With never-ending economic challenges, we are always looking for ways to save that extra buck. GetUpside is a new app on the block that helps you save up to $0.25 per gallon every time you buy gas, and save when you shop for groceries or eat at a diner as well.
But can GetUpside really help you save money? Is it a scam or legit? This review thoroughly examines the legitimacy of this cashback app. Let’s dive in.
GetUpside was developed by Upside Services Inc., a company that makes applications to link customers and local businesses. Upside Services Inc. was formed in 2015 and operates in Washington DC.
What exactly is GetUpside?
The GetUpside application is designed to connect businesses and customers. Gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants can use the app to attract customers with cash back offers by partnering with GetUpside so that they can be added on the app.
Customers can also benefit from the application by shopping at stores that allow them to save money through discounts. You will need to prove that you made a purchase that had cash back offered before you can cash out with the app. The process of claiming an offer is fast and straightforward.
GetUpside locations
The services and workings of GetUpside are geographically limited to businesses and customers in these 40 states (at the time of writing). However, the app is constantly expanding, so the list of locations continues to grow.
How Does GetUpside Work?
You can download the GetUpside app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store as long as you are in the US. Although you can download the app regardless of your location, you can only use it within the geographical locations specified earlier. If you live in the said states, download the GetUpside app and sign up. It is free of charge. You can sign up using your email or Facebook. The process takes no longer than a minute.
Find businesses with cash back offers
On the app, you will see the list of stores in your location that have cash back offers on GetUpside. These include restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores. Click on where you want to buy gas or shop and the app will show you how much money back you can get. You will see the original price of the commodity and the discount that the app enables you to score.
With gas, customers have a variety of outlets to refill at, since most of the major brands are participating in the GetUpside service. These include Shell, BP, and Exxon/Mobile. Whichever is your favorite gasoline brand, you can be sure GetUpside will beat down the price. Sadly things are different when it comes to supermarkets and eateries. There is a limiting list of options for shopping and dining joints.
Select an offer on the app
Customers are required to select an offer they wish to claim first before making a purchase. That is because the gas station offers keep changing from time to time. After claiming the discount, you will be able to shop and upload the receipt and claim the money back on GetUpside.
The process of claiming offers with GetUpside is the same for gas stations and supermarkets. You always have to select the offer before buying an item. After selecting an offer at a gas station or grocery store, you are to use it within a 4-hour time limit to earn your cash back.
Make the purchase
After claiming an offer, you can proceed to make your purchase. You should pay with a credit or debit card to be qualified for cash back. There is no option to pay with cash and gift cards. Don’t trash the receipt.
Upload the transaction receipt
Once you’ve claimed the offer and made the purchase, you’ll have to upload the receipt. Ensure it has details like the location of the service station, date and time, items bought, and the last four digits of your credit card number. You can capture all these details by taking a photo in bright light and proceeding to upload it on your phone.
Cashing out
After you have uploaded the receipt, GetUpside will process it within a day or maximum two days. Once your purchase is approved, you can cash out through PayPal or request a check.
Earn More by Referring Friends to GetUpside
The other feature of GetUpside that guarantees you more cash back on your purchases is the referral program.
When you recommend the app to a friend and they sign up with your unique promo code and use it for the first time, you and they both will get an extra 15¢/gal cash back on their first use.
However, it doesn’t stop there. You will also get a $0.01 for every gallon of gas your friend buys using the app in the future, and 0.005¢ (half a cent) for every gallon of gas bought by someone they refer.
At the moment, there is no referral program for restaurants or supermarkets.
How Much Can You Earn with GetUpside?
The amount of money you earn with GetUpside is contingent on the number of purchases you make. An average shopper can receive about $50 in a month using this application.
The cash back is deposited to your GetUpside account from where you can withdraw to your bank account via PayPal or check.
From positive customer feedback, this app is indeed legit and can let you bag in a few rewards with your shopping activities.
How Does GetUpside Pay?
GetUpside pays through PayPal or check. You can withdraw any sum. However, there’s an expense of $1 for each PayPal transaction under $15 or check amount below $50.
Be that as it may, when you refer a friend to use the application, you will not incur transaction charges when cashing out your reward.
PayPal payments will reflect in your account with 24-48 hours. Check payments will take longer.
Public Perception
There are very few complaints against GetUpside. It appears that many of the customers using the app are satisfied with its workings.
There have been some complaints, however, about the geographical limitations of the app and the fact that you only have to pay via credit or debit card to get your cash back offers.
The Upside of GetUpside – (GetUpside Pros)
Several cash-out options
Customers have many ways of cashing out their rewards on GetUpside. You can withdraw the sum with PayPal, check, or trade it for a gift card. This flexibility makes the use of the application convenient for different types of shoppers.
Referral program
For people who are locked away by geography, or for those looking for ways to bump up their cash back rewards with the app, the referral program comes in handy. Just by introducing your friend to the app, you can stand to earn a pretty penny every time they use the application when shopping.
And of course, cash back!
Another advantage of the application is they have partnered with many local businesses that have exciting cash back rewards. You can refuel, shop, or dine at more than one place and be able to earn a decent discount on your transaction.
GetUpside App Cons
You cannot pay with cash
The only way you can land your cash back when refueling or grocery shopping is to use a credit card or debit card. Cash or gift card payments are not allowed, for the service cannot accurately verify your identity with these forms of payment.
GetUpside says that the use of credit and debit cards in paying for commodities enables them to ascertain that the person who claimed the offer is the same one who made the purchase. That is also a way for GetUpside to prove to businesses that they are landing more customers through the app.
For many people who shop or buy gas with cash, this is a significant disadvantage.
However, not all hope is lost: even if you are not making purchases with the GetUpside app, you can still refer your friends and earn your rewards. That also applies to people who fall outside the geographical locations that the app operates within.
You only have two cash back rewards per week
It appears that customers cannot get cash back rewards for more than two purchases in a grocery store in a week. The other bummer (though understandable, of course) is that the cashback amount is calculated on a pre-tax and pre-tip basis.
Is GetUpside a Scam?
GetUpside is not a scam, and it is by all accounts a legit way to save money when you buy gas or make purchases at grocery stores and eateries. A penny saved is a penny earned, right?
What customers have to put up with at the moment is the limited options of grocery stores and eateries listed on the app, but that problem is gradually shrinking as GetUpside expands their locations.
Conclusion – is GetUpside Worth Downloading?
Currently, the app works in select parts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, North and South Carolina, Florida, and Houston, Texas, and is expanding to parts of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. If you live in any of these areas, it will save you a great deal of money if you use the app to get money back on your purchases. Download GetUpside today to start cutting down on your everyday expenses.
If you live outside the states and towns that GetUpside operates, you can visit their site and enter your email to receive details on when they will have deals in your location, or you can try other cash back applications like Ibotta and Dosh.
Have you ever used GetUpside? What are your thoughts? Please feel free to leave a comment below, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
I opened the app and all of my money was gone and i’m being told that they can’t find my account. Something fishy is going on with this app and i don’t trust them. You might want to screen shot before your money mysteriously disappears
My husband and I have the app and had build up money. I had close to 50 dollars and he had over 50. Something happen to my app and when I tried to open it with a new app it had zero on it. I loved the app but not gonna use it since I had money in one and can not find it. My husband app is not working it says it has stopped working can you please help us or refer us to someone. Thanks
This article shows how to get in touch with GetUpside support: https://support.getupside.com/hc/en-us/articles/360042301933-How-can-I-contact-GetUpside-
Max Short is paid employee of GetUpside, so don’t believe a word coming out of his mouth.
Lol I wish! I earn pennies from referring people to GetUpside. I am not employed by them.
Works good for me.. It’s not life changing money but it adds up. I’ve gotten $9 so far in about 3-4 weeks.
Thanks for all the info. You stated the following: “However, it doesn’t stop there. You will also get a $0.01 for every gallon of gas your friend buys using the app in the future, and 0.5¢ for every gallon of gas bought by someone they refer.”
Should the second amount not be .005c instead of .05c ?
You are right, good catch.
I went out of my way numerous times to use this app. I had accumulated $40.00. One day the money was gone. I sent an email and was advised to change my password and let them know when it was completed. I did it immediately. I was told I would get my money back. I have sent several emails since (3 months now) and still have not been reimbursed or even received a reply. Not cool!!
This is the third time I have attempted to use the GetUpside app. The check in does not appear until after I have pumped the gas. So far, I have not been able to get the credit for 45+ gallons. When I used the app the first and second times, no problem. I got the receipt, took a photo, scanned and found the cash posted to my account. Then the process changed and there was no photo or scan. I lost $.17 per on 15+ gallons. Then it changed again and I have no idea what went wrong. Now tonight, I find that I should have “checked in” on a button that did not appear until after pumping 15+ gallons again, losing $.10 per. Same station, same driver, same smart phone. I am very disappointed.
I am new to the app and I was unaware of using paypal until a couple of months ago. My payment was sent back and I didn’t know it. Is there a way I can still receive it?
How do you contact anyone ? I purchase fuel at .10 a gal I got a refund of .01 cent 37gal . Very disappointed no way to contact
me too. how do i get MY CHECK! theres no means of contact!!!
The app has glitches where it shows 12-15 cents a gallon and then once you load the receipt it refunds only 5-8 cents per gallon.
I am getting the cash credits for using the app but within the last week 2 referrals have not been able to download the app. Spinning wheel is all they get for about 20-30 minutes of waiting for the download before they have given up.
I started using the app about 3 weeks ago and have banked about $8 now, not bad. The issue I have though is that the wrting is so small and the colors are so bright that i can hardly make out what it says. I use glasses and its frustrating to try to read the addresses and the cash back amounts. The app does not allow you to zoom in on the images so for people with vision problems, its a challenge. Im waiting to cash out at $10 to see how it goes!
I cashed out in the form of a gift card. I got the card but it does not work. The cashier tried several time but nothing. GetUpside told me that they get their cards from a third party and I need to contact the gift card company. They said there is nothing further they can do. I will no longer be using GetUpside.
That’s very disappointing! I always cash out to PayPal and have never had an issue.
I’m unhappy with them so far.
I uploaded a receipt on Sep 3 and they said they couldn’t read the image.
So I sent them an email with the five data points they want, along with the image of the receipt (which wasn’t great, but it was adequately legible to see the transaction was legit.
They gave me that credit.
Now, a week ago (21 Oct) I again claimed a reward and went to the same BP station and did the same thing.
I uploaded the receipt and again they said they couldn’t read it.
This time I copied the five data points (store location, date, time, gas price and gallons purchased) and sent them in an email along with a copy of the receipt image to support@getupside.com on Tuesday Oct 22.
I have not received anything except an auto-acknowledgement, and it has been six days.
I’m owed $1.55 for this transaction, $0.10 x 15.5 gallons purchased.
I’ve used this app but never received a dime in refunds. I asked to have it sent to my PayPal account. I haven’t received a dime and there’s not phone number to contact anyone. This was a was of time while I’ve been buying gas and down loading receipts for the past year.
I have had terrible experience with getting the gift cards when cashing out. Of the 2 times I have cashed out I only received one of my gift cards. This time they have yet to resolve the issue. Very frustrated and ready to delete the app.
That’s disappointing! I’ve cashed out multiple times and have never had an issue. Keep us updated.
My getupside stop working I don’t know everytime I upload my recipe I’m not getting my money back something is going..
It’s been a little while, any updates on this, Yennifer?
I have tried the app and it has left me frustrated to the point that I have uninstalled it, and I would absolutely not recommend it to anyone. I went a bit out of my way to use getupside at a local Shell Station, I used my Shell Gas Card only to have my receipt rejected. This is not a fleet card, it is a Bank issued card. I just do not feel like Getupside is really legitimate.
Sorry to hear you haven’t had a good experience. I have never had an issue with my local BP station….
I’m just looking into the app, but I can tell you that right now, I won’t be downloading it. The gas stations by my house aren’t listed. On top of that, the ones in my area that ARE listed have a listed price of 2.99 and an app price of 2.69. I can get gas cheaper than that app price without going out of my way!
That said, I will check it out in a few months and see if they’ve expanded considerably.
I claimed an offer at a Shell location to get gas, and when I went and paid for my gas, then uploaded my receipt, the app tells me it’s the wrong location. Funny, it’s the same exact address that was on the app. Not happy at all. Pretty much a time waster for very little reward.
I’ve earned $572 in 11 months using GetUpside. [code removed] Refer your friends and get bonuses of your own going forward that is how to get the most return.
I stopped using the app. It was a lot of work for not a lot of money. The Safeway or Giant credits get you an order of magnitude more discount at the pump. Upload receipts? And your going to pay me 22 cents? (Yes, one discount was a pitiful 2 cents a gallon for 11 gallons).
If you value your time, delete this app.
That’s disappointing. I will say that has not been my experience; I usually get at least 10 cents off per gallon.
I use it most of the time here in Houston, i try to get one or two referrals a week this makes a huge difference on the cash back and discount. My promo code gets you an additional 15 cents off a gallon cash back, i love it…
Yep, the discounts are huge. Everyone should be using this app.
Would like to use it but you say my credit card is not accepted. Why isn’t a Valero card accepted at a stion that is on your app list?
Hi Dan,
I don’t work at GetUpside, I’m only a blogger who uses the app. Here’s the help article I found about payment methods GetUpside accepts: https://support.getupside.com/hc/en-us/articles/220861507-What-payment-methods-are-accepted-
You can also get in touch with the support team here: https://support.getupside.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Hope this helps, and you get this sorted out!
I love GetUpside – use it all the time. I’ve saved over $80 on gas over the last few months. [edited: promo code removed]
GetUpside is awesome! They recently expanded to over 2,000 new locations. 🙂