A personal test with ShopBack, Klook, and a surprising discovery.
Does cashback always work out in your favour? I thought so too, until I started checking prices closely.
Recently, I compared the exact same ticket:
→ Direct on Klook: SGD84.20
→ Through ShopBack: SGD86.75
On ShopBack, attraction passes earn 1% cashback (or 2% if you’re on ShopBack Plus). That means on SGD86.75, cashback gives you about 87 cents back — or SGD1.74 with Plus.
But booking directly on Klook saved me an immediate SGD2.55 — a 2.94% saving, which is actually better than ShopBack’s cashback rate.
It seems like a small difference, but isn’t the whole point of cashback that small savings snowball into bigger returns? In this case, the “deal” felt more like a loss.
🔍 Key Observations
✔️ Cashback rates can look attractive, but sometimes the base price is inflated.
✔️ Even with ShopBack Plus, direct booking saved me more.
✔️ These small gaps matter — especially when you’re booking often.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Cashback isn’t always the guaranteed win it seems. Sometimes you save, sometimes you don’t — and sometimes you might even lose out.
I’m curious: has this happened to you too? If you’ve noticed price differences when booking through cashback apps versus directly, I’d love to hear your experience.
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📌 Affiliate Disclosure:
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you — if you make a booking through them. This supports my blog so I can keep sharing cost-of-living breakdowns from around the world. I only recommend services I’ve personally used and loved!
Bonus Tip: If you’re planning your trip and haven’t locked in your activities yet, here are my go-to platforms:
💸 Not quite the vibe you’re looking for? Totally fair — we all spend differently, and I’m all for doing what makes life feel rich in your own way.
So have a scroll through the other places I’ve lived — whether you’re on sabbatical, reclaiming your time, or just out here to veg out in peace, we’ll find the one that feels like home (or at least a good month).
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