Savvy shoppers know that having the best cashback apps can mean the difference between saving a few pennies or earning real cold hard cash.
Among some of the best money-saving apps are Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Both apps allow you to scan receipts to earn money back on everyday purchases. So which cashback rewards app is better?
I’ve tested both apps to give you a better perspective from a real user’s point of view.
- I started using Fetch in August 2021 and have earned over $13,500 in free gift cards.
- I started using Ibotta in July 2020 and have earned $18,870 in real cash.
Here, I’ll break down the main differences between Fetch vs Ibotta to determine which money saving app ultimately earns you more.
Fetch Rewards vs. Ibotta
Two of my favorite receipt rewards apps are Fetch Rewards and Ibotta. They each offer you a real way to save money by scanning your grocery receipts, and turning them into free gift cards and real cash.
However, each app rewards you differently for those same purchases.
Based on your shopping habits, you’ll want to choose a rewards app that fits your purchasing behavior best. Although, you may also find that using both apps to scan the same receipts will be worth your time and effort as well.
To find out, let’s take a quick look at each app side-by-side.
Difference between Fetch and Ibotta
Below are the main features and differences of each rewards app.
| Fetch Rewards | iBotta | |
| Merchant Accepted | All major and local grocery stores, gas merchants, any retailer you dine or shop, basically any and all receipts | Over 2,000 preferred retail chains including grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, convenience stores, pet stores |
| E-Receipts Accepted | Yes | Yes |
| Type of App: | Mobile app (iOs and Android) | Mobile app (iOs and Android), and browser extension |
| Receipt Time Period | Up to 14 days from purchase date | Up to 7 days from purchase date |
| Redeem Rewards | Gift Cards, Sweepstakes Entry, Fetch Merch or Charitable Donation | Money transfer to PayPal or bank account, or Gift cards |
| Minimum Payout | 3,000 Points | $20 minimum |
| Rewards Expire | Points expire after 90 days of inactivity. If the account remains active, points never expire. | Account maintenance fees are assessed after 6 months of account inactivity. If the account remains active, rewards never expire. |
| Referral Program | Yes. Earn 100 – 500 pts per referral | Yes. Earn $10 per referral |
How Does Fetch Rewards Work?
Fetch rewards is a shopping app that rewards you each time you upload an eligible receipt to the app. You simply go about your regular shopping and either snap a photo of your receipt or submit your e-receipt via the in-app feature to earn your points.
Receipts can be uploaded from nearly anywhere you shop including ALL grocery stores, restaurants, fast food places, clothing retailers and even gas stations. If you’re unsure as to whether a receipt will work, simply upload it to check. In most cases, you’d be surprised at just how many places Fetch will accept a receipt!
New registrants will immediately earn between 100 – 500 points, plus an opportunity to earn additional bonus points when registering with promo code: AWPFV8
1,000 Fetch points equals about $1. Once you’ve earned your initial sign up points, each new receipt will earn you a minimum of 25 points.
If you want to quickly rack up Fetch app points, then take advantage of participating brands where you can earn extra points on scanned receipts.
Special limited-time brand offers will earn you the most amount of points on receipts.
Once you’ve earned a minimum of 3,000 points, you can redeem them for gift cards from top merchants including Amazon, Walmart and Starbucks.
Read my in-depth Fetch Rewards Review.
How Does iBotta Work?
iBotta is similar in that you download the free app and instantly turn your shopping receipts into cash back rewards. You can also download the iBotta browser extension and add it to your Chrome or Firefox browser.
Unlike Fetch that gives you points on all receipts, iBotta offers cash back rewards on individual grocery product offers from over 2,000 preferred chain retailers. Simply add offers to your in-app iBotta shopping list, shop those offers in-store or online, then scan your receipt to earn real cash on eligible offers.
Additionally, take advantage of iBotta weekly bonuses to earn even more cash back rewards.
Best of all, you get tons of free stuff with iBotta’s special ‘Free After Offer’ deals. Redeem these in-app deals to try out new products from brands partnered with iBotta.
Once you reach the $20 minimum threshold to cash out, you can transfer your money to PayPal or bank card deposit. Or if you prefer, you can redeem your rewards for gift cards at top retailers.
New registrants will immediately receive upwards of up to $20 in free money as a special welcome bonus when using code: kshagvc at sign up.
Read my in-depth Ibotta Review.
Is Fetch Rewards Worth It?
If you are someone that shops on a frequent basis and will take advantage of the Special Offers bonus points, then Fetch Rewards may be worth it to you.
On the contrary, if you shop infrequently and don’t plan to redeem Special Offers, then you’ll only average 25 points per receipt. Considering that 1,000 Fetch points equals about $1, this app may not be worth it to you.
Fetch Reward’s Pros and Cons:
PROS:
| The app is free to download and use. |
| Receive 100 – 500 sign up bonus pts when you use promo code AWPFV8 |
| Fetch doesn’t care what receipts you scan. You’ll earn points on nearly every receipt uploaded. |
| Special Offers bonus points will fast track your cash back earnings. |
| Save up to 80% on prescriptions by using Fetch’s GoodRx digital card. |
CONS
| It takes a long time for reward points to add up. |
| Too few offers compared to other money saving apps. |
| Cash back can be redeemed for gift cards, not cash. |
| Reward points expire after 90 days of account inactivity |
Is the Ibotta App Worth It?
If you are someone that shops brand name items, and are a frequent shopper of retail chain stores, then the Ibotta app may be worth it to you.
On the contrary, if you shop at lesser known retail stores and rarely buy brand name items, then the Ibotta app may not be worth it to you.
Ibotta App Pros and Cons:
Pros:
| The app is free to download and use. |
| Receive up to $20 sign up bonus when you use code kshagvc |
| High cash back rewards on brand name offers |
| Weekly bonus offers to earn more cash back |
| Real cash rewards payout to PayPal or bank card |
Cons:
| You shop more because of the multitude of deals being offered |
| Online rebates are only applied when shopping through iBotta portal |
| Customer service is a little slow in getting back to you |
| The good product freebie offers disappear fast |
| Fees are applied after 6 months of account inactivity |
Fetch vs. Ibotta – Which is Better?
Each of these reward apps offer features that are suited for one type of shopper versus another. The app that will earn you the most amount of cashback rewards depends on your specific shopping habits.
Even still, after testing out both apps, I’ve found the iBotta app to be the superior cashback rewards app to use.
Here are three reasons why I believe iBotta is the clear winner:
▪ iBotta offers cash back deals on ‘any brand’ you buy. So even if you don’t shop brand name offers, you can still earn cash rebates on many generic products.
▪ There are plenty of ‘freebie’ offers in the iBotta app to eat and drink for free.
▪ The ‘iBotta Referral Bonus’ is one of the most generous in the industry. You’ll earn $10 per friend or family member who signs up for iBotta and redeems an offer using your referral code.
These three benefits to using iBotta is what has earned me $1,799.76 with the iBotta app to date. It is also why I highly recommend iBotta to anyone who wants to save money and earn real cash back rewards.
Whoa! Little did I know that my cash back rewards amount would blow up to over $18k in less than 2 years! It’s crazy to look back at this!
Receive up to $20 as a sign up bonus when you use code kshagvc when signing up for iBotta.
Scan Your Receipts to Both Apps
But hey, just because I prefer iBotta doesn’t mean I give Fetch Rewards the cold shoulder. Not at all!
As a matter of fact, you can upload the same receipt to Fetch Rewards and Ibotta to stack your rebate rewards even higher.
On many occasions, you’ll even find overlapping rebates, such as I did on Kind Thin bars during a recent grocery shopping trip.
Ultimately, you can use both apps together to earn the most amount of cash back on your next shopping trip!
FAQs
Q – Is Fetch Rewards better than IBotta?
After testing out both apps, IBotta is the superior cash back rewards app. To date, I’ve earned over $1,780 with IBotta due to their high paying reward offers and weekly bonuses.
Q – Can I use the same receipt for Ibotta and Fetch?
Yes, you can upload the same receipt to Ibotta and Fetch and stack your rewards.
Q – Is Fetch like Ibotta?
Fetch is very different in that it rewards you points on nearly every shopping receipt, and pays you in gift cards. Ibotta rewards you real cash on individual product offers, and pays you via PayPal or bank card transfer.
Q – Are Fetch and Ibotta Safe?
Fetch Rewards and Ibotta are legitimate companies and their apps are safe to use. Both apps reward you in gift cards and real money for scanning shopping receipts.
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