The Best Cash Back Apps for Gas – Get Paid at the Pump

Written By:

Apr 26, 2022

The Best Cash Back Apps for Gas – Get Paid at the Pump

Joy Wallet is advertiser-supported: we may earn compensation from the products and offers mentioned in this article. However, any expressed opinions are our own and aren't influenced by compensation. To read our full disclosure, click here.

If you have paid for gas in recent months then you know how painful it is to pay higher prices when we fill up. When gas prices go up, it’s a direct hit to our budget that has to be made up somewhere else. We don’t have too much control over the price at the pump, but we do have another way to fight back — using cash back apps for gas.

There’s more competition than ever for mobile apps and browser extensions to help us save money. While we might not get rich off any of these programs, it’s a great way to earn a little extra money on something we already have to budget for. Most of these apps are virtually effortless, which means it’s definitely worth downloading to save money throughout the year.

In this article

Overview of the best cash back apps for gas

Cash back app	Best For
GasBuddy	Stacking the cheapest gas prices with cash back
GetUpside	Earning cash back on gas and convenience store goodies
TruNow	Use at a retailer participating in program
Ibotta	Fast cash back and numerous retail options
Dosh	Automatic earnings without uploading a receipt
Receipt Hog	For use at any gas station or retailer

Best cash back apps for gas

GasBuddy

GasBuddy has a variety of ways to earn money from gas purchases when you download the mobile app. For starters, you can easily search the price of gas all around you, based on your location, so you know right away if you’ve found the cheapest gas so you can pay the least expensive amount for a gallon of gas.

To earn cash back you need to sign up for the free GasBuddy fuel card. To sign up you need to provide your address (to mail you the actual gas card) and link a checking account to it so you can earn the cash back. When you swipe the card whenever you fill up then you’re eligible to earn up to 25 cents per gallon. One of the best aspects is the card works at 95% of gas stations, so your chances of earning are exponentially higher.

By finding both the cheapest gas and using the GasBuddy fuel card, you know you’re getting the best deal possible on gas.

Earn Real Money With Survey Junkie!

Earn Real Money Fast by Filling Out Surveys!

Sign up for FREE & complete your profile
Earn points for taking surveys
Redeem your points for cash or gift cards
$55k+ Paid to Survey Junkie members daily
Complete 3+ surveys a day, earn up to $100/mo.

Try it today!

GetUpside

GetUpside is another highly-rated free app to earn cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurants. The app partners with over 45,000 retail locations, including over 25,000 of the most popular gas stations, which means you have a greater chance of earning with GetUpside. Gas stations like Exxon, Speedway, Shell, Valero, Mobil, and most other major gas brands are included, and you can earn up to 25 cents cash back per gallon, or on your favorite snacks and drinks for purchase in the convenience stores.

First, you download the app and scroll through the various offers in your area. You have to claim and activate the offer you want to take advantage of inside the app. Once you do so, you make your purchase and pay for it like you normally would, but then you either check in on your phone or take a photo of your receipt and upload it. When you’re ready to cash out, you do so either by PayPal, selecting a gift card, or a bank transfer.

TruNow

Trunow is a simple, straightforward app where you earn cash back on gas, groceries, or with other retailers. If a gas station participates in the TruNow program then you can earn 2% cash back, if it’s not then you earn 1%. You can earn even more by purchasing certain items inside the convenience store.

To claim a cash back reward, you simply take a photo of your receipt and upload it to the app. If it’s a retailer that participates in the TruNow rewards program, then you will immediately earn points which eventually convert to cash back.

However, with an overall 1.9 star rating in the App Store, it seems not everyone agrees this is the best option for cash back. While earning money is the easy part, most negative reviews revolve around the 50% cut taken out when you choose to transfer earnings via PayPal. If you use the gift card payout option then it may be worth using.

Ibotta

Ibotta is a well-known cash back app for grocery stores and pharmacies, but did you know you can use this same beloved app for cash back from convenience stores and gas stations? It’s also a browser extension, making it useful for online shopping. While gas stations are not the main focus of this app, chances are you can find other offers to claim, since there are over 500,000 store locations to choose from.

The first step is to install the Ibotta mobile app or browser extension. The second step is to go through the app or site and claim the offers you will most likely use. When you do make a qualifying purchase, simply snap a photo of your receipt and upload it. Another convenient option with Ibotta is to link your store loyalty programs and it will automatically link your purchase.

Ibotta is popular for a variety of reasons but one is thanks to its straightforward cash out program. When you hit a minimum of $20, you can cash out using PayPal, loading the money onto a gift card, or having the cash deposited into your checking account. The key to having the most success with Ibotta is to make sure you claim an offer before redeeming it, otherwise, you won’t earn the cash back.

Read a full review on Ibotta.

Earn Real Money With Survey Junkie!

Earn Real Money Fast by Filling Out Surveys!

Sign up for FREE & complete your profile
Earn points for taking surveys
Redeem your points for cash or gift cards
$55k+ Paid to Survey Junkie members daily
Complete 3+ surveys a day, earn up to $100/mo.

Try it today!

Dosh

If you like the idea of earning cash back but don’t think you have the patience or bandwidth to upload a photo receipt, then Dosh may be the answer. Like Ibotta, once you download the app you have to select the offer you want to activate. Dosh offers a combination of both online and local merchants to increase your earnings potential.

Where Dosh is different from the others is that you link your debit or credit card. Once you take advantage of a cash back offer by using one of your linked cards, then the money is added to your account. You can link multiple cards, which is useful for all the members of your family or if you have several cards for purchases. Once you meet the $25 earning threshold, you can cash out via Venmo, PayPal, your checking account, or choose to donate it to a charity.

Dosh does offer gas and auto cash back opportunities, but they are more limited compared to other options on this list. However, if you’re looking for the easiest, least time-consuming way to earn cash back, then Dosh is worth considering.

Earn Real Money With Survey Junkie!

Earn Real Money Fast by Filling Out Surveys!

Sign up for FREE & complete your profile
Earn points for taking surveys
Redeem your points for cash or gift cards
$55k+ Paid to Survey Junkie members daily
Complete 3+ surveys a day, earn up to $100/mo.

Try it today!

Receipt Hog

Receipt Hog may be a funny name, but your chance to save money on gas is no laughing matter. By simply downloading the Receipt Hog app and scanning or uploading your receipt, you can earn cash back from gas stations, grocery stores, and other retailers. Any receipt and any store are eligible.

Receipt Hog works slightly differently than other apps in that you earn coins, which can be converted to a cash-out through PayPal or a gift card. The key with Receipt Hog is to take advantage of all the chances to earn coins. By connecting your email, taking surveys, referring friends, or doing other tasks, you can earn coins each day.

Related: Best Gas Credit Cards – Save At The Gas Stations.

Comparing gas cash back apps

Cash Back App	Cash-Out Minimum	Availability
GasBuddy	N/A	Mobile only
GetUpside	$10	Mobile only
TruNow	$5	Mobile only
Ibotta	$20	Mobile app and online
Dosh	$25	Mobile only
Receipt Hog	1,000 coins	Mobile app and online

FAQs

Do cash back apps for gas cost money?

No, all the apps that made our list are free to download!

Are cash back apps for gas and other retailers legit?

Yes, all the apps listed here are legitimate and free to use. As long as you agree to and follow the terms and conditions then you may be able to earn cash back for everyday purchases.

How much cash back on gas purchases can I earn?

The good news is there is really no cap on how much you can earn. The downside is, it may take you a while to see significant results. Realistically, you could expect to earn $5 a week or more with consistent use, but it all depends on how frequently you take advantage of offers.

Earn Real Money With Survey Junkie!

Earn Real Money Fast by Filling Out Surveys!

Sign up for FREE & complete your profile
Earn points for taking surveys
Redeem your points for cash or gift cards
$55k+ Paid to Survey Junkie members daily
Complete 3+ surveys a day, earn up to $100/mo.

Try it today!

The bottom line

No matter what the recent headlines may say, it looks like higher gas prices will stick around for a while. If you need to purchase gas then fight the higher prices by downloading cash back apps. These mobile apps require minimal effort, you have to spend money anyways, and you may be able to boost your bank account in the process.

Joy Wallet is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor, financial advisor, loan broker, insurance producer, or insurance broker. Its articles, interactive tools and other content are provided to you for free, as self-help tools and for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide investment advice. Joy Wallet does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information in regard to your individual circumstances. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific investment issues. Featured estimates are based on past market performance, and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market. We are compensated by our partners, which may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on our site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice. Our editorials are grounded on independent research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services.

We value your privacy. We work with trusted partners to provide relevant advertising based on information about your use of Joy Wallet’s and third-party websites and applications. This includes, but is not limited to, sharing information about your web browsing activities with Meta (Facebook) and Google. All of the web browsing information that is shared is anonymized. To learn more, click on our Privacy Policy link.

Images appearing across JoyWallet are courtesy of shutterstock.com.

Sara Coleman is a former corporate gal turned creative entrepreneur. She began writing professionally several years ago and now contributes to multiple websites, blogs, and magazines. She’s also an avid reader and can’t resist a great historical fiction novel. Sara holds a BA in journalism from the University of Georgia and can be found supporting her Bulldogs every chance she has. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her wonderfully supportive husband and three children. When she’s not ushering her kids to sports and dance lessons, she can be found creating content for her own website, TheProperPen.com.

Share this article