CheckoutSmart Review: Earn Money From Your Grocery Receipts
Is the cost of your weekly shop creeping up yet again? You’re not imagining it. Food prices are still stubbornly high, and shrinkflation hasn’t gone anywhere either. So if you’re buying the same brands anyway, you might as well get some money back. That’s where CheckoutSmart comes in. In this review, I’ll show you how it works, what kind of offers you’ll actually see, and whether it’s worth bothering with.
CheckoutSmart review
Some decent offers do appear on the app from time to time. However, don’t expect too many of your favourites as it generally focuses on new products. An app well worth having, especially when combined with other cashback apps.
Pros
- A good range of products
- Payment is usually received in a couple of days
- Lots of stores listed
Cons
- Fee for cash withdrawals under £20
- Offers don’t change very often
Reviewed by Household Money SavingCheckoutSmart
Inflation has risen sharply recently, meaning the cost of everything is rising. Not only this, but we’re seeing “shrinkflation” when our products get smaller. Remember the size of a Curly Wurly when you were a kid? So apart from cutting back on what you eat, what can be done? Well, plenty of apps will pay you for scanning receipts. In today’s review, I’m going to take a look at CheckoutSmart.
What is CheckoutSmart?
CheckoutSmart is an app you can download onto your phone that offers cashback on certain supermarket products. You simply register using an email address or your Facebook account and are ready to go shopping.
Is it safe?
The app is owned by Checkout Smart LTD, a British company based in London that has been operating since 2012. Having used the app for the last five years, I have never had any issues with privacy or payouts.
How does CheckoutSmart make money?
The cashback you receive doesn’t come out of CheckoutSmart’s pockets. The offers available on the app are paid for by retail companies to promote their products. CheckoutSmart will then receive a small commission for this promotion.
Also worth reading
Want to save more money on your weekly shop? Take a look at the best supermarket cashback apps.
How does CheckoutSmart work?
You can create an account with just an email address and you’ll then have access to all of CheckoutSmart’s offers.
You can either scroll through everything you can save money on, or filter the offers by store. If you see something you like, click the little heart button so it’s saved and you don’t forget about it.
Once you’ve bought the item, you start the claim process on the app. This is just a simple matter of choosing the retailer you purchased it from and the date. Then, you’ll need to scan the barcode to confirm it’s the correct product. If it is, take a photo of the receipt and upload it. You’re taken through the process step-by-step, so you shouldn’t go wrong.
Usually, within a couple of days, the money is added to your CheckoutSmart account. You can then transfer your money straight to your bank account or by PayPal. It is worth noting that withdrawing cashback under the value of £20 from your CheckoutSmart account will be subject to a 5% processing fee. Anything over is free.
Gift cards
In late 2024, CheckoutSmart began offering the option to withdraw your earnings as a gift card. There are over 30 stores to choose from, including Adidas, Just Eat, Costa and Cineworld. These vouchers start from just £5 and there’s no fee. However, you can only withdraw through a link on email sent by CheckoutSmart. There’s no way to do it on the app or website.
What kind of product deals are there?
You will find offers on many items you would buy during your weekly shop, which tends to change weekly. More or less, anything is covered, from snacks to energy drinks to frozen food. You’ll find discounts from many major brands.
How much can you save?
This depends on the offer and the product. Generally, you will save anywhere between 50p and £4. There are a few items which you can buy that, after cashback, will cost you absolutely nothing. There is also a good choice of offers, generally over 100.
As you can see above, the Birds Eye chicken is free and the cider is half-price. What a perfect evening!
Which shops are included?
All the major supermarkets are covered –
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, ASDA,
Waitrose, Co-op, Ocado, Boots, Iceland,
Spar, Superdrug, Marks & Spencer, Aldi and Lidl
Other retailers, including Uber Eats, Amazon, Deliveroo and BP, have been added.
Not all offers are available in every shop, and some can only be redeemed in-store or online. When browsing offers, it’s simple enough to see where you can take up each offer.
Earning extra
CheckoutSmart occasionally opens up something called the RRP scheme. There are only limited spaces, but you will get extra discounts. However, in return, you will need to submit reviews of the products through the manufacturer’s website.
Don’t forget to maximise your earnings when using CheckoutSmart. You can use your loyalty cards when shopping, and because the cashback is awarded after your purchase, you’ll get the full number of points.
And consider opening a Chase current account. This account pays 1% cashback on your supermarket shop.
Finally, take a look at Airtime. This is another cashback app that links directly to your credit or debit card. The money you earn can then be paid towards your phone bill.
Also worth reading
If you want to save even more money, read my post on the best cashback apps.
Is there a CheckoutSmart referral code?
Many cashback and receipt apps pay a bonus if you refer friends or family. Currently, there is no such offer available from CheckoutSmart.
What other people say
I always look at other people’s opinions when writing my reviews. On Trustpilot, CheckoutSmart scores an average 3.2 out of 5. On the positive side, users praise how easy it is to use the app, with one claiming that they had made almost £400 over the years. However, some reviewers have complained about rejected claims or closed accounts.
My CheckoutSmart review conclusion
As with all of these grocery money-saving app, they’re not going to save you huge amounts. There are some weeks when there’s nothing I fancy buying, but other weeks there will be some great offers. Unfortunately, I do have a habit of forgetting to check the app.
But I would certainly recommend trying it out, especially if you have a better memory than mine.
CheckoutSmart alternatives
If you want to save more money on your shopping, why not take a look at my reviews of GreenJinn and Shopmium?
FAQs
Are there any other apps like CheckoutSmart?
Yes. Take a look at GreenJinn and Shopmium as decent alternatives. Take a look at my review of both these apps.
