Last Updated on August 26, 2025 by Full-Time Job From Home
Ibotta stands as a popular app known for giving users cashback on everyday purchases, whether you’re grocery shopping, buying online, or even dining out. I’ve spent several years using the app, so I’m here to break down what you can realistically expect, how the process flows, and to answer some common questions about fees, how it stacks up next to Rakuten, and the kind of earnings you’ll likely see.
While Ibotta gives a boost to your wallet, you should set the right expectations; your rewards add up over time, but this isn’t a full-time income source. Anyone looking for bigger online earnings might want to check out my favorite way to build passive income.
This Ibotta review covers how to use the app, payout choices, average earnings, and how it compares to other cashback platforms.
Ibotta App Review: Key Details
App: Ibotta
Type: Cashback and Rewards
Verdict: Legitimate, small savings on items you already buy.
Ibotta earns solid marks for reliability and its user-friendly approach. The app is handy for anyone who does a decent chunk of everyday shopping. The setup is simple: buy something, upload your receipt or connect a loyalty card, and get some cashback. Rewards show up in your balance and can be withdrawn to PayPal, a bank account, or as a gift card.
Most people use Ibotta for groceries, but it’s also available at many major stores, online retailers, and restaurants. There’s also a nice bonus program for new users and for referrals, letting you reach the cash-out threshold even faster.
How Does Ibotta Work?
Using Ibotta is straightforward but takes a few steps to lock in your cashback. Here’s how it all works in practice:
1) Download the App & Sign Up
Ibotta is free on both iOS and Android, with signup taking just a few minutes. Sometimes there’s a new user bonus when you redeem your first offer, so check for these promos on registration.
2) Find and Add Offers Before Shopping
Browse the app for offers that match your shopping list and add them to your account. Some stores work best if you connect your loyalty account, while others require you to upload a receipt.
3) Shop at Participating Stores
Ibotta partners with many chains like Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Walgreens, plus hundreds of online retailers (from travel and apparel to food delivery). Make purchases as usual—in-store or online.
4) Submit Your Receipt or Connect Your Account
After shopping, either snap a picture of your receipt with the Ibotta app or ensure your loyalty account is connected ahead of time. For online shopping, tracking is automatic if you start your order from within Ibotta.
5) Get Cashback
After your purchase is verified, you’ll see cashback in your account. This usually happens within 24 to 72 hours for most stores. Some online retailers might take a week or two to fully approve cashback.
6) Cash Out Your Earnings
Once your Ibotta balance hits $20, you can withdraw via PayPal, direct deposit, or convert your funds into gift cards from retailers like Amazon and Starbucks.
Does Ibotta Charge a Monthly Fee?
Ibotta doesn’t charge a monthly fee to use the app or grab offers. Signing up and browsing deals are completely free. However, keep an eye out for the inactivity fee: if you go 180 days (around 6 months) without using your account, a $3.99 monthly fee is deducted from your balance until you get active again or the balance hits zero. This only applies if you completely stop redeeming offers for a long time. Regular users won’t ever be charged.
How Does Ibotta Pay Out?
Once your Ibotta account reaches $20, you get several fast payout options:
- PayPal: Move funds to PayPal in minutes.
- Bank account: Link your bank and transfer quickly.
- Gift cards: Exchange for e-gift cards at Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, and more.
In my experience, requests clear the same day or within 24–48 hours, with no real hassle or delay. The process is quick, and I’ve always received my withdrawal as promised.
Ibotta Earnings: What Do Real Users Make?
Ibotta provides a steady way to pocket a little extra cash on purchases you’d make anyway. How much you earn depends on your shopping frequency, the deals you choose, and your approach. Here’s what’s typical, according to my experience and from user communities:
- Light users (occasional shoppers, a few eligible items): $5–$10 monthly
- Regular shoppers (weekly groceries, most major offers): $15–$20 per month
- Power users (family-size hauls, stacking bonuses, using both in-store and online): $40–$100+ per month, especially during holidays or large bonus periods
Ibotta’s own data says users average around $20 monthly. However, if you mostly grab “any receipt” or “any brand” offers, it’s easy to be at the lower end. Some users manage much more by mixing in manufacturer’s coupons, stacking deals, and using referrals.
There’s no guarantee, and each month’s outcome varies based on your shopping. Personally, when I plan my shopping around Ibotta and stack rewards, I usually get $25–$30 a month, and when shopping as usual, it’s closer to $10–$15.
Can You Really Trust Ibotta to Pay?
Ibotta is a legit company with years in the cashback field. I’ve cashed out multiple times and the pay always arrived without issues. Occasionally, reviews note missed rewards or scanning slip-ups, but keeping your receipts and double-checking your account usually solves it fast. Ibotta’s customer support responds well, and their app includes an all-in-one help center for common questions.
To get the most accurate rewards, always add offers before shopping, scan the whole receipt clearly, and watch for changes to offer terms, as brands sometimes remove or update deals midweek.
Just to show you can really trust Ibotta, here is a screenshot of one of my latest payments from Ibotta via PayPal.
Ibotta Pros and Cons
Pros:
- No cost to join or use: Easy entry, zero upfront risk.
- Flexible payout choices: Withdraw through PayPal, your bank, or tons of popular gift cards.
- Many ways to earn: Cash in on groceries, online buys, restaurants, alcohol rebates, and bonus offers.
- Great referral program: Bring friends or family and collect referral bonuses.
- Stacked savings: Use manufacturers’ or store coupons alongside Ibotta for double savings.
- Special campaigns: Seasonal promotions and extra team bonuses during major shopping periods can help you earn more.
Cons:
- High payout threshold: You need $20 in your account for withdrawal, which takes time for light users.
- Inactivity fee: Account inactivity for half a year leads to a $3.99 monthly fee until you shop again or your balance reaches zero.
- Offer limits: Most deals give a set number of redemptions per receipt, so you can’t submit large quantities of a single product every time.
- Scanning hiccups: Receipts or store systems sometimes misfire or don’t track, but it’s still a major improvement over old-fashioned mail-in rebates.
- Busy interface: The app can feel packed with ads and partner promotions, which some users find distracting.
Ibotta vs Rakuten: Which Cashback App Is Better?
Rakuten (previously Ebates) and Ibotta are two popular cashback options often lined up side by side. The thing is, they each shine in different areas.
- Ibotta: Best for groceries, in-store shopping, and specific branded items. The app covers lots of brick-and-mortar deals with a splash of online.
- Rakuten: Focuses on online shopping. You visit Rakuten, click through to your favorite store, and score a percentage back from thousands of sites. Amazon is usually excluded except for occasional specific offers like $5 cash back for an order with a limit of 1. In-store offers exist but are limited compared to Ibotta.
If your main spending is on groceries or at big box stores, Ibotta is likely the better match. For those who shop for clothes, technology, or travel online, Rakuten’s higher digital cashback rates pull it ahead. In fact, using both in tandem means even more total rewards.
If you shop during special cash-back promotion days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, Rakuten often cranks up percentages for online buys, while Ibotta rolls out limited-time grocery and store-specific boosts. Mixing both apps lets you maximize savings across all shopping categories.
Is Ibotta a Scam?
Ibotta is not a scam. I’ve been using it for years and have always received my payouts. The company is public and well-regarded in the money-saving scene. If you want to put a few dollars back into your pocket just by scanning receipts or linking accounts, it’s a great way to do it. You can join Ibotta now by visiting Ibotta.com on your phone or computer!
Curious about how it stacks up against the field? Rakuten is the most similar cashback apps that offer its own perks—worth checking out if you want to see what else is out there. If cashback apps aren’t your thing, there are plenty of ways to build real online income, so keep digging until you find what matches your goals.
If you have Ibotta experiences to share or favorites in the cashback world, leave your thoughts below!
Looking for more ways to earn extra cash? Check these out:
More Extra Income Opportunities
Work From Home Jobs That Really Pay
How To Build a Large Passive Income Online
Have Ibotta tips or questions? Drop them in the comments!
I have this and for the first month it was great after I cashed out , it was the same offers over and over again. I also had issues with certain items. I would not recommend it .
June,
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the app. I haven’t had the same experience, it seems like the available items are always changing. Either way thank you for sharing your experience.
Brok
I was denied to us a coupon multiple times even though it lacked meticulous depth, I was denied to fix their coupon, barcodes would either not scan half the time or doesn’t match when it’s scanned, I was denied my signup bonus they fallaciously claimed, & I never received my referral bonus. I just started to use it & I never had so many issues from bad as well as slow customer service from a CashBack app. Their service was was equality to Wal~Mart if not worse.
Hey Brok,
Great review on Ibotta and congrats on getting paid back $530 for just shopping. Is this available in Canada, do you know. I’m going to be all over this, if it is.
Well, I have to check with the wife first because she handles all the coupons and savings for grocery and household items.
I will let her know about this app. Thanks for this it was really informative and well done.
Hey Peter! I did some research and it does not look like Ibotta is available in Canada. I’ve found several people ask this question on Facebook and the Ibotta account responds they will possibly expand to Canada soon for the last several years.
So hopefully it happens eventually, but for now Checkout51 is the best most smililar app available in Canada.
Brok
Nice write up! I found it on a routine browse through the play store and it looked like it was worth a download. It’s one of those scan a receipt and get cash back apps. The kicker is that they actually send cash to your PayPal account. I was skeptical but I checked it out, pored through their FAQ and I couldn’t find ‘a catch’.
Ultimately, I’ve played around with it for less than 24 hrs and have already made $20! I consider it free money since I didn’t pay anything for it (other than the goods I already purchased) and would have never received that cash back had I not discovered this app.
I know what you are thinking – just another online scam. But it’s not – if you don’t check it out, I can understand – after all, I’m posting this online! And my motive is not altruistic. If you use the promo code I attach – I get $5 and you get $10 when you sign up and submit one receipt.
My perspective – it’s money back in your pocket for items you would normally purchase anyway. It’s not the 1 point = .25 cent b/s that we’ve all experienced. I submitted one receipt (and had one referral) and made $20.
At any rate, do or don’t but I would be remissed if I did not mention it. Here’s the my referral code, hwhxrvq
I think they’ve raised the payout a couple times since this article was posted. It’s now $20. Still, a nice opportunity.
Hey Marie,
Yes you’re right they just made some changes. It was $4 per referral and now they changed it to $5 per referral and raised the cash out amount to $20. I’ll update the review.
Thanks for letting me know!
Brok