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Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP). The Company does not have any subsidiaries or controlled affiliates; therefore, the financial statements do not require consolidation. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to reflect the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the Company’s previously reported net income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, or cash flows. The financial statements reflect all adjustments and reclassifications that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s results of operations and financial condition as of and for the periods presented.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and classifications of assets and liabilities, revenue and expenses, and the related disclosures of contingent liabilities in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Management evaluates its estimates that include, but are not limited to, the allowance for credit losses, useful lives and impairment of long-lived assets, software development costs, including capitalization and the allocation of labor costs between cost of revenue and research and development expense, income taxes, leases, contingent liabilities, revenue recognition, breakage, and stock-based compensation. The Company believes that the estimates, judgments, and assumptions used to determine certain amounts that affect the financial statements are reasonable, based on information available at the time they are made. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.
Segments
Operating segments are components of a company for which separate financial information is internally produced for regular use by the chief operating decision maker (CODM) to allocate resources and assess the performance of the business. Our CODM, the Chief Executive Officer, manages the Company’s operations as a single operating and reportable segment. Accordingly, our CODM uses net income as reported in the statements of operations to measure segment profit or loss, allocate resources, and assess performance, including in deciding whether to reinvest profits into the segment or into other parts of the entity, such as for acquisitions or other investments. Significant segment expenses provided to the CODM are the same as those reported in the statements of operations. The measure of segment assets is reported on the balance sheets as total assets.
Fair Value Measurements
When required by U.S. GAAP, assets and liabilities are reported at fair value on the balance sheets. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Valuation inputs are arranged in a hierarchy that consists of the following levels:
Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.
Level 2 inputs are inputs other than Level 1 inputs such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets with insufficient volume or infrequent transactions (less active markets); or model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.
Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.
The carrying amounts of the Company's cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other current liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash
The Company considers all liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
As of December 31, 2024, restricted cash was pledged as security for a standby letter of credit for the Company’s former headquarters lease that expired in October 2025. Restricted cash was classified as current based on the expiration date of the lease. No restricted cash is held as of December 31, 2025.
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported in the balance sheets to the amounts reported in the statements of cash flows (in thousands):
December 31,
20252024
Cash and cash equivalents$186,612 $349,282 
Restricted cash, current— 408 
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash$186,612 $349,690 
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and accounts receivable. At times, such amounts may exceed federally insured limits. The Company reduces credit risk by placing the large majority of its cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash with major financial institutions within the United States. The Company does not require collateral for accounts receivable.
As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, one client accounted for 15% and 11% of accounts receivable, respectively. There were no clients that represented 10% or more of the Company's revenue during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023.
Accounts Receivable, Net
Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount of gross billings for fees and rewards, less an allowance for credit losses. Accounts receivable are unsecured and comprised of amounts due from the Company’s clients. The majority of the Company’s clients are nationally recognized companies and generally have payment terms of 30 to 90 days.
An allowance for credit losses is recorded based on our best estimate of expected uncollectible accounts receivable, which is recorded as an offset to accounts receivable and changes in the allowance are classified as general and administrative expense in the statements of operations. The allowance for credit losses is determined based on historical collection experience and the review in each period of the status of the then-outstanding accounts receivable, while taking into consideration current client information, subsequent collection history, general economic conditions, and other relevant data. Account balances are charged against the allowance when the Company believes the receivable will not be recovered.
The following table presents changes in the accounts receivable allowance for credit losses (in thousands):
December 31,
202520242023
Beginning Balance$3,765 $3,160 $3,123 
Add: provision for expected credit losses1,963 1,215 828 
Less: write-offs, net of recoveries(3,234)(610)(791)
Ending Balance$2,494 $3,765 $3,160 
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred, while improvements that extend the useful life of an asset are capitalized. Upon retirement or disposal of assets, the accounts are relieved of cost and accumulated depreciation, and any related gain or loss is recognized in other expense, net, in the statements of operations.
Depreciation is recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of each asset, which are as follows:
Computer equipment
3 years
Leasehold improvements
Lesser of estimated useful life or lease term
Furniture and fixtures
8 years
Software Development Costs
The Company capitalizes certain costs associated with developing and enhancing internally developed software, related to the Company's technology platform, capabilities, and infrastructure. These costs include personnel and related employee benefits expenses for employees who are directly associated with and who devote time to software development projects and external direct costs of services consumed in developing or obtaining the software. The Company begins to capitalize these costs when management has authorized and committed project funding, it is probable that the project will be completed and the software will be used as intended, and preliminary development efforts are successfully completed. Capitalization ends once a project is substantially complete and the software is ready for its intended purpose. Costs incurred in the preliminary project stage are recorded in research and development. Costs incurred in the post-implementation stage are recorded in cost of revenue or research and development, depending on the nature of the project. In addition, impairment of in-progress
software projects, for which completion is subsequently determined not to be probable, is recorded in research and development expenses.
Capitalized costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the software asset, which is typically three years. Platform-related software development costs are amortized to cost of revenue, and infrastructure-related software development costs are amortized to depreciation and amortization expense.
Equity Investment
The Company holds a minority equity investment in a company over which we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence and for which a readily determinable fair value is not available. The Company has elected the measurement alternative to measure the investment at cost, less impairments, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment. Observable price changes and impairment charges are recorded in other expense, net, in the statements of operations.
Long-Lived Assets Impairment Assessment
Long-lived assets, including definite-lived intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company performs impairment testing at the asset group level that represents the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. The Company assesses recoverability of a long-lived asset group by determining whether the carrying value of the asset group can be recovered through projected undiscounted cash flows over their remaining lives. If the future undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the related asset group are less than the carrying value of the asset group, an impairment has occurred. Any required impairment loss is measured as the amount by which the asset group’s carrying value exceeds its fair value.
User Redemption Liability and Due to Third-Party Publishers
Consumers earn rewards by redeeming offers on Ibotta’s D2C properties and our third-party publisher properties. The undistributed rewards earned by consumers on D2C properties are reflected in the user redemption liability in the balance sheets. The user redemption liability is reduced as consumers cash out and through breakage (see Note 4 – User Redemption Liability Extinguishment). Rewards earned by consumers on third-party publisher properties represent a payable reflected in the due to third-party publishers liability in the balance sheets. The due to third-party publishers liability also includes revenue share and related minimum commitments due to certain publishers.
Debt Issuance Costs
Costs incurred to obtain debt, other than lines of credit, are recorded as a reduction of the carrying amount of the related liability and amortized over the term of the debt using the effective interest rate method. Costs incurred to obtain lines of credit are capitalized and included in other long-term assets on our balance sheets and amortized ratably over the term of the arrangement.
Operating Leases
The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at the inception of the contract. Right-of-Use (ROU) assets represent the Company's right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent the Company's obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. All of the Company’s leases are operating leases.
Operating ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Leases may contain tenant improvement allowances, rent abatement, and rent escalation provisions, which are considered lease payments in
determining the lease liabilities. To determine the present value of lease payments, we estimate the incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date. ROU assets are determined based on the initial lease liabilities adjusted for any prepayments, initial direct costs, and lease incentives received. The Company's lease terms include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the options will be exercised.
The Company begins recognizing lease expense when the lessor makes the underlying asset available for use. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Certain leases contain variable costs, such as common area maintenance, real estate taxes or other costs, which are expensed as incurred.
Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheets. The Company recognizes lease expense for these short-term leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. In addition, the Company elected to not separate lease and non-lease components for all of the Company's leases.
Revenue Recognition
The Company primarily derives revenue from the redemption of digital promotions. The clients that contract with the Company to deliver the digital promotions to consumers via the IPN are the Company’s clients. Third-party publishers such, as Walmart, are part of the IPN and act as a distributor of the offers and are not the Company’s client. Revenue is recognized when, or as, control of the promised goods or services is transferred to the Company's clients, in an amount that represents the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. This expected consideration is typically billed to clients on a monthly basis based on payment terms as defined in the contract, with no significant financing arrangements involved.
The Company benefits from contractual agreements with its clients that set forth the general terms and conditions of its relationships with them, including various facets of pricing, payment terms, and contract duration. The Company determines revenue recognition through the following steps in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers:
identification of the contract(s) with a customer;
identification of the performance obligations within the contract;
determination of the transaction price;
allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and
recognition of revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
The principal activities from which the Company generates its revenue are as follows:
Redemption Revenue
The Company's clients promote their products and services to consumers through rewards offered on the IPN. The Company's performance obligation is to stand-ready to provide consumers access to redeem offers from clients on goods purchased. The associated redemption campaigns run until the budget is consumed, which is generally in a few weeks to three months. Consumers redeem offers to earn a reward through account linking or receipt upload on D2C properties or through integrations with third-party publisher properties. The reward is funded by the client and passed through to the consumer. The Company earns a fee per redemption which is recognized in the period in which the redemption occurs. The Company may also charge fees to set up a redemption campaign, which are deferred and recognized over the average duration of historical redemption campaigns. Penalties or early terminations are recognized as revenue when the associated penalty or termination event occurs. The Company
recognizes revenue from redemption campaign clients as fees are earned, net of rewards to consumers, as the Company acts as the agent to the Company's clients in the facilitation of the sale to the consumer.
The Company also offers consumers the option to purchase gift cards to be used at various retailers. lbotta contracts with third-party gift card providers to facilitate delivery of the gift cards, acting as an agent to deliver these codes on behalf of its clients through Ibotta’s D2C properties to the end user. The Company records the associated revenue, net of any costs associated with the third-party gift card providers, at a point in time when the exchange occurs. Ibotta also may provide a reward to the consumer for the transaction, which is included in cost of revenue.
Ad & Other Revenue
The Company's clients may also run advertisements such as banners, tiles, newsletters, and feature placements on D2C properties to promote their redemption campaigns, referred to as marketing services. When a consumer clicks on an advertisement, they are linked directly to the associated redemption campaign. Ad products are billed, and revenue is recognized, as the marketing services are performed over the advertising period. Ad products often run in conjunction with the associated redemption campaign, either over the entire redemption campaign life or some portion of it. The Company recognizes ad revenue on a gross basis as the Company acts as the principal in the transaction.
When redemption campaigns and ad products are combined in a contract, revenue for stand-ready performance obligations is recognized as services are provided to clients. Contracts with fixed consideration are related to marketing services and revenue is recognized over the life of the contract as it is a separate performance obligation.
The Company also offers a number of data products and services to clients, including data licensing and audience targeting. Some products and services are billed as a flat fee amount while others are billed based on usage. Data revenue is recognized as it is delivered on a gross basis as the Company acts as the principal in the transaction.
Practical Expedients
The majority of the Company's contracts are less than twelve months in duration. As a result, the Company has elected the following practical expedients:
Incremental costs of obtaining a contract are recognized as an expense as incurred.
Consideration is not adjusted for the effects of any financing components.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists primarily of revenue share and related minimum commitments with certain third-party publishers, personnel-related costs attributable to personnel in certain of our engineering departments who maintain our platform, data hosting costs, amortization of platform-related software development costs, certain reward costs net of breakage, software licensing costs, and processing fees. Personnel-related costs include salaries, stock-based compensation, benefits, and bonuses. Reward costs net of breakage recorded in cost of revenue are associated with cash back earned from gift card purchases and sponsored rewards earned from watching an advertising video. Breakage represents the undistributed earnings of D2C consumers that is not expected to be cashed out due to inactivity. Reward costs also include rewards that are cashed out and subsequently identified as violating our terms of use.
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of personnel-related costs for our sales and marketing departments, self-funded rewards, net of the related breakage, media spend, B2B marketing, common stock warrant expense, software licensing costs, market research, public relations, and professional fees. Personnel-related costs include salaries, bonuses, stock-based compensation,
benefits, taxes, travel, and restructuring charges. Self-funded rewards relate to campaigns and other incentive bonuses on our D2C properties that are funded directly by Ibotta as part of our customer acquisition and retention strategy.
The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred. Advertising costs were $28.3 million, $31.4 million, and $24.7 million in 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
Research and Development
The Company expenses the cost of research and development as incurred. Research and development expenses consist primarily of personnel-related costs for our technology departments, software licensing costs, professional fees, impairment of capitalized software development costs, and market research. Personnel-related costs include salaries, stock-based compensation, benefits, taxes, bonuses, restructuring charges, and travel.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel-related costs for our administrative departments, professional fees for external legal, accounting, and other consulting services, software licensing costs, facilities costs, corporate insurance, bad debt, sales and property taxes, licenses and other fees, and company events. Personnel-related costs include stock-based compensation, salaries, benefits, bonuses, taxes, recruiting fees, travel, and restructuring charges.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based compensation for equity awards, including stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and awards granted under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan, or ESPP, is measured based on the grant date fair value of the award. For awards with service conditions only, the Company recognizes compensation expense, net of actual forfeitures, on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally four years. For awards with both service and performance conditions, the Company recognizes compensation expense, net of actual forfeitures, under the accelerated attribution method when performance conditions are considered probable of being achieved.
The fair value of RSUs with only service or performance conditions is equal to the fair value of the underlying common stock at the date of grant. For RSUs with market-based conditions, the Company determines the grant date fair value utilizing a Monte Carlo simulation, which incorporates the probability of achievement of the market-based condition. The fair value of stock options and ESPP awards is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company’s use of the valuation models requires the input of subjective assumptions. The assumptions used in the Company’s valuation models represent management’s best estimates, which involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment.
These assumptions and estimates are as follows:
Expected Dividend Rate. The expected dividend assumption is based on the Company’s history and expectation of dividend payouts. The Company has not paid dividends and does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, and as such, the dividend yield has been estimated to be zero.
Expected Volatility. The expected volatility is determined with reference to historical stock volatilities of comparable guideline public companies and our own common stock over a period equivalent to the expected term of the award, as we lack sufficient trading history to rely solely on our own common stock.
Expected Term. The expected term is the period of time for which the award is expected to be outstanding, assuming that it vests. We estimate the expected term for stock options using the simplified method, calculated as the midpoint between the requisite service period and the contractual term of the award. The simplified approach is applied as we do not have sufficient
historical information to develop reasonable expectations about future exercise patterns and post-vesting employment termination behavior. For ESPP awards, the expected term is the time period from the grant date to the respective purchase dates included within each offering period.
Risk-Free Interest Rate. The risk-free rate is determined based on the U.S. Treasury Yield Curve with respect to the stock options' expected term.
Fair Value of Common Stock. Prior to the IPO, as the Company’s common stock was not yet publicly traded, the Company engaged a valuation specialist to estimate the fair value of its common stock. Subsequent to the IPO, the fair value of common stock is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method, under which, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The Company recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that these assets are more likely than not to be realized.
The Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to its uncertain tax positions in operating expenses in the statements of operations.
Net Income Per Share
Basic net income per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share adjusts the basic weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the effect of potentially dilutive securities during the period. Potentially dilutive securities consist of stock options, RSUs, ESPP shares, restricted stock, redeemable convertible preferred stock, convertible notes, and common stock warrants. For purposes of the diluted net income per share calculation, potentially dilutive securities are excluded in periods in which there is a loss because the inclusion of the potential common shares would have an antidilutive effect.
The rights, including the liquidation and dividend rights, of the holders of Class A and Class B common stock are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion rights. Accordingly, the undistributed earnings are allocated on a proportionate basis to each series of common stock. As a result, basic and diluted net income per share are the same for Class A and Class B common stock, whether on an individual or combined basis, and are therefore presented together.
Loss Contingencies
Loss contingencies, including claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business, are recorded as liabilities when the likelihood of loss is probable, and an amount or range of loss can be reasonably estimated. If a loss is reasonably possible, the Company discloses the possible loss or states that such an estimate cannot be made.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs, which consist of direct incremental legal, consulting, accounting, and other fees related to the anticipated sale of the Company’s common stock in the IPO, were capitalized and
recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets on the balance sheets prior to the IPO. After the IPO, all deferred offering costs were reclassified into additional paid-in capital as a reduction of proceeds, net of underwriting discounts, received from the IPO on the balance sheets.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (ASU 2023-09), which requires annual disclosure of specific categories in the rate reconciliation, as well as disclosure of income taxes paid disaggregated by jurisdiction. ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2023-09 for the year ended December 31, 2025, and applied the new disclosure requirements prospectively to the current annual period. Prior period disclosures have not been adjusted to reflect the new disclosure requirements. For additional information, see Note 13 - Income Taxes.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income—Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which requires new tabular disclosures disaggregating prescribed expense categories within relevant income statement captions. In January 2025, the FASB issued ASU No. 2025-01, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income-Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which clarified the effective date of ASU No. 2024-03. ASU 2024-03 may be applied prospectively or retrospectively, for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our financial statements and related disclosures.
In July 2025, the FASB issued ASU No. 2025-05, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses for Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets (ASU 2025-05), which introduces a practical expedient when estimating expected credit losses for current accounts receivable and current contract assets arising from transactions accounted for under Topic 606. ASU 2025-05 will be effective on a prospective basis for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2025 and interim periods within those annual reporting periods, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our financial statements and related disclosures.
In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU No. 2025-06, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Internal-Use Software (ASU 2025-06). ASU 2025-06 modernizes the recognition and disclosure framework for internal-use software costs, removing the previous “development stage” model and introducing a more judgment-based approach. ASU 2025-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027 and for interim periods within those annual reporting periods, with early adoption permitted. The guidance may be applied using a prospective, retrospective, or modified transition approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our financial statements and related disclosures.
The Company reviewed all other recently issued accounting standards and determined they were either not applicable or are not expected to have a material impact on our financial statements.