Cashback Sites Explained: Getting Paid for Shopping You Were Doing Anyway

If you buy anything online – insurance, broadband, a new kettle, the weekly shop – there’s a decent chance you could have had some of that money back. Cashback sites are one of the simplest ways to save, and once they’re set up they need almost no effort.

How cashback actually works

Retailers pay websites a commission for sending customers their way. Cashback sites simply pass most of that commission back to you. You click through the cashback site to the retailer, shop as normal, and the cashback is tracked to your account. After the retailer confirms the purchase, it becomes payable and you can withdraw it to your bank account or swap it for vouchers.

The well-known UK options

The two big names in the UK are TopCashback and Quidco. Both cover thousands of retailers, and it’s worth joining both and comparing rates before you buy, as they often differ. Many banks and credit cards also run their own cashback or rewards schemes, so check what yours offers before you go hunting elsewhere.

The catches (there are always a few)

• It isn’t instant. Cashback can take weeks, sometimes months, to confirm – especially for things like insurance or broadband, where the provider waits to see that you stay.
• Tracking can fail. Ad blockers, private browsing and using vouchers from elsewhere can all stop a purchase being tracked. Keep your confirmation emails in case you need to claim.
• Don’t let the tail wag the dog. Cashback on something you didn’t need isn’t a saving – it’s a slightly smaller loss.

Getting the most out of it

1. Join one or two sites and install their browser extension, so you’re reminded when cashback is available.
2. Save the big ones for cashback: car and home insurance, broadband, mobile contracts and energy switches often pay the most.
3. Compare the cashback site’s rate with what you’d save by going direct – occasionally the direct price is better.
4. Withdraw your cashback regularly rather than leaving it sitting in your account.

Used sensibly, cashback is about as close to free money as it gets. It won’t make you rich, but it’s a nice little upside on spending you were going to do anyway.

This article is general information, not financial advice. See our Disclosure & Disclaimer.