Which Student Discount Apps Actually Save You Money
What these apps do, and what they don't
Student discount apps work in two ways: some show you where discounts exist (like a directory), and others give you a digital card or code you load into your phone and use at checkout. Most combine both. They don't create new discounts — they collect ones that already exist from retailers, restaurants, and services. The app is the middleman between you and the business offering the deal.
What matters is whether the discounts they list are actually available near you, whether they work on things you actually buy, and whether the app itself costs money. A free app that saves you $3 per month is not worth your time. An app that costs $5 per month and saves you $8 is worth it only if you use it consistently.
Key Takeaways
- Most student discount apps are free, but some charge a monthly or annual fee that you should compare against the discounts you actually use.
- The discounts listed in an app vary by location, so the same app may be useful in one city and nearly empty in another.
- Apps that require you to show a student ID in person work differently than apps that give you a digital code — know which type you're getting before you download.
- The biggest savings usually come from food, entertainment, and travel, but the specific restaurants and retailers in your area determine whether an app is worth opening.
How to tell if an app will actually work for you
Before downloading, search the app's website or social media for the list of partner businesses in your area. If you don't recognize most of them, or if they're not places you go, the app won't save you money no matter how many discounts it claims to have. Some apps let you browse their full directory without downloading first — use that feature.
Check what kind of verification the app uses. Some require you to upload a photo of your student ID once, and then you're verified forever in that app. Others ask you to show your ID in person at each store. A few use your school email address to verify you're a current student. The easiest verification is usually a one-time upload, but the most reliable for retailers is in-person ID, because it's harder to fake.
Look at the fine print about how long the verification lasts. Many apps re-verify you annually, which means you'll need to upload a new photo of your ID or confirm your enrollment status. If you're graduating or changing schools, you may lose access mid-year.
The major apps and what sets them apart
UNiDAYS is the largest student discount network in the US. It verifies you through your school email or by uploading your student ID, and once verified, you can use discounts at hundreds of retailers both online and in stores. The app itself is free. Discounts range from 10% off clothing to free trials of streaming services. The catch is that many discounts are online-only, and the in-store discounts often require you to show a digital code from the app at checkout.
Student Beans works similarly to UNiDAYS — free app, email or ID verification, hundreds of partners. It tends to have stronger discounts at restaurants and entertainment venues in some regions and weaker ones in others. Like UNiDAYS, it's worth checking both apps if you live in a major city, because they don't always have the same partners.
SheerID is the verification engine behind many store-specific student discount programs. You don't download SheerID itself; instead, individual retailers use it to verify you're a student when you shop on their website or in their app. It's free and works by uploading your ID or confirming your school email. If you shop at Target, Apple, Adobe, or Dell, you've probably encountered SheerID verification.
Amazon Prime Student is not a discount app but a membership. It costs $7.49 per month (or $69 per year) and includes free two-day shipping, access to Prime Video, and a rotating set of other benefits. It also gives you a 6-month free trial. The math here is straightforward: if you order from Amazon more than once a month, it usually pays for itself. If you don't, it doesn't.
Spotify Student, Apple Music Student, and similar streaming discounts are usually built into the apps themselves rather than a separate discount app. They cost $5.99 to $6.99 per month (roughly half the regular price) and require verification through SheerID or your school email. These are worth it only if you use the service regularly.
When a paid app makes sense
A few student discount apps charge a subscription fee. Perks is one example — it costs money but claims to bundle discounts across multiple categories. Before paying for any app, do the math: if the app costs $5 per month, you need to save at least $60 per year to break even. That's roughly $5 per month in actual discounts used, not discounts available.
Most students find that free apps like UNiDAYS or Student Beans cover the discounts they actually use. Paid apps make sense only if you've already tried the free ones and found them too limited for your specific location or spending habits.
What usually doesn't work
Discount apps that promise to stack discounts (using multiple codes at once) often don't work the way they advertise. Most retailers allow only one discount code per transaction. Apps that claim to find "hidden" discounts or "secret" student codes are usually just listing the same discounts the retailer already advertises publicly.
Apps that ask you to pay upfront for a discount card or membership, or that require you to refer friends to unlock discounts, are generally not worth your time. The best student discount apps are free to download and free to use — the retailer pays the app to be listed, not the other way around.
How to actually use these apps without forgetting them
Download one or two apps maximum. If you download five, you'll forget they exist. Start with UNiDAYS or Student Beans, depending on which has more partners in your area. Use it for one category of spending — say, restaurants or clothing — and get in the habit of checking before you buy.
Set a phone reminder to check the app before you go shopping at a store you frequent. Or, if you shop online, make it a habit to search the app's directory before you check out. The apps that save you money are the ones you actually open.
Keep your student ID or school email handy for verification. Most apps verify you once and remember it, but some ask you to re-verify annually. If your verification expires and you don't notice, you'll lose access to the discounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use my real name and student ID?
Yes. Apps verify that you're actually a student by checking your ID or school email. Using someone else's ID or a fake ID violates the app's terms of service and can get your account banned. It also may violate your school's honor code.
What happens to my student discounts after I graduate?
Most apps re-verify your student status annually or when you log in. Once you graduate, you'll no longer be able to verify, and your account will lose access to student-only discounts. Some apps offer a grace period of a few months after graduation, but this varies by app.
Can I use a student discount app if I'm in graduate school or online school?
Yes, as long as your school is accredited and you have a valid student ID or school email. Graduate students, part-time students, and online students all count. Some apps verify through your school email, which works for any type of enrollment.
Do these apps sell my data?
The apps collect information about which discounts you use and where you shop. Read the privacy policy of any app before downloading. Most major apps like UNiDAYS and Student Beans are transparent about data use, but the level of detail varies.
What if a discount doesn't work when I try to use it?
Contact the app's customer service with the name of the retailer and the discount code. Sometimes discounts expire, or they don't work in certain locations or on certain products. The app can usually tell you why it didn't work and whether there's an alternative discount at that retailer.