The Good
- Compiles Internet coupons
- Good selection of current deals
The Bad
- May include stores not in your area
- Limited grocery selection
Many big retailers offer coupons or discounts that can help you save money, which is particularly valuable in these tough economic times. Finding these coupons, however, can be time consuming. Coupon Sherpa (Free) aims to take the hassle out the process by compiling Internet coupons into one convenient app.
Good for clothing and toys, not groceries
The Coupon Sherpa app contains two types of coupons -- exclusive ones that are only available within the app and coupons that retailers post online. On the homepage, you’ll find a list of stores with available coupons. The list changes all the time since a store will only be displayed when it's offering coupons. Once you find a coupon you want to use, you can view it online or email it to yourself to print later.
The app uses the iPhone’s built-in GPS to automatically determine your location. That comes in handy because Coupon Sherpa will determine your closest store and provide directions. However, I wish the app included an option for only viewing stores within a specified distance. Coupon Sherpa contains discounts for more than 80 stores, but many of them aren't near me. However, the coupons are current and I did find several good deals in my area.
You’ll probably be disappointed if you download the Coupon Sherpa app expecting to save $1.00 off toothpaste. The app doesn’t include manufacturer coupons like the ones you clip from the newspaper on Sundays, although there may be coupons you can use for groceries at stores like Wal-Mart or Target. Most of the coupons are for big retailers like Toys R Us, CompUSA, and JCPenney. There are some food stores listed on occasion, but Coupon Sherpa seems to be a better bet for items like clothing, toys, and books.
The Bottom Line
Coupon Sherpa isn’t perfect, but the app did help me discover some good deals. Just from using the app for a few days, I saved 15% off one item at Barnes & Noble and 10% on my total purchase at Petco (any discount on dog food is huge when you’re feeding two German Shepherds). I wish the app included more stores and grocery coupons, but it’s worth checking out. Since Coupon Sherpa is a free app, there’s no harm in giving it a try to see if it will save you any money. Overall rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
What You’ll Need
The Coupon Sherpa app works with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. It requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.