Ibotta Review
Ibotta is a reputable rewards apps that offers users cash back on everyday purchases at any of the partner stores. The company has been around since 2011 and partners with over 1500 brands and retailers. To date, the company has paid out over $1 billion in cash to its over 35 million users. It is free to join and you can start earning rewards on purchases ranging from groceries to electronics.
Pros
- 2 different ways to earn cash back – you can shop online using the Ibotta browser extension or shop in-store and upload your receipt via the app.
- High cash back potential – earn up to $30 cash back on your purchases. On average, most Ibotta users can also earn up to $150 per year in cash back.
- Generous referral bonus – Get a $5 referral bonus when you invite a friend to join the platform and they redeem their first offer on the app.
- Wide range of partner stores – Ibotta partners with over 1500 brands where you can earn cash back, including groceries, clothing, alcohol and more.
Cons
- High minimum cash out amount – you will need to have at least $20 in your account to request for bank or PayPal transfer, and $25 for a gift card.
- Account maintenance fees – if you are inactive on the app for 6 consecutive months or more, the platform will charge you a $3.99 monthly fee.
Ibotta is a free cashback app that helps you earn money back on your everyday shopping, both in-store and online.
To see how much I could earn, I used Ibotta for five shopping trips at Publix and one at Walmart. Here’s a breakdown of my spending and earnings:
- Publix: Spent $51.20, earned $0.50 cashback
- Publix: Spent $74.33, earned $0.85 cashback
- Publix: Spent $61.44, earned $0.75 cashback
- Publix: Spent $38.40, earned $1.00 cashback
- Publix: Spent $39.40, earned $1.75 cashback
- Walmart: Spent $70.70, earned $0.35 cashback
In total, I spent $335.47 and earned $5.20 in cashback over these six shopping trips. The amount I earned varied with each trip, ranging from $0.35 to $1.75 per shopping session.
While it might not seem like a lot at first, these small amounts can add up quickly. Over the past four to five years, I’ve earned over $1,200 in cashback rewards just by using Ibotta for my regular grocery shopping.
Is Ibotta worth a try?
Here is what you need to know:
Best Ibotta Alternatives
Upside
$550M in cashback to consumers to date
Cashback for Gas and Restaurants
Generous referral program
Swagbucks
$10 bonus (spend $25 first)
1,500+ of online and in-store retailers
On App store and Google Play
Is Ibotta Legit?
Ibotta is a legit platform that actually rewards you for shopping online and taking other tasks. Having a rating of 3.4 on Trustpilot, and 4.5 on the app store, the platform has largely been reviewed positively. According to most users, the app is easy to use and allows you to get cashback.
Other users also praised its customer service, saying that it’s robust and responsive. Unfortunately, a few users were not happy with the fact that credits could be delayed for more than a month, so you couldn’t be sure if you even received them. Some users also reported Ibotta having weak customer service. That said, the majority of customers had no issues with the company.
How Does Ibotta Work?
Founded in 2012, Ibotta is a savings app offering you cash-backs while shopping either online or in-store with Amazon, Target and more. Ibotta mainly targets grocery stores, but also offers special deals to shop with other retailers as well.
Ibotta allows you to;
- Choose from thousands of products at your favorite retailers and add them to Your list.
- Start with Ibotta and shop in-store or online like you always do.
- Submit your receipt or link your grocery account to earn cash.
- Withdraw your earnings directly to your bank, PayPal, or gift cards.
How Much Cashback You Can Get with Ibotta Purchases?
The amount of cash-back you can earn for your Ibotta purchases varies from store to store and whether it’s an online or in-store purchase. You can review how much some of the most popular shops offer.
- Walmart – earn $0.25 to $4 cash-back on each qualifying product when shopping in-store.
- Groupon – you can earn up to 10% cash-back.
- Bed, Bath & Beyond – earn 2% cash-back on a single product on your online purchases.
- Macy’s – you have an opportunity to earn 15% cash-back.
- Shoes.com – offers 5% cash-back on qualifying products.
- The Body Shop – earn 5% cash-back on your online purchase.
- Sephora – lets you earn 2% cash-back online.
- Udemy – join the largest online learning platform and get an 8% cash-back.
- Booking.com – allows you to earn a 4% cash-back when you book a stay at a qualifying hotel.
- PetSmart.com – offers you 10% cash-back online.
Ways to Get Rewards from Ibotta
# 1. Online
On your phone
- First step: Download the Ibotta app on your iPhone or Android smartphone.
- Step 2: Choose the online store you want to visit and shop as usual.
- Step 3: Save – the app will calculate the amount of cashback and add it to your Ibotta wallet.
On your computer
- First step 1: Add Ibotta Chrome Extension to your browser by clicking the ‘Add To Chrome’ button.
- Step 2: Log in with your Ibotta account or create a new one.
- Step 3: Activate the extension to earn cash-back on your purchases. When you visit a supported online store, the extension will pop up notifying you of offers on the website.
# 2. In-store
Option 1: Loyalty linking. Link your loyalty accounts to your favorite retailers in the Ibotta app. When you use your linked loyalty accounts at checkout, your purchases will be linked to qualifying offers in your purchase.
Option 2: Receipt submission. In your app, choose a retailer and add offers for products you plan to buy. After completing your purchase, simply upload a photo of your receipt in your Ibotta app to get qualifying cash backs.
Option 3: Pay with Ibotta. Using ‘Pay with Ibotta’, you will get an additional 10% cash-back on your entire purchase instantly. To claim this benefit, simply connect your debit or credit card in your Ibotta app. Use ‘Pay with Ibotta’ at checkout to earn an extra reward on your purchase. Additionally, upload your recipe in your app to get even more cash-back on individual offers.
Bonus Tip: Activate nearby offer alerts. When you enable nearby offer alerts, you will get notifications from the Ibotta app to never miss an opportunity of earning cash-backs. To activate notifications, simply navigate to Account > Settings > Preferences and turn on Nearby Offer Alerts.
What Are Other Ways to Earn with Ibotta?
Refer friends
Refer friends to earn more with Ibotta. You will get $5 for each friend that joins Ibotta with your referral code. They need to redeem their first offer in order for you to claim your bonus. There’s no limit on how many friends you can refer to Ibotta as long as they are unique individuals.
Earn bonuses
Earn bonuses to maximize your Ibotta earnings. Simply tap Earn More in your Ibotta app to view available bonus opportunities for you. There are two types of redemptions for bonuses, specific and non-specific.
Specific redemption
This is an offer or set of offers that you need to redeem to apply for a Bonus. For example, brand A offers a Bonus in the app allowing you to earn $2 for redeeming two other offers associated with the Bonus. Offer 1 is to purchase a specific product by brand A. Offer 2 is to purchase another specific product by brand A.
Non-specific redemption
This is an offer or set of offers that you need to redeem within a certain period of time to apply for a bonus. For example, ‘Midweek Money Maker Bonus’ will earn you $2 when you redeem 10 offers within the next 3 days.
Bonus streaks
Bonus streaks reward you for buying the same brand over multiple shopping trips. You can find Bonus Streaks under the Earn More section in your app. The streaks get updated occasionally, so make sure you check the section every week not to miss the opportunities.
Ibotta Partner Stores
Ibotta partner stores include;
- WholeCostco
- Target
- Food Lion
- Shipt
- Walmart.com
- Amazon
- 1800Flowers.com
- eBay Groupon
- Overstock
While using Ibotta, make sure you capture the entire receipt in the photo, including store name, date, every item, the total, and the payment details.
What Does Ibotta Offer?
Product search
If you’re in-store or have a shortlist, you can use the search bar in the mobile app to look for an offer on the products you’re there to buy. Its browser extension also includes a search tab, so you can look to see if there’s an offer on the product you want.
Non-Grocery rebates
Ibotta supports various online retailers in non-grocery categories like clothing, sporting goods, hardware, entertainment, and travel.
Integration capabilities
Ibotta platform also allows you to earn cashback by integrating its features with online shopping platforms like Amazon, eBay, Groupon, and iTunes.
Teamwork feature
With Ibotta’s Teamwork feature, you can earn even more. By signing up through social media platforms like Facebook, you will be able to reach your friends so you can join them automatically. The larger your network, the more opportunities you’ll have to earn enhanced levels of bonuses each month.
Bonuses program
Ibotta also has a bonuses program that allows you to earn extra money. Besides your normal savings, you can save even more if you choose to participate in bonus offerings.
Ibotta Payout Terms and Options
Based on my experience with Ibotta, here’s how I can get paid:
- PayPal: I can transfer my earnings to my PayPal account.
- Direct deposit: I have the option to have my earnings deposited directly into my bank account.
- Gift cards: If I prefer, I can choose to receive my earnings in the form of gift cards.
- Apply to purchases: At select stores, I can apply my earnings directly to my purchases.
I’ve found a particularly useful method at Walmart. For instance, I was able to apply my total earnings of $6.80 directly to my purchase at the register. What I love about this method is that there’s no minimum amount required, and I don’t have to scan each item with the app after I get home.
It’s important for me to note that for most withdrawal methods (PayPal, direct deposit, or gift cards), I need to have at least $20 in earnings before I can cash out. However, when I apply my earnings directly to purchases at stores like Walmart, there’s no minimum amount.
This variety of payment options gives me the flexibility to choose what works best for my needs, whether I want cash, prefer to save up for a bigger payout, or would like to use my earnings for future shopping trips.
What Are the Ibotta Pros & Cons?
Ibotta Pros
- Makes savings fun and interactive
- Offers solid cash back
- Partners with various grocery stores to give you several options
- Offers bonuses
Ibotta Cons
- Customer service may take long to respond
- May not have offers for the products you normally buy
While some shopping offers credit your account instantly, it can take up to 90 days for some offers to credit. So, make sure you check the offer details for clarification.
Is Ibotta Worth it?
What’s best about the app is that Ibotta is mainly focused on rewarding you for grocery shopping. This means Ibotta partners with far more grocery stores than any other couponing app. The company’s focus on grocery stores allows you to earn up to 15% cash-backs on your everyday shopping routine.
However, if you want to earn cash-backs while shopping for apparel or cosmetics, you can do it within the same app as well.
Overall, joining Ibotta is totally worth it as there’s no membership fee to pay and you get rewards for doing your regular shopping.
How to Sign Up With Ibotta?
To get started with Ibotta;
- Go to the website and register by entering your details, including email and password
- Download Ibotta app
- Wait for 7 days and get a signup bonus
- Select the offers you want to redeem and start using the site
Ibotta Sign Up Bonus
Ibotta offers you two welcome bonuses that you can redeem as soon as you join the app. In total, you have an opportunity to earn up to $20 with Ibotta sign-up bonuses.
Welcome Bonus #1: Redeem your very first offer using the Ibotta app within 7 days of registering to get your $5 Welcome Bonus.
Welcome Bonus #2: Redeem your first 9 in-store or online shopping offers to get a $15 Welcome Bonus.
Ibotta FAQ
What is Ibotta?
Ibotta currently features a total of 1,500 brands of grocery stores, drugstore chains and warehouse clubs including Walmart, Aldi, Petco, Walgreens, Domino’s Pizza, Sephora and others.
You can find your local stores in the app and set them as favorites so they pop up first when you open your app.
Today, Ibotta has paid out over $1 billion in cash rewards to more than 35 million users since its founding.
How good is Ibotta support?
Ibotta’s customer support features individual teams that can help with specific questions, such as an online shopping team dedicated to answering questions about online shopping. It also has an extensive list of help articles that addresses most of your queries.
Is Ibotta only for groceries?
While Ibotta is generally associated with groceries, you can earn cashback on non-grocery purchases.
Who is Ibotta best for?
Ibotta is designed for anyone who likes to earn cashback rewards on their in-store and online purchases. The app is also meant for Shoppers who don’t want to pay a membership fee to earn those discounts like you would when shopping at places like Costco.
Is Ibotta free?
While Ibotta is free to use, it might withdraw from your Ibotta account balance if your account is inactive or deactivated.
Where can I use Ibotta?
Ibotta works with hundreds of local and national retailers in-store and online.
Does Ibotta take a long time to give you money?
No, Ibotta credits your account within 24 hours
How can I get help if I have an issue with my account
You can always reach Ibotta customer service by visiting help.ibotta.com and clicking submit a request to fill out a support ticket.