The Upside Gas App Review: How Much Can You Make

Learn More

Free
No hidden fees

According to Upside, frequent users make around $148 per year in cashback. Considering it takes little effort to use, this isn’t too shabby.

Upside earned the following reviews:

• 4.8 Stars on the Apple App Store (479,000 reviews)
• 1.7 Stars on TrustPilot (33 reviews)
• 4.7tars on the Google Play Store (393,000 reviews)
• 4.8 Stars on Think Save Retire

What We Love

I have been using the Upside app for around two years, and it’s become my go-to for finding the best deal on gas. I’ve redeemed my earnings via ACH and never run into an issue.

I will say, I got lucky and happened to mention my referral code in a video that went viral. Because of it, I’ve made over $2,000 in cashback on the app, which isn’t the norm. Regardless, I still use it even after the referral offers have dwindled.

Our Upside Review: 4.8 Stars

Upside is by far the best cashback app we’ve found for saving on gas. It also offers cashback on groceries and restaurants.

Free to Use

The Upside app is completely free to use. This makes it accessible to anyone with a smartphone.

Tracks Gas Prices

One of the aspects I find most valuable is its ability to track gas prices near me. When I need gas, I want to make sure I’m getting a good deal. But I can’t see the prices all over town — unless I use the Upside app, that is.

Once you enter the app, you’ll find all the available offers on the home page. You’ll see which gas stations are offering cashback, how much they’re offering, and the net price each gallon of gas comes to. This makes it much easier to ensure I’m getting a great deal before filling my tank.

Solid Cashback Rates

In our experience, you can earn up to $0.25 per gallon in cashback. For a small car holding 12 gallons of gas, this amounts to $3 cashback for every fill-up. While this isn’t going to make you a millionaire, it’s around $144 per year if you fill up four times per month.

At restaurants, the standard cashback rate is around 10%. Considering the fact that most cashback apps don’t offer high cashback rates on restaurants, and simply offer you the minimum points for scanning in your receipt, this is a solid offer.

For groceries, you’ll earn around 7% in cashback, on average. Unlike cashback apps that offer rewards based on the item you purchase, Upside allows you to earn the full cashback offer based on your entire cart. In states like New York, where the average grocery spend comes to $482.87 per month, this amounts to roughly $33 per month in cashback.

Compelling Referral Program

For each individual you refer, you’ll earn $0.15 per gallon in additional cashback on your next fill-up. You’ll also earn $0.01 for every gallon your referral buys, forever. Depending on how many people you refer, this can stack up quickly.

Withdrawal Options

When you’re ready to redeem your earnings, you’ll have the option to transfer directly to your bank account, transfer to PayPal, or receive a gift card. With 27 gift card options, there’s a fairly wide selection to choose from.

What We Don’t Love

There are a few minor downsides.

May Require a Receipt

If you forget to activate a cashback offer while at the gas station, grocery store, or restaurant, you’ll have the option to upload your receipt to earn cashback. While this is convenient, gas station printers are often down, leaving you with no option to earn your rewards.

Not All Locations Are on the App

While Upside does have over 50,000 participating gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants, you won’t find everything local to you on the app. For example, let’s say Upside has an offer at Speedway, making a gallon of gas $3.25. If Joe Schmoe’s local gas station down the road is priced at $3.20 but isn’t registered with Upside, you won’t see it in the app.

This means that you might not get the best deal 100% of the time if you’re solely comparing prices on Upside.

You May Incur a Withdrawal Fee

There is a $10 minimum to withdraw to a bank account and a $15 minimum to withdraw via PayPal. If you’d like to withdraw your earnings before you reach these thresholds, you’ll be charged a $1 cash-out fee.

There is one loophole around this — if you refer one person, and they are currently and actively using the app, there is no fee for PayPal or bank accounts. While an interesting caveat, it does get you out of paying a fee.

How Upside Works

Download the Upside app in your smartphone’s app store. It’s completely free to sign up, and you’ll have the option to create your account with either your email, Apple account, Google account, or Facebook profile.

View the Offers

Upside works best when you view and select the offer you’d like to use before making the purchase. Look through the cashback offers for the retailer you plan to visit, then tap into the offer.

Claim the Offer and Check In

Once you’re at the location, tap Claim Offer. This allows you to apply the cashback offer to your purchase. Then, a small pop-up will appear at the bottom of your screen, letting you know how long you have to check in before the offer expires. Tap Check In, then select the card you used to make the purchase, and you’re all set.

If you are unable to check in, or if you want to claim an offer after leaving the location, upload a picture of your receipt to earn the cashback.

Why Upside Stands Out

There are a few additional bonuses to using Upside.

Supporting Local Businesses

According to Upside, their app gives consumers more purchasing power, which has been proven to generate more profit for participating businesses. With a majority of the businesses being small businesses, you’re able to support your local economy by using the app.

In fact, Upside drives an additional 40 to 60 customers per month to each restaurant location, and gas merchants see an average 60% return on investment per year using the app to gain new customers.

Impacting the Environment

From its inception, Upside has donated 1% of their revenue to offsetting carbon emissions. As the company grew, expanding beyond gas stations and into grocery stores, they began donating to support additional missions.

Now, they donate an additional 1% of revenue from grocery and restaurant transactions to Food Rescue US and MEANS Database — two large nonprofit organizations diverting otherwise-wasted food to feed individuals in need.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is the Upside Gas App Legit?

Upside is a legitimate app that allows you to track prices and earn cashback on gas, groceries, and restaurants. The company earned an A rating from the Better Business Bureau, which suggests that it’s legitimate and safe.

How Much Does the Upside App Pay You?

According to Upside, frequent users earn around $148 per year in cashback. That said, you can earn significantly more depending on how much and where you shop.

Use Upside’s cashback estimator to see how much you’d earn based on your average monthly spending.

How Does the Upside Gas App Make Money?

Upside earns revenue from profit sharing arrangements with participating businesses. When a user makes a purchase at a participating business, Upside receives a portion of the profit earned from that sale.

Is There a Catch with the Upside App?

While the Upside app might sound too good to be true, there’s no catch. The app is a legitimate way to make some extra income.