Ibotta vs Fetch – Which App Gives You The Best Bang For Your Buck?

It’s 2021 and there are a ton of cashback apps out there to help save you money. But which app gives you the best return on your time and energy?  Ibotta and Fetch share a common goal. Both apps are designed to save you money through free cashback rewards programs. But which app is better for you and your lifestyle?

Let’s break down how Ibotta and Fetch work, their benefits, and their differences, so you can make an informed decision about which app is right for you.

Fetch Review

How does Fetch work? For starters, it’s a free rewards program that you access by downloading the app on your smartphone. The process for earning rewards is really straightforward. Simply scan your receipts and earn points. To scan your receipt you can either take a picture and upload it or use the eReceipt function within the app.

Another huge advantage of using Fetch is that you can earn points from any store. They’ll reward points for any receipt you upload, no matter the purchase and no matter the store. This is different from other cash-back rewards apps that are often limited to select retailers. However, keep in mind that you will lose your Fetch rewards after 90 days of inactivity on your account so stay active to maximize your savings.

You can earn bonus points through Fetch by participating in special offers listed in the app. Simply purchase items from brands participating in these special offers and you can earn bonus points as well as points for uploading your receipt. The really cool thing about these bonus rewards is that they’re automatically applied, so there’s not much to do on your end besides make the appropriate purchase.

With Fetch, 1,000 points add up to $1 and you have to earn a minimum of 3,000 points before you can redeem your rewards. On the Apple store, Fetch has 4.8 stars according to 1.4 million ratings. It’s ranked #8 in the top charts under the shopping category.

Fetch Benefits

Ibotta Review

So now how does Ibotta work?  Similar to Fetch, Ibotta is also a free online rewards program – you earn cashback rewards as you shop at no additional cost. Ibotta works with over 1,500 retailers and brands, including Amazon, Walmart, Sephora, Target, Starbucks, and much more. You can earn money when purchasing everything from pet food to make up! However, Ibotta is especially great for earning cash back on grocery and pharmacy purchases.

Ibotta was founded in 2012 and began as a simple receipt scanning rewards app. Now Ibotta has evolved to a payment app and offers a browser extension too, in addition to still offering receipt scan features. Since their founding, they’ve paid out over $1 billion in cash rewards to more than 35 million users.

There are a few creative ways that you can earn rewards through Ibotta besides uploading receipts from your daily purchases. For one, you can purchase gift cards through Ibotta and get cashback instantly. This way you don’t have to sit and wait for your rewards to add up if you already anticipate spending the gift card amount at a given store. Ibotta also offers the ability to link your loyalty accounts from your favorite stores.

Different from Fetch, you don’t earn your rewards through a points system. Ibotta simplifies the process and displays your cash rewards in real-time. On the Apple store, Ibotta has 4.8 stars based on 1.3 million ratings with over 10 million downloads. It’s ranked #37 in the top charts for shopping. There’s more to Ibotta, check out this Ibotta Review. 

Ibotta Benefits

Ibotta vs Fetch: Popularity

Based on what we’ve learned from the app store, Ibotta and Fetch are neck and neck when it comes to their star ratings.

Ibotta has a 4.8 star rating based on 1.3 million reviews and is ranked #37 in the app store’s top charts in the shopping category. Meanwhile, Fetch has also rated 4.8 stars based on 1.4 million reviews and is ranked #8 in the app store’s top charts in the shopping category.

If popularity is important to you, you may want to select Fetch based on its top tier ranking. However, with both apps sitting around 4.8 stars based on over 1 million reviews each, it doesn’t seem like you can go wrong.

Ibotta vs Fetch: Cash Out Options

Now let’s break down the cash out options for Ibotta and Fetch. Which app has the best cash out options to fit your needs? And which app has the most options for redeeming rewards?

Through the Fetch rewards system, you earn points and you’re able to redeem them once you’ve earned 3,000 points, which is equivalent to $3. Once you’re able to cash out, you have a few choices about how to receive your rewards. You can either redeem your points for a gift card, sweepstakes entries, or charitable donations.

With Ibotta’s rewards system, they skip the point rewards method completely. Instead of earning points, you’ll be able to see how much cash you are actually accruing in real time. You’ll need to earn a little more in order to redeem your rewards though. With Fetch, you can redeem your rewards after 3,000 points, or $3. With Ibotta, you’ll need to accrue $20 worth of rewards before you can redeem your cash.

You can either redeem your Ibotta rewards through a PayPal account deposit, a direct bank deposit, or through gift cards. While Fetch has more cash out options, it lacks a direct cash payout option. You’re not able to earn direct cash from Fetch, like you’ll be able to with Ibotta, but you can redeem your rewards for gift cards to major retailers like Amazon and Target.

If you don’t like the idea of redeeming your rewards for gift cards, then you might want to go with Ibotta. Keep in mind that Ibotta rewards are limited to purchases from select retailers, whereas you can earn points from any store through Fetch.

Ibotta Referral vs Fetch Referral

We briefly mentioned Fetch’s referral program in our review. The way their referral program works is you typically earn 2,000 points every time a new user signs up for Fetch with your referral code. They need to be a brand new user and they need to snap their first receipt, and then you’re able to earn points! The fun thing about the Fetch referral program is that they frequently offer special promotions throughout the year where you can earn 3,000 or 4,000 points for each referral you make.

As we mentioned, Ibotta’s rewards are not based on a points system. Through the Ibotta referral program, you earn $10 for every new user that signs up with your referral code and redeems an offer. An offer can include any brand purchase, any receipt, and any item offered. Also, when you sign-up using an Ibotta referral code, you get $20 for free. Read more about the Ibotta Referral and learn about the guidelines of the program.

Technically you will make more money through the Ibotta referral program than the Fetch referral program. If you have a large network of friends and intend on utilizing the referral program frequently, Ibotta may be the better choice for you.

Ibotta vs Fetch – Which App Will Save You More Money?

Which app will save you the most money? Drum roll please…

Truth be told, it comes down to how you shop and intend to interact with the app. That being said, Ibotta offers a few more ways to earn cash back, exceeding your earning potential through Fetch. For example, you can link your loyalty account with the Ibotta app and instantly earn rewards without having to upload your receipts every time you shop.

Also, Ibotta has a browser extension that allows you to earn cashback from online stores. The extension will tell you if an online store offers cash back rewards. You can then activate the cash back feature with the click of a button and move forward with your purchase.

These are two features that Fetch lacks. However, remember that Fetch offers rewards at ALL stores, whereas Ibotta is limited to roughly 1,500 participating stores. But as we said, ultimately the decision comes down to which app is best for your lifestyle and spending habits. If you want to know how other platforms compare with Ibotta, we’ve got you covered. Read Ibotta vs Rakuten and Ibotta vs Swagbucks.