Hoping to make a little bit of money back every time you shop online? Then you’ve come to the right place. Take a look at how TopCashback fares and how you can use the site properly to make sure you make the most money.
TopCashback summary
Pros and cons:
✅ Often has the best cashback rates
✅ Lots of cashout options
✅ Some great bonus offers
❌ Some stores take a long time to pay cashback
❌ The dispute process is quite slow
TopCashback
TopCashback
I’ll be straight with you, cashback sites are brilliant and if you use them correctly, you can make a decent amount of money back each year. From TopCashback alone, I have received over £3,000, just from visiting their site and clicking a link before I shop.
Understandably, newcomers are a little unsure how cashback sites work and whether they’re even a genuine way to make a bit of money. Below, I’ll attempt to answer any questions you might have.
What is TopCashback?
TopCashback is the UK’s biggest cashback site and also claims to be the best paying. The site began in the UK in 2005 and entered the US market in 2011. It now allows you to earn from over 5,000 retailers.
It’s completely free to use, although there is a paid membership option available (more on that below).
How does TopCashback work?
TopCashback earns money through affiliate marketing. When users make a purchase through the links provided on TopCashback, the retailers pay TopCashback a commission, and a portion of that commission is then passed on to the user in the form of cashback.
Getting started
It’s very simple to sign up for TopCashback. All you need is an email address and then create your own password. Once done, you’re ready to start shopping.
How to use TopCashback
Once your account is up and running, it’s a case of finding where you want to shop. You can either browse by category using the menus at the top of the site, or you can enter your store of choice into the search bar in the top-right corner.
When you have selected a shop, you will just need to click on the link. This will then lead you to another page, telling you how much you can earn.
For some stores, this will be a simple amount of cashback. For example, shopping through Lenovo will earn anybody 3% back.
But other stores will have differing amounts. For example, Currys offers 1% on most purchases, although there are several special deals where this increases to 25%.
Your next step is to select the ‘Get Cashback Now’ button. When clicked, a new page will open up for your selected store. You should also receive a notification that your visit has been recorded.
Now, just shop as you normally would. You don’t need to do anything else. Yet.
What kind of retailers does it work for?
TopCashback works with a whole range of stores. Popular shops like Currys and Argos offer a few per cent on purchases. But, if you sign up for utility providers like TV and broadband, you can make well over £100/
How long does it take for cashback to track?
Once you’ve made your purchase, the transaction will appear in your TopCashback account. You can find it by selecting ‘Account’ at the top of the site and then selecting ‘view all earnings’.
In some cases, your earnings will show within an hour, but it can take as much as one week. You should also receive an email saying your transaction has been tracked.
Also worth reading
Check out the best cashback sites in the UK.
What if a transaction doesn’t track?
Occasionally, a transaction via TopCashback will not track when you have used their link. Don’t worry, it does happen. All you need to do is make a claim.
To do so, again select ‘Account’ from the top menu. A new selection of menus will appear and you need to choose ‘Customer Service’. You must log in again and click on the missing cashback option. Then follow the instructions and provide details of your purchase.
Unfortunately, it can take months for a missing transaction to be found. You can keep track of its process by following the steps above but selecting the ‘view a missing claim’ option. You can also send nudges to TopCashback to remind them to chase it up with the retailer.
Or it might not track at all
Sometimes, your transaction might not be eligible for cashback, or it may track for a lower amount.
You probably won’t receive cashback if you use a discount code at checkout not listed on the TopCashback website. Although the transaction may track, it will be moved to £0.
It’s important to note that not all retailers will consider VAT and shipping costs when working out how much cashback you’re due. That’s why the amount you think you should receive is higher than you actually get. You will need to check the T&Cs of each retailer to get full confirmation.
How long before a transaction becomes payable?
Once your transaction has been tracked, you must wait for it to become payable before withdrawing. When this is, depends on the retailer rather than TopCashback. Earnings usually take three months before they are payable. However, it can take just a couple of weeks, sometimes over a year.
There are three stages to cashback:
- Pending
- Confirmed
- Payable
Pending means that your transaction has been tracked, and TopCashback is just waiting for confirmation from the retailer.
Confirmed tells you that the retailer has fulfilled your order, and it’s now a matter of time until the money hits your account.
When your account says payable, you can withdraw your money.
Why does it take so long to become payable?
The process isn’t always the quickest and it partly depends on what you’re buying.
Don’t forget that you can return most items you buy over the internet. A company doesn’t want to pay cashback out to customers only for them to return the items within a couple of weeks for a full refund. Companies need to be sure that you plan on keeping the goods.
Fast food companies tend to pay out much quicker. But that’s because you’re unlikely to return food a week later!
If you earn cashback through buying a service, like broadband or energy, retailers usually wait at least six months before they make your transaction payable.
How do you withdraw from TopCashback?
Visit ‘Account’ in the top right corner and then choose Payout.
If you have several transactions on your account, you can choose to split your payments, meaning you don’t have to withdraw all your money at once.
Alternatively, you can withdraw your earnings through gift cards. This will require you to move your money into TopCashback’s “Reward Wallet”. If you choose this option, you can’t split the money and everything needs to be moved.
Withdrawing as a gift card comes with an added top-up bonus of anything up to 15%. Cards include Tesco, Amazon, Costa and B&Q.
How long does it take to be paid?
TopCashback claims to take one working day to pay the money you’ve earned into your bank account. And in all fairness, to them, that’s quite accurate. The longest I’ve had to wait is two days.
If you withdraw via PayPal, they hope to have the money in your account within one day. Again, that’s generally accurate.
Gift cards should reach you in one working day.
Also worth reading
Why not take a look at these great cashback apps?
Paid membership
If you use TopCashback quite often, it may be worth considering upgrading to the Plus account. This costs £5 per year and the fee is deducted from your earnings.
Membership means you can earn extra cashback and an extra bonus if you withdraw using a gift card. Paid members also get bigger referral rates for recommending friends.
TopCashback browser extension
If you’re a new user of TopCashback, the chances are that you’ll sometimes forget to use it when you shop online. Fortunately, a browser extension for FireFox, Edge and Chrome users 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 which will direct you back to TopCashback.
Installation is easy and will take just a few seconds with the click of a button.
TopCashback app
There’s also a handy app available if you tend to shop on your mobile. The app works in exactly the same way as the main site.
Is TopCashback worth it?
Definitely. This is an easy way to find a discount on your shopping and TopCashback has some of the best cashback rates around. Add to the fact that you can boost your earnings by withdrawing your payment as a gift card, and this is a must-join site.
Click on the button below to get a £10 bonus when your first £10 becomes payable.
Or, take a look at some of the best TopCashback alternatives.