Slickdeals is the best overall app for serious deal hunters, while Hip2Save is better for family and household savings, and RetailMeNot is best for quick coupon codes at checkout. Slickdeals has a large community model, with more than 12 million shoppers reported by the company [source: Slickdeals]. That matters because more users usually means faster deal sharing, more comments, and quicker warnings when a deal is dead.
TLDR: Use Slickdeals if you want alerts on big discounts, price drops, laptops, TVs, tools, and limited-time offers. Use Hip2Save if your goal is saving on groceries, kids’ items, beauty products, and everyday store runs. Use RetailMeNot when you are already at checkout and need a promo code fast; for example, a 15% code on a $120 order saves $18 in under a minute if the code works. If you only want one app, pick Slickdeals, but expect to spend a little time filtering noise.
Quick Comparison
- Best overall: Slickdeals
- Best for families: Hip2Save
- Best for coupon codes: RetailMeNot
- Best for alerts: Slickdeals
- Best for beginners: Hip2Save
Hip2Save: Best for Practical Household Deals
Hip2Save feels more edited than many deal apps. The deals are often written up with context, store rules, coupon steps, and real examples. That helps if you shop at places like Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Amazon, and Costco.
The app is especially strong for grocery savings, household goods, beauty items, kids’ products, and seasonal deals. It also does a good job explaining stacked savings. That may include a sale price, a store coupon, a rebate offer, and a final price after all discounts.
The best part is the tone. Hip2Save does not feel like a giant wall of random links. It feels more like a deal editor is helping you avoid obvious mistakes. For newer coupon users, that is useful.
The weak spot is speed. Hip2Save may not always beat Slickdeals on hot tech deals or short-lived price errors. If a gaming monitor drops for 40 minutes, Slickdeals users will likely catch it first. Hip2Save is better when you want clear, usable savings without digging through hundreds of comments.
Slickdeals: Best for Power Shoppers
Slickdeals is the strongest app for people who want the broadest range of deals. It covers electronics, clothing, travel, tools, credit card offers, home items, subscriptions, and more. The community voting system helps push strong deals up and bury weak ones.
The app’s best feature is deal alerts. You can set alerts for brands, stores, or exact products. If you want a PlayStation controller under $50 or a Dyson vacuum under $300, Slickdeals is the app most likely to notify you at the right time.
Honestly, it feels like Slickdeals can be too busy at times. Some searches pull up expired deals, reposts, or offers with too many conditions. Expect to waste time on comments if the deal is popular. Still, those comments can save you money. Users often point out better prices, warranty issues, shipping limits, or coupon problems.
Slickdeals is also strong for price confidence. If a deal gets many positive votes, that is a useful signal. It is not perfect, but it is better than trusting a random “limited time” banner on a retailer’s site.
RetailMeNot: Best for Checkout Coupons
RetailMeNot is the simplest of the three. Its main job is finding coupon codes, cash back offers, and store promotions. It works best when you already know what you want to buy and just need to check whether a code exists.
This is where RetailMeNot can be useful. Say you are buying shoes from a major retailer. Before paying, you open the app, search the store, and try the top coupon codes. If one works, great. If not, you lost maybe 60 seconds.
The annoying part is code failure. It drives me crazy that coupon apps still show expired or limited codes near the top. RetailMeNot is not alone here, but it happens. Some codes work only for new customers. Others exclude sale items, certain brands, or app purchases.
RetailMeNot is still worth keeping installed because it fills a narrow need. It is not the best app for discovering major deals. It is the app you open at the final step before paying.
Which App Saves the Most Money?
The answer depends on how you shop.
- If you plan purchases: Slickdeals usually wins. Alerts give you a better shot at buying only when prices drop.
- If you shop weekly: Hip2Save may save more over time through practical deals on food, cleaning products, and family basics.
- If you shop casually: RetailMeNot can save money with very little effort.
For a serious shopper, the best setup is using all three with different jobs. Set Slickdeals alerts for expensive items. Check Hip2Save before grocery and drugstore trips. Use RetailMeNot at checkout before placing online orders.
Privacy, Notifications, and Trust
Deal apps can get noisy. Turn off broad push alerts if you do not want your phone buzzing all day. Keep only alerts for brands, stores, or product types you truly care about.
Also, do not assume every deal is a good buy. A 50% discount is not useful if the original price was inflated. Check price history when buying expensive items. Read comments. Compare at two or three stores.
Final Verdict
Choose Slickdeals if you want the best all-around shopping deals app. It offers the strongest mix of alerts, community feedback, and deal variety.
Choose Hip2Save if you prefer clear guidance, useful household deals, and step-by-step savings tips. It is the most approachable option for families and regular store shoppers.
Choose RetailMeNot if your main goal is finding a working promo code before checkout. It is not the deepest tool, but it is quick and often worth a try.
The smartest choice is not picking one forever. Use each app for what it does best. That simple split will save more money and cut down on wasted time.