The Upside Blog

The Best Ways to Earn Cash Back on Everyday Purchases (2026 Guide)

From cash back apps to credit card rewards and loyalty programs, here are some of the best ways to start earning cash back.

All Things Upside with Devon Lambert

Meet Devon Lambert, the Senior Manager of Engineering who was drawn to Upside by the people. He’s been investing in them ever since.

How to save money on groceries every week

You don't have to completely change how you shop. Here's how to get more value from the trips you already make.

How does Upside make money?

Upside is free for consumers to use, so you might be wondering: what's the catch?

How to save money on gas: 5 money-saving tips

Gas prices can change quickly. Here are 5 easy ways to lower what you spend at the pump.

How does Upside work? A step-by-step guide to earning cash back on everyday purchases

The easiest way to use Upside is on everyday purchases like gas, groceries, and dining.

Is Upside legitimate? A simple guide to how the cash back app works

Learn how the Upside app safely earns you cash back on gas, groceries, dining, and more.

All Things Upside with Heather Naughton

Read about how Heather helped build Consumer Operations from the ground up.

All Things Upside with Griffin Cole

Finance team member Griffin Cole shares how he connects big-picture strategy to day-to-day execution and finds meaning in measurable impact

Why are gas prices rising right now? The Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz explained

Our in-house economist explains what’s behind the latest jump in gas prices and what drivers should know.

How are gas prices determined? Why fuel prices change and why they differ by state

Gasoline prices follow a fairly consistent set of economic drivers. Understanding those drivers can help explain why prices move the way they do.

All Things Upside with Marie Marcus

Six months in, Marie Marcus is already making her mark — helping shape how Upside shows up every day.

All Things Upside with Dan Sutterman

Read about Mid-Market Sales Director Dan Sutterman’s experience at Upside and what makes him successful in his role.

All Things Upside with Cameron Faerber

Read about Cameron Faerber, Manager, Data Science, and his experience at Upside.

Building pathways with Unidos: How Upside’s Latin & Hispanic employee resource group is driving impact

Tracking retail fuel trends: September 2025

The change in season brings two expected developments to gas stations: a downturn in demand and a cheaper blend of fuel.

Meet ‘The Total,’ your bottom line for retail insights

Upside’s LinkedIn newsletter is packed with relevant insights across the fuel, c-store, grocery, and restaurant industries.

‘All Things Upside’ with Khalil Bilal

Hear why Finance Manager Khalil joined Upside, what he’s learned, and how his role impacts the company far beyond dollars and cents.

Applebee’s franchise verifies Upside’s incremental lift

The independent, third-party measurement found that Upside customers visited more and spent more per trip than their peers.

Tracking retail fuel trends: August 2025

It’s peak hurricane season, but the region most affected by inclement weather in August was a surprise.

Retailer survey: Feelings of optimism tempered by economic uncertainty

Compared to late 2024, retailers are feeling less rosy about their business health, and they’re shifting internal priorities accordingly.

Winning the next grocery trip

Find out how grocery retailers can capture repeat business from the growing segment of uncommitted shoppers

All Things Upside with Kaela Dorsey

Meet Kaela Dorsey, Associate Security Operations Analyst, and read about how she’s making an impact every day at Upside.

How grocers can keep loyalty growth going strong after launch

Turn early loyalty success into lasting revenue growth by winning more visits from uncommitted customers.

Meet the uncommitted customer, your biggest growth opportunity in 2025

Retailers who capture even one more visit from uncommitted customers could see a lift in annual revenue of 84% or more.

Tracking retail fuel trends: July 2025

Fuel prices were stable, as was demand. It was a good month for c-stores, which prompted us to take a closer look.

Cash back vs. discounting: The strategic difference for retailers

Unlike discounts, personalized cash back rewards customer behavior without devaluing your brand or training price expectations.

Grocery store rewards programs: Why mid-size retailers need a new playbook

We reviewed the loyalty programs from best-in-class American grocery retailers to see if successful programs drive more market share.

Here today, gone tomorrow: The story behind month-one customer drop-off

Retailers spend big to acquire customers and loyalty sign-ups. It pays off when shoppers stick around, but too many don’t.

All Things Upside with Tracey Cheuk

Hear from Data Analyst Tracey Cheuk about what she loves about Upside and what she’s learned along the way.

Tasty Restaurant Group's third-party analysis validates Upside's impact

The study uncovered that Upside customers at the franchisee’s restaurants are more valuable than the general population.

See Upside's impact on your grocery business, any time

Get clear, validated insights into the incremental impact of every dollar you invest with Upside.

Tracking retail fuel trends: June 2025

The overall metrics show relatively little change month-over-month, but for fuel retailers, June was anything but ordinary.

The loyalty challenge: Why grocers must rethink retention for modern shoppers

Retailers must engage customers early in the relationship to win them back for each subsequent return trip — forming habits and building long-term loyalty.

‘All Things Upside’ with Dave Jurich

Dave Jurich, Senior Strategic Account Manager at Upside, talks about his career built on listening and learning.

What grocers need to know about the digital behavior of uncommitted customers

I shared new research and data with industry executives at GroceryTech 2025. Get the highlights of that session here.

Building belonging at Upside: How inclusion fuels innovation

This Pride Month, we’re highlighting how we support our LGBTQIA+ employees and allies – through programs, benefits, and partnerships that reflect our values.

The big revenue opportunity hiding in one extra monthly visit

When retailers convince their uncommitted customers to change their usual behavior, the resulting revenue boost is transformative.

The economy is sending mixed signals: Here’s what retail leaders need to watch

Headline metrics like revenue can be misleading. Understand the context and focus on driving true demand to stay ahead in your industry.

Tracking retail fuel trends: May 2025

In this monthly recap, we take a closer look at the ‘freight recession’ and highlight data that shows it might not end anytime soon.

Report: How retailers can win the uncommitted customer

Upside’s latest report can help retailers better understand cross-shopping behavior and form habits with customers that last.

How fuel retailers can see Upside’s impact on their business, any time

The Upside Dashboard raises the bar for measurement. Use our analytics to prove the incremental impact of every dollar you invest.

‘All Things Upside’ with Nazia Khan

Meet Nazia Khan, Senior Data Operations Manager, at Upside, and hear about her career and lessons learned.

How grocers helped shape a more powerful Upside

Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and it’s rarely linear.

Mitra QSR and Big Four accounting firm validate Upside’s segmentation reports

The analysis confirmed that Upside accurately categorizes new and returning customers. This step is critical for determining incremental impact.

Tracking retail fuel trends: April 2025

Warmer weather powered substantial increases in demand, but changes in the crude oil market brought the unexpected.

How smart personalization is helping grocers win back the basket

Personalizing offers protects margins and prevents cannibalization, allowing grocers to provide value profitably.

‘All Things Upside’ with Cindy Schaller

As Cindy Schaller, Senior Manager, Engineering, approaches her third anniversary at Upside, she reflects on her career and experience.

How restaurant franchisees drive smart growth with Upside

Upside boosts meal turn while also protecting profit, giving franchisees what they’re looking for.

Idle pumps, lost profits: How to capture more gallons without adding sites

By attracting customers earlier in their decision-making process, fuel retailers can boost capacity utilization without adding new sites.

Retail media networks turn engagement into revenue, but are grocers getting the full picture?

These networks effectively reach loyal shoppers. Paired with Upside’s offers for uncommitted customers, one and one can make three.

Tracking retail fuel trends: March 2025

Retail fuel metrics often follow specific seasonal patterns, but March’s data bucked industry trends in a few different ways.

Upside and loyalty: Triple the visits, 5x the spend

Boost key metrics and drive meaningful results by pairing loyalty and Upside together.

'All Things Upside' with Jamil Mohammed

Operations Manager Jamil Mohammed has been with Upside for nearly nine years. Hear more about how he got here, and why he stays.

How card issuers can boost engagement and maximize top-of-wallet positioning

With an abundance of card options and evolving consumer expectations, traditional rewards programs alone aren’t always enough to create lasting loyalty.

Tracking retail fuel trends: February 2025

Demand picked up as warmer weather thawed much of America, but a refinery fire marred an otherwise encouraging month.

Unlocking grocery growth: Breaking through the plateau

Grocers that put their stores on Upside drive sales increases equivalent to building new stores, no CapEx or OpEx required.

'All Things Upside' with Liz Vaggelatos

Meet Liz Vaggelatos, a four-year veteran of Upside who leads our Knowledge Management team.

Tracking retail fuel trends: January 2025

Sanctions on Russia led to a rise in crude prices, while a cold snap suppressed fuel demand. Get your full trend update here.

Upside's most popular blogs of 2024

Revisit our top insights from the past year — with much more to come in the future.

‘All Things Upside’ with Anna Zeng

Meet Account Executive Anna Zeng, an Upsider in our retailer sales organization who’s nearing her three-year anniversary with the company.

Cracking the loyalty code: How to set a new program up for success

By bringing more new and uncommitted customers into your orbit, you can maximize the impact of a loyalty program from day one. 

2024 year in review

100,000+ retailers and millions of consumers earned more in 2024. Here’s everything we accomplished together in our best year yet.

Tracking retail fuel trends: December 2024

Cold weather and the holiday season brought expected declines in demand. Plus, we take a closer look at c-store metrics.

Winning the uncommitted customer: Lessons from Save A Lot’s journey

Save A Lot CIO Jennifer Hopper spoke with me on stage at Grocery Impact 2024. Find out what she had to say.

Where do people go out to eat on Christmas? (No, it's not just Chinese.)

We determined the businesses that are most likely to be open for the holidays — and the ones that see the biggest boost in visits.

‘All Things Upside’ with Lauren Nevin

Meet Lauren Nevin, Senior Growth Manager, who focuses on growing the consumer side of Upside’s marketplace.

Tracking retail fuel trends: November 2024

Despite a rise in holiday travel, fuel demand still fell month-over-month in November. Get a full look at the numbers here.

How Roy Rogers is winning customers without relying on the value menu

Diners have plenty of choices for affordable meals outside of the home these days. But are value meals and blanket discounts good for your business?

'All Things Upside' with Alexandra Folks

Meet Alexandra Folks, senior UX researcher at Upside.

Retailer survey: Cautious optimism spurs greater focus on growth

Our latest survey shows retailers are thinking less about surviving and more about growing, a notable shift from the beginning of 2024.

Tracking retail fuel trends: October 2024

Sign and rack prices are expected to fall this time of year, but disruptions brought about by inclement weather have changed the story.

What does an interest rate cut mean for shoppers?

When the Fed cuts rates, purchasing power increases. What does that impact actually look like for the average consumer?

Variable pricing strategies and consumer perceptions

A number of variable pricing strategies are making their way into public consciousness. Here’s what you need to know.

Podcast: Upside talks ‘uncommitted customers’ with Supermarket News

Upside CEO Alex Kinnier discusses how loyalty members don’t always behave loyally — and how grocers can win more foot traffic.

‘All Things Upside’ with Denisse Mejia

Meet Denisse Mejia, senior benefits manager at Upside, and read about her career growth, experience at Upside, and the importance of connection and community.

Grocery shopping in 2024: Consumer spending trends and what’s next

Shifting consumer behavior is changing what it takes to stay competitive in grocery.

Customer loyalty programs and their impacts on buying behavior

Loyalty programming remains a critical investment, but data shows it’s not changing customer behavior.

Our takeaways from NACS 2024

Following four days in Vegas with the top talent in fuel and c-store retail, these topics are at the top of our minds.

Our takeaways from Groceryshop 2024

Following three days in Vegas with some of the best retailers in grocery, here’s what we’re thinking about for the rest of the year and beyond.

Q&A with Giant Eagle: How this grocer earns more loyalty from uncommitted customers

Of the new and non-loyalty shoppers Upside brought to Giant Eagle, over 60% joined myPerks.

Q&A with GetGo: How this retailer turns uncommitted customers into loyal customers

Of the new and non-loyalty customers Upside brought to GetGo, over 60% joined myPerks.

Inflation-adjusted sales: What your revenue numbers aren’t telling you

Due to an increase in cross-shopping, topline revenue gains can be misleading. Factoring for inflation shows a different picture.

'Breaking Down Buying Trends': The top three takeaways from our experts

Upside’s retail experts broke down the trends shaping the way we shop in a live webinar. We’re revisiting the conversation’s highlights.

Tracking retail fuel trends: September 2024

Aligned with year-over-year trends, we observed low sign prices and foot traffic at U.S. stations. October should hold more of the same.

Consumer price sensitivity: Why cross-shopping is more prevalent than ever

Consumers aren’t spending less — they’re just spreading trips around to buy less at each store. Our Consumer Spend Report has more. 

How Upside's strategic partnerships drive growth for retailers

Strategic consumer partnerships help Upside retailers expand their reach to earn more transactions and more profit.

Consumer economic sentiment in 2024: Inflation has cooled, but shoppers are still wary

Upside’s Consumer Spend Report featured a new consumer survey about economic sentiments and household finances.

‘All Things Upside’ with Soonho Kwon

In this edition, we chat with Soonho Kwon about how he’s grown his career with Upside.

Consumer spending trends in 2024 and the rise of the uncommitted consumer

Breaking down Upside's inaugural Consumer Spend Report

'All Things Upside' with Alla Bliskovsky

In this edition, we chat with Alla Bliskovsky about her role as Sr. Revenue Enablement Manager about what makes Upside — and the people who work here — great.

Dynamic pricing vs. personalized promotions: Mutual benefit makes all the difference

Personalized promotions center the customer while protecting the retailer’s margin; they sit at the intersection of efficiency and fairness.

Consumer c-store demand: Even as top-line revenue rises, other metrics tell a different story

Transaction data from more than 1,700 c-stores shows demand is actually in decline. We contextualized the numbers and interviewed consumers to find out what’s behind the shift in shopping behavior.

With more fees and higher prices, who's really to blame?

Consumers and politicians often pin the blame on retailers, but the real picture isn’t quite so clear. What’s driving high fees, and where do we go from here?

Q & A with Cascade Dining on their Upside experience

Papa John’s operators discuss their experience with various marketing partners to drive sales, and what makes Upside different.

Price predictions for Memorial Day Weekend 2024

We looked at the last three years and factored in today's market conditions to estimate fuel and grocery prices for Memorial Day 2024.

Busting Memorial Day BBQ myths: What you need to know for your holiday grill-out

Is there a “best” time to grocery shop? Are burgers or dogs more popular? Here, we’re answering some of the biggest questions about holiday BBQs.

Busting Memorial Day gas myths: What you need to know for a budget-friendly road trip

Learn about gas prices, station traffic trends, and money-earning tips to enjoy a holiday weekend that doesn’t break the bank.

Heritage Grocers Group shares how Upside helps win and retain more shoppers

CMO Adam Salgado and COO Prabash Coswatte say that Upside helps differentiate Heritage Grocers Group in the market, helping them generate a 75% return on investment.

What to do with Upside in low-margin fuel environments

Today, thousands of retailers use Upside to win more visits and higher customer spend at a positive, fully-attributable ROI.

All Things Upside with Devon Lambert

Meet Devon Lambert, the Senior Manager of Engineering who was drawn to Upside by the people. He’s been investing in them ever since.

All Things Upside with Heather Naughton

Read about how Heather helped build Consumer Operations from the ground up.

All Things Upside with Griffin Cole

Finance team member Griffin Cole shares how he connects big-picture strategy to day-to-day execution and finds meaning in measurable impact

All Things Upside with Marie Marcus

Six months in, Marie Marcus is already making her mark — helping shape how Upside shows up every day.

All Things Upside with Dan Sutterman

Read about Mid-Market Sales Director Dan Sutterman’s experience at Upside and what makes him successful in his role.

All Things Upside with Cameron Faerber

Read about Cameron Faerber, Manager, Data Science, and his experience at Upside.

Building pathways with Unidos: How Upside’s Latin & Hispanic employee resource group is driving impact

‘All Things Upside’ with Khalil Bilal

Hear why Finance Manager Khalil joined Upside, what he’s learned, and how his role impacts the company far beyond dollars and cents.

All Things Upside with Kaela Dorsey

Meet Kaela Dorsey, Associate Security Operations Analyst, and read about how she’s making an impact every day at Upside.

All Things Upside with Tracey Cheuk

Hear from Data Analyst Tracey Cheuk about what she loves about Upside and what she’s learned along the way.

‘All Things Upside’ with Dave Jurich

Dave Jurich, Senior Strategic Account Manager at Upside, talks about his career built on listening and learning.

Building belonging at Upside: How inclusion fuels innovation

This Pride Month, we’re highlighting how we support our LGBTQIA+ employees and allies – through programs, benefits, and partnerships that reflect our values.

‘All Things Upside’ with Nazia Khan

Meet Nazia Khan, Senior Data Operations Manager, at Upside, and hear about her career and lessons learned.

‘All Things Upside’ with Cindy Schaller

As Cindy Schaller, Senior Manager, Engineering, approaches her third anniversary at Upside, she reflects on her career and experience.

'All Things Upside' with Jamil Mohammed

Operations Manager Jamil Mohammed has been with Upside for nearly nine years. Hear more about how he got here, and why he stays.

'All Things Upside' with Liz Vaggelatos

Meet Liz Vaggelatos, a four-year veteran of Upside who leads our Knowledge Management team.

‘All Things Upside’ with Anna Zeng

Meet Account Executive Anna Zeng, an Upsider in our retailer sales organization who’s nearing her three-year anniversary with the company.

‘All Things Upside’ with Lauren Nevin

Meet Lauren Nevin, Senior Growth Manager, who focuses on growing the consumer side of Upside’s marketplace.

'All Things Upside' with Alexandra Folks

Meet Alexandra Folks, senior UX researcher at Upside.

‘All Things Upside’ with Denisse Mejia

Meet Denisse Mejia, senior benefits manager at Upside, and read about her career growth, experience at Upside, and the importance of connection and community.

‘All Things Upside’ with Soonho Kwon

In this edition, we chat with Soonho Kwon about how he’s grown his career with Upside.

'All Things Upside' with Alla Bliskovsky

In this edition, we chat with Alla Bliskovsky about her role as Sr. Revenue Enablement Manager about what makes Upside — and the people who work here — great.

'All Things Upside' with Alex Gomez-Rey

In this edition, we chat with Alex Gomez-Rey about his Upside journey.

'All Things Upside' with Patti Carter

In this edition of All Things Upside we chat with Patti Carter, Senior Software Engineer II.

'All Things Upside' with Melissa Jamison

In this edition, we chat with Melissa Jamison about her 4+ year Upside journey.

'All Things Upside' with Melissa Linarte

In this edition of 'All Things Upside', we chat with Senior Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Lead Melissa Linarte, and learn about her career pivot from our Operations team to her current role within our Information Security team. Additionally, she provides further insights into the measures her team takes to ensure our customer’s information security.

The long-term value of leading with your mission

As companies grow, there’s often a trade-off between doing what is best for the customer and doing what delivers the fastest business growth. I've learned: prioritize what’s best for the customer.

Upside holds position as a top carbon offsetter in the U.S. and takes new 1% Pledge

As Upside grows, our sustainability impact grows with it: Upside has retired more CO2 offsets than many of the nation's largest and most prominent companies

There's only Upside

Driving value, sustainability, and economic growth for local communities

Upside isn’t just great for people and businesses; it’s a great place to work

Join the fastest-growing tech startup with a mission to help communities thrive and a culture guided by empathy, authenticity, and impact

'All Things Upside’ with Alex Kinnier

Upside's co-founder and CEO, Alex Kinnier, shares insights on growth, partnerships, sustainability, and the company's vision for the year ahead

The impact of food waste and why it matters to us

Understand the significance of food waste and Upside's commitment to food rescue initiatives to create a cleaner planet.

1% for the planet

Learn about Upside's commitment to sustainability and how we care for the community with our "1% for the Planet" program.

75,000 people got to the polls with Upside

Empowering democracy: How Upside helped 75,000 users make their voices heard in the 2020 election

Empowering voices: Upside's commitment to voting and community engagement

From internal projects to incentives for users, discover how Upside is fostering participation in democracy during the elections

How we caught fire

Upside was named a 2020 DC Inno on Fire winner

Winning the Washington Post’s 2020 Top Workplace Award

This week, the Washington Post announced the 2020 Top Workplaces in the Washington-Area, and we’re on the list!

Amazon goes offline: Why small businesses need to take note

What the online retail giant’s move into physical bookstores means for the future of small business