Is Fetch Rewards really legit? Let’s find out. To try out the app yourself, check it out on Android or iOS.
The cash-back app market has become increasingly competitive in recent years. This makes it hard to know which one is best, what the pitfalls are, and why they’re even popular in the first place.
Fetch Rewards is one of the names that has been getting a lot of buzz lately. Some reviewers of this app claim that you can earn free gift cards worth up to $75 each month. Just by shopping at your favorite stores and diligently uploading your shopping receipts.
If this would be true, the monthly rewards of Fetch Rewards would be well above average.
Having tested more than a dozen of savings and cash back apps, we know that there are a lot of empty promises in this world. Still, there are a few gems out there that are worth using and which can genuinely help you save.
To see which category Fetch Rewards falls into, stay with us and read our full Fetch Rewards review.
In this article, we will go through what Fetch Rewards is, how it works, where you can use it, who can use it, and also some helpful tips on what to watch out for.
What is the Fetch Rewards app?
Fetch Rewards is a free reward app in which shoppers can upload receipts of the items and services they purchase. After scanning each receipt, the users earn points on their Fetch Rewards account. 1000 Fetch Rewards points are equal to about $1.
These points can then be redeemed for various rewards. As of 2021, the reward pool mainly consists of various gift cards.
Gift cards are offered for items and services from categories such as clothing, beauty products, restaurants, transportation services, and electronics.
You can also expect the reward pool to become bigger as Fetch Rewards continues to grow and form partnerships with even more brands.
If you are new to these kinds of apps, you might rightfully wonder how on earth does this kind of business model work. After all, the app is free to use. Is it a scam?
Well, the business model of Fetch Rewards is actually quite simple – Fetch Rewards makes money by selling consumer data to the brands it is partnered with.
Luckily, the data is anonymous. You will not have to worry about the details of your grocery shopping habits being monitored.
How does Fetch Rewards work?
After downloading the app and signing up, you can start using Fetch Rewards immediately. Just take a snap of your first receipt after shopping and upload the picture to Fetch Rewards. Simple.
Just make sure not to scan the same receipt twice.
For purchases made online, the process is even quicker. Fetch Rewards automatically scans your email for digital receipts and you receive the points on your account.
Fetch Rewards accepts receipts from virtually any major retailer.
This means that you will not have to go through the hassle of carefully looking through a list of shops affiliated with Fetch Rewards.
That said, if you want to get genuine value from this app, I would suggest paying attention to various promotions shown on the app.
For that, enable notifications and location services after opening up the app. That way you will be alerted when special offers are currently running near you. We all know how annoying notifications can get, but they are very useful when it comes to shopping apps.
Special offers are items, brands, or services that are offering extra Fetch Rewards points for each scanned receipt. Using these offers regularly is by far the best way of racking up points quickly. And, from my experience, most of the promoted items are on regular shopping lists anyway. It can take time to get into the habit of checking Fetch Rewards every time before you shop, but it is well worth it.
How to get started with Fetch Rewards
Getting started with Fetch Rewards is a quick process that takes no more than a couple of minutes. That said, the time it takes until you can start getting rewarded can vary.
There are many factors that come into play. From how often you shop to how many extra points you rack up. I will also talk about how to maximize your earnings at a later part of this Fetch Rewards review. For now, here’s a step-by-step process on how to start using the app:
- Install the official Fetch Rewards app – The Fetch app is available for free both for iOS and Android devices.
- Provide your personal details – You can choose between accessing the Fetch app via your Google account or Facebook account. You can also opt to provide your details manually. No sensitive information such as banking details are needed. The app will only ask for your birth date, full name, home address, email address, and a phone number.
- Browse offers – Currently relevant special offers are always available on the home screen of Fetch Rewards app. I suggest giving the offers a quick glance immediately – maybe you will see an item, brand, or service that was already on your immediate shopping list.
- Start uploading your receipts – To get genuine monetary value from apps like Fetch Rewards, you must use them diligently. Develop the habit of scanning receipts after every shopping trip. After all, the process takes no more than a few seconds. Just make sure that the photo you take is not too blurry and that you upload the entire receipt. As long as there is plenty of light and the receipt is on a flat surface, your picture should be good to go. I personally have never had a single receipt rejected by Fetch Rewards.
- Start receiving points on your Fetch Rewards account – It officially takes 24-48 hours for Fetch Rewards to process a receipt and send you the points. From my experience, the processing time is usually closer to the 24-hour mark.
- Redeem rewards in return for your points – 1000 Fetch Rewards points are roughly equal to 1USD. You can start to redeem prizes once you have accumulated 3000 Fetch Rewards points on your account. The rewards mainly come in the form of various gift cards but you can also opt to spend your points on donations to the Red Cross.
My personal experiences with Fetch Rewards
I have tested more than a dozen saving and shopping apps. All of these apps are slightly different, but the basic features tend to be quite similar.
From my experience, whether an app is worth using or not comes down to 2 variables – how comfortable the app is to use and how much money you can save by using it.
Fetch Rewards performed well in both of these categories.
It takes only a few minutes to understand each feature (there are not many!) offered by Fetch Rewards. Scanning of both digital and physical receipts is quick, the user interface is simple, and the app is not heavy on the battery.
How about the saving capabilities?
Well, it depends. I managed to rack up 17 000 Fetch Rewards points in a month. by scanning a total of 44 receipts. In monetary terms, these are obviously not game-changing numbers.
But, you must consider that I tested the app without using any additional methods of gaining points such as referrals and special offers. You see, when I test a shopping app, I always approach the experiment from an angle of passive saving. I want to see how much I can save without changing my regular shopping habits.
Since it takes no more than a minute to scan a receipt, $15-$50 in free gift cards per month is not a bad outcome at all. These earnings are also slightly above average when compared to some of the popular alternatives.
If you are choosing a cash back app purely on the basis of how much you can accumulate in monetary value, Fetch Rewards is well worth a shot.
Fetch Rewards: Why I Like It
Rewards are processed quickly
It officially takes up to 3 days for Fetch Rewards to process your requested rewards. But, from my personal experience with the Fetch Rewards app, the whole process usually takes no more than a few hours.
When compared to other similar apps, the process is much quicker.
This can be very beneficial in real-life scenarios. Planning on grabbing a cup of Starbucks on your commute to work the next morning? Just redeem a gift card the evening before and you can get that vanilla latte for free.
Large amount of special offers available
At the Fetch Rewards app, you can expect to find at least 10-15 special offers available at all times. If you shop for a brand, product, or service having a special promotion of Fetch Rewards, you will receive bonus points.
For people already familiar with saving apps, this is not a groundbreaking feature by any means. Still, when we compare Fetch Rewards to competitors, the quantity of special offers is much greater than average.
Another thing to consider is the categories of items and services having these promotions. Fetch Rewards frequently has special offers for major national brands and grocery stores that you likely use anyway. Pay attention to the offers on the regular and your bonus points can stack up very quickly.
Ease-of-use
Small details (such as how much time it takes to upload a receipt to the app, how easy the special offers are to find, etc.) can make or break a shopping app.
Fetch Rewards clearly knows this, as they have developed one of the most intuitive, easy-to-use shopping apps on the market.
It will take no more than a few minutes to understand how every feature of Fetch Rewards works. Even if you have no prior experience with similar apps.
Electronic receipts supported
In addition to physical receipts, Fetch Rewards also supports digital receipts. It is a solid additional feature for people who are fans of online shopping.
The e receipt feature works by scanning your email for all of your digital receipts.
This means that Fetch Rewards will also have access to your billing information and shipping address. That said, Fetch uses advanced security methods such as Keychain. So, do not worry about your sensitive information being stored by Fetch Rewards.
A solid referral system
You can earn bonus points by referring new members to the Fetch Rewards app. You get a referral code. The new member will then enter this referral code upon signing up.
Since every referred member gets bonus points too, it is a win-win. That said, do not get greedy and start spamming your friends to join Fetch Rewards. You do not want to look like a used car salesman or a pyramid schemer. You do not want to alienate your friends or family over a small referral bonus.
Stick to only referring friends or family members that are already interested in shopping and saving apps.
Expense tracking
As you scan your physical and digital receipts, Fetch Rewards will also keep track of your expenses. Just open the Activity page to see where, when, and how much you spent each month.
It is a useful little side feature for people who are planning on using this app for saving money.
Fetch Rewards: Why I Don’t Like It
No cash rewards
You can’t redeem cash rewards for your Fetch Rewards points. So, if you want the freedom of earning extra money on your PayPal or bank account, you are going to have to look into some other side hustles like product or website testing.
Limited earning options
Fetch Rewards is not nearly as robust as some of its main competitors. You earn points by scanning receipts – that’s pretty much it.
It’s US-exclusive
As of 2021, Fetch Rewards is only available in the US. So, if you are from any other region, you need to find another alternative.
Fetch Rewards alternatives
Fetch Rewards is one of the biggest players in the cash back market. But it is far from being the only one worth trying.
Here are the 3 best alternatives to Fetch Rewards:
Ibotta
Ibotta is one of the firm favorites of the cash back community. When compared to Fetch Rewards, Ibotta has a more flexible reward system and more ways of earning points.
That said, it is not as comfortable to use as Fetch Rewards. For example, some special offers only unlock after completing tasks such as watching a short clip.
In a nutshell, Ibotta is a good app with solid earning opportunities, but it is not nearly as passive to use as Fetch Rewards.
ReceiptPal
ReceiptPal is in operation since 2013, ReciptPal is another popular receipt scanning app. The premise of the app is exactly the same – you scan all your store receipts for points that can then be converted to gift cards.
When compared to Fetch Rewards, the points do not accumulate nearly as quickly. ReceiptPal is worth a try for another reason – weekly sweepstakes.
3 times per week, a lottery is held for bigger prizes worth approximately $250. Each member of ReceiptPal is automatically eligible for these sweepstakes.
Checkout 51
Checkout 51 is another cash back app with a large amount of earning options. Checkout 51 is popular among the cash back community for its large amount of available offers – you can even save on gas purchases. It is also one of the few cash back apps that lets you withdraw your earnings directly to your PayPal account.
Conclusion: Is Fetch Rewards legit?
If you are looking for a simple way to save some money while doing your everyday activities, I would suggest giving Fetch Rewards a go.
In fact, it is becoming one of my go-to suggestions for people wanting to try their first cash back app.
With points accumulating quickly, it is easy to see how this app can help you reach your short-term savings goals.
The only real downside I found was the lack of turning the points into cash. That said, the variety of items and services you can get for the gift cards is impressive. It is virtually impossible that you will not find a way to put your hard-earned points into use.
All things considered, I would recommend the app. It is not a quick fix that will instantly save you hundreds of dollars every week, but it is a fun and easy way of getting a free item here and there. And, since we all love a good freebie, why not try the app out.