Rakuten Referral: How The £25 Bonus Works

What A Rakuten Referral Link Is And How It Works

A Rakuten referral link is part of the company’s sign-up incentive for new users. When someone joins Rakuten through one of these links and spends a set amount on the platform, both the new user and the person who shared the link receive a cashback bonus.

Rakuten itself is a cashback service that rewards people for shopping online through its website or app. Retailers pay Rakuten a commission for sending them customers, and Rakuten passes a portion of that commission back to shoppers. The referral scheme sits on top of this arrangement and is designed to encourage new sign-ups.

The current Rakuten referral bonus is £25, provided the new user spends £60 with one of Rakuten’s partnered retailers within 90 days of joining. Once the retailer confirms those purchases, Rakuten marks both the cashback and the referral bonus as payable. Until that confirmation happens, the bonus remains pending.

That spending does not have to occur in a single transaction. It can build up over several purchases, as long as each one is made through Rakuten and successfully tracked, but it’s pretty easy to spend £60 online in my opinion, and with retailers such as Sainsbury’s and Ocado being some of Rakuten’s retailers, you could potentially earn your bonus just doing your online weekly food shop!

Rakuten has been active in the UK for several years and operates much like other cashback platforms such as TopCashback and Quidco.

These types of cashback schemes are not instant rewards like gift card cashback services such as JamDoughnut. Retailers need time to confirm that purchases have not been returned or cancelled, and this process can take weeks. Some retailers confirm quickly, while others take longer, particularly for larger purchases or travel bookings.

When the bonus does become payable, it can be withdrawn as cash. Rakuten offers payment via bank transfer or PayPal, and there is no fee for withdrawing funds. Once withdrawn, the money is yours. It does not need to be spent through Rakuten or kept within the account.

Rakuten does not consistently offer the highest cashback rates, but it can be pretty competitive. Other platforms sometimes pay more and offer cashback on services such as insurance, financial services, or utility switches, but Rakuten doesn’t.

But where Rakuten differs is by offering £1 fixed cashback on five Amazon purchases. Amazon cashback is relatively uncommon in the UK cashback market these days, making Rakuten a useful tool for clawing back a little of your Amazon spend!

For someone who already shops online and will naturally spend £60 over a few months, the referral bonus can be easy to earn, and the competitive cashback rates make giving Rakuten a try well worth it. There is no need to change spending habits or buy anything unusual. Just remember to click through to the retailer you are buying from before placing your order, and the cashback will track automatically. Your cashback, plus bonus, will be applied to your account.

There are also practical reasons why bonuses sometimes fail to pay. Buying gift cards does not count towards qualifying spend. Delivery charges and VAT are excluded. Cancelled or returned items are removed from the total. Using multiple cashback sites or browser extensions simultaneously can interfere with tracking, which may result in purchases not registering correctly.

Once signed up, users are given their own referral link. Sharing it works exactly the same way as the link they used. Each time someone joins through that link and meets the spending requirement, another £25 bonus is paid to the referrer, so it’s a handy way to earn a few extra quid by referring your friends and family to Rakuten.  

Rakuten sits somewhere between generous sign-up bonuses and competitive day-to-day cashback. It is not a replacement for every other cashback platform, but it can earn its place alongside them. Used selectively, particularly when a referral bonus is available, it can add extra value to spending that was going to happen anyway.

The Penny Pincher Rakuten referral link: Please click here to use our referral link to sign up to Rakuten. Referral bonuses help fund this site!

Rakuten referral link FAQs

What is a Rakuten referral link?

A Rakuten referral link is simply a tracked sign-up link shared by an existing user. When someone joins via that link and spends the required amount on Rakuten, both the new user and the person who shared the link receive a cashback bonus. It’s a way of rewarding people for bringing new users to the platform.

Is the Rakuten referral bonus genuine?

Yes. The referral bonus is a real offer and is paid out once the conditions are met. As with any cashback scheme, purchases must be tracked correctly and confirmed by the retailer. When that happens, the bonus moves from pending to payable, just like standard cashback.

Do you have to spend £60 in one go?

No. The £60 requirement can be reached over several purchases. What matters is that the total qualifying spend reaches £60 within 90 days of signing up and that each purchase is made through Rakuten, so it tracks properly. It does not need to be a single transaction.

How long does it take to get the £25 bonus?

There isn’t a fixed timeline. Cashback, including referral bonuses, is paid only after retailers confirm that purchases haven’t been returned or cancelled. Some retailers confirm quickly, while others take longer. In practice, this can mean waiting a few weeks or more before the bonus becomes payable.

Can the bonus be withdrawn as cash?

Yes. Once the bonus is marked as payable, it can be withdrawn as cash via PayPal or direct bank transfer. There’s no requirement to spend it through Rakuten, and there’s no fee for withdrawing it. Once it’s paid out, it’s just money like any other.

What doesn’t count towards the £60 spend?

Not everything you pay for counts towards the qualifying total. Gift cards are usually excluded, as are delivery charges and VAT. If an order is cancelled or returned, it’s removed from the spend total. Using multiple cashback sites or voucher extensions simultaneously can also prevent purchases from tracking properly.

Can you earn money by sharing your own referral link?

Yes. After signing up, users receive their own referral link. When someone joins using that link and meets the spending requirement, another £25 bonus is triggered. Referral bonuses are unlimited; refer as many people as you want!

Is Rakuten better than other cashback sites?

Rakuten isn’t always the highest-paying cashback site for everyday shopping. Other platforms sometimes offer better percentage rates. Where Rakuten tends to stand out is with sign-up and referral bonuses, as well as occasional fixed cashback offers. Many people use it alongside other cashback sites rather than instead of replacing them. It's always good to check cashback rates across different cashback companies and go with the service that offers the best deal.|

Is it worth using a Rakuten referral link?

It’s worth using if the spending would have happened anyway. The referral bonus works best as an extra reward for normal shopping, not as a reason to spend money you wouldn’t otherwise spend. Used that way, it can be a useful addition rather than a distraction.