How Does Fetch Rewards Work? Receipts, Points and Expiry Rules

Fetch is the receipt app: no coupons to clip, no offers to load first, just a photo of the receipt after you shop. That simplicity is why people like it, and also why they're surprised when a receipt is rejected or points vanish. Here's how Fetch works, taken from its FAQ and terms of service.

Fetch Rewards in five steps

1. Download the free Fetch app; its FAQ says it's currently only available to shoppers in the United States.
2. Shop anywhere as normal.
3. Snap a photo of the receipt in the app within 14 days of the purchase.
4. Fetch awards points for the receipt.
5. Redeem points for a gift card from Fetch's list of retailers and restaurants.

That 14-day window is the first rule worth knowing. Fetch's terms say it doesn't accept receipts or award points for transactions older than 14 calendar days, so a pile of old receipts in a drawer won't earn anything.

Paper receipts and linked email receipts

You don't have to rely on paper. Fetch lets you link an email account so it can find e-receipts from online orders. Its terms say linking an email or consumer account authorises Fetch to access transactional emails and receipts, and that it encrypts the information you provide about third-party accounts. If you're careful about privacy, decide which email you link; a separate shopping inbox keeps things tidy.

Fetch limits on receipts and redeeming

Rule	What Fetch says
Receipt age	No points for transactions older than 14 calendar days
Receipt volume	Up to 35 receipts in a rolling 7-day period
Minimum to redeem	A minimum of 3,000 points for most rewards, per the FAQ; the terms say the minimum can change
Points value	Points have no cash value and can't be redeemed for cash
Where it works	Currently United States shoppers only

Notice the last-but-one row. Fetch rewards are gift cards, not cash, which matters if you were hoping to send money to a bank account.

How Fetch points expire

This is the rule that catches occasional users. Fetch's terms say points expire if you don't earn points and don't redeem any points for a reward for ninety days. Fetch says it gives 30 days' notice after sixty days of inactivity. So scanning one receipt every few weeks is enough to keep your balance alive; going quiet for a whole season isn't.

Redeeming Fetch points for gift cards

When you reach the minimum, open the rewards section, pick a gift card from the retailers and restaurants on offer, and confirm. Fetch's FAQ says your first redemption is limited to certain smaller gift card values, so your first reward may be smaller than you'd like. Fetch's terms also say it isn't responsible for loss or delay once you've redeemed, so check the email address on your account before confirming.

Fetch versus offer-based cash back apps

It's worth knowing how Fetch differs from apps where you load offers before shopping. With Fetch, you don't plan anything in advance; any receipt within 14 days can earn. The trade-off is that the reward is points for gift cards rather than cash back to a bank or PayPal. If you hate planning your shop around offers, Fetch suits you. If you want cash and don't mind adding offers first, an offer-based app may suit you better, and plenty of people run both on the same receipts.

Who's behind Fetch, and what you're agreeing to

Fetch's terms name Fetch Rewards, LLC, based in Madison, Wisconsin, as the operator. You need to be of the age of majority where you live, and the service isn't directed at children under 13. The terms also say Fetch can suspend or close an account for any reason, which is standard wording for rewards apps but worth knowing before you build up a large balance.

Tips to keep Fetch working smoothly

• Scan receipts the same day, so nothing slips past 14 days.
• Keep the whole receipt in shot, including the store name and date.
• Don't scan the same receipt twice or anyone else's receipts; duplicates are the kind of thing terms clauses are written for.
• Redeem before long breaks, so the inactivity rule doesn't wipe your points.
• If a receipt is rejected, check its date first, because the 14-day rule is the easiest rule to fall foul of.

If you're building a set of small reward apps, my guide to apps that pay you to walk covers another everyday habit you can earn from, and my guide to earning online with little or no investment puts these apps in context.

My verdict on how Fetch Rewards works

Fetch is the lowest-effort rewards app I know of: shop, snap, redeem. Its limits are clear once you've read them, and the two that matter most are the 14-day receipt window and the 90-day inactivity rule. Keep scanning regularly and redeem before you take a break, and it'll quietly turn your shopping into the odd gift card.

Frequently asked questions

How does Fetch Rewards work?

You snap photos of shopping receipts or link your email for e-receipts, earn points, and redeem them for gift cards from retailers and restaurants.

How old can a receipt be for Fetch?

Fetch's terms say it doesn't accept receipts for transactions older than 14 calendar days.

How many receipts can you scan on Fetch?

Fetch's FAQ says up to 35 receipts in a rolling 7-day period.

Do Fetch points expire?

Yes. Fetch's terms say points expire after ninety days without earning or redeeming, with 30 days' notice after sixty days of inactivity.

Can you get cash from Fetch Rewards?

No. Fetch's terms say points have no cash value and can't be redeemed for cash; rewards are gift cards.