Rakuten vs. Ibotta: Which is better for groceries? 5 Differences

Staring at a mounting grocery bill and wondering if you’re leaving money on the table?

You aren’t alone. When deciding between Rakuten vs. Ibotta: Which is better for groceries?

The answer depends on whether you prefer “set it and forget it” browser extensions or scanning physical receipts.

In this guide, I break down the pros and cons of each app so you can maximize your cash back every time you hit the checkout lane.

I’m going to pick Ibotta is better for groceries, while Rakuten is better at online shopping!

Keep reading, and I’ll share my experience with both apps, 5 ways they are different, how dormant fees work, and 12 more apps that stack with Ibotta.

Is Ibotta or Rakuten Better? My Honest Review After Using Both

I’ve been using Ibotta for a month half seriously. It’s an amazing app.

How I use it is that I do whatever grocery shopping I want. Then I simply scan each item to see if there is cash back (almost like finding treasure).

Then I go to the “any item” part and see if I can (find treasure). Lastly, I look at the “any receipt” option to see if I can earn money.

So it doesn’t influence my shopping habits.

I’ve made $5.45 cents so far. Also, when I first started, I didn’t know what I was doing.

Plus, there are better ways to use the app, and I wrote about better strategies for Ibotta in this post.

So, it does take a little bit of work, BUT it’s fairly easy.

Rakuten is a browser extension that finds cash back online. It’s quicker, easier, and more set-and-forget to use. I’ve had an account since 2018 and just forgot about it.

I actually had some money in the account, but since I forgot about it then took some of the cash back out of my account due to dormant fees.

The fee is $2 to $5 a month from your existing cash back balance after 12 consecutive months of inactivity.

To be fair, Ibotta also has dormant fees, and I honestly got hit with dormant fees as well with Ibotta. I guess I used it in 2019, and I see a maintenance fee of 0.75 cents.

I just don’t remember using the app.

This dormant fee triggers if an account is inactive for 6 months. Just logging in does make the account active.

You have to scan a receipt.

The dormant fee is $3.99 per month from your account balance.

To prevent this, at least look for the “any receipt” offers or “any item” offers and do those.

Also, as soon as you reach $20, make sure to transfer that money to your bank account; they can’t take it from you then.

How Do Ibotta and Rakuten Work to Save You Money?

Ibotta is a rebate-style app that requires some hands-on and there is a learning curve.

You have to find offers and deals, and then add them to your list. Then take a photo of the receipt to get the cash.

Rakuten is a website or browser extension where you shop as you normally do.

The extension then applies the cash back, and it’s MORE passive. Not much work unless you go through the website to find the deals and go through that portal first.

When Does Rakuten Pay Out vs. Ibotta’s Instant Cash?

Ibotta is the winner here.

You can withdraw money anytime when you reach $20 in our account. You can send the money to your bank account or PayPal within 24 to 48 hours.

Rakuten pays out on a fixed quarterly schedule, so 4 times a year, they ONLY pay.

You must have at least $5.01 in your account to get paid.

Should You Use Ibotta for Groceries or Rakuten for Online Shopping?

Ibotta is the king of (in-person) grocery shopping.

It still works online, too.

You would open the Ibotta app, find the store you want, and tap “shop.” This enables Ibotta to track your purchase.

You would earn a percentage of the total purchase, and it says this on the app.

There is also an Ibotta browser Extension for Chrome.

It will pop up when visiting a cash back offer and ask you to activate it.

Plus, you can link your account to get cash back for grocery pickup and delivery.

Rakuten is MORE of a king of online shopping. It works with over 3,500 stores, more than Ibotta.

You could go to the Rakuten website and then find the offers that take you to the shop, similar to Ibotta.

If you use this Rakuten Link, you can get a welcome bonus of $50 if you spend $50 within 90 days.

An easy way to do this is to sign up to Rakuten using the link, then search Gift Cards. Then pick one that you like and even gives you cash back.

You get the $50 welcome bonus, a gift card with that amount, plus a cash back amount. Cool right?

Even better, just install the Rakuten Browser extension.

Then it automatically finds deals and cash back. This is WAY better because life gets busy.

Plus, it automatically finds and tests coupon codes for you.

This is WAY better than the Honey app.

The Honey app got into trouble because it was allegedly stealing affiliate commissions from influencers like Mr. Beast, and this is why it got delisted from many affiliate platforms.

What Is the Difference Between Item Rebates and Store Cash Back?

Rakuten gives you a percentage of the sale. If you spend $100 with 10% cash back, you get $10. It doesn’t matter what you purchased.

Ibotta is different. It gives you an amount for certain items. You have to activate the item and then upload proof, like a receipt, to get the cash. You have to purchase the exact item to get the reward.

How to Stack Rakuten and Ibotta for Maximum Savings

Rakuten is harder to stack with other things, meaning you get more rewards with other apps or tools. It’s very straightforward: you use their link, you get the savings. That’s it.

Ibotta is unique.

It’s more of a stacking champion. In fact, it can be used with multiple apps, tools, and other bonuses.

What Are the Best Apps to Stack with Ibotta for Extra Rewards?

You can do some really cool things with Ibotta.

First, you can go to this app, download it.

This app gives you savings on gas, groceries, fast food, restaurants, and coffee shops.

You can use the code KEVIN988973, and you get an additional 15¢ to 30¢ per gallon on your very first fill-up after the discount the app already gives.

Plus a one-time 10% to 20% extra cash back bonus on their first restaurant or grocery purchase.

So you get a savings on groceries.

Next, you can use a manufacturer’s coupon at the register. Then, sometimes stores can offer discounts with club membership or in-store deals.

Then you can pay with a credit card that can give you points for more rewards. You’re already stacking lots of discounts before Ibotta.

Then you get the receipt.

First, use Ibotta to get the cash back. Now, you can’t use that receipt with Ibotta a second time; it’s burned into their system, BUT that same receipt can be used with other apps.

I do this and use ALL 11 of these apps and recommend them.

• Swagbucks
• Inboxdollars
• Ibotta
• Fetch
• Receiptpal
• ReceiptHog
• Merryfield (use code MOEXEC for 4,000 points)
• ReceiptJar (use code KEVIWKBVV )
• Coinout
• Frisbee
• Pogo (Use code VDVGV4 for 5,000 points)

Oh, and if you use those links, you get bonus points for yourself.

You see the magic of stacking?

Conclusion: Rakuten vs. Ibotta: Which is better for groceries?

In conclusion, I use and recommend both apps.

Online shopping at Rekuten is better; there are more stores and more cash back. If I shop in person, then I would use Ibotta followed by stacking with other apps and tools.

If you want to take it to the next level, you can stack online shopping at Rakuten with Swagbucks. With Swagbucks, you can get points just for browsing online; it’s crazy.

I wrote a detailed post on 9 secrets to get Swagbucks fast without doing surveys.

Have a nice day.