Rakuten Referral
Rakuten is a free cashback platform that lets UK shoppers earn money back when buying from participating retailers. By joining through the Rakuten referral link featured below, an eligible new member can receive a £25 referral bonus after spending £50 on qualifying purchases.
Join Rakuten and Get £25 Cashback
To qualify, sign up as a new Rakuten member through the referral link and complete one or more eligible cashback purchases totalling at least £50 within the qualifying period. Rakuten’s current referral guidance states that referred members have up to 90 days from joining to make their qualifying purchases.
The £25 reward is paid as cashback rather than being deducted immediately from your order. Your purchase must first be tracked and validated by the participating retailer.
This detailed guide explains how the Rakuten referral offer works, how to earn cashback, which purchases qualify, how payments work and how to avoid common tracking mistakes.
Rakuten Referral Offer at a Glance
| Offer detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Cashback platform | Rakuten UK |
| New-member reward | £25 cashback |
| Qualifying spend | £50 |
| Time allowed | Up to 90 days from joining |
| Who can qualify? | Eligible new Rakuten UK members |
| Referral link | www.rakuten.co.uk/r/FAS963 |
| Referral identifier | FAS963 |
| Purchase requirement | One or more eligible cashback purchases totalling at least £50 |
| Payment methods | Bank transfer or PayPal |
| Membership fee | Free |
| Geographical requirement | Referrer and referred member must be located in the UK |
| Important condition | Purchases must track through Rakuten and be validated by the retailer |
Activate the £25 Rakuten Referral Offer
What Is Rakuten Cashback?
Rakuten is an online cashback service that works with participating shops and brands.
When you begin an eligible shopping journey through Rakuten and complete a qualifying purchase, the retailer pays Rakuten a commission for referring the sale. Rakuten then shares part of that commission with you in the form of cashback.
Membership is free, and Rakuten says there is no general limit on how much cashback a member can earn.
You still buy directly from the retailer. Rakuten does not normally sell or dispatch the products itself. The retailer remains responsible for the order, delivery, returns, customer service and product warranty.
Rakuten acts as the referral and tracking platform between you and the retailer.
How the Rakuten Referral Offer Works
The featured Rakuten referral offer gives an eligible new member:
£25 Cashback After Spending £50
To access the offer, start by following the referral link:
https://www.rakuten.co.uk/r/FAS963
The basic process is:
- Open the Rakuten referral link.
- Create a new Rakuten UK account.
- Find a participating retailer through Rakuten.
- Activate cashback before shopping.
- Complete one or more eligible purchases totalling at least £50.
- Wait for the retailer to report and validate the purchases.
- Receive the £25 bonus in your Rakuten cashback account.
- Get paid by bank transfer or PayPal once the reward is confirmed.
Rakuten states that the referred customer must use the referral link—or provide the referring member’s registered email address during sign-up—and make qualifying cashback purchases within 90 days.
Using the link is the simplest approach because it connects the new account to the referral automatically.
How to Claim the £25 Rakuten Referral Bonus
Step 1: Open the Rakuten referral link
Use the following link before creating your account:
Join Rakuten Through Referral FAS963
If you previously visited Rakuten without registering, reopen the referral link before completing your registration.
Step 2: Register as a new member
Create your Rakuten account using your correct personal information.
Rakuten UK membership is intended for people who normally live in the United Kingdom. Members must be at least 18 years old, and each person is limited to one account.
Use an email address you regularly check because Rakuten may send cashback, payment or account notifications to it.
Step 3: Choose a participating retailer
Once registered, sign in and search for the retailer you want to use.
Rakuten UK works with hundreds of online brands across categories including:
- Fashion
- Technology and electronics
- Travel
- Home and garden
- Health and beauty
- Sports and fitness
- Toys
- Department stores
- Food and groceries
- Entertainment
- Gifts
- Financial and subscription services
Retailers displayed by Rakuten include familiar names such as ASOS, eBay, Argos, Currys, Dunelm, Sainsbury’s and AliExpress, although availability, cashback rates and eligible product categories can change.
Step 4: Read the retailer’s cashback conditions
Before clicking through, review the retailer’s page carefully.
Check:
- The current cashback rate.
- Which product categories qualify.
- Any categories offering a reduced rate.
- Whether sale items qualify.
- Whether delivery charges are excluded.
- Whether gift-card purchases qualify.
- Whether voucher codes are permitted.
- Whether new and existing retailer customers receive different rates.
- Any maximum cashback limit.
- Whether subscriptions or recurring payments qualify.
The displayed headline rate may not apply to every product sold by a retailer.
Step 5: Activate cashback
Select the relevant retailer and click the Activate Cashback button.
Rakuten will create a tracked Shopping Trip and redirect you to the retailer’s website. Complete the order during the same shopping session.
Rakuten explains that members must be signed in, use a Rakuten shopping link and finish the transaction during the shopping session started after clicking that link.
Step 6: Spend at least £50 on eligible purchases
Complete one purchase—or multiple eligible purchases—totalling at least £50 within the referral qualification period.
Rakuten normally uses the net eligible item value reported by the retailer. This can exclude:
- VAT or other taxes.
- Delivery and shipping charges.
- Discounts.
- Voucher amounts.
- Account credit.
- Gift wrapping.
- Extended warranties.
- Returned items.
- Cancelled products.
- Other service fees.
For this reason, it is sensible to spend slightly more than £50 on eligible products rather than placing an order with a total of exactly £50.
For example, an order showing £50 at checkout may have a lower qualifying value if it includes delivery charges or excluded items.
Step 7: Wait for the transaction to track
After the retailer reports your order, the purchase should appear in your Rakuten account as pending cashback.
Rakuten says it can take up to seven days for a retailer to report a referral’s qualifying purchase, although transaction reporting times can vary.
The referral bonus should also appear in your pending balance once Rakuten has received the qualifying transaction information.
Step 8: Add a payment method and address
To receive a payment, select one of Rakuten UK’s available payment methods:
- Bank transfer.
- PayPal.
You should also add your address because Rakuten uses it as part of its identity-verification process.
Rakuten requires unique payment details. The same bank or PayPal payment method cannot be reused across multiple Rakuten accounts.
Step 9: Wait for retailer validation
Pending cashback is not yet ready to withdraw.
The retailer must validate that the order is genuine, eligible and has not been returned or cancelled.
According to Rakuten, the average validation time across participating brands is around 45 days after the retailer’s returns period expires. Some retailers take longer. Travel cashback is usually reviewed after the trip, hotel stay or flight has been completed.
The £25 referral bonus is connected to the qualifying purchase and should be confirmed when the related cashback is confirmed.
Step 10: Receive your payment
Once the £25 bonus and qualifying cashback become confirmed, the balance can be paid according to Rakuten’s payment schedule.
Rakuten UK currently requires at least £5.01 in confirmed earnings to issue a payment. Confirmed cashback is paid monthly, normally on the 15th of the following month, by bank transfer or PayPal. Payments can then take up to five business days to arrive.
Rakuten Referral Link
The Rakuten referral link featured in this guide is:
www.rakuten.co.uk/r/FAS963
The referral identifier contained in the link is:
FAS963
There is usually no need to enter FAS963 manually when you register through the referral link. Opening the complete link is the most reliable way to ensure the referral is connected to your new Rakuten account.
Eligible new members receive £25 cashback after spending £50 on qualifying purchases, subject to the referral and retailer conditions.
What Counts Towards the £50 Qualifying Spend?
The most important part of the Rakuten referral offer is completing at least £50 of eligible cashback purchases.
Rakuten’s referral guidance says a new member can make one or multiple cashback-eligible purchases to reach the required threshold. These purchases must be made within 90 days of registration.
Example 1: One qualifying order
You spend £65 on eligible clothing after activating cashback through Rakuten.
If the retailer tracks £65 as the qualifying net order value and later validates the purchase, you should meet the £50 referral requirement.
Example 2: Multiple qualifying orders
You make the following purchases through Rakuten:
- £20 at one participating retailer.
- £15 at another participating retailer.
- £25 at a third participating retailer.
If all three purchases are eligible and properly tracked, the £60 combined spend should exceed the £50 referral threshold.
Example 3: An order with delivery charges
You place an order totalling £52:
- Eligible products: £47.
- Delivery: £5.
If delivery is excluded, Rakuten may only receive an eligible value of £47. That would not meet the £50 requirement.
Example 4: A partially returned order
You spend £80 but later return £35 of products.
The remaining eligible purchase value is £45. The referral requirement may no longer be met unless you complete another eligible purchase within the qualifying period.
Example 5: A discounted purchase
Your basket originally costs £60, but you apply a £15 discount code and pay £45.
Rakuten may use the discounted eligible value of £45, meaning the order may not be sufficient for the referral bonus.
How Rakuten Cashback Is Calculated
Cashback rates vary between retailers and sometimes between product categories at the same retailer.
For example, a retailer might offer:
- 5% cashback on clothing.
- 2% cashback on electrical products.
- 1% cashback on selected brands.
- No cashback on gift cards.
- A fixed cashback amount for a new subscription.
If you spend £100 in a category offering 5% cashback, the headline calculation would be £5. However, the actual amount may be based on the net item value excluding VAT, delivery charges, discounts and excluded products.
The separate £25 referral bonus is added on top of the ordinary cashback from your qualifying purchase, provided you complete all referral requirements.
This makes the offer particularly attractive for new members: you can potentially receive both the retailer cashback and the additional £25 referral reward.
Pending Cashback Versus Confirmed Cashback
Rakuten divides earnings into different stages.
Pending cashback
Pending cashback means the purchase has been reported but has not yet been approved by the retailer.
The retailer may be waiting for:
- The returns period to end.
- The order to be delivered.
- A subscription to remain active.
- A hotel stay to be completed.
- A flight or holiday to take place.
- The transaction to pass fraud and eligibility checks.
Pending cashback cannot yet be paid.
Confirmed cashback
Confirmed cashback means the retailer has validated the transaction.
Once you have at least £5.01 in confirmed earnings and have added valid payment details and an address, Rakuten can include the balance in its next payment run.
Cancelled or declined cashback
Cashback may be declined if:
- The order was cancelled.
- Products were returned.
- The payment failed.
- The order was judged ineligible.
- An unauthorised voucher code was used.
- Another affiliate or cashback provider received the tracking credit.
- Cookies or tracking were blocked.
- The purchase did not follow the retailer’s terms.
How Rakuten Pays UK Members
Rakuten UK currently offers two main payment options:
Bank transfer
You can add eligible UK bank details to your Rakuten account and receive confirmed cashback directly into your bank account.
PayPal
You can connect an eligible PayPal account and receive cashback through PayPal.
Each payment method must be unique to one Rakuten account. This rule helps Rakuten prevent duplicate accounts and referral abuse.
Rakuten’s current payment schedule is monthly. If your confirmed balance is at least £5.01 by the end of a calendar month, payment is normally issued on the 15th of the following month. If your balance is £5 or less, it rolls over until a future payment date.
How to Earn Cashback Through Rakuten
Rakuten provides several ways to begin a tracked shopping journey.
Rakuten website
The most direct method is:
- Sign in at Rakuten.co.uk.
- Search for a participating retailer.
- Read the cashback conditions.
- Select Activate Cashback.
- Complete the purchase on the retailer’s website.
Rakuten mobile app
The Rakuten UK app is available for compatible iOS and Android devices.
The app lets members:
- Search participating retailers.
- View cashback rates.
- Activate shopping trips.
- Shop through a mobile device.
- Monitor cashback activity.
- Review pending and confirmed rewards.
Rakuten browser extension
The Rakuten browser extension can alert you when cashback is available at a participating website.
Instead of remembering to visit Rakuten first, the extension displays a prompt that allows you to activate cashback while browsing a retailer’s website.
Rakuten notes that some retailers may only offer cashback when their website is accessed directly through Rakuten.co.uk, so always check the individual retailer conditions.
Rakuten emails
Rakuten may also send emails containing retailer offers and cashback links. Clicking an eligible link can activate a tracked Shopping Trip before sending you to the retailer.
How to Make Sure Rakuten Cashback Tracks
Cashback tracking depends on Rakuten being recognised as the source of your purchase.
Use the following process to reduce the risk of missing cashback.
Sign in before shopping
Make sure you are signed in to the correct Rakuten account.
Start a fresh shopping session
Visit Rakuten immediately before placing the order. Find the retailer and activate cashback.
Accept relevant cookies
Affiliate tracking cookies allow Rakuten and the retailer to connect your purchase to your Rakuten account.
Blocking these cookies may prevent cashback from tracking.
Disable conflicting extensions
Other cashback, voucher, shopping or comparison extensions may overwrite Rakuten’s tracking.
Consider temporarily disabling competing extensions before making the purchase.
Avoid visiting other promotional websites
Do not click adverts, influencer links, comparison links, voucher websites or another cashback platform after activating Rakuten.
Doing so may cause another service to receive the commission for the sale.
Use approved voucher codes only
A discount code found elsewhere may invalidate cashback.
Use codes shown or approved by Rakuten unless the retailer’s cashback terms clearly permit other codes.
Complete the purchase in one session
Do not leave the retailer’s website for an extended period after activating cashback.
If you need to return later, restart the shopping process through Rakuten.
Consider using an empty basket
Items added to your basket before activating cashback may not always track correctly.
For the safest approach, activate Rakuten first and then add the products to your basket.
Keep your records
Save:
- Your order confirmation.
- The order number.
- The date and time.
- The retailer’s cashback rate.
- A screenshot of the offer.
- The Rakuten Shopping Trip number.
- Evidence of the £25 referral offer.
These details may help if you need to submit a missing-cashback claim.
Why Cashback Can Take Time to Confirm
Cashback is not normally confirmed as soon as you complete a purchase.
The retailer needs time to confirm that:
- The order was paid for.
- The order was not cancelled.
- Products were not returned.
- The transaction met the cashback conditions.
- The qualifying service was completed.
- Rakuten was correctly credited for the sale.
A standard retail order may remain pending until after the retailer’s returns window.
Travel purchases can take longer because the retailer may not validate the transaction until after the hotel stay, flight, car hire or holiday has been completed.
Rakuten says the average validation period is approximately 45 days after the relevant returns period expires.
Rakuten Referral Eligibility
To qualify for the featured Rakuten referral reward, the new member should generally:
- Be genuinely new to Rakuten.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Normally reside in the United Kingdom.
- Register through the referral link.
- Maintain only one Rakuten account.
- Make eligible cashback purchases within 90 days.
- Reach at least £50 of qualifying spend.
- Avoid returning or cancelling purchases that reduce the spend below £50.
- Follow the participating retailer’s cashback terms.
- Add a unique bank or PayPal payment method.
- Add an address to the Rakuten account.
- Wait for the retailer to validate the qualifying purchase.
Rakuten states that both the referrer and referred person must be located in the UK to qualify for the UK referral bonus.
Purchases That May Not Qualify
A purchase may fail to qualify for cashback or the referral bonus if:
- You did not begin the purchase through Rakuten.
- You were not signed in.
- Tracking cookies were blocked.
- You used another cashback website.
- You clicked a different affiliate link before paying.
- The retailer does not offer cashback on the chosen product.
- You used an unapproved voucher code.
- You purchased a gift card that was excluded.
- The order was cancelled.
- The order was returned.
- Your payment failed.
- The qualifying spend fell below £50.
- Taxes, delivery fees or other excluded charges made up part of the £50.
- You already had a Rakuten account.
- You created more than one account.
- You did not complete the purchase within 90 days.
- The retailer did not validate the transaction.
- The purchase was considered fraudulent or made for resale.
Read the individual retailer’s terms before every order because cashback exclusions differ between brands.
Can You Use Discount Codes With Rakuten?
It may be possible to use a promotional code and earn cashback on the same purchase, but only when the code is accepted under the retailer’s Rakuten conditions.
Codes displayed by Rakuten are generally the safest option.
Using a voucher from another website, browser extension, employee scheme or private promotion may prevent the transaction from tracking or being approved.
Even when a discount code is allowed, cashback is usually calculated on the reduced purchase value.
For the £25 referral offer, make sure the final eligible amount after discounts remains above £50.
Can You Combine Rakuten Cashback With Card Rewards?
In many cases, you may be able to earn:
- Rakuten cashback.
- A Rakuten referral bonus.
- Reward points or cashback from your payment card.
- A retailer’s own loyalty points.
- An eligible promotional discount.
These rewards come from different providers and can sometimes be combined.
However, you should always check the applicable terms. Retailer loyalty schemes, special payment methods or private discount programmes can occasionally affect cashback eligibility.
Is Rakuten Free to Use?
Yes. Rakuten UK membership is free.
There is no subscription fee simply for maintaining a standard cashback account. Rakuten earns money by receiving commission from participating retailers and sharing part of that commission with members.
You should still purchase only items you genuinely need. Cashback represents a partial saving on spending—it is not a reason to spend more than you otherwise would.
Advantages of Rakuten Cashback
Potential benefits include:
- Free membership.
- £25 bonus for eligible new members.
- A relatively achievable £50 qualifying spend.
- Up to 90 days to complete qualifying purchases.
- Cashback from hundreds of participating retailers.
- Bank-transfer and PayPal payment options.
- Mobile app access.
- A browser extension.
- The ability to combine multiple qualifying purchases.
- Cashback in addition to the £25 referral bonus.
- No need to collect points before seeing the cash value.
- Monthly payments once cashback is confirmed and the minimum balance is reached.
Potential Drawbacks
Points to consider include:
- Cashback is not guaranteed until the retailer validates it.
- Tracking can fail if the shopping journey is interrupted.
- Some products and categories are excluded.
- Unapproved voucher codes can invalidate cashback.
- Retailer validation can take several weeks or longer.
- Returns and cancellations can remove cashback.
- Travel cashback may not be confirmed until after the trip.
- You must remember to activate cashback before purchasing.
- Cashback rates can change.
- The £50 referral threshold is based on eligible spend, not necessarily the total shown at checkout.
- You need a minimum confirmed balance before receiving payment.
Is the Rakuten £25 Referral Offer Worth Using?
For a new UK member who already intends to spend at least £50 with a participating retailer, the Rakuten referral offer can provide a strong first-use incentive.
The £25 reward is equivalent to 50% of the £50 minimum qualifying spend, although the bonus is paid later as cashback rather than deducted immediately at checkout.
You may also receive the retailer’s standard cashback on top of the referral bonus.
The offer is most valuable when you:
- Choose something you were already planning to buy.
- Use a retailer with clear cashback conditions.
- Spend comfortably above the £50 qualifying threshold.
- Avoid excluded items and delivery charges.
- Complete the purchase through a clean Rakuten tracking session.
- Keep the products rather than returning them.
- Add your payment details promptly.
Get £25 With the Rakuten Referral Link
Rakuten Referral FAQs
What is the Rakuten referral link?
The referral link is:
https://www.rakuten.co.uk/r/FAS963
What is the Rakuten referral code?
The referral identifier contained in the link is FAS963.
The best way to use the referral is to register through the complete referral link.
What does the new member receive?
An eligible new member receives £25 cashback after spending at least £50 on qualifying purchases.
Is the £25 deducted from my order?
No. The £25 is a cashback bonus. It appears in your Rakuten account after the qualifying purchase has been reported and is paid after the purchase and bonus become confirmed.
How long do I have to spend £50?
Rakuten’s referral guidance currently gives referred members up to 90 days from registration to make qualifying cashback purchases.
Must I spend £50 in one transaction?
Not necessarily. Rakuten says one or multiple cashback-eligible purchases can be used to reach the minimum referral threshold.
Does delivery count towards the £50?
Delivery and other fees may be excluded. Aim for more than £50 of eligible product value after discounts.
Does VAT count towards the qualifying spend?
Rakuten’s terms state that cashback is generally earned on the net product value excluding VAT, other taxes and fees. The value reported by the retailer is used to determine eligibility.
Can I use a voucher code?
You may be able to use a code displayed or authorised by Rakuten. Codes obtained elsewhere could invalidate cashback.
When will the £25 appear?
The bonus should appear as pending after the qualifying purchase has been reported. Retailer reporting can take several days.
When will the £25 become confirmed?
The bonus is connected to the qualifying purchase. It should become confirmed when the retailer validates the related cashback transaction.
How long does cashback validation take?
Validation times vary. Rakuten says the average across brands is around 45 days after the relevant returns period expires. Travel transactions can take longer.
How does Rakuten pay cashback?
UK members can select bank transfer or PayPal.
What is the minimum payout?
Rakuten currently requires at least £5.01 in confirmed earnings before issuing a payment.
When does Rakuten pay?
If you have at least £5.01 confirmed by the end of a month, Rakuten normally issues payment on the 15th of the following month.
Can an existing Rakuten member use the referral link?
The referral bonus is intended for genuinely new Rakuten members. Existing or duplicate accounts are unlikely to qualify.
Can two members use the same payment details?
Rakuten requires unique payment details for each account. A payment method cannot be reused across multiple Rakuten accounts.
Do returned products count?
No. Returns can reduce the qualifying amount and cause cashback or the referral bonus to be declined.
What happens if my qualifying spend drops below £50?
You may need to complete another eligible purchase before the 90-day referral period ends.
Can I earn normal cashback as well as the £25 bonus?
Yes, provided the purchase qualifies. The normal retailer cashback and the £25 referral bonus are separate rewards.
Can the referral offer change?
Yes. Referral values and qualifying requirements may change. Rakuten states that referred members receive the bonus available on the date they join, so check the offer displayed during registration and retain evidence of it.
Final Verdict
Rakuten provides UK shoppers with a straightforward way to earn cashback from purchases they were already planning to make.
The platform is free to join, supports payments by bank transfer or PayPal and can be accessed through its website, mobile app or browser extension.
The featured referral offer makes joining particularly attractive:
Spend £50 and Receive £25 Cashback
To qualify, register through the referral link, activate cashback and make eligible purchases totalling at least £50 within 90 days.
For the safest approach, spend slightly more than £50 on eligible products, avoid unapproved voucher codes, complete the order in one tracked session and keep a copy of the referral offer and order confirmation.
Join Rakuten and Get £25 Cashback
Referral Disclosure
This article contains a Rakuten referral link. If an eligible new member joins and completes the qualifying requirements, the person sharing the link may also receive a referral reward.
The new member’s featured reward is £25 cashback after spending £50 on eligible purchases, subject to Rakuten’s current referral conditions and the participating retailer’s cashback terms.
Cashback rates, retailer availability, referral bonuses, qualification periods and payment requirements can change. Check the offer shown when registering and the retailer conditions before completing a purchase.
