When shopping with a selected merchant, we simply give you back a percentage of your spend once your purchase is confirmed.
What are cashback websites and how do they work?
Cashback sites receive a commission from the merchant for directing you to their website. Most cashback sites give just a portion of this back to you, but as the most generous cashback site in the UK, we give you up to 105% of what retailers pay us. The extra 1-5% comes from advertising revenue and other services we provide on our website, making us the highest paying cashback site in the UK.
To find out more about our services compared to our main competitor in the UK, check out our cashback comparison: Quidco vs. TopCashback
Why do retailers do this?
To clarify, it is ourselves who offer cashback, rather than the retailers (also known as merchants) on our site. The merchants usually join an affiliate network, which gives sites such as ourselves a way to earn revenue by advertising them. Essentially, we get paid to advertise a retailer if we can send a paying customer to their website.
Once the transaction has been confirmed; the merchant pays the affiliate network a portion of the sale, and they then pass a portion of that back to ourselves. What happens next is where you come in: by clicking through to the merchant from our website, we'll add our commission to your account once we get paid.
This is very hands-off for the merchant, as they don't take any part in issuing the cashback to you. We find that people who receive money back from their purchases usually browse more products and add more to their basket to benefit from the saving, which gives merchants an extra benefit that they won't get from working with non-cashback sites.
How to save money online
When you shop online, simply sign in to your TopCashback account and click through to the store you want to shop. By doing this, you will earn cashback on every purchase you make - whether you are booking a holiday, flights or train tickets, buying your groceries, taking out car insurance or choosing gifts for Christmas. It really is one of the best ways to save money at home!
Check out the voucher codes on TopCashback, which you can use alongside the cashback offers, meaning you can make double savings when you buy. Just be aware, ONLY use vouchers from TopCashback, otherwise, you may not be able to earn cashback.
When it comes to taking the cashback rewards you have earned from your account, TopCashback offers many payout methods, including some which will give you a bonus of up to 10%. So, if you have earned £100 in cashback, you could receive up to £110. As well as being able to have your cashback paid directly into your PayPal or bank account, you can choose to have it paid out in a wide range of retailer gift cards, including Argos, Amazon and Boots vouchers.
You can also earn money by getting your friends to sign up to TopCashback through our Tell-a-Friend bonus scheme. Invite your friends to join our website and you will earn a referral bonus for everyone who signs up via your link and goes on to earn £10 or more in payable credit.
How to save money on groceries
So, now you know that you can join our website and earn money back when shopping online, but did you know that you can also use our app to save a portion of your spend when you buy groceries at your favourite supermarket?
On our app for both Android and iOS devices, you'll find our Groceries offers, which allow you to earn cashback on your everyday shopping essentials (and some luxuries.)
Just download our app, sign in to (or create) your account, navigate to the Groceries section, and browse the offers available. Click through to your chosen offer, take a photo of your receipt and upload it through the app; then the money will be added to your account once it has been confirmed.
How to start earning today
Saving money is simple and can be done in just a few quick and easy steps;
- Join us now for free - just fill out the form at the bottom of this page to become a member.
- Search for the best deals and exclusive offers - including cashback, voucher codes and seasonal sales for your favourite merchants. - Browse retailers including Tesco, Argos, Sky Broadband and BT, as well as more than 4,000 others we have on site, click on specific categories of retailers using the navigation bar or visit our Offers Page for the day’s best cashback deals.
- Click the ‘Get Cashback’ button on a merchant page to be redirected to their website, where you simply make your purchase as normal. Alternatively, you can choose our Oncard or Groceries services to receive money back when purchasing in-store. We will calculate the amount of money you are due, which should appear on your account earnings page within seven days.
- When money shows in your account, choose a payout method to receive the funds as a bank transfer, a transfer to your PayPal account or any of our 20+ gift cards. TopCashback pays you within seven days for most payout methods, but usually, it just takes a couple of working days.
FAQ
Is Cashback Taxable?
HMRC have been quoted as calling it "nonsense" and saying "There was ... no read-across to cashback", in response to whether loyalty schemes and cashback earnings are taxable (The Telegraph: Will I have to pay tax on credit card cashback). Your earnings are counted as a discount from the retailer and thus, it should not need to be declared as income. However we would always suggest to obtain up to date legal advice for your own safety.
What Can I Save Money On?
Almost all of your online purchases will be covered with a saving - just browse our merchants to see what we offer. A few examples of what you can buy from our merchants are: life, car, travel and home insurance, utilities such as gas and electricity, luxuries such as televisions, games consoles and sound systems and essentials including clothes, groceries and cleaning supplies.
Does TopCashback charge an annual fee like other sites?
Yes and no, we have two membership options to choose from: Our Classic account always has been (and always will be) completely free. It offers 101% of the commission we receive as cashback and bonuses of up to 5% when you request a payout. Our Plus account simply retains the first £5 of earnings each year (if you don't earn that much, it's free) and gives you even greater benefits, including 105% of the commission we receive as cashback and bonuses of up to 10% on top of your payouts.
What if my purchase doesn't track?
Almost all transactions track quite quickly, however sometimes you may find that it doesn't work out so perfectly. This could be down to cookies on your computer not tracking correctly, something on the merchant's end, or if you use coupon codes that aren't authorised by TopCashback the commission may go to another affiliate. If nothing appears in your account after a week or two, simply lodge a 'Missing Cashback Claim' and we'll do the rest.
I have some questions that weren't covered, where do I go?
If you need support regarding your account or membership, cashback tracking or claims, or if you are having problems with our mobile app, please visit our Help Section.
