Are you tired of spending money without getting anything in return? Well, it’s time to change that. With the rise of receipt scanning apps that pay, you can now turn your shopping receipts into rewards, gift cards, and even cash.
These apps are really simple and straightforward. All you have to do is snap a picture of your receipt, and the app will automatically give you points or cashback.
Plus, most of these apps allow you to stack your savings by using other receipt apps, coupons, and discounts. There are some exceptions, but don’t worry, I’ll tell you which ones have restrictions.
So, whether you’re a frequent shopper or just looking for ways to save a few extra dollars, these receipt scanning apps are definitely worth checking out. Below are my top picks for you to check out and find the right ones for you to make some extra money.
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The 9 Best Apps That Reward You For Scanning Receipts
1. Ibotta
My personal favorite and one of the most popular grocery receipt app is Ibotta.
This app gives you real cash back at over 300 supermarket brands like Aldi, Kroger, Trader Joe’s. It also works at retail chains such as CVS, Target, and Walmart. All you have to do to get cash back is select the store you’re shopping at, activate the rebate offers on products that you’re interested in, and then simply scan your receipt.
After the app verifies your purchase, it will add the cash back earned into your Ibotta account. Once you reach the minimum withdrawal amount of $10, you can redeem the cash straight into your bank or PayPal account.
What I like the most about Ibotta is there are no point conversions to figure out – you know exactly how much you’re getting back. I earn an average of $14.45 back from a typical shopping trip. That comes out to $751.40 a year!
>> Use my Ibotta promo code MONEYNINJA during account registration to get a $5 bonus when you redeem your first receipt and get up to $20 in additional welcome bonuses!
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2. Shopkick
Shopkick is another app that pay you for receipts.
You can even earn points, which Shopkick calls “kicks”, just for walking into a store, scanning product barcodes, and watching video online.
Every 250 points gets you $1 in gift cards. You can cash out once you’ve accumulated at least 500 points, which is worth $2.However, some popular brands like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart require a minimum of 1,250 kicks to redeem. Here are all the available redemption tiers:
- 500 kicks = $2
- 1,250 kicks = $5
- 2,500 kicks = $10
- 3,750 kicks = $15
- 6,250 kicks = $25
If you want to earn rewards without ever making a purchase, then Shopkick is the rewards app you’re looking for. Personally, I love scanning barcodes and seeing the points add up.
One thing that took me some time getting used to was scanning the correct item. For instance, I scanned Nature Made sleep supplements instead of Nature Made immunity vitamins that was offering points for barcodes (oops).
>> Get a head start with a $5 sign-up bonus when you enter Shopkick promo code NINJAFIVE and scan 5 barcodes within 14 days of account opening.
3. Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog is a fun and rewarding way to turn any receipt from any store into cash.
You earn coins for every receipt, regardless of where you shop or what you buy – the amount of coins awarded is based on the receipt total:
- Under $10 = 5 Coins
- $10 – $50 = 10 Coins
- $50 – $100 = 15 Coins
- Over $100 = 20 Coins
Every receipt you scan also gives you one spin with Hog Slots, the slot machine game in the app where you can win prizes anywhere from a few coins to up to $100 in cash.
The minimum coin redemption threshold is 1,000 coins for $5 and the maximum threshold is 6,500 coins for $40:
- 1,000 coins = $5
- 2,900 coins = $15
- 4,300 coins = $25
- 6,500 coins = $40
There are three redemption options. You can redeem coins for free Amazon gift cards, Visa prepaid cards, or cash via PayPal.
I’d wait until you reach 6,500 coins to redeem, as that level provides the best value at $0.006 per coin. The lowest redemption level of 1,000 coins translates to a value of $0.005.
The difference of $0.001 may seem small, but if you extrapolate redeeming 1,000 coins 6.5 times instead of a single redemption of 6,500 coins, it comes out to a delta of $7.50.
>> Apply the Receipt Hog referral code MONEYNINJA during account registration and receive 15 bonus spins!
4. Fetch
Fetch is another receipt app I use daily because it lets you earn rewards simply by scanning any receipt.
You’ll receive a minimum of 25 points for each scanned receipt, and you can scan up to 35 receipts in a rolling 7-day period. Plus, every day that you scan at least one receipt, you’ll get a spin on Fetch’s prize wheel, giving you the chance to win an additional 5 to 10,000 points.
But the most effective way to accumulate a bunch of points is by purchasing products from partnered brands. These special offers can reward you anywhere between 100 to 30,000 points.
How much are Fetch points worth? Every 1,000 points you earn is worth about $1 in gift cards.
Last year, I racked up an average of 10,840 Fetch points every week I used the app, which is equivalent to $10.84. That adds up to an impressive $563.68 per year!
>> Enter my exclusive Fetch promo code 9EFD5C to get at least 1,000 bonus points after you scan your first receipt.
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- Fetch Review: Beginner’s Guide
- Best Fetch Rewards Hacks To Earn More Points
- Other Apps Like Fetch Rewards
5. Upside
One of the most used apps to earn cash back from gas is Upside.
Upside partners with nearly 30,000 gas stations around the country to give you cash back on every gallon of gas that you buy. You can earn back between 1¢ and 25¢ per gallon of gas, depending on the time, location, and gas station brand.
Sign up with Upside promo code NINJA30 and get a 30¢/gal bonus on your first fill-up. With an average car gas tank capacity of 15 gallons[1], that’s an extra $4.50 in cash back!
All you have to do is check in to the gas station you’re visiting, purchase gas with a linked credit or debit card, and scan your receipt afterward.
And since 2020, you don’t have to scan anything at all at most gas stations – Upside can track your purchase automatically. I’ve earned thousands of dollars in cash back from filling up my car!
You can now use Upside to earn cash back at restaurants and grocery stores too. It’s one of the best apps for receipts if your primary spending categories are food and gas.
>> Claim a 30¢ per gallon bonus on your first fill-up when you use the Upside referral code NINJA30.
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6. Pogo
Like other receipt apps listed here, you can get paid to scan receipts with Pogo.
But what’s unique about Pogo is the many ways in which you can earn points automatically. For instance, by linking your credit or debit card, you’ll earn points for every purchase you make and possibly receive additional cash back offers.
You can earn five points per week for each retailer you sync your receipts with, including major brands like Amazon, Kroger, Targer, and Walmart.
If that’s not enough, you can get 10 points by participating in anonymous market research or 1,000 points for enrolling in Experian for free.
One of the best features is that Pogo lets you redeem your points for cash at any time. There are no minimum thresholds or redemption levels to worry about – you can cash out instantly via PayPal or Venmo.
For people who feel like scanning receipts is too much work, Pogo may be the app for you with its automatic point-earning opportunities.
>> Redeem the Pogo code BWW98K and get 250 bonus points once you earn at at least 3,000 points!
7. CoinOut
CoinOut rose to fame when its founder, Jeff Witten, appeared on Shark Tank seeking $250,000 for a 7.5% stake.
What’s unique about CoinOut is that the amount you receive for every receipt is totally randomized. It’s not based on the store you shopped at or the amount you spent.
I’ve scanned over 50 receipts with it and learned that the app will pay you anywhere from $0.02 to $0.15 per receipt. If you calculate an average cash reward amount of $0.085 per receipt, then you can expect to make $1 after scanning 12 receipts.
There are also opportunities to earn more rewards by completing offers with CoinOut partners, but most of them, you’d find a better sign-up offer by googling for a promotion or referral bonus.
Still, the core part of the app, scanning receipts, offers a decent return. Like other scanning apps listed here, none of them will make you rich, but it can be a decent chunk of change.
8. Checkout51
A popular free receipt scanning app that gives you actual cash rewards for buying everyday items is Checkout51.
There are all kinds of products on the app, including groceries, household essentials, and even dog food. The amount of cashback varies by product, but it can range from a few cents to a few bucks.
Using the Checkout51 app is pretty straightforward:
- Browse the weekly product offers.
- Add offers you’re interest in to your shopping list.
- Buy the products at any store that carries them.
- Upload a picture of the receipt using the app.
- Receive cash back within minutes of submitting the receipt.
As soon as your balance reaches $20, you can request a withdrawal. Checkout51 offers two options for getting your cash – a physical check or transfer to your PayPal account.
It’s worth noting that the offers are updated every Thursday on a “first come, first serve” basis, so claim the offers as soon as possible if you don’t want to miss out on any deals.
Also, keep in mind that your receipts must be submitted before the next set of offers is released, so upload them by Wednesday at 11:59pm.
9. ReceiptPal
ReceiptPal is another receipt rewards app that’s similar to Fetch in that you earn points for any scanned receipt.
There are a handful of receipts ReceiptPal won’t accept, such as lottery tickets or bills from doctors, but those are rare exceptions. ReceiptPal will accept receipts from places like:
- Supermarkets and grocery stores
- Convenience stores
- Gas stations
- Clothing stores
- Online retailers
You’ll receive 25 points for every scanned receipt, earning up to a maximum of 300 points (12 receipts) per week.
How much are ReceiptPal points worth? When I checked in March 2023, the minimum redemption was 2,200 points for a $5 gift card. That means 300 points are worth $0.68.
You would need to upload 88 receipts over a period of just over seven weeks to earn a $5 Amazon gift card.
It’s not worth using the app by itself, but if you’re going to scan receipts with other apps anyway, then double-dipping with ReceiptPal could make sense.
FAQs
Receipt apps for rewards are mobile apps that allow users to earn rewards or cash back by scanning their receipts.
Many of these apps also offer other ways to earn more rewards, such as shopping portals, taking surveys, or playing games. They can be a good way to earn extra cash, gift cards, or other rewards for something you’re already doing.
Receipt apps make money primarily by monetizing the data they collect on user shopping habits and selling it to third-party companies for a profit.
You don’t need to be concerned about your privacy. Receipt apps from reputable companies like Fetch prioritize user privacy.
They combine your shopping habits with millions of other users anonymously. That means that your information is not individually identifiable.
Fetch states that your data “will never be tied to your name; it will be aggregated, along with the millions of other Fetch users, to observe large-scale trends in shopping behavior.”[2]
There isn’t a definitive “best” receipt app since it depends on individual shopping habits. For example, Upside would be more valuable to someone who drives frequently, but not for someone who primarily works from home.
My personal favorites and the receipt apps I use all the time are Fetch, Ibotta, and Upside.
You won’t get rich using receipt apps, but you can certainly earn extra cash and rewards by using them regularly.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, there are so many receipt apps that you can use to earn rewards on your everyday spending.
From points, coins, or actual cash back, it takes just a few seconds to scan your receipts. Adding it to your daily routine doesn’t take a lot of effort.
As a personal finance enthusiast, I believe that making extra money and saving more money should be something everyone is doing, regardless of their income level.
I’ve been using some of these apps for years and I don’t even think about using them – it’s become second nature.
So next time you shop, use these receipt rewards apps to put some money back into your pocket!
