I have tried many cashback or reward apps and I started using the Ibotta app as one of them. Here is everything you need to know about using Ibotta plus my personal Ibotta review!
What is Ibotta?
Ibotta is a cash back app that allows you to earn money on groceries you are already buying quickly and easily! Plus as they’ve grown and become more established Ibotta is starting to offer cash back on so much more like online shopping, travel and clothing.
And the best part is Ibotta gives you real cash back, not points or gift cards but real cash that you can use on whatever you want.
How does Ibotta work?
Using Ibotta is easy as pie and you can use it from your phone or computer! Just follow the easy steps below.
Ibotta has an amazing customer service team so if you ever have any issues with signing up or redeeming an offer make sure you reach out to them. I’ve had the occasional mistake made on my account where I didn’t get cash back from an item I purchased and the service team has always been quick to get back to me and resolve the problem.
How to Use Ibotta In-Store
Step 1. Sign Up for an Ibotta account
Before you shop make sure you sign up for an Ibotta account either through the app or online. The process only takes about 2 minutes and you can sign-up with an email or with Facebook. Just simply follow the instructions on the screen.
Step 2. Add Offers to Your List
Once you have an account you can start adding offers to your list. Start by choosing the store you are going to shop at. Then scroll through all the available offers. When you find an offer you would like to use simply press the plus symbol (+) on the right hand side under the product picture.
Step 3. Shop til You Drop
Now that you’ve added all the offers that you’ll use to your list, you simply head to the store and shop like you normally do. The check out process at the store is the same just make sure you hold onto your receipt.
Step 4. Upload Your Receipt
Once you get home you will want to upload your receipt sooner rather than later. This way you won’t lose the receipt, plus all receipts must be uploaded within 7 days of the shopping trip.
Some stores allow you to link your Ibotta account to the store loyalty program. This way you can often get cash back without having to manually submit the receipt.
How to use Ibotta Online
Step 1. Sign Up for an Ibotta Account
Before you shop make sure you sign up for an Ibotta account either through the app or online. The process only takes about 2 minutes and you can sign-up with an email or with Facebook. Just simply follow the instructions on the screen.
Step 2. Add Offers to Your List
Once you have an account you can start adding offers to your list. Start by choosing the store you are going to shop at. Then scroll through all the available offers. When you find an offer you would like to use simply press the plus symbol (+) on the right hand side under the product picture.
Step 3. Shop Through Ibotta
Now you can show different stores by initiating your shopping trip through the app or using the browser extension. Simply find the store you want to shop at, then click the button and you should be automatically redirected to that store’s website.
Step 4. Receive Your Cash Back
In most cases, unless otherwise stated, you will receive cash back for these shopping trips automatically. Some stores like Walmart require that you link your account in order to receive your cash back though. Make sure you follow all directions carefully so that you don’t miss out on anything.
Other Ways to Earn Cash Back on Ibotta
Bonuses
There are often bonuses run by Ibotta that you will have the opportunity to earn. One popular bonus is to redeem a certain number of deals within a certain number of days. These bonuses can be as large as $3, $5 or even $10 dollars!
Other bonuses are brand related and can involve redeeming a few deals from the same brand. These bonuses are usually a little smaller, more like $0.50 – $1.
Bonuses are a great way to earn extra cash back and often add up faster than the deals themselves.
Referrals
Another great way to earn money in Ibotta is by referring your friends and family to use the app as well. There are often bonuses for referring multiple users at once so you can earn extra cash back.
The referred friend must be a new user and redeem a brand name deal (not an “any item” deal) in order for you to benefit from the referral. You will receive the referral bonus credit after the brand deal cashback is given to the referred friend.
How to Cashout and Get Paid on Ibotta
Once you’re ready to cash out of Ibotta and get your earnings from the Ibotta app and into your pocket there are a couple of different routes you can go. You can cash out from Ibotta as many times as you want as long as you have the minimum amount in your account.
Direct Deposit
Direct deposit is my preferred method because it is free to do and I can use the money wherever I need it. If I want to use it to pay for flights then I can, if I need it to pay for rent then I can do that too.
- In the app simply click on “Account” in the bottom menu.
- Next click on the “Withdraw Earnings” button underneath the current earnings and lifetime earnings display.
- Finally under “To your bank” select which bank account you want the money deposited into. If this is your first time then you will have to link your bank account by entering the account number and the routing number of your bank account.
- The money may take a couple of days to appear in your account due to processing times.
PayPal
- In the app simply click on “Account” in the bottom menu.
- Next click on the “Withdraw Earnings” button underneath the current earnings and lifetime earnings display.
- Finally under “Paypal” select the paypal account you would like the money transferred into. If this is your first time then you will have to link your account by signing into your paypal account.
- There is a $20 minimum to take money out this way.
Gift Cards
- In the app simply click on “Account” in the bottom menu.
- Next click on the “Withdraw Earnings” button underneath the current earnings and lifetime earnings display.
- Finally, under “gift cards” you can select which store you would like a gift card too. Then select the amount you want on the card, usually available in increments of $20 or $25.
- The gift cards have different minimum amounts and they are all electronic gift cards that get emailed directly to you.
How much can you make with Ibotta?
There is no limit to how much you can earn with Ibotta. As long as you keep earning more cashback deals or empty your account before you let it go dormant then you will never lose your earnings either.
Do Ibotta Earnings Expire?
Your Ibotta earnings do not expire. You can let them sit in your Ibotta account for as long as you would like. As long as your account remains active then nobody will touch them.
However if your account is deemed inactive then your account will be charged maintenance fees which are deducted from your earnings. If you plan on not using Ibotta for 6 months or more, just be sure you withdraw your earnings first to avoid losing out on that money!
What is Ibotta’s Maintenance Fee?
Ibotta’s maintenance fee is a $4 monthly deduction from your earnings if your Ibotta account goes inactive for 6 months or longer. The $4 deduction will be taken out every month until your earnings run out or your account becomes active again.
To re-activate your Ibotta account or keep it active you simply have to redeem one offer in a six month period.
The maintenance fee is used by Ibotta for the upkeep of your account. When you are redeeming offers Ibotta uses the money they earn from your redemption to cover these costs. So when your account is inactive they move the fee to you. The money is only taken from your earnings and you’ll never be asked to pay anything from your bank account.
What is the catch with Ibotta?
There is no catch, Ibotta is a completely legitimate app that allows you to earn back money you spend on groceries and other items. It is free to use and the earning potential is not capped, just dependant on your spending habits.
Ibotta has paid out over $860 million to users over the past seven years according to the Ibotta website. And I don’t see them stopping anytime soon.
Ibotta makes money themselves by partnering with brands and retailers which these stores pay Ibotta to put their products in front of consumers like you and me. Then when we purchase these items Ibotta shares some of the money with us as cash back.
Who is Ibotta for?
Ibotta is for everyone located in the United States that shops at grocery stores, pharmacies, and so much more. It can be as passive or active as you would like when earning cash back so it can fit into anyone’s lifestyle.
Ibotta can also be used abroad at the Military Commissary. So it is a great app for any military personnel and their families.
Unfortunately the app is not otherwise supported in other countries including Canada.
Quick Ibotta Tips and Tricks
Don’t buy an item just because there is a cash back offer. This could end up costing you more. My general rules to make the most of ibotta without spending more are:
- Take advantage of generic offers. These offers tend to be smaller, only around $0.10 – $0.25 but they add up over time. These offers are easy to take advantage of no matter what you’re buying.
- Check out the “free with offer” deals. This can be a great way to try new products and get some free food and drinks. Just remember you are buying them and getting cash back later. This is not a good option if you’re tight on money.
- Only buy what is on your list! I recommend making a grocery shopping list and then adding only the Ibotta offers that are for items on your list. This way you won’t be tempted to add offers that you weren’t already planning on buying.
- Make sure you check generic vs name brand prices. The offers are often for name brand items which can be pricey. Compare the name brand prices to the generic store brand prices to make sure you are actually saving money. Often the cash back still is not enough to save more than you would buying the store brand.
Other Cash Back Apps Similar to Ibotta
There are other cash back sites that are great options to use as well. Another favorite cashback site of mine is Rakuten. It is simple to use and the internet browser extension makes it so that I don’t have to remember to use it, it reminds me! Another great app to use and earn money back on receipts and groceries is Fetch where you can earn points for uploading photos of your receipts.
Read more: Apps to Save Money Today!
Is Ibotta Worth it? My Ibotta Review:
YES!! So much yes, in the last year and a half that I have been using Ibotta I have earned over $200 dollars. And as I get better at the app and have found a system that works for me I keep increasing my earnings faster. There is so much that can be done with $200 dollars and I firmly believe that a penny saved is a penny earned. It all adds up in the end so to me Ibotta is very worth it to use as much as possible.
I love having the opportunity to earn money back on the shopping I was already doing and trying new products at the same time!
So that is my Ibotta app review, and hopefully you’ll give it a try!
