11 Apps Like Ibotta to Earn Cashback & Rewards When You Shop
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If you’re a savvy shopper, you’re likely interested in apps like Ibotta to save money. Ibotta is perhaps the most well-known cash back and rewards shopping app, and if you’re looking for more apps with money-saving opportunities, you’re in luck.
Some great alternatives to Ibotta allow you to earn as you shop. So, here we’ll explore 11 apps like Ibotta to earn cash rewards when you shop.
The Ibotta Basics
Before we delve into alternative apps, it’s essential to understand the basics of Ibotta so you can make a good comparison. Ibotta allows you to save money and earn cash back on various products, including clothing, electronics, groceries, cleaning products, etc. You can also receive a welcome bonus if you download the app and sign up.
After you have the app on your mobile device and an account, you can browse the cashback offers and add them to your account before you head to the stores. After you shop, you can upload it by scanning your receipt via the app.
You can also link the Ibotta app with your store loyalty cards. This means that when you make purchases using your loyalty account in the Ibotta app, you’ll earn instant cash back.
Ibotta is a popular app because you can earn a decent amount of cashback, depending on the offers you’re claiming. If you use it regularly for your grocery shopping and other necessities, you may be able to save a significant amount.
The downside is that it does require a little time to look through the available offers and find the ones that are relevant to you.
Apps Like Ibotta
So, now we’ll explore the best Ibotta alternatives.
1. NCP
NCP, or the National Consumer Panel, is a Nielsen company shopping rewards app. Nielsen is a household name in consumer research, but they’ve partnered with IRi to reward consumers for sharing their information about the products they purchase.
To use the platform, you’ll need to download the app and scan the items you purchase after each grocery store visit. This differs slightly from Ibotta as you’re not looking for specific offers or products. Instead, you are scanning all your items.
The reason for this is that NCP aims to help companies understand the shopping behavior of consumers. Ultimately, this will identify emerging trends and monitor the popularity of products. You provide feedback that will allow companies to make product changes and better target advertising campaigns and methods.
As an NCP panelist, you’ll earn points for your participation. You can accumulate these points to exchange for gift cards, cash, appliances, or electronics. Additional incentives and rewards for participating in special programs and surveys exist. There are also weekly, monthly, and yearly sweepstake draws with prizes of up to $10,000 or more just for using the app.
2. Swagbucks ($10 bonus)
Swagbucks is a popular alternative to Ibotta but is more than simply a shopping rewards platform. You can get paid for participating in various online activities, including online shopping at featured stores via the app. There are also surveys, polls, games, and more activities on the platform.
When you download the app, you must create an account with some basic personal details. You can then explore the available tasks or use the Swagbucks app to shop at your favorite brands. You’ll earn cash back on your purchases. The amount of cashback will vary according to the store.
You can accumulate your points on the app, which you can redeem for PayPal cash or a wide variety of gift cards. There’s also a welcome bonus for new users.
Of all the apps like Ibotta, Swagbucks offers the highest saving/earning potential since there are so many ways to earn Swagbucks (points).
3. MyPoints ($10 bonus)
MyPoints is similar to Swagbucks, as you can earn cash from shopping and other quick activities. If you’re looking for apps like Ibotta, you’ll appreciate the Magic Receipts feature. This awards bonus points when you activate product offers and scan the store receipt for the purchase. MyPoints also has an online shopping portal to earn cash back on your purchases with a comprehensive list of participating merchants.
The other ways to earn MyPoints points include downloading apps and games, participating in online surveys, redeeming printable coupons, using product offers, and even web searches.
Once you accumulate sufficient points, you can redeem them for gift cards or PayPal and Mastercard cash. However, the redemption level for cash is higher, as there are gift card options from $3 or $480 points.
4. InboxDollars ($5 bonus)
InboxDollars allows you to earn cash back as you shop via the app. After you download the app, you can start shopping online via the app from a list of participating retailers, including many favorite brands. There’s also a welcome bonus for new users.
Like Swagbucks and MyPoints, InboxDollars allows users to earn cash with other micro activities. You can take surveys, watch videos, play games and read emails to earn Inboxdollars points. The platform also has offers and its own search engine, which means you can get paid for your website searches.
The only real drawback to this platform compared to other apps like Ibotta is that the redemption level is higher than the previously discussed platforms. You’ll need to accumulate $30 in rewards before redeeming them for PayPal cash.
5. Fetch Rewards
If you want a similar Ibotta alternative, Fetch Rewards may be your best option (see our Ibotta vs. Fetch Rewards article for a more detailed comparison). It’s a shopping app ideal for those who enjoy buying brand-name products at their favorite grocery stores.
Unlike Ibotta, you don’t need to activate offers, making the app very simple to save money. After your grocery shopping trip, simply scan your receipt. Fetch will then match the purchases you’ve made with any current and active offers. It also stacks them with store coupons to deliver additional savings. Qualifying purchases can earn you ten points for every dollar you spend.
You can also connect the app to your email to have digital receipts credited. Any grocery receipt you scan will earn 25 points, but if you want to maximize your Fetch earnings, you must buy participating items. The app also features promotions for one-time bonuses when you buy participating items. For example, you could receive 2,500 points for buying a Pepsi multipack rather than the standard ten points per dollar.
Fetch has a low minimum redemption level, and you can redeem your points for cash or gift cards from a list of participating brands, including Amazon.
While Fetch Rewards is very simple to use, Ibotta generally offers better cashback potential.
6. Checkout 51
Checkout 51 is another app similar to Ibotta, specifically for grocery shopping. It works on a similar principle: you activate offers, buy eligible items, and then submit your receipt to earn rewards. You can also earn up to $0.25 per gallon off your gas purchases at more than 5,000 gas stations.
New weekly offers are released for participating stores every Thursday. You can also earn cash back when you shop online via the app. Checkout 51 also has a referral program, where you can earn extra cash when your friends or family members sign up using your unique referral link. They will get a $2 bonus, and you’ll earn $10 once they use the app. They will also earn an extra $1 after they upload a receipt up to a maximum bonus of $5.
Unlike many other cashback and shopping reward apps, Checkout 51 does not support digital payment options like PayPal. Once you accumulate $20 in rewards, you can request a check. This is mailed to your home address, but it can take up to 14 days for receipt.
7. Rakuten
Rakuten was previously called Ebates, and is considered one of the best cash back apps for online shopping. When visiting participating online retailers, you can shop using the Rakuten mobile cash back app or browser extension. There are also exclusive bonuses that make it beneficial to shop via your phone.
Unlike the receipt scanning apps such as Ibotta, which require that you buy specific products, Rakuten allows you to earn cash back on your entire purchase. This rewards platform offers cash back opportunities with more than 2,000 online retailers.
Rakuten aims to make it easy to earn cash as you’re shopping. You can click through to specific stores via the Rakuten extension or activate a shopping session on the app before you pay. There’s the potential to earn as much as ten percent back, plus a welcome bonus for new platform users.
Rakuten also allows you to link your credit card to the app to earn cash back when you make in-person purchases with select stores.
You can redeem your accumulated cash back via check, PayPal, or free gift cards with a $5.01 minimum balance.
8. Drop
Drop is a shopping app that allows you to earn cashback with every purchase made via the platform. After downloading the app and creating an account, you need to link your debit or credit cards. You’ll immediately qualify for a $5 welcome bonus and then earn points when you shop at the Drop list of participating brands, including Walmart, Starbucks, Foot Locker, and Under Armor.
Depending on the retailer, you typically earn 10 to 20 points for every dollar you spend. You’ll need 1,000 points to earn $1. When you accumulate sufficient points, you can redeem them for various gift cards. Each card brand has its minimum threshold. For example, Amazon has a minimum of $10 or 10,000 points.
It’s also worth checking the Drop app regularly, as there are special offers with select merchants for one-time spending. All you need to do is activate the offer that appeals to you and meet any required spending. Drop will then automatically track your spending and allocate the bonus points. This is an excellent option for those planning a shopping trip at some point, as you can check in to see if there are any bonuses and determine the best time to make your purchase.
Drop also has games and surveys if you want to boost your Drop points balance.
9. Dosh
Dosh is another popular cashback app that rewards you for shopping at certain stores. You don’t need to submit receipts, but you need to link a credit or debit card to the app so that Dosh can confirm your purchases.
After you download the app, you can check the available offers and stores in your area. You’ll receive the stated cash back when you make a qualifying purchase using one of your linked cards.
The cashback varies according to the retailer, but it’s typically 5 to 10% of your total purchase. Dosh stands apart from many other apps like Ibotta because the list of participating businesses includes restaurants (including local ones, not just major chains). So, you can earn cashback on purchases and when you go out for a meal.
Dosh also allows you to earn cash back online. You can earn cash back on travel purchases, saving on the cost of your hotel bookings.
Unfortunately, Dosh has a relatively high minimum redemption of $25. You’ll need to accumulate your cash back until you reach this balance. However, you can cash out via PayPal, Venmo, or gift card and expect your reward within two or three business days.
10. Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog is similar to Ibotta, as you need to scan receipts. You don’t need to buy specific products, but there are several ways to earn bonus points from grocery stores, retail stores, and restaurants. This creates excellent flexibility, as there’s the potential to earn rewards anywhere you shop. You can even link your Amazon and email accounts to earn rewards when you shop online.
You simply need to shop as usual and remember to scan your receipt after you make your purchases. Every receipt you scan will earn you coins on this platform, which you can redeem for gift cards or PayPal cash.
Receipts for less than $10 will give you five coins, while you can earn up to 20 coins if your purchase total is more than $100. You can also boost your coin balance by participating in online surveys or playing the platform’s Hog Slots game.
You must accumulate a minimum of 1,000 coins before redeeming them. However, the more coins you have, the better the redemption rate. For example, you need 1,000 coins for $5, but 2,900 coins get you $15, 4,300 coins provide $25, and with 6,500, you can claim $40.
Receipt Hog is very easy to use. However, depending on your shopping habits, earning enough coins to redeem for rewards can take quite a while.
11. Receipt Pal
Receipt Pal allows you to scan store receipts from a comprehensive list of retailers, including gas stations. It works just like Ibotta; after you make a purchase, you snap a picture of the receipt and submit it through the app. Receipt Pal will then check for any available opportunities to earn.
Every receipt you scan will earn you 25 points, and you can submit up to 12 receipts each week. However, if you have more than 12 receipts, the excess will provide entries into the Receipt Pal cash giveaway. There’s a weekly sweepstake draw with a prize of $250; each scanned receipt will provide an entry to the draw.
You’ll also earn points for online purchases when you link your Amazon account or email address. After accumulating 2,200 points, you can redeem them for a $5 gift card. Just be aware that it can take several weeks for the point exchange.
Like Receipt Hog, Receipt Pal is easy to use, but racking up the rewards can take a while.
Final Thoughts on Apps Like Ibotta
As we’ve shown, there are many great apps like Ibotta to earn cashback and rewards when you shop. This means you can browse the options to see which best suits your shopping habits and preferences. If you don’t want the hassle of scanning receipts, there are apps where you can link your credit or debit card. A receipt scanning app would meet your needs if you prefer the anonymity of not providing your bank details.
The great thing is that these reputable apps are free to download and use. So, if you’re unsure which ones are best for you, you can try several. This can be an excellent strategy to maximize your cashback and rewards. While many Ibotta alternatives have retailers in common, with multiple apps, you’ll be able to claim rewards for a wider variety of retailers. You can simply use the app that offers the best rewards for your purchases.
So, to be a savvy shopper and save money on your purchases, browse various apps like Ibotta. You can start accumulating real cash back immediately for a particular purchase or simply offset the increasing cost of shopping essentials.
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