Upside App Review [2024] Is It Worth It, Is It Safe? Legit Reviews

The average American drives 13,476 miles a year. 

Talk about a whole lot of gas money!

Last I checked, gas in the United States cost an average of $3.66 per gallon.

That isn’t great for your wallet, is it?

But the Upside app can help!

Upside is a cash-back platform that gives you money when you buy gas from certain gas stations. It also offers deals from other businesses like grocery stores and restaurants.

In this Upside app review, I’ll explain how you can use the platform to save at the pump and the checkout line!

What is The Upside App?

Upside is a cash-back app, which means they’ll return some of your money when you spend it with partner businesses. 

It was originally designed to save money on gas, and that’s still a major part of the business model. But now, you can also use Upside for groceries and restaurants in your area.

How Does The Upside App Work?

The idea behind Upside is simple:

1. Use the Upside App to find participating gas stations, stores, and restaurants near you.
2. In the app, select which offer you’d like to use (there are a limited number of offers available for a limited amount of time). 
3. After making purchases, upload your receipt to the Upside App. 
4. Upside gives you a portion of the money back.

But in this Upside App review, I’m going to dig a little deeper to show you exactly how to save as much money as possible.

Step one is to download the Upside app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You’ll also have to create an account. This is super easy, especially if you log in with your credentials from Google, Apple, or Facebook.

Once you’re all set up, you can use the app to look for deals in your area. 

The map view is awesome – it looks like Google Maps, except the businesses all appear with their cashback deals typed out on the screen. And you can toggle between different options like “Gas,” “Restaurants,” and “Groceries,” giving you a full look at the money-saving landscape!

Common offers include:

• Cashback on gas – presented as cashback per gallon (example: 10¢/gal cash back).
• Cashback from grocery stores – including Piggly Wiggly and Price Chopper.
• Cashback from restaurants – including Taco Bell, Arby’s, and Papa John’s.

See an offer you like? Your next step is to tap the offer and click “claim.” A timer will start, giving you a certain amount of time (usually a few hours) to actually make the purchase. That’s why it’s best to only “claim” an offer if you’re about to go take advantage of it.

When it comes to actually making the purchase and earning cash back, Upside has two options:

• Option #1: Check-in. To use this option, you’ll have to add a credit or debit card to your Upside Wallet. Then, when you arrive at the business, tap “Check In” and conduct your transaction with the card that’s in your wallet. Upside will automatically track the purchase, and you’ll receive the cashback in your account balance. *Note: this option is only available at select retailers. 

• Option #2: Upload receipt. With this option, you’ll just complete the transaction as usual, then upload the receipt through the app.

If you’ve got a credit card in your Upside Wallet, the “Check In” option is probably easier. But be aware that not every business accepts the “Check In” feature, so sometimes you’ll still have to upload receipts. 

As you take advantage of cash-back offers, your balance in the Upside App will increase.

And then comes the best part of all – actually receiving your money! 

Upside offers three cashout options:

1. Paypal
2. Direct deposit to your bank
3. Digital gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, CVS, Target, and more. 

And you can request a cashout whenever you want, but you might have to pay a $1 fee if your balance is low. Upside doesn’t specify exactly when the $1 fee will come into effect, so know that it’s part of the terms when you use the app. 

Is The Upside App Legit?

Upside is a legit cash-back platform for saving money on gas and other products. 

Upside is a real company with physical offices in Austin, Chicago, New York City, and Washington, DC. It partners with gas stations, supermarkets, and restaurants – working together to attract customers through generous cash-back offers.

And those partnerships are paying off. According to Upside, users have earned around $300 million in cash back, and partnering businesses have gained $700 million in profit.

So Upside isn’t some scam. It has a sound business model that gives everyone a chance to win. 

Is The Upside App Safe? 

Upside is completely safe to use. It pays out as promised, and I can’t find any reports of fraudulent or criminal activity.

The company has a 4.86/5 star rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which might not be perfect, but it is enough to show there’s nothing sketchy going on.

The Upside Privacy Policy is also reassuring. 

It admits that Upside uses cookies to collect data, but only to improve the user experience, understand user demographics, and explain those demographics to third parties. Standard stuff, really, and nothing to be worried about.  

Pros and Cons of The Upside App

This Upside app review spells out the benefits and drawbacks of the platform, so users like you will know exactly what to expect!

Pros

• The Upside app is user-friendly. That means you can access cash-back deals without giving yourself a headache.

• There are over 30,000 businesses available. That gives you a lot of deals to choose from, especially if you happen to be in the right area.

• Geolocation makes it easy to find deals. If you allow the app to track your location (which is a total no-brainer), you can easily spot deals on the map. 

Cons

• Availability varies by location. You might be surrounded by gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets that partner with the app, but you may also find yourself without any cash-back options for miles.

• Not all businesses accept the “Check In” feature. That means you’ll have to upload receipts, which can be a pain.

• Cash-back deals aren’t always the cheapest option. Let’s say Upside offers you 5¢/gal cash back at a gas station charging $3.50/gal. But then another gas station that doesn’t partner with Upside is selling gas at $3.40/gal. Obviously, the non-partnering gas station is offering the better deal. 

Upside App Reviews

The Upside app has a strong reputation online. 

I mean, just look at these ratings:

• Apple App Store – 4.8 stars
• Google Play Store – 4.6 stars
• BBB customer reviews – 4.86 stars

But let’s look at individual reviews to see what actual Upside users are saying. 

Here’s a five-star Upside app review that highlights the ease of use.

Another positive Upside app review praised the company for paying as promised, while lamenting that there aren’t “more options in rural” areas.

Another reviewer said they’ve been using the app for two years and that a recent update has made it harder to check their balance. Upside customer service commented on the review and suggested a simple solution: deleting and reinstalling the app.  

And here’s a negative Upside app review, just to show that it’s possible to have a terrible experience with the platform. 

A bug in the system wouldn’t let the user add a credit card – annoying! 

Upside App Reviews Reddit

I found a fantastic Reddit thread where people shared their Upside experiences.

It all started when someone asked, “Has anyone tried GetUpside?”

*Note: “GetUpside” is the Upside app’s former name.

Someone responded with an enthusiastic Upside app review, saying they’d earned $50 in just a month.

But someone else disagreed, saying Upside “won’t make you any real money.”

And another user pointed out one of Upside’s biggest drawbacks: Some locations don’t have a lot of deals available.  

Someone else claimed to have found the “catch” with Upside: That you only have a few hours to redeem an offer after you claim it. 

But I wouldn’t quite call this a “catch.” It’s just how the app works, and you can plan accordingly by only claiming offers when you’re on your way to make a purchase.

Is The Upside App Worth It?

Upside is definitely worth it,  especially for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road.

For one thing, it’s free. So you have nothing to lose.

And it’s also super easy to use, so it’s not like you’ll end up giving yourself a headache.

Of course, there is one small caveat to consider: There might not be a lot of deals in your area. Upside partners with over 30,000 individual businesses, but there aren’t as many in some areas as in others. 

So here’s what I would suggest. Download the Upside app and make an account since it’s super easy, anyway.

Then, check to see if there are lots of deals available in your area. If there are, you’re in business! 

And if not, all you’ve lost is a few minutes of your time, and you can still use the Upside app next time you travel!

Commonly Asked Questions About The Upside App

What are Alternatives to The Upside App

The Upside app isn’t the only cash-back platform out there. It might be the best for saving money on gas, but these other platforms could be better all-around options: 

• Rakuten
• Fetch
• Swagbucks
• InboxDollars

If you’d like to boost your bank balance fast, check out these banks with immediate sign-up bonus. And to make money just for opening a bank account or inviting a friend to, learn how you can get a Chime referral bonus.

If you’re looking for a low-tech, hands-on budgeting method, learn about cash envelope categories. And if you need to boost your savings fast, the 60/30/10 rule budget can help.

To learn which budgeting app could best help you manage your finances and boost your savings, check out these comparisons:

• Rocket Money vs YNAB
• Rocket Money vs Simplifi
• Rocket Money vs Copilot

Then use a net worth tracker to see how your new financial strategies are paying off. 

Is The Upside App a Scam?

The Upside app definitely isn’t a scam. It’s a legit company with headquarters in Washington, DC, and it partners with over 30,000 businesses to offer cash-back deals to consumers. 

What is The Catch With Upside App? 

There is no “catch” with the Upside app. They make their money by partnering with businesses and taking a share of the profits, not by ripping off their users. 

How Much Do You Get From The Upside App? 

Cash-back deals on the Upside app can give you around 15¢/gallon on gas, but the exact offers vary. With grocery stores and restaurants, many users report earning 3-5% cash back. Your total savings will depend on how much you spend and the offers available in your area. 

Here’s how to make an extra $100 a week. And learn how you could make money as a mystery shopper in this Field Agent review.

What is The Downside of The Upside App? 

The main downside of the Upside app is that the deals aren’t evenly distributed around the country. If you’re not near any partnering businesses, you won’t be able to get cashback.

Can You Cash Out on Upside App? 

The Upside app offers three cashout options:

• PayPal
• Deposits to your bank account
• Electronic gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Target, and more. 

Check out this article if you’d like to play games to win gift cards.

Got gift cards you don’t want? Learn how to get instant cash for gift cards.

How Does Upside App Make Money?

Upside makes money by taking a share of the profits they bring to businesses. So if you use an offer on Upside to buy gas from a gas station, Upside will get some of the profits from the sale.