scondoo
You upload your till receipt and get credit after the check.
- Payout
- Bank transfer
- Minimum
- None
- Expiry
- Time-barred after 24 months of non-use
Cashback and try-for-free promotions at a glance
With cashback you have the chance to get part of your money back when you shop, and with try-for-free promotions, known in Germany as Gratis testen, sometimes even the full purchase price. Depending on the method, the money comes from the manufacturer, an app, an online portal or a loyalty programme.
up to 100%of the purchase price is possible with try-for-free promotions
about 4 to 12 weeksis how long most of these promotions take to refund you
0.5%is what PAYBACK brings at the usual 1 point per €2
Which method suits you?
To get money back or test products for free, you can choose from five methods. Which of these methods suits you depends on where you shop, whether you want to pay up front and how much time you want to invest in the different cashback promotions.
Try-for-free promotionsYou buy a product in a shop and submit the till receipt to the manufacturer.
- What you get back
- Up to the full purchase price, depending on the promotion
- This suits you if
- you shop at supermarkets or drugstores anyway and can pay the money up front for a while.
Cashback apps and loyalty programmesYou upload till receipts or collect points when you shop.
- What you get back
- Fixed amounts, percentages or points, depending on the provider
- This suits you if
- you regularly shop at the same stores.
Cashback portalsYou start your online purchase through a portal's link.
- What you get back
- A share of the purchase or a fixed amount, depending on the shop
- This suits you if
- you order online and can wait a few months for your money.
Product testsYou apply for a product and review it after the test.
- What you get back
- Usually a product or voucher instead of money
- This suits you if
- you prefer not to pay up front and like writing your opinion.
Paid surveysYou answer questions and sometimes take part in interviews.
- What you get back
- Usually cents to a few euros per survey
- This suits you if
- you have time to spare and do not want to buy anything.
★ The detailed overviewCashback providers in Germany at a glanceAll methods with examples, calculations and frequently asked questions.
→Where do I start?
You do not have to try all five methods at once. I would start with try-for-free promotions for products you would buy anyway.
- 1Finding suitable promotionsYou can recognise promotions by a sticker on the pack or by the manufacturer's own promotion page, for example.
- 2Reading the terms and conditionsBefore you buy, you check the promotion period, the retailer, the maximum amount and the quota.
- 3Buying the item and uploading the photosYou buy the item and then upload your details and photos on the promotion page.
- 4Recording the refund in a tableYou note the promotion, the amount and the date in a table. That way you notice if a payment does not arrive.
How do I keep track of my refunds?
As soon as several promotions are running at once, it is easy to lose track. Some manufacturers pay after 4 weeks, others only after 12 weeks. Without a note you will hardly notice if a refund does not arrive.
I personally like to track my promotions in an Excel spreadsheet or in Outbank. To start with, a simple list with these six columns is enough.
It is best to keep the till receipt for as long as it takes for the money to reach your account. Some terms and conditions even state how long you have to keep it.
Promotion
Bought on
Amount
Submitted on
Money expected by
Money received
How do try-for-free promotions work?
With try-for-free promotions, known in Germany as Gratis testen, you have the chance to get the full purchase price back from the manufacturer. Depending on the promotion, you may have to accept certain restrictions. Examples are maximum refund amounts or limited quotas on daily redemptions.
With many of these promotions the process is as follows. You go to a shop and buy the item from the description (check whether it needs to be an item with a promotional sticker, for example). In most cases you then have to photograph the item and upload your details, bank details and photos on the manufacturer's promotion page. After about 4 to 12 weeks most providers pay your money back. The promotion pages are usually in German only.
Which cashback apps and loyalty programmes exist?
With cashback apps you usually upload your till receipt and get credit after the check. With loyalty programmes, on the other hand, you collect points or euro credit when you shop. What you get back in the end depends on the provider.
marktguru
You upload a photo of your till receipt, plus 5 cents per submitted receipt.
- Payout
- Bank transfer, PayPal is not available
- Minimum
- €5
- Expiry
- 3 years after it was earned
reebate
You buy promotional items and then upload your receipt.
- Payout
- Bank transfer or PayPal
- Expiry
- According to the terms only after you cancel
PAYBACK
You collect points at partners, usually 1 point per €2 spent.
- Value
- 1 point is 1 cent
- Payout
- Bank transfer from 200 points
- Expiry
- After 36 months on 30 September
REWE Bonus
You collect euro credit in the REWE app through promotions and coupons.
- Redeem
- When you shop
- Start
- 29 Dec 2024, no PAYBACK points at REWE since then
Rossmann app
According to Rossmann, you get four 10% coupons every two months if you register.
- Redeem
- At the till
- Cash payout
- Not possible according to Rossmann
What happens if an app goes bust?
The credit from a cashback app is not in your bank account. Your credit with the provider is only a claim against the operator.
How do cashback portals work?
With a cashback portal you start your online purchase through a link on the portal. The shop usually pays the portal a commission for this. Depending on the provider, the portal passes all or part of this commission on to you as cashback. How much that is depends on the shop and the portal.
Shoop
You start your purchase through Shoop's link.
- Payout
- Bank transfer or PayPal
TopCashback
According to its own statement, TopCashback passes on 100% of the commission to you.
- Payout
- SEPA or PayPal
- Waiting time
- 2 to 4 months until it reaches the portal, up to 6 months for contracts
iGraal
You shop through a link from iGraal.
- Payout
- First by SEPA, then SEPA or PayPal
- Validity
- 3 years from the end of the year it was credited
With portals, matching your purchase to your account can fail. This can happen because of an ad blocker, a voucher code from another site or switching to the shop's app.
Where can you test products for free?
With product tests you apply for a product. If the provider picks you, you get the product or a voucher for it. In return, providers usually expect a review, a questionnaire or a report. These programmes are run in German, and you can never be sure of being accepted.
REWE Produkttests
If you are accepted, you get a personal free voucher by email and redeem it in store.
- Access
- 18 or over with a REWE account
dm Produkttester
Your test parcel arrives by post, then you fill in an online questionnaire.
- Access
- 16 or over, sign-in with a Facebook profile
trnd
You apply for projects and report on your experience. You can sometimes keep the products.
- Access
- 18 or over
- Money
- None here
Sampleo
After applying you receive the product at home free of charge.
- Household
- One product per household
- Resale
- Not allowed
Goodbrands
You test products from new brands and may keep them afterwards.
- Access
- 18 or over
- Visible
- Your Instagram profile is linked to your review
The Insiders
You write reports on campaigns. For expensive devices a deposit may apply.
- At the end
- Return the device or buy it at a reduced price
Konsumgöttinnen
You apply for a campaign and write a report after the test.
- Access
- Women aged 18 or over only
ForMe
You apply to Procter & Gamble with a questionnaire and review the product.
- Status
- No open test on 1 Nov 2026
What do paid surveys bring in?
With surveys you do not buy anything. You get money or vouchers for your time and your opinion. A normal survey usually pays cents to a few euros. Longer interviews and user tests sometimes pay more. Most of these panels are in German.
EntscheiderClub
I signed up here around 2012. By April 2020 my payouts came to €264.80, with breaks of up to two years. The name, which means decision makers' club, is a little misleading, because the provider does not ask for a particular profession.
- Operator
- Cint Deutschland GmbH, Berlin
- Normal survey, my figures to 2020
- €0.50 to €2.50
- My highest single payment
- €65
TrendsetterClub
TrendsetterClub also belongs to Cint Deutschland GmbH. Here you collect TrendPoints, and the provider gives specific figures for its surveys.
- 5,000 TrendPoints
- €10
- Survey of 5 to 10 minutes
- about €0.50 to €1.50
- Survey of 15 to 20 minutes
- about €2 to €4
TestingTime
You take part in user tests and interviews.
- 60 minutes
- €35 to €55
- Payout
- PayPal or bank account
Sago
You take part in online surveys, phone interviews or studies in a test studio.
- Value
- 1 bonus point is 1 cent
- Payout
- Gift card, bank transfer or PayPal
Testbirds
You test apps and websites and report bugs.
- Payout
- Bank account or PayPal
YouGov Shopper
You scan your shopping with the app and collect points.
- Reward
- Vouchers and rewards, no cash
Google Opinion Rewards
You answer short surveys in the app.
- Android
- Credit for Google Play
- iPhone
- PayPal
What speaks for cashback and what against it?
Reasons for
- With try-for-free promotions you can try new products and, depending on the promotion, get the full price back.
- On purchases you had planned anyway you get part of your money back.
- Product tests and surveys work without buying anything.
Reasons against
- With try-for-free promotions you pay up front and often wait several weeks.
- You hand over personal data. Stiftung Warentest, the German consumer testing organisation, described discount apps as greedy for data in 2023.
- Quotas can run out before you submit.
- A purchase made only for the cashback does not save you money.
Frequently asked questions about cashback
Which cashback method suits me?
The right method depends on how you shop. If you regularly buy at supermarkets or drugstores, try-for-free promotions and receipt apps often work well. If you order a lot online, cashback portals are more likely to fit. If you do not want to buy anything, product tests and surveys remain.
Where should I start?
I would start with try-for-free promotions for products you would buy anyway. That way you learn the process and do not buy anything you do not need.
How do I keep track of my refunds?
The easiest way is a list. You enter the promotion, purchase date, amount, submission date and the expected payment. I personally like to track my promotions in an Excel spreadsheet or in Outbank.
Am I certain to get my money back in a try-for-free promotion?
The refund is only certain once the money has arrived in your account. The manufacturer or its service provider first checks your till receipt. Quotas can also run out. For that reason I would keep the till receipt until the payout.
How long does the payout take?
Most try-for-free promotions take about 4 to 12 weeks. Cashback portals can take longer. TopCashback, for example, states 2 to 4 months until the cashback reaches the portal.
Details from the providers' documents, data last updated on 01/11/2026
