Influencer codes vs voucher sites: which is stronger?
We love Voucher sites, in the past they’ve always been the first place we’ve looked for a discount. But are they really where the best codes are? As influencer agency insiders, we know that brands now perfer working with Influencers, so we compared the lead influencer code for 10 popular brands with the first offer on HotUKDeals and Groupon to find out.
How we tested
We kept it simple. For each brand we took the top influencer code, then checked that brand’s page on HotUKDeals and Groupon and noted the first offer listed. That’s the offer most shoppers see and click.
- We compared the headline value each site showed, such as “20% off”.
- We also noted the conditions: is it sitewide, or only on selected items, app orders, new customers or a minimum spend?
- Where Groupon UK had no page for a brand, we used Groupon US. Where no page existed at all, we marked it as missing.
- We didn’t test every code at checkout. This compares what each site advertises.
The results, brand by brand
Here’s the first offer for each brand on each site. Swipe the table sideways on mobile.
| Brand | Influencer code | HotUKDeals | Groupon | Strongest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerie | 20% offCreator code, new arrivals and swim | No page | 20% offSitewide, US page | Influencer (joint) |
| ASOS | Extra 10–15% offStacks on sale items | 20% offSelect accounts only | Up to 30% offApp orders only | Voucher sites, with conditions |
| GymShark | 10% offCreator code, men’s lifting | 10% offYour order | No page | Tie |
| LookFantastic | 20% offCreator code, sitewide | 22% offFenty foundation only | 20% offPurchases | Influencer for a full basket |
| MyProtein | 10–15% offCreator code, stacks with sitewide sales | 10% offSelected bestsellers | 45% offSelect items, US page | Groupon, on select items |
| Princess Polly | 20% offCreator code, sitewide | 20% offUK page | Free £5 gift cardOn orders over £40 | Influencer (joint) |
| Quince | 10% offCreator code, first purchase | No page | 15% offStorewide, US page | Groupon |
| Shein | Extra 15% offCreator code, sitewide | 15% offExclusive code | Free £5 gift cardOn orders over £50 | Influencer (joint) |
| Skims | 15% offNew-customer sign-up offer | Up to 50% offSelected clothing (sale deal, not a code) | No page | HotUKDeals, on sale items |
| TUI | 10% offCreator code from a travel creator | £100 offSelected holidays, minimum spend £800 | £100 offSelected getaways | Depends on your booking |
Count it up and the influencer code was the strongest, or joint strongest, for 5 of the 10 brands. The voucher sites led for 4, and only one of those (Quince on Groupon) was a simple storewide code.
The scoreboard
We matched the influencer code against each voucher site, one at a time. That gives 16 head-to-heads, and 15 we could compare directly. (Groupon’s flat £100 off at TUI depends on the price of your holiday, so we left it out.)
So the influencer code matched or beat the voucher site in 8 of 15 head-to-heads (53%): 4 of 8 against HotUKDeals and 4 of 7 against Groupon.
On headline numbers alone, voucher sites can look bigger. But a headline number is only half the story.
Bigger numbers, more small print
When we read the small print behind the 7 voucher-site offers that beat the influencer code, 6 came with a catch:
- App orders only. Groupon’s “up to 30% off” at ASOS.
- Select accounts only. HotUKDeals’ 20% off at ASOS.
- One product line. HotUKDeals’ 22% off at LookFantastic only covers Fenty foundation.
- Selected items. Groupon’s 45% off at MyProtein, and HotUKDeals’ “up to 50%” at Skims (a sale, not a code).
- Minimum spend. HotUKDeals’ £100 off at TUI needs an £800 booking, which works out at 12.5%.
Only one voucher-site offer beat the influencer code with a simple storewide discount: Groupon’s 15% off at Quince. “Up to” and “selected” are doing a lot of work in the rest.
Coverage was patchy too. HotUKDeals had no page at all for Quince or Aerie, Groupon had none for GymShark or Skims, and Groupon UK didn’t list MyProtein, Quince or Aerie, so we had to use its US site. Three of Groupon’s lead offers also had a countdown timer.
Why influencer codes are so strong
An influencer code comes straight from a deal between the brand and the creator. That makes it different from the codes collected on most voucher sites:
- They’re official. The brand created the code for that creator, so it isn’t a leaked or one-time code.
- They’re often sitewide. Half of the lead codes worked across the site or stacked with existing sales, including LookFantastic, Princess Polly and Shein.
- They’re consistent. Most creator codes sat at 10–20%, a reliable number you can expect to work, rather than a big headline with conditions.
- They stack. Codes like ASOS’s and MyProtein’s are designed to go on top of sales, so the real saving can be bigger than the number suggests.
- There’s a real person behind them. Creators want their audience to have a good experience, so they tend to share codes that work.
How to get the best deal every time
- Read the small print before you get excited about a big number.
- Check whether the code stacks with a sale. An extra 15% on sale prices often beats 25% off full price.
- For holidays, work out the percentage. £100 off an £800 booking is 12.5%, but £100 off £2,000 is just 5%.
- Follow the creators who work with your favourite brands, so you see new codes as soon as they drop.
FAQs
Are influencer codes better than voucher codes?
In our snapshot, influencer codes matched or beat the voucher sites in 8 of 15 head-to-heads, and were the strongest or joint strongest option for 5 of 10 brands. Most of the bigger voucher-site offers came with conditions, while influencer codes were usually simple percentage codes.
Which voucher site had the biggest offers?
Groupon had the highest average headline (26%) across the five percentage offers we found, but most of its bigger offers were limited to the app or selected items.
Why don’t voucher sites have every brand?
Voucher sites list brands they have partnerships or traffic for. In our snapshot, HotUKDeals had no page for Quince or Aerie, and Groupon had none for GymShark or Skims.
Will these results be the same tomorrow?
Probably not. This was a snapshot taken on one day, and codes on every site change all the time.
Methodology: we recorded the first offer shown on each brand page of HotUKDeals and Groupon, and the lead influencer code for each brand, all on the same day. Values are headline values as advertised. We didn’t test every code at checkout. Where Groupon UK had no page we used Groupon US. Percentage averages include only offers shown as a percentage, and ranges use the top of the range. We may earn a commission when you shop through links on our site.