Sign-up bonuses are the quickest cashback you'll ever earn: a one-off reward for joining an app and doing one simple thing. Individually they're small. Together, the seven we checked on 3 November 2026 add up to £82, and most can be done in an evening with spending you'd do anyway. Here's what each one asks, the order that gets them done fastest, and the catches to watch.
Key takeaways
- £82 in total from seven apps, if you're new to all of them. Rakuten's £25 is the biggest.
- Three are free cash for ordinary spending: Monzo pays £10 for one card payment, Quidco £10 after £5 of confirmed cashback and TopCashback £10 after £10 of approved cashback.
- InvestEngine pays a random bonus from £20 when you invest £100 or more and leave it for 12 months. Capital at risk.
- Two big names aren't paying a fixed new-member bonus right now: MoneySavingExpert listed no live new member deal for TopCashback or Quidco beyond their referral schemes, and Trading 212's free share campaign closed on 3 November.
- Not taxable for personal use, under HMRC's Statement of Practice 4/97.
Which cashback sign-up bonuses are paying in November 2026?
Seven sign-up bonuses were live when we checked on 3 November 2026, worth £82 in total. Each needs you to be a new customer, and most ask for one small purchase or deposit.
| App | Bonus | What you have to do | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten | £25 | Spend £60 (about £50 before VAT) through Rakuten | 90 days |
| InvestEngine | Random, from £20 | Invest £100+ in an ISA, GIA or SIPP, keep it 12 months | 12 months invested |
| TopCashback | £10 | Earn £10 of approved cashback | 180 days |
| Quidco | £10 | Earn £5 of confirmed cashback | None stated |
| Monzo | £10 | Add money and make one card payment | 30 days |
| Cheddar | Up to £5 | £3 after £10 of cashback, £2 after £25 of gift cards | 60 days |
| Airtime | £2 | Spend £5 at a partner retailer | 7 days |
Sources: Rakuten via Scrimpr (verified 1 September 2026); TopCashback and Monzo via HonestCodes (verified 3 November 2026); Quidco via BonusBlueprint (October 2026); Cheddar via Household Money Saving (7 October 2026); Airtime via Scrimpr (31 October 2026); InvestEngine referral terms V1.4.
TopCashback's referral bonus has a sign-up window of 31 October to 9 November 2026, according to HonestCodes. If you join after that, a different offer may apply.
What's the fastest order to claim them?
Join the cashback sites first, then do everything else through them. One purchase can then count towards more than one bonus.
- Open Monzo and add a small amount. Its £10 unlocks with any card payment within 30 days, so use it for the next steps.
- Join Cheddar and buy a £25 supermarket or coffee gift card with your Monzo card, then spend it on your normal shop. That's Monzo's payment and Cheddar's £2 in one go, plus 3.5-4.5% instant cashback on the gift card itself.
- Join TopCashback, Quidco and Rakuten. Route your next few online purchases through whichever pays the most for that shop. Rakuten's £25 needs a single £60 spend, so save it for one bigger order, such as Christmas gifts.
- Link a card to Airtime and spend £5 at a partner within 7 days. The £2 comes off your mobile bill rather than as cash.
- Do InvestEngine last, and only if you'd invest anyway. It's the only bonus where your money is at risk.
Watch the one rule that trips people up: TopCashback's threshold excludes other sign-up bonuses and New Member Deals, so you need £10 of ordinary approved cashback, which can take a few weeks to confirm.
Take Action: Make a note of each app's deadline in your calendar on the day you join. Most missed bonuses are simply forgotten.
How much could you earn from sign-up bonuses?
If you're new to all seven, you'll get at least £82. Set any app you've already used to £0 to see your own total:
- Rakuten (0 if used)£25
- InvestEngine, minimum (0 if used)£20
- TopCashback (0 if used)£10
- Quidco (0 if used)£10
- Monzo (0 if used)£10
- Cheddar (0 if used)£5
- Airtime (0 if used)£2
The money these bonuses ask for is spending or investing you keep, not a cost: about £191 in total, mostly InvestEngine's £100 and Rakuten's £60. If those are things you'd buy or invest anyway, the real outlay is close to nothing.
Are the investing and credit card bonuses worth it?
They can be, but only if the product suits you on its own merits. These are the bonuses where a bad fit costs more than the reward.
InvestEngine pays a random bonus when you fund £100 or more. Under its referral terms (V1.4), 75% of people get £20-£24, and 2% get £150-£200. You must keep £100 plus the bonus invested for 12 months. Our InvestEngine review covers its fees and the odds in detail. Capital at risk - the value of investments can go down as well as up.
American Express Gold offers 20,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend £3,000 in your first three months. It's free in the first year, then £195 a year. Representative APR 85.8% variable, and credit is subject to status. If you already spend £1,000 a month on a card and clear it in full, the Amex Gold bonus is worth far more than any app here. If you don't, skip it: interest would wipe out the reward. Our Amex welcome bonus guide explains the 24-month eligibility rule.
Bank switching bonuses pay the most of all, often £100 or more, but they need a full switch with direct debits. See our live bank switching offers page rather than rushing one alongside these.
What catches should you watch for?
The main catches are deadlines, tracking and eligibility. A bonus that looks guaranteed often depends on one small condition.
- You must be genuinely new. Every bonus here is for first-time customers only, and most say one per person or household.
- Cashback has to confirm, not just track. Quidco counts confirmed cashback, and TopCashback counts approved cashback. Retailers can take weeks to approve.
- Bonuses change without warning. Trading 212's referral free share, worth £8 to £100, ran from 21 September to 3 November 2026 according to HonestCodes, and Revolut's new-customer reward varies by promotion. Check the app's own terms on the day you join.
- Airtime pays in credit, not cash. The £2 reduces your mobile bill on supported networks.
- Don't spend to chase a bonus. £25 back on £60 of things you don't need is still £35 lost.
Our best cashback apps guide covers which of these are worth keeping once the bonus is paid.
Sign-up bonus FAQ
What is the best sign-up bonus in the UK right now?
Among simple cashback apps, Rakuten's £25 was the largest we found on 3 November 2026. It needs a £60 spend within 90 days. For bigger rewards you need a bank switch or a credit card welcome offer, which pay more but come with stricter conditions.
Do you pay tax on sign-up bonuses?
Not for normal personal use. HMRC's Statement of Practice 4/97 says ordinary retail customers aren't liable to Income Tax on cashback and similar rewards. If you claim bonuses through a business, or receive regular payments rather than one-offs, take advice.
Can you get a Quidco or TopCashback bonus without a referral link?
Not always. MoneySavingExpert listed no live new member deal for either site on 3 November 2026; past offers paid £30 for a £5 spend but closed when sign-up caps were hit. Joining through a referral link is the reliable way to get a bonus between those promotions.
How long do sign-up bonuses take to pay?
It varies. Monzo pays once your qualifying card payment goes through. Cashback site bonuses pay once your cashback confirms, which can take weeks or months. InvestEngine's bonus arrives after you fund, but you must keep the money invested for 12 months to keep it.
Does a sign-up bonus affect your credit score?
Cashback sites and gift card apps aren't credit products, so joining them doesn't add a credit application to your file. Opening a bank account can involve a credit check, and credit card applications leave a hard search other lenders can see, so apply only for accounts and cards you actually want.
The bottom line
£82 isn't life-changing, but it's real money for about an hour of effort, and most of it comes from spending you'd do anyway. Start with Monzo and Cheddar for quick wins, join the three cashback sites before your Christmas shopping, and treat the investing and credit card bonuses as a bonus on a product you'd choose regardless. Once you're set up, our cashback stacking guide shows how to keep earning after the sign-up money is paid.