Ibotta Review – Scam or Legit? Truth Exposed!

Are you looking for an Ibotta review? But you may wonder if it is a scam.

Whether you shop online or in-shop, you can use the Ibotta app to get cash back on your purchases.

You can use the Ibotta app to make in-app purchases at major retailers like Walmart, Target and Sam’s Club. The app also lets you upload your receipts and get your money back in just 24 hours.

In this review, you’ll learn more about Ibotta’s features, supported stores, and how to earn money.

As a disclaimer, I’m not affiliated with Ibotta. It means I’m not paid to write this review. So you can rest assured that you will get an honest and unbiased review from me.

At the end of this review, I’ll also tell you the best alternative to Ibotta that has enabled me to make a full-time passive income online.

What Is Ibotta?

Ibotta makes it easy to get money back. With the Ibotta app, website or browser extension, you get money back when you shop at participating stores, both in person and online.

There’s something for everyone at Ibotta, with a variety of deals in categories ranging from groceries to vacations and pet supplies to home and auto. Whole Foods, Kroger, Target, Walmart, Instacart, Old Navy, American Eagle and Uber are just a few of the many successful retail partners.

Not only can you earn money shopping with Ibotta, but you can also earn money by buying gift cards, referring friends, and meeting bonus requirements (such as redeeming 18 offers in a month for a $10 bonus).

Also, when you sign up with Ibotta and start redeeming offers, you can earn up to $20 in bonuses.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Is Ibotta a Scam or Legit?

Ibotta is not a scam. Ibotta has been around since 2012, and the company’s website claims that more than $1 billion has already been paid out to more than 35 million consumers. More than 1,500 discounts are available at over a thousand stores through the app.

Ibotta is one of the many discount apps I have tried, but it’s my favorite. However, I am only one user. Have some faith in the information.

As seen on the BBB page, Ibotta has received a respectable B rating from its customers. It appears that over 700 complaints have been filed in the last three years.

Nonetheless, each individual complaint has been marked as resolved, which means that the original complainant has confirmed that his or her concern has been addressed to his or her satisfaction.

As far as I can tell, the most common issue is users having their accounts suspended and not being able to cash out their previous winnings. In their responses to the BBB, Ibotta stated that the vast majority of accounts in question violated the Terms and Conditions by registering numerous accounts with the same user credentials.

Ibotta receives high marks on both the Apple App Store and Google Play, 4.8 and 4.4 respectively, with more than ten million people downloading the company’s app from the Play Store and over 1.7 million reviews written about it. One customer reports that he saved several hundred dollars, and another that he had no problems redeeming his credit for goods.

Based on user feedback and my own experience, I can say with a clear conscience that Ibotta is a real company and as safe to use as any other app of its kind.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

How Does Ibotta Work?

Ibotta lets you earn money in five different ways: In-shop purchases, online purchases, referrals and bonuses.

In-Store Shopping

With Ibotta, you can link your loyalty account, scan receipts after shopping or buy gift cards to redeem later, and save money in-shop. 

To learn about local deals as soon as they become available, you can turn on nearby deals notifications.

Link your store loyalty account

Using Ibotta is the most time-saving method for purchasing items. When you find a retailer that supports account linking, all you have to do is search for it in Ibotta, click “Link Account,” add any deals that interest you, and then shop as usual.

Cashback will be credited to your Ibotta account once the app has scanned your receipt and found an offer that matches your purchases.

If you have the Ibotta browser extension installed, you’ll also receive a pop-up message whenever you visit a website that supports linking to your account. Adding your information and linking your account is as easy as clicking a button there.

Scan your receipts

Searching for the store you want to store at in the Ibotta app, adding the deals you want, and then shopping at the store is very similar to linking your loyalty account. To get your discount, all you have to do is take a photo of your receipt.

Buy gift cards

The ability to redeem savings for gift cards is a special feature of Ibotta. In the app itself, you can buy gift cards for more than one hundred and thirty different stores, including Starbucks, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowe’s, Walmart, Uber, and Airbnb.

You can use your Ibotta rewards or a personal debit card you link to the app to purchase gift cards. No matter what, you’ll get your money back.

The “This is a gift” switch can be activated if the gift card is being purchased for someone other than yourself. On the next screen, the shipping method can be selected. No Ibotta account is required for the recipient to use the gift card you sent.

Online Shopping

If you prefer to do most of your shopping online, or if you want access to bargains and retailers that don’t exist in your area, Ibotta gives you two ways to shop: through a browser extension or through the app itself.

Shop online with the Ibotta browser extension

The Ibotta add-on is compatible with both Firefox and Chrome and works in the same way as similar cashback apps. You get a pop-up window when you store on a website that participates in their cashback program. The discount is automatically applied once you click the “Active” button, so you can continue shopping.

Your cashback should be available in your Ibotta account in about a week.

Shop directly through the Ibotta app

With the Ibotta app, you can do all your online shopping without needing a computer.

When you use the Ibotta app to shop, you have to be more deliberate than when you install the browser extension that notifies you when you land on a website that offers a discount. In other words, you need to have a plan of where you want to shop, or spend some time browsing the stores until you find something you like.

After you select a merchant, the Ibotta app will redirect you to the shop’s website, where you can make your regular purchases.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Other Ways to Make Money with Ibotta

You can earn extra money with Ibotta by referring friends and redeeming rewards in addition to your regular purchases.

Refer friends and family

As with many similar apps, Ibotta lets you earn rewards by inviting your friends to download the app with your personal referral code. The software makes it easy to send your code via SMS, email, or social media.

Once your friends sign up with your coupon and submit their first receipt, you’ll both receive a $10 bonus.

Bonuses

There are two types of ibotta bonuses: those that are brand-specific and those that are general. Brand-specific benefits are relatively rare. 

For example, if you redeem three offers from Chameleon Organic Coffee, you will receive a $0.50 bonus. 

An example of a limited-time, non-specific bonus is “Redeem 15 offers of any kind this weekend and receive $1.”

The “Bonus” section in the bottom menu of the app shows both variants.

Ibotta promo code

Ibotta’s sign-up bonus is one of the best in the industry. If you click on our referral link and take advantage of certain offers, new members of Ibotta can receive a free $20 welcome bonus.

• Welcome bonus #1: Redeem a deal at the shop and get a $10 bonus for signing up! (Deals for any brand and any receipt are excluded).
• Welcome Bonus #2: Receive $5 more when you redeem a mobile shopping offer.
• Welcome Bonus #3: When you redeem an in-shop or mobile shopping offer, you will receive a second $5 welcome bonus.

Build out your team

Ibotta Teamwork Program used to be a viable way to increase your income. All of your referrals are automatically added to your team and work for the same rewards.

However, the Teamwork benefits of the Ibotta app will no longer be available after February 1, 2022.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

How Do You Get Your Money From Ibotta?

Ibotta offers three different ways to get your free cash: Bank deposit, PayPal or gift cards.

• Send to my bank: If your bank is an Ibotta banking partner, you can deposit your funds directly into your bank account.
• Send to my PayPal: Your refund can be deposited into your PayPal Cash account.
• Free gift cards: In addition to cash, you can exchange your refunds for a range of gift cards for free.

You must collect $20 in cashback before you can withdraw it to your bank account or PayPal.

Before you can redeem your gift card, you may need to collect $25 in cashback, but this varies from merchant to merchant. After that, you can load the money onto a gift card.

Is Ibotta Safe?

The Ibotta app has proven to be absolutely secure. You can rest assured that the company has invested heavily in IT security measures to protect your data. It also employs cutting-edge security measures like 256-bit data encryption.

If you are concerned about protecting your privacy, you should keep in mind that Ibotta sells user data to advertisers. This is the main source of revenue for the company. 

After your data is given to third parties, it is not known what happens to it, where it goes, or how secure it is.

In accordance with the Privacy Policy, Ibotta and its partners use the information you provide to:

• Use your location history to determine your most frequent visit destinations, calculate how often you visit them or how long you stay there, and notify you when you reach or leave those areas; and
• Send you promotional content through the Services, email, SMS, push notifications, apps or other electronic contact methods.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Ibotta Customer Service

Get answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about using Ibotta in the online Help Center. Use the built-in chatbot if you can’t find the answer there.

To see if it can answer your question, just click on the question mark in the right corner of the screen and start typing.

There is a “contact us” page, but I could not find anything useful there. On SiteJabber I found an email address for the company: [email protected].

How to Maximize Earnings With Ibotta?

Beth, a member of Team Clark who has used Ibotta frequently in recent years, notes that one of the biggest drawbacks is that you can forget to check the app before you go to the store. 

For this reason, preparation is key to making the most of Ibotta’s discounts. When making your shopping list, prioritize items that have Ibotta discounts.

Beth says you should compare prices and store ahead to get the most bang for your buck.

You can maximize the amount you save with Ibotta if you prepare and store ahead of time. Here are five more suggestions on how to reduce your expenses and increase your income:

1. Combine cash-back offers with coupons and sales

Find out if the products listed in the grocery store’s weekly circular that are on sale now are also on the Ibotta app. You can save even more money by combining these deals with other manufacturer coupons (print or digital). If you have a list of things you need to buy at the store, check Ibotta for discounts on those items.

2. Complete bonuses

Ibotta offers additional opportunities besides the regular discounts. For new users, there is a sign-up bonus of up to $20. After completing 9 offers, my welcome bonus was $15. I also receive a $0.75 bonus that can be earned by redeeming three coupons for breakfast items. 

In the Ibotta app, select the “Earn More” menu to view the current bonus offers. The terms and conditions for each bonus offer, such as whether or not you are eligible, any restrictions, and more, can be viewed by clicking on the specific offer.

3. Use “any brand” rebates

Browsing Ibotta deals lists discounts for any “brand,” which are a great way to save money on your usual purchases. 

Although the value of these rebates ($0.25-$0.50) is lower, buying a specific brand is not mandatory. This way, you can spend less money on everyday items like groceries. To find these deals in the Ibotta app, simply type “any brand” in the search box.

4. Use the in-app scanner while you’re shopping

Use the Ibotta barcode scanner to determine if a product is eligible for an offer before you buy. There may be restrictions in the fine print on the type of products that can be purchased due to size or quantity requirements. Avoid losing potential revenue by using the scanner to confirm an item’s eligibility.

5. Build a team

Ibotta’s referral program and new member bonus are just two examples of the many ways the app encourages its users to increase their earnings. Your earnings increase every time a friend signs up for Ibotta and redeems offers. 

Many people use social media to spread their referral codes to recruit more players. The larger your team is, the easier it is to earn enough Teamwork Points to pay bonuses to all members of the team.

Pros and Cons Of Ibotta

Let’s briefly go over the pros and cons of using ibotta.

Pros:

• Registration is completely free – never join a rewards app that requires payment information.
• There is no need to clip coupons.
• Earn money by scanning receipts.
• After scanning your first receipt, you will receive a $10 reward.
• Earn money by referring a friend Excellent customer service
• There are numerous ways to earn rewards.

Cons:

• You only have one week from the date of purchase to scan the receipt.
• Minimum withdrawal bonus of $20
• Some stores do not carry it.
• It is possible to spend more money just to get refunds.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Other Apps Like Ibotta

If you find that you can make money scanning receipts with Ibotta, don’t stop there. Besides Ibotta, here are some of my favourite alternatives for scanning receipts and earning cashback.

1. Shopkick

Because of its customizability, Shopkick is my first choice among apps like Ibotta. By photographing receipts, shopping online, scanning barcodes in stores, and even visiting select stores, you can earn cash back.

Shopkick gives you “kicks” as currency, and when you sign up for the service, you get a welcome bonus of 250 kicks to get started.

The walk-in option is my favorite part of this software. Shopkick rewards you simply for entering a store by turning on your Bluetooth; no purchases or scans are required.

When your Kicks balance reaches $5 or more, you can redeem it for great cash rewards or gift cards.

2. Fetch Rewards

A relatively new player in the receipt scanning app market, Fetch Rewards has been impressive so far. If you sign up with code HH3MN, you’ll get $1.50 to get started.

Fetch Rewards is my favorite receipt scanning app because the cash back you can get is significantly higher than most other apps.

For example, buying a 24 or 30 pack of Miller Lite will give you $3 back. When you purchase any Breyers Delights ice cream, you will receive $1.50 off.

Depending on the type of receipt you scan, you may receive a point bonus or other incentives. To redeem these points for a gift certificate, a minimum of three dollars is required.

3. BerryCart

Compared to other receipt scanning apps, BerryCart stands out. It’s better to get cashback for special food items than for regular ones.

Get paid for shopping for your health by getting discounts for buying gluten-free, organic, dairy-free, non-GMO and other products. For anyone interested in health and fitness, this software is invaluable.

BerryCart not only lists hard-to-find products, but also searches for them in local stores.

When you sign up with code 7xYw14Jb and scan your first receipt, we’ll reward you with a $2 bonus. To make a withdrawal to PayPal, you must’ve at least $5 in your account.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Ibotta FAQs

Is Ibotta trustworthy?

Ibotta is a legal company that has found success by adapting a 1970s business strategy (couponing) to the convenience of today’s smartphones. 

About 650 employees work at its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. The company is valued at over $1 billion.

Is the Ibotta $20 welcome bonus still available?

No. It was decommissioned in 2021. Bonuses for new players are now dynamic. Our Ibotta referral code page is always up to date with the latest and greatest offers.

How does Ibotta make money?

Ibotta generates revenue by sending customers to participating stores, recommending select items for purchase, and gathering insightful consumer insights. 

However, Ibotta’s main source of revenue is referral fees for purchases made through the app (or when an advertised item is added to the app and then purchased).

Does Ibotta have a browser extension?

Yes. The free Ibotta browser add-on notifies you when a store you store at offers cashback.

What happens if you don’t get the cash-back you were promised?

Ibotta offers a sophisticated system that can read your receipts, access your associated loyalty card accounts and keep track of all your portal purchases. 

However, it is extremely rare that your contributions are not properly recognised. In this case, you can contact Ibotta Support for help.

Can you earn money by referring other people to Ibotta?

Yes. Once you create your own Ibotta account, you will receive a special referral number. A referral link containing this code can be shared with others (or on a blog, YouTube channel, etc.). For every user you refer who successfully completes an offer, you’ll receive a one dollar reward.

What are Ibotta hidden bonuses?

From time to time Ibotta hosts secret bonus promotions just for its users. To claim the hidden Ibotta bonuses, you usually have to solve a simple puzzle, search for a bonus in the Ibotta app, and then redeem the offer at a specific merchant. Ibotta has a blog where you can read more about how it works.

Can you use Ibotta with Instacart?

No. Because the Instacart buyer stores the receipt, you cannot use Ibotta when you purchase goods from Instacart. Using Ibotta during the day as an Instacart shopper is a typical tactic that can result in hundreds of dollars in savings over the course of a month.

Can you lose your money on Ibotta?

Ibotta will deactivate your account after six months of inactivity. When your Ibotta account balance reaches zero, a $3.99 monthly service fee will be deducted. If you have an active account, your balance will never expire and you will never be charged a fee for using Ibotta.

Is it safe to put your bank account on Ibotta?

Plaid allows you to connect your bank to Ibotta. You can bypass PayPal and have the money transferred directly to your bank account instead.

Financial institutions trust Plaid for its reliability and security. Data on this system is encrypted with a 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) key and transmitted over a Transport Layer Security (TLS) connection.

Both Plaid and Ibotta guarantee that they will never share your financial data with third parties.

Does Ibotta steal your information?

The Ibotta team would never steal or sell user data. Your full contact information is required, including your name, email address and phone number.

For purposes of market research and customization of the app, Ibotta shares some of your personal, non-identifiable information with third parties.

Here you can learn what you need to do to prevent your data from being shared:

1. In the “My Account” tab, select “Settings.”
2. Click on “Preferences.”
3. Look for “Do not sell my personal information” near the bottom of the “Privacy” page.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Ibotta Review: Final Verdict

It’s true that Ibotta has its share of problems, but I still think it’s worth using. It’s a fantastic way to get money back on purchases you are making, especially at grocery and department stores.

There’s no guarantee that the shop you are shopping at will always have a special offer on your favourite brands and products; the more open you are to trying something new, the more money you can save. There are more than 240 online shopping bargains and over 2,000 retailers in total, so chances are you’ll find a few you like.

It can be annoying to have to track down deals and add them to your account before you go shopping. I am hoping that in the future Ibotta will find a way to automate the process so that you can link all of your loyalty accounts together, shop as usual (without telling them which offers you want up front), and have your receipts automatically matched with the offers you have earned. 

But if that’s not the case, I’ll still continue to use and recommend Ibotta.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Best Alternative of Ibotta to Make Passive Income

If you want to make a stable and secure stream of passive income, I would suggest you start an affiliate marketing business online.

Affiliate Marketing is perfect for anyone who is new to online business. 

In fact, of all the online business models I’ve tried, affiliate marketing is the easiest and most rewarding so far.  

In affiliate marketing, you can actually run your business almost with zero cost and achieve a steady and sustainable passive income to pay for your bills. You don’t need any initial capital and can even do it as a side hustle.

And if you really want to learn affiliate marketing and build a business from scratch, I’d recommend you to get started with the most reputable platform for affiliate marketing: Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate is an all-in-one platform for building your affiliate marketing business from scratch. It offers you a free account (including a free website) with comprehensive training on SEO (free traffic methods), which enables you to get started with affiliate marketing right away without paying a penny.

But How Much Can You Earn with Wealthy Affiliate?

A 21-year old student from Wealthy Affiliate was able to earn $7,395 in just 1 week, which means he made more than $1k a day…all while using free traffic methods.

Wealthy Affiliate has existed for 15 years and there are many success stories in the past decade.

To give you more examples, here are some of the other inspiring success stories of Wealthy Affiliate members.

Where to Join Wealthy Affiliate?

Wealthy Affiliate has a very simple pricing scheme. It has free and premium membership.

If you want to feel about Wealthy Affiliate, you can sign up for the free starter membership here (no credit card required). You can select to be a free member with no time limit.

And as a starter member, you can get instant access to the community, live chat, over 500 training modules, 2 classrooms, networking, commenting, 1 free website, access to the keyword tool.

You can enjoy all these values without paying a penny. 

So I strongly recommend you to register a free account and see it yourself.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative