Saving & Spending Budgeting & Expenses

Upside App Review [2026]: Legit Savings + Local Cash Back

Get free money for the things you'd buy anyway with Upside.

By Catherine Hiles , Edited by Melinda Sineriz, ABFP®

Updated April 23, 2026

Learn More

Upside

OUR VIEW

Cash back apps are a dime a dozen, so choosing the right one for you can seem daunting. For everyday purchases like gas, groceries, and meals out, I recommend checking out Upside. The app is free and partners with thousands of businesses to offer rewards and savings. It’s especially known for helping you find cheap gas — and with the way gas prices are going up, any savings will help!

The app works similarly to other reward apps and requires you to activate offers before you spend. That requires some initial legwork, but the savings are typically worth the effort. Upside says that you can earn an average of 8% cash back on grocery and dining purchases, which is higher than most rewards credit cards offer.

Below, I’ll walk you through the basics of Upside, how to sign up and activate offers, and how to maximize your earnings.

Pros

Provides cash back on in-person shopping

Earn an average of 11¢/gallon on gas

Offers a generous referral program

45,000+ partner businesses

Cons

Limited time to claim your offers

Rewards expire after six months of inactivity

How we rate products

When reviewing Upside, I looked at the following factors:

Offer availability and ease of use: I researched to determine how easy it is to find, claim, and complete offers in the app. I found that Upside makes this easier than many similar apps.
Cash back rates: I analyzed how competitive earnings are compared to other cash back apps. Upside offers vary widely but tend to be strong for gas purchases, and average earnings are relatively high.
Merchant network: Upside partners with over 50,000 gas stations and stores, which is impressive for an app like this.
Redemption options: I looked not only at how you can cash out but also at minimum thresholds and any associated fees, comparing these to competitors.
User reviews: Ratings and feedback from verified users on the App Store and Google Play are generally very positive for Upside, but it scores poorly on some third-party platforms like Trustpilot.
Personal experience: I factored in my own experience using Upside to assess user-friendliness, app functionality, and realistic earning expectations. Overall, I'm impressed, but Upside requires a bit more legwork and planning than some apps.

What is Upside?

Upside is a free rewards app designed to help brick-and-mortar businesses attract more customers while giving people more purchasing power in their local communities. Since the company's founding in 2016, Upside users have earned over $1 billion in total, with an average of 8% cash back on grocery and dining, and $290 in annual earnings.

To use Upside, you must:

Be at least 18 years old (or at least 16 with the permission of an adult) to use Upside.
Download Upside in the App Store or Google Play Store and create an account using your email, Google login, Apple login, or Facebook login information.
Activate offers before shopping to earn cash back.

You should also allow the app to access your location so you can easily locate nearby deals.

	Upside
Device compatibility	Android app iOS app
Mobile app reviews	4.5/5 stars on Google Play (437K+ ratings) 4.8/5 stars on App Store (648K+ ratings)
How to redeem rewards	Bank account transfer PayPal Gift card
	Visit Upside

How does Upside work?

Viewing and claiming offers

When you open the Upside app, you'll see participating merchants featured on a map or in a list, along with the offer explained in simple terms. For example, I can see that my closest Shell gas station offers 55 cents cash back per gallon. My car holds about 15 gallons, so if I fill it up from empty, I could earn $8.25 in cash back with this offer.

You can sort available offers by five categories: all, gas, restaurant, grocery, and convenience. I find this useful when I'm looking for a specific offer: I can simply choose "restaurant" and activate the offer I want before I leave the house. This can also simplify your dinner choice — if Five Guys offers higher cash back than Chipotle, you can decide with your wallet rather than your indecisive stomach.

Once you're ready, simply click the "claim" button to add the offer to your account.

Making purchases

Before making your purchase, you may need to add the credit or debit card you plan to use to the Upside app. Don't worry — your card information is encrypted by Stripe, and Upside only sees the first six and last four digits of your card number. Some offers require you to upload a receipt instead, while others accept digital payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.

Head to the store, restaurant, or gas station and make your purchase, then check in on the Upside app to log it or upload your receipt.

Next, you'll wait for your offer to process. The average offer takes 3 to 4 days to process, but some offers take up to 10 days. Once processed, you'll receive a payout to your Upside account.

You have a limited time to visit the retailer after you claim offers, so keep an eye on the clock. For example, I had 4 hours to use the Sunoco offer before it expired. The app will let you know how much time you have to use the offer so you don't miss out.

How much cash back can you earn with Upside?

Your cash back earnings with Upside depend on the type of purchase. Users generally earn the following:

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

Offers vary depending on the retailer's needs, your spending habits, and more. The more you spend, the more cash back you can earn. Upside says frequent users typically earn about $290 per year.

How to cash out with Upside

You can cash out your Upside earnings at any time to your PayPal account, your bank account, or a gift card. However, you may incur the following fees:

$1 for cashing out via PayPal for amounts under $15
$1 for bank account cash-outs for amounts under $10.

You can easily avoid these fees by waiting to cash out until you have more money in your account, or by choosing a gift card instead of a PayPal or bank account cash-out. Some gift cards have minimum thresholds, so it pays to check before you begin.

Does Upside cash expire?

Upside rewards will expire if your account is inactive for six consecutive months, meaning you haven't earned any money with the app during that time. But as long as you use your account regularly, your Upside cash back rewards won't expire, and you'll still be able to redeem them.

How to maximize your earnings with Upside

Refer your friends. If someone signs up with your promo code and spends $10 or more (pre-tax and tip), you'll both get a bonus of 15 extra cents per gallon on your next gas purchase and a 10% bonus on your next restaurant or grocery purchase. You'll also get a 10-cent bonus every time they make a purchase in the future, and for every gallon their referrals purchase over $5.
Combine with loyalty program rewards. You can typically use Upside with store loyalty programs to earn more rewards. Check the offer terms to see if there are any restrictions.
Check the app frequently. You never know what great offers might be available nearby. Even if your tank isn't empty yet, you might see a great cash back offer and decide to buy half a tank to earn it.
Shop with a cashback card. You can double up on earnings if you use a cash back rewards card to pay for your purchase.

Upside alternatives

Although Upside is an excellent money-making app, it's not the only tool you can use in your search for how to make extra cash. I recommend checking into Ibotta and Shopkick before making your decision. These apps let you snap a photo of your receipt and earn cash back.

Ibotta

Ibotta offers several ways to earn cash back on your everyday purchases. You can link a store loyalty account, shop in-store and upload your receipt for a rebate on qualifying purchases, or shop online and earn just by clicking on a qualifying retailer.

Ibotta says customers earn an average of $218 in cash back per year by using the app. Upside doesn't offer cash back on online purchases, but you could earn more over a year than you would with Ibotta.

Rakuten

Rakuten offers cash back on both online and in-person purchases at over 3,500 stores. You can earn points on travel, tech, beauty, food, experiences, pets, and even subscriptions. Rewards are sent every three months.

I'd recommend this platform for American Express rewards cardholders, as you can redeem your points for Membership Rewards points and keep your rewards earnings in one place. But for everyday purchases like gas and groceries, Upside is the better choice.

FAQs

Is the Upside app legit?

Yes! Upside is available at thousands of merchants across the country.

How does Upside make money?

Like many apps, Upside makes money by referring users to its business partners. Upside then passes some of the commission from partnerships on to you.

How long does Upside take to process payments?

You'll get cash back in your Upside account within 3 to 4 days of claiming an offer, though some offers can take up to 10 days. It typically takes 24 to 48 hours to process cash-out requests, though bank transfers can take up to 7 business days.

Where is Upside available?

Upside is available at thousands of merchants in all 50 U.S. states. If you download the app, you can see what offers are near you.

Bottom line

Upside is a great choice for earning cash back on local business spending in your community. I love this app for earning cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurant purchases. After all, you already spend money in these places, so why not make a little extra?

Ideally, I would recommend combining Upside with other money apps (like Rakuten and Ibotta) to earn cash back on all your purchases. You can use Upside to fill up your tank or restock your pantry, and other apps for online purchases. With a little legwork, you can maximize your cash back earnings on purchases you'd be making anyway.