As a cooperative, our £5 annual admin fee is basically an administration charge that keeps us Quidco'ing. Unlike other sites we pass on the full 100% of earnings we receive from merchants which means Quidco cashback rates are generally double that of elsewhere. All we keep in exchange for giving you 100% of earnings is £5 a year.

The £5 admin fee is never charged, but only deducted when you have earned enough to cover it. It is deducted annually based on your registration date (and is only deducted from transactions made from that date). It will always be deducted from the first £5 earned in each year of your membership.

Example 1. Joe signs up to Quidco and never buys anything through the site. He has never earned any Quidco money so there is no money for us to hold our £5 fee from. Nothing happens.

Example 2a. Alex signs up to Quidco in November 2006 and earns £140 in his first month. On his first payment £5 is held back and he is paid £135. For the rest of his registration year until November 2007 nothing more is held back by Quidco.

Example 2b.Alex keeps on buying! In November 2007 Alex doesn't buy anything through Quidco but in December Alex earns another £95. Quidco keeps back the first £5 he has made since his November registration anniversary, leaving him with £90 earned from since November 2007. Again nothing more will be held back until his next anniversary in November 2008.

Example 3.Alison joins Quidco in February 2006. Between February 2006 and February 2007 she only earns £3.40. As Quidco keeps back the first £5 earned in a year she does not receive any money. However, in April 2007 Alison starts an online shopping spree earning £87 through Quidco. Her first year activity (or lack of) does not effect her second year and Quidco only holds back £5 as usual making her first second year payment £82.