Is the Upside App Legit? How to Get $270 Cash Back on Gas and Groceries

Upside (formerly known as GetUpside) is a free money making app that allows users to earn cash back on gas, groceries, and dining.

According to the Upside website, users have the opportunity to earn up to:

• 25¢ per gallon on gas
• 45% cash back at restaurants
• 30% cash back at participating grocery stores

But is the app legit, or is this too good to be true?

As an Upside user, I can vouch for its legitimacy. And while you may not make a ton, it’s still free money, so what do you have to lose?

In this honest review, I’ll go over:

• how Upside works
• how much money you can realistically make
• tips for maximizing your earnings
• a few pros and cons
• some Upside alternatives to consider

What is Upside?

Founded in 2015 by two former Google employees and headquartered in Washington D.C., Upside’s mission is to “advance the economic power of people living and working in the real world.”

Users simply use the Upside app to claim offers from any of the 100,000+ gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants, and earn a percentage back from what they spend. Each participating merchant sets its own cash back percentage and terms.

According to the website, Upside users earn an average of:

• 8% back at restaurants
• 5% back at grocery stores
• 12% at convenience stores
• ‍10¢/gal on gas

These earnings add up fast, with frequent users earning an average of $270 per year just for including Upside in their normal daily routine. 

(Use referral code SHN25 when you join to get a $0.25/gallon bonus on your first purchase!)

To date, Upside has paid out over $800M in cash back to consumers.

How Does Upside Work?

Using Upside is easy. Once you’ve signed up for the app, set up your account, and added your credit or debit card to your Upside Wallet, you can search for available offers near you:

Find an offer you’re interested in, and click “Claim”

Offers must be claimed prior to purchase. They cannot be added retroactively.

You can claim an offer up to several hours prior to purchase, but you must make sure you do so within the allotted time limit.

Most offers have a four-hour window. You can confirm this within the offer details:

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, simply make your purchase, pay with one of your linked credit cards, and then upload your receipt.

Note: some offers will automatically credit your cash back. Others require a receipt to be uploaded. Again, these instructions will be included in the offer details.

You can cash out your earnings directly to your bank account or PayPal at any time. You may also redeem your earnings for digital gift cards to popular retailers, like Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, and more. 

Keep in mind that Upside may charge you a $1 fee if you redeem cash back in an amount that falls below the minimum distribution (this varies but is currently $15).

If applicable, the fee is subtracted from your cash back balance at the time of redemption.

Other Ways to Earn with Upside

Buying everyday essentials isn’t the only way to earn cash back with the Upside app. The platform offers a unique referral program which allows you to earn a one-time bonus for sharing Upside with your friends and family, plus you’ll earn residual commissions on their future purchases.

Simply share your referral code with a new Upside user, and you’ll both earn a $0.15/gal bonus when they claim and complete their first offer.

Then, every time they use Upside to buy gas in the future, you’ll automatically earn an additional $0.01 per gallon.

If you’re able to refer a lot of people and they all use the app regularly, this can be a really nice little boost to your own earnings.

How Much Can You Make on Upside?

As with most rebate or cash back apps, the amount you can earn from using Upside will depend on:

• how often you use the app
• how much you spend at participating retailers
• what types of incentives those retailers are offering
• what limits there may be on offers

Each retailer or brand sets their own cash back amount as well as their own terms and conditions.

For instance, a local pizza place near me is currently offering 18% cash back, but only if you order directly (i.e. not through DoorDash or Uber Eats), and there’s a maximum cash back limit of $10.

That said, there are plenty of options to choose from, including:

• popular gas stations, like Sunoco, Mobil, and BP
• local mom-and-pop eateries
• chain restaurants, like Burger King and Five Guys
• nearby grocery and convenience stores

Other Cool Things About Upside

Another thing I really like about Upside is their commitment to the environment. At the time of publishing, Upside is contributing 1% of revenue to: 

• Offset a portion of the CO₂ emissions that result from purchases at participating gas stations. 
• Mitigate food waste by supporting food rescue efforts.  

Since 2016, the company has offset 3.8 million metric tons of CO2 from gallons sold through the platform and salvaged 2.5 million pounds of food.

They’ve recently codified their stance publicly by joining the 1% Pledge initiative. Pretty cool stuff!

Is Upside Legit?

I’ve been using Upside since early 2022 and have earned just under $50 in cash back.

Admittedly, I don’t always use the app, as I tend to favor other local gas rewards programs.

If I’m not near my regular stations, however, Upside is a great alternative. It’s also a great option for when you’re grabbing takeout or picking up a few things at the local convenience store.

A small portion of my total earnings can also be attributed to residual commissions I’ve earned from referrals I’ve made.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Upside

Sign Up and Earn Your Welcome Bonus

New users who sign up for Upside can earn a bonus the first time they use the app, so take advantage of this.

The welcome bonus varies, but at press time it was $0.25/gal with referral code SHN25.

This is a great way to kick-start your earnings!

Check the App First

Next, get into the habit of checking the Upside app any time you plan on filling up, grabbing dinner, or picking up some essentials to see if there are any incentives you can take advantage of. The app makes it quick and simple to search either by store/restaurant name or zip code.

Shop Around

There may be multiple different offers available near you at any given time. Be sure to check them all out before deciding which one to claim so you get the best possible offer.

Remember to Claim Your Offers

Offers cannot be claimed after the fact, so make sure you click that “claim” button before you make your purchase. Also, be mindful of the time limits set within the terms of the offer.

Use the Right Credit or Debit Card

Be careful to use a credit or debit card that’s linked to your Upside account. Otherwise, your purchase won’t qualify, and you won’t get your cash back.

Pay Attention to the Small Print

Each offer has its own unique terms and conditions. You’ll want to read the fine print closely to make sure you’re meeting those requirements. For example, a gas station’s offer of cash back may only be available on regular grade gas and only up to a certain number of gallons.

Stack Your Cash Back

Link credit cards that have their own cash back incentives or rewards programs. That way you can multiply your earnings.

For instance, one of my credit cards offers 5% cash back on gas purchases. So, if I claim an offer on Upside that pays 10% cash back and pay using that card, I’ll essentially earn a total of 15% cash back.

Refer Friends

If you know of any friends, family members, or colleagues who might also be interested in using Upside, you can earn a cash back bonus and residuals for each qualifying referral.

At the time of this publication, the referral bonus is $0.15/gal cash back, plus an additional $0.01/gal for all future gas purchases made by your referrals.

Sign Up for Emails

Occasionally, Upside will run certain promotions where you can earn additional cash back bonuses, either by completing certain actions or using specified promo codes. Sign up for emails so you’ll stay in the know and can take advantage of these extra chances to earn!

How Does Upside Make Money?

Upside makes a commission on earned profits from businesses. In other words, they take a small portion of each transaction processed through the app when a customer uploads a receipt.

Upside Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free to Use: Upside is a free app, and there are no transaction or ongoing maintenance fees.
• User-Friendly: Claiming offers on Upside is quick and easy. In fact, it’s designed so that transactions can be completed in just three clicks.
• Variety of Retailers: There are currently over 100k participating retailers, however, because Upside offers only in-person deals, the actual number of offers will obviously depend on what’s locally available to you.
• Dynamic: The app is dynamic, so it will give you different offers based on where you are located when you are using it. It’ll even give you driving directions. This is a great feature if you are traveling and aren’t familiar with the area.
• High Incentive Amounts: The Upside website boasts that its users can earn “3x more cash back than any other product”. While I haven’t actually done the math to confirm or refute this, I will say that some of the offers can be quite impressive. One local gas station near me is currently offering $0.14/gal cash back.
• Referral Program: Users can earn cash back referral bonuses for every qualified new user they refer. At press time, there is no limit to how many referral bonuses or ongoing residuals you can earn.
• Environmental Impact: As mentioned above, Upside donates 1% of its revenue to environmental causes, which means with every transaction, you’re also making a difference.
• Flexible Payout Options: Choose to receive your earnings via PayPal, direct deposit to your bank account, or cash it in for digital gift cards with popular retailers, like Starbucks, Ulta, or Walmart.

Cons

• Activation is Required: In order to earn cash back, users must remember to claim an offer before making a purchase. It can be frustrating when you realize you’ve forgotten this and missed out on cash back!
• Time Limits: Once claimed, offers are only valid for a specified period of time (usually 4 hours). If this time limit expires before you complete the transaction, you will not earn cash back.
• Earning Limits: In addition to time limits, many of the offers on Upside also set a maximum earnings amount, so while the percentage may seem high, the actual amount you can earn in total may not be as much as you think.
• No Online Options: Unlike other cash back apps, like Rakuten and Ibotta, Upside does not offer any cash back incentives for online transactions.  
• Local Offers May be Scarce: The offers available through Upside change frequently, so sometimes there may be more options than others. For instance, in my local area there are currently no grocery offers available.  
• Minimum Withdrawal: Upside reserves the right to charge a fee if you withdraw your earnings under a certain threshold. At time of publishing, there is a $1 fee for redemptions under $15. (This may vary, so check the Upside site to confirm.)

Is the Upside App Worth It?

You’re not going to be able to quit your job and live off your Upside earnings, but it is an easy and legitimate way to earn some extra cash.

And with the price of gas, groceries, and food these days, who couldn’t use a little relief?

Bottom line: it’s free to signup, install, and use, and you basically make money for running your everyday errands. Can’t go wrong with that.

Upside Alternatives

If you’re looking for other money making apps that are similar to Upside, I recommend checking out:

Fetch Rewards

The Fetch Rewards app lets you earn points for shopping. Simply purchase a qualifying product or brand, upload a picture of your receipt, and earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards.

Ibotta

Ibotta offers cash back rebates on certain qualifying purchases. Simply add offers to your list via the Ibotta app, complete your shopping trip, and upload an image of your receipt.

Rakuten

Rakuten offers cash back rebates on certain qualifying purchases. Simply shop with participating retailers via the Rakuten app or website, complete your shopping session, and earn money back for your purchases.

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