Is Fetch Rewards Safe? The Ultimate Guide For Shoppers

These days, there are so many reward apps that you can use to earn cash back on your daily shopping. So, if you want to save more money on monthly expenses, these apps are an easy way to get started.

Fetch Rewards is the perfect example. This receipt-scanning app lets you earn free gift cards for buying groceries and daily essentials. And it works with dozens of popular brands you might already buy.

But is Fetch Rewards safe? And what kind of data do you have to share with the app to get your free money?

I’ve been using Fetch Rewards for years, and it’s one of my favorite reward apps. So in this post, I’m covering how the app works, what kind of data Fetch Rewards collects, and if it’s ultimately safe to use.

Let’s get to it.

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How Does Fetch Rewards Work?

Fetch Rewards is a free rewards app for Android and iOS that’s available in the United States. It lets you earn various free gift cards for shopping from different partner brands and uploading your receipt for proof of purchase.

What’s nice about Fetch Rewards is that it pays you with points for buying any products from its partners, not just specific ones.

In contrast, apps like Checkout 51 or Ibotta require buying specific products from retailers. This can make it harder to earn rewards if you don’t like any of the sponsored products for a week.

And Fetch Rewards also works with very popular brands, including:

• Aquafina
• Betty Crocker
• Chex
• Huggies
• Gatorade
• Lipton
• Pepsi
• Starbucks

You can redeem your points for free gift cards starting at just $3, which is possible to reach in a shopping trip or two. And gift card options include popular retailers like Amazon, Starbucks, and Walmart.

But the question is: is the Fetch Rewards app safe, and how much data do you give up to get these rewards?

Is Fetch Rewards Safe?

Yes, Fetch Rewards is safe, and the app has millions of users and a 4.3 star rating on Trustpilot and thousands of positive reviews. I’ve also been using the app for years and haven’t had any security or safety concerns. However, you’re technically selling your consumer data to Fetch Rewards in exchange for earning rewards.

Ultimately, you have to be comfortable with the idea of selling your data to get paid if you use any app like Fetch Rewards.

However, there are numerous security and privacy practices Fetch Rewards has in place to improve app safety. Let’s take a look at what these are.

Fetch Rewards Keeps Credit Card Information Private

Fetch Rewards doesn’t steal credit card information or even store any of this information on its servers. And this is for the simple reason that the company doesn’t even have your credit or debit card details

You don’t provide your banking details when signing up for Fetch Rewards. And receipts you scan only show the last 4 digits of your debit or credit card, not the entire set of numbers.

If for some reason a receipt might contain something overly sensitive, just don’t submit it to Fetch Rewards. It’s as simple as that. There is no risk of Fetch Rewards getting or misusing your credit card information.

Fetch Rewards Anonymizes User Data

Another reason the Fetch Rewards app is safe is that it anonymizes user data, so your personal purchasing habits are kept private.

Fetch Rewards does accumulate, use, and sell user data. But it anonymizes the info and combines it with the data from millions of other users. Nothing is identifiable to you, and data is used to spot overall shopping trends and patterns.

You can read more about how Fetch Rewards uses your data on its blog post about security and privacy.

Fetch Rewards Never Asks For Sensitive Personal Information

One of my favorite parts about Fetch Rewards is how simple it is. Other than a name and email to set up the account, it doesn’t require any other personal information to sign up like a connected bank account or SIN.

In short, this means you don’t provide information that could be used to steal your identity, or that I would consider risky. 

How Does Fetch Rewards Make Money?

Fetch Rewards makes most of its money by sharing deals with its users. Companies pay to promote sponsored products on Fetch Rewards to get more customers, so Fetch Rewards receives a kickback for these purchases. The app also makes money from amalgamating and selling user data.

Again, you have to sell your data to make money with pretty much any reward app, be it Fetch Rewards or Ibotta or whatever other app you use.

But data is kept private, so you can use reward apps to save more money each month if you’re comfortable with the idea of selling data.

Is Fetch Rewards Dangerous?

No, Fetch Rewards isn’t dangerous. The app doesn’t require entering credit card information or any sensitive personal information. And it has thousands of positive online reviews and plenty of happy users. Data is also anonymized, so Fetch Rewards takes privacy seriously.

Ultimately, you have to be comfortable with sharing your purchasing data with Fetch Rewards if you want to earn rewards.

But the app itself is legit and safe in my opinion.

Reasons You Might Not Use Fetch Rewards

Now that I’ve covered reasons Fetch Rewards is safe, I think it’s important to also cover some reasons this app might not be for you.

At the end of the day, Fetch Rewards collects your data, such as the products you purchase and where, and makes money from this information.

I submit my receipts to Fetch Rewards regularly. The app probably knows I have pets since I purchase pet food, or that I buy coffee by the case, but this isn’t any different than the info collected by your local grocery store rewards program.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with that data being collected or sold, especially since it is anonymous.

However, if you are concerned about this data collection, Fetch Rewards might not be for you. As with any app or website, you need to evaluate your personal comfort level.

Extra Reading – The Best Passive Income Apps.

Is Fetch Rewards A Scam?

Fetch Rewards isn’t a scam. This free rewards app has over 13 million users and has distributed over $340 million in rewards. And I’ve personally used the app for years and have redeemed plenty of gift cards without any issues.

In fact, I personally use this app several times a week, and it’s easy to use even if you are not technologically inclined. All it really requires is to upload a receipt, which in most cases is as simple as snapping a picture or uploading a digital receipt.

On average, I earn an extra $50 to $100 from Fetch Rewards on a modest grocery budget. While the rewards may occasionally take a day or two to arrive, I have always been paid for everything I’ve earned. It takes less than 5 minutes a month to submit all my receipts and for me, this is a simple side hustle to stretch our family’s budget.

Rewards can be redeemed in a variety of ways including gift cards, and you can even donate your points if you desire.

In my opinion, Fetch Rewards turns your receipts into free money and is a must have for anyone trying to cut their spending.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fetch Rewards Legal?

Yes, Fetch Rewards is legal and absolutely legit. It’s basically a different type of coupon for our digital age. Instead of brands paying to put their printed coupon in the Sunday papers, they pay to have a promotional discount rebate on rebate apps like Fetch. The listing and points offered encourage buyers to purchase their products by offering an amount of cash back.

As an old school couponer, I admit I was originally a little slow to try out these cash-back apps. However, now that I’ve used them, I use Fetch Rewards and other apps regularly and make lots of money online doing so.

What Are Some Other Good Apps To Use?

I’ve been using Fetch Rewards for years, and I think it’s a safe app that’s also a nice way to score free gift cards without much effort.

And the great news is plenty of other reward apps you can use as well to maximize how much you earn, including:

• Pogo: This app lets you earn free PayPal money whenever you shop with a linked card.
• Swagbucks: A fun way to get paid for answering surveys, shopping online, playing games, watching videos, and more.
• Receipt Hog: Another popular receipt scanning app with PayPal and Amazon gift card rewards.
• Shopkick: This app pays you to walk into stores, shop, scan barcodes, and complete short mystery shopping tasks.
• ReceiptPal: Another popular receipt scanning app with PayPal rewards.

This video Tom made also covers some other effective methods to get free gift cards by using reward apps and some other methods.

Extra Reading – The Best Apps That Pay You Real Money.

Are Receipt Scanning Apps Safe?

Receipt scanning apps are generally safe because you don’t have to provide sensitive financial or personal information to use them. This is because your shopping receipts only show the last four digits of your credit or debit card and don’t share any other information you’d want kept secret.

However, some reward apps require linking your bank account to them to process your data. These apps can be more risky due to potential data breaches. But receipt scanning apps like Fetch Rewards are safe.

Final Thoughts

There are so many different apps out there, it can be tough to know what to trust and what actions might put your personal data at risk.

And as a frugal shopper that uses several different money saving apps almost daily, I know that all apps out there have their pros and cons.

But while every one of these apps to save money have different benefits, Fetch Rewards is one of my personal favorites. I like it for its simplicity and brand variety. All you do is submit your receipts, and the app gives you free money.

I’ve earned hundreds of dollars this year alone with Fetch Rewards. I love that it can be used in combination with coupons and other apps such as Ibotta, Swagbucks, and Target Circle. This can lead to some amazing savings, free items, and even free gift cards and PayPal money.

While most offers on Fetch are for a few cents or few dollars discount on an item, there are also 100% free items frequently. I’ve gotten free bread, free ice cream and other groceries free of charge after rebate. This is a great way to try new products, without risking anything if you don’t like it.

And in my opinion, Fetch Rewards is safe. It keeps your info private, and you don’t have to submit receipts if you don’t feel comfortable.

Hopefully, this guide helps you understand how Fetch Rewards makes money and more about its data and privacy practices.

If you think this is the app for you, definitely consider giving Fetch Rewards a try!

Looking for even more money-saving guides? Checkout:

• The Best Fetch Rewards Hacks.
• The Best Sign Up Bonus Apps.

Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up with provided links.