11 Best Apps to Scan Grocery Receipts for Money
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Going to the grocery store is something we all must do, and it’s easy to feel the impact on your wallet. Here’s a little-known secret – you can get paid to scan grocery receipts with an app. That’s right, you can offset your food bill by using one of the many choices to scan grocery receipts for money to help offset your food costs.
Whether you enjoy shopping or not, one way to make the best out of your situation is to make money from receipts and dull the pain.
It may sound complicated or too good to be true, but it’s not. You can scan receipts and get money back in a relatively straightforward fashion. Each app works differently, but expect to do the following process with most:
- Activate offers before shopping, or at the store
- Buy your selected items
- Scan the grocery receipt when done
- Collect your money
It truly is that simple. If you want to scan receipts for cash, our guide shares everything you need to get rolling.
Best Apps to Scan Grocery Receipts for Money
If you have a smartphone, you can earn money by scanning receipts. You won’t become rich, but it’s an excellent way to subsidize your budget. Below are the 11 best apps to scan grocery receipts for money.
1. Ibotta
Ibotta is one of the most well-known apps to make money from receipts. Like other apps, you have to add offers of products before you shop. Want to save money beyond the grocery store?
Ibotta works with over 270 retailers, including:
- Aldi
- Best Buy
- CVS
- Rite Aid
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
Once you get an offer approved on the app, the next step would be to buy those items and then upload your receipt.
For online purchases, you won’t have to scan in any receipts because Ibotta already receives the information on your transaction. Most retail partners don’t allow customers to combine this savings option with other offers.
Make sure you don’t happen to have items already in a shopping cart before launch because they won’t be eligible for cashback.
Ibotta offers a $10 bonus when you open an account, and you can cash out once you reach a $20 balance.
Read our review of Ibotta to learn more about the app.
2. Shopkick
Shopkick is one of the more unique scan grocery receipts apps on our list. Not only do you earn rewards for scanning receipts, but you also earn rewards for scanning barcodes.
Points, known as ‘kicks’ are relatively simple to earn with Shopkick. You can earn ‘kicks’ at the store, or even when shopping online.
The service does require you to turn on the GPS within the app to learn about award opportunities. Shopkick claims you can earn points for doing nothing, and it’s true.
In some cases, they pay you for merely walking into a store, making it one of the best grocery rebate apps to use to make money.
Shopkick also allows you to make money from receipts. To do so, purchase any products shown in the app and scan in your receipt when you’re finished.
When you’re ready to cash out to receive your rewards, Shopkick has a wide variety of gift card options to choose from; all sent digitally to your phone. Two hundred fifty kicks will net you $2 in rewards, and with 1250 kicks, you will receive $5.
3. Checkout51
Checkout 51 is strictly a grocery shopping savings app. They update their offers every Thursday.
You can select what you’d like to shop for from this offer list. Once you’ve gone to the store and picked up the item on your shopping list, tap “redeem” and check off those specific items.
The last step is to scan your receipt with the picture feature in the app. Upon review and approval, you’ll receive your credit and can begin to make money from receipts.
Customers can cash out once their Checkout 51 balance reaches $20.
4. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is the go-to app to use if you like to buy name brands. We all know buying generic is a terrific choice to save money, but they’re not always an option.
If you regularly buy name brands, Fetch Rewards is one of the best apps to scan grocery receipts for money. The app partners with over 200 large brands to extend rebates to customers.
The app calculates the points you receive based on the price of the product. Participating stores will sometimes release special offers as well; special offers add to your balance automatically, as long as you scan your receipt.
You don’t even have to be aware of the offer. As long as you submit the receipt, you’ll receive the offer. The referral system that is in place with Fetch Rewards is a great option.
For each person that uses your referral link and scans in their receipt, you’ll earn 2,000 bonus points. It just takes 3,000 points to be able to redeem for a gift card.
5. SavingStar
SavingStar is one of the more well-known apps to scan grocery receipts for money. The service has grown to over eight million members since its founding in 2011.
Over 100,000 stores partner with SavingStar and focus on customer savings. You must link a loyalty rewards card from your favorite stores to scan receipts for cash with this app.
One of the complaints about SavingStar is they focus mainly on packaged foods. To balance this, they feature a “Healthy Offer” each week to save money on fruits and vegetables.
Once you reach $20 in your account, you can redeem earnings. Redemption options include:
- AMC gift cards
- Direct deposit
- PayPal
- Starbucks gift cards
Keep in mind that if your account is inactive for 180 days or more, you will incur a $3.99 monthly fee against the savings you have built up. To reactivate your account, you’ll have to either redeem or activate a rebate.
Once requested, payouts occur within 24-48 hours. SavingStar sends gift codes directly to your email address on file.
6. Target Circle
Who doesn’t like shopping at Target? If you’re a fan of Target, you can make money from receipts through their Target Circle app (formerly known as Target Cartwheel).
The app is available on both Android and iOS platforms. Target Circle is full of coupons customers can use to save up to 50 percent on in-store items. Scan the barcode before checking out to apply the savings.
Keeping track of your savings is as easy as visiting the “My Account” page of the app. You can also combine your Target Circle savings with other discounts to save even more.
7. Rakuten
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) is unique on our list of apps to earn money by scanning receipts as it’s entirely online. You don’t use Rakuten at the grocery store, but you use it online to receive cash back on your shopping.
Rakuten is a cash back shopping portal that works with hundreds of retailers. When you purchase through their site with a participating retailer, you receive up to seven or eight percent of the purchase back in cash.
Of course, you don’t want to buy solely to receive money, but if you’re planning on purchasing an item, it makes sense to take advantage. Your Rakuten total has to be $5.01 or more to cash out your earnings.
Rakuten pays out quarterly, usually around the 15th of the month. Rakuten gives all new users a $10 bonus when they spend over $25.
You can read our review of Rakuten to learn more about the platform.
8. ReceiptPal
ReceiptPal is another excellent receipt scanning app to use when at the store. Like Ibotta, ReceiptPal works for online shopping needs. You can connect your email or Amazon accounts to earn additional points for online purchases.
You have ten days to enter 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
- Zipcode or phone number of the store
Submitting four receipts within a week enters you into a drawing for additional points. You can redeem points for cash via PayPal or for gift cards.
9. Punchcard
Punchcard is an app that helps you earn rewards for spending money at grocery stores, restaurants, other retailers, and even gas stations. They partner with over 15 million companies nationwide, so anyone can likely find a way to use this app in their everyday lives and earn rewards.
*Related: Want to order dinner in, but don’t want to spend much? Read our review of the top cheap food delivery apps to save money and stay out of the kitchen.*
The points you earn with Punchcard don’t expire, and you can redeem for a chance at the Punchcard’s Punch Spin and Win game or some of the sponsored rewards from brands or merchants.
You can use your points to enter the contest, redeem your gift cards, or donate to charity. Create a punch for a partner business and begin collecting punches to start earning.
Adding a photo of your receipt through the app is the best way to kickstart your Punchcard.
10. CoinOut
CoinOut is one of the hottest ways to earn money by scanning receipts, thanks to their feature on Shark Tank. The CoinOut service partners with numerous popular retailers as well to offer rewards for your regular purchases.
Earn online at merchants like Walmart, eBay, and Groupon. If you buy groceries at Walmart or Sam’s Club you can double dip with other apps to maximize earnings as they give you points for merely shopping at the two stores.
CoinOut will take a receipt from a retailer as long as it has the date, store name, and total bill. Also, be sure to send it in within two weeks.
Like others in our list, you can redeem points via direct deposit, PayPal, or gift cards. If you prefer direct deposit or Amazon gift cards, they have no minimum redemption amount.
Do you prefer PayPal? If so, you must have at least $10 to cash out.
11. Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog is the last on our list of apps to scan receipts for money. However, it’s also one of the more fun ways to earn money by scanning receipts.
You can use Receipt Hog at grocery stores and non-grocery stores alike. After you finish shopping, you take a picture of your receipt to earn rewards. Each receipt earns you coins or points you can use for spins to increase earnings.
The app offers paid surveys to earn additional coins. You also have a chance to enter the monthly sweepstakes drawing that could make you 5,000 coins.
Once your balance reaches 1,000 coins, which equals $5, you can redeem cash via PayPal or take Amazon gift cards.
Scan Receipts for Money Back: 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?
You won’t become wealthy, but most of the apps to scan receipts and get money back provide a terrific way to aid in lowering costs.
While each app operates differently, it’s key to expect the following:
- You must activate any offers before buying items
- You have a deadline to submit receipts
- You may need to link a loyalty card
- It’s possible to use traditional coupons to increase savings
If you’re already trying to save money at the store, it’s logical to make money from receipts to lower your budget.
What is your favorite grocery rewards app to use? How much money do you spend on groceries each month? What would you do with the money you earn from scanning in your grocery receipts?
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