Fetch is probably the best known receipt app there is. Its pitch is simple and
it delivers on it: scan your everyday receipts, earn points, redeem them for
gift cards. Receipt Hog works on the same model with cash back.
These apps are genuinely good at what they do. But it is worth being clear
about what that is.
Rewards apps read your receipts for their benefit
When you scan a receipt into a rewards app, the itemised data becomes valuable
market research. You get points in exchange. It is a fair trade and plenty of
people are happy with it.
What you do not get back is understanding. After a year of scanning, you have
some gift cards — and still no answer to why your grocery bill went up.
The same receipt can answer a different question
Your receipt already lists every item and every price. That data can tell you
which categories are growing, which purchases keep appearing without you
noticing, and how your spending compares to a month ago.
That is what TicketBrain does with it. Scan the receipt, and the app
categorises each item, identifies what is driving your budget, and gives you
specific actions based on your actual shopping — not generic tips.
The same scan, two different trades:
| Rewards apps (Fetch, Receipt Hog) | TicketBrain | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get back | Points you redeem for gift cards | A breakdown of your own spending |
| Who the itemised data serves | The app's market-research customers | You |
| Receipts accepted | Almost any retailer | Supermarket and grocery receipts |
| Answers "why did my bill go up?" | No | Yes |
| Earns you money | Yes, a small amount | No |
| Needs an account to use | Yes | No |
You do not have to choose
Nothing stops you from scanning the same receipt into both. Use Fetch for the
gift cards and TicketBrain to understand the spending. They are answering
different questions.
Where we are
TicketBrain is available on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for
Android, and it is free to download.
Comparing more options? See our roundup of the best apps to track grocery spending.