Want to know how much cash back you could get on gas? Enter what you pay per fill-up and how often you fill up, and this gas cash back calculator shows what you’d pay with your current card, with Upside, with a 5% cash back card, or with both stacked.
I built this based on how I save on gas myself: I use Upside for cash back per gallon and pay with the PayPal Debit Card for 5% cash back on fuel.
Gas Cash Back Calculator
See what you’d pay for gas with your card, Upside, a 5% cash back card, or a combination.
Your gas
Your card
Yearly savings compared
How this is calculated
- Monthly spend = cost per fill-up × fill-ups per month (a year has 52 weeks and 365 days, divided by 12 months)
- Gallons per month = monthly spend ÷ price per gallon
- Upside = gallons × Upside cash back per gallon
- Your card = your cash back % × your gas spend
- 5% card = 5% of your gas spend, on up to $1,000 a month (the PayPal Debit Card’s limit)
- Stacked = Upside + card. You pay the full pump price with the card, then Upside pays you back separately.
- You’d pay = monthly spend − savings. Yearly savings = monthly savings × 12.
- Your real gas price = pump price minus all the cash back you get back per gallon
The U.S. average is based on $2,411 a year spent on gas per household (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). Upside offers change by station and day, so treat this as an estimate.
How to Use the Gas Cash Back Calculator
- Cost per fill-up: what you usually pay to fill your tank.
- How often you fill up: from every day to once a month.
- Gas price per gallon: the price at your usual station.
- Upside cash back: compare the price in the Upside app with the pump price. If the pump says $6.10 and Upside shows $6.05, enter 5¢.
- Your card: your current card’s cash back on gas. Enter 0 if it doesn’t give any.
Not sure what you spend on gas? Click “Use the U.S. average”. It’s based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics figure of $2,411 a year spent on gas per household, about $201 a month.
How Stacking Works
Upside and a cash back card don’t cancel each other out. You pay the full pump price with your card and earn cash back on it, and Upside pays you its cash back separately. That’s why stacking both saves the most.
Gas Cash Back Calculator FAQ
How much can I save on gas with Upside?
It depends on the offer and how much gas you buy. Use the calculator above with your own numbers. Upside offers change by station and day.
Can you use Upside with a cash back card?
Yes. Pay with your card at the pump, and you earn both your card’s cash back and Upside’s cash back.
Which card gives 5% cash back on gas?
I use the PayPal Debit Card, which gives 5% cash back on fuel on up to $1,000 a month. Here’s my PayPal Debit Card review.
What does “your real gas price” mean?
It’s what each gallon actually costs you after all your cash back. For example, $6.10 at the pump minus 5¢ from Upside and 5% back from your card works out to about $5.75 a gallon.
This calculator gives estimates for informational purposes only. Actual savings depend on your offers, card terms and gas prices.