Groceries are an inevitable part of your monthly expenses and, depending on the number of people in your household, they can take a massive toll on your bank account.
After all, the average family of four in the US can spend up to $1,300 monthly on food, cleaning, and personal care products.
While you can stick to a budget and search for deals on your own– which may mean sifting through and cutting up hundreds of coupons to find savings– there are more convenient ways to cut back on grocery spending.
Thanks to a variety of reward apps, it’s fairly easy to save money on many everyday purchases, including groceries.
And, out of all the grocery reward apps, Checkout 51 is undeniable one of the most popular apps around next to apps like Ibotta and Fetch Rewards.
Plus, Checkout 51 even works for gas, and this app has a new nifty features you won’t want to miss.
Let’s dive into our Checkout 51 review to figure out if this app is worth your time.
Checkout 51
Name: Checkout 51 App
Description: Checkout 51 is a free rewards app that lets you earn cashback for buying groceries, household essentials, and even gas! This app is available in the U.S. and Canada and is one of the most popular reward apps around.
Operating System: Android, IOS
Application Category: Shopping
Author: Tom Blake
Overall
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Earning Potential
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Earning Options
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Ease of Use
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Reward Options
Table of Contents
What is Checkout 51?
In a nutshell, Checkout 51 pays you for buying sponsored grocery products, household essentials, and gas from their partners.
Like Ibotta, Checkout 51 is really an easy way to earn cashback rewards while shopping for everyday products.
The app has been around since 2012 and has millions of downloads and a 4.5 star rating average, making it a fan-favorite for frugal shoppers.
Like other grocery reward apps, Checkout 51 has several ways to earn, although the app is fairly simplistic overall.
How Does Checkout 51 Work?
If you want to earn rewards then next time you head to the grocery store or refuel, getting started is fairly simple:
Step #1: Create An Account
Download Checkout 51 for Android or IOS and create a free account.
If you’re not the smartphone type, you can also access Checkout 51 on your desktop if you have a webcam or camera to upload a photo of your receipt.
Step #2: Browse Weekly Offers
Add all of your favorite deals to your weekly shopping list so you can check them off after you shop.
New promotions release every Thursday (just in time for your Saturday grocery run!) and they expire by the following Wednesday.
Additionally, browsing for weekly offers is critical for actually making money with this app.
Offers expire or get claimed quickly by other members, so be sure to get in the habit of adding Checkout 51 offers to your virtual shopping list before it’s time to head to the grocery store.
Step #3: Shop
Complete your shopping as usual and double-check each offer you’re buying to ensure you purchase the right brand, size, and quantity.
Rebates are quite specific, so a single mistake could mean your purchase doesn’t earn cashback at all.
Step #4: Redeem & Upload Receipt
After you shop, check off all the items you purchased from your shopping list on Checkout 51.
Afterwards, take a photo of your receipt through the built-in camera feature on the app. This is done to verify that you’ve actually purchased products that are eligible for rebates.
Remember: receipts are only good for one use so make sure you’ve checked off all your purchased items.
Step #5: Earn Rewards
When your receipt is approved you will see your earnings deposited in your account.
Cashback offers pay varying amounts, but it’s common to find offers that pay between $0.50 to $5 just for buying a specific product!
It can take a few days for your receipt to process and credit so be patient for the money to appear in your account balance.
Different Types Of Offers
At its core, Checkout 51 involves scanning grocery receipts to earn cashback.
However, there are actually several ways to earn, each with a slight nuance.
Here is the breakdown of all the ways you can earn using Checkout 51:
1. Barcode Offers
Barcode offers are one of the more common ways to make money with Checkout 51.
For qualifying barcode purchases, you scan the barcode of that item to verify that you have the right product. An in-app scanner makes this quite straightforward.
Remember: This is in addition to the regular upload of your receipt, so don’t throw it out before redeeming your cashback!
2. Bonus Offers
Bonus offers appear at the top of the weekly offers page once you have redeemed a certain number of specific offers.
An example of a bonus offer would be to earn an extra $1.00 if you redeem 4 offers within a week.
In this case, I found a nice Glade bonus that’s pretty lucrative!
Bonuses aren’t the main way to earn with Checkout 51, but they’re a great way to push your savings even further.
3. Choose Your Own Offer
This is a weekly offer which lets you take anywhere from $0.25 to $0.50 off an item of your choice, no matter the brand or the price.
It usually applies to produce items, which means some of your fruits or vegetables may end up costing you nothing.
Extra Reading – 15 Apps That Pay You To Workout.
4. Sweepstakes
Checkout 51 sometimes holds a contest which gives you the chance to win $500!
All it takes to qualify is the submission of a minimum $60 grocery receipt.
If you’re shopping for a household, this should be easy to hit.
For individuals, it isn’t out of the question either, so this is a fairly easy sweepstake to enter.
5. Brand Programs
These are less frequently available, but they grant access to offers on specific brands.
You have to join a brand program in order to receive these offers, so keep an eye out for the ‘Join’ button within your weekly offers.
If you spot a brand you buy every week, this is potentially an easy way to score cashback without changing your shopping routine.
6. Online Offers
This section of Checkout 51 lets you shop at specific online retailers to earn cashback.
You don’t need to submit your receipt in this as Checkout 51 will have access to all your purchase information already.
Admittedly, this section is pretty lackluster, especially when you compare it to cashback websites like Rakuten or sponsored offers from the Honey Browser Extension.
However, if you’re close to cashing out, it’s a nice earning option to have.
Extra Reading – 13 Money-Saving Browser Extensions For Online Shopping.
7. Loyalty Card
If you have a loyalty card for a store or retailer that you use on every grocery run, you can link it to your Checkout 51 account.
You just need to pre-select offers as usual and then use your loyalty card at checkout. Afterwards, cashback appears in your account within 48 hours.
This saves the step of scanning your receipt. Just remember to scan your loyalty card at checkout!
Checkout 51 Gas Offers
One of the advantages of using Checkout 51 over other grocery rebate apps like Caddle and Ibotta is that you can save money on gas alongside your groceries.
To save money on fuel, simply:
- Check The Map. Checkout 51’s map will show you all the applicable gas stations nearby, as well as the current prices on fuel.
- Add Offers. The app offers fuel rewards so you can save on filling your tank. Rewards expire 4 hours after they are uploaded, so be sure to add them soon before fueling up.
- Upload Receipt. Take a photo of your receipt through the built-in camera feature on the app. Remember: your receipt must be uploaded within 24 hours!
- Earn. App users can earn up to 25¢/gallon on gas purchases as stations like Shell, Chevron, BP, Exxon, Mobile and more.
If you’re only looking for gas savings, also consider checking out our GetUpside review to learn how to save even more at the pump!
Where Is Checkout 51 Available?
The grocery features of the app are available in the U.S. and Canada.
The fuel savings are only currently available in the U.S., but Checkout 51 has promised that Canada will soon follow.
Canada has a shameful lack of reward apps aside from apps like Drop and Moka, so this is certainly refreshing!
Checkout 51 Rewards – How You Get Paid
As you continue to shop and redeem offers, you will see that your balance begins to climb.
You can check your earnings by heading to your account page. You need to have $20 in your account in order to claim your cash.
Checkout 51 offers two ways for you to cash out: either direct to your Paypal account or as a check in the mail.
Extra Reading – 10 Ways To Avoid PayPal Fees & Save.
Earning Potential
While Checkout 51 isn’t going to make you millions of dollars, it’s an easy way to make a bit of cash doing the things you’re already going to do anyways: grocery shopping and fueling up your car.
The rate at which you can redeem offers and make money ultimately depends on your shopping habits.
For example, if your household doesn’t consume many packaged or processed foods, you might find that it takes longer to work up to the $20 cash out requirement.
Families are also likely to cash out earlier than couples or people living alone because they’re buying more groceries overall and have more opportunities to earn.
The good news is that the money you earn doesn’t expire, so whether it takes you weeks or months to hit $20, you don’t have to stress about losing out on your cash.
Plus, some offers are quite lucrative: just checkout this medication rebate I got for buying cold medications:
A single purchase was nearly 25% of my cashout threshold, so it’s certainly possible to redeem your $20 several times per year if you put in the effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
I thought it was a good idea to wrap up this Checkout 51 review with some of the most commonly asked questions about the app!
Does Checkout 51 Work With Coupons?
For the most part: YES.
It’s important to check the details of the Checkout 51 offer you intend to use if you’re wanting to stack it with coupons, as certain ones have restrictions against this.
Otherwise, you’re free to combine your coupons with Checkout 51 offers and double up on your savings!
Can You Use Checkout 51 With Food stamps?
YES. As long as you have a receipt indicating that you purchased those items, it doesn’t matter how you paid for them.
Can I Redeem A Receipt Multiple Times?
NO. Every receipt is only good for one use, so make sure you’ve added all the offers that apply to your purchase.
Can I Redeem An Offer Multiple Times?
This sometimes works.
Once again, it’s important to read the details of the offer in order to figure this out, as some can be used multiple times.
This does mean that you have to make separate purchases, since the receipt itself is only good for one use.
Pros
Here are some of the main benefits of trying out Checkout 51:
- Save Money & Time. You no longer need to collect and cut mass amounts of coupons in order to save.
- Multiple Earning Options. Between the multiple ways to redeem grocery offers and fuel rewards, Checkout 51 is one of the most comprehensive reward apps around.
- Not Always Store Specific. While some offers give you cashback for shopping at one particular retailer, the majority of them are brand or product specific, meaning as long as you have a receipt the offer applies.
- Double-Up Potential. Unless otherwise stated, you can redeem the same weekly deal on a different app or use coupons at checkout. This is an easy way to double your savings.
- User-Friendly. Overall, Checkout 51 is designed to be easy to use for anyone. Plus, the ability to use it on your smartphone or desktop allows you to choose what’s most convenient for you.
Cons
Despite multiple earning options and glowing reviews, this app isn’t without some drawbacks:
- Limited Offers. Some of the offers are only available in limited quantities and will expire after they have been used a number of times. Many of the high-demand items disappear soon after they are released if you’re not quick.
- Reward Limitations. Snail mail and PayPal are your only options. Direct deposit and free gift cards would be a nice addition to the app.
- Limited Savings. Checkout 51 won’t revolutionize your finances, so don’t expect anything more than the occasional $20 reward from this app.
Other Apps Like Checkout 51
If you like the idea of earning real cash rewards for your grocery, gas, and pharmacy shopping, some Checkout 51 alternatives you can try include:
- SavingStar.
- Caddle (for Canadians).
- GetUpside, as mentioned.
- Receipt Hog.
- Ibotta.
- Fetch Rewards.
- ReceiptPal.
- Drop.
- Ampli (another nifty cashback app for Canadians that’s for more than just groceries! Check out our Ampli review for all the details).
None of these apps will pay for all of your groceries/everday purchases, but free money is never a bad thing!
My personal favorite apps are Drop and Ampli, but all of these apps have the potential to unlock some free cash and gift cards if you stick with them.
Is Checkout 51 Legit?
At the end of the day, Checkout 51 is a legit app that has a long history of paying out their users on time.
However, your shopping habits really dictate if this app is worth the download.
If you’re interested in saving money on your grocery run then it’s definitely a good platform to use.
However, making the most out of your grocery run with Checkout 51 also requires you to plan ahead, which takes dedication. Keep this time requirement in mind before downloading!
When used properly, Checkout 51 is a legitimate way to make some extra money and save on groceries, essentials and gas.
It definitely won’t be the thing that makes you rich, but it can help ease the monthly costs of groceries and gas, with the opportunity to cash out every once in a while.
Thanks so much for reading!
Hopefully, our Checkout 51 app review clarifies what you should expect and how to maximize your savings with this app!
Looking for more ways to earn? Checkout these other app reviews!
- Drop – One of the easiest ways to earn free gift cards for shopping through your smartphone.
- UpVoice – Earn $75 per year just for browsing the web.
- MobileXpression – Another easy way to earn free gift cards from your smartphone.
Tom is a full-time blogger and freelance writer with a passion for side hustling, passive income, and the gig economy. His work has appeared on dozens of personal finance websites like Money Crashers, The College Investor, Investor Junkie, and more. This Online World is all about providing people with honest ways to make and save more money by using technology. To learn more about Tom, read his About Page!
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