Everyone could use a few extra dollars. The holidays are right around the corner, and technology has been used in creative ways to reward customers. This means you can receive real money and gift cards without changing a lot of your behaviors.
Of course, nothing is really free. These apps are collecting data and persuading you to make purchases. This usually translates into the user taking a couple of extra steps, but they end up with some spare cash in the end.
If there’s a way to make money through apps, I’ve probably done it. Some of these apps are worth the investment. Other apps will just waste your time with little reward. I hear about a lot of apps that have earning potential. There are five that I’ve spent a lot of time using, but only a few I’d recommend.
Fetch
After years of throwing receipts in the trash, Fetch gives you the opportunity to turn those receipts into gift cards. The goal of the app is quite simple: scan receipts and earn points. If you shop for sponsored brands or items, you will earn more points. Then, you turn those receipts into gift cards.
Occasionally, Fetch has promotions where you can earn extra points. For example, they recently offered double points if you scan in a receipt from a fast food restaurant. Beyond this, the best way to earn points is to purchase items from promoted brands. For me, I can rely on Pepsi, Doritos, and Sabra to give me a decent number of points. Otherwise, you get a base 25 point for any receipt.
Is Fetch Worth It?
Over the course of a year, I’ve only earned about $20 in gift cards. I only get cards to Amazon, but Fetch is so easy that I’ll continue using it. I don’t need to modify any of my spending habits; I just need to scan receipts.
The biggest downside is collecting physical receipts. I tend to decline receipts when given the option, but you need the paper if you want to use Fetch. Still, I get so many receipts that it’s nice to convert them into something. You don’t need to scan the receipts immediately, so you can do this from the comfort of your home. Given the simplicity, it’s hard to speak negatively about this app. I don’t get much, but I don’t need to exhaust too much effort.
Shopkick
If you spend a lot of time shopping in stores, Shopkick is a fun addition to your experience. The goal of the app is to earn “kicks” which can be used to acquire gift cards. Often, you earn kicks simply by entering the store. You can also receive kicks when you buy certain items or scan items in store.
This app helps to track consumer habits. If you scan items in stores, they’re often newer or uncommon variations of products. This can help brands understand which stores have their products in stock.
Is Shopkick With It?
I no longer use Shopkick, and that’s because it took forever to accumulate points. Typically, you earn 25–100 kicks per scan, but it costs thousands of points to receive a gift card.
Unless you’re really desperate, I don’t think this app is worth it. It’s awkward to stand in the middle of a store and try to scan a product just to receive 50 points from an app. This inconvenience wasn’t worth the rewards, as it took me about a year to earn $25. Additionally, I found the gift card selection to be kind of limited, but there still are good options.
Ibotta
Similar to Fetch and Shopkick, Ibotta is an app that rewards you for making in-store purchases. If you want points, you need to purchase sponsored items. This means spending real money if you want to get money back from Ibotta.
Ibotta feels like you’re clipping coupons. Rather than having money taken off the cost of a product, the savings are added to your bank. Once you accumulate $20, you can redeem a gift card. The reward per item is greater than other apps, but you need to spend more intentionally and focus on the products Ibotta chooses to promote.
Is Ibotta Worth It?
Using Ibotta, I found the process took a lot of effort. I needed to add deals to my account before going to the store. Then, I needed to buy the item and scan in my receipt (similar to Fetch). There are also ways to link loyalty accounts to skip the scanning step, but you still need to be much more intentional with this app.
After using this app for months, I found Ibotta did not give me great rewards. Most of the items on the app aren’t part of my regular shopping list. It takes a long time to receive rewards, and the $20 requirement makes it hard to reach the point of profitability. I still have the app, but I anticipate neglecting it in the near future.
Rakuten
If you shop online, Rakuten allows you to save a little bit more when you visit affiliated stores. Many of the most popular brands are represented on the website, and users typically receive 1%-10% back when they visit an e-commerce store using Rakuten’s links and cookies.
Essentially, this service is one huge affiliate network. Brands collaborate with Rakuten to entice users to shop more. Rakuten earns a small profit each time they refer a paying customer, but some of the savings are passed onto the customer through money-back deals. They also feature promo codes so users can stack the savings.
Is Rakuten Worth It?
If you’re going to use any website or app on this list, Rakuten is the best one. Over the years, I have earned hundreds of dollars with Rakuten (formerly eBates). Their browser extension makes it easy to apply savings while shopping, and you don’t need to make a special purchase to reap the benefits.
I admit that the savings have been the deciding factor when making a purchase. If you’re ever on the fence, an additional 10% back can push you in an expensive direction. However, this makes sense. Rakuten couldn’t operate if they didn’t effectively drive business to stores. In this regard, you may need to proceed with caution. Otherwise, the site is legitimate and worthwhile.
Swagbucks
If you can think of a way to earn a few dollars online, Swagbucks probably lets you do it. Ultimately, the goal is to collect “Swagbucks,” their virtual currency which can be redeemed for gift cards. This means earning money is dependent upon the effort you put into the app, and there’s a lot of earning potential.
On Swagbucks you can earn bucks by shopping online (similar to Rakuten), doing surveys, using their search engine, playing games, downloading sponsored apps, or watching videos. Some of these activities are time consuming, but it’s good to have options to earn. If you’re invested in putting time into earning money online, Swagbucks is a good place to start.
Is Swagbucks Worth It?
Swagbucks is legitimate, but the rewards don’t pour in. Firstly, you need to invest time to earn rewards, and you’re mostly trying to get gift cards. You can always earn bucks by shopping, but Rakuten typically has better deals where you can earn real money.
If you’re looking to earn money online as a hobby, Swagbucks might be nice. It’s also a good option if you want to limit the personal information you put into your account because gift cards have fewer regulations. Otherwise, you don’t receive a lot on Swagbucks and there are better options out there. You’d be much better off getting a minimum wage job rather than use Swagbucks for income, especially if you’re relying on surveys. While there’s no harm trying Swagbucks, it’s also not going to have good returns.
Are Money-Saving Apps Worth Your Time?
There are two extremes when it comes to saving money. One extreme will do absolutely anything to get a few cents back. The other extreme will reject all money-saving apps because they don’t want to look cheap. Most people fall somewhere in the middle, and that means they’ll pick and choose which apps are worth their time.
Out of the five apps I’ve spent the most time with, all of them have some benefit. While some require a lot of additional effort, there aren’t any that negatively impacted my finances. However, there are a few where the benefits were so minimal that I just don’t need them in my life. There’s only one app I think everyone should use and that’s Rakuten. Otherwise, I think the apps depend on your behaviors.
Even though I’ve wasted a lot of time with Ibotta and Swagbucks, I don’t think they’re utterly useless. Someone will find value in these apps, and we’re lucky to live in a time where we have so much potential to get money back. Every little bit matters, and these apps will allow you to squeeze a couple extra cents out of each dollar.
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