Kudos Smart Wallet $20 Referral Code

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Kudos, a new cashback extension, is offering new members a $20 bonus when using a referral code. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up using this ink or use the code WEALTH_KUDOS.
2. Download the extension.
3. Add your credit cards.
4. Make your first purchase at any merchant to earn 250 points.
5. Shop at a Boost merchant to earn an additional 1,750 points for a total of 2,000 bonus points (equal to $20 in Amazon gift cards).
6. Receive your $20 bonus after your purchase is confirmed (typically within 60 to 120 days).

Boost merchants are simply retailers in the Kudos rewards ecosystem. Kudos works with over 15,000 online stores, including major names like Walmart, Lowes, BestBuy, Nike and Petco.

How Kudos Smart Wallet Works

Kudos works differently than your typical cash-back extension in that it helps you find the credit card that will maximize your rewards on the purchase and then doubles (and sometimes more) the cash-back amount you earn with that card. 

For example, I uploaded multiple cards to Kudos, including my Capital One Venture X card. Then, on a recent purchase at Walmart.com, Kudos alerted me that the Venture X (which paid 2X rewards) would be my best option. 

So, I earned $1.45 in rewards from Capital One and 146 points from Kudos, for an effective earning rate of 4X.

Once you’ve accumulated 1,000 Kudos Boost points (equivalent to $10), you can redeem them for an Amazon gift card. Each point is worth one cent.

While doubling a 2% cash-back offer isn’t groundbreaking, Kudos’ featured merchants provide significantly higher returns over other cash-back sites.  

Combining these boosted rates with high-reward cards like Chase Freedom’s 5% rotating categories allows you to achieve some of the best cash-back rates available. 

Other cards that have rotating 5% categories include:

• Chase Freedom Flex
• Discover it Cash Back
• Discover it Student Cash Back

For an example of how this math works out, let’s say you have a credit card that pays 5% cash-back at Lowe’s:

• You get 5% ($5 on a $100 purchase) from your credit card.
• Kudos adds 4X more (see the screenshot below), which is 20% ($20 on a $100 purchase).
• You earn an effective total of 25% back ($25 on a $100 purchase).

Kudos Referral Program

After signing up for Kudos, you can immediately access their referral program. This program allows you and the person you refered to earn the equivalent of $20 in Boost points. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Share your unique referral code with friends or family.
2. When they join and make their first purchase at a Boost merchant, you each earn 2,000 Bonus points ($20).
3. You’ll then receive an additional 250 point bonus for every five referrals you make.

There’s no limit to how many people you can refer. But remember, it typically takes 60 to 120 days for rewards to be issued after purchase confirmation — so you won’t see these points in your account for some time.

Overall Thoughts

The first-time user bonus is a solid deal compared to other cash-back sites. 

Some similar deals include:

• $15 welcome bonus from GoCashback
• 10% from Rakuten 
• $10 from Swagbucks

One big difference is that you have to add your credit card details to Kudos. While this might raise privacy concerns, Kudos has implemented the following security measures:

1. They use 256-bit encryption, the industry’s gold standard.
2. Your encrypted financial data remains inaccessible, even to Kudos employees.

Kudos is backed by reputable investors, which adds some credibility. However, it’s natural to feel cautious about sharing financial information. 

Overall, I felt comfortable enough to do so and am looking forward to taking advantage featured Boost merchants within categories where I can earn 5% with my Chase Freedom card.

If you don’t have a credit card that pays 2% or above on purchases, Kudos has its limits, and you’re better off using another top cash-back site or app. 

However, for those with multiple credit cards — especially ones with bonus categories — Kudos can be a powerful tool to help you earn more.

In this scenario, Kudos shines by:

1. Identifying which of your cards offers the highest rewards for each purchase.
2. Stacking additional cash-back on top of your card’s rewards.
3. Maximizing earnings with featured merchants.

This combination can result in significantly higher rewards than using a single cash-back site.

Of course, if you do join, I would appreciate it if you used our referral link or code “WEALTH_KUDOS.”

R.J. Weiss

R.J. Weiss, founder of The Ways To Wealth, has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 2010. Holding a B.A. in finance and having completed the CFP® certification curriculum at The American College, R.J. combines formal education with a deep commitment to providing unbiased financial insights. Recognized as a trusted authority in the financial realm, his expertise is highlighted in major publications like Business Insider, New York Times, and Forbes.