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Do you always get your receipt when you shop?
If you’re the kind of person who turns down a receipt at the supermarket, you are leaving money behind.
There are apps that will give you money for scanning receipts. Many also give gift cards for taking pictures of receipts, too!
In this post, I’ve got some mind-blowing info that’s going to change your whole perspective on those little pieces of paper. And of course, I’ll tell you about some legit apps that I use to scan receipts for money.
Spoiler alert: One of these apps has paid me over $1,600 so far!
Now, let’s dive into how to turn receipts into cold, hard cash.
1. Ibotta
Ibotta is my go-to app for every grocery run. I’ve pocketed nearly $1,700 with this bad boy.
The Ibotta app gives you cash back for buying featured items in-store or online. They often have 100% cash-back offers, as well.
When shopping online, you can still earn your rebate if you get your items shipped or if you do in-store pickup.
Tip: If you shop at Target, be sure to use Target Circle coupons in combination with Ibotta. It can save a ton of money, sometimes making the item free!
How Ibotta works in-store:
- Mark your preferred rebates pre-shopping.
- After shopping, snap photos of your receipt.
- Ibotta will credit your account for any matched offers that you purchased.
- Cash out your rewards.
The reward options in Ibotta include gift cards, cash through PayPal, or direct deposit to your bank account. Rewards can be redeemed once you reach a $20 threshold.
Sign up for Ibotta and get a $5 bonus added to your first redemption.
2. Upromise
Upromise is the often-overlooked gem to scan receipts for money. This platform is great for helping save for college or pay for private school while you shop, dine, or snag some amazing offers.
The Upromise app has a “shopping section” where you can snap photos of your receipts and earn cash back for purchasing featured products. They also have other ways to earn cash back as mentioned above.
To make earning easier, I linked my credit and debit cards to Upromise. Doing this has helped me earn significantly more when I dine out or fill my gas tank.
The earned cash is then added to your Upromise account. From there, you can request a payment in the form of a check, or transfer the money to a college savings account.
Check out my Strapped for Cash Survival Guide to learn how I turned $200 of Upromise money to over $8,000 in college savings for my daughter.
I highly suggest Upromise if you’re a parent, guardian, have a child in your family, or plan to go to school yourself. Yes, Upromise accounts can be used for yourself, too!
Sign up for Upromise and get a bonus when you redeem an offer.
3. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a feature-heavy app that has many ways to earn cash and gift cards. But a lesser-known feature is the “Magic Receipts” feature that allows you to earn cash for scanning grocery receipts.
To use “Magic Receipts” in Swagbucks:
- Go to the “Shop” tab.
- Click “Magic Receipts” at the top.
- Find offers you want and add them to your list.
- Upload receipts after you shop for the items.
In addition to scanning receipts, you can also earn Swagbucks points for scanning items in stores, shopping online, redeeming offers, playing games, and doing surveys.
Sign up for Swagbucks and get a bonus with your first redemption. Plus, use code NIKKISB for a bonus 75 points! (U.S. residents only)
4. MyPoints
MyPoints is another feature-heavy app that allows you to scan your grocery receipts. While the look is different, it is very similar to Swagbucks.
As a matter of fact, they even have the same Magic Receipts section as Swagbucks.
In addition to receipts, you can also play games, answer surveys, and more to earn rewards. The rewards include gift cards and cash through PayPal.
They are owned by Prodege, the same company that owns Swagbucks and Upromise. So, heads up, you can’t scan the same receipt for these three platforms. It would be considered a duplicate.
I honestly like the layout of MyPoints a bit better than Swagbucks, but both are great platforms.
Sign up for MyPoints and take advantage of the current bonus offer.
5. Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog is a rewards app that lets you snag Amazon or Visa gift cards and cash via PayPal.
You can even earn by taking surveys, verifying your device, or trying your luck with the hog slots. Who doesn’t love a little slot machine action?
An additional way to earn rewards is by linking your email. That way, Receipt Hog can scan your email for receipts and credit you the points without having to take additional steps.
This app also hold monthly sweepstakes where you can earn up to 50,000 bonus coins.
Join Receipt Hog and get a bonus when you scan your first receipt.
6. Fetch Rewards
If you want a straightforward way to scan receipts for money, Fetch Rewards is a great option.
This app has plenty of grocery offers where you can earn points and redeem them for gift cards. There are many gift cards to choose from, including Visa gift cards.
Fetch Rewards also gives rewards for online shopping when you link your email account to the app.
There are newer features that include spinning a wheel or playing games for bonus points.
Join Fetch Rewards and get a bonus when you scan your first receipt.
7. Pogo
If you’re on the lookout for an app that basically showers you with credits, check out Pogo.
There are so many ways to earn with Pogo that I’ll just list them:
- Scanning receipts
- Answering surveys
- Playing games
- Tracking your driving
- Paid offers
- Installing the Pogo Chrome extension
In addition to these amazing options to earn, Pogo also provides additional ways to earn money through their “side hustles” tab. In there, they list gig work that is separated into categories that fit your lifestyle.
Join Pogo and get a bonus 250 points on top of your first 5,000 points.
8. Shopkick
Shopkick is a fun app that gives gift cards for scanning receipts, scanning barcodes in-store, or simply walking into stores.
Step into your favorite stores, and boom, you’re earning points just for gracing them with your presence.
The points on Shopkick are called “kicks.” Once you earn 1,250 kicks you can redeem for rewards that include gift cards for more than 50 retailers, including Amazon and Target.
If you link your Visa or Mastercard, points are credited automatically allowing you to earn points without having to scan receipts.
Join Shopkick and get a bonus after you earn your first 10 points.
9. Rakuten
Rakuten is no joke when it comes to earning cash back. I have earned nearly $1,600 cash back so far!
Rakuten is primarily known for giving cash back for online shopping. But they also offer cash back in-store, without scanning receipts!
I know this post is about how to earn for scanning receipts, but Rakuten makes life even simpler if you link your credit or debit cards to their app. That way, when you spend at affiliated stores and restaurants, Rakuten credits your cash back automatically.
Rakuten payments are also sent automatically. No need to cash out.
They send your “Big Fat Check” through direct deposit or paper check every 90 days. The Rakuten payment schedule consists of payments being sent in February, May, August, and November.
When shopping online, simply allow Rakuten to take you to the retailer’s website where you can shop as usual. Rebates are usually between 1%-12%.
Rakuten is affiliated with thousands of stores, so there is a good chance your favorite online retailer will be listed. And you can still qualify for cash back if you shop online and pick up in-store.
The Rakuten app also has an “In-Store” tab where you can mark your preferred store or restaurant and earn cash back when you pay with a linked credit or debit card.
I can go on and on about Rakuten, but I suggest you check it out yourself.
Sign up and get a bonus $30 for redeeming your first $30+ offer! Hurry, bonuses can change.
10. Checkout 51
Checkout 51 lets you earn cash rebates for your grocery shopping. Activate offers that catch your eye, make the purchase, and capture a snapshot of the receipt. Voilà – you’ve officially joined the savings game!
Each Thursday, Checkout 51 reveals fresh offers, but here’s the catch – it’s a “first come, first serve” situation. Move quick to claim the deals before they disappear into the savings abyss.
Make sure all your receipts are scanned and submitted to Checkout 51 by Wednesday at 11:59 PM in your local time zone. Once the weekly offer clock resets, the previous week’s offers go away.
Some additional ways to earn on Checkout 51 include paid surveys and online offers.
Sign up for Checkout 51 and get your money!
11. Alexa App
If you have Amazon devices in your home, you likely have the Alexa app. And as helpful as Alexa can be, did you know she can also give you cash back?
Through the “Shopping List Savings” feature, Alexa users can earn rebates for specific products purchased through Amazon Fresh and other stores.
Here’s how Shopping List Savings works:
- Open your Alexa app.
- Go to your shopping list.
- Click the “deals” tab.
- Activate any offers that appeal to you before shopping.
- Scan receipts of purchased items (Amazon Fresh offers are automatic).
You should receive an Amazon gift card reward about 24-48 hours after redeeming an offer. The reward is added directly to your Amazon account to be used on future Amazon purchases.
This is a hidden gem that all Amazon users should take advantage of.
Get free or discounted Amazon Prime memberships! Click here to find out how.
12. Amazon Shopper Panel
Amazon Shopper Panel is a little-known app that lets you get rewarded for sharing your shopping habits and experiences with Amazon. Of all apps I’ve used, this is the easiest way to scan receipts for money.
Simply scan any 10 receipts on Amazon Shopper Panel, and they will load $10 to your Amazon account by the second day of the following month. It takes me no longer than two minutes per month to get my receipts uploaded. It gets no easier than that!
Another way to earn is by answering quick surveys that typically pay 25 cents to $1. Usually, these surveys take no more than one minute of my time.
A third way to earn on Amazon Shopper Panel is to opt in to ad verification. They will track which Amazon ads you see, and add $2 to your monthly Amazon payout.
Be advised, this app has a waiting list to join. Once at the front of the list, you will receive an invite from Amazon. There’s no telling how long the list is now, so don’t wait to join.
Click here to sign up for Amazon Shopper Panel.
13. ReceiptJar
ReceiptJar is an easy app to turn receipts into rewards. Snap a photo of your receipts, upload them to the app, and wait for your money to roll in.
Rewards in ReceiptJar include cash through PayPal, Visa and store gift cards. Am I the only one that gets excited when I see Krispy Kreme gift cards?
But it’s not just about scanning receipts. ReceiptJar goes the extra mile by giving you insights into your spending habits.
Curious about where all your hard-earned cash goes? Receipt Jar has your back, providing detailed breakdowns and analysis of your spending patterns.
Now, about that cashback. Yes, Receipt Jar rewards you for your loyalty with real cash.
Receipt Jar isn’t just about retail therapy. They also give rewards for completing surveys, linking your email, or playing the Shakes game. It’s a win-win!
Sign up for ReceiptJar and use my code NIKKM2YVQ to help this single mom get a bonus for telling you about this awesome app. Thanks!
14. Receipt Pal
Receipt Pal app lets you earn points for scanning both physical and e-receipts. Points can then be cashed in for Amazon gift cards, or choose from several other retail gift cards.
Other ways to earn include linking your email, entering sweepstakes, or playing random bonus games within the app.
My very first bonus game earned me 2,000 points, allowing me to meet the threshold to cash out for my first $5 Amazon gift cards. Yay!
Sign up for Receipt Pal.
15. CoinOut
Snapping receipts is just one way to win with CoinOut. If you’re a loyalty program junkie like me, be sure to link those digital accounts for added bonuses.
When I last looked, CoinOut was giving 200 points for linking your Walmart, Instacart, and Amazon accounts, amongst others.
Rewards include cash through Zelle (a rare perk), and Amazon gift cards.
Connect your email account and even more points.
Fun fact: If you’re a Shark Tank fan like me, CoinOut probably rings a bell, because they were featured on the show!
Don’t say, “I’m out,” on this one.
Sign up for CoinOut and snag that cash back.
Ready to Scan Receipts for Money?
Now that you know how to get paid to scan receipts, go get your cash! We all need necessities like groceries and gas. And who doesn’t like to dine out every once in a while?
Use some or all of these apps that pay cash for scanning receipts.
Whatever you do, don’t say “no” when a cashier asks you if you want your receipt. Those receipts are worth money, and we surely don’t turn down money around here.
If you’re hungry for more tips, check out my Strapped for Cash Survival Guide for my hacks of life to save and earn money in a way that fits in your lifestyle.
Happy scanning!
