Top UK Competition Websites for Freebies

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Ever dreamt of winning a new car, a luxury holiday, or even just a year’s supply of chocolate biscuits? Well, you’re not alone. Every single day, thousands of people across Britain are trying their luck in online competitions, and many of them are winning big. Welcome to the exciting world of ‘comping’—the surprisingly strategic hobby of entering competitions.

It’s not just about random luck, like buying a lottery ticket and hoping for the best. Modern comping is a savvy game of knowing where to look, what to enter, and how to boost your chances. Think of it less like a blind gamble and more like a treasure hunt. The treasure is out there—from life-changing cash prizes to little treats that just make your day—and the map is right here.

In this guide, we’re going to lift the lid on the UK’s best competition websites. We’ll show you the most trusted places to find genuine prize draws, teach you the tricks of the trade that seasoned compers use, and help you avoid the pesky scams that can spoil the fun. Whether you’re a complete beginner curious about nabbing your first freebie or you’re looking to turn a casual hobby into a winning streak, you’ve come to the right place.

So, grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and let’s dive into how you can start winning today.

What Exactly is ‘Comping’ and Why is it So Popular in the UK?

At its heart, comping is simply the hobby of entering competitions. But for many, it’s much more than that. It’s a community, a challenge, and a genuinely effective way to get your hands on fantastic stuff for free. The British have always loved a good bargain and a bit of a flutter, so it’s no surprise that comping has become a massive phenomenon here.

The rise of the internet completely transformed it. Gone are the days of posting dozens of postcards or collecting tokens from cereal boxes (though some of those still exist!). Today, hundreds of websites act as huge directories, gathering thousands of competitions from across the web and putting them all in one convenient place.

The Different Flavours of Competitions

Not all competitions are created equal. Understanding the different types is the first step to becoming a smart comper, as it helps you decide where to focus your energy.

1. Simple Prize Draws (The ‘Luck of the Draw’ Comps)

These are the most common and easiest to enter. You simply fill in your details—like your name and email address—and you’re in the draw. They often involve signing up for a newsletter or following a brand on social media.

How it works: A winner is chosen completely at random from all the entries.
Pros: Quick and easy to enter, so you can get through a lot of them in a short space of time.
Cons: Because they’re so easy, they attract a huge number of entries, meaning your odds of winning are lower.

2. Effort-Based Competitions (Where Creativity Pays Off)

These competitions require a bit more brainpower. You might have to write a slogan, submit a photo, share a recipe, or answer a tricky question.

How it works: The winner is chosen by a panel of judges who pick the best entry based on skill, creativity, or humour.
Pros: Far fewer people bother entering these, so if you’ve got a creative streak, your chances of winning are dramatically higher. The prizes are often better, too.
Cons: They take more time and effort. You can’t enter hundreds of these in an afternoon.

3. Social Media Competitions (Like, Share, and Win)

Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok are flooded with competitions. The entry mechanic is usually very simple: like the post, follow the account, tag a friend, or share the post to your story.

How it works: A winner is typically chosen at random from everyone who completed the required actions.
Pros: Very quick to enter while you’re scrolling through your social feeds anyway.
Cons: Can clog up your feed, and it’s sometimes hard to track what you’ve entered. There are also lots of fake ‘lookalike’ accounts that run scam competitions. Always check for the blue tick or other signs of a genuine brand page.

4. Purchase-Necessary Competitions (The ‘Willy Wonka’ Style)

These require you to buy a specific product to enter. You’ll usually find a unique code on the packaging or your receipt, which you then enter online. Think of Cadbury’s Creme Egg hunts or the classic Walkers crisps promotions.

How it works: You enter your code online to see if you’re an instant winner or to be entered into a prize draw.
Pros: The odds are often fantastic because the number of entries is limited to people who have bought the product.
Cons: You have to spend money to enter, so it’s only worth it if you were going to buy the product anyway.

The Premier League of Comping: The UK’s Top Competition Websites

Okay, now for the main event. Where do you actually find all these brilliant competitions? While you can find them directly on brand websites, the smart way to comp is to use a dedicated competition portal. These sites do the hard work for you, hunting down and vetting competitions before listing them in one place.

Here are the most trusted and popular competition websites in the UK, each with its own strengths.

1. The PrizeFinder: The Veteran Powerhouse

Often hailed as the king of UK comping sites, The PrizeFinder has been around for ages and has a massive, loyal following. It’s a comprehensive directory that lists thousands of competitions, updated daily.

What makes it great:
- Huge Volume: It has one of the largest collections of competitions you’ll find anywhere.
- Well-Organised: You can filter competitions by prize type (e.g., holidays, cash, cars), entry method, and closing date.
- Community Vetted: The site has a forum where users share tips, celebrate wins, and flag any dodgy competitions. This community aspect adds a big layer of trust.
Best for: Everyone, from beginners to seasoned pros. It’s the perfect starting point.
Top Tip: Use the ‘Closing Soon’ filter to enter competitions with a deadline in the next day or two. There might be fewer entries as people have forgotten about them.

2. Loquax: The Comping Community Hub

Loquax is another long-standing giant in the UK comping scene. It started life as a simple directory but has evolved into a fantastic community-driven platform. Its users, known as ‘Loquax-ers’, actively post and discuss competitions.

What makes it great:
- Daily Competitions List: A curated list of the best new competitions each day.
- Thriving Forums: The forums are the heart of Loquax. You can find everything here, from advice for newbies to dedicated threads for specific types of comps (like advent competitions at Christmas).
- Unique Trackers: Loquax has tools to help you track your entries and even organises its own exclusive competitions for members.
Best for: Compers who want to feel part of a community and learn from experienced winners.
Top Tip: Dive into the forums. The “I Won!” section is incredibly motivating, and you’ll pick up invaluable tips just by reading other people’s posts.

3. MoneySavingExpert (MSE) Competitions Forum: The Trustworthy Choice

While not a dedicated comping site, the competitions board on the MoneySavingExpert forum is one of the most reliable places to find genuine prizes. Founded by Martin Lewis, MSE is all about saving money and helping the consumer, so every competition listed is scrutinised by a community of savvy users.

What makes it great:
- Highly Vetted: The community is ruthless about weeding out scams or competitions with unfair terms and conditions. If it’s on MSE, you can be pretty sure it’s legit.
- Clear and Concise: Users post competitions in a standardised format, making it easy to see the prize, closing date, and entry method at a glance.
- No Frills: It’s a simple, effective forum without the ads and clutter you might find on other sites.
Best for: Compers who prioritise safety and trust above all else.
Top Tip: Look for the ‘Weekly Competitions’ thread. It’s a roundup of the best competitions that are closing within the next seven days, perfect for a Sunday evening comping session.

4. Competition Database: The User-Friendly Newcomer

A slightly newer player on the scene, Competition Database has quickly gained a reputation for its clean, modern interface and user-friendly features. It’s less cluttered than some of the older sites and makes finding and entering competitions a breeze.

What makes it great:
- Sleek Design: The website is a joy to use, especially on mobile.
- Excellent Filtering: It has powerful filters that let you narrow down your search with precision. You can even filter out competitions from specific promoters you don’t like.
- Helpful Blog: The site regularly posts articles with tips, strategies, and interviews with winners.
Best for: Compers who appreciate a modern, clean website and want a smooth user experience.
Top Tip: Sign up for their newsletter. They send out a curated list of the best new competitions, saving you the hassle of searching.

Niche and Specialised Competition Sites

Beyond the big players, there are a few other sites worth having on your radar.

SuperLucky: Run by comping expert Di Coke, this isn’t a listings site but rather a blog packed with incredible advice, tips, and insights. Di’s monthly round-ups of the best creative competitions are legendary. A must-read for anyone serious about winning.
Gleam: A platform that many brands use to host their competitions. You’ll often see their widgets embedded in blogs and websites. They’re a good sign, as they’re considered a reputable platform that makes entering and tracking easy.

Your Comping Strategy: How to Go from Casual Entrant to Regular Winner

Just like any hobby, a little bit of strategy goes a long way in comping. Simply entering everything you see is a recipe for burnout. Instead, follow these proven tips from the pros.

1. Get Organised from Day One

This is the golden rule. Being organised will save you time, prevent you from being disqualified, and help you track your wins.

Set Up a Dedicated Email Address: This is non-negotiable. Your inbox will be flooded with newsletters and confirmation emails. Using a separate email account (e.g., from Gmail or Outlook) keeps your personal inbox clean and makes it easy to spot winning notifications. Check it daily! You don’t want to miss that crucial “Congratulations, you’ve won!” email.
Use a Password Manager: You’ll be creating accounts on dozens of websites. A password manager like Bitwarden or LastPass will securely store your passwords, so you don’t have to remember them all.
Use Auto-Fill: Enable your browser’s auto-fill feature to automatically populate your name, address, and email on entry forms. This will save you an incredible amount of time. Just double-check the details before hitting ‘submit’.

2. The Numbers Game vs. The Creative Edge: Find Your Focus

It’s better to be great at one type of comping than average at all of them. Decide where you want to focus your efforts.

The Numbers Game Approach: If you’re short on time, focus on the quick and easy prize draws. The aim here is volume. Set aside 30 minutes each day to enter as many as you can. You might get more small wins this way—like a book, a beauty product, or a £20 voucher.
The Creative Edge Approach: If you enjoy a challenge, focus on the effort-based competitions. The aim here is quality. Spend your time crafting a brilliant photo, a witty slogan, or a delicious recipe. The odds are massively in your favour, and the prizes are often spectacular.

Many seasoned compers do a bit of both—they enter the easy draws as a daily habit and keep an eye out for a creative competition that plays to their strengths.

3. Read the Small Print (The T&Cs)

It’s boring, but it’s crucial. The terms and conditions (T&Cs) are the rules of the game. A quick scan can save you from wasting your time or getting disqualified. Look for:

Eligibility: Is it open to UK residents? Are there age restrictions?
Entry Method: Can you enter once, or daily? Do you need to follow multiple social media accounts?
The Prize: What exactly is included? If it’s a holiday, are flights and spending money included, or just the hotel?
Closing Date: Obvious, but easy to miss!

4. Think Local, Win Local

Don’t just focus on the huge national competitions. Your local shopping centre, radio station, newspaper, and even independent shops often run competitions with fantastic prizes. The pool of entrants will be much smaller, massively boosting your chances of winning. Follow local businesses on social media and keep an eye out for their promotions.

Staying Safe: How to Spot and Avoid Competition Scams

Sadly, where there are prizes, there are also scammers. The good news is that they are usually easy to spot if you know what to look for.

“You’ve Won (But You Need to Pay)”: This is the biggest red flag. A genuine competition will never ask you to pay a fee to receive your prize. They will never ask for your bank details (unless it’s a cash prize, and even then, be extremely cautious and verify the win first). Postage and delivery should always be covered.
Fake Social Media Accounts: Scammers create accounts that look very similar to big brands (e.g., ‘Tescoo.UK’ instead of ‘Tesco’). They’ll run fake competitions and then message ‘winners’ asking for personal details or money. Always check the account’s authenticity—look for the blue tick, check the number of followers, and look at their previous posts.
Too Good to Be True: If you get an email saying you’ve won a competition you don’t remember entering, it’s probably a scam. Be very suspicious of text messages claiming you’ve won a prize.
Urgency and Pressure: Scammers will often try to rush you, saying you need to claim your prize within an hour or it will be given to someone else. This is a tactic to stop you from thinking clearly.

If in doubt, ignore and delete. A real win will come from a verifiable source.

The Comping Community: More Than Just Winning

One of the best things about comping is the community that surrounds it. The forums on Loquax and MoneySavingExpert are filled with friendly, supportive people who share in each other’s successes.

When you win something, big or small, share it! It motivates others and adds to the positive atmosphere. If you’re struggling or have a question, don’t be afraid to ask. Seasoned compers are almost always happy to share their wisdom with newcomers.

This sense of community turns a solitary hobby into a shared adventure. It’s what keeps people going through the dry spells when the wins aren’t coming in.

The Future of Comping

Comping is always evolving. We’re seeing more competitions on newer platforms like TikTok, and interactive video or AI-judged competitions might be just around the corner.

However, the core principles will always remain the same: be organised, be consistent, and be smart about where you focus your energy.

The truth is, anyone can win. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, live in a big city or a tiny village. With the help of the UK’s fantastic competition websites and a little bit of strategy, you can genuinely open the door to a world of freebies, treats, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

So why not give it a go? Your first win could be just a few clicks away. Good luck!