Last year I earned £340 in cashback.
Not from shopping I wouldn’t have done anyway. Not from special purchases or extra spending. From the energy bills I was already paying, the groceries I was already buying, the insurance I was already renewing, and the Amazon purchases I was making regardless.
£340. For installing some apps and clicking through them before spending.
How UK Cashback Actually Works
Retailers pay referral fees when customers arrive through certain channels. Cashback sites negotiate a share of those fees and pass them to you. It’s not charity — it’s clever marketing that you can benefit from if you know how.
There are two main types in the UK: shopping cashback portals (TopCashback, Quidco) that pay on online purchases, and grocery cashback apps (Shopmium, Checkout Smart) that pay on specific supermarket products.
The Apps I Actually Use
1. TopCashback — Where Most of My £340 Came From
TopCashback is my primary cashback platform for a simple reason: unlike competitors it passes through 100% of the commission it receives on its free tier. You always get the maximum available rate.
The browser extension is essential. It pops up automatically when you’re on a retailer’s site and tells you what cashback is available. I’ve never paid full price for insurance online since installing it.
My biggest single cashback payment was £87 from switching energy supplier through TopCashback. Takes 30 seconds to click through from TopCashback before completing the switch.
2. Quidco — Useful For Its Browser Extension
The Quidco browser extension is slightly more seamlessly integrated than TopCashback’s. Some people prefer it as their primary platform. I use both and check which offers the better rate for significant purchases. On big purchases the difference can be £10 to £30.
3. Shopmium — The Grocery Cashback App That Works
Shopmium offers cashback on specific branded grocery products at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Waitrose. You buy the product, photograph the receipt, and the money arrives within 48 hours.
It won’t transform your finances. But I consistently earn £12 to £20 per month from it on products I was buying anyway.
4. Airtime Rewards — Reduces My Phone Bill for Free
This one is genuinely clever. Link your debit or credit card to Airtime Rewards. When you spend at partner retailers — which include McDonald’s, Costa, Greggs, and most major supermarkets — cashback is automatically applied as a credit to your monthly mobile phone bill.
I do nothing. I just spend normally and my phone bill is lower every month. Average saving: around £8 to £12 per month.
5. Too Good To Go — Not Traditional Cashback But Spectacular Value
Partner restaurants and bakeries list surplus food at end-of-day for collection at £2.99 to £4.99 per bag — typically worth £8 to £15 of food. I’ve had full-size cakes, artisan loaves, sushi boxes, and restaurant meals for under £4.
The Maximum Cashback Strategy
- Install TopCashback and Quidco browser extensions — check both before any significant online purchase
- Install Shopmium and Checkout Smart — use both since they have different featured products
- Link your everyday card to Airtime Rewards — passively reduces your phone bill
- Use TopCashback for every insurance renewal, utility switch, and significant online order
- Download Too Good To Go and check it regularly near mealtimes
Are UK cashback apps actually legitimate?
TopCashback and Quidco have been operating for over 15 years and have paid out hundreds of millions of pounds to UK users. They’re fully legitimate businesses operating on affiliate marketing principles. Your financial data is protected under GDPR. Always use the official app from the App Store or Google Play.
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