Who Owns Upside?

GetUpside launched in 2016 in Washington DC, founded by Kinnier and Lin on the premise that brick-and-mortar retailers lacked the personalization tools that online commerce had developed. The original product focused narrowly on gas stations, offering consumers cashback per gallon and retailers a pay-for-performance customer acquisition channel funded from proven incremental sales.

The fuel-focused model gained traction through the late 2010s, expanding into convenience stores, groceries, and restaurants. Strategic partnerships extended reach beyond the app: integrations with Uber and Lyft let drivers earn fuel cashback inside apps they already used, and similar deals followed with Chime, Payfare, and other platforms. By 2021 the platform had enough scale to justify a broader identity.

In April 2022 GetUpside rebranded as Upside, reflecting expansion beyond fuel into the broader category of everyday purchases, and announced the $165 million Series D at a $1.5 billion valuation. The company committed 1 percent of revenue to sustainability initiatives tied to the fuel it helps sell, including carbon offset purchases.

By 2025 Upside reported that users had earned more than $1 billion in cumulative cashback and that more than $6 billion in annual commerce ran through the platform across roughly 100,000 retailers. The app reached 35 million consumers directly and through API partners, and frequent users averaged about $270 per year in earnings. Upside Pay, a feature launched at select retailers, delivers cashback instantly at the point of sale.