If you are looking to earn extra cash, one easy way to do that is to use receipt scanning apps.
These apps will allow you to earn simply by taking photos of your receipts and uploading them, or sometimes you just scan them with your app.
Yes, you read that right. It’s that simple.
What’s great about these apps is that you will essentially be turning trash into treasure. Unless it’s a receipt for gadgets or electronic devices you’ve bought, chances are, it’s going to wind up in the trash bin.
But before you throw it in the bin, why not earn from it, right?
Now, the question is, which apps should you use to make it worth your time?
There are quite a lot of these apps around. So, to help you out, I’ve decided to make a guide about the 10 best receipt-scanning apps.
This guide will show you which apps are worth using, I have personally tested all these apps, so I know they work. They are also all legit and free to join. You can just sign up and start using them right away.
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How do receipt-scanning apps work?
The premise of receipt scanning apps is very simple. Whenever you get a receipt, all you have to do is open the app and take a photo of the receipt.
Other times, you might instead just have to scan the receipt inside the app or even just scan the barcode of the products you are buying.
But you have to make sure the photo or scan you take is clear and readable so the app can verify the details of the receipt.
Also, every receipt scanning app has its guidelines on what to include when taking a photo of a receipt. Some of these apps also only accept receipts from specific stores.
So, before you submit a receipt, you have to check their guidelines. When your receipt is verified, you will receive a corresponding reward. It would then be up to the app how you can withdraw your rewards.
Typically, receipt scanning apps offer withdrawal via PayPal, which is one of the most convenient payment methods around, in my opinion. However, many of them also offer you different rewards like, for example, gift cards, if you prefer this.
Now, if you are wondering why you get paid for this simple task, let me explain to you why these apps exist. You see, these apps provide consumer behavior data to companies. These companies will then use the data gathered to make decisions regarding their products or services.
So, it’s just a form of market research. Companies pay these apps to gather data, and in turn, these apps pay their members for submitting receipts. That’s all there is to it.
How much can you earn scanning by receipts?
Before we proceed with discussing which apps you should join, it is important to know how much you can earn from these apps. The truth is, you won’t earn a lot from them. So, don’t expect to earn a lot of money quickly.
It’s not a way to earn a living, and it will not replace your full-time job. It is, however, as mentioned earlier, a good earning opportunity for a bit of extra cash. That’s because you are essentially turning garbage into money. And as I’ve said, there are quite a lot of apps that offer this kind of opportunity.
So, to maximize your earnings, you can join around 5 to 7 apps so that you can submit your receipt to all of these apps. That’s the best way to ensure you earn the most from your receipt.
Some of these apps also offer other earning opportunities like paid surveys and referral programs. So, you can still earn rewards even if you don’t have a new receipt.
10 best receipt scanning apps
Let me just make it clear that this is not a full list of receipt-scanning apps you can join. It is instead, a list of the receipt scanning apps I think are worth your time based on personal experience after having tested hundreds of free earning methods.
I will keep updating this list, so make sure to bookmark this page and check back from time to time for new opportunities.
Available in: Worldwide but most opportunities in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Germany, France
Payout methods: PayPal, gift cards
Payout threshold: $5
More information: Read full Swagbucks review
Short summary:
Swagbucks is one of the most popular GPT sites out there today. It has plenty of earning opportunities like paid surveys and offers, a referral program, and of course, scanning receipts.
It has a low payout threshold of $5 and once you reach it, you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal or convert it to various gift cards. The only downside of this platform is, even though it is available worldwide, most opportunities are in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Germany, and France.
So, if you don’t live in any of the countries mentioned above, your earnings will be rather low. It does have an app you can download that works for Android devices. If you are an iOS user, you’d have to stick to logging in to their website which can be done from both a computer and a mobile device.
Available in: US and Canada
Payout methods: PayPal, gift cards
Payout threshold: $10 for PayPal, $3 for certain gift cards
More info: Read full MyPoints review
Short summary:
MyPoints is another GPT site that has an app for Android and iOS platforms. Aside from scanning receipts, you can also earn from this site by reading emails, answering surveys, watching videos, getting cash back when shopping online, and a lot more.
It has a relatively low payout threshold for PayPal withdrawals ($10) and an even lower threshold if you choose to convert your rewards to gift cards ($3). It is only available in the US and Canada.
The app itself is very user-friendly, so you won’t have a hard time getting used to how it works.
Available in: Select countries
Payout methods: gift cards
Payout threshold: Depends on your country
More information: Read full NielsenIQ Homescan review
Short summary:
NielsenIQ Homescan is a bit different from the other app on this list, but it can be a very interesting way to earn a bit extra.
You just have to scan all your groceries with the app instead of scanning your receipts. You will then earn points for every week you are actively using the app.
Just be aware that NielsenIQ Homescan is only available in select countries, and they do not always accept new members.
Available in: US
Payout methods: gift cards, Red Cross donation
Payout threshold: $3
More information: Read full Fetch Rewards review
Short summary:
Fetch Rewards is one of the best receipt scanning apps around. It is available for both iOS and Android devices. The main way to earn from this app, is of course, by submitting photos of your receipts. But you can also earn by inviting other people to join the app and availing of their special offers.
But the main reason why it’s on this list is it has a very low payout threshold of $3. And once you reach it, you can then redeem various gift cards from Amazon, Walmart, Target, and a lot more. You can also donate your earnings to Red Cross if you so choose.
The only downside to this app is, it doesn’t offer any cash rewards. It is also only available in the US.
Available in: UK
Payout methods: PayPal, gift cards, direct bank transfer
Payout threshold: £10
More information: Read full Quidco review
Short summary:
Quidco is mainly a cashback app. You can earn rewards by availing of cashback offers online and from physical stores. But it will also allow you to earn by scanning receipts.
It has a relatively low payout threshold of £10 and once you reach it, you can withdraw via PayPal or direct bank transfer. You can also redeem gift cards instead.
The app is only available in the UK though but it works with both Android and iOS devices. It can also be used on a laptop or desktop since their cashback offers can be accessed from their website.
Available in: US
Payout methods: PayPal, gift cards, check, prepaid Visa cards
Payout threshold: $10
More info: Read full InboxDollars review
Short summary:
InboxDollars is a GPT site that is only available in the US. It offers multiple ways for you to earn like answering surveys, scanning receipts, watching videos, and a lot more. Uploading receipts isn’t the main way to earn from this site, so you need to make you also use the other earning methods.
The payout threshold is a bit high ($30) the first time you cash out, in my opinion. But after your first cashout, you only need to earn $10 to get paid. Also, since you can earn in many ways, it shouldn’t be that hard to reach the threshold, and you will also get a $5 joining bonus. Once you reach the threshold, you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal or you can convert them to gift cards or prepaid Visa cards.
It is only available in the US but it does have an app that is available for both Apple and Android iOS platforms.
Available in: US, Canada, Australia
Payout methods: PayPal, prepaid Visa cards, gift cards
Payout threshold: $10
More information: Read full ReceiptJars review
Short summary:
ReceiptJar is another scanning app that lets you earn by taking photos of your receipts. You can also earn by answering surveys or by winning from their monthly prize draws.
It offers payment via PayPal or you can convert your earnings to prepaid Visa cards. You also also have the option to redeem various gift cards.
It is only available in the US, Australia, and Canada. The app works with both Android and iOS devices and it is relatively user-friendly.
Available in: US
Payout methods: PayPal, gift cards
Payout threshold: $20
More information: Read full Ibotta review
Short summary:
Ibotta is one of the more popular cashback platforms today. To earn from this app, you have to avail of cashback offers. There are two ways to do that. You can link your credit or debit card to claim your cashback offers, or you can take a photo of your receipt and submit it to the app.
Their payout threshold is a bit high at $20 but they do offer payment via PayPal. You can also convert your earnings to various gift cards.
The app works for both Android and iOS devices but it is only available in the US. So, if you don’t live in the US, this app is not for you.
Available in: United States, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam
Payout methods: Prepaid Visa card, gift cards
Payout threshold: $5
More information: Read full ReceiptPal review
Short summary:
ReceiptPal only offers one earning opportunity and that is through receipt scanning. But when you join this app, you can also win cash prizes of up to $250 if you get lucky.
Now, the good thing about this app is, it has a very low payout threshold of $5. So, you won’t have to wait that long to redeem your rewards. You can redeem prepaid Visa cards or other gift cards once you hit the threshold.
It is available in the US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Guam. The app is compatible with both Android and iOS devices too.
Available in: Different countries across Europe
Payout methods: gift cards
Payout threshold: €10
More information: Read full SnapMyEats review
Short summary:
SnapMyEats is a receipt scanning app that specializes in receipts for food items (hence the name). So, it’s a very easy way to earn since you most likely will get food-item receipts regularly.
The payout threshold of SnapMyEats is only €10 but their reward system is a bit unique compared to others. You see, you have to successfully submit 5 receipts to earn €1. But you can only earn from a maximum of 25 receipts per month. So, you basically have to wait for at least 2 months before you can redeem rewards.
But you can also submit more than 25 receipts per month since every receipt you submit in excess will give you one entry to their monthly sweepstakes where you can win €100 Amazon gift card. SnapMyEats is available in many countries across Europe and is available for both Android and iOS users.
So that concludes my guide of the best receipt scanning apps. And don’t worry, as I’ve mentioned earlier, all these apps are legit and free to join. All you really need to invest is a bit of your time and some effort in order to earn.
And as I’ve recommended earlier, you should join around 5 to 7 apps to maximize the value of your receipts. You can always join more if you feel like you can handle the additional workload. I will keep updating this list if I find more receipt scanning apps that are really worth your time.
So, make sure to bookmark this page and check back on it from time to time.
If you have any comments, questions, or know of a receipt scanning app that is not on the list, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
