Argos is still the UK’s everything-from-a-catalogue habit, and the app makes Fast Track collection genuinely fast when it works. The cracks show when your nearest store closes, the Fast Track slot you wanted is gone, or the price you remember from the laminated catalogue lives only on Currys’ app at this point. That’s when shoppers go looking for Argos alternatives.
We compared seven UK retailers across the categories Argos covers best (tech, toys, furniture, white goods, homeware) on price, delivery speed, warranty terms, and post-purchase support. Some win on tech, some on furniture, and one matters mostly for the lay-now-pay-later option Argos hasn’t matched.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Free delivery threshold | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currys | TVs, laptops, large appliances | £30 (small), free install often included | KnowHow installation and recycling |
| John Lewis & Partners | Premium tech and home | £50 | Two-year guarantee on most electricals at no extra cost |
| AO.com | Washing machines, fridges, white goods | Free on large items | Recycling included, same-day install slots |
| Amazon UK | Speed, breadth, third-party deals | Free Prime, £35 standard | Fastest delivery in the comparison |
| Wayfair | Furniture, rugs, lighting | Free over £40 | 1.4 million-item furniture catalogue |
| IKEA UK | Flat-pack, kitchens, storage | £40 (Click & Collect free) | Best price-for-design ratio |
| Very | Spread payments | Free over £40 | Buy Now Pay Later up to 12 months built in |
Why people leave Argos
The frustrations are concrete rather than vague:
- Store closures keep biting. Sainsbury’s has shut hundreds of standalone Argos stores since 2020. The integration into Sainsbury’s branches is uneven: some host a full Argos counter, others stock only top-sellers, and rural shoppers often find the nearest collection point now sits 20 to 40 minutes away.
- Fast Track has gaps. Same-day delivery and collection look great on the product page, then disappear at checkout because the line is out of stock at every store within range. The app could surface that earlier than it does.
- The catalogue is thinner than it used to be. Argos has narrowed its big-ticket ranges in TVs, laptops, and large appliances, leaving Currys and AO as the deeper specialists.
- Warranty terms lag. John Lewis still throws in two-year guarantees on most electricals at no extra cost. Argos charges for extended warranties on the same line items.
- Returns require a store trip. For Fast Track home delivery items there’s no courier collection on most categories — you take it back to a store, which loops back to the closure problem.
Which app should you choose?
- Currys if you’re shopping tech and want expert in-store help or installation included.
- John Lewis & Partners if you want the warranty terms Argos doesn’t match.
- AO.com if it’s a white goods purchase and you want installation and old-appliance recycling done well.
- Amazon UK if speed matters more than service.
- Wayfair if it’s furniture, rugs, or lighting at scale.
- IKEA UK if you want flat-pack at the best design-per-pound ratio.
- Very if you need to spread the cost over 6 to 12 months.
Stay on Argos if your local store is still open, your basket leans toys and household basics, and you redeem Nectar points the Argos catalogue accepts. The alternatives below win on specific categories rather than across the board.
1. Currys — Best for tech and large appliances
Currys is the UK’s deepest tech catalogue by a margin, especially on TVs, laptops, kitchen appliances, and headphones. The KnowHow service handles installation, demo, and recycling on most large items, which is the gap Argos doesn’t fill.
The Currys app surfaces price-match commitments visibly, and the trade-in flow for old tech is the most generous on this list. Shoppers regularly net £30 to £80 back on an old phone or laptop before checkout.
Where it falls short: the app’s product filters can be clunky, and you’ll occasionally hit upsells on protection plans that feel persistent. Delivery scheduling is reliable on tech but slower than Argos Fast Track on small items.
Pricing:
- App: free.
- Delivery: £3.99 standard on small items, free over £30; large appliances often free with install slots.
- vs Argos: similar or slightly higher headline price; KnowHow services close the gap and the trade-in often beats it.
Switching from Argos: the catalogue overlap is highest on TVs, audio, and laptops. The Currys app lets you reserve in-store the same way Fast Track does at Argos.
Bottom line: Pick Currys for anything tech-heavy where install or trade-in adds value. The KnowHow add-ons close the warranty gap Argos leaves open.
2. John Lewis & Partners — Best for warranty and post-sale support
John Lewis & Partners is the closest UK retailer to Argos’s “everything in one place” pitch, except priced and serviced a step above. Most electricals carry a two-year guarantee included in the price, which is the single biggest reason Argos shoppers switch.
The app pulls in My Account history, Reward points, and the Anyday range, which slots in around 20 to 40 percent cheaper than the main lines on furniture and homeware. Click & Collect coverage is now broader than Argos in many regions thanks to Waitrose partnership pickup points.
Where it falls short: baseline prices are 10 to 25 percent higher than Argos on like-for-like tech. Sale events soften that, but the day-to-day premium is real.
Pricing:
- App: free.
- Delivery: £3.50 standard, free over £50; large items priced per category, often with two-person delivery included.
- vs Argos: 10 to 25 percent more expensive on tech; the longer warranty closes most of that gap over time.
Switching from Argos: mirror your last big Argos purchase, then check the two-year warranty terms. If it’s a kettle or toaster, the price uplift isn’t worth it. If it’s a TV or laptop, the warranty often is.
Bottom line: Pick John Lewis when warranty terms and customer support matter more than the day-one price.
3. AO.com — Best for white goods and large appliances
AO.com does one thing better than anyone in the UK: install your new washer, fridge, or oven on the day they deliver it, and take the old one for recycling. The slot precision (often a 1- or 2-hour window) and the installer training set the bar.
The app shows finance terms up front, displays clear delivery slot pricing, and offers next-day on a huge proportion of the catalogue. The 100 Day Promise lets you return most large appliances within 100 days if they aren’t right.
Where it falls short: the catalogue narrows fast outside white goods. Small appliances, tech, and consumer electronics are stocked, but the depth runs behind Currys and Amazon.
Pricing:
- App: free.
- Delivery: free on most large appliances with an installation slot; small items £3.99 to £6.99.
- vs Argos: comparable on baseline price; recycling and install are typically included where Argos charges.
Switching from Argos: if your purchase is dishwasher, fridge-freezer, washing machine, oven, or American-style fridge, AO is the better default. For anything smaller, look elsewhere first.
Bottom line: Pick AO when the item is white goods. Skip it for anything else.
4. Amazon UK — Best for speed and breadth
Amazon UK is the obvious tradeoff: speed and breadth at the cost of curation. Prime members get same-day on millions of items in most postcodes, and the marketplace covers categories Argos shrank out of (niche electronics, hobby gear, parts and accessories).
The app’s strengths are familiar: instant search, reliable reviews on high-volume items, and the A-to-z Guarantee on third-party purchases. The Tools at Argos used to fill that role for many UK shoppers — Amazon now fills it for most.
Where it falls short: quality varies wildly on third-party listings, and counterfeit goods turn up periodically in electronics and beauty categories. After-sale support on big-ticket items isn’t comparable to Currys, John Lewis, or AO.
Pricing:
- App: free.
- Delivery: free over £35, free same-day on Prime; Prime is £8.99/month or £95/year.
- vs Argos: typically 5 to 10 percent cheaper on branded goods; speed is the differentiator more than price.
Switching from Argos: keep Amazon as the speed-and-breadth backstop and the others for considered purchases. The categories that previously sat in the Argos catalogue (small appliances, tools, basics) almost always land cheaper.
Bottom line: Pick Amazon when speed beats service. It’s the broadest catalogue in the UK by a margin.
5. Wayfair — Best for furniture and home
Wayfair lists more furniture and homeware than every other retailer here combined: over 1.4 million items as of 2026. For sofas, beds, dining sets, rugs, and lighting, the catalogue depth is genuinely useful.
The app’s room-view previews and dimension filters work well, and most large items now ship with two-person delivery included. Returns on large furniture are easier than at Argos — Wayfair sends a courier instead of expecting you to dismantle and drop off.
Where it falls short: quality varies item by item. The Wayfair-only lines run from acceptable to genuinely good, but reviews matter more than at most retailers. Lead times on made-to-order pieces can stretch to 6 to 10 weeks.
Pricing:
- App: free.
- Delivery: free over £40 for most items; large furniture priced per category, often free over £400.
- vs Argos: significantly cheaper on equivalent furniture; comparable on lighting and rugs.
Switching from Argos: filter by 4-star-plus reviews and check the number of ratings before committing. The first 50 reviews tell you more than the marketing copy.
Bottom line: Pick Wayfair when it’s furniture, lighting, or a rug. Skip it for everything else.
6. IKEA UK — Best for flat-pack and design-led basics
IKEA UK is the design-per-pound benchmark for storage, kitchens, beds, and small furniture. The app’s room planner and AR preview tools are more developed than anything Argos offers, and the IKEA Family programme adds member pricing on a rotating product set.
Click & Collect from any UK store is free over £40, and the parcel courier service handles smaller items at a flat £4 to £6. Large furniture delivery is priced per van and includes the heavy lifting.
Where it falls short: flat-pack assembly is the default. The TaskRabbit integration is decent but adds £40 to £120 to the line item. Stock availability at smaller stores varies more than the app suggests.
Pricing:
- App: free.
- Delivery: Click & Collect free over £40; parcel delivery £4 to £6; large furniture delivery from £25.
- vs Argos: lower on storage, beds, and basic furniture; higher on small tabletop items.
Switching from Argos: if you bought a chest of drawers, wardrobe, bed frame, or desk at Argos, IKEA’s like-for-like is almost always cheaper for similar quality.
Bottom line: Pick IKEA for storage, beds, and kitchens. Pair it with TaskRabbit if assembly isn’t your thing.
7. Very — Best for spreading the cost
Very built its business around credit-led retail. The Very Pay account lets you spread purchases over 3, 6, or 12 months at the checkout, with the BNPL terms shown upfront. For shoppers who would have used Argos’s monthly card plan, Very’s terms are usually clearer.
The catalogue spans fashion, tech, furniture, and homeware, and the seasonal sales on branded electronics often undercut Argos on identical SKUs. Delivery is next-day on most stocked items.
Where it falls short: interest rates on Very Pay sit on the higher end of UK credit (representative APRs in the high 30s percent), so the spread option is only useful if you actually need it. The “buy now pay later” framing is also more aggressive than at the alternatives here.
Pricing:
- App: free.
- Delivery: free over £40; standard £3.99.
- Very Pay: representative APR around 39.9 percent variable; spread options at checkout.
Switching from Argos: the catalogue overlap on tech, toys, and small appliances is high. If you previously used the Argos monthly card, check the comparable Very Pay term on the same item before assuming the saving.
Bottom line: Pick Very if you’d otherwise rely on credit for the purchase. Don’t pick it just for the catalogue.
How we’d actually buy
Build a 2026 home-and-tech kit from this list rather than from Argos alone:
- Tech (TV, laptop, audio): Currys for service, John Lewis for warranty, Amazon for speed if you know exactly what you want.
- White goods: AO.com every time.
- Furniture and beds: IKEA for design-led basics, Wayfair for everything specific that IKEA doesn’t carry.
- Toys, household, small appliances: Argos still works here for most households if the local store is open. Amazon UK and the supermarket apps cover the gaps.
FAQ
Why are Argos stores closing?
Sainsbury’s, which owns Argos, decided in 2020 that integrating Argos counters into Sainsbury’s supermarkets was cheaper than running standalone stores. Hundreds have closed since. Some Sainsbury’s branches host a full Argos counter, others stock only catalogue top-sellers.
What is the best Argos alternative for electronics?
Currys for service, John Lewis for warranty, Amazon UK for speed. Currys is the depth winner on TVs and laptops; John Lewis still includes two-year guarantees on most electricals at no extra cost.
Can I still get same-day collection like Argos Fast Track?
Currys, John Lewis (via Waitrose pickup points), and Amazon Prime all offer same-day or next-day collection on stocked items. IKEA Click & Collect is same-day in most cases if you order before mid-morning.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Argos for furniture?
Yes. IKEA UK is cheaper than Argos on equivalent flat-pack furniture across most categories. Wayfair beats both on selection if you can wait a few extra days for delivery.
Do any Argos alternatives accept Nectar points?
Argos’s Nectar acceptance is the main reason to stay. Sainsbury’s and partners like eBay and Esso also take Nectar, but the alternatives listed here run their own loyalty schemes (John Lewis Reward, Currys Trade-In credit, Amazon Prime) rather than Nectar.
Which app has the best returns policy?
John Lewis and AO.com both publish clearer return windows than Argos. AO’s 100 Day Promise on large appliances is the most generous. Wayfair sends couriers to collect large furniture, which avoids the dismantle-and-drop-off problem Argos has on Fast Track items.
