New to the world of cashback?
Don’t be daunted. From supermarket shopping to fashion finds, we’ve found the best cashback sites to help you earn while you spend.
How do cashback sites work?
It’s actually pretty simple. Cashback sites are essentially third-party sites that pay you for shopping with selected stores. By clicking through their site before you buy, they’ll receive commission from the store. And as a thank you, they’ll pay you a portion of their cut.
The reward usually appears in your cashback account within a few days. This is typically in the form of points which you can redeem for cash or vouchers – though this will depend on the site you’re using.
So far, so simple. But if you’ve never touched a cashback site before, where do you start?
Our handy guide explains how you can go about making money from your online shopping.
What’s the best cashback site?
If you’re new to the world of cashback, starting out can be confusing. With so many sites to choose from, it’s easy to simply sign up for the first site that catches your eye… only to find it’s tricky to use or pays out very little.
To help you figure out which one is right for you, we’ve found the best cashback sites for every situation.
The best cashback site for…
Making cash – TopCashback
If you’re just after the most bang for your buck, TopCashback typically has the best rates. According to a Money Saving Expert spot check, TopCashback paid out the highest return for 11 of the 20 biggest brands.
You can use TopCashback for a wide range of UK brands, both in-store and online. Better yet, the app is totally free and easy to use.
How it works:
1) Sign up for free
TopCashback has no fees for joining. When you first sign up, you’ll receive one month of a ‘Plus’ membership for free – so be sure to downgrade before they charge you.
2) Shop on your PC or phone
You can either shop using the app or with your desktop. If you use Topcashback on a desktop, you can use a plug-in which reminds you to enable the cashback before you buy. These reminders can save you from forgetting to claim cashback on certain websites.
Rather use the app instead? Just check if the store is listed on TopCashback and click through the app instead of shopping directly.
3) Earn cashback in store
Not only can you profit from your online shopping, but you can boost your cashback by shopping in-store too. You’ll need to register your Debit Card with TopCashback to earn your points.
4) Choose cash or gift cards
After earning a certain amount of points, you can choose to redeem them for cash or high street vouchers.
Amazon rewards – Quidco
After TopCashback, Quidco is one of the best-paying cashback sites. With Quidco, you can either receive cashback directly in your account, your Paypal account, or as an Amazon Gift Card.
How it works:
1) Shop online
Once you’ve signed up, it’s easy to get started. Make sure you’ve logged into your Quidco account and, once you’ve found the store you’re looking for, click through and make your purchase. The cashback should appear in your account within the next day.
2) Shop in store
Just like TopCashback, you can also earn cashback by shopping in store. You’ll need to register your Debit Card with Quidco before you start.
High street vouchers – Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a cashback app. Alongside earning as you shop, you can also boost your cashback by answering surveys. You can swap your points for a range of gift cards, including Amazon, Starbucks and Marks & Spencer – or, if you’d rather just have the cash, a PayPal gift card.
How it works:
1) Answer questions for points
Once you’ve set up an account, you can answer a range of surveys. Your opinions are valuable to companies carrying out market research, so you’ll be rewarded with cashback points once you’ve answered them. It’s worth bearing in mind it can take a few attempts to find a survey that suits you.
Each survey is worth a certain amount of points – the longer it is, the more points you’ll receive. Any points will add up in your Swagbucks account until you can redeem them for vouchers.
2) Shop online
Either use the Swagbucks app or use a desktop to earn cashback points. Once you’ve raised enough, you can swap your points for a choice of high street vouchers available in your Swagbucks account.
Supermarket shopping – Shopmium
Shopmium is the best cashback app for your weekly supermarket shop. While other cashback apps typically offer points for spending at high street stores, Shopmium offers cashback for groceries at your local supermarket.
How it works:
1) Download the app
Shopmium comes in the form of an app. You can check the app to find the current cashback offers before you start shopping. If you’re out and about, you can also scan product barcodes to see if they’re eligible for cashback.
2) Scan the receipts
If you’ve bought one of the offers, simply take a snap of your receipt and scan the barcode of the product you’ve purchased. You’ll then receive the cashback in your bank or PayPal account.
3) Shop online
Shopmium also works just like any other cashback app. They offer cashback for a range of UK stores (like Asos and Vodafone) if you click through their offers page before you shop.
Children’s savings – KidStart
If you have little one in your life, KidStart is a great way to start saving for their future. KidStart offers cashback for a wide range of stores, including Amazon and Next. You can earn up to £1,500 and add it to a child’s savings account.
How it works:
1) Sign up for free
You don’t need to add a child’s name and details before you can earn cashback – you can do this later on.
2) Shop online
If you’ve bought something after clicking through KidStart’s link, you’ll receive cashback on your spending. KidStart will add this to your savings pot.
3) Withdraw
Once you’ve hit the £10 mark, you can withdraw your cash. To do this, you’ll need to add a child’s name and date of birth, then link those details to a Child Trust Fund, junior ISA or bank account.
The golden rules of cashback
Clear your cookies
Cashback sites use cookies to track whether you’ve clicked through their site or not. It could be worth regularly clearing your cookies to be extra sure your cashback is tracked properly.
Don’t buy for cashback’s sake
Seen a great cashback offer on your app? While it might seem tempting to make the most of it, don’t fall into the trap of spending for the sake of it. Try to only use cashback offers when you’re already planning on buying something.
Withdraw cashback as soon as possible
If the site goes bust, you probably won’t ever see your cashback again. To save you losing out, try and withdraw your earnings whenever you can.
