I scored a free $25 gift card simply by scanning receipts — here’s how

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You may want to think twice before throwing out your next receipt.

With the Fetch app, you can turn any receipt into points that can be redeemed for gift cards. This means that instead of waiting for a birthday or the holidays to receive a gift card to your favorite store, you can earn it yourself on purchases you'd make anyway.

I first signed up for Fetch in 2021 and while I don't always remember to scan every receipt I have, I did accumulate enough points to cash them in for a free $25 gift card at one point. Here are my tips for using the Fetch app.

Fetch is an app that lets you earn points for scanning receipts every time you shop, whether online or in person, and redeem those points for gift cards and cash back.

You can also earn points for playing games, however, Fetch usually prompts you to download another app to play the game and earn points. Some users, including myself, have reported that sometimes when you play the games, all the points you earn aren't always reflected in your Fetch account.

You can redeem your points in the Fetch app and you'll be sent a virtual gift card of your choosing. You can also redeem points for a Visa cash card, entries into sweepstakes and on Fetch merchandise.

When it comes to redeeming points with Fetch, different point values correspond to different gift card amounts. For instance, 5,000 points can get you a $3 or $5 gift card; 15,000 points can get you a $10 gift card; 30,000 points gets you a $25 gift card and 60,000 points gets you a $50 gift card.

Fetch has offered gift cards from brands and retailers like Delta, Amazon, Airbnb, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, Chewy, IKEA, Nordstrom and more.

There are a ton of retailers and brands you can get gift cards for and categories include retail, entertainment, restaurants, health and beauty, home and office, fashion, charity, travel, pets and recreation. Again, if you don't see a gift card offer from a desired brand, you can also redeem your points for a Visa cash card and spend it wherever you want.

Fetch allows you to gain points by scanning receipts every time you shop. However, the receipts cannot be more than two weeks old, so you need to remember to scan them through the app sooner rather than later otherwise you'll miss out on earning points.

You also cannot scan the same receipt twice. When receipts are scanned, Fetch checks for the date scanned, the store name and the total spent.

Unfortunately, you don't get points based on the amount of money you spend at stores — so more spending does not equal more points earned. Most receipts on Fetch will only earn you 25 points. However, Fetch has featured offers on its homepage where you can earn hundreds or even thousands of points for purchasing specific brands or products for a limited time.

For instance, past offers have allowed users to earn 5,000 points for placing an online DoorDash order, or 750 points for purchasing Simply Fruit Drinks. Purchasing items highlighted for higher point earnings is the best way to rack up points faster. Of course, it's only a true reward if you only purchase things you were going to buy anyway rather than making random purchases you don't need just to gain points.

You can also get a nice boost in points for referring friends to the app. The bonus offer may be subject to change but in the past, when your friend signs up and uploads their first receipt, they'd earn 2,000 points and you'd earn 3,000 points.

Once I hit the 30,000-point mark on the app, I redeemed it for a $25 gift card — just enough to treat myself to free coffees over the course of a few days.

Fetch is free to use, but if you're wondering if it's worth your time and effort, consider these pros and cons from my experience.

Many rewards credit cards let you redeem your points or miles for gift cards. Usually, one point or mile is worth one penny. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and the American Express® Gold Card both let cardholders redeem their points for gift cards. However, as with any card, redeeming points for gift cards typically isn't the best way to maximize your points. You're generally better off redeeming your points for perks like free or discounted travel because the redemption value is greater.

It doesn't hurt to download and use the Fetch app if you want to score free gift cards. Some avid users redeem points for multiple gift cards per year (even if it's redeeming for lower value gift cards). Others may choose to save up their points for one huge gift card redemption.

Some individuals report being denied for some of the gift cards they try to redeem with no clear reasoning. Personally, I haven't had any issues with Fetch but if something comes up, users can contact support for assistance.

Whether you want to use gift cards to treat yourself or to purchase things you need, or you're looking to use gift cards to offset the costs of birthday and holiday presents, it's worth seeing how many gift cards you can earn for spending you had to do anyway.

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