Are you looking for some ways to earn easy cash prizes? This review about Ibotta outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the shopping prizes from the Ibotta app, how it operates, how you can get more prizes with your referral code from Ibotta and who the app is meant for.
There’s a rise in cash-back apps which promise to help you save some cash. However, they normally require you to spend some money in order to save money.
Ibotta doesn’t operate in the same way. This is an app for grocery savings that normally helps shoppers to save some money after their final grocery bill. If you’re looking to save some money or don’t have enough money to go shopping, there are many benefits of using apps such as Ibotta when buying groceries.
Some apps that offer cash-back prizes need you to spend money before giving you a specific percentage back. Even with this, you’ll have to get a high threshold before you’re able to redeem the reward. There are instances where you’re only rewarded a prize once a quarter.
Luckily, the Ibotta app allows you to spend cash on goods you want and they award you extra bonuses.
What Is Ibotta?
This is a savings app whose target market is grocery stores, but it can also be used in other retailers and store. The company is presently partners with grocery stores, drugstore chains and warehouse clubs like Food Lion, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger, CVS and Walgreens. The shopping app can also be used in several high-end stores such as Whole Foods and Aldi, which is a discount store.
Shoppers can select their local grocery store on the app so that it’s the first store to pop up when shopping. This can be performed by searching for a specific store, then selecting the “star” button located in the right-hand side of the screen and saving it.
New shoppers are offered a$20 bonus after joining Ibotta and have managed to redeem a specific number of offers. A shopper can also be awarded a $5 bonus when someone uses their referral link to sign up with the app. There are two options of getting people to join the app, you can share the app on social media or send direct invites from the app.
Is Ibotta Legit?
The Ibotta app is legit, but there have been some reports through Trustpilot of customers not being able to get reliable customer service. The Better Business Bureau gave the app a B rating even though all their complaints are resolved.
The main issue with the shopping app seems to be their inability to award their customers with credit after purchases despite having followed all the set guidelines.
The Ibotta app has a 4.8-star rating on the Apple store and a 4.3-star rating on Google Play Store with a total of 1.2 million reviews and up to 10,000,000 downloads on Play Store. One of the customers said that she has managed to save hundreds of dollars, while another one said that she’s able to use her rewards at retail stores and restaurants without any difficulty.
Related: 22 Best Money-Making Apps to Use
How Does Ibetta Work?
Ibetta can be operated in multiple ways, and it’s best for you to familiarize yourself with the different ways that you can use to get cash backs and rewards.
Online Shopping
The shopping app is linked to different online retailers like Amazon, Kohl’s and Banana Republic. When using the Ibotta, you’ll be able to click on a retail shop and earn some cash back each time you purchase something.
Though Ibotta is known to be an app that offers grocery coupons, they also give cash-back prizes just like Honey and Rakuten. When using the app to shop online, you’ll earn cash back. All you have to do is click on the Ibotta link located on the right side.
You can use Ibotta with online retailers like Lowe’s, Amazon, eBay and restaurant and food-delivery service providers such as Seamless and Grubhub.
Ibotta Browse Extension
Same as apps like Honey and Rakuten, Ibotta also has a browser extension that can be used to help save some extra cash. However, the extension is still on beta mode and you’ll have to download it in order to earn exclusive cash-back deals for your groceries and pickups, as well as discounts from at least 700 online retailers.
The extension can only be used after being downloaded on a computer and the user has signed into their Ibotta account. You’ll then be able to look for discounts and offers. The extension can only be accessed through Chrome, and the company hasn’t said when they’ll move to other browsers.
Once you’ve bought something using the extension, your cash back will immediately be put in “pending” mode giving Ibotta time to authenticate the transaction. After the pending period is over, Ibotta will then put money in your account. You can use your earnings after it gets to the $2o threshold.
Ibotta App
When using the Ibotta app, you’ll be able to browse through your favorite retail providers checking for offers. If you find an offer that you like, select it and place it on your account. When you finish shopping, take a screenshot of your receipt so that you can earn a special rebate.
Every offer has an expiration date or can limit shoppers on the number of items that they can get. There are offers that require you to perform tasks in order to get it. The tasks vary from watching short clips to answering simple questions to earn $1 cash back after scanning your receipt.
You can look for offers either by browsing through your local grocery store’s site or a direct product search. Let’s say you’d like to buy milk, just search for milk and see the offers available on the product. The process can be exhausting especially if you’re doing this for your whole shopping list, though you may end up saving a lot of cash.
In-store Shopping
There are a lot of different ways you can do to help make your experience with Ibotta simpler and easier.
Link Your Loyalty Card
If the store you like shopping from has a loyalty program, it would be better if you linked your card to the app to avoid scanning your receipt manually. This is a great way to save time, especially if you shop in certain stores regularly. There have been cases where shoppers didn’t see what they purchased after doing this, so don’t forget to confirm whether your transactions are going through.
Pay with Ibotta
You’ll be able to shop directly using the app after linking a payment method. Simply click on the button that says “online shopping”, browse through retail stores and select the items you want by adding them on to your cart via Ibotta.
Submit a Receipt
Make sure to submit your receipt immediately after shopping because the app limits uploaded receipts to the preceding 7 days. You won’t be able to submit your receipt after one week has passed.
Earn More with Ibotta Teamwork
Shoppers can use Ibotta’s Teamwork to earn more money. You can do this by inviting other people to join your team. However, being in a team means that you can only redeem a particular number of offers in order to attain a team goal. The team goal is usually the amount of money you save.
If your team reaches a goal successfully, you’ll be able to proceed to the next level.
Refer Family and Friends
If a friend or family member uses your referral link to sign up for Ibotta, you’ll earn $5. They’ll first have to redeem their first offer before you’re awarded the $5. The don’t limit the number of people someone can invite to the app, but make sure they are unique individuals. You cannot cheat your way in the system so as to earn more rewards for referrals.
Redeem Your Rewards
Similar to other apps, Ibotta needs you to have at least $20 before you can redeem the cash. The money can be withdrawn through retail gift cards or PayPal. Some gift carts stipulate a minimum of $25 so ensure you have enough money so that you’re able to cash out.
Related: Top 10 Best Shopping Apps for Epic Savings
Ibotta FAQs
The Ibotta app can be quite challenging to use for first-time customers, especially if they are new to using cash-back saving apps.
How does the app earn money?
The app makes its money every time a customer purchases goods from a retail store partnering with them. Ibotta is given an affiliate commission by the company or store, which they share with their customers. The business model is the same with all cash-back sites.
Do the offers on Ibotta expire?
Similar to coupons, the offers on Ibotta also expire. You’ll be able to know when an offer is expiring after clicking on it. There are offers that last longer compared to other so confirm the expiration date before clicking on offers.
How much time does it take for shoppers to receive credit for their purchase?
The company’s website specifies that you’ll receive all cash backs in your account after 48 hours. There have been cases where it took longer. So, if your money doesn’t reflect after 48 hours, don’t hesitate to contact the customer care department.
Can customers use coupons when shopping with Ibotta?
Coupons can normally be redeemed physically, even if the customer is going to upload their receipt on the app. There are several offers that cannot be used at the same time as coupons, and this has to be outlined in the company’s fine print.
How can one know their Ibotta referral code and where is it normally found?
The referral code can be found in the app when you go to “Account” and selecting the “Invite Friends” option. You can choose to invite people through Facebook or the “Text, Email & More” link on the app. The referral code can also be copied and sent directly.
Grocery Shoppers Need to Take Advantage of Ibotta
Ibotta is among the top-rated grocery savings apps out there as it helps shoppers to save some cash when purchasing food and other items.
Before joining Ibotta, it’s best for you to know that offers are mostly placed on toiletries and packaged food. If regularly shop for fresh produce, you won’t come across relevant offers.
Be sure to compare prices before purchasing an item that’s on offer. There are instances where you’ll save more cash by purchasing a generic version or the store has better offers on their sales deals compared to the ones on Ibotta. Ibotta offers aren’t always the best offers out there.
Related: This Savings Pro Collected $830 from Ibotta and Rakuten Last Year, Here’s How She Did It.
