I spend about $600 a month on groceries for a family of four. That is not extravagant — it is just what food costs. When I heard people claiming they got “hundreds back” from receipt-scanning apps, I was skeptical. It sounded like one of those things that saves you $4 a month if you spend an hour scanning receipts.

I tested four apps for three months. Here is what actually works.

Ibotta — Best Overall

Ibotta gives cash back on specific products at specific stores. Before you shop, check the app for offers on things you already buy. Add the offers, shop, then scan your receipt. The money goes into your Ibotta account and you can cash out to PayPal or gift cards at $20.

My average: about $12-15 a month. It is not life-changing, but it takes maybe two minutes per shopping trip. Over a year, that is $150-180 for essentially no effort.

Fetch — Easiest to Use

Fetch does not require you to select offers before shopping. Just scan any grocery receipt and you earn points that convert to gift cards. The earn rate is low — maybe $5-8 a month for a typical grocery haul — but the zero-effort model means you actually use it consistently.

Rakuten — For Online Grocery Orders

If you order groceries online through Instacart, Walmart, or Amazon Fresh, Rakuten gives 1-3% cash back just for clicking through their portal first. It is not a grocery-specific app, but the cash back on online grocery orders adds up. I got $22 back in three months from grocery orders alone.

The Stacking Strategy

Use Ibotta for specific offers before you shop, Fetch for the receipt scan after, and Rakuten if you order online. The apps do not conflict with each other because they are processing the same receipt through different systems. Stacking three apps turned $600/month in groceries into about $25-30 back per month. It is not free groceries, but it is free money.