Airtime Rewards, now branded simply as Airtime, is one of the easiest ways to earn free cashback in the UK without changing how or where you shop.

You link your cards once, carry on shopping as normal, and your rewards build automatically in the background. There are no receipts to scan, no links to click, and no planning required.

If you want to reduce your mobile phone bill with minimal effort, this app is genuinely worth using.

Get started with a free £2 bonus:

• Download Airtime Rewards, or go directly to Google Play or the App Store, and use my promo code FTT7WY7W.
• Spend £5 or more at a participating retailer within 7 days, and you'll receive £2 free cash added to your account.

What Is Airtime?

Airtime is a free UK rewards app that turns everyday shopping into money off your mobile phone bill.

When you spend with partnered retailers using your linked debit or credit cards, Airtime tracks the transaction automatically and awards cashback. That cashback can then be redeemed as credit against your phone bill, or added as PAYG credit if you are on a pay-as-you-go plan.

It was designed to be passive, and largely still is, but there are now a lot more features if you want to maximise your earnings rather than just letting it run in the background.

How Does Airtime Work?

It used to be really simple, link up to 10 debit and credit cards, then earn cashback automatically whenever you used one at a partnered retailer, and cash out to your mobile phone bill (or to your card, for some historic users).

The core of it still works that way, but the app has grown a lot since then and now has several different ways to earn:

• Auto cashback with linked cards: still the main way most people earn, though many retailers now only track one card type, Visa rather than Mastercard for example, and some have spending minimums too, like needing to spend £10 at a particular retailer to qualify (correct at the time of writing, but this kind of detail changes regularly)
• Earn with Link: works more like a traditional cashback site, you shop through a link inside the app for certain online retailers, rather than it tracking automatically through your card
• Deals: offers tied to trials and subscriptions you sign up to through the app
• Buying gift cards: covered above, purchasing gift cards through the app earns cashback into your balance too
• Prize draws: the app also runs prize draws you can enter

Once your balance builds up, you can redeem it against your mobile phone bill, or in some cases as PAYG credit.

Get started with a free £2 bonus:

• Download Airtime Rewards, or go directly to Google Play or the App Store, and use my promo code FTT7WY7W.
• Spend £5 or more at a participating retailer within 7 days, and you'll receive £2 free cash added to your account.

My Experience Using Airtime

I have been using Airtime for years, and it is one of the few money-saving apps I keep because it requires no ongoing effort.

I do not plan my spending around it or go out of my way to shop somewhere specific. I linked my cards once and let it run quietly in the background.

Over time, I have reduced my phone bills by over £200 without really noticing the process at all. That is exactly why I like it. It works without demanding attention.

The app itself is straightforward to use, cashback tracks reliably, and redemptions have always worked smoothly for me.

I will say, it used to be a lot better and easier to earn rewards doing nothing than it is now. I've noticed more retailers only tracking Visa cards recently, and I use Mastercard, so I no longer qualify for cashback at some places I used to.

The withdrawal fee and limits covered above are unfavourable changes too, so while I still find it worthwhile, it's genuinely less generous than when I first started using it.

Airtime Rewards Promo Code for £2 Free Cash

If you are new to Airtime, you can earn a £2 free cash bonus by signing up with a referral code.

• Use promo code FTT7WY7W when you join.
• Spend £5 or more at any participating retailer within 7 days of signing up.
• £2 will be added to your Airtime account.
• Download Airtime Rewards, or go directly to Google Play or the App Store

This gives you a small head start before your regular cashback begins to build.

Retailers You Can Earn With

Airtime partners with over 200 UK brands, covering supermarkets, high street shops, restaurants, travel, fashion, and online retailers.

The list of retailers and cashback rates changes regularly, which is normal for cashback apps. You can always see the current partners directly inside the Airtime app.

In practice, most people find that several places they already shop at are included, which makes earning cashback feel effortless rather than forced.

Cards and Payment Methods

Airtime supports Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards.

You can also earn rewards when paying via Apple Pay or Google Pay, as long as the underlying card is linked in the app.

American Express cards, prepaid cards, and cards issued outside the UK are not supported.

You can link multiple cards, which helps avoid missing out on rewards if you switch between accounts.

However, not all card types qualify for every cashback offer. Each retailer sets its own rules and thresholds, some only track Visa cards, others need a minimum spend like £10, they aren't all the same, so it's worth checking the specific terms for a retailer before assuming your card and spend will qualify.

Which Mobile Networks Are Supported?

Airtime works with most major UK mobile networks, including EE, O2, Vodafone, Three, and giffgaff.

Some networks aren't supported for bill credit, including Asda Mobile, BT Mobile, iD Mobile, Plusnet Mobile, Sky, Smarty, Talkmobile, TalkTalk Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Voxi, Lycamobile, and Now PAYG. The app checks network compatibility when you register and again when you redeem rewards, so you will always know whether your network is supported.

Worth knowing, since October 2025, if you switch from a supported network to an unsupported one, you'll lose access to Airtime unless you redeem your balance first, so it's worth cashing out before switching providers rather than after.

How to Redeem Airtime Rewards

Once your cashback has cleared and your balance reaches £10 (£5 with Airtime Up, more on that below), you can redeem it directly from within the app.

Rewards are applied as credit to your next generated phone bill. If your bill has already been produced for the month, the credit will apply to the following bill instead.

For pay-as-you-go users, rewards can be redeemed as mobile credit vouchers, which usually come with an expiry period.

If you'd rather withdraw your balance as cash to a bank card instead, you'll need to contact Airtime's customer services directly. This carries a £1.30 fee per withdrawal, and is capped at £10 per transaction and £10 per month, so you'll get around £8.70 back for every £10 withdrawn this way. I'm not certain whether phone bill credit redemptions carry the same monthly cap, worth checking directly in the app for your own account before relying on it.

What Is Airtime Up?

Airtime Up is an upgraded option within the app, and I have it myself, though I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure how I got access to it! What I do know is that it lowers the redemption threshold from £10 to £5, and gives faster cashback from some retailers. I believe you need to connect a bank account to qualify for it, though I'd suggest checking this directly in the app rather than relying on my memory of it.

Airtime Referral Scheme

Airtime still runs a genuinely good referral scheme if you like the app and want to recommend it to friends or family. If they spend £5 or more within their first 7 days of joining, not including gift card purchases, they get £2 added to their balance, and you get £5 added to yours as the referrer.

Airtime often run special promotions on top of this too, sometimes with higher rewards for a limited time, so it's worth checking the app for current terms before referring anyone.

If you haven't joined yet, you can use my promo code FTT7WY7W when you download here, or directly via Google Play or the App Store, to get your own £2 bonus if you make a qualifying spend within 7 days.

Is Airtime Safe and Legit?

Yes. Airtime is a legitimate UK app used by millions of people.

It is PCI Level 1 compliant and works in partnership with Visa and Mastercard. Airtime can only see transactions made with partnered retailers for the purpose of tracking rewards. It does not have access to your full spending history and does not sell your data to third parties.

Based on long-term personal use, I have never had any security issues or problems redeeming cashback. Reviews online are mixed though, mainly around the withdrawal fee and network changes covered above, so it's worth going in with realistic expectations about how redemptions work.

Is Airtime Worth Using?

Airtime is another cashback app worth having in your arsenal, especially for the autopilot cashback, you don't have to do anything for it once your cards are linked. That said, those passive offers do seem less generous than they used to be.

Because of the withdrawal restrictions covered above, I'd suggest traditional online cashback through TopCashback, Quidco, or Budgey first, since they tend to be more straightforward to redeem. I'd treat Airtime as a good last resort for when those three don't have the cashback you're after.

It will not make you rich, but it's an easy way to chip away at your mobile phone bill using spending you would do anyway, and once set up, it largely looks after itself.

If you are going to try it, make sure you use my promo code FTT7WY7W so you start with a £2 bonus after spending £5 in your first 7 days. Get started here, or go directly to Google Play or the App Store.

Looking for more apps like Airtime Rewards?

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Start with my list of apps that turn UK receipts into cash, and also this list of the best UK cashback sites.

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