How Do Cashback Sites Work? Everything You Need To Know

Cashback sites are a great way to make extra money when you buy products and services online. While they’re user-friendly, they can be a little confusing if you’re using them for the first time. In this post, I’ll walk you through how cashback sites work. I’ll also share my top tips on how to maximise your earnings on these sites.

What are cashback sites and how do they work?

A cashback site offers you a cash bonus incentive when you shop with thousands of retailers via their website. When you click through to a retailer’s websites e.g. ASOS, from the cashback site and buy something, they will track this purchase. You’ll then receive a percentage of the money back in your account.

What can I get cashback on?

You can get cashback on just about anything you purchase, including:

• Clothes
• Makeup and beauty products
• Pet supplies
• Insurance
• Stocks and shares
• Mortgages
• Broadband and mobile contracts
• Holidays and travel such as flights, hotels, and even train trips

You can also get cashback by using comparison sites like MoneySuperMarket and USwitch to make purchases.

Which are the best cashback sites to use?

There are two main cashback websites that are the most popular in the UK, and these are TopCashback and Quidco. These are personally my favourite sites to use, but here is a list of the best cashback sites in the UK. It’s worth checking each one, as the rates of cashback you’ll receive vary from one site to another.

How much money can I make?

The amount of money you’ll make using cashback sites will depend on how often you shop and what you’re purchasing. Some retailers offer between 1%-10% cashback. Others offer generous cash amounts, such as £20 cashback on a new phone contract, for example.

Quidco suggests their average user makes £280 per year using their site. While TopCashback say their users make over £300 per year.

How do I use cashback sites?

Firstly, you’ll want to sign up for a free account and log in to start browsing all the available cashback offers. It takes less than a minute to create an account, then simply follow these steps to start earning cashback:

1. Step one: Find a retailer or deal you like on the website

Search for a brand and look at the cashback offers available on each retailer page. Make sure you compare rates across multiple cashback sites before you commit, so you know you’re getting the best deal!

It’s also worth checking the cashback website’s homepage. That’s where they’ll showcase their highest rates, plus any additional bonuses that are up for grabs.

2. Step two: Click ‘get cashback’ and shop as normal

When you click the ‘get cashback’ button, you’ll be redirected to the retailer’s website. It’s important you stay on this page and shop and checkout in the same browser window. This will ensure your purchase tracks on the cashback site.

There may be multiple offers available on the retailer page, but I find clicking the ‘get cashback’ button works just fine. Some retailer pages also feature voucher codes, where you can double up on savings. So keep an eye out for these!

3. Step three: Wait for your cashback to appear in your account

Once you’ve bought a product or service online, you’ll receive an email from the cashback site confirming your purchase has been tracked. You can also see this on your account activity page. Sometimes it takes a while to appear, but sit tight!

The retailer will then send the commission to the cashback site you used. They will then transfer the money to your cashback account. You can transfer this to your bank account or PayPal account. You can also withdraw your earnings as a gift card for selected retailers such as Amazon, Primark, or Costa.

There is often a minimal withdrawal of £1. So you’ll have to wait for your cashback to be confirmed and paid by the retailer before you can cash anything out.

When do I get paid?

The time it takes for cashback to reach your account varies based on when the retailer pays commission to the cashback site, who will then pass the money onto you. This time ranges from weeks to months. For example, significant purchases, such as insurance or broadband contracts tend to take longer to track than a takeaway from Just Eat.

You can usually see an estimated pay timeframe on your cashback account statement, and on the retailer page. This will give you a good indication of when you’ll be paid.

There are four stages to your cashback claim:

1. Pending: Your purchase is waiting to be confirmed by the cashback site and the retailer
2. Confirmed: The cashback site and retailer have confirmed you’ve made a purchase that is eligible for cashback
3. Payable: The money is now available in your cashback account and ready to withdraw
4. Claimed: You’ve withdrawn your earnings from the cashback site

Once you withdraw your money, the time it takes to reach your bank or PayPal account is often no longer than a few working days.

How do I withdraw money from a cashback site?

Once your cashback has been confirmed, head to your account, located in the top right on the cashback site. You can either click on your earnings amount or a direct ‘withdraw my money’ link and follow the steps to withdraw your cash.

If you’re transferring money to your bank account or PayPal account, you will be prompted to add these before you can do so.

Are cashback sites free to join?

Yes, cashback sites are 100% free to join. Some sites, including Quidco and TopCashback also have the option to upgrade to premium memberships. TopCashback takes a £5 admin fee from your earnings for a ‘plus’ membership, and Quidco takes £1 per month off your earnings to become a ‘premium’ member.

You get plenty of perks for upgrading, such as higher cashback rates, increased payout bonuses, and exclusive access to specific retailers. It’s completely up to you whether you would like to upgrade or stick with a basic membership.

How do cashback sites make money?

Cashback sites make money through affiliate marketing. This basically means they get paid to promote products and services from retailers on their website. Every time you make a purchase, the cashback site is paid by the retailer.

This has no effect on your earnings whatsoever. Everything you make using a cashback site is yours to keep.

Is it safe to use cashback sites?

Yes, cashback sites are completely safe to use. I wouldn’t recommend them if I hadn’t been using them myself for over ten years. You can tell if a site is genuine by looking for the padlock in the URL link. If you have any concerns, reach out to their customer service team, and Google the site to read reviews.

What do I do if my cashback gets declined?

There may be a number of reasons why your cashback got declined. Perhaps you returned the item you bought? Or you didn’t clear your cookies before shopping online so your cashback didn’t track?

Either way, you can submit a missing cashback claim on a cashback website. Once you’ve submitted a few details, the team will reach out to you to rectify this.

How to boost your earnings on cashback sites

Now you know the basics of how to use cashback sites, here are my top tips to earn even more:

Clear your cookies

Cookies track your online activity, which is completely safe. However, cashback tracking issues occur you’re trying to earn cashback and you visit a website you’ve recently visited (within the past month or so).

If you don’t clear your cookies first, cashback sites might get confused and not track your purchase. That’s because they think you’ve gone through Google or another site instead. You can quickly solve this by clearing your cookies from your phone or desktop via your browser settings.

Install a browser extension

Many cashback sites have a free Google browser extension available to download. This sits in your browser and pops up every time you land on a retailer’s website that offers cashback. These are great because you don’t have to remember to manually log in and click through to claim cashback every time you shop.

Cash in on refer-a-friend schemes

Cashback sites offer anywhere between £1.50 to £30 for recommending them to your friends. Have a look for a refer a friend link or code and make sure you share this unique link with your loved ones. Just remember that they actually need to use the site to count as a valid referral. In some cases they need to cashout themselves before you see your referral payment.

Make some free money

Sites like TopCashback and Quidco have ‘free money’ sections, where you can earn extra cashback without spending a penny by completing surveys or requesting a quote.

‘Get paid to’ sites like Oh My Dosh and Swagbucks also offer free cash for completing surveys, watching videos, and signing up to free trials. You can cancel subscriptions at any time and still keep the cashback. Definitely worth doing! 

Play seasonal games on-site

TopCashback and Quidco host regular games and giveaways around seasonal periods, including Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Christmas. You can win anywhere from 10p all the way up to thousands of pounds in some cases. Sign up to their email newsletters and follow them on social media to see when these are launching.

Double up cashback earnings with a cashback app

You can’t use two cashback sites at once. But you can use an app like Airtime Rewards at the same time as shopping with a cashback site. That’s because apps like this are linked to your debit card. So they will automatically register any cashback to your account when you shop with their partner retailers.

For example, you link your debit card with Airtime Rewards, then click through to shop with Argos via Quidco. You’ll receive cashback from both, as Airtime Rewards also offers cashback for Argos.

Increase your earnings with a cashback credit card

Using a cashback credit card when shopping via a cashback site is another savvy way to increase your cashback earnings. Whenever you use your cashback card, you’ll get a percentage of what you spent paid back to you. (Just make sure you’re paying the balance off in full each month to avoid hefty interest rates.)

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