Contents
What is Cashback Stacking?
Cashback stacking is using multiple cashback programmes to maximise rewards on a single transaction. Instead of just getting cashback from one place, you combine several apps and services to maximize your earnings.
There are dozens of different cashback apps, gift card platforms, shopping portals, and receipt scanning services available. The clever bit is combining several of these together on the same purchase:
Cashback Card
Gift Cards
Shopping Portal
Receipt Scanner
More Cashback!
Some people call this "double-dipping", but as you can see from the diagram above, you're really combining multiple sources - it's more like multi-dipping!
Quick Win Example: £100 Amazon Order (July 2025)
Here's how you could save on a typical online purchase:
- Uphold cashback card (sign up): £1 back (1%)
- Airtime Rewards gift card (sign up): £4 back (4% on gift card purchase)
- Rakuten portal (sign up): £1 back (1% Amazon rate)
- Clear receipt scanning (sign up): £0.05 back (5p typical)
Total: Spend £100, get £6.05 back = £93.95 for £100 order (6% savings!)
The Best Part: You're earning money back on shopping you were already going to do. No lifestyle changes required - just smarter payment methods!
Ready to Start Saving?
My guide will show you exactly how to set up your own cashback stack using methods that work. I'll start with the simple stuff and work up to advanced techniques that can save you hundreds of pounds per year.
What's Coming Up:
- Step 1: Your Cashback Card: Get 1% back on everything you buy
- Step 2: Gift Card Boost: Add gift card apps for extra savings
- Step 3: Shopping Portals: Master online cashback portals
- Step 4: Receipt Rewards: Scan receipts for the final boost
- Advanced Mode: Payment chaining for 2%+ base cashback
- Hardcore Mode: Learn additional tricks to level up your cashback game.
My Recommended 4-Layer Cashback Combination
This is how I get consistent cashback earnings. I've highlighted the main apps I use, but there are alternatives for each. Each layer works independently, so you can stack them all together on the same purchase.
Layer 1: Uphold Debit Card (1% on everything)
Your foundation for all purchases.
Why Uphold:
- 1% cashback with no annual fee
- Works as your main spending card
Get Uphold Card
Compare all options: See my cashback debit card comparison to find the best card for you.
Layer 2: EverUp Gift Cards for Extra Savings (~5%)
Get discounted gift cards or earn cashback when purchasing them.
Why EverUp:
- Typically offers the highest rates for discounted gift cards
- Works with major retailers and can be bought with your Uphold card for double rewards
Sign Up to EverUp
Compare all options: See my gift card cashback comparison tool to find the best rates for your favourite stores.
Layer 3: Topcashback Online Cashback (1-15% extra)
Always shop through a cashback website for online purchases.
Why Topcashback:
- Generally higher rates than competitors
- Excellent UK coverage with most major retailers
Join Topcashback
Compare all options: See my shopping portal comparison to compare rates across different sites.
Layer 4: Clear Receipt Scanning App
Submit receipts for extra cashback after your purchase.
Why Clear:
- Works with receipts from any retailer
- Simple scanning process and reliable payouts
Download Clear
Compare all options: See my receipt scanning app comparison to find the best apps for your shopping habits.
What to Expect
Realistic Savings
Most people consistently save ~5% on their regular purchases using the basic method of a cashback card plus a giftcard app. But if you get really into the extremes of cashback stacking, then you can exceed 20% in some shops (See Tesco and Sainsbury's examples at the bottom of this page).
But don't expect to save massive amounts on everything - cashback rates change, tracking sometimes fails, and some purchases just don't have good options. But even 5% saved on £3,000 annual spending is £150 back in your pocket.
Time Investment
Setup takes a couple of hours spread over a week or two. After that, it becomes pretty automatic - you'll naturally check for gift cards before big purchases and remember to go through cashback sites.
The key is building it into your routine rather than treating it like a separate task.
How to Start
If This Seems Complicated
Super Simple Version: Get an Uphold card and buy gift cards from Airtime Rewards. That's it - you'll still save money with zero hassle.
Slightly More: Add Topcashback for online shopping and Clear for receipt scanning when you remember to.
Better to use a simple system consistently than try something complex and give up.
Week 1: Get the Basics
Get an Uphold card and download one gift card app (EverUp is the best all rounder). Make a test purchase to see how it works. That's it.
Week 2: Add More Options
Once you're comfortable, add a cashback portal (Topcashback) and a receipt scanning app (Clear). Try them on a few purchases to get the hang of it.
Later: Advanced Stuff (If You Want)
Only after you've mastered the basics should you consider payment chaining or complex gift card methods. Most people don't need this level of optimization.
Keep It Simple
The Point
You're trying to get money back on stuff you're buying anyway - you probably don't want to change your entire shopping habits or turn this into a part-time job.
Start simple, add complexity only if you enjoy it, and remember that getting 5% back consistently is brilliant in itself.
Reality check: Most people who stick with this save £100-300 per year without much extra effort. Not life-changing money, but enough to make it worthwhile and buy yourself something nice every now and again.
Essential Tips
For Online Shopping
- Start from the cashback site - go to Topcashback first, then click through to the store
- Turn off ad blockers while shopping (they mess with tracking)
- Don't visit multiple cashback sites in the same session
- Screenshot the confirmation page after you buy something
For Gift Cards
- Screenshot your purchase in case something goes wrong
- Use them fairly quickly - don't let them sit around for months
- Have a backup payment method ready at checkout
For Receipt Scanning
- Take the photo right after shopping while the receipt is still crisp
- Make sure everything is visible - date, store name, total amount
- Submit within a week of purchase
When Things Go Wrong
Missing Online Cashback
Wait a couple of days first - tracking can be slow. If it's still not showing up, contact support with your order confirmation and screenshots. Most sites are pretty good about sorting it out.
Gift Card Issues
I've never had any issues, as I purchase my giftcards in advance. But some people have been caught out when a card fails to load when at the checkout!
Remember: Don't stress if something occasionally doesn't work. The odd failed cashback isn't worth getting worked up about.
Real Instore Example: ASDA Shopping
£100 Weekly Shop → Pay £93.90
The Stack:
Buy a £100 ASDA gift card through EverUp using your Uphold card. EverUp gives you ~5% back on the gift card, and Uphold gives you 1% cashback for paying for the gift card. Do your weekly shop using the ASDA gift card, then scan your receipt with Clear for extra cashback.
What you get back:
EverUp gives you ~£5.00 back on the gift card, Uphold gives £1.00 cashback for buying the gift card, and Clear adds small cashback from your receipt. Total saved: ~£6.10 (6.1% off your weekly shop)
Advanced Methods
⚠️ For Optimization Enthusiasts Only
Everything above this point will give you solid cashback savings with minimal hassle. The methods below are for people who want to squeeze every penny out of their purchases and don't mind the extra complexity.
Most people should stop here. But if you enjoy optimization, want maximum savings, or are curious about what's possible, read on...
What's Coming Up
- Payment Method Chaining: Chain multiple payment services for 2%+ base cashback
- Complex Gift Card Conversions: Multi-step processes for extreme savings
- Supermarket-Specific Hacks: Advanced techniques for each major UK supermarket
These methods can deliver 15-25% savings in some cases, but they require more time, planning, and tolerance for things occasionally going wrong.
Advanced Online Example: Boots Skincare
£100 Skincare → Pay £70.38
The Ultimate Stack:
Start with a 10% student discount by linking your Advantage Card in-store, bringing the price to £90. Shop through Topcashback for 15% cashback (£13.50). Buy £90 Boots gift cards through EverUp for 5.8% back (£5.22), paying with your Uphold card for 1% on the gift card purchase (£0.90). Submit your receipt to Clear afterward for extra cashback.
What you save:
Student discount saves £10.00, Topcashback gives £13.50, EverUp gift card saves £5.22, Uphold card gives £0.90, plus Clear receipt cashback. Total saved: £29.62+ (29.6%+ off!)
Note: This example includes a 10% student discount. Typical savings without student discounts are 15-20%.
Advanced: Payment Method Chaining
Advanced Users Only: These methods can boost your base cashback from 1% to 2%, but add complexity. Only try after mastering the basic stack.
By chaining payment services together, you can earn cashback from multiple sources on the same transaction.
Payment Chain Options
Option 1: Pay with Zilch → Charges Curve → Charges Uphold
- You pay with Zilch: Earn 0.5% cashback when you "pay in full"
- Zilch charges Curve: Connects all your cards, adds control, additional 1% on premium tiers
- Curve charges Uphold: Your foundation 1% cashback card gets charged
Option 2: Pay with Zilch → Charges SumUp Pay → Charges Uphold
- You pay with Zilch: Earn 0.5% cashback when you "pay in full"
- Zilch charges SumUp Pay: Earn additional 0.5% cashback from SumUp Pay
- SumUp Pay charges Uphold: Your foundation 1% cashback card gets charged
Result: Up to 2% base cashback (0.5% + 0.5% + 1%), before adding gift cards and portals.
Uphold
Your foundation 1% cashback debit card that all payment chains ultimately connect to.
Curve Card
Card that lets you chain cards together (and earn more cashback on premium tiers).
Zilch
Buy now, pay later service that offers 0.5% cashback when you choose to "pay in full" immediately.
SumUp Pay
Payment service offering 0.5% cashback - alternative to Curve that gives the same cashback boost.
Setup Order: Get Uphold card first (your foundation), add it to Curve or SumUp Pay, then connect that service as your payment method in Zilch. When you shop, pay with Zilch and the charges flow through the chain back to Uphold.
Advanced Supermarket Cashback Methods
Beyond the basic 4-layer system, here are advanced techniques to maximize savings at UK supermarkets. These methods require more effort but can deliver significantly higher returns.
Check current rates: View live supermarket gift card cashback rates as these change regularly.
Tesco - Up to 16.8% Total Savings
- Clubcard Plus: £7.99/month for 10% off voucher (capped at £20, pays for itself with one £80+ shop)
- EverUp vouchers: 4.8% back on Tesco gift cards
- Uphold card: 1% cashback on voucher purchase
- Zilch: Additional 1% on voucher purchase
- Clubcard points: 1% back on purchases
- Clear app: Receipt scanning for extra cashback
Sainsbury's - Up to 25.5% Total Savings
- NX Rewards: Buy £100 One4All card for £80 (20% discount)
- AMEX card: 1% cashback on One4All purchase (Uphold/Zilch decline these)
- One4All app: Use card to buy YouChoose gift cards in Currys (must use tap and pay)
- Gift card swap: Exchange YouChoose card for Sainsbury's gift card
- NX Rewards receipts: 2% cashback on both Currys and Sainsbury's receipts (or 10% for online Sainsbury's shop instead of 2% receipt)
- Nectar points: 0.5% additional on Sainsbury's purchases
Morrisons - Up to 5.6% Total Savings
- EverUp gift cards: 4.1% back on Morrisons gift cards
- Uphold card: 1% cashback on gift card purchase
- More Card: Points and personalized offers
- Clear app: Receipt scanning for extra cashback
Aldi - Up to 5% Total Savings
- Airtime Rewards: Buy Aldi gift cards for 4% discount
- Uphold card: 1% cashback on gift card purchase
- Clear app: Receipt scanning for extra cashback
Advanced tip: These methods require careful timing, app management, and staying updated on promotional cycles. Start with one or two techniques before attempting to stack everything.
