Quidco Cashback Review: Payouts, Tracking and Sign-Up Bonus
Do you fancy earning cashback on your shopping but aren’t exactly sure how it all works? Then let me break down exactly how to use Quidco, what to expect, and where it’s genuinely good — and where it falls short.
Quidco review
Quidco is a cornerstone of UK money-saving, offering cashback at over 5,000 retailers. While TopCashback often wins on raw rates, Quidco frequently counters with exclusive “boosted” bonuses and a superior insurance comparison tool. It’s a reliable, user-friendly platform that should be one-half of every savvy shopper’s cashback strategy.
Pros
- Excellent “Quidco Compare” tool for insurance & utilities
- Up to 20% extra value when withdrawing via gift cards
- Frequent high-value “Flash” bonuses and opt-in offers
- Highly polished mobile app and browser extension
Cons
- Premium membership costs £1 per active month
- Standard rates are sometimes lower than TopCashback
- Payouts for certain retailers can take 3-6 months
Reviewed by Household Money SavingQuidco
I’m an avid cashback site user for over 15 years. It really is an easy way to get money off your shopping and involves little more than clicking on a link before you shop. And the great thing is, there are plenty of sites to choose from – you can see the best cashback sites here.
But today, I’m looking at how to earn cashback with Quidco, one of the biggest and best cashback sites out there. It can seem a little daunting to start with but don’t worry, it’s all very simple once you know how.
How does Quidco work? (Quick Summary)
Quidco is a cashback site that refers customers to selected shops. If these customers make a purchase, Quidco earns a commission. And rather than keeping all of that commission, Quidco passes some of it back to you. You can then withdraw your earnings in cash or in the form of gift cards.
Signing up
The first step is to join! Don’t worry, it’s completely free. All you need to do is enter your email address and choose a password. It’s up to you whether you want to tick the box to be sent special offers. It might be best to start with so you get a feel of the kind of cashback you can earn. You can always unsubscribe at a later date if you think the emails are pointless.
And it’s as simple as that. Your account is created, and you’re ready to start earning.
*Warning* – When creating an account with Quidco, you are automatically enrolled on their Premium Membership scheme. It may be better to change to the Basic membership though. For more details, see the FAQ below.
The app
Quidco also has its own dedicated app. It’s not essential to have, but useful if you shop using your mobile phone quite often. And if you do, why not take a look at some of the best cashback apps?
Earning cashback
This is the easy bit… or difficult if you’re a picky shopper. You need to find a place you would like to do your shopping. Often, you will know where you want to buy from, so it’s just a case of typing the retailer’s name into Quidco’s search bar. But you can browse listed retailers in the categories section.
Once you have chosen your retailer, you’ll be taken to a page with more details about the cashback you can earn. Sometimes, this page will have several offers listed. For example, new customers may get a different cashback rate compared to existing customers. Or, you may get a higher rate if you buy a specific brand from your chosen shop.
But the links all go to the same page, so don’t worry.
Click on the “Get Cashback’ button and shop as usual.
Tracking
To know that you shopped through a cashback site, both Quidco and the store use tracking cookies. They will communicate with each other so they know you are eligible for cashback.
Once you’ve made a purchase, you should receive an email from Quidco saying your purchase has been tracked. This can take anywhere between a few minutes to 1 week. If your purchase hasn’t been tracked, you can let Quidco know (see below).
And don’t forget the browser extension
Quidco offers a browser extension for FireFox, Edge and Chrome users. This will remind you when you can earn cashback. If you’re using a search engine, you’ll see a note with the cashback available above the store. Or, if you’ve visited the store directly, a popup will appear with a button directing you back to Quidco.
When does Quidco pay you?
This is actually quite a tough question. Quidco won’t pay you until the retailer confirms that the transaction has gone smoothly and sends the payment over. This can be a matter of weeks or even months. Of course, a retailer doesn’t want to pay cashback, only for you to return the item for a full refund after a couple of weeks.
On average, it takes 3-4 months before your cashback becomes payable, although I have had to wait for a year before.
Below, you can see that I had to wait almost four months for this cashback.
Claiming your money
Once your cashback has cleared in your account, it’s time to claim it. You can choose the cash option, which can be paid into your bank account or PayPal. Or, you could opt for a gift card from dozens of shops, including Amazon and Tesco. The benefit is that you usually receive a bonus – anything between 2-15%.
You should receive your payment within around seven days.
Does Quidco cost?
There are two membership schemes with Quidco. Basic membership is free and won’t cost you a penny. Or, you can upgrade to Premium Membership. Although no money is ever taken directly from your bank account, Quidco will retain a monthly fee if you earn cashback that month.
Is Premium Membership worth it?
The cost of Premium is £1 every month that you earn cashback. If you earn nothing, you pay nothing. The benefits of membership include:
- Up to 10% top-up on cashback rates
- Double the difference highest cashback guarantee
- Up to 20% payout bonuses
- Ad-free experience
If you’re a regular user of Quidco, then the fee might be worth it. However, for casual users, you are probably best sticking with the Basic Membership.
What if my cashback doesn’t track?
Don’t worry, this happens from time to time.
In the top menu, you will see a section labelled ‘Support‘ and then ‘Missing Cashback Claim‘. You will then need to complete your purchase details, such as the time and date (that should be shown anyway), the amount spent and the order number. Once you have submitted your claim, it can take several months before you hear any further.
I recommend keeping hold of any email receipts until your order has been tracked.
But… cashback isn’t guaranteed
It’s important to note that cashback is not guaranteed. Don’t just choose a retailer because they appear on a cashback site. If you can find a better deal elsewhere, go for it. When shopping for cashback, many things can happen, which means you never get to see the money that should be owed to you.
Is Quidco worth using?
Yes. I’ve personally earned well over £1,000 from Quidco over the years. It’s not always the highest-paying site, but it’s reliable, easy to use and sometimes has better deals than competitors.
If you’re new, there’s usually a sign-up bonus available once you earn your first qualifying cashback (often £5). The exact amount changes, so treat it as a nice extra rather than the main reason to join.
FAQs
How does Quidco make money?
It’s actually not clear on their website how Quidco makes its money. My assumption is that they either take a small part of your commission or, shops pay them to promote their cashback deals on the site or by email.
How do you change to a basic account?
Hover over ‘User Account‘ in the top right corner and choose ‘Settings’. On the left, click ‘Account Type’, scroll down and select ‘Downgrade‘. Your account will now become a Basic one.
