 Michael Menachem from Billboard commented on the song, saying it "packs another lyrical punch", while complimenting Allen's vocals. The BBC interpreted the song, in which Allen "apologises for her avarice, confidently blaming the system", but also complimented the "exquisite" production. Neil McCormick from The Daily Telegraph suggested that the song confirms that the singer's "pithy observational skills and sweet musicality" remain intact, as she has been a bit bruised by her encounter with 21st-century fame. Clash reporter Natasha Arico concluded that "The Fear" is somewhat trite, though "sickeningly catchy and dance friendly", while Rolling Stone magazine failed to detect the song's sarcasm and criticized the song for being a "cliché" delivered by Allen "with sneer". James Montgomery of MTV gave a good review, saying it is a relatively scathing indictment of today's glossy, "celeb-ified culture". Ryan Dombal from Pitchfork Media described the song to have a "part admission, part brag, part apocalyptic vision" and suggested that "for almost any other artist, the lines would be barbed, sarcastic, and, ultimately, uppity and bland indictments. But not for the loudmouth [Allen]".
