It’s easy to feel the impact on your wallet each time you go to the grocery store. Thankfully, you can scan your receipts and earn rebates on your purchases.
It’s possible to make money with rebate apps for in-store and online grocery shopping. Many platforms even let you use coupons and scan non-grocery receipts for extra rewards.
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What Apps Give You Money for Scanning Receipts?
A receipt-scanning app is an excellent way to cut costs on your shopping trips. You won’t become wealthy, but you can stretch your budget.
When you pair these apps with shopping at a cheap grocery store, you can become even more efficient with your spending.
Here are the top apps to earn cash by scanning receipts.
1. Ibotta
Ibotta is one of the most well-known apps that pay you money to scan grocery receipts. After downloading the app, you can activate offers for participating brands before you scan your receipt.
Upon scanning your receipt, the app matches your purchases with your qualifying offers.
Earnings can be redeemed for gift cards and PayPal cash once your rewards balance reaches $20.
This grocery receipt app works at most grocery stores and includes categories like:
- Fresh produce
- Diapers
- Frozen foods
- Beauty and health
These offers also combine with any grocery store loyalty program.
*Related: Read our guide on ways to get diapers for free to stretch your budget.
Similar to other apps, you can earn the most money when buying name-brand items. Shoppers can even earn cash back on generic items or private labels.
It’s possible to shop online in the mobile app or use the browser extension for non-grocery purchases. The online shopping tool can earn rewards on grocery pickup and delivery.
Ibotta has a 3.5 out of 5 Trustpilot score, which signifies that it’s a well-liked app. It also offers $5 back on your first purchase if you complete qualifying shopping offers.
Read our review of Ibotta to learn more about the app.
2. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is one of the best ways to earn money by scanning receipts since you don’t have to activate offers first. This lets you effortlessly save money at the grocery store by purchasing participating brand names.
The number of points you earn from eligible items depends on the item cost and if there is a special bonus offer.
You can scan any store receipt, and the app redeems qualifying offers. It’s also possible to connect your Amazon and email accounts to scan e-receipts.
Some bonus offers may earn up to 5,000 points if you meet the minimum spend amount. For receipts that don’t have any qualifying offers, you can earn a base reward of up to 25 points per scan.
Eligible grocery categories include:
- Alcohol
- Baby items
- Cereal
- Dairy
- Frozen
- Health
Additionally, for each person that uses your referral link and scans their receipt, you’ll earn 2,000 bonus points. This equates to approximately two dollars in bonus cash.
The service doesn’t offer a shopping portal to earn extra rewards on online purchases. However, the app can provide local deals if you enable location services. This makes it easier to pinpoint the highest-earning offers.
Unfortunately, points can only be redeemed for gift cards. Redemptions start at $3.
It only takes 3,000 points to get a gift card, making it one of the best free money apps to get cash back.
Along with being an easy-to-use shopping app, Fetch Rewards earned a 4.4 out of 5 Trustpilot. This is one of the highest ratings among cash back apps.
Use the code FETCH2K to receive a free $2 when you open an account.
3. Shopkick
Shopkick can be one of the most fun receipt apps since you earn reward points for various actions in-store and online. You may not even need to make a purchase to earn rewards.
The point-earning activities include:
- Entering a store
- Scanning product barcodes and verifying prices
- Paying with a linked credit card
- Shopping online
- Watching sponsored videos
Earning opportunities vary by store, and the app uses your phone’s GPS to find nearby offers. Each activity lets you earn gift cards.
In some cases, you can get paid for simply walking into a store. This makes the platform one of the best grocery rebate apps to use to make money.
You can earn more points by purchasing select items and scanning your receipts. Retail stores can also have money offers.
When you’re ready to cash out your rewards, Shopkick has a wide variety of gift card options to choose from. They are all sent digitally to your phone.
Accumulating 250 kicks will net you $1 in rewards, while 1,250 kicks earn $5. The redemption minimum is 250 points.
New members earn a $5 signup bonus by entering code FRUGALRULES when joining.
The platform has a 3.1 out of 5 Trustpilot score, which is respectable.
4. ReceiptPal
ReceiptPal is another excellent option to get paid to scan grocery receipts. The app lets you submit merchandise and gas station receipts for points.
Submitting four receipts each week earns 100 points no matter what you buy. Scanning receipts multiple times each week lets you earn bonus rewards.
Users can connect their Amazon and email accounts to receive credit for online purchases as well.
You have ten days to upload your receipt with ReceiptPal. Receipts can be from any retailer or store.
Your receipt should include the following items:
- Store name
- Total amount spent
- Purchase date
- ZIP code or phone number of the store
Points are redeemable for cash via PayPal or gift cards. The minimum redemption amount is $5 (2,200 points).
This is one of the better apps that pay you money if you don’t buy name-brand items but want to turn your receipts into cash.
However, it can take longer to cash out as you may not earn as many points per scan.
5. Coupons.com
Coupons.com lets you enjoy instant savings when you clip coupons by printing them or downloading them on your phone.
Shoppers can also download the mobile app for store-specific digital grocery coupons and enter online promo codes.
Some of the coupon categories include:
- Baby food
- Beverages
- Over-the-counter medication
- Personal care
You don’t have to accumulate points to reach a minimum redemption or take a picture of your receipt. Digital coupons may require scanning your store loyalty card to get paid for shopping.
For digital payments, the platform deposits your savings into your PayPal account.
6. Rakuten
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) is a unique option on our list of apps to earn money by shopping for groceries. While you don’t use it at the grocery store, you can use it for online orders.
Some of the participating grocers include:
- Albertsons
- Kroger
- Safeway
- Sam’s Club
You will need to read the terms and conditions to make money. For example, you may have to choose home delivery instead of store pickup. Instacart deliveries don’t count.
This platform is better for non-grocery online purchases. It’s possible to earn rewards at many of your favorite retailers by installing the browser extension, shopping via the Rakuten website, or using the mobile app.
Certain department stores offer in-store deals when paying with a linked credit card or debit card.
You can request cash or gift card payments once your rewards balance reaches $5.01. However, the service only pays out quarterly, usually around the 15th of the month.
Rakuten gives all new users a $10 bonus when they spend over $25.
The app’s Trustpilot score is a healthy 4.2 out of 5, and the service has an excellent customer support team if you encounter account issues.
You can read our Rakuten app review to learn more about the platform.
7. Checkout51
Checkout 51 is primarily an app that lets you scan grocery receipts for money, but it can also help you save at gas stations. The coupon app updates its shopping offers every Thursday.
Eligible categories include:
- Beauty
- Beverages
- Candy
- Pet supplies
You can search for deals from the offer list. After you finish shopping, you take a picture of your receipt to receive credit for your grocery purchases.
Customers can cash out once their rewards balance reaches $20. Redemptions are sent as a paper check.
While the service has more restrictive redemption options, its Trustpilot score is 3.9 out of 5 since customers find the rebate offers appealing.
8. TopCashback
TopCashback is one of the best cash rebate apps because it offers some of the highest cash back rates and flexible redemption options.
Like Rakuten, select grocery stores offer cash back. However, you will need to read the terms and conditions to place a qualifying order.
In addition to local grocery purchases, you can use the rewards app to earn money on non-perishable items from these online-only stores:
- Boxed
- GNC
- Puritan’s Pride
- Vitacost
- Swanson Health
*Related: Want to order dinner in but don’t want to spend a ton of cash? Read our review of the top cheap food delivery apps to save money and stay out of the kitchen.*
Your grocery and non-grocery purchases earn cash or gift card rewards. There isn’t a redemption minimum, but you may need to wait between 60 and 90 days to access your rewards.
Redemption options include PayPal, direct deposit, and gift cards. Select gift cards can qualify for a redemption bonus that might be worth more than cash deposits.
This bonus applies to Amazon, Walmart, Target, and a few other retail brands.
It’s also possible to earn bonus rewards by completing limited-time shopping offers, entering free contests, and referring friends.
Additionally, new members can earn a $10 signup bonus after making qualifying purchases.
The platform has an impressive 4.4 out of 5 Trustpilot score and is well-liked by most users.
9. Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog can be a rewarding way to make money on grocery trips since larger receipts earn more points.
Shoppers don’t have to activate specific product offers to earn rewards. Instead, they simply upload a receipt.
With Receipt Hog, you can also redeem grocery coupons to save money.
Scanning a grocery receipt earns up to 20 coins per submission:
- $10 or less: 5 coins
- $10 to $50: 10 coins
- $50 to $100: 15 coins
- $100+: 20 coins
You can use Receipt Hog at grocery stores and non-grocery stores alike. Discount stores, warehouse clubs, pharmacies, and convenience stores also earn coins.
You might be able to upload e-receipts to receive credit for shopping online as well.
The app offers paid surveys to earn additional coins. You even have a chance to enter the monthly sweepstakes drawing that could earn you 5,000 coins.
Once your balance reaches 1,000 coins, which equals $5, you can redeem cash via PayPal, Visa e-gift cards, or request free Amazon gift cards.
Purchases for non-consumable items like apparel, home improvement, and electronics earn spin rewards instead of rewards coins.
Additionally, the Hog Slots game can award instant win prizes like bonus coins.
10. CoinOut
CoinOut rewards in-store receipts and online purchases. You don’t have to activate product offers and can upload receipts from these stores:
- Grocery stores
- Discount stores (i.e., Walmart, Target, Dollar General)
- Department stores
- Electronics
- Home improvement stores
- Sporting goods
Instead of activating offers or buying name brands, the app awards a random prize amount. Scanning several receipts can help you earn bonus cash.
The redemption minimum is $20 via PayPal. There isn’t a Zelle direct deposit option or Amazon gift cards.
App users can also earn when shopping online at merchants like Walmart, eBay, and Groupon. Users can activate a shopping session in the mobile app to receive credit.
11. Makeena
If you primarily eat natural foods, Makeena is one of your best options to get rebates.
Unfortunately, most grocery receipt scanning apps partner with conventional brands that are more prevalent but may not be as nutritious.
Some of the participating brands include:
- Alter Eco
- Hip Chick Farms
- Stonyfield Organic
- Teeccino
- Udi’s
You can earn rewards when you upload a receipt and product barcode for eco-friendly products.
The cash-out minimum is $20 via PayPal or Venmo.
Other Ways to Increase Earnings
Using cash back apps is a terrific way to save money, but they’re not the only way to cut costs. Here are some ways to maximize your attempts to reduce spending.
Take Advantage of Store Loyalty Programs
Most apps to scan grocery receipts let you combine store loyalty program discounts and manufacturer coupons to help you save on groceries.
When paying, you scan your store loyalty card and give the cashier any coupons for instant discounts. Then, you can scan your receipt with the app to get more rewards.
Scan Receipts After Shopping
Every platform has a deadline to receive credit. For example, most receipts must be no more than 14 days old to receive credit.
Scanning the receipt before leaving the parking lot or immediately after unloading your groceries is the best way to ensure you receive your rebates.
Use Physical Coupons
An in-store coupon provides instant savings and won’t impact earning rebates with your chosen app.
Keep in mind that redeeming online promo codes may put your online shopping rewards at risk. The code may need to be listed on the app page to be eligible.
When shopping online, you might need to use codes published on the shopping app to earn cash back.
Use Them When Shopping Online
Most apps also work for online purchases. You may need to install a web browser extension or activate offers within the app.
Other platforms credit purchases by linking your Amazon or email account to monitor your purchase history.
Buying items online is more likely to earn a fixed percent back instead of a per-item reward. Read the terms and conditions to see which items and delivery methods qualify for bonuses.
Check out our guide here if you’re looking for apps that help you with groceries and other needs for your home.
Bottom Line
Shopping at the grocery store or online is something we all do. Why not earn a little extra money to help offset costs?
If you’re already trying to get cash back on your groceries, it’s logical to turn your grocery receipts into cash on every shopping trip.
You won’t become wealthy, but you can reduce your shopping costs and make money with these apps.
What is your favorite grocery rewards app to use?
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