Fetch Rewards lets you earn points by shopping at any store — here's how you can use the app to snag free gift cards

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• Fetch Rewards is a free-to-download mobile app that gives you reward points every time you shop.
• By logging your receipts and orders, you're given credits to spend on gift cards.
• It's an easy, safe way to get rewards from the shopping you're already doing.

It seems like every store has its own reward program these days, but not all of them are worth it. Fetch Rewards takes this concept even further by incentivizing shopping from any store by giving you points for every purchase you make, so long as you have a receipt. 

It's an offering that sounds almost too good to be true, so we looked into it. And after testing the service ourselves, the app actually lives up to its promise. 

If you're thinking about using Fetch Rewards yourself, we've got you covered with a full breakdown of how it works, along with our own impressions of what it's like to use. 

What is Fetch Rewards?

Fetch Rewards is a free-to-download mobile app that lets shoppers accumulate rewards points by logging their receipts. Points can be spent to redeem gift cards from major brands like Starbucks, Target, and hundreds more.

How does Fetch Rewards work?

Fetch Rewards works via a mobile app that allows you to log your paper and electronic receipts for purchases you make at any store. The service promises at least 25 points for every receipt you record, and it offers bonus points for your first few uploads.

Fetch provides an easy-to-use tool that uses your smartphone camera to snap pictures of your receipt and register your purchases into the system. Alternatively, you can link Fetch Rewards to your Amazon account, and the app will automatically fetch your order history for qualifying purchases.

In addition to the standard 25-point reward for each receipt you log, Fetch also offers a few ways to earn more points:

• Purchase products featured in the "Brands" section of the Fetch app to net a minimum of 35 points on your receipt
• Buy special offer items as advertised in the app (i.e. get 1,000 points for spending $10 on Totino's products)
• Refer friends to Fetch Rewards for 2,000 points each

How many points is $1 on Fetch?

1,000 Fetch Rewards points translates into roughly $1 of credit. Most gift cards come in increments of $5 though, so you'll need to save 5,000 points to trade in for a $5 card. 

Though earning points is simple, actually accumulating enough points to trade in for gift cards can take a while, especially if you're not buying any special products or referring your friends. 

For instance, if you just log receipts without buying promo items, it will take you 200 receipts before you net a $5 gift card. With that in mind, you'll get the most out of the service if you shop for special offer items, which allow you to net a lot more points. 

Is Fetch Rewards safe?

Fetch Rewards may sound too good to be true, but rest assured: it's a real, safe way to earn rewards. Fetch makes money through affiliate and partner revenue, so it can provide users its service, free of charge.

A wide user base, millions of ratings, and several official brand partnerships speak to the company's validity. After testing it ourselves, we found it to be a smooth and secure platform. Here's the information the app requires from you during sign-up:

• Email
• Phone number
• State
• Birthday
• Gender
• Amazon account sign-in (optional)

If you're concerned with how the app might use this information, you can check Fetch Rewards' privacy policy.

What is Fetch Rewards like to use?

Fetch Rewards is effortless to use, especially when integrated into your regular shopping routine. It becomes second nature to ask for receipts when checking out, and then logging them after putting away the groceries when you get home. Snapping pictures of your receipts is easy using Fetch Rewards' integrated camera tool, and it doesn't take more than a few minutes to earn points from your shopping trip.

We tried it at businesses large and small, from Walmart to local pizza chains. On average, we earned anywhere from 25 to 200 points from every transaction. But, keep in mind, we were just shopping as we normally would rather than making purchases with Fetch promo items in mind. 

Is Fetch Rewards worth using?

Fetch is an easy, free way to earn some extra benefits in exchange for the shopping you're already doing. The only real investment is the time you'll spend logging receipts after purchases — and even that's a very fast process.

Though it may take a while to earn enough points for a reward, there are plenty of worthwhile gift cards to choose from once you do.