Not available for iPhone
Free for Android

Description

The Coupons App bears the distinction of being every discerning shopper's alternative to Groupon. Most of the people who use both have had better things to say about The Coupon App than they do about Groupon. They both work the same way—The Coupons App detects your location via GPS and offers up a short list of some of the nearest currently-happening (and soon to take place) sales. You can also set up the application to deliver SMS pop up messages to you every time a new coupon is updated.

The Good

The worst part about coupon hunting is the time it takes to seek and collect. Although there are many seasoned coupon clippers who have turned this loathsome chore into something of an art form, in the end it's a time consuming practice. With The Coupons App, you can take a hands free approach to saving money, investing only the time it takes to set up your desired parameters, and the additional time it takes to decide "yay" or "nay" on the coupons that are automatically sent to you. The added benefit of a barcode scanner also gives you the ability to hunt down the cheapest prices for a particular item without having to wait to see if a coupon will be eventually making its way to you.

The Bad

The real trouble with apps like this is that they tend to operate in much the same way that a grab bag does. Although The Coupons App does allow you to search by specific item or keyword, the results that are returned are frequently just a little off the mark (as is the case with similar apps, like Groupon). The Coupons App also requires you to sign up via email to receive upcoming daily deals, which doesn't seem to make much sense. This is a smartphone app, after all, and it should work independently of email.

The Bottom Line

Where there's money to be saved, there's always room on your smartphone for another free app download. The Coupons App is, both on the surface and beneath it, a barebones software program that gathers online coupons in your area and presents them to you one at a time like a silent, insistent office helper. If your goal is to stay on a strict budget without having to give up some of life's occasional luxuries (like a free gallon of Dreyer's ice cream), then this app is definitely for you.

Image credit: Android Market