Quidco is a United Kingdom-based cashback website that allows members to earn money back on online purchases. The platform operates by tracking user purchases made through its portal and sharing a portion of the affiliate commission with the user. While the provided source material focuses on the UK market, the mechanics of cashback and freebie acquisition offer valuable insights for consumers seeking to maximize savings. The platform provides both standard and premium membership options, as well as access to specific freebies and discount codes.
How Quidco Works
Quidco functions as an affiliate marketing intermediary. Members create a free account and access retailer websites via links provided on the Quidco platform. When a purchase is completed, the retailer pays Quidco a commission, which is then passed on to the member as cashback. According to the source data, the process requires the user to log in to their Quidco account before purchasing anything online, search for the retailer, click ‘Get cashback,’ and complete the purchase [1]. The platform tracks the payment, and the user earns money while spending [1].
The service is described as free to sign up for [1]. However, there is a distinction between the free service and the paid premium membership. The source data notes that Quidco is "arguably the most well known cashback website" and is the only site mentioned in a comparison table to charge an annual membership fee [6]. This fee is only taken when a user starts earning cashback; if no cashback is earned, the user is not charged [6]. Once earning begins, the user must "relinquish [their] first fiver" (£5) [6]. After this initial deduction, Quidco does not charge additional commission, ensuring the user receives the maximum cashback available [6].
Premium Membership
Quidco offers an optional premium membership costing £1 per month during active months, defined as any month where a purchase is made through the platform [3]. Premium members receive the same core service but with enhanced benefits. These benefits include higher cashback rates, with "add on enhanced cashback rates of up to 10% more," and "up to 20% bonus when cashing out transactions" [3].
A specific feature of the premium membership is the "double the difference" guarantee. If a user finds cashback being advertised at a higher rate on a competing cashback site (such as TopCashback), Quidco will double the difference [3]. The source material suggests that this requires effort to utilize but can be rewarding [3]. Based on the analysis in the source data, Quidco Premium is generally considered worth the cost [3].
Potential Issues and Tracking
While cashback is a reliable method for savings, there are risks involved regarding tracking failures. The source data highlights that occasionally, the tracking of a purchase through a link can fail due to attribution issues, resulting in the user not receiving the cashback [3]. Other disadvantages mentioned include long payout periods between purchase and payment for some merchants [3].
To mitigate these risks, the source material advises users to ensure they follow the correct procedure, such as logging in before browsing and disabling ad blockers or other browser extensions that might interfere with tracking cookies [1, 3].
Freebies and Discount Codes
Beyond standard cashback, Quidco provides access to specific freebies and discount codes. The platform lists various offers that users can redeem. For example, the source data mentions a free gift with an Amazon baby wishlist, requiring a £20 spend [5]. Other specific offers include:
- Costa Coffee: A free beans offer when using the app with a specific code [5].
- No.7: A £10 discount off a £20 spend for new customers [5].
- Shopmium: A free sign-up gift of Choc Buttons using a referral code [5].
These offers are often time-sensitive and require specific actions, such as entering a referral code during sign-up [5]. The source data also mentions that users should keep an eye out on the page for more freebies and tips [1].
Other Money-Saving Tools and Apps
The source material references several other apps and tools that complement cashback strategies. While not part of the core Quidco service, these are presented as part of a broader ecosystem of saving money.
- Unidays: An app for verifying student status to receive discounts at various retailers [2].
- Vouchercloud: A source for discount vouchers and deals, including a "near me" feature for local offers [2].
- HotUKDeals: A community-driven platform featuring deals, vouchers, and freebies, rated by a "hot and cold" system [2].
- Supermarket Deal Apps: Apps designed to find the best deals at popular supermarkets [2].
- Airtime Rewards: An app that provides automatic cashback to pay mobile bills [5].
- Cheddar: An app that offers cashback on gift card purchases [5].
- Sprive: A mortgage overpayment app that offers cash rewards [5].
- Snoop: A budgeting and spending tracker app [5].
Strategies for Maximizing Savings
The source data outlines several strategies for combining these tools to maximize savings. One key strategy is "doubling up" on cashback. This involves paying for a purchase using a cashback credit card while simultaneously going through a cashback website like Quidco [6]. The source data specifically mentions the American Express Platinum Cashback credit card as an example, offering 0.5% to 1.5% cashback on purchases [6].
Additionally, the source material suggests using cashback for everyday items as well as big-ticket items. While everyday items might yield 1% to 2% cashback, big-ticket items like holidays can offer opportunities for cashback around 10% [3].
Conclusion
Quidco serves as a significant tool for consumers looking to save money on online purchases through cashback. The platform operates on a free-to-join model, though it charges a fee once earnings begin, transitioning users to a premium tier after the first £5 earned. The premium membership offers enhanced cashback rates and bonuses, which the source material suggests is generally worth the cost. Users should be aware of potential tracking issues and long payout periods. By combining cashback strategies with other discount apps and credit card rewards, consumers can optimize their savings across a wide range of purchases.