Joom vs AliExpress: Where Is It Cheaper to Buy?
Joom vs AliExpress: Where Is It Cheaper to Buy? A blanket answer would be a guess, since the price depends on the item. What you can compare reliably is the final amount in your basket, including shipping and customs. As a first look we recommend Joom, because its help page says parcels sent from inside the EU are not hit by the new customs charges, and otherwise the charges appear in the order step. October 2026; prices change daily.
Both marketplaces have a page at daily cashback. This guide looks at what counts on top of the item price: customs, delivery time, returns and when your cashback gets confirmed.
Available here with cashback
Where cashback exists
Find Joom at daily cashback and AliExpress at daily cashback. Each page shows the rate of the day, and the shop can change it. Always start on the shop page, keep the ad blocker off and place the order in one go. More about Joom in our guide Shopping at Joom: delivery, customs, returns, cashback.
Customs and fees
Joom writes in its help centre that since 1 July 2026 the EU charges €3 customs duty on goods up to €150 from outside the EU. From 1 November 2026 shipping from outside the EU also carries a handling fee of €2 per item. For shipping from third countries that makes €5 per item plus VAT. By its own account Joom includes this in the order step, so the final price is already shown.
Goods shipped from within the EU are not affected, according to Joom. AliExpress notes on its home page that import charges apply to shipments from outside the EU. The exact amount shows in the basket.
Delivery and non-delivery
At Joom sellers have 10 to 15 days to ship, after which the order is cancelled automatically. The non-delivery warranty gives you two weeks to report a parcel that has not arrived. When it starts is shown per item on the product page.
AliExpress marks items with a fast delivery label that should arrive by the stated date. If a parcel has not arrived after 40 days you can apply for a refund; for items without that label the page names 60, 75, 90 or 120 days, depending on the delivery terms.
Returns and refunds
At Joom you contact support within 14 days of delivery and then have a further 14 days to send the item back. Return costs are yours unless the item is defective. The refund takes 7 to 14 days according to the help page.
AliExpress lists the first return on each order as free, up to five times a month. It also has a 30-day price adjustment if the seller lowers the price. For bargain hunters that is a clear plus.
For your cashback the same holds on both: if a purchase is returned or refunded, the shop usually removes the cashback too. A free return at AliExpress does not change that.
When the cashback is confirmed
After the purchase the entry in your account first shows as pending. With marketplaces it takes a while until the shop releases the order, usually after the withdrawal period has run out. Allow for that while you wait for the credit. If you order several items at once and send back only one, the shop decides how the rest is counted; when in doubt, read the conditions on the shop page.
At a glance
| Point | Joom | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|
| Listed with us | yes, with a current rate | yes, with its own rate |
| Customs from third countries | €3 duty per item, from November €2 fee extra, included in the shipping price | import charges on shipments from outside the EU |
| Shipping within the EU | exempt from the new charges | AliExpress shows it per item |
| Non-delivery | two-week reporting window | refund after 40 days for fast delivery |
| Returns | report in 14 days, send in 14 days | first return per order free |
| Price adjustment | no information | 30 days |
| Free shipping | Joom shows it per offer | free shipping from a €10 minimum on Choice items |
Who should pick what
- You want to see the final price early: Joom, since the fees are in the order step.
- You buy small items often and send some back: AliExpress with the free first return.
- You watch prices: AliExpress with its 30-day price adjustment.
- You want fast goods from the EU: check the shipping origin on both.
What we recommend
Joom is our first tip if a clear final price matters and you prefer goods from the EU. AliExpress can pay off if returns and price adjustment count for you. Anyone who really wants to save puts the same item in both baskets and compares the final amount.
Quick takeaways
- Both have a shop page with us: Joom and AliExpress.
- Customs and shipping belong in the comparison.
- A return costs you the cashback, even a free one.
Available here with cashback