Ibotta Review: Popular Receipt Scanning App For Groceries

Is the Ibotta receipt scanning app worth your time?

Read our honest review.

Ibotta is a free grocery scanning app that gives you cash back for groceries.

After lodging, groceries are one of the biggest expenses.

Ibotta gives you cash back for groceries that you would buy anyway.

Though Ibotta is known as a receipt scanning app, it also has a great online shopping portal.

In this review, we will review the in-store shopping section of Ibotta.

This is what the app is most famous for.

Don’t neglect it as a cash back portal for online shopping though.

They have some very competitive rates.

Use a website like cashbackmonitor.com to see which site has the highest payout for your online shopping.

Ibotta is not listed on Cash Back Monitor, but you can see if other portals have a higher payout for the merchant you want.

Click here to sign-up for Ibotta for free. Get $10 for signing up.

WHAT IS IBOTTA?

Ibotta is a free app that gives you money for your groceries.

It is the modern day version of couponing.

Instead of clipping paper coupons, you just clip a digital coupon.

Some people hate paper coupons anyway.

If you don’t mind paper coupons, you can use Ibotta with your paper coupons to save even more.

I have seen people get items free after doing this.

RELATED: 12 Easy Ways To Save On Groceries

Ibotta asks that you select a store that you shop at first.

Some stores in my area currently include:

• Walmart
• Target
• Kroger
• Publix
• Whole Foods
• Spouts
• Dollar General
• Save A lot

These were just some of the stores in my area again.

Basically, any grocery store you shop at is listed on Ibotta.

My aunt shops at the Commissary, and it was listed in her area.

Offers vary by store, but some stores have the same offers.

The other week, I got an offer for $1.99 off Kite Hill yogurt at Whole Foods.

Since that was the price of the item, I got the item for free.

I love those.

Don’t worry if you shop at multiple stores.

I would just check each store you shop at though.

My free yogurt was only $.75 off at Sprouts instead of $1.99 at Whole Foods.

I check all the stores I shop at once a week to see if there are any new offers.

Sample current offers

• .25 any item cheese
• $.45 Buy 2 So Delicious yogurt

Some offers are for any item like buy any milk.

That means it can be any brand.

Most offers are specific brands like $1.00 back on Cottonelle Tissue.

Make sure to read the size because a lot of offers will only give credit for a certain size item like Cottonelle tissue must be 24 rolls.

You will then just buy the item, take a picture, and when you reach the $20 minimum cash out.

The next section will explain this process with step by step instructions.

You can connect a loyalty card to make this process easier.

Step by Step Instructions To Use Ibotta

Step 1. Choose the store you will shop at

As I said earlier, Ibotta can have different offers at different stores.

I have made the mistake of clicking an offer at a different store and found it was not offered at the store I wanted.

For instance, Walmart might have an offer for $.50 off Pace Salsa, but not Kroger.

If you were shopping at Kroger, you would not get that offer.

Many offers are at most stores, but not all of them.

So if you see a great offer at a store different from where you shop, don’t assume it is at your store.

I shop at multiple stores, so once a week I check all the stores I shop at.

Step 2: Search the categories you shop at

At the top of the page, there will be different categories like:

• Any item
• Dairy
• Pantry
• Household
• Beauty care
• Heath

Not everyone shops in each category.

I don’t have a pet, so I don’t need the pet category.

Popular categories to always check are:

• Any item
• Pantry
• Snacks

If you are just starting with Ibotta, I would browse all the categories, so you know what is each of them.

Again, once a week, I check each store I shop at and each category.

Step 3: Shop and buy item

Go shopping, and buy your groceries as normal.

I like to clip my offers before I shop, but it is ok if you do it after.

Remember to not buy items that you were not originally going to buy.

If you overspend, you are losing out.

If you buy name brands as opposed to generic brands, there should be plenty of offers.

I like to try new products, so that is ok too as long as it is part of your budget.

One of my other businesses is a health and wellness business, and I like to try new organic products for my clients.

Step 4: Scan your receipt or link your card

You can redeem your offer by either taking a picture of your receipt or linking a loyalty card.

A lot of the places I shop at don’t have loyalty cards like Whole Foods and Sprouts, but I think linking your loyalty is the easiest way to redeem.

Make sure you get credit for your item.

It should show the item credited to your account.

Step 5: Cash out with PayPal or get a gift card

You can cash out with Ibotta once you reach $20.

You can choose PayPal or gift cards.

I like cash, so I choose PayPal.

Some store gift cards will give you a discount if you choose gift cards.

Click here to sign-up for Ibotta for free, Get $10 for signing up

How much can you make with Ibotta?

In the first year, I made over $200.

I shop for one though.

I assume if you have a family or shop for more than one person, you can make over $400-500 per year.

How do you cash out and how long does it take?

Again, you can cash out with gift cards or PayPal.

I have only used PayPal (love just cold hard cash), and it is always instantaneous as soon as you reach $20.

How does Ibotta make money?

Companies like Ibotta (and most apps we review) make money from affiliate marketing. Companies pay Ibotta commission for advertising their products. Ibotta shares part of this commission with you.

Click here to sign up for Ibotta. First month get $10 for signing up.

Pros to Ibotta

• Free app
• Has lots of offers
• It is one of the highest paying apps I reviewed
• Has every grocery store, even commissaries
• PayPal cash

Cons to Ibotta

• $20 minimum to cash out
• Can be tempting to overspend
• Some people think it can take a lot of time to look at offers before you shop

Click here to sign-up for Ibotta for free, Get $10 for signing up

Ibotta Review Summary

You are going to grocery shop.

Why not get cash back for it?

With a little effort and planning, you can have extra pocket change.

Like most of the apps we review, Ibotta won’t pay your bills or replace your income; but it will give you some spare change for savings or to spend.

You are going to buy groceries anyway again, why not get some pocket change from it.

Make sure to not overspend.

Only buy your normal groceries.

Take some time to go through offers before you shop to make it effortless as possible, and get free money from the grocery shopping you would do anyway.

Stack with other apps like Shopkick, Checkout 51, Fetch, or Saving Star, and a rewards credit card; and you have a nice amount of extra money. 

I have been using Ibotta for about a year and have made over $200 again.

I find it one of the highest paying apps I review and think it is a lot of fun.

Do you use Ibotta?