If you used Cashrewards, you've probably noticed it's gone. Cashrewards closed in September 2025. Here's what happened, in plain English, plus a look at the cashback sites people moved to and a short checklist for picking your next one.
This page is general information only. It isn't financial advice.
What happened to Cashrewards?
Cashrewards was an Australian cashback site and app. You clicked through to a store, shopped, and got part of the price back as cash.
It stopped operating at 12pm AEST on Monday 8 September 2025. Its offers were switched off in the app, the browser extension and on the website that day (news.com.au, 8 Sep 2025).
A few facts from the reporting at the time:
- It had run for 11 years. Its CEO, Anthony Seymour-Walsh, said it had served "over 2.5 million members and 2,000 brands" (news.com.au, 8 Sep 2025).
- It was owned by 1835i, ANZ's venture capital fund (ABC News, 17 Sep 2025). 1835i took over the company in a takeover that finished in January 2022, and it left the ASX on 21 January 2022 (Capital Brief, 8 Sep 2025; ASX announcements for CRW).
- No official reason was given. The ABC reported that neither Cashrewards nor 1835i had made a public statement on why. Citing the Australian Financial Review, the ABC said Cashrewards "was failing to meet ANZ's expectations" (ABC News, 17 Sep 2025).
What happened to Cashrewards balances?
At the time, members were told to withdraw their cashback by 24 October 2025. News reports said remaining balances would then be transferred to members' linked bank or PayPal accounts, and that all withdrawal claims had to be in by 12 December 2025 (ABC News, 17 Sep 2025; news.com.au, 8 Sep 2025).
When the ABC asked what would happen to unclaimed money, CEO Anthony Seymour-Walsh said the company "intends to repay all customer monies" (ABC News, 17 Sep 2025).
Those dates have now passed. When we tried to open cashrewards.com.au on 10 November 2026, the site didn't load. If you think you're still owed money, look for the emails Cashrewards sent you in the second half of 2025.
Did Cashrewards move to ShopBack?
You might see this online, so here's what we found.
ShopBack's own blog says Cashrewards "ceased operations on 8 September 2025 and was consolidated into the ShopBack Australia brand" (ShopBack blog, 17 Aug 2026, updated 20 Oct 2026).
News reports from the time describe a closure by its owner, ANZ's 1835i (ABC News; Capital Brief). As at 10 November 2026, we couldn't find a public announcement of a sale or merger. If you join any cashback site now, check its own terms for how your account and balance work.
The cashback sites people mention
In September 2025, Canstar's data insights director Sally Tindall told the ABC there were "other similar brands still kicking around, such as ShopBack and TopCashback" (ABC News, 17 Sep 2025). That was a mention, not a ranking, so here's what each one says about itself.
Cashrewards alternative 1: ShopBack
What ShopBack says about itself:
- It works the same basic way: go through ShopBack before you pay, and cashback is tracked, then confirmed, then withdrawn to an Australian bank account (ShopBack blog).
- "No sign-up fee, no subscription, no withdrawal fee on bank transfers to Australian accounts" (ShopBack blog).
- It has an app and a browser extension (ShopBack homepage).
One thing that confuses people: ShopBack says its payments feature, ShopBack Pay, was discontinued in Australia on 25 March 2026, and that its cashback service carries on (ShopBack blog).
Cashrewards alternative 2: TopCashback
TopCashback has a page aimed at former Cashrewards members (TopCashback: Cashrewards vs TopCashback). What it says about itself:
- It's "completely free to join and completely free to use" (TopCashback homepage).
- It says it passes "100% of" the commission brands pay it on to members, and that there's no minimum withdrawal ("$0.01") (TopCashback comparison page).
- Payouts go to a linked bank account or PayPal (same page).
- Refer a friend: you and your friend each get $20 once the friend earns at least $10 at eligible brands within 180 days of joining (TopCashback Refer & Earn terms) (current terms, checked 10 November 2026).
These are TopCashback's own claims. We haven't tested them.
Alternative 3: discount codes instead of cashback
Cashback isn't the only way to pay less online. A discount code takes money off at checkout, so there's nothing to track and no wait for a payout. Cashback comes back later, once the store confirms the sale. We compare the two in discount codes vs cashback in Australia.
Some people use both: a cashback site for some stores and codes for others. Check the rules before you combine them. ShopBack, for example, says promo codes "that do not exclude Cashback can still apply" (ShopBack blog), so read the code's conditions first.
5 checks before you pick a Cashrewards alternative
- Look at the price first. As Canstar's Sally Tindall told the ABC in September 2025: "what matters most is the price you pay, not how big the discount or cashback is" (ABC News).
- Don't buy things just for the cashback. Curtin University's Dr Andrew Brennan warned that "limited time offer" prompts can lead to impulse buys (ABC News).
- Read the payout rules. Check the minimum withdrawal, how long confirmation takes, and how you get paid (bank, PayPal or gift card).
- Think about your data. Signing up means sharing your name, email and phone number, and Dr Brennan told the ABC that cashback apps record and track what you view and buy (ABC News). Read the privacy policy.
- Plan for a closure. Cashrewards switched off its offers on the same day it told members it was closing (news.com.au, 8 Sep 2025). A general tip: check the minimum withdrawal, and think about withdrawing confirmed cashback from time to time rather than leaving a large balance in the app.
How ROOPON is different
ROOPON isn't a cashback site. It's a paid membership with member discount codes from Australian partner stores. Here's what our membership page says today:
- Partner discount codes are on every plan.
- Plans: Basic from $19.99 a month, Premium from $49.99 a month and Ultimate from $99.99 a month.
- Money tools (Payday Allocator, Subscription Tracker and Bill Calendar) come with Premium and Ultimate. They're not included on Basic.
- No lock-in and no fee to leave. Our terms say you can cancel online at any time, and you keep access until the end of the period you've already paid for.
You can also browse live deals from Australian stores without an account.
| As at 10 November 2026 | ShopBack and TopCashback (cashback) | ROOPON (paid membership) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free, per their own sites | Basic from $19.99 a month (Premium from $49.99, Ultimate from $99.99), after a 7-day $0 trial |
| How it works | Part of what you spend comes back later, after the store confirms the sale | A member discount code from a partner store, used at checkout |
| App or browser extension | Both, per their own sites | Not covered in this comparison |
| Leaving | No subscription to cancel, as both say they're free to join | Cancel online any time, no cancellation fee |
Cashback and discount codes work differently, so this table doesn't compare how much you'd save. Facts come from each company's own website, checked 10 November 2026, and may change.
Try ROOPON free for 7 days
If you want partner codes at checkout, plus subscription and bill tools on Premium and Ultimate, give ROOPON a go. Start with 7 days at $0. If you don't cancel before day 7, your plan's monthly price applies from then (Basic from $19.99 a month).
General information only, not financial advice. Details about Cashrewards come from news reports published in September 2025. Details about ShopBack and TopCashback come from their own websites as at 10 November 2026 and may change, so check their latest terms before you sign up. ROOPON is not connected to Cashrewards, ShopBack or TopCashback.
