewer says that using the app is hit or miss. She explains she was unable to link her cards but that her daughter was able to do so.
- App Store Statistics:
- The Drop App has an average rating of 2 out of 5 stars in the App Store. This is based on a total of 20 reviews.
- 20% of the App Store reviews for Drop are 5-star reviews.
- 5% of the App Store reviews for Drop are 4-star reviews.
- 0% of the App Store reviews for Drop are 3-star reviews.
- 5% of the App Store reviews for Drop are 2-star reviews.
- 70% of the App Store reviews for Drop are 1-star reviews.
- App Store Reviews:
- The most recent review expresses two main points of dissatisfaction with the app. The user received conflicting information from Drop customer support. He or she ended up with a frozen account and could not use his or her reward points.
- The most recent positive review covers a few benefits of the app. He or she always receives points on time. If there is ever an issue with the app, he or she gets responses from customer service. This person enjoys getting benefits simply by shopping.
- A 5-star review from July 2017 reports that the app works properly. The user states that it worked as desired. He or she says the app simply collects his or her free points just for shopping.
- One customer is very unhappy with Drop customer service. He or she says they did not receive a reply when contacting support about an error.
- Another user has quickly earned points by using Drop. He or she was able to earn $80 in rewards points so far.
- Miscellaneous Reviews:
- There is a forum thread about Drop on RedFlagDeals.com. One user goes into great detail about the benefits of the app. He gives examples of the numerous one-time special offers that Drop has. He says he’s redeemed points with no issues and has nothing negative to say about the app. None of the other users in the thread have experience with Drop. However, they did express disapproval because Drop requires you to provide your credit and debit card info.
- A detailed review of Drop is posted on DoctorOfCredit.com. In the ‘Final Thoughts’ section, the author dubs Drop the best reward program of this nature. He praises the app for providing rewards for everyday purchases and that Drop doesn’t interfere with reward programs offered by credit card companies. The only negative point the author makes is that you cannot get Drop app points when you make purchases with gift cards.
- A Drop app user shares his experience in a PointsHogger.com post. His review is positive, and he points out that certain aspects of Drop make it truly innovative. Other rewards apps require you to take pictures of receipts or register with the rewards program of each merchant you choose. This isn’t required with Drop. You link your cards and you’re all set.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the the Drop app seems like a simple, innovative, and beneficial app. It’s a hassle-free way to earn points just by doing your daily shopping.
Some users do seem to have problems with technical errors in the app, but I think this is to be expected. As new apps continue to develop, these things usually get sorted out. So if you’re interested in free gift cards, download Drop and use the referral code u8hoq.
If you’re a fan of free rewards programs, you’re in luck. Frugal For Less has covered many of them. Check out the following posts:
