Ibotta App Review: Cash Back Basically Everywhere You Spend Money

Ibotta

If you buy groceries, makeup, clothes, electronics, plane tickets or basically anything, then you deserve to be earning cash back. You spend a lot on everyday purchases, so why not earn some money while you’re at it? We’re not talking about cutting coupons or searching for rebates. We’re talking about Ibotta.

The Ibotta app’s slogan is “Life Rewarded” and it couldn’t be more accurate. Ibotta is essential for anyone looking to save at least a few bucks every time they spend money. Literally, every time throughout everyday life. Before shopping online with Amazon or heading to the local Kroger, scroll through the hundreds of Ibotta offers and start saving money almost instantly. The app is filled with cash back offers on everything from toilet paper and milk to hotel rooms and sneakers. Since Ibotta states on its website that users have saved millions so far, we decided to test it out. Here’s what we discovered.

Before you download Ibotta, know the basics.

It’s free and available for both iOS and Google Play customers.
It takes just a few minutes to sign up for Ibotta. The app asks for your name, email address, zip code and birthdate, which is less information than we were expecting to give.
You get a sign-up bonus worth $10 right off the bat.
Unlike some of the other financial apps we’ve reviewed, you don’t need to connect a bank account.
The app has a ton of cash back offers and rewards, so it might take a little getting used to. Explore it before you start using it so you can get the best bang for your buck.

There are multiple ways to earn cash back, all of which are super easy.

Swirled/Hilarey Wojtowicz

Through Ibotta offers, buy the items listed and then just snap a picture of your receipt when you’re done. The offers are great for everyday groceries like eggs, milk, bread, paper towels and more. Ibotta will scan the picture of your receipt and detect those items on which you can earn cash back. Many of the Ibotta offers are valid on any brand of food or home essential, so you can use them at Shoprite, CVS, Whole Foods and other popular stores. You must scan your receipts within one week of making those purchases.

Pro Tip: Click on all the offers you plan to use and they’ll save to the “My Offers” tab. Use this tab as your shopping list when you go to the store so that you’re guaranteed to buy the items you both need and will earn cash back on.

If you don’t want to have to remember to scan your receipt, you can link a loyalty card right to the app. Just connect the loyalty card number or your phone number that’s associated with that store account and go shopping. Check out as usual and Ibotta will scan your loyalty account for offers that apply to the items you bought.

Through Ibotta’s extra bonuses, you can spend a certain amount at a store or on a brand and then earn a specific dollar amount, which goes straight to your account. Go to your “Account” tab, and click on “Bonuses” to see them all. You’ll see ways you can earn an additional 50 cents, $1 or even $5 just for redeeming specific offers. For example, at the time we wrote this review, there was a 50-cent bonus for users who redeemed the offer for Annie’s Baked Snack Crackers and Baked Graham Snacks.

Note: Offers and bonuses expire, so be sure to use them ASAP. New offers and bonuses will take their place.

Referrals will also garner you cash back quickly. For every friend that signs up for Ibotta with your unique referral code and redeems an offer, you earn $5. That’s per person. You can invite friends in the “Account” section of the app. Start spreading the word!

Ibotta

You can also earn more money back on your purchases through Ibotta’s “Teamwork” tab in the “Account” section. By connecting your Facebook account, you can work with your friends who also use Ibotta to redeem unique offers to unlock extra cash back. There are different levels that you can unlock each month, too, so the more you redeem as a team, the more you’ll be able to earn.

Lastly, you can shop straight through the Ibotta app and earn cash back offers from top online stores like Ulta or Etsy. Find the offer and then launch the app or website via the button in Ibotta. You’ll be redirected to the store and can shop as you usually would on your phone. Ibotta will track what you buy and redeem the cash back offer once you check out.

Start enjoying your Ibotta earnings.

It takes up to 48 hours for the cash back to transfer into your Ibotta account. If you shop often, check your account often, as it can seriously add up.

Every time you earn $20, you can cash out. The money can be transferred to a Venmo or PayPal account, or you can convert your earnings into a gift card for stores like Whole Foods.

If this all sounds too simple, it’s because it really is. Ibotta’s been around since 2012 and we can’t believe we’re just now discovering it. Cash back just for shopping? Yes, please. Our entire routine is going to change because of Ibotta, but we bet it’ll be worth it.

Have you tried Ibotta yet? Tweet us and let us know what you think!

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