Did you know you know your shopping receipts can actually make you money? Learn how to earn cash or gift cards just for scanning and uploading your receipts! In this post, I am going to share some of the best cashback apps and phone apps that will pay you for receipts.
If you are going to go shopping for groceries and home supplies, you might as well make some money back doing it. You can’t deny how easy it is to take a picture of your receipt, upload it, and then watch the rewards come in!
There are tons of fantastic apps you can use to earn rewards and cashback, and I found all the very best ones.
The Best Apps That Pay You for Receipts
These apps are all super easy to use, and it’s free to create an account on them.
Fun fact: You can use all of them simultaneously! This means you could make even more rewards than if you just used one of them.
There are other ways to earn rewards through these apps too. Some of them let you shop through their apps and even offer special discounts to their members.
These are the best apps that will give you money or other rewards for scanning receipts.
1. CoinOut
A fairly new company, CoinOut started in 2017 and was featured on Shark Tank in 2018. Since then, the app has grown in leaps and bounds and boasts that users upload more than 3 million receipts per month.
It’s so easy to earn cashback with CoinOut. Just scan and upload receipts to the app. That’s it!
Please note: Receipts must be less than two weeks old to qualify for a credit.
You can cash your CoinOut rewards out in one of three ways:
- Direct deposit
- PayPal cash
- Amazon gift cards
The best part is that there is no minimum amount that you need to reach before you cash out via direct deposit or Amazon gift cards. Although, if you want to cash out via PayPal, you need at least $10 in your CoinOut wallet.
2. Fetch Rewards
One of my favorite ways to earn cashback from scanning receipts is with Fetch Rewards. It is really easy to use, and there are deals within the app that gives you, even more, points back for buying certain brands or products.
For each receipt that you scan and upload to the app, you’ll earn a varying number of points that can be redeemed for:
- Sweepstake entries
- Gift cards
- Cash via MasterCard or Visa prepaid cards
You can also earn additional points for connecting your email and Amazon accounts too – these are called eReceipts. They also reward you for referring friends to the app. 1,000 points equal out to $1, and you can use those points for retail gift cards.
3. Ibotta
Another popular shopping and cashback rewards app is Ibotta! Scanning and uploading receipts are just a few of the many ways that you can earn cashback from it.
Before you shop, complete the tasks related to your favorite brands and companies. Then, go shopping, scan the barcodes of the items you purchased, and snap a photo of your receipt. As soon as your transaction has been verified, your account will be credited with the specified cashback amount.
This app also gives you rewards when you refer your friends! After your account accrues at least $10, you can request a payout via PayPal or Venmo as well as purchase gift cards from Best Buy, Amazon, Starbucks, Sephora, Walmart, and a bunch of other retailers.
I’ve been using Ibotta for years now, and during this time, I’ve earned over $1,700 cashback!
4. Receipt Hog
Lots of people enjoy using Receipt Hog to earn cashback by taking pictures of your receipts.
After you scan and upload a receipt, you will earn virtual coins within the app. You can then trade in these coins for cash via PayPal, Visa prepaid card, or Amazon gift cards.
It takes 1,000 virtual coins to earn $5. You can earn even more coins by taking surveys and connecting your Amazon account!
Please note: There is a limit on submitting receipts. You can submit 20 per week with this app!
5. Checkout51
Another app you should download and use is the Checkout51 – it is surging in popularity. It works similarly to the other apps on this list! Download the app and then scan and upload receipts to it.
I recommend checking out the app before you go shopping. They have lots of offers, and you can use these offers at any store.
Your account has to reach $20 before you can cash it out, and they will mail you a check. Read their terms and conditions for more details about how it works.
6. Coupons.com
One of the most robust apps (and one of my favorites) is the one from Coupons.com. It can do much more than just scanning receipts!
I love using this app for clipping and saving coupons too. After I do that, I use these coupons in the store.
One hack I wanted to share with you is adding the coupons to your store’s loyalty cards so you can save money at the store.
You can also take a photo of your receipts to get money back from your purchases too. All the cashback you earn is sent to your PayPal account!
7. Receipt Pal
One of the easiest apps to use and understand is Receipt Pal. Like most of the apps, after you go shopping, keep your receipts, scan them, and upload them to the app.
What I love most about this one is that it’s very clear how much you will earn. Every four receipts will give you 100 points. So, save up your points and trade them in for sweepstake entries, Amazon gift cards, and other retail gift cards!
Tip: If you connect your email address, you will earn a 300-point bonus. Then, the app will automatically scan all of your e-receipts and give you even more points when you shop online.
8. Shopkick
The next app, Shopkick, gives you lots of ways to earn “kicks,” – and uploading receipts is just one of the many ways.
Here is how you earn “kicks” through the app:
- Scan product barcodes
- Walk into stores
- Upload receipts
- Make an online purchase
- Watch in-app videos
- Make a purchase with your Visa or Mastercard
The earning potential is easy to understand too (250 kicks equal $1 in gift cards). You can use those points for gift cards to places like Target, Starbucks, BestBuy, iTunes, and many more!
9. TruNow
Exclusively for use on gas purchases, TruNow rewards you for something you already buy a lot. Even better, this app also shows you where the cheapest gas prices are. If you buy from the lowest-priced gas station, scan your receipt and earn rewards.
Then, you can use the rewards that you earn toward in-app purchases at full value. You can also take half the value of your rewards and cash it out via PayPal. For example, if you earned $30, you’ll get $15 back into your PayPal account.
Even if you only use this app to find the lowest gas prices, it will save you so much money! This is fantastic if you are traveling and don’t know the area very well.
More Ways to Make Money When You Shop
If you don’t want to scan receipts, there are a few other ways you can earn cashback.
One of my favorite ways is to shop through Rakuten. If you could earn 2%-25% cashback on your purchases, why wouldn’t you?
It’s super easy to use!
Just create an account and then log into Rakuten and find the store where you want to shop. They record your transaction and pay you cashback via PayPal or check quarterly.
Rakuten also offers cash referral bonuses for referring friends and family to the platform. While there are numerous cashback sites to choose from, my preference is Rakuten. Holly’s been using it since 2013, and during that time, she’s earned over $2,200 just shopping online!
Another way to earn cashback is by using (and completely paying off) a credit card. Many credit cards will give you cashback rewards. For example, for each dollar spent — you can earn 1 point, and it takes 100 points to equal $1.
Final Thoughts
Who knew you could earn so many rewards and even cash just by scanning and uploading your receipts? It’s so easy!
The more apps that you use, the more money and rewards you can earn. When you download and use these apps, pay attention to the minimum value you need before you cash out. Most of them will reward you for getting friends and family members to sign up for them too, so share away!
Moving forward, make sure not to throw away your receipts! Use them for even more cash and even rewards like gift cards to your favorite stores.
