+£3
5 mins
Cheddar
£3 Free Cash•5 mins
£3 Free Cash
+£3What is Cheddar?
Cheddar is a cashback app that gives you up to 10% instant savings when you buy gift cards for everyday retailers. There are over 100 participating brands including Tesco, Sainsbury's, John Lewis, and Just Eat.
The idea is simple: buy gift cards for shops you'd spend at anyway, and keep the cashback. For a typical household, this adds up to around £200 free cashback per year.
Launched
2020
Customers
500k+
Google Play
4.8 (1k)
★★★★★★
Key Terms
Profit
+£3
Unlock bonus cashback£5 cashback earned
New customer bonus cashback£3
Free cash arrivesWithin 30 days
Step by Step Guide
Chris's overview
Optional·2 min read
The real value of Cheddar is the ongoing cashback – around £200 a year for a typical household just by buying gift cards for places you already shop. I love the app; the interface is modern and clean, and they have boosted rates where regular users get even higher cashback percentages.
To earn the £3 bonus, you need to accumulate £5 in gift card cashback within 30 days. With average cashback around 3%, that means buying roughly £150-170 in gift cards – easily achievable if you're doing regular grocery shopping at Tesco or Sainsbury's.
Once you hit £5 cashback + £3 bonus = £8 total, you can withdraw at the £5 minimum threshold. The bonus is modest but the ongoing cashback potential is what makes Cheddar worth keeping.
1
Sign up to Cheddar
3 mins
- Use the button below to download the Cheddar app
- Create your account with email and mobile number
- Enter referral code when prompted:
- ZJZXCCV
- Connect your bank account using Open Banking (this is how you'll pay for gift cards)
The referral code is essential – without it you won't receive your bonus.
On desktop? Scan QR code on your phone
Earn cashback on gift card purchases
1 min
- Buy gift cards through Cheddar to earn around 3% cashback on average
- You'll need roughly £150-170 in gift card purchases to hit the £5 threshold
2
Receive £3 bonus30d
2 mins
£3 bonus credited once £5 cashback earned. Must be within 30 days from sign-up.
- Your £3 bonus is credited to your Cheddar balance
- Combined with your £5 cashback, you'll have at least £8 total
- Withdraw to your bank once your balance reaches £5
Offer Complete
Done? Tick off each step above to see your total.
Cheddar Full Review
Completed the offer? Awesome! Here's our full review on why Cheddar could work well for you going forward.
Cheddar is a UK cashback app that gives you instant savings when you buy gift cards for everyday retailers. Instead of earning pennies on card spending, Cheddar offers up to 10% cashback on gift cards for over 100 brands including Tesco, Sainsbury's, John Lewis, and Just Eat. The clever bit? You're buying gift cards for shops you'd spend at anyway, so the cashback is essentially free money.
Is Cheddar safe?
Yes, Cheddar is a legitimate UK company that uses Open Banking to connect to your bank account. Open Banking is regulated by the FCA and only allows read access to your transactions - Cheddar can see your balance to process payments but cannot move money without your explicit approval.
The gift cards themselves are genuine and work exactly like buying them directly from the retailer. Cheddar partners with the retailers and earns a commission on sales, passing some of that back to you as cashback.
Who is Cheddar for?
Cheddar works best for organised shoppers who plan their spending. If you do a weekly supermarket shop at Tesco or Sainsbury's, buying gift cards in advance means free cashback on money you'd spend anyway.
It's less suited to spontaneous shoppers or those who prefer flexibility over savings. You need to remember to buy the gift card before you shop, and you're committing that money to a specific retailer. But for regular expenses like groceries, takeaways, or planned purchases, the instant cashback adds up quickly - around £200 per year for an average household.
Top 5 Cheddar Features
1
Instant cashback on gift cards
Unlike traditional cashback that takes weeks to track and confirm, Cheddar's cashback is instant. Buy a gift card, get the cashback immediately credited to your account.
2
100+ major retailers
Covers most of your regular spending - supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S), food delivery (Just Eat, Deliveroo), entertainment (Odeon, Vue), and high street favourites.
3
Up to 10% cashback rates
Cashback rates vary by retailer, typically ranging from 2-10%. Supermarkets tend to be around 2-5%, while restaurants and entertainment often offer higher rates.
4
Open Banking integration
Link your bank account to pay for gift cards directly - no need to add card details. The app uses secure Open Banking connections regulated by the FCA.
5
No expiry on gift cards
Most gift cards purchased through Cheddar don't expire, so you can stock up when you spot a good cashback rate without worrying about using them immediately.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- ✓Instant cashback - no waiting for tracking or confirmation
- ✓Covers everyday spending (supermarkets, food delivery)
- ✓Simple interface - just buy gift cards and use them
- ✓No subscription fees on the basic service
- ✓Genuine savings on spending you'd do anyway
Cons
- ✗Requires planning - must buy gift card before shopping
- ✗Minimum withdrawal of £5
- ✗Lower rates on supermarkets (2-5%) vs restaurants (up to 10%)
- ✗Can't use for online shopping where gift cards aren't accepted
Chris's Verdict
Cheddar is a genuinely useful app if you're willing to add one extra step to your shopping routine. The concept is simple: buy gift cards for shops you already use, get instant cashback. No complicated tracking, no waiting months for payouts.
The savings are modest but real - expect around 2-5% on supermarket spending and higher on dining and entertainment. For an average household, that's roughly £200 per year in free money. The app has strong ratings (4.8 on both stores) and the process is straightforward. If you shop at the same places regularly and can remember to buy gift cards first, Cheddar is an easy win.
