Best Cashback Apps UK 2026: Earn Money Back on Every Shop
Published 29th April 2026·Updated 17 April 2026
Reviewed by: Reviewed for accuracy April 2026
Cashback apps pay you a percentage of your spend back as cash when you shop through them. The best cashback apps in the UK split into two types: online cashback sites (TopCashback, Quidco) that cover thousands of retailers, and grocery cashback apps (Shopmium, GreenJinn) that offer money back on specific supermarket products. Using both types together can save a UK household several hundred pounds per year with minimal effort.
Short Summary
TopCashback and Quidco are the best all-round cashback sites for online shopping, covering 4,000 to 6,000 retailers including insurance, travel, and broadband providers where cashback can reach £50 to £150 per purchase.
Shopmium and GreenJinn specialise in grocery cashback, offering money back on branded products at major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Morrisons.
Cashback credit cards from Chase and American Express earn cashback automatically on every purchase without needing to click through any site.
All the apps listed here are free to use. Cashback typically takes 30 to 90 days to confirm and become withdrawable.
Best Online Cashback Sites
Online cashback sites cover a wide range of retailers and are particularly valuable for high-value purchases such as insurance, holidays, and broadband contracts, where cashback can be substantial.
| App / Site | Best For | Retailer Coverage | Payout Methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| TopCashback | Overall highest rates | 6,000+ retailers | Bank, PayPal, gift cards |
| Quidco | Alternative rates; insurance | 4,500+ retailers | Bank, PayPal, gift cards |
| Rakuten (formerly Ebates) | Fashion and lifestyle | 800+ retailers | PayPal, cheque |
TopCashback is the largest cashback site in the UK with over 15 million members. It consistently offers the highest rates on most retailers and has a free browser extension that shows cashback rates automatically as you browse. A paid "Plus" membership (around £5/year) removes the small commission deducted on the free tier.
Quidco has been operating since 2005 and covers most of the same retailers as TopCashback. Rates are usually slightly lower but Quidco occasionally beats TopCashback on specific deals. Worth having an account at both and comparing before large purchases.
Best Grocery Cashback Apps
Grocery cashback apps work differently from online cashback sites. You browse offers within the app, buy the specific product at the supermarket, scan your receipt or loyalty card barcode, and receive cashback into your app account.
| App | How It Works | Supermarkets Covered | Cashback Per Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopmium | Scan receipt after purchase | Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose | Typically £0.50 to £3 per product |
| GreenJinn | Link loyalty card or scan receipt | Most major supermarkets | Typically £0.30 to £2 per product |
| Checkoutsmart | Scan receipt | Most major supermarkets | Typically £0.30 to £1.50 per product |
| Asda Cashpot (Rewards) | Automatic via Asda app | Asda only | Percentage of qualifying spend |
Shopmium is the most popular grocery cashback app in the UK, with a wide range of branded product offers. Some offers are "free product" deals where you get the full cost back after buying. Download the app, check which offers are available, and buy the product on your next shop.
GreenJinn has a strong range of health, beauty, and food offers. It allows loyalty card linking at some supermarkets so you do not need to scan a receipt manually.
Best Cashback Credit Cards
Cashback credit cards earn money back automatically on every transaction, with no need to click through any site or app. They are only suitable if you pay the full balance every month; carrying a balance means interest charges will far outweigh any cashback earned.
| Card | Cashback Rate | Annual Fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Debit Card | 1% on everyday spending | Free | £15/month |
| American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday | 0.5% to 1% | Free | None stated |
| American Express Platinum Cashback | 0.75% to 1.25% | £25/year | None stated |
Chase (a debit card, not a credit card) pays 1 per cent cashback on everyday spending up to £15 per month, with no fee. It is one of the most straightforward cashback products available in the UK for people who prefer not to use credit.
American Express cards offer the highest cashback rates of any UK credit card, but are not accepted at all retailers (notably some smaller shops and a handful of supermarkets). Amex is best used alongside a Visa or Mastercard for retailers that do not accept it.
How to Maximise Cashback
Using multiple cashback methods together is where the real savings build up. A practical approach:
- Install the TopCashback and Quidco browser extensions. Before any online purchase, glance at which site pays more and click through from that one.
- Use a cashback credit card (or Chase debit card) for the actual purchase. This stacks cashback on top of whatever the cashback site pays.
- Check Shopmium or GreenJinn before your weekly supermarket shop. Buy any products you were already going to buy that have active offers.
- Use a cashback site for insurance, travel, and broadband renewals. These are the highest-value cashback opportunities; car insurance alone can generate £50 to £150 in cashback per policy.
A household spending £15,000 per year on general purchases, running insurance through a cashback site, and using grocery cashback apps could realistically earn £300 to £600 per year in combined cashback.
Are Cashback Apps Safe?
Yes. TopCashback, Quidco, and the grocery cashback apps listed here are established, legitimate UK businesses. TopCashback has over 15 million members and has paid out over £1 billion in cashback since it launched. These apps make money by keeping a portion of retailer commissions before passing the rest to you.
Your personal data is handled under UK GDPR. None of the apps listed here require your bank details until you request a payout, and payouts are processed via bank transfer or PayPal.
The main thing to watch for is that cashback sometimes does not track correctly (see the FAQ below). This is a nuisance rather than a financial risk; you simply do not earn cashback on that particular purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cashback app in the UK?
For online shopping, TopCashback is the best overall choice due to its high rates and broad retailer coverage. For grocery cashback, Shopmium is the most widely used app with a strong range of offers. For automatic cashback on all spending, the Chase debit card pays 1 per cent on everyday purchases with no annual fee.
Why did my cashback not track?
The most common reasons are: you did not click through from the cashback site immediately before visiting the retailer; you used a discount code not listed on the cashback site; an ad blocker interfered with the tracking cookie; or you were already logged into the retailer's site before clicking through. Always click through fresh, in a single browser session, with ad blockers disabled.
How long does cashback take to pay out?
Online cashback typically appears as "pending" within 7 to 14 days and confirms within 30 to 90 days for most retailers. Insurance and financial products can take up to 120 days. Grocery cashback apps like Shopmium usually credit your account within a few days of submitting your receipt.
Can I stack cashback from a cashback site and a cashback credit card?
Yes. Using a cashback credit card to pay for a purchase you clicked through via a cashback site earns you both the cashback site rate and the card cashback simultaneously. This stacking is entirely legitimate and is one of the most effective ways to maximise returns.
Do I pay tax on cashback earnings?
For most individuals, no. HMRC treats cashback as a discount on a purchase rather than taxable income. This applies to both online cashback and grocery cashback apps. If you earn cashback through a business account, different rules may apply.
Is there a limit to how much cashback I can earn?
On TopCashback and Quidco, there is generally no cap on total annual cashback. Individual offers may have caps (for example, one claim per household per offer on grocery apps). The Chase debit card caps cashback at £15 per month (1 per cent of £1,500 spending). American Express cashback cards typically have no annual cap but may have introductory rate structures.