12 Apps Like Ibotta to Earn Cash Back at Grocery Stores

December 02, 2017

Nowadays, savvy shoppers are saving money with apps like Ibotta.

If you aren’t familiar with Ibotta, it’s a free mobile app that gives you rebates for different grocery items.

You can unlock rebates through the app by completing small tasks before and after you shop, like taking a short survey or reading about a product.

With Ibotta-like apps, once you’re done shopping, scan the receipts, and often within hours, you’ll get a payout through Venmo or PayPal.

When it comes to saving money, you can never have too many options available. Fortunately, there are many free shopping apps like Ibotta that can help you save on everyday purchases.

12 Apps Like Ibotta You Need to Try

Not all cash-back apps have the same deals. That’s why it helps to use a few of Ibotta’s competitors’ apps. It allows you to “shop around” for the best cash-back deals on whatever you’re buying.

1. DollarSprout Rewards

DollarSprout Rewards showing a cash back offer for HelloFresh

DollarSprout Rewards is a cash back browser extension for Chrome and Safari that unlocks cash back deals at over 15,000 online merchants, including some top meal prep names like HelloFresh, Blue Apron, and FarmFoods Market.

How it works: To get started, download the extension on your preferred desktop browser (Chrome or Safari). After that, the extension works in the background to help you find deals. Whenever you visit a merchant that offers cash back, DollarSprout Rewards will fire a small alert to let you know about the deal. Once you hit the Activate button, just continue shopping as normal and your cash back will appear in your account after your purchase.

How to cash out: Cash outs are sent automatically each month via PayPal once your balance reaches a $5 threshold. Payments are always in cash, not gift cards.

2. Shopkick

How it works: Originally, Shopkick was created to reward users for walking into stores and scanning barcodes for certain items. Now, the app provides a few other ways to get cash back.

Shopkick and Ibotta are very similar, but with Shopkick you can earn rewards for submitting your receipts, watching videos, and shopping online.

How to cash out: You need $2 worth of “kicks” to redeem for gift cards to stores like Target, Sephora, and more.

Bonus: Get a free 1,250 kicks (valued at $5) if you sign up using code DOLLARSPROUT and make an in-store scan within seven days of installing the app.

3. Fetch Rewards

How it works: The premise is the same as other grocery receipt-scanning apps on this list: choose your deals, scan your receipt, save money.

Fetch is available as both an iPhone and Android app.

How to cash out: Fetch Rewards offers gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Target, Sephora, and Best Buy. You can also donate your points to charities like the American Cancer Society or Habitat for Humanity.

Each gift card will have a minimum amount of points you need to cash out, and this may vary based on the retailer.

However, most have the same redemption structure where every 1,000 points is worth $1. For example, a $5 gift card to AMC Theatres costs 5,000 points while a $25 gift card to Crate and Barrel is 25,000 points.

Bonus: When you download the app, use code FETCH2K to get 2,000 Fetch Points, worth $2.00.

4. Dosh

How it works: Dosh gives you cash back every time you make a purchase at participating stores using your linked credit or debit card. And you receive your cash back automatically, too. There’s no scanning receipts, no using coupons, and no promo codes to keep track of.

Download the app, securely link your credit or debit card, and shop as you normally would. As you start making purchases at participating stores, any points earned are immediately added to your Dosh Wallet.

How to cash out: Once your balance reaches a minimum of $25, you can cash out via direct deposit or PayPal.

Referral program: You’ll earn $5 for each friend who signs up and links a verified card.

5. NCPMobile

NCPMobile for short, the National Consumer Panel Mobile Shopping Rewards app is a Nielsen (TV rating company) and IRi venture that rewards consumers for sharing information about the products they bought at local grocery stores that week.

How it works: To participate, download the app and then scan the items you bought at your local grocer after each visit. This ultimately helps companies understand consumer shopping behavior, spot emerging trends, and identify product popularity.

Your feedback allows them to make product changes and better target their advertising methods. 

Watch how the app works on YouTube. 

How to cash out: As a panelist member, you’ll earn points that you can exchange for electronics, appliances, gift cards, or cash. Additionally, you’ll be entered into massive weekly, monthly, and yearly sweepstakes — worth $10,000 or more — simply for using the mobile app (or the scanner they provide you). 

6. Checkout 51

How it works: Once you download Checkout 51, you can claim an offer, take a picture of the receipt, and receive cash back to your account.

The list of offers updates every Thursday morning, so there are always new options to choose from.

How to cash out: Once your cash-back balance reaches $20, you can request a check.

Unlike other apps, Checkout 51 doesn’t let you redeem via PayPal or offer other digital options.

Referral program: When a friend signs up using your link, they’ll get an extra $2 and you’ll receive $10. After they upload a receipt, they’ll earn an extra $1 for a max bonus of $5.

7. Coupons.com

How it works: When you sign up for Coupons.com, you can search for rebates from your local grocery store and other retailers. The app offers both printable and digital coupons. 

When you shop at a participating retailer, you can scan your receipts to receive automatic cash back. To skip receipt scanning, add your store loyalty card for your account to receive cash back automatically each time you make a purchase.

How to cash out: Your rewards will be sent straight to your linked PayPal account. There’s no minimum to cash out through your Coupons.com account.

Referral program: Coupons.com doesn’t offer a referral program, but they do have an affiliate program you can signup for if you have a blog or online platform.

8. Coupon Sherpa

How it works: If you love getting a good deal everywhere you shop, then Coupon Sherpa is a must-download app.

Coupon Sherpa unique has a wide selection of in-store and online coupons as well as location-based coupons specific to your area.

Just pull up Coupon Sherpa on your smartphone, perform a quick search for the coupons, and show them to the cashier at checkout. Save your favorite stores in the app to make saving money even easier.

How to cash out: Because this is a coupon app, you don’t have to worry about redeeming points or dollars. You’ll just save money off your total bill.

Referral program: Coupon Sherpa doesn’t currently have a referral program.

9. Krazy Coupon Lady

How it works: This app is perfect for new couponers. It includes great deals, but the Krazy Coupon Lady app also comes with tips on how to save money like a pro.

Choose your favorite stores in your area, create a shopping list, and save deals for later if you’re not quite ready to go shopping. There are more than 60 new deals a day.

How to cash out: This is a coupon app so you don’t have to think about collecting points or dollars to redeem.

Referral program: Krazy Coupon Lady doesn’t offer a referral program.

10. ShopSavvy

How it works: Have you spent hours comparison shopping to see which store has the cheapest price? If you have, then you need to check out ShopSavvy, an app that simplifies price comparisons across different stores. The app is available on the iPhone and Android devices.

Scan the item you want to compare and ShopSavvy will tell you if you can get a better deal somewhere else.

The app will also let you know if the store you’re shopping at has a price-matching policy. If it does, you’ll get a price-match screen to show your cashier at checkout.

How to cash out: ShopSavvy doesn’t provide points, cash back, or rewards. You save money by shopping directly through the retailer.

Referral program: ShopSavvy doesn’t currently have a referral program.

11. Receipt Hog

How it works: Receipt Hog is a receipt-scanning app like Ibotta. But unlike Ibotta, users can earn cash back on more than grocery items.

With Receipt Hog, you can shop for any item and then scan your receipt to receive coins. Partner stores and restaurants include Costco, McDonald’s, and Ulta.

Each receipt also gets you an entry for Receipt Hog’s monthly drawing where winners receive up to 5,000 coins.

The more active a member you are, the higher your chance of qualifying for additional bonuses such as short surveys and extra spins and coins.

How to cash out: Once you have at least 1,000 coins, you can redeem them for a PayPal deposit, Amazon e-gift card, or a Mastercard/Visa e-gift card code.

Referral program: There’s currently no active referral program with Receipt Hog.

12. Receipt Pal

How it works: Receipt Pal works like other grocery-saving apps. You scan your receipt, earn points, and redeem them for rewards.

Receipt Pal also offers special sweepstakes for its users where you can earn cash prizes.

How to cash out: You can cash out rewards for Amazon or retail gift cards.

There are different rewards tiers and you may have to do things like connect your email or Amazon account for 30 days to earn a higher tier.

Referral program: Receipt Pal doesn’t always have its referral program open to the public. If you see the “Refer a friend” option in your app, then you can share that link with people to earn extra points in your account.

Apps Like Ibotta Can Save You Hundreds

Not every coupon app has the same items or savings available so it’s good to use a few apps to broaden your exposure to offers. Even ones that have similar features (e.g., cash-back grocery receipt-scanning apps) will have different offers. Combining them will maximize your savings.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that this isn’t an exhaustive list. There are a ton of money-saving and money-making apps out there.

We recommend trying a variety of apps similar to Ibotta to find the ones that suit your needs and lifestyle so you can save the most amount of money.