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Browser Extensions · head to head

Rakuten vs Stylus

Rakuten logo

Rakuten

Browser Extensions

Get cash back on every purchase

From
Free
Rated
-
Stylus logo

Stylus

Browser Extensions

Restyle the web with custom CSS

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Rakuten minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users; Stylus crashes and instability when applying certain styles
  • They diverge on capability: Rakuten covers Cash back rewards, Stylus covers Custom CSS injection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rakuten and Stylus actually diverge.

Attributes where Rakuten and Stylus differ
AttributeRakutenStylus
PlatformsBrowser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera
Founded19992017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Browser Extensions).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Rakuten

  • Cash back rewards
  • Coupon codes
  • In-store offers
  • Price comparisons
  • Safari support

Only in Stylus

  • Custom CSS injection
  • Style management
  • userstyles.world integration
  • Built-in editor
  • Opera support

Both cover

  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Rakuten

  • Cash back on online purchases from partner retailersnot Stylus
  • Cash back on in-store purchases using linked cardsnot Stylus

Stylus

  • Customizing website appearance with community-created CSS themesnot Rakuten
  • Writing personal style overrides for specific websitesnot Rakuten
  • Managing multiple styles across different websites automaticallynot Rakuten
  • Searching and installing user-styles for current websitesnot Rakuten
  • Migrating style collections from Stylish extensionnot Rakuten

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Rakuten

  • Minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users
  • Quarterly payout schedule only, with months-long delays between earning and receiving payments
  • Amazon cashback limited to specific categories at 1-3% rates
  • Must click through Rakuten link first or cashback does not register

Stylus

  • Crashes and instability when applying certain styles
  • No visual element selector tool for identifying page elements to style
  • Security risk if downloading and applying untrusted user-created styles

Pricing, plan by plan

Rakuten

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Rakuten review.

Stylus

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Custom CSS
    • Style library
    • Style editor

Which should you pick?

Choose Rakuten if

  • You need cash back rewards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
  • You also want coupon codes.

Choose Stylus if

  • You need custom css injection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want style management.

Questions people ask

Is Rakuten or Stylus better?
Neither clearly leads. Rakuten starts at Free and Stylus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rakuten or Stylus?
Rakuten starts at Free and Stylus at Free.
Does Rakuten or Stylus run on more platforms?
Rakuten runs on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). Stylus runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
Can I use Rakuten for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Rakuten best used for?
Rakuten is most often used for cash back on online purchases from partner retailers, cash back on in-store purchases using linked cards. Of those, cash back on online purchases from partner retailers and cash back on in-store purchases using linked cards are not what Stylus is typically brought in for.
What can Rakuten do that Stylus cannot?
Rakuten covers Cash back rewards, Coupon codes, In-store offers, Price comparisons. Stylus covers Custom CSS injection, Style management, userstyles.world integration, Built-in editor. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rakuten: Does Rakuten charge membership fees?

No. Rakuten is completely free to join and use. There are no membership fees, setup fees, or any charges to members. Rakuten's revenue comes from merchant commissions, not user fees.

Source
Stylus: Is Stylus free?

Yes. Stylus is completely free and open-source, available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera browsers.

Source
Rakuten: Is there a cost to use the Rakuten browser extension or mobile app?

No, both the browser extension and mobile app are free to download and use at no cost.

Source
Stylus: Can I use Stylus to change the browser UI?

No. Due to WebExtensions security restrictions, Stylus can only customize website pages, not the browser interface itself.

Source
Rakuten: How does Rakuten make money if it's free?

Brands partner with Rakuten and pay commissions to bring them customers. Rakuten shares a portion of these commissions with members as cash back rewards.

Source
Stylus: What CSS pre-processors does Stylus support?

Stylus supports CSS, LESS, and Stylus syntax with built-in linting using Stylelint and CSSLint-mod with customizable rules.

Source
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