Best Websites To Find The Cheapest Prices Online Before Buying Anything
Finding the cheapest price online is no longer as simple as searching on Google and clicking the first result. Many online stores quietly show different prices for the same product, depending on location, stores, countries, models, and even payment methods, devices, or timing. For these reasons, without the right tools, you may end up paying more than necessary.
Over the years, while shopping online and researching payment and e-commerce platforms, I have come across multiple price comparison websites to see which ones truly help you save money and which ones waste your time.
Although some tools only work in certain countries, while others miss hidden fees like shipping, taxes, or currency conversion costs.
In this guide, I will share the best websites to find the cheapest prices online, explain how each one works, and show you when to use them so you don’t overpay even when you are shopping locally or buying from international stores.
Best Websites To Find The Cheapest Prices Online:
There are specialized price comparison websites, and tools that search millions of offers and show you where something is cheapest before you buy.
Most of these tools work by:
- Searching or scanning a product name or URL
- Fetching prices from many online retailers
- Showing the lowest price and alternative sellers
- Sometimes including coupons, delivery costs, and price history.
Below are the most reliable and widely used platforms this year, how they work, and when to use each.
1. Google Shopping (The Best Generally Recommended)
Google Shopping is a powerful product search engine and price comparison tool built directly into Google. It doesn't sell products itself; instead, it acts as a "digital mall" that gathers listings from thousands of different retailers who are registered on it (like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and smaller independent shops) so you can compare them in one place.
How to Access It (How It works)
When you search for a product on Google (e.g., "iPhone 15 price"), a row of product images and prices usually appears at the top.
Click the "Shopping" tab at the top of your Google search results to see a dedicated page of listings.
Or In the search bar, enter "google.com/shopping" and click "ok" to log in. Then in the search bar that appears, search for what you are looking for to compare prices.
Key Features for Savvy Shoppers:
- Price Comparison: When you click on a specific product, look for the "Compare prices from X+ stores" link. This shows you a list of every retailer selling that item, sorted by total price (including tax and shipping).
- Price Insights: On many product pages, Google shows a "Price Insights" section. It tells you if the current price is Low, Typical, or High compared to the last 90 days.
- Price Tracking: You can toggle a "Track Price" switch on specific items. Google will then send you a notification (via email or the Google app) the moment the price drops.
- Filters: You can narrow down results by brand, color, condition (new vs. used), or even "Available nearby" if you want to pick it up at a local store today.
Google Shopping specifically shows you products with real-time data provided by the sellers, including:
- Current stock status.
- The exact price (often updated hourly).
- Verified customer reviews.
- Shipping costs and estimated delivery dates.
Note: Since retailers pay to have their products featured prominently, the "top" results are often ads. Always scroll down or use the "Price: Low to High" filter to ensure you are seeing the actual cheapest options, not just the ones with the biggest marketing budgets.
2. Idealo (Europe):
Idealo is one of the largest and most trusted price comparison platforms in Europe (specifically the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Austria).
While Google Shopping is a broad "catch-all," many power shoppers prefer Idealo because it offers more sophisticated tools for tracking whether a deal is actually a bargain or just clever marketing.
How it works:
Log into Idealo and enter a product name in the search bar. You can also use the main bar on the top right-hand corner to search items based on category. Example: CHANEL Pre-Owned CC top-handle bag.
Idealo shows you all available prices, filters (brand, seller rating, and shipping), and price history.
Why Do People Use Idealo?
This is because of the following reasons:
- Neutral Rankings: Unlike Google Shopping, where retailers can pay for "top" placement, Idealo primarily sorts by the lowest price.
- Price History (12 Months): Every product page features a graph showing the price over the last year. This is crucial for avoiding "fake sales," where a price is raised right before being "discounted."
- Vetted Shops: They manually check retailers before listing them (requiring valid VAT numbers and at least 6 months of trading), which helps you avoid "scam" shops that often pop up in standard search results.
- Price Alerts: You can set a "target price" for an item. The app will send you a push notification the second the price hits your budget.
- Barcode Scanner: Their mobile app has a scanner so you can scan an item in a physical store and instantly see if it’s cheaper online.
Good for checking electronics, home gear, fashion, or appliances.
3. Prix.net and Achatmoinscher.com:
Both Prix.net and Achatmoinscher.com are established price comparison engines primarily focused on the French and European markets. While they look a bit more "old school" than modern AI-driven tools, they are highly effective for finding deep discounts and tracking price volatility.
Here is a guide on what each one offers:
i. Achatmoinscher.com ("Buy for Less"):
This is a popular independent French comparison site. It is widely considered one of the most comprehensive tools for the French e-commerce landscape.
- Massive Index: It compares over 100 million products across roughly 2,000 different online shops.
- "L'Outil Magique": This is their standout feature. You can paste a URL from a major site like Amazon or Fnac, and it will instantly search its database to see if a smaller, reliable merchant is selling the exact same item for less.
- Barcode Scanner: Their mobile app allows you to scan products in a physical store to see if the online price (including shipping) is better.
- Neutrality: They prioritize the lowest price over "sponsored" results, which often makes them more reliable than standard search engine results.
ii. Prix.net:
Prix.net is a high-speed comparison engine that functions similarly to Idealo but with a very "clean" focus on raw data and speed.
- Real-Time Updates: They pride themselves on refreshing their price data every few minutes. If a store has a flash sale, Prix.net is usually among the first to index it.
- Broad Categories: While excellent for tech, they have a massive presence in home appliances, DIY tools, and furniture, which are categories where shipping costs usually vary wildly.
- Vetting System: They have a strict policy of only listing "reliable" shops, helping users avoid the scam websites that sometimes plague the lower end of Google Shopping.
They list the lowest prices from dozens of stores. You can filter by store, delivery time, and price.
4. BuyRadar / BuyEasyDeal:
BuyRadar and BuyEasyDeal are modern, AI-enhanced price comparison platforms designed to streamline the search for deals across major retailers.
While they serve a similar purpose to Google Shopping or Idealo, they lean more into "intelligent" curation and automated deal hunting.
i. BuyRadar:
BuyRadar is a comprehensive deal-finder and price comparison engine that covers a wide range of categories, from electronics to household essentials.
It has the following features:
- AI-Powered Search: It uses AI to scan top retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and Home Depot in real-time. This helps it find prices that might not have indexed on standard search engines yet.
- Product Insights: Beyond just the price, BuyRadar often provides blog-style guides and "best-of" lists (e.g., "Best Budget Laptops of 2026") to help you decide if a cheap product is actually worth buying.
- Store Diversity: It tracks both massive marketplaces and specialized shops like GameStop, Office Depot, and B&H Photo Video, which is useful for tech enthusiasts.
- Price Tracking: Like the more established sites, it allows users to track specific products and receive alerts when a price drop is detected.
ii. BuyEasyDeal:
BuyEasyDeal is often utilized as a "discovery" platform. It focuses heavily on aggregating high-value discounts and daily deals into a single feed.
- Curation-Focused: Rather than just being a "search bar," BuyEasyDeal often highlights specific, time-sensitive bargains that have been verified by their system or community.
- Simplified Interface: It is designed for speed, aimed at shoppers who want to see the "bottom line" price without navigating through heavy specs or reviews.
- Broad Scope: It covers everything from fashion and beauty to automotive and garden tools, making it a good "one-stop-shop" for general household restocking.
Note: While sites like BuyRadar are great for finding deals, always ensure you are clicking through to a reputable retailer (like Walmart or Best Buy). If a comparison site directs you to a shop you have never heard of with a price that is 50% lower than everywhere else, verify that shop on Trustpilot before entering your credit card info.
5. BookScouter (For Books and Textbooks):
This is a niche comparison site for books and textbooks. You search by ISBN or title. BookScouter shows prices from appproximately 30 booksellers (new, used, or rental).
Use it when you want to buy college or school books, And also during price comparisons between buy/rent options.
Others Sites/Tools:
1. PriceSpy: Highly popular for electronics and household goods. It features a robust price history graph, so you can see if a "sale" is actually a good deal or if the price was lower a month ago.
2. CamelCamelCamel: The gold standard for Amazon. You can paste any Amazon URL to see its entire price history. You can also set "Price Drop Alerts" to get an email the second an item hits your target price.
3. PayPal Honey: Automatically scans the web for promo codes and applies the best one at checkout. It also has a "Droplist" feature to track prices across 30,000+ websites.
4. Capital One Shopping: You don't need to be a customer to use it. It compares the item you are looking at with other retailers in real-time and alerts you if it's cheaper elsewhere (e.g., if you are on Amazon, it might tell you it's $10 cheaper at Best Buy).
Best Energy Comparison Site:
Energy comparison is more complex than standard shopping because prices vary by your exact postcode/zip code, your meter type, and your usage history.
To find the actual cheapest rates in this year, you should use a site that matches your region's specific regulations.
Sites like MoneySavingExpert in the UK, provides a "bespoke prediction" of what you will pay if you stay on the Price Cap versus switching to a fixed deal.
Tips to Avoid Overpaying:
Even with great tools, you can still overspend if you don’t use them right:
1. Compare total cost, not just price include: Shipping, Taxes, Import fees, Currency conversion
2. Check price history: Some tools like Honey show if the price has recently dropped or is at its lowest point.
3. Use multiple sources: No single site lists every seller. Combine Google Shopping with Idealo or BuyRadar.
4. Always verify the exact product variant: Sometimes what looks cheaper is a different model with fewer features.
Final Thought:
Finding the cheapest price online doesn’t have to be confusing. The trick is to know which tools to use and when and to always compare total cost before hitting that Buy button.
By using the websites and extensions above, you will: Save money, Avoid paying full price, Shop smarter, not harder.
For those in Africa, websites i use to find the cheapest prices for online shopping, are Google Shopping because it is connected to multiple businesses. In Europe and especially France, i use sites like Idealo, Prix.net and Achatmoinscher.com.
Those tools are trusted by millions because they actually show real prices across stores. They don’t guess or hide deals.
Post a Comment