CoinOut: Receipts for Rewards

What it does

CoinOut: Receipts for Rewards turns shopping receipts into points that can be redeemed for rewards. It is aimed at people in the US who are willing to submit receipts after everyday purchases, rather than shoppers looking for discounts at checkout. The app accepts paper receipts from US retailers and can connect to email or retailer accounts to find digital receipts, according to its listed features.

How earning works

Receipt submission is the central activity. CoinOut also offers Missions and CoinPlay, which add other ways to earn through activities such as games and surveys. That makes it more than a receipt-scanning tool, but earning rewards depends on regular use and completing the available activities. The app’s points system and redemption options are worth checking in the app before spending time on it; the reference information lists PayPal, Venmo and Amazon among the options.

What it asks of you

For paper receipts, expect to use the phone’s camera and submit images of purchases. Linking an email account or retailer account may make digital receipt collection easier, but it also means deciding whether to share access to those accounts. Review the connection terms and available privacy controls before linking anything. As with other rewards apps, the return is likely to be modest relative to the time spent scanning receipts or completing missions.

Where it fits

Compared with cashback apps focused on selected shops or products, CoinOut’s appeal is the breadth of receipts it accepts. Dedicated receipt-reward apps are its closest comparison; retailer-specific offers may suit shoppers who want savings on particular brands instead. CoinOut has a 4.3/5 rating from about 59,625 ratings and more than 1,000,000 installs. Those figures suggest an established user base, though they do not indicate how much an individual user will earn.