Free video-streaming trials? Tried ’em all. Free Costco food samples? There every weekend. Free makeup testers? Perfect for travel!
There’s something exhilarating about a solid freebie. No, we’re not referring to cheap pens, stickers or keychains. We mean legit freebies — items that are genuinely useful and fun.
That’s why we combed the web to find the best online freebies available to Canadians. You’ll discover a bit of everything below.
1. Score up to $83 Playing Solitaire
Many of us already play Solitaire on our phones for fun or to kill time. Want to try winning actual cash from it?
There’s a free iPhone app called Solitaire Cash that lets you compete for real money. Winners can pocket up to $83 per victory.
You might suspect a catch. Isn’t this one of those shady apps?
Not really. While you can pay to enter higher-stakes contests, there’s no pressure to do so — and you won’t be bombarded with intrusive ads.
Each match pits you against at least five opponents. Everyone gets the same deck, so the outcome depends on skill. The fastest three players to finish the deck take home real cash — from $1 up to $83.
On the App Store it’s been downloaded over a million times and has more than 15,000 reviews, averaging 4.7 stars out of 5.
To begin, simply download the free app and jump into your first game right away.
2. Earn Up to $225 in Cash
If someone told you you could get paid to watch videos on your computer, you’d likely be skeptical.
Seems too good to be true, right?
A site called Swagbucks will reward you for watching short video clips online. One minute you might watch a baking tutorial and the next you’re catching up on celebrity gossip.
You pick which videos to watch and answer a few brief questions afterward. Brands pay Swagbucks to present these clips to viewers, and the site shares a portion of that payment with you.
Swagbucks isn’t a path to riches, but it’s possible to earn up to $225 per month by watching videos. The platform has already paid out more than $200 million to members.
Signing up takes about a minute, and you’ll receive a $5 bonus right away to kick things off.
3. Free Pizza
I mean, what’s superior to pizza? FREE PIZZA!
If you love Domino’s, create a Domino’s Piece of The Pie Rewards account and place your orders through it. You’ll accumulate points with each purchase that count toward a free pizza. Reach 60 points and you’ve earned a complimentary pie.
4. Free Electronics
Remember Nielsen — the company that tracks TV ratings? Now it wants to know what’s in your shopping cart.
Sign up for the Nielsen Consumer Panel and you can either use your smartphone or receive a free barcode scanner from the company. When you shop, scan the UPCs on the products and submit that information to Nielsen.
Nielsen rewards participants with gift points that can be redeemed for free electronics, jewelry, household goods or even toys for kids. The longer you remain on the panel, the more points you can accumulate toward prizes. You’ll also earn entries into the panel’s sweepstakes, which have awarded vacations and even brand-new vehicles.
5. Free Pancakes, anyone?
This one only applies if you’re in British Columbia, where IHOP (International House of Pancakes) is active. Join MyHop (IHOP’s loyalty program) to receive a free stack of pancakes. After creating your account, you’ll get an email containing your coupon.
Tips: Be patient for the email; we received ours a few hours after registering. Also watch the expiration date — ours was valid for two weeks.
6. Free Roast Beef Sandwich
Hungry? Arby’s offers an email club. If you sign up, you’ll get a free Roast Beef Classic with the purchase of a drink. (Arby’s will also send periodic coupons.)
This is one of the few offers on this list that requires a purchase to get a free item. But hey, you’ll probably want a drink with your free roast beef sandwich.
7. Sephora Beauty Perks
Oooh, Sephora.
Become a “Beauty Insider” and you’ll be eligible for a free beauty kit from Fresh or Marc Jacobs on your birthday.
8. Free Ice Cream
We’ll never turn down the chance for free ice cream. If we did, you might as well start planning our memorial service. This is free ice cream we’re talking about!
Download the Slab Happy Rewards app from Marble Slab Creamery and you’ll get free ice cream just for joining. After that, you’ll collect points for each dollar spent and can redeem them for $5 off future purchases.
