Upside App Review: All You need to Know to Save on Gas and More

With inflation on the rise, earning cash back on purchases is more important then ever. For many of us a major expense is gas, and the recent rising cost has made it more difficult to stay in budget.

If you're looking for a way to earn cashback on gas, the Upside app is a great option.

What is the Upside App?

Upside is a mobile cash back app that allows you to earn money on your gas purchases. In addition to gas, you can also get great cash back deals on food from local restaurants and grocery stores.

The Upside cash back app lets you earn money on every gallon of gas that you buy.

It has a very easy interface that shows you nearby gas stations. It will give you the current gas price and the amount you will earn in cashback per gallon. It is also a great way to shop around for the best gas prices in your area!

In addition to gas, you can also get great cash back deals on food from local restaurants and grocery stores.

Oh and in case you were wondering, is the GetUpside App the same thing as the Upside App? Yes, in fact, it is.

In April 2022, GetUpside rebranded its name to Upside. Other than the company name, nothing else changed. It still has all the great offers.

Where Can I use the Upside App?

Upside, formally known as GetUpside, is a Washington, DC-based company. They launched their service in 2016 to have both consumers and local businesses benefit.

While initially most participating locations were based around the Washington DC area, the Upside app has expanded to working with over 45,000 locations across the United States.

Upside is a great solution for for both business and individuals in the communities it serves.

People that use the app earn cash back and local businesses get more sales. It's a win-win for the community and on top of that Upside claims to contribute 1% of its revenue to help offset greenhouse emissions.

Upside Promo Code

Already know how great Upside is, and just looking for a bonus Upside promo code? Then you are in luck.

Use our special promo code AFF25 for a one-time $0.25 off per gallon on your first fill-up.

Otherwise, read our Upside app review to learn how to save money on gas and good purchases the Upside app!

How Does Upside Work?

Download the App

The Upside app is very easy to use. To get started, you need to download the app from either the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Create an Account

After you download and install the Upside App, open the app to get started. You can create an account using either your Apple ID, Google Account, Facebook, or using your email address.

Before you move to the next step to create the account you have the option to enter a promo code and choose your gas time.

This is where you can use the promo code “AFF25” to get a one-time bonus $0.25 per gallon off your your first receipt capture.

Also be sure to set your gas type preference so the Upside App can get you the right offers for gas deals.

Before You Start Searching: Link Your Credit or Debit Card

To get cash back, you must make all purchases with a debit or credit card. So the first step is to link your debit or credit card to the app. This is known as storing the cards in your wallet withing the Upside App.

This will make it easier to match your purchases to your card. More on that in a bit.

You can add cards to your wallet by opening the Upside app and then:

1. From the menu in the upper left choose “My Wallet”.
2. Select “Add Card” from the upper right.
3. Then enter the first six digits and last four digits of your debit or credit card.
4. Select Save and repeat for each card that you will use with Upside app.

That gives Upside enough information to match up offers to give you cashback credit but still does not require them to store your full credit card number.

Earn Cash Back

Now that the prep work is done, you can start earning. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Search for and Claim Your Offers

Unlike other cash back apps that are used primarily online, Upside is designed to get you cash back on businesses in your community.

When you need gas, convenience store products, food, or a meal from a restaurant, open the app. Search for the best cash back deal, or the specific place you want to visit. The Upside App will not only show your gas stations in your area, but also the gas price and your cash back offer.

When you find the offer that interests you, select “Claim Offer”. Be sure the select the offer with the correct location you will be going to. Also, be sure to purchase within the timeframe allotted. In case you forget you can see your claimed offers from the menu.

Step 2: Pay with Your Debit or Credit Card

This step is easy. You just pay as you normally would with your debit or credit card. Just be sure to use the one of the ones in you stored in your Upside wallet.

Step 3: Snap a Photo or Check-In

Once you purchase with your debit or credit card, you must follow the instructions on the upside app. Some offers will require you to take a photo of your itemized receipt to complete the transaction.

Other offers simply allow you to check-in when you are that the designated location and making the purchase. No receipt is required when you check in using offers, which saves time and effort for both parties.

The offer is matched automatically with the cards from your wallet. Your earnings are usually credited within 48 hours using the merchant records, the time and the last four digits of your card.

Step 4: Earn

You will receive cashback on your purchases directly within the app. Your current dollar amount with being shown in the upper right-hand corner.

You may withdraw your earnings at any time using PayPal, e-gift cards, or your bank account.

How to get Paid Through the Upside App

To redeem your cash, from within the app, tap cash out from the menu.

From there, you can choose the method you wish to receive your earnings.

You can choose from a gift card, bank transfer, or have funds sent to your PayPal.

Once you make a selection, you can then follow the prompts to get your earnings!

While you can cash out once you have as little as $1 in your account, its best to accumulate a little more to avoid fees.

Upside Cash-out Fees

While the Upside App is free to download and use, you should be aware of the cash out rules.

To avoid fees with cashing out, be sure to take in account the minimums to avoid fees from being taken from your total.

Wait until you have the following dollar amounts in your account to avoid fees:

• Bank: $1 for cash-outs that are less than $10
• Paypal: There is a $1 fee for a cash-out under $15.
• Gift card: $0, but please note certain cards may have a certain minimum threshold

A special note though is if you have at least one active referral, you can avoid both the Bank and PayPal fees for any cashouts.

Is Upside Legit?

Upside works as a leading marketing service to encourage visitors to the participating businesses. The customer is recorded in the Upside app when they claim an offer.

The partnering businesses will pay them based on the referrals they make.

Upside has an A- rating with the BBB and very favorable customer reviews.

In addition, Upside.com website claims to have paid over $200,000,000 to its members. Plus the Upside App is highly rated on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

How Does Upside Make Money?

Upside makes money by partnering with local businesses. When you redeem a deal, the business pays Upside a commission.

Upside then passes some of that commission back to you in the form of cash back.

How Much Money Can You Earn with Upside?

There is no limit to how much money you can earn with Upside. The more deals you redeem, the more cash back you will earn.

Just keep in mind that each offer is only valid for up to 50 gallons.

Earn more with Referrals

If you open the app and go to “Menu” then “Free Gas,” you'll see a page with your referral code, as well as an orange button that allows you to forward it to your friends.

The referral codes are randomly assigned to individuals and are non-repeating.

The referral program has two components:

1. First-Purchase Bonus
2. Per-Gallon earnings

First-time Bonus:

You'll earn a bonus for each new user that visits your profile and includes your referral code.

When you make a referral, it will show as “live” only after the recipient of the offer has successfully claimed it and received cashback to their Upside balance.

The purchase must also be $10 or more.

Per Gallon Earnings:

After your referral converts to an Upside user, you'll receive a bonus for each gallon of gasoline purchased in the future. In addition, you will get a bonus every time one of their referrals gets gas.

You will get this forever just for being a member! Not a bad way to make some passive income! 

Upside App Review Final Thoughts and My Earnings

The Upside app is a great way to get cash back on at your favorite gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores. The app is free to use and you can get started right away.

There is no limit to how much money you can earn with Upside. The more deals you redeem, the more cash back you will earn.

Just in case you are still not sure if this is legit. Here are the earnings that I received via PayPal. I was able to earn over $50 with the Upside app after just using it several months.

I hope you have enjoyed and learned something from this Upside review.

If you are new to Upside, be sure to use our special Upside promo code “AFF25” to get a bonus 25 cents per gallon on your first fill.

We would love to hear your comments and reviews on the upside app.

Please share your thoughts that you think would be helpful to others below.