Updated: 30 September 2006
Are cashback sites really free to join?
All the listed cashback sites are free and simple to join and all but one (see below) do not charge
you anything.
In fact, most sites even give you a sign-up bonus to get you on your way! These bonuses are also detailed in the
site comparisons.
The only site which deducts a small admin fee (£5.00) from your first payment each year is TopCashBack but, by way of compensation, it is the only site listed here that consistently pays you back 100% of the commission they receive from retailers and daily cashback searches. TopCashBack is still free to join and in fact you get a £2.50 Sign-up bonus from them.
Why are cashback sites free to join?
Because, with the exception of TopCashback, they make their money by keeping for themselves a percentage of the commission they receive from the retailer after you have carried out a transaction with the retailer. The cashback site then passes the remainder on to you as cashback.
Therefore, they don't need to charge fees and can instead offer you sign-up bonuses as well as cash incentives to you for referring new members to them. This can be quite lucrative if you know lots of malleable people!