How Does Ibotta Work & How Can I Use It to Earn Cashback?

What is Ibotta? Ibotta is a cashback app that offers cashback rewards when shopping online and in-store, and the app has over 300 retailers to choose from.


I will walk you through, step by step, exactly how to use the Ibotta app. I will show you how to find offers, select offers, redeem offers, and maximize your savings and cash out.

How to get started with Ibotta

How do you get Ibotta? The first thing you need to do is download the app from your app store. Once you download the app, you'll be asked to create a profile. You will click Sign up with Email and enter your name. You'll then be asked to enter your email address and create a password.


Ibotta has options for online shopping and in-store shopping. This tutorial will cover how to shop in-store and get cashback.

What is Ibotta?

Overview of Ibotta

Let's first start with looking at a general overview of the app. The first thing I want to do is go over the general outline of the app. 


At the very top, you will see a search bar where you can search for a specific product or a specific store. Just underneath that, you will see the ads across the top. These tend to be specific promotions that are happening or deals that you might want to check out. As you continue to scroll, you'll see recommended retailers. Just below that, you'll see "earn more with bonuses."


You will also see that you can shop by category, with special deals at the bottom. Running across the bottom of the screen, you'll see tabs called home screen, redeem, bonuses, and your account. 

How to use the Ibotta app

How to find and select offers 

The first thing we do is we are going to look for the store where we want to shop. You can look under recommended retailers or go to the top search bar and type in the store you are looking for. 


Say we're planning to shop at Walmart, and we're planning to shop in-store. Select "in-store" to see the offers that are available there. Once you find a rebate you are interested in, you need to select that rebate. 


For example, let's say I'm interested in M&M candies. As you can see, this bag of M&Ms has a little greenish check mark checked. That means I have selected that offer. That check mark needs to be highlighted before I submit my receipt to get my money back. You make that happen by clicking the plus sign and adding it to your list.


If you want to see all of the items you have selected, you can click on the three lines in the bottom right-hand corner, which will show you all the different items you have checked. 


When I'm in the store, I can look at the specific offers I have already selected. Going back to our M&M example, I'm going to click on the offer by touching it, and it will tell me the details of this offer. It states that I will get a dollar back, with a limit of five offers. It also says the offer is valid on any M&M chocolate candy, 8oz to 38oz. The exclusions and the offer's expiration date are also stated in this section. 


As I scroll, I see "check product barcode." If I click that, I can scan the product's barcode to ensure I am purchasing the correct product. As we scroll, we'll also see all the different stores where I can use this rebate and get my money back. 


That is how you read an offer. Again, make sure the green checkmark is checked. You will get your cashback when you submit your receipt. 


If I scanned an item that did not have a rebate, it would say "no offers found."

Using the Ibotta app

What to do after purchasing

Once you've purchased the item, you will scan your receipt to redeem your offers. From the home screen, you will click on the button that says "Redeem" down at the bottom of the screen. You'll next select where you purchased your items.


Once you click the scan button, it will ask you to position your receipt within a rectangle on the screen. If it is too long to fit into the rectangle, you can add more sections after you take the first picture. 


After scanning your receipt, you will click "Submit Receipt" and then click yes, Submit, and it will find your offer. 


After clicking on "Submit Receipt," you're going to say, Collect $, and you're done. You can go into your account (then to Your Earnings) and check that your cashback has been processed. 

Scanning receipts

Walmart receipts

Redeeming a receipt to Walmart is a bit different because the Walmart receipts have a barcode. You're still going to click on "Redeem," then you're going to click on Walmart, and then click that you want to upload a receipt, which will bring up a barcode scanner. 


Then scan the barcode of your receipt. It's going to verify that you purchased the items you checked. Once that's done, click "Collect $" for all your offers, wait until it says 100%, and click Done. 


Checking your account balance

It's easy to verify that the money is in your account. To do this, open your app, go to your account, and you're going to see both your current earnings and your lifetime earnings. 

How to earn cash with Ibotta

How to cash out

Go to your account. You're either going to click on your earnings or the button that says Reach $20 to withdraw. You can click on Add account to cash out to your bank account when you click there. You have to hit a minimum of $20 in your account before being able to cash out. You can cash out to PayPal, or you can cash out to gift cards. 


Support from Ibotta

Lastly, what do you do if you need additional help? Ibotta has a great support system, so you can click on the Help button and contact Ibotta for support.


How does Ibotta work?

That's basically how Ibotta works. It's best to familiarize yourself with it by clicking on the different buttons and testing each one out. The Ibotta app is a great way to save money and earn cash back.


Have you used apps to get cashback? Share your experiences in the comments below!

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2 of 3 comments
  • E. L. E. L. on Dec 10, 2022

    I don't understand how or even if this would work for my situation. I order online for curbside pickup & I don't get a receipt as such. Leaving me with nothing to scan for my reward. Any help would be appreciated as I think that this one similar could help me & as a senior with only social security income.

  • Debra Debra on Oct 13, 2023

    I agree with E.L. on the above facts. This isn't for me

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