Until September 30, 2026, Rakuten is presenting an unparalleled bonus for new members who are introduced by current members:
– When you refer a friend to Rakuten and they spend $50, both the referrer and the referred individual will receive $50.
– To qualify, the referred individual must complete a purchase within 90 days.
In this article, I aim to showcase the simplest method to benefit from this promotion, as it’s an option that many people tend to miss. If you qualify, there’s really no reason to pass this up, as it’s effectively like obtaining $50 worth of complimentary spending (albeit with a slight delay). Alternatively, due to the collaboration between Rakuten and Bilt, it could even equate to acquiring up to 5,000 Bilt points for free!
**Link: [Register for a Rakuten account with an unmatched $50 bonus](https://www.rakuten.com/r/BSCHLA18?eeid=28187)**
### Simplest way to complete a Rakuten purchase
Rakuten operates as an online shopping hub that collaborates with numerous retailers, providing cash back, Amex Membership Rewards points, or Bilt Rewards points for purchases you would make anyway. There are even enhanced bonuses available now.
Receiving $50 back on a $50 purchase is fantastic, though I understand many may be thinking, “I can’t think of anything I need that costs around $50 right now.”
In this article, I’ll point out the simplest way to secure this bonus — purchase a $50 gift card and you’ll get $50 back (or even 5,000 points!). Below, I’ll explain the process for anyone who may not yet be a Rakuten member.
#### Step 1: Create a Rakuten account
The initial step is to create a Rakuten account via a refer-a-friend link. You can [register through my link](https://www.rakuten.com/r/BSCHLA18?eeid=28187) (thank you for your support!), or others are welcome to share their links in the comments.
The sign-up procedure should only take a couple of minutes.
One of my favorite aspects of Rakuten is that you can also accrue rewards points instead of cash back for your online shopping. You can choose to earn either Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt Rewards points.
If you wish to [accumulate Amex Membership Rewards points with Rakuten](https://onemileatatime.com/guides/rakuten-amex/), you will earn one Membership Rewards point instead of each cent cash back. The sign-up process is straightforward. Once you’ve created your account, you can opt to select Amex Membership Rewards points rather than cash back as your earnings preference.
Keep in mind that this adjustment won’t affect the sign-up bonus, but will apply to all future earnings. This opportunity is exceptional since I personally value one Membership Rewards point significantly more than one cent.
However, it’s not your only option, as you can also [gain Bilt Rewards points with Rakuten](https://onemileatatime.com/guides/bilt-points-rakuten/). The rewards operate slightly differently here. All [Bilt elite members, including those with](https://onemileatatime.com/guides/bilt-elite-status/) Silver, Gold, and Platinum status, can receive one Bilt Rewards point instead of each cent cash back. Non-elite members accumulate one point instead of each cent cash back. I’d consider the former to be an excellent deal, while the latter… not quite as appealing.
What’s interesting about Bilt is that even the rewards earned through the new member bonus can be converted into Bilt points since all earned rewards during a specific “cycle” can be transformed that way.
#### Step 2: Purchase a $50 gift card
While logged into your Rakuten account, you will need to make an eligible purchase. There are various websites focused on selling gift cards that partner with Rakuten, and I find giftcards.com to be the best. If you buy a gift card from this site, you can earn rewards for gift card purchases, which isn’t available when purchasing gift cards from many of Rakuten’s retail partners.
Therefore, type giftcards.com into the search bar at the top of Rakuten’s website.
Then click the “Shop Now” button, which will direct you to giftcards.com. All your purchases on that site will be automatically tracked.
The website offers a range of gift cards from popular retailers, including DoorDash, Uber, Delta, Southwest, Hulu, Netflix, Dominos, and many others.