The 13 Best Receipt Scanning Apps To Save in 2020
Published May 17, 2020, Category: Cash back, Save Money
There are many apps and websites out there that will pay you simply to shop and scan receipts. Since shopping is something you cannot avoid, you may as well take advantage of these programs to save money.
Many of these apps cover a wide selection of retailers but they do not cover every single retailer. That is why it could be helpful to use more than one app in order to get the most bang for your buck.
The reason these apps exists is because they are trying to gather data for market research. They sell this data they gather to companies so they can improve their products or services. For the most part this information gathered is completely anonymous.
1. Ibotta
Website: ibota.com ($10 sign up bonus)
Ibotta is probably the most well known receipt scanning app out there. One of the reasons for this is its high rebate amount which can be as much as $5. Ibotta also has a wide selection of items that are eligible for rebates.
How it works:
Ibotta works by giving you rebate for purchasing certain products. You can obtain this rebate through scanning receipts or linking your Ibotta account to your credit card.
- Scanning receipts – To earn by scanning receipts with Ibota, firs you need to select the eligible offers on the Ibotta rewards app before you scan. Once this is done, simply take a picture of the receipt through the Ibotta app and your offer will be redeemed.
- Link to loyalty account – In alternative to scanning receipts, if you have a loyalty card with the retailer you are purchasing from, you can go in the Ibotta app and link your Ibotta account to the loyalty card. If you do, you will not need to scan receipts. Instead, you will obtain Ibotta rebates simply by scanning the loyalty card at the store.
Payment:
minimum payout is $20. You can cash out for gift cards or choose direct deposit to your PayPal or Venmo account.
2. ReceiptPal
Website: receiptpal.com
Receipt Pal is another great option for obtaining cash back. Unlike other apps, receipt pal accepts receipts from any store.
How it works:
Simply scan your receipt into your app and that is it. Within 24 hours you will receive points for all eligible purchases from the receipt. When you first start, receipt pal limits you to 20 receipts per week but as you use the app more you will be allowed to uploaded more and more receipts each week.
Receipts must be submitted 30 days within purchase.
Payment:
You can redeem your points for all types of gift cards. Additionally, if you register your email with them, each receipt you scan will automatically be entered into a $250 weekly sweepstakes.
Referral system:
none
3. Fetch Rewards
Website: fetchrewads.com (sign up bonus $2.00)
Fetch Rewards is similar to most other receipt scanning apps except this one is catered more toward groceries receipts.
How it works:
Scan your grocery receipt when you shop. Fetch will then award you points/special offers depending on the products you purchased. You only earn points if a product you bought is a “participating product”.
There are usually many participating products. You can look up whether a product will award you points before you purchase but it is more efficient to just do your grocery shopping as you normally do and scan your receipt at the end.
You have 14 days to claim your receipt from purchase.
Payment:
Fetch has a wide selection of gift cards to choose from, including Amazon, Visa, etc. Need to earn 3,000 points to check out. 1,000 points is equal to $1.00.
Referral:
Anytime you refer someone Fetch will award you both 2,000 bonus points when they scan their first receipt.
4. CoinOut
Website: coinout.com
CoinOut is a relatively new receipt scanning app. It was recently featured on Shark Tank. The great thing about CoinOut is that you scan scan receipts and earn from ANY store.
How it works:
CoinOut allows you to earn either scanning receipts or making online purchases.
- Scanning receipts: To get cash back on instore purchases, simply scan the receipt. No need to look for the store on the app first.
- Online cash back: to earn cash back on online purchases you’ll need to log into the CoinOut app, select the retailer you want to purchase from, then you’ll be redirected to the retailer’s website. From there you will be able to get cash back on qualifying purchases.
Payment:
CoinOut pays you through Amazon gift cards, direct bank deposite, or PayPal transfer. There is no minimum payout via Bank or Amazon Gift Card, but there is a $10.00 minimum for Paypal. This means you can cash out for an Amazon giftcard even if you have just $0.01.
Referral:
CoinOut has a referral system but their website does not mention how much you can earn. From our reseaching online, it appears that CoinOut occasional changes its referral rates and you can earn anywhere from $0.50 to $0.75 for any successful referral.
5. Trunow
Trunow is a receipt scanning app that focuses on saving you money on gas receipts. It touts itself as the only app that gets you cash back on gas receipts. Not only can you save by scanning receipts, Trunow shows you the cheapest gas near you based on your current location
How it works: Scan receipts. For each gas receipt you scan you will automatically earn 1% on cash back bonus and an additional 2% toward rewards.
6. Checkout 51
Checkout 51 pays you cash back for scanning receipt for everyday grocery store purchases.
How it works: Scan app for current offers. Add whichever product offer you are interested in in the app. Then purchase the product and scan the receipt to get your cash back.
Payout: You can cash out once you hit $20 via check or deposit to your PayPal account.
7. Shopkick
Shopkick is a unique app that lets you earn money in a variety of ways. It was originally created to reward you simple for walking into stores.
How it works: Shopkick allows you to earn in six different ways:
- Assuming you have your location setting turned on, anytime you walk into a partnered retailer with your phone you earn certain amount of “kicks.” You then exchange these kicks for cash and gift cards. You can also earn kicks for scanning barcodes of products in stores.
- Earn kicks for scanning products
- Earn kicks for purchasing products and submitting receipts
- Link your credit card to shopkick and earn kicks any time you use the credit card at a partnered store.
- Earn kicks when you purchase at a partnered store through Shopkicks app or web portal
- Earn kicks by watching in app videos.
Payment: Redeem your kicks for a wide selection of gift cards. 250 kicks = $1. You need 500 kicks to redeem gift cards.
8. Makeena
Makeena is focused more on eco-friendly and healthy grocery store products. The good thing about Makeena is that you are not limited by store. You can earn buying products anywhere, so long as those products are eligible in the app. Many of the offers eligible products are fruits and vegetables. Some common items include spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, etc.
How it works: It works similar to Ibotta in that in order to be credited, you need to select available offers in the app, then scan the receipt once you have purchased those eligible products. They let you know exactly how much you will get before you add the offer.
Payment: You Need a minimum $20 to cash out either through PayPal or Venmo. It usually not given to reach this payout amount given the large variety of offers available.
9. SavingStar
Website: savingstar.com
SavingStar is a grocery store saving app that lets you save money on products you’re buying anyways. They work with over 100 well known retail chains such as WalMart, Walgreens, Publix, etc.
How it works: SavingStar works like Ibotta in that it allows you to earn rebates from scanning receipts or using your loyalty card.
Scanning receipts: SavingStar works like other receipt scanning apps. Check the app to find the offer you want a rebate on, then scan your receipt after your purchase.
Loyalty card: alternatively, instead of scanning receipts, you can link your saving star account to your loyalty card with the retailer, this way you’ll get cash back from SavingStar just by scanning the loyalty card.
Payment: You can cash out once you have earned at least $20. Rewards can be redeemed for bank deposit, PayPal payments, gift cards, etc.
Referral program: Only available to websites and blogs.
10. Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog is a straightforward receipt scanning app. All you need to do is upload receipts in order to get cash. According to Receipt Hog, they have paid out more than $2.5 million dollars to their members to date.
How it works: To start, you just need to take a picture of your receipt. This could be receipt from nearly any store, restaurant of café. Depending on the receipt scan, you will either earn coins, prizes, or a spin on a virtual slot machine.
Payment: Receipt Hog rewards you with gift cards at several retailers such as Walmart, Best Buy Target and many others. Additionally, you can redeem your points for a Visa Gift Card.
11. Dosh
Website:
Unlike the other apps on this list, Dosh does not require any receipt scanning. Instead, Dosh gives you cash back for using your linked credit card at participating stores.
How it works: Download the app and link your credit card to Dosh. To do this, there is a section on the app that lets you link your credit card. Once your card is linked, you will automatically get cash back just for using your credit card at certain stores.
The rates range from 2% all the way up to 10% depending on the store. The great thing about Dosh is that you can combine it with cash back offers that your credit card already gives you.
Dosh also has a solid reputation for encrypting your information to keep your data safe.
Payment: Dosh lets you cash out via direct transfer of cash to your bank account or PayPal account.
12. Coupons.com
While coupons.com is a great place to get coupons, you can also use their app to earn rewards scanning receipts.
How it works: You’ll have to download the app to earn. Once you download the app, you have two ways to earn:
- You can select the coupon on your app before showing, then after you purchase the product, send a picture of the receipt via the app.
Or
- Link the app with your loyalty rewards card at the retailer. This way is easier since you won’t need to scan the receipt to the app. Simply using the loyalty card will automatically register your rebate with coupons.com
Payment: You get paid in cash.
13. GetUpside
Website:
GetUpside is a receipt scanning app that allows you to save up to $0.25 per gallon on gas and up to 35% at restaurants, grocery stores and more.
How it works: GetUpside lets you claim certain offers from the app. Once you claim an offer, you fill up your tank of gas then take a picture of the receipt. After GetUpside confirms, they will then reward you with whatever offer you redeemed, which can sometimes save you up to 35%.
The main downside is that GetUpside is limited that the offers seems to be limited to certain cities. Owever, this seems to be changing as GetUpside begins expanding.
Category: Cash back, Save Money
