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Ibotta Review Summary
- Over 50 million users; $1.6 billion in paid earnings.[1]
- Average Ibotta saver earns $256 in cash back every year.[2]
- Over 2,000 participating retailers.
- Real cash back, not points. Paid to bank account, PayPal, or via gift cards.
- Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (see methodology)
- Best for: Shoppers who frequently purchase groceries and other essentials willing to invest time into searching for and applying cash back offers to maximize savings.
Pros
- Completely free cash back.
- Large retailer network.
- User-friendly interface.
- Multiple payout options.
- Frequent bonuses and promotions.
Cons
- Requires significant effort.
- High payout threshold ($20).
- Limited offer options.
- Privacy concerns.
- Requires submitting receipts in many instances.
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In the ever-evolving world of cash back apps, Ibotta stands out as a popular choice for savvy shoppers looking to earn money back on their everyday purchases. With its user-friendly interface and a vast network of retail partners, Ibotta promises an enticing way to save on groceries, dining out, and more.
As readers frequently inquire about the most effective ways to maximize their savings, DollarSprout is diving deep with a first-hand review of Ibotta.
Today, we explore everything from the sign-up process and available cash back offers to expected earning potential and how it stacks up against competitors. Then, ultimately, determine whether it’s a cash back app that can truly benefit your shopping habits.
In This Article show
What Is Ibotta?
Ibotta is a cash back app designed to reward users for making everyday purchases from a variety of retailers and online stores.
By linking offers to their accounts before shopping, users can earn back a portion of their spending on items ranging from groceries to electronics.
Beyond straightforward cash back, Ibotta also features bonuses and referral rewards, enhancing the potential for earnings.
This app aims to incentivize smarter shopping habits and integrate seamlessly into a user’s lifestyle, offering a practical approach to saving money without significant changes to their buying behavior. In essence, Ibotta stands as a bridge between consumers and brands, rewarding the former for their loyalty and purchases.
Free Price
$5 Sign Up Bonus
DollarSprout Rating
Earn cash back when you shop at Target, Amazon, Kroger, and more. Visit stores or shop online, scan your receipt or link a loyalty card, and Ibotta will credit your account within 24 hours.
How to Get Started with Ibotta
Getting started with Ibotta is a straightforward process. It takes just 30 seconds from start to finish.
First, download the Ibotta app from your device’s app store.
Then, create an account using your email address, Facebook, or Google account for seamless access.
Note: If you use our referral link, you’ll earn a free $5 in cash back when you submit your first receipt. We’re reader-supported, so we appreciate the assist!
That’s it. You’re ready to start adding offers to your list.
How Ibotta Works
Ibotta offers four ways to earn cash back: in-store shopping, online shopping, referrals, and bonuses.
1. In-store shopping
Ibotta makes in-store savings easy by allowing you the option to link your store loyalty account for automatic purchase detection, or, scan receipts after you shop. You can also turn on notifications for Nearby Offer Alerts to stay in the loop about offers in your area.
Link your store loyalty account
This is the most convenient way to use Ibotta. From within your Ibotta account, all you have to do is find a store that offers account linking, click “Confirm & link account,” add offers you want from that store; then, shop as usual.
Once you check out, Ibotta will automatically scan through your purchases, match them with offers in your Ibotta account, and add the cash back to your total earnings.
If you have the Ibotta browser extension installed, you’ll also receive a pop-up notification whenever you visit a site that allows account linking. You can add your information straight from there and link your account with the click of a button.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: Having my loyalty accounts linked to Ibotta eliminates the step that I most often forget: scanning my receipt after shopping.
However, my one complaint is that you still have to add offers in Ibotta before shopping. If you buy something that Ibotta has a deal on but didn’t add it in the app, then you won’t get the savings for that purchase.
I also dislike that Ibotta doesn’t allow loyalty account linking with all retailers. So even though I have a Kroger loyalty card, for example, I can’t link it to my Ibotta profile. That’s not a deal breaker for me, though, since I can still earn points for scanning my receipts.
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Scan your receipts
The process is similar to linking your loyalty account: find the store you want to shop at in the Ibotta app, add the offers you want, and shop in store. The only difference is that you’ll need to take a picture of your receipt to receive your cash back.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: This is the main way I’ve used Ibotta so far since Kroger is my go-to for groceries and, as I mentioned before, I can’t link my store account with Ibotta.
I like to scroll through the app before I go grocery shopping. If I find a good deal, I’ll click the “+” to add it to my offers and use my final list of offers to plan the week’s meals. My favorite are the “Any Item” offers, where you can choose any brand of a certain item, like milk, bread, popcorn, single-serve coffee, etc.
Adding offers to your account is usually a one-click process, but sometimes you’ll have to watch a short video (usually 30 seconds or less) before you can claim a deal.
Once you claim a deal, you’ll see a checkmark beside it.
Be sure to read the details of each deal before you go shopping. If you use a shopping list, write down how many of each item you need to buy to redeem the offer.
I made this mistake early on, not realizing that the oat milk on my grocery list was a BOGO (buy one, get one) deal. So I only bought one and when I scanned my receipt, I didn’t get the cash back I expected.
Each deal usually has a limit (typically 2 or 5) for how many times you can redeem that offer.
My main complaint with this method is that you have to remember to get a receipt and keep track of it long enough to scan it to your account.
This was an adjustment for me since I’m used to throwing my receipt away as I walk out the door or not taking one at all.
And even if I do get a receipt, there’s a 50% chance I lose it somewhere between the cash register and my kitchen.
Because of this, I’ve gotten into the habit of scanning my receipt as soon as I get to my car. It only takes a few seconds and that way I don’t miss out on any cash back because of lost receipts.
I’m still crossing my fingers that Ibotta adds Kroger to their list of loyalty linking programs in the near future. I’d also like to see more diet-specific filters to help sort through store deals, like organic, gluten-free, etc.
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2. Online shopping
If you’re more of an online shopper, or want to hunt for deals in stores that aren’t in your area, Ibotta offers two options: shopping online with their browser extension or directly through the Ibotta app.
Shop online with the Ibotta browser extension
The Ibotta extension is available for Firefox and Chrome and works similarly to other cash back browser extensions. When you’re shopping on a site where they offer cash back, you’ll get a popup notification. Click the “Activate” button to claim the deal and continue shopping as normal.
In about a week, you’ll see your cash back added your Ibotta account.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: If you’ve ever used a cash back browser extension like Rakuten or Honey, Ibotta works essentially the same: see a popup, click activate, shop, earn.
However, after doing some extra-extensive research for this review, I’m concerned about the accuracy of Ibotta’s extension. I’ve used the extension for online shopping before, but I thought I’d try some new sites and click different buttons than I usually do to test the experience from all angles.
And I think I found a glitch in the matrix.
In my Ibotta account, Athleta is listed as a partner retailer offering 2% cash back:
But when I went directly to Athleta’s website, I didn’t get a popup from Ibotta. So I clicked on the extension in my browser, and there’s no deal listed:
For reference, if there is a deal available that hasn’t been activated, you should see the same popup from the American Eagle picture in the previous section.
I submitted a request to Ibotta’s customer service to see why this is happening, but this makes me question how much cash back Ibotta browser extension users have missed out on because of this error.
Beyond this issue that I just so happened to stumble upon while writing this review, there are two things in the fine print to watch out for when shopping online with Ibotta:
- From the time you activate a deal, you have 45 minutes to check out before the deal expires. You can reactivate it, you just have to remember to do so.
- Items added to your cart before activating a deal won’t count toward your cash back. If you find a deal in the middle of shopping, you’ll have to remove the items in your cart, activate the deal, and add them back.
I’ve always enjoyed the user experience of the Ibotta extension and find it a convenient way to earn cash back for shopping online. But you’ll want to double check the retailers section of Ibotta and make sure your deal is activated (and includes all the items in your cart) if you decide to use it.
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Related: 7 Frugality Experts Share Their Best Hacks for Saving Money
Shop directly through the Ibotta app
If your laptop isn’t handy, you can shop online with Ibotta directly from the app.
Unlike the browser extension that pops up when you’ve landed on a site with a deal, you have to be more intentional when shopping through the Ibotta app. That is, you have to know where you want to shop or browse through the available stores until you find a place you like.
When you choose the store you want, the website will open in Ibotta’s app, where you can shop like normal.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: This is my least favorite (and least used) Ibotta shopping feature.
You’ve probably had the experience where you clicked on a link in Instagram and it opened the website in Instagram’s app. It’s a similar experience with shopping through the Ibotta app.
It would be nice if the store website opened in Safari or Chrome, or if you at least had that option. The current experience is a bit slow and clunky. I can’t imagine many Ibotta users shop this way. I wouldn’t recommend it.
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3. Refer friends and family
Like many apps of its kind, you can earn for referring new users to Ibotta with your unique referral code. You can share your code via text, email, or social media straight from the app.
When your new recruits sign up with your code and submit their first receipt, you’ll both earn a $5 referral bonus.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: It’s hard to complain about a referral program, and I think Ibotta’s is pretty generous. So far, I’ve sent our referral code to three people and successfully referred one person to the app.
The only problem I have so far is that there’s no way to track the people you refer. The only reason I even know I had a successful referral is because I got a notification for it saying “$10 has been added to your account — congratulations! Keep referring your friends and earn more cash than ever before.”
But it doesn’t show in my earnings history, and there’s no record that says which of the people I sent my link to actually signed up. I wish I had this information so I knew who to thank and who might need coaching through the process to complete their first deal.
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4. Bonuses
Ibotta offers two types of bonuses: specific and non-specific. Specific bonuses are usually related to a single brand. For example, “Earn $0.50 when you redeem three offers from Chameleon Organic Coffee.” Non-specific bonuses are typically time-bound, like “Redeem 15 offers of any kind this weekend and earn $1.”
You can see both types on the “Bonus” tab on the bottom menu of the app.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: Bonuses can offer a serious earnings boost and are a great option if you have particular brands you’re loyal to. You can plan your shopping around bonuses, but you’ll probably earn the occasional bonus without even trying. My first bonus was a complete surprise.
I was shopping in the middle of the week, redeemed a few offers, and noticed the next day I had $3 extra added to my account. Apparently, there was a Flash bonus going on that I didn’t know about where if you redeemed three offers in three days, you got an extra $3.
That’s what I like most about Ibotta’s bonus feature: you don’t have to “sign up” for a bonus or add it to your account. You can just shop as usual and be surprised with some unexpected cash back.
I also like that Ibotta lists your “in progress” bonuses separately on the bonus tab and sends you a notification when you’ve started a bonus. I never would’ve known that Chameleon Organic Coffee was offering a bonus otherwise. Now I think I’ll go ahead and stock up on some more coffee and get that extra $0.50.
I’ve noticed some of the better bonuses tend to hit mid-week, so I try to watch out for those and grab them when I can.
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Other Notable Features
Part of what makes Ibotta so user-friendly is that there aren’t many features to be aware of. Outside of earning cash back through everyday shopping, the most relevant thing to know about the app is that you can earn 1% to 10% cash back on gift card purchases.
Cash back on gift card purchases
Ibotta’s gift card feature is pretty simple. From inside the app, you can purchase what amounts to discounted gift cards to over 175 retailers, including Starbucks, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowe’s, Walmart, Uber, and more.
To purchase a gift card on Ibotta, you can either add a personal debit card or use your Ibotta earnings. Either way, you’ll get cash back.
If you’re buying the gift card for someone else, you can toggle the “This is a gift” option. On the next screen, you’ll choose how you want to send the gift card off. Whoever you send it to doesn’t need an Ibotta account to use the card.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: I’ll admit, I haven’t used this feature yet, but I have my eye on it for birthday gifts in the next couple of months.
I’m minorly annoyed that I can’t use my credit card to buy gift cards through Ibotta, but they’re not the only company with this policy. However, I like having the option to use my Ibotta earnings to pay.
I think buying gift cards through Ibotta is a great way to earn cash back if you’re buying it for someone else. If you’re buying the gift card for yourself, I would caution you to check if Ibotta has a better deal for shopping in-store or online with that retailer.
For example, I almost used my account balance to buy a gift card to Lowe’s since I need to make a trip there this week. But out of curiosity, I stopped to see if there was an in-store or online offer available. It turns out that Ibotta is currently offering 10% cash back for online purchases at Lowe’s, and my gift card would’ve gotten me just 2%.
Needless to say, I placed my order online.
My second qualm with Ibotta gift cards is that, while they have a good selection of stores to choose from, they don’t offer gift cards to some of the places I shop at the most with Ibotta, like Kroger and Target. I guess this makes sense because if they did, it would be easy to earn double cash back for buying a gift card through the app, then redeeming offers in-store.
But even with these minor complaints, I still think buying gift cards through Ibotta is a great way to get cash back, especially if you’re buying for someone else.
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Getting Paid
Ibotta offers flexibility in how you receive your cash. Users seem to most often choose to transfer earnings to their bank or PayPal account, which is a convenient option for users who prefer cash.
Alternatively, one can opt to exchange earned cash back for free gift cards to popular retailers.
Once you’ve selected your preferred payment method and have at least $20 in your account, navigate to the “Withdraw Cash” or “Gift Cards” section of the app. Follow the prompts to initiate the withdrawal process. For PayPal or bank transfers, you’ll need to link your account the first time you cash out.
After you initiate the withdrawal, your funds should be transferred within 1 to 3 business for PayPal and bank transfers. Digital gift cards hit your account email address within 24 hours.
Earning Potential
Your earning potential with Ibotta varies widely depending on several factors, including the frequency of your shopping trips, the types of products you buy, and how diligently you use the app to find and redeem offers.
- For casual users who only occasionally remember to check for deals or who shop infrequently, earnings might range from $2 to $20 per month. These users typically take advantage of the more straightforward offers without much planning ahead.
- More active users, those who plan their shopping around Ibotta’s offers, use the app for both in-store and online purchases, and participate in bonus offers and challenges, can see significantly higher returns. This group might earn between $20 to $100 or more per month.
The key to maximizing earnings is to consistently check the app for new offers, refer friends to increase bonus earnings, and combine Ibotta rebates with other coupons and sales for maximum savings.
🔍 Reviewer’s Experience: Withdrawing cash back earnings from Ibotta is super easy. I recently requested $25 in earnings to be withdrawn to PayPal and had it deposited to my account in less than 1 minute.
Their stated policy is 1 to 3 business days. My deposit cleared in 10 seconds, which was great!
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How to Maximize Your Earnings with Ibotta
Maximizing your earnings on Ibotta involves a blend of strategic shopping, utilizing the app’s features to their fullest, and a bit of creativity. Here are some insightful hacks and tips gathered from our personal experience and real users that can help you get the most out of your Ibotta experience:
- Buy Smaller Quantities: This may seem counterintuitive, but when rebates are offered per item regardless of size, purchasing smaller quantities maximizes your percentage of savings.[3]
- Claim Old Purchases: Ibotta allows you to claim rebates for purchases made up to a week ago. This is especially handy if you forgot to check the app before shopping.
- Stack Rebates with Sales and Coupons: Combining Ibotta’s cash back offers with in-store sales and manufacturer coupons can amplify your savings significantly. Look for items that are both on sale and have Ibotta rebates, and use coupons for an extra discount.[4]
- Shop for Bonus Rebates: Ibotta often offers bonus rebates during holidays or for purchasing specific brands. These bonuses can stack with existing rebates, increasing your cash back on a single purchase.
- Ditch Brand Loyalty: This is by far the easiest of ways in which Ibotta users can save money. If you’re not married to a specific brand of detergent, shampoo, or bread, you’ll find opportunities to save abound.
- Utilize Hidden Offers and Promo Codes: Keep an eye out for hidden offers within the app, your email inbox, or Ibotta social channels.
- Link Loyalty Cards: For in-store purchases, linking your store loyalty cards to Ibotta can simplify the process of claiming rebates (and it’s more accurate than snapping a photo of your receipt).[5]
- Check Ibotta Before Shopping: Always check Ibotta for offers before you go shopping to plan your purchases around available rebates and bonuses. This proactive approach can significantly increase your earnings.
User Reviews
While Ibotta boasts strong app store ratings, it’s become common knowledge that companies — while generally stopping short of incentivizing 5-star ratings — commonly invite users to review the app at times when they’re most likely to leave a positive review (like when they redeem cash back).
While we at DollarSprout have found the app to be a legitimate and straightforward way to earn meaningful cash back, especially in the grocery niche, it helps to understand what other real Ibotta user reviews are saying. Here’s what we commonly see:
Positive Experiences
I’ve earned more than $1500 from Ibotta so far. I get paid to buy things that my family actually needs like toilet paper, deodorant, food, etc. I love Ibotta.
Missy Crystal, Quora
[Ibotta] is definitely worth it if you take advantage of all the bonuses and frequently cook at home. We are a family of four and have been averaging $30 to $40 in cash back each month, not including referrals. The trick is to combine your cash back offers with the bonuses they offer from time to time.
Nermeen Ghneim, Quora
Negative Experiences
After slowly building a balance on Ibotta and getting close to the $20 amount required to redeem your earnings, I became ill. No grocery shopping, didn’t bother with emails, etc., for 6 months — that sick. When I finally got online and checked my Ibotta account there was nothing in it! They drained it with $3.99 monthly service charges until it was empty…all that work for nothing.
Linda D., Sitejabber
I’ve been using Ibotta for years now. It’s always been so easy. The last two big purchases I made built around Ibotta offers didn’t even show up in my account. It’s way too much effort to have to manually email all of the offers to them each time to try to get the money now. I believe I’m done with them.
jingleheimerstick, Reddit
Ibotta Alternatives
When exploring popular alternatives to Ibotta for cash back and savings, several apps stand out for their unique features and benefits:
- Fetch Rewards simplifies the process by allowing you to scan receipts from any purchase to earn reward points, which can then be exchanged for gift cards at major retailers like CVS, Target, and Amazon. Its straightforward approach makes it a strong contender for those looking to earn on all their shopping without restrictions.
- Dosh focuses on passive earning by linking directly to your credit or debit cards. When you shop at partner merchants, cash back is automatically credited to your account without the need to scan receipts or activate offers beforehand. This makes Dosh an appealing option for those who prefer a hands-off approach to earning cash back on their purchases.
- Rakuten integrates directly with your web browsing experience, unlike apps that require receipt scanning or specific in-store action. Their browser extension or mobile app alert you to cash back opportunities at over 2,500 stores. The combination of ease of use, a broad(er) network of retail partners, and industry-leading cash back rates makes Rakuten a compelling alternative or complement to apps like Ibotta for maximizing online savings.
| Ibotta | Fetch Rewards | Dosh | Rakuten | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earning Method | Scan receipts, link loyalty accounts, in-app purchases | Scan any receipt | Linked credit/debit purchases | Shop via app or browser extension |
| Cash Back Type | Specific items and brands, online offers | Any item from any store, focus on brands for higher points | Automatic cash back on linked card purchases | Cash back on online purchases |
| Payout Options | PayPal, Bank Transfer, Gift Cards | Gift Cards | Bank Transfer, PayPal | Check, PayPal |
| Minimum Payout | $20 | $3 (3,000 points) | $15 | $5 |
| Referral Bonus | $5 | 1,000 points | None | $30 |
| Availability | Primarily USA | USA | USA | USA, Canada, and more |
Final Thoughts: Is Ibotta Worth It?
Every app has its issues, but I think with Ibotta, the pros outweigh the cons. It’s a good way to earn cash back for shopping that you’re probably already doing and especially shines with grocery and department stores.
Your favorite brands and items may not always have a deal, so the more willing you are to try new brands, the more money you’ll save. With well over 200 online shopping deals and 2,000+ total retailers, odds are you’ll find a few offers meaningful to you.
It’s a little cumbersome having to find and add offers to your account before you shop. My hope is that in the future Ibotta finds a way to automate the process so you can link all your loyalty accounts, shop as normal (without telling them what deals you want beforehand), and they can match deals with your receipts.
Related:
- This Frugal Mom Earned $830 Using Cash Back Apps. Here’s How
- 17 Best Passive Income Apps to Earn Extra Money
- 19 Flexible Stay-At-Home Jobs for Moms
FAQs
Is Ibotta legit?
Ibotta is a legitimate cash back platform that has paid out $1.6 billion to more than 50 million users since the company’s inception in 2012.
Ibotta’s Better Business Bureau profile shows that the company is not accredited but maintains a B rating. They’ve had over 700 complaints in the last three years, however, all complaints are marked resolved, meaning the person who wrote the complaint verified that the issue was dealt with to their satisfaction.
Ibotta has a 4.8 rating from the Apple app store and a 4.5 rating from the Google Play store. The company has a combined 2.4 million reviews between both platforms.
What retailers can be found on Ibotta?
A comprehensive, up-to-date list of Ibotta Retailers can be found here.
Are there any dangers to using Ibotta?
Using Ibotta will involve sharing personal information, location data, and detailed shopping habits with the app and third-party partners. (Ibotta collects and shares users’ personal details, purchase history, location data, and device information for personalized offers and advertising.) Privacy-conscious users should be aware of data collection practices, how their information is used, and with whom it is shared. Ibotta’s privacy policy further outlines these aspects.
How does Ibotta make money?
Ibotta generates revenue by partnering with retailers and brands who pay the app for driving customers to their products and stores. When users purchase featured items, Ibotta earns a commission from these partners. Additionally, the app monetizes through in-app advertisem*nts and selling anonymized data on shopping trends and consumer behavior to help companies improve their marketing strategies.
Methodology
The rating of 4.0 out of 5 for Ibotta was synthesized based on a comprehensive analysis of various sources including but not limited to our first-person experience, third-party user reviews, expert opinions, and competitor app comparison. The methodology involved aggregating insights from these diverse resources to present an unbiased assessment of the app’s performance, user satisfaction, and overall value proposition. Here’s a breakdown of the criteria used and explanations for each:
- User Satisfaction: Evaluated through user reviews and testimonials across multiple platforms, focusing on the app's ease of use, reliability, and the overall user experience. This measures how well Ibotta meets the needs and expectations of its users.
- Earning Potential: Assessed by examining the variety and value of cash back offers, bonuses, and rewards available to users. It looks at how much users can realistically expect to earn and the diversity of opportunities to maximize their savings.
- Ease of Use: Analyzed by looking at the app's interface, navigation, and the process of finding, redeeming offers, and cashing out earnings. A user-friendly app encourages consistent use and maximizes engagement.
- Payout Process: Considered the methods available for users to withdraw their earnings, including the minimum payout threshold, processing times, and the simplicity of the payout process. This impacts user satisfaction and the practicality of the app.
- Retailer and Brand Partnerships: Reviewed based on the range and diversity of participating retailers and brands, which affects the breadth of cash back opportunities and the app's versatility for different shopping needs.
- Privacy and Security: Evaluated by examining how Ibotta handles user data, including the collection, use, and sharing of personal and transactional information. It's crucial for maintaining user trust and compliance with data protection regulations.
- Customer Support: Looked at the availability and responsiveness of customer service options, including FAQs, support tickets, and direct contact methods. Effective support is essential for resolving issues and improving the user experience.
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