This article explains what makes up your PerkUp balance, why parts of it may only work at certain merchants, and what spending limits apply.
What is my PerkUp balance made of?
Your balance is the total of the budgets from every active reward (called a "program") you've received. If you've gotten three rewards from your employer and all three are still active, your balance is the sum of what's left on each one. Each reward keeps its own budget behind the scenes, even though you see one combined number.
Why can I only spend part of my balance on certain things?
Each reward is approved for a specific set of merchant categories — for example Food, Fitness, Home Office, or Swag — or it's marked "all merchants." When you try to spend, PerkUp checks whether the category matches an approved category on one of your funded rewards. If a $50 reward was sent for Fitness only, that $50 can be spent at approved fitness merchants but not, say, a grocery store — even though it still shows up in your total balance.
This is the most common reason a balance that "shows money" still gets declined at checkout or on the Perk Card: the total balance is real, but individual dollars are tagged to specific categories.
Is there a spending limit on my balance?
If you use the Perk Card, spending is capped at $1,000 per month on the card, regardless of how large your balance is. This is separate from category restrictions — a purchase can be within the $1,000 monthly limit and still get declined if the merchant doesn't match an approved category.
Where can I actually spend my balance?
Depending on what your organization enables, you can spend through the swag store, gift cards, Amazon (in eligible countries), or the Perk Card. Each surface is still gated by your rewards' approved categories. For a full breakdown of spending options, see "What can I spend my PerkUp balance on?"
Why do two coworkers see different balances or spending options?
Balances and category access depend entirely on the rewards each person has received — the amount, the categories approved, and whether the reward covers all merchants. Your organization's settings (for example, whether gift cards, Amazon, or the Perk Card are enabled at all) also affect what you see. Two people at the same company can have very different spending options if they were sent different rewards.
What if my balance isn't working the way I expect?
If you have a balance shown but a purchase is being declined, the most likely cause is a category mismatch — the merchant you're trying to use doesn't match any of your funded rewards' approved categories. See "My balance is zero or lower than expected" and "Why was my transaction declined?" for troubleshooting steps.