Cashback UK

Cashback is a simple and effective way to earn money back on your everyday purchases. Whether shopping online, in-store, or buying gift cards, cashback sites and apps help you save money effortlessly.

Last Updated: 16th April 2025

Written by My Side Gig team

What Is Cashback?

Cashback allows you to earn a percentage of your spending back when you shop through cashback sites or apps. Retailers partner with cashback platforms to offer rewards, which you can withdraw as cash or vouchers.

Find the Best Instant Cashback Offers:

Use our Cashback Comparison Tool to search your favourite shop and see which instant cashback site has the best rate!

How Does Cashback Work?

The process is simple:

✅ Sign up for a cashback site – Register with a platform like TopCashback or Quidco.
✅ Shop through the cashback site – Click through to your favourite retailers.
✅ Earn cashback on your purchases – The site tracks your spending and rewards you.
✅ Withdraw your cashback – Transfer your earnings to your bank, PayPal, or as gift cards.

For instant cashback, buy discounted gift cards from apps like JamDoughnut and Cheddar to earn rewards immediately.

Why Do Retailers Offer Cashback?

Retailers use cashback sites as a form of marketing, paying them to refer customers. Instead of keeping the commission, cashback platforms pass a portion of it back to you, helping you save money on your purchases.

Who Can Benefit from Cashback?

Cashback is great for:

✅ Anyone who shops online or in-store.
✅ People looking to save money effortlessly.
✅ Those who want to earn extra cash as a side hustle.
✅ Shoppers who frequently buy gift cards for daily spending.

How Much Can You Earn?

Earnings depend on how often you use cashback sites. Some people save hundreds of pounds per year just by shopping strategically. Instant cashback apps let you stack rewards, maximising your savings.

Most Cashback Sites Offer Sign-Up Bonuses

Many cashback platforms offer sign-up bonuses when you join and make your first purchase. These bonuses can give you an extra boost when starting out, making it even easier to earn money back on your spending. Be sure to check the latest offers when signing up for new platforms!

Here’s our full list of Cashback sites and their sign up bonuses.

Top Cashback Best Offers

TopCashback offers some fantastic cashback deals with various banks and savings providers. Many of these sites also provide a sign-up bonus, meaning you can register through TopCashback and receive both the bonus and the cashback on top.

Even if you don’t plan on using these accounts long-term, it’s worth going through the process to claim the cashback before moving your money elsewhere.

Here’s a complete list of the best cashback offers currently available on TopCashback.

FAQ’s

  • Yes! Cashback sites and apps are free to use, with no hidden fees.

    Some sites have a minimum payout though, meaning you have to earn a certain amount of cashback before you can withdraw your earnings, but this is easily done with consistent use.

  • Regular cashback can take weeks or months, but instant cashback apps pay immediately.

  • Yes! Instant cashback apps like JamDoughnut and Cheddar work in-store. You just need to buy a gift card that you can spend in store.

  • You can’t stack cashback sites on the same order, but you can combine them with instant cashback gift cards.

    Here’s our article on ways of stacking cashback.

  • Use our Cashback Comparison Tool to find the best cashback rates for your favorite stores.

  • Traditional cashback typically takes several weeks or even months to track, confirm, and become payable. It requires the retailer to verify the purchase before the cashback is approved and added to your account.

    Instant cashback, on the other hand, is credited to your account immediately - this is done when you purchase gift cards for a specific retailer, the company then gives you ‘instant cashback’ upon this gift card purchase.