Ibotta says its average user earns $256 a year, and Fetch's communications director told AARP that active users average $410. Both are company claims and averages, not typical outcomes. On Receipt Hog, a $10 to $50 receipt earns 10 coins, about 5 cents at its 1,000 coins = $5 rate.
Ibotta needs $20 in earnings, including at least one name-brand offer redemption. Receipt Hog's minimum is $5, and Fetch's blog lists a 3,000-point minimum for entry-level gift cards, with about 1,000 points equal to $1.
How the money works
Ibotta pays cash to a bank account, with PayPal and gift cards also available in the app (Ibotta help). Fetch rewards are gift cards, merchandise or donations. Receipt Hog pays in coins that convert to PayPal, Amazon or Visa e-gift cards (Receipt Hog FAQ).
Fetch says it accepts receipts from any store. Receipt Hog counts only eligible retailers, requires upload within 14 days and allows 3 receipts per retailer per date (terms).
What people actually earn
No independent measurement of typical cashback earnings is published. Finder's Ibotta figure comes from Ibotta's Chrome Web Store listing, so it is also an Ibotta claim, and it differs from the $256 above.
What you'd keep per receipt scanned on Receipt Hog
Prefilled from the sources below. Change any number to match your situation.
- $30
- $900
- $300
Where the hours go
No source publishes how long scanning and offer-hunting take. Receipt Hog's help center says that after 100 coins from receipts in a week, each extra receipt earns 5 coins plus a sweepstakes entry. The hourly earnings guide shows how to run the numbers on your own time.
What it costs to start
| Item | Cost | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Signup | $0 | Required |
| Ibotta inactivity fee | $4 a month | Optional |
| Checkout 51 inactivity fee | $4 a month | Optional |
Ibotta and Checkout 51 charge inactivity fees, and Fetch's terms say points expire after 90 days without earning or redeeming.
Where to find offers and receipt rewards
| Platform | What it keeps | First pay | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ibotta | $3.99 per 30 days inactive | Not published | Apply |
| Fetch Rewards | Not published | Not published | Apply |
| Receipt Hog | Not published | Not published | Apply |
| Checkout 51 | Up to $3.99 per month idle | Not published | Apply |
Age, tax and fee rules in the U.S.
No upfront fee is required in the published terms: Ibotta is free to use, Fetch says no credit card is needed, and Receipt Hog's terms mention no fee. Fetch requires the age of majority in your jurisdiction, Receipt Hog the legal age to contract in your state, and Checkout 51 the age of majority.
IRS Publication 525 says a cash rebate from a dealer or manufacturer on an item you buy isn't income, and its example is a car. It doesn't say whether that covers an app's cash rewards, so applying it to cashback apps is an inference. The IRS gig economy tax center says gig income is taxable even without an information return, which may matter for bonuses or referral payments if an app offers them.
Risks and red flags
- Purchase data. Fetch's privacy policy says it collects products scanned, purchased, searched or favorited, plus rewards earned and redeemed, and discloses them to brand partners, service providers and advertising platforms. It states it has sold or shared personal information with third parties in the prior 12 months and offers an opt-out link. It reads emailed receipts only with your consent.
- Bank access. Linking a bank to Ibotta through Plaid shares transaction history, holder information and balance with Ibotta, and Ibotta may disable withdrawals to protect an account (Ibotta help).
- Changing terms. Fetch can change its minimum redemption amount at its sole discretion and can change or remove rewards and offers without notice (Fetch terms). Dosh shut down on February 28, 2025.
Who this fits, and who should skip it
Fits if:
- You can let rewards build to Receipt Hog's $5, Ibotta's $20 or Fetch's 3,000 points before cashing out.
- You are fine with brands and advertisers seeing what you buy.
Skip if:
- You want a stated price per task. Paid online surveys and website and app user testing publish one.
- You want larger profits and can risk money on stock, as in retail arbitrage.
- You don't want your purchase history shared with advertisers.
How to start
- Check the age rule in Fetch's terms and Receipt Hog's terms.
- Sign up through the official pages: Fetch's FAQ, Ibotta's help article or Checkout 51's help page.
- On Receipt Hog, finish the intro survey and verify your email before you try to redeem (Receipt Hog cashing-out FAQ).
- Choose a payout. Ibotta's PayPal help page says withdrawals usually arrive within 2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Ibotta's fee page says to redeem an offer, complete a Gaming Offer or get a Referral Bonus every 180 days. After 180 days with no redemption, it deducts $3.99 per 30 days, taken only from your Ibotta balance.
Fetch's terms say it may deduct points or terminate accounts for activity it considers unauthorized or fraudulent, in its sole discretion. The dispute window for deductions is seven days.
Ibotta's fee page says fees are never charged to your personal bank account. Ibotta's help article says you can link one checking and one savings account, and each bank account can link to only one Ibotta account.
Checkout 51's terms list a check or an approved electronic method such as PayPal. Checks are mailed to the address on the account.
Sources
Government
- Publication 525 (2025), Taxable and Nontaxable Income
IRS · Accessed
- Gig economy tax center
IRS · Accessed
- How to spot and avoid task scams
FTC · Accessed
- Job scams
FTC · Accessed
- How to spot, avoid, and report fake check scams
FTC · Accessed
Official platform and company pages
- Are you earning cash back on every shopping trip?
Ibotta · Accessed
- How much are Coin-Receipts worth?
Receipt Hog Help Center · Accessed
- Receipt Hog U.S. and Canada Terms and Conditions
Receipt Hog · Accessed
- How do I get cash back straight to my bank account?
Ibotta · Accessed
- How to earn gift cards (and how fast you can actually get one)
Fetch · Accessed
- Are there cash options for rewards points?
Fetch · Accessed
- Fetch launches rewarded video
Fetch / PR Newswire · Accessed
- Receipt Hog FAQs: All About Coins
Receipt Hog · Accessed
- What Happens When I Reach 100 Coins For The Week?
Receipt Hog Help Center · Accessed
- Fetch Terms of Service
Fetch · Accessed
- What are Account Maintenance Fees?
Ibotta · Accessed
- Fetch FAQs
Fetch · Accessed
- Checkout 51 Terms of Service (US)
Checkout 51 (CB Neptune Holdings, LLC d/b/a Neptune Retail Solutions) · Accessed
- Fetch Privacy Policy
Fetch · Accessed
- Checkout 51 Help
Checkout 51 · Accessed
- Receipt Hog FAQs: Cashing Out!
Receipt Hog · Accessed
- How do I withdraw my earnings to PayPal?
Ibotta Help Center · Accessed
News and community reports
- I Made $90 Using Cash-Back Apps for a Month
AARP · Accessed
- Apps Like Ibotta (2026)
Finder · Accessed
- Dosh App Shutting Down
Doctor of Credit (reproducing Dosh notice) · Accessed