In a previous article we featured a whole bunch of apps that are useful for compers because they often give you the chance to win prizes. In amongst that selection were a number of cashback services but there are others and it’s worth us giving them a mention and potentially help you save a bit of cash. Let’s face it, every money saving service references competitions so maybe it’s time we referenced a bit more money saving. But first what is cashback? Many sites can earn revenue by referring you to online shops and services through affiliate marketing. However some services such as Quidco and TopCashback give back some of their affiliate commission to the consumer – cashback. They can do this because they strike deals with merchants and services so that they can offer the cashback and still make revenue for themselves. The amount you can earn depends on the product you’re buying, the store you’re purchasing from etc. but cashback is especially useful for things like insurance and utilities where the cashback amounts can be quite high. Although we list a number of different options (in no particular order) below we do suggest sticking with one particular cashback site so that you build up a nice pot of cash through regular use.
Quidco
Quidco are my personal goto cashback option and to date there’s never been any issues with them. They have a massive range of merchants to choose from including Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda which might be useful if you’re looking to purchase a few qualifiers during your grocery shop. Quidco do say that you won’t find a better place to earn cashback and state that “if you find a higher applicable cashback rate for your purchase on any other UK cashback site, Quidco will match it and we’ll add a little extra on top”.
TopCashback
The biggest alternative to Quidco is TopCashback and they claim that “91% of their rates are higher than the Quidco deals you’ll find”. They were also Cashback Site of the Year at the 2024 Moneyfacts Consumer Awards. So why do I use Quidco? Well a few years ago Loquax was an affiliate of TopCashback but one day without any warning they just suspended us from their program. No notice, no explanation, no nothing. The program is still running too so it’s not like it closed. Anyway as that’s how TopCashback treated us as a business I opted to use Quidco.
Easy Fundraising
Advent compers will be familiar with Easy Fundraising as they usually run a big giveaway around the festive period. This site works in exactly the same way as Quidco and TopCashback but with one crucial difference. Instead of earning cashback for yourself, the money that you make is donated to a good cause of your own choosing. Over £53million has been raised to date! This platform is ideal for anyone looking to raise money for a national charity or a local good cause. If a cause isn’t listed then you can request an addition.
JamDoughnut
JamDoughnut describes itself as “the instant Cashback App that’s taking the UK by storm”. It works a little bit differently to the above in that the cashback comes from purchases of vouchers. You simply find your favourite brand from those listed on the website or app and purchase a voucher. This can then be used when you shop instore or online. Cashback is instant which is a plus point – whereas for Quidco and co you have to wait for merchant confirmations and if the transaction is tracked and valid. The key with JamDoughnut is remembering to purchase the voucher before you decide to purchase the item you’re after.
Everup
Joining JamDoughnut in the buy a voucher for cashback department is Everup. It doesn’t have as many partners as the likes of Quidco and TopCashback but like JamDoughnut the cashback is instant. Login to the Everup app and purchase giftcards that can then be used at the likes of Costa, Currys and Pizza Express. The cool thing about this app from a comper point of view is that it also includes free games and the chance to win prizes. It’s worth downloading just for those alone although you’re unlikely to ever win the Million Lotto game. The odds are 600million to 1!
Cheddar
If you’re not a fan of doughnuts and free games then how about some cheese? Cheddar is yet another cashback app that lets you purchase vouchers/gift cards and earn cashback on them. Merchants include Costa, Tesco and Amazon. However Cheddar goes one step further in that it also provides payment services. To use Cheddar you do need to link up a bank account which is secure, but it’s not something I wanted to do just for the sake of a blog post. However the company did recently win Best Newcomer’ at the British Bank Awards 2024 so one worth checking out if you’re interested in what they offer.
Airtime Rewards
How would you like to earn money off your mobile phone bill? Well that’s what Airtime Rewards offers you. It’s quite a seamless process too! Just download the app, connect a payment card and then shop online or offline as usual. When you use your linked bank cards Airtime are able to track rewards gained to earn you cashback. I signed up for this a while back and it’s actually tracked some cashback purchases so it’s very seamless. If you shop at Morrisons then they’re the only big supermarket listed.
Shopmium
Shopmium describes itself as offering “discounts and offers on your everyday purchases whether you shop in your local grocery store or online”. Once you’ve set up an account via the app it’s simply a case of browsing the offers and selecting the ones you like. Head online or in-store to find the featured products and then, to get your cashback, you need to upload a picture of your receipt. It does sound a bit of a faff but offers are broken down into stores so you can quickly locate Tesco, Sainbury’s, Asda etc offers.
Cashback Hints & Tips
Getting cashback is great but it still pays to shop around. Not every company will be involved with Quidco, TopCashback etc. and you may find still find a better deal that doesn’t involve getting cashback. Be wary too that cashback tracking can be a bit of a minefield. Firstly the transaction needs to track (this doesn’t always happen), it needs to be verified and it needs to be paid. This can take time so don’t expect instant rewards. Cashback is also sometimes calculated on products minus VAT so the amount you receive may be less than you expect. Additionally payments are occasionally paid on first time purchases or to new customers only. Just be wary of any rules plus do keep an eye on minimum payout limits. In our view Quidco is the best option but you may find the other sites work better for you.
Did You Know
Once upon a time, back in the dim and distant past, Loquax actually had it’s own cashback site. It was actually a white label site which means we put our name to it and someone else ran the day to day mechanics. We called it CashQuack which to be fair was pretty brilliant. Unfortunately it was absolutely rubbish despite our best efforts to get people interested in using it. The problem with CashQuack wasn’t that it wasn’t any good, the problem was that it just couldn’t compete against Quidco and TopCashback. Early cashback sites actually offered smaller percentages of the available affiliate commission but then the bigger sites started offering “100% cashback” (i.e. all the available affiliate commission). If CashQuack was offering say £10 cashback on an insurance policy but Quidco could pay £30 then it was a no-brainer which site people would choose. Sadly CashQuack had to close!
Disclaimer
A couple of the links above and below will have a Loquax referral code or affiliate link. This simply means we might get a small reward if you sign-up and go on and jump through a bunch of hoops. We doubt it’ll make us rich but we have to declare it. Over time we will add to this blog post to cover other services such as Swagbucks, Cashback.co.uk, OhMyDosh, Rakuten, 20Cogs, KidStart and others. As always we would love to hear your views and opinions of any of the services featured. Have you had good or bad experiences with cashback? Do you have any tips for maximising the amount of cash you make?