How to Make Money Scanning Receipts: Complete Beginner’s Guide (2026)

How Receipt Scanning Makes Money

Think about it from a brand's perspective. They spend millions trying to figure out what people actually buy, not what they say they'll buy in surveys. Your receipt is a direct window into real purchasing behavior.

Apps like Fetch and Receipt Hog collect receipts from millions of users. They anonymize the data and sell insights to consumer brands. You get a small cut for contributing. It's not charity; it's a business transaction where your data has value.

Two types of apps exist in this space. "Any receipt" apps like Fetch and Receipt Hog pay for every single receipt you scan. Doesn't matter what you bought. The amounts are small ($0.03-$0.10 per scan), but there's zero effort involved. "Offer-based" apps like Ibotta pay more ($0.25-$5.00 per qualifying item), but you need to activate offers before shopping. The extra planning means extra earnings.

Here's what most guides won't tell you: these apps aren't competing with each other. You can scan the same receipt in Fetch, Receipt Hog, and Ibotta. Same grocery trip, three different payouts. That's where the real money is.

Getting Started: Step-by-Step

The whole setup takes about 15 minutes. Do it once and you're set for life.

Step 1: Download the Right Apps

Start with three apps: Fetch Rewards, Ibotta, and Receipt Hog. Get them from the official app store only; there are scam versions floating around. This trio covers both "any receipt" and "offer-based" models, which means you're earning from every angle.

Step 2: Create Your Accounts

Use a real email address that you actually check. Several apps offer signup bonuses (Fetch gives 2,000 points for your first receipt), and you'll need to verify your email to claim them. Pro tip: use the same email across all apps. Makes tracking everything easier.

Step 3: Set Up Payment Methods

Link PayPal if you want cash payouts. Some apps like Receipt Hog require PayPal verification before your first withdrawal. Do this now, not later when you're trying to cash out. Nothing worse than hitting your payout threshold and waiting another week for verification.

Step 4: Scan Your First Receipt

Grab any receipt from today's shopping. Open each app and follow the scanning prompts. Most take under 10 seconds per scan. Yes, you can scan the same receipt in all three apps. They track different things and don't share data with each other.

Step 5: Build the Habit

The hardest part isn't scanning; it's remembering to scan. Set a daily reminder on your phone for 8pm. Keep your receipts in one spot (wallet pocket, kitchen counter, wherever) until you've scanned them. After two weeks, it becomes automatic.

Best Apps for Beginners

Not all receipt apps are created equal. Here's how they stack up for someone just getting started.

Tier 1: Start Here

Fetch Rewards is the easiest app in the game. Scan any receipt, get points. No activating offers, no checking brands. Just scan and earn. The minimum cashout is only $3, so you'll see your first payout fast. Receipt Hog works the same way with a $5 minimum and PayPal payouts. These two should be your foundation.

Tier 2: Add for Higher Earnings

Once you've got the habit down, add Ibotta. The payouts are bigger ($0.25-$5.00 per item), but you need to check offers before shopping. Worth the extra 2-3 minutes of planning. CoinOut is another solid addition with a ridiculously low $1 minimum. Great for quick cashouts.

Tier 3: For Power Users

Amazon Shopper Panel pays $10/month just for submitting 10 receipts. The catch? Invite-only and limited spots. Shopkick adds points for scanning barcodes in-store, not just receipts. More effort, but the earnings add up. These are for people who've mastered the basics and want to maximize.

How Much Can You Really Earn?

Let's be honest about expectations. This won't replace your job. But the numbers might surprise you.

The "casual" tier is where most people land naturally. You're already shopping. You're already getting receipts. Scanning them takes 30 seconds each. At $10-15 per month, that's around $120-180 per year from what's essentially zero extra effort.

The "optimized" tier requires some hustle. You're scanning every receipt from every store. You're stacking multiple apps on each receipt. You're timing Ibotta offers. But $500-700 per year is real money, and the hourly rate works out to around $12-15/hour when you factor in the time spent.

Want to push beyond receipts? Attention-based rewards add another layer without competing for the same earnings.

Advanced Strategies

Once you've got the basics down, these strategies push your earnings higher.

Stack Every Single Receipt

This is the biggest lever you have. One grocery receipt can hit Ibotta first (7-day window), then Receipt Hog, then Fetch, then CoinOut. Same piece of paper, four different payouts. A $50 grocery trip might earn $0.05 from Fetch alone. But stacked across apps with Ibotta offers activated? That same receipt can pull $2-3.

Scan Everything, Not Just Groceries

Gas stations, pharmacies, restaurants, hardware stores. Any receipt with a store name and total works for most apps. People leave serious money on the table by only scanning grocery runs.

Time Your Ibotta Offers

Ibotta refreshes offers every Thursday. Check them before your weekend shopping. High-value offers ($1-$5) go fast, especially around holidays. Set a Thursday evening reminder to browse offers and plan your list.

Never Miss a Bonus

Fetch runs weekly bonuses tied to specific brands. Ibotta has monthly bonus goals. Receipt Hog's slot machine spins can hit big. These bonuses can add 20-30% to your baseline earnings. The trick is actually checking for them, which most users forget.

Combine with Other Methods

Receipt apps don't have to be your only play. Instant payout apps work alongside receipt scanners. Attention-based rewards like VISU add earnings without competing for the same dollars.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most people who quit receipt scanning leave money on the table because of avoidable errors.

Using only one app. This is the biggest mistake. Scanning one receipt in four apps takes maybe 90 seconds total. Using just Fetch when you could be using Fetch plus Ibotta plus Receipt Hog plus CoinOut is literally throwing away 70% of your potential earnings.

Letting receipts expire. Ibotta has a 7-day window. Fetch and Receipt Hog give you 14 days. Miss these windows and the receipt is worthless. Scan the same day you shop.

Buying stuff just for cashback. That $2 Ibotta offer doesn't help if you spend $5 on something you don't need. Only activate offers for items already on your list. The goal is passive income, not subsidized spending.

Ignoring non-grocery receipts. That gas station receipt? Scannable. The pharmacy run? Scannable. Restaurant receipt? Often scannable. If it has a store name and total, try it.

Not verifying payment details. This bites people when they finally hit payout thresholds. Set up and verify PayPal on day one.

Giving up too soon. The first month feels slow because you're building toward minimums. Fetch's $3 threshold comes fast. Ibotta's $20 takes a few weeks. Once you clear those initial hurdles, payouts become regular.

FAQ — Making Money from Receipts