Ibotta Review: Earn Easy Cash Back Rewards When Shopping In-Store and Online

Bottom line: Ibotta is a free cash back app that makes it easy to earn cash back rewards in-store and online with over 2,000 retailers.

At a glance

What is Ibotta and how does it work?

Ibotta is a free cash back app that offers cash back rewards when shopping in-store and online. The app features 2,000-plus retailers. To get started, create an Ibotta account and download the app on your mobile device. Within the app, you'll see available offers, many of which are store-specific. When you see an offer you like, click the plus button to add it to your clipped offers list.

Each offer will have more details listed. Details include:

• Any product exclusions
• How often you can redeem the offer
• Whether the offer qualifies for any bonuses
• The offer expiration date and time

How much cash back you can earn with Ibotta depends on what offers you redeem. The rewards rates vary, with the lowest cash back amount being $0.10. But many offers are in the $0.50 to $1.00 range. And some offer rates are much higher -- $3.00 or more.

Learn more on Ibotta's site: Ibotta

How to earn rewards

After shopping in-store, you must upload a photo of your receipt. You have up to seven days after purchasing items to upload your receipt. However, your favorite store may allow you to connect your loyalty card to Ibotta. When you link a loyalty card, you won't need to upload a receipt.

You can use Ibotta to earn cash back on your online purchases, too. Within the app, there is a separate section for online offers. Find the offer you like and then click the "Shop" button. The app will then take you to the brand's website within the app screen. You won't need to upload a receipt. Make sure you don't leave the app screen while shopping to ensure you earn your rewards.

Ibotta also allows users to earn cash back on gift card purchases. Currently, over 120 retailers offer gift cards for sale within the app. Each retailer lists how much cash back they offer on gift card purchases, but you can expect to earn 5% for most gift card purchases. The gift cards are virtual.

Related: Ibotta vs. Rakuten

How to redeem rewards

There are no costs to use Ibotta, so it's a free way to earn extra cash. You can request a payout once you reach $20 in cash back earnings. You can redeem your earnings for gift cards to popular retailers if you prefer. You also have the option to cash out your earnings to the following:

• Bank account
• PayPal

If you want to be rewarded for your everyday purchases, whether in person or online, Ibotta is an excellent free app. Read on for our detailed Ibotta review to learn more about this cash back app's features and decide if it's the right choice for you.

Top perks

It's free

Ibotta is free to use. There are no fees to use the service, and no fees are deducted from your cash back earnings. Ibotta provides a simple way to earn extra money and can be an excellent addition to your personal finance apps.

Features 2,000-plus retailers

You'll have many options to earn cash back when using this cash back app. Ibotta features 2,000-plus retailers in various categories, including grocery stores, convenience stores, home renovation stores, pet stores, and more. Popular retailers include Walmart, Ace Hardware, GNC, Famous Footwear, PetSmart, and Target.

Earn a $10 welcome bonus

You'll get rewarded for becoming a new Ibotta user. Currently, Ibotta offers new users who meet the welcome offer requirements a $10 welcome bonus. You can reach this bonus by spending at least $30 at participating online retailers.

While a $10 welcome bonus may not sound like a lot of money, it can get you closer to the $20 minimum cash-out amount needed to request a payout.

Get paid to refer friends

Ibotta will reward you for sharing this app with friends and family. Every time someone uses your Ibotta referral code to join Ibotta and then redeems an offer, you'll earn $10. Each person you refer to Ibotta will also earn $5. This is a simple way to share the app with others and earn extra cash back.

Earn cash back on gift card purchases

You can also earn cash back rewards by purchasing virtual gift cards through Ibotta. You must link a debit card to the Ibotta app to buy gift cards from over 120 retailers. Each store has its own cash back offer for gift cards, but you can expect to earn around 5% for most retailers.

Earn more with bonuses

Ibotta also has special bonuses that allow you to earn even more cash back. You can find current bonus opportunities under the "Bonuses" section of the app. Some bonus opportunities are brand or category specific, while others are not.

Take a look at these bonus offers to maximize your earning potential. And be sure to read the details of each bonus opportunity and follow the instructions to earn more.

You can cash out at $20

You can request a payout once you reach $20 in cash back rewards. Some other cash back apps don't offer flexibility with payouts. For example, you'll be paid out quarterly if you use Rakuten. That means you only get four payments per year. Shoppers who use Ibotta regularly can cash out more frequently.

What could be improved

You need to add offers before shopping

When you use Ibotta for in-store purchases, you must first add offers to your saved offer list. This can take some time to do as you plan for your shopping trip and figure out what stores you want to shop at and what items you want to buy. If you forget to add offers, you won't qualify for cash back earnings -- which can be frustrating.

You need to upload receipts

You must also upload a photo of your receipt when you shop in-store. This is how Ibotta tracks that you made a qualifying purchase. Once you get used to doing this, it becomes a habit -- but it does take some extra time. Other apps don't require you to upload a receipt, which is more convenient.

Many offers are store-specific

Many of the cash back offers found within Ibotta are store-specific. That means you can't use a cash back offer found under Target for a trip to Walmart. This requires some more thinking and planning when you do your shopping.

Many offers are brand-specific

Many of the in-store offers found throughout the app are brand-specific. This is something to be aware of if you typically buy store-brand items. Name-brand items usually cost more than store-brand items, so you want to ensure you're not overspending to earn a cash back reward. Some stores have "any item" offers that can be store brands, but these offers usually pay less.

There are ads

Sometimes an ad will pop up while you're using Ibotta. The ad may advertise another offer or show a short video about a product. This isn't unusual for a free app, but other cash back apps don't have ads.

You must make online purchases through the app

If you plan to earn cash back when shopping online, you must do so within the Ibotta app or from a computer using the Ibotta browser extension. This is how Ibotta tracks your purchases. This may be inconvenient for people used to doing their shopping through their phone's web browser. Additionally, if you forget about this and start to shop through your browser, failing to click through the app will result in no cash back earnings. The good news is online purchases don't require you to upload a receipt.

If you want an app that allows you to earn automatic rewards: Dosh is an alternative cash back app that earns automatic rewards. You don't have to worry about keeping track of receipts or uploading receipt photos to the app. Instead, you link your debit or credit card to the app and earn rewards when shopping. Dosh also rewards users for booking hotel stays. But you may want to stick with Ibotta if you like shopping with cash because there's no way to track cash purchases when using Dosh.

If you want an app that rewards you for gas purchases: Checkout 51 is an alternative cash back app that rewards users for online shopping, grocery shopping, and gas purchases. If you want an app that rewards you for buying gas, this is it. Another stand-out feature is that many grocery store offers aren't store-specific. But if you're primarily looking to earn rewards at grocers and other retailers, Ibotta may be a better fit

Ibotta is free to use.

This app is a good option for anyone wanting to earn cash back rewards on their in-store and online purchases. Ibotta is easy to use, features over 2,000 retailers, and has flexible payout options.

Learn more on Ibotta's site: Ibotta