Cashback sites and apps are one of those things where the concept sounds almost too good to be true. Get money back on purchases you were already planning to make, without paying anything extra or jumping through complicated hoops. But they are real, they do work, and over the years they have become one of the most reliable money saving tools in my arsenal.
That said, they are not all the same, and they are not all equally useful for every type of purchase. This page brings together my reviews of the main cashback platforms I use personally, along with a plain explanation of how the whole thing actually works.
How does cashback actually work?
The basic mechanic is the same across all platforms. When you click through to a retailer via a cashback site or app and complete a purchase, that retailer pays the cashback platform a commission for sending them a customer. The platform then shares a portion of that commission with you as cashback. You pay exactly the same price as you would have done going direct. The difference is that some of the retailer’s marketing budget ends up in your pocket rather than theirs.
It genuinely is that simple. The reason more people do not do it is usually just habit. Once you build the routine of checking a cashback platform before you buy, it becomes second nature.
The golden rule, as with all of these things, is this: never buy something you were not already going to buy just because there is cashback on it. The cashback only has value if it is sitting on top of a purchase you were making anyway.
The cashback platforms I use and recommend
Quidco
Quidco is where my cashback journey properly started, back in 2015. Over ten years and more than £2,700 in cashback later, it remains my primary platform. The core offering covers online shopping at thousands of retailers, but the real money for me has come from insurance and financial products. Switching car insurance, home insurance or broadband through Quidco rather than going direct to a comparison site can put anywhere from £20 to over £100 back in your pocket in a single transaction.
The browser extension is worth installing too. It pops up automatically when you land on a site where cashback is available, which means you are far less likely to forget to click through.
Everup
Everup takes a different approach. Rather than online shopping cashback, it focuses on gift cards. You buy a gift card for a retailer you were already going to shop at, and Everup pays you a percentage of the value as cashback. The rates on gift cards are often better than what you would get through a traditional cashback site, and for retailers you use regularly like Tesco or Marks and Spencer, it is genuinely worth building into your routine.
In my first two months of using it I earned over £67 in cashback, which is a decent return for a pretty minimal change in behaviour.
Quidco vs Everup: which should you use?
The honest answer is both, because they do different things well. Quidco is stronger for online shopping and insurance. Everup is stronger for gift card cashback on regular supermarket and retail spending. They complement each other rather than compete, and using both means you are covering more ground.
That said, it is always worth comparing rates before you commit. For gift cards in particular, both platforms list rates that change regularly, so checking which is offering the better deal on a specific retailer before you buy takes 30 seconds and can be worth a percentage point or two.
TopCashback: the other platform worth knowing about
I also use TopCashback, though I have not yet written a full review. It works on the same model as Quidco and the rates are sometimes better, sometimes worse. My approach is to check both before clicking through on any significant purchase and use whichever is higher. There is no loyalty required here.
Frequently asked questions
Is cashback actually free money?
Effectively yes, as long as you were already going to make the purchase. The cashback comes from the retailer’s marketing budget, not from your pocket. You pay the same price either way. The only cost is remembering to click through first.
Is cashback guaranteed?
No, and this is important. Transactions can fail to track, and some purchases are excluded under the terms and conditions. Common exclusions include purchases made through a retailer’s own app rather than a browser, and purchases where a voucher code has been applied at checkout. Always check the terms before a large purchase and treat the cashback as a likely bonus rather than a certainty.
Are cashback sites safe to use?
The established platforms like Quidco, TopCashback and Everup are legitimate businesses that have been operating for years. That said, it is worth withdrawing your cashback balance regularly rather than letting large amounts sit in your account, as cashback platform balances do not carry the same protections as a bank account.
Can you use cashback and a voucher code at the same time?
Usually not. Most cashback offers are invalidated if you use a promotional code at checkout. The general rule is: if the voucher code gives you an immediate saving of a similar or greater amount, take the voucher. If the cashback is worth more, skip the code and click through. A guaranteed saving beats a potential one.