Aliexpress vs Amazon: Where Is It Cheaper to Buy?
Aliexpress vs Amazon: Where Is It Cheaper to Buy? That depends on the item, the seller and what happens when a parcel goes wrong, so a blanket winner would be a guess. For cashback we point you to Aliexpress: it has a shop page at daily cashback, and its Buyer Protection pays out when an item never arrives or is not as described. Amazon has the longer standard return window, which counts for a lot. Prices move daily, so compare the final amount for the same item. Status October 2026.
Which of the two pays cashback
Aliexpress has its own page at Aliexpress at daily cashback. The current rate and the vouchers that go with it are listed there, and the rate differs by product group: clothing, electronics and other goods are shown separately. Amazon is not on our list of shops. If you buy there, you pay the normal price and need no special route, you simply do not collect cashback with us.
Available here with cashback
How an Aliexpress order with cashback runs
Click through from the shop page, keep the ad blocker switched off and finish the order in the same browser session. The price in the basket stays the same. Your cashback appears in the free account as pending, and the shop reviews it. Only approved cashback becomes payable under the offer terms.
Cashback is worked out on the net order value after vouchers, without taxes. A code that the shop page does not list can put the cashback at risk, so use the codes shown there. Our page says plainly that a refunded order earns nothing.
Returns and refunds cost you the cashback
This is the point many buyers overlook. If you send an item back and get your money refunded, the cashback for it falls away. That is true on any shop, but it weighs more on a marketplace where parcels come from different sellers and a return is more likely than with a known local retailer. Keep that in mind with clothing, where sizes vary.
Buyer protection side by side
Aliexpress states that you get a refund if the item does not arrive, arrives damaged or differs from the description, within 15 days of receiving it. Its Free Return service runs for 15 days after delivery. If you return something because you changed your mind, you pay the return shipping. For EU buyers the platform points to the statutory rights: a two-year conformity guarantee and a 14-day right to return, with the buyer bearing the cost of sending the goods back.
Amazon says most items can be returned for a refund or exchange within 30 days of delivery, provided they are in original or unused condition. For orders from third-party sellers there is the A-to-z Guarantee: you can claim when a parcel does not arrive, is damaged or not as described, or when a return refund fails to show. Extra charges from customs authorities on international parcels are also a listed claim reason if the seller does not cover them. If you go to your card provider instead, the A-to-z route is closed.
At a glance
| Question | Aliexpress | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Cashback with us | yes, shop page with rates by product group | not listed with us |
| Who sells | independent sellers on a marketplace | Amazon itself and marketplace sellers |
| Protection if something goes wrong | Buyer Protection, 15 days from receipt | A-to-z Guarantee for third-party sellers |
| Return window | Free Return service 15 days after delivery | most items 30 days after delivery |
| Sending back after a change of mind | you pay the postage | depends on the item and the seller, see the returns page |
| Statutory rights in the EU | 2-year conformity guarantee, 14-day right to return | statutory withdrawal right on top of the 30-day offer |
| Where you read the details | Buyer Protection page and EU consumer terms | returns policy and A-to-z page |
Who should pick what
Bargain hunters with time: small items, gadgets and spare parts are what Aliexpress is built for. If you can wait for delivery and accept that a return takes effort, the shop page lets you collect cashback on top.
Buyers who need it fast or may send it back: if you are unsure about size or model, the 30-day window at Amazon gives you more room, and you are not giving up cashback you would never have had there.
Occasional shoppers: check the final amount for the exact item on both sites, including delivery. Only that number tells you where it is cheaper today.
What we recommend
If you want to collect cashback on an order, use Aliexpress through its shop page. It is the one of the two that we list, and the protection rules are clearly set out by the platform. For expensive electronics you might return, weigh the longer return window at Amazon against the cashback you would forgo.
Quick takeaways
- Aliexpress pays cashback through its shop page, Amazon does not.
- A refunded order earns no cashback.
- Use only the codes shown on the shop page.
- Compare the final amount for the same item before you decide.
Available here with cashback