AliExpress Cashback Calculator: See Your Yearly Savings
Quick answer: AliExpress cashback is calculated as a percentage of your item subtotal — up to 11% through Refundy, excluding shipping, fees and taxes. To estimate your savings, multiply your monthly AliExpress spend by 0.11: on $300/month that is up to $33 back monthly, or roughly $396 a year. The table below shows what $100, $1,000 and $10,000 of spend returns.
Last updated: 30 August 2026.
Cashback simulator: what you get back at $100, $1,000 and $10,000
The table below shows the maximum cashback at three spending levels — a single test order, a month of steady sourcing, and a serious quarterly budget. To run your own number, multiply your spend by 0.11 (AliExpress), 0.09 (Alibaba.com or Taobao), or 0.03 (1688).
Your spend | AliExpress (up to 11%) | Alibaba.com (up to 9%) | Taobao (up to 9%) | 1688 (up to 3%)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
$100 — a test order | up to $11 back | up to $9 back | up to $9 back | up to $3 back |
$1,000 — a sourcing month | up to $110 back | up to $90 back | up to $90 back | up to $30 back |
$10,000 — a bulk quarter | up to $1,100 back | up to $900 back | up to $900 back | up to $300 back |
*1688 cashback requires one-time activation via Refundy customer support before it starts tracking.
Spread over a year, even the middle row adds up: $1,000/month on AliExpress at the maximum rate is up to $1,320 back per year — paid to PayPal, not as store credit.
How is AliExpress cashback actually calculated?
Cashback is a percentage of the item price you pay after coupons and discounts — the amount that appears as your goods subtotal at checkout. It is not calculated on the order total: shipping charges, platform fees, and import taxes are excluded on every major cashback service. That is why two orders of the same "total" can earn different cashback — the one with expensive shipping earns less.
Three inputs decide your real number:
Eligible spend — item subtotal only, after discounts, excluding shipping and tax.
Category rate — "up to 11%" means the ceiling; individual product categories carry different rates, the way affiliate commissions do.
Order approval — cashback confirms only after the order completes and the return window closes, so cancelled or refunded orders earn nothing.
How much can you get back per platform?
Platform | Cashback via Refundy | On $300/month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
AliExpress | up to 11% | up to $33 | up to $396 |
Alibaba.com | up to 9% | up to $27 | up to $324 |
Taobao | up to 9% | up to $27 | up to $324 |
1688 | up to 3% — requires activation via customer support | up to $9 | up to $108 |
For context, AliExpress rates across the market cluster lower — see our comparison of the main AliExpress cashback sites and the monthly rate tracker for current numbers. The full mechanics — how tracking works, when cashback confirms, what voids it — are in the AliExpress cashback guide.
What these numbers assume (and what they can't know)
The table shows a ceiling, not a promise. To keep the estimate honest, here is what sits behind it:
Maximum rate applied. Real orders mix categories, so your blended rate lands somewhere below the ceiling. Heavy spenders in high-rate categories get closest to it.
Item subtotal only. If shipping is a big share of your orders, subtract it from the spend you enter for a tighter estimate.
Payout terms are fixed. Earnings are paid to PayPal, withdrawable from $5, released roughly 90 days after approval, with no withdrawal fees — the delay exists because cashback only confirms after return windows close.
Stacking is allowed. Cashback applies to what you actually paid, so it stacks on top of coupons and sale prices — it does not compete with them.
Frequently asked questions
Does AliExpress cashback apply to shipping and taxes?
No. Cashback is calculated on the item subtotal only — shipping charges, platform fees, import taxes and split payments are excluded. Enter your goods spend, not your card statement total, for an accurate estimate.
Why do the numbers say "up to" instead of an exact amount?
Because rates vary by product category, the way affiliate commissions do. "Up to 11%" is the ceiling on AliExpress via Refundy; a mixed basket of orders typically earns a blended rate below that ceiling.
When do I actually receive the money?
After the order completes and cashback is approved, funds are released to PayPal in roughly 90 days. You can withdraw from $5, with no withdrawal fees. The delay covers the platform's return window.
Can I combine cashback with AliExpress coupons?
Yes — and you should. Coupons cut the price at checkout; cashback is then calculated on the discounted amount you actually paid. They stack, so the calculator's estimate holds whether or not you used a coupon.
Images: Photo by 404 on Unsplash
Refundy provides cashback on AliExpress, Alibaba.com, 1688, and Taobao. Cashback on 1688 requires manual activation through customer support. Cashback excludes shipping, fees, taxes, and split payments — see the cashback terms for details.