The 7 Best Fleet Fuel Cards in 2021

Do you want to save money on fuel and other expenses for your commercial fleet? Commercial gas cards (also known as fuel cards) allow you to track purchases and employee spending, give you detailed reports, help you manage maintenance expenses, and give you full control of spending for your business vehicles.

We’ve reviewed and rated the best fleet gas cards to bring you our top picks for 2020. Read on for the rankings, or request quick fuel card quotes to receive tailored, no-obligation quotes for free from suitable gas card suppliers.

Get your fleet out on the road with the right fuel card for your needs

Top 9 Gas Card Providers of 2020

There are plenty of fleet company gas cards, but only a few that offer significant savings and benefits for small and medium-sized fleets.

So, of all the options available, how did we single out the top seven? Well, we identified the criteria that would be most important to businesses, and conducted in-depth research into the fuel card programs available, analyzing a variety of factors including:

• Coverage: How many stations can your drivers use the card at, and where are they situated? Are they spread across the US or concentrated in a particular region?
• Savings: How many cents can you earn in rebates for each gallon of fuel your drivers buy with the card? In what other ways can the fuel card program help you save cash?
• Benefits: What handy features can the fuel card program offer to benefit your business? Does it have measures for fraud prevention, spending control, and more?

With all this in mind, we’ve compared national and regional fleet company gas cards to bring you the seven best fleet fuel cards for small business.

The top seven fuel card companies are WEX, Fuelman, ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Arco and Comdata.

Finding a fleet fuel card for the right price can be a time consuming process, but our comparison service does all the hard work for you. Click here to tell us a bit about your business, then gas card suppliers that match your requirements will be in touch in a matter of minutes. It’s as easy as that!

WEX Fleet Fuel Cards: Best Gas Station Partner Network

WEX Fleet Card

This card boldly claims to cut 15% off your fuel management costs – and after testing it, we’re happy to say that WEX delivers. The advanced purchase controls this card offers are well worth the small monthly fee of $2.

Of course, we can help if you’d like to compare WEX’s $2 fee to the prices that other fleet card suppliers charge. Just tell us about your fleet by filling in our short form, and you’ll receive tailored prices from other leading fleet card programs.

WEX FlexCard

Ideal for small fleets, this souped up savings machine gets you a 3 cent rebate at any station in WEX’s massive partner network. You can also take advantage of the WEX Connect Android/iOS app, which is a fueling station finder on steroids. Searching for stations by fuel type, brand, or fuel card services offered couldn’t be simpler.

Businesses of all sizes can save costs with fleet management tools. WEX is unique in that its fuel cards are only one aspect of a battery of fleet management solutions. Whether you manage a fleet of florists or a national trucking company, you can save more by using a WEX fuel card along with a suitable fleet management system. WEX offers its own fleet management range, but there are plenty of other superb fleet management suppliers out there.

Coverage

There are over 180,000 stations and 20,000 service centers in WEX’s network, encompassing national and regional brands like 76, BP, Citgo, ExxonMobil, Gulf, Lukoil, Marathon/Speedway and Sunoco. Any WEX card – whether it carries the WEX name or a retailer’s brand – is valid at any member station. Note, however, that not all benefits carry across between brands within the network.

Fuelman Fleet Fuel Cards: Best Service Coverage

Fuelman Fleet Cards

Fuelman offers ten different types of fleet cards. With each one, you get flexible payment terms, real-time transaction reporting, and reliable transaction controls. Higher tiers throw IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) and fuel tax reporting into the mix, as well as employee activity summaries. All ten cards offer different scaling rewards and incentives for cardholders. Savings range from 5-10 cents per gallon, with some cards capping the eligible discount past a certain number of gallons.

Fuelman Universal Fleet Cards

For some large fleets, Fuelman’s Mastercard-issued universal cards are a better bet. They’re valid nationwide, and you can get fuel rebates at stations within the Fuelman partner network. You’ve got four options to choose from, including an innovative BuilderPro card that offers construction professionals cashback at hardware stores.

Coverage

Finding a Fuelman location is easy, given the company’s extensive affiliate network. However, there are notable coverage gaps in southern Minnesota, central Massachusetts, and parts of New Mexico and Montana. You can find filling stations and amenities via the Fuelman Site Locator, or through the company’s free Android/iOS app.

If these gaps are going to cause a problem for you, you’ll be better off looking into another card program. Fortunately, we’re here to take the hassle out of finding the fleet card that’s just right for you! If you fill in our form to request quotes, we’ll match you with suppliers that can meet your needs, and they’ll be able to provide tailored quotes.

ExxonMobil Fleet Gas Cards: Best Fleet Card With No Fees

ExxonMobil Business Fleet Card

ExxonMobil’s Business Fleet card has no fees, so you won’t find any nasty surprises on your monthly balance sheet. One of our favorite features has to be the simple online account management – setting up purchase restrictions and tracking vehicle performance has never been so easy.

ExxonMobil Fleet National Card

ExxonMobil’s other offering, the Fleet National card, is issued by WEX Bank and is accepted at 90% of fueling locations in the continental United States. This card gives hands-on fleet managers even more extensive reporting and purchase management powers. This includes the ability to set up real-time spending alerts, which puts control in your hands and profit in your pocket.

Coverage

Exxon and Mobil stations tend to be concentrated on the East Coast, with coverage outside this area being limited to interstates, state highways, and major cities. There’s no coverage in Nevada, Iowa and Kansas. You can locate stations near you via the web or a free iOS/Android app, which we’d definitely recommend doing if you’re considering the Business Fleet Card. The ExxonMobil card offerings also aren’t as easy to scale as those from other fleet company gas cards.

If scalability is going to be important to you, you should investigate and compare scalable fleet card programs. We can make this process easier – simply use our online form to tell us about your business needs, and you’ll receive tailored quotes from a range of suitable providers.

BP Fleet Gas Cards: Best Introductory Offers

Business Solutions Card

The BP Business Solutions card is a great fee-free solution for small local fleets. Easy online account management and flexible reporting help you understand exactly where your money is going.

Business Solutions Plus Card

If you manage a larger regional fleet, you’re guaranteed peace of mind with this card, thanks to enhanced security and reporting features. It’s also fee-free, as long as you purchase at least 5,000 gallons of fuel a month.

Business Solutions Universal Fuel Program Card

This MasterCard-issued universal fuel card adds yet more security and even better reporting, along with purchase controls that prevent fraud and abuse. Fleets purchasing at least 5,000 gallons pay no fees.

If you’d like to find the right fleet card option for you based on how many gallons your fleet goes through, we can help you compare – just answer a few quick questions, and you’ll receive tailored quotes from the fuel card programs that can offer your business the best benefits.

Coverage

Finding one of the 7,500 BP stations is easy enough on your desktop or laptop, but users should be aware that as of 2020, BP still doesn’t have a locator app for customers in the US. And, while third-party apps do exist, we can’t vouch for their reliability at the time of writing. Also, while BP does operate several stations on both coasts, coverage west of the Mississippi can be unpredictable.

Shell Fleet Fuel Cards: Best for Fraud Prevention

Shell Small Business Card

A fantastic zero-fee card for small fleets. With it, you get purchase monitoring features, rebates, and full-time online account management. We really like the way Shell clearly itemizes different purchases in your card statements.

Shell Fleet Plus Card

The Shell Fleet Plus Card offers sliding-scale rebates based on your purchase volume. For medium-sized/regional fleets, this is a serious option. For more details, read our guide to the best fuel cards (or ‘gas cards') for small businesses.

Shell Fleet Navigator Card

This Mastercard-issued card offers top notch security, stellar customer service, and more in-depth reporting than most others. It’s also accepted at most filling stations nationwide. If you have a geofencing-enabled fleet management system, you can actually pair the two together to set up your own custom fuel network.

Coverage

Shell has 14,000+ stations covering 47 of the lower 48 states (Montana being the sole exception). There are some coverage gaps in the less-populated parts of the Midwest, Southwest, and the Mountain Time Zone. However, holders of the Fleet Navigator Card are free to roam – the card works at 95% of mainland filling stations.

Shell offers some fantastic programs – but are they right for you? We can take the hassle out of comparing and help you zero in on your ideal fleet card – just pop some details into our short form, and we’ll match you with some great options. Those suppliers will then be in touch with bespoke quotes. Yep, it’s as easy as it sounds!

Arco Fleet Gas Cards: Best in the West

ARCO Business Solutions Fuel Card

ARCO’s signature card lets your drivers fill up at any participating ARCO station. Features include: detailed reporting, security controls (using PIN codes), digital statements, tracking (by vehicle, driver or mileage), instant deactivation for lost/stolen cards, ‘fuel only’ restrictions, and full-time account access.

If you’re sticking to a budget, you’ll be well-looked after with ARCO. After all, it’s been providing quality fuel at fair prices for nearly 60 years. There are drawbacks, including a monthly charge and a per-card issuance fee that other providers waive. But, if you’re a local business with several ARCO stations nearby, this fuel card is worth a look.

Want to find the fuel card that fits your budget – fast? We can help you compare ARCO with other leading suppliers super quickly – just tell us about your needs, and you’ll receive quotes, tailored to you, from a range of fleet card companies. Easy peasy!

Comdata Fleet Gas Cards: Best Mobile App for Fleet Drivers

Comdata Card

The Comdata Card is the first universally-accepted fuel card in the transport industry. With Comdata, you get access to real-time reporting tools and an online portal for account management. Fleet managers can also set smart spending limits that maximize savings and help you stay compliant with fuel policy.

Comdata promises significant savings and 24/7 account and driver support. There’s also Comdata’s app, FleetAdvance Mobile, which is designed with drivers in mind. Drivers can connect via the Comdata Card to find the lowest fuel prices and manage their spending. Ultimately, Comdata supplies solid, all-around trucking company gas cards.

It’s certainly a strong option – but is Comdata’s exactly the right fleet card for you? We can help you find out! Just enter some fleet details into our short online form, and we’ll match you with the fleet card companies that can best cater to your needs. They’ll then be in touch with tailored deals. Our service is fast, free and easy – why not give it a try?

RTS Financial: Best for Trucking Fleets

RTS Fuel Card

RTS Financial's single gas card program – the RTS Fuel Card – has been designed specifically for truckers and trucking fleets, with major discounts on diesel, and the ability to integrate with ProTransport fleet management software for trucks (which provides real-time GPS tracking, ETA alerts, and geofencing).

We're also fans of RTS Pro – RTS’ free mobile and web app, which enables users to plan routes, find the lowest per-gallon diesel prices across the RTS Carrier Services Fuel Network, and check out parking, dining, and other services information at fuel stops nationwide. You can also use it to upload images and documents from a mobile device to your online RTS Financial factoring account, with RTS’ invoice manager.

Chevron Texaco: Best for Fuel Spending Control

Chevron Texaco Business Card

Chevron Texaco says this is a card for “businesses that keep it local and loyal”. It can be used at any of the country's 8,000 Chevron and Texaco fuel stations, which can mostly be found across the Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast. That's not the best coverage nationwide, but if your fleet operates within range of these stations, that won't be a problem for you.

Using Chevron and Texaco's online fleet cards portal, you can curb unnecessary spending with customizable purchase controls, monitor spending in real-time with automatic tracking, generate reports on day-by-day, month-by-month, or year-by-year spending, and take advantage of paperless, automatic accounting.

To top that all off, Chevron Texaco's Business card doesn't charge any setup or monthly fees – the only additional sum you’re at risk of paying with this card is a late fee (minimum $75).

Chevron Texaco Business Access Card

Chevron Texaco’s Business Access Card does everything the Business Card does. However, there are two additional benefits that set it apart. Firstly, it offers far better coverage, accepted at 95% of the country's fuel stations, making it a better fit for larger interstate fleets.

Secondly, this card offers fuel rebates – starting at 1 cent per gallon when you buy 500 to 2,000 gallons, and capping at 6 cents per gallon when you buy 10,000 gallons or more. It's worth being aware, though, that these rebates only apply when you fuel up at a Chevron or Texaco station – so savings are limited to those 8,000 locations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Do Fleet Fuel Cards Work?

Fuel cards, or fleet cards, are payment cards that fleet drivers can use to buy gasoline, diesel, and other fuels at gas stations. If the fleet manager enables it, they can also be used to pay for maintenance services and other expenses. Many fuel card programs come with perks such as rebates on fuel costs, online spend tracking and controls, and loyalty rewards.

The majority of fleet fuel cards work like credit cards – your drivers use them throughout the month, and at the end of each month (or whatever billing period you've agreed on with your provider), you pay off the amount they've spent to your fuel card provider. If that doesn't suit you, it's also possible to get prepaid fuel cards, which work more like gift certificates – you load them up with a set amount of money, and that's the amount your drivers will have to spend until you load them up again.

How Do I Get a Fuel Card For My Fleet?

There are more than 100 commercial fuel cards marketed at fleets of all shapes and sizes across the mainland US. With such a dizzying array of options, the best way to find a good fit for your fleet is to request a quote from leading providers.

What is the Easiest Fuel Card to Get?

Traditional credit-based fuel cards are generally easier to get approved for than prepaid fuel cards, so if ease is a priority for you, you'll want to look into the former. Your credit rating will have an impact on how easy you find it to join one of these fuel card programs, but don't be dismayed if your credit rating is poor – fleet cards for those with bad credit are available.

To learn more about the application process, check out our guide to applying for a fleet card program.

Is it Worth Getting a Fuel Card?

You can generally expect savings of up to 15% when you switch to a dedicated fuel card.

To understand just how much you can save with a fleet card, see the table below.

Note: The figures presented in this table are estimates. For an accurate quote, we recommend you compare bespoke quotes from leading fleet card suppliers.

What’s the Difference Between Fuel Cards and Credit Cards?

Fleet cards look and feel like credit cards, but there are some pretty big differences that mean they’re considered an alternative payment method.

The main differences between fleet fuel cards and credit cards are:

• Fuel cards have shorter payment terms
• No rolling balance is cleared (or partially cleared) each month
• Fuel isn’t paid at the point of sale – the bill is sent to your account to be paid at a later date
• Controls can be set up to allow only certain grades of fuel to be bought (e.g. petrol, petrol & gas, etc.)
• Fuel spending limits can be applied using Smartchip technology
• Liability for fraudulent purchases lies with the driver
• Card terminals are separate to those for credit cards (bunkered cards only)
• Some fleet card providers let you buy non-fuel products, including lubricants and Adblue

What is the Best Fleet Fuel Card?

Unlike regular prepaid fuel cards, fuel credit cards allow you to pay with credit at the pump. Much like regular credit cards, there are pros and cons to using them.

Firstly, fuel credit card purchases give you cash back on any purchases your drivers make. Some also offer cash back on travel expenses like car rentals, airlines, and hotels.

Fuel credit cards can also improve your credit rating. So, if you pay your fleet’s balance on time every month, you can boost your eligibility for all kinds of small business loans.

On the other hand, if you carry a balance beyond the repayment date, you’ll be hit with eye-watering APRs.

Here are a few of the top fuel credit cards on the market in 2020:

Which Type of Fuel Card is Best: Branded or Universal?

Some fuel companies issue their own fleet cards. These branded cards work just like the store cards you scan when you buy groceries at a supermarket. You can use them at any location run by your issuing company to buy fuel and benefit from special discounts.

Other fuel companies partner with payment card companies like VISA and Mastercard to offer extra fuel card services. For example, BP’s Business Solutions Universal Fuel Program Mastercard carries Mastercard’s branding, meaning you can use it anywhere that accepts Mastercard. These universal fleet cards give your fleet wider coverage than a lot of fuel cards for companies based in specific regions.

You might think universal cards are the clear winner, but both options have their perks. For one thing, branded cards avoid the payment processing fees (typically 1-3%) associated with VISA and Mastercard. Instead, fuel companies set their own fees, and many offer generous ‘no fee’ arrangements for new customers.

On top of fee waivers, branded fuel cards often give you better rewards for sticking with the same fuel supplier. So, when you sign up for BP’s branded Business Solutions Fuel Plus Program, you get a 10 cent per gallon rebate on all BP fuel purchases for your first three months. Those savings soon add up:

In short, consider opting for a universal fuel card if:

• You have a large fleet that operates across a wider area than any single fuel company covers
• You want drivers to be able to make non-fuel related purchases anywhere that accepts VISA or Mastercard
• You want the option to earn rewards and the flexibility to shop around for fuel

Likewise, think about going for a branded fuel card if:

• You have a small or mid-sized fleet that operates at a local or interstate level
• You’re happy to rely on a single company for the bulk of your fueling needs
• You plan to utilize their rewards schemes and fuel rebates to save money

All five of our favorite fuel card companies offer brilliant branded and universal options.

What Are the Best Fuel Cards For Small Business?

Here are the top four fuel cards for small business:

For more information, check out our guide to the best fuel cards (or ‘gas cards') for small businesses.

What is the Best Uber Fuel Card?

If you’re an Uber driver looking for a great deal on gas, your best option is actually Uber’s own fuel card. The ridesharing platform rewards users with:

• 15% off gas at participating stations
• At least 1.5% off gas anywhere that Mastercard is accepted

To qualify for an Uber fuel card, you need to make at least 100 trips each month. You get a $200 weekly spending limit, which is automatically deducted from your earnings. All in all, the Uber fuel card makes purchasing gas both cashless and effortless.

What is the Best Fuel Card For Bad Credit?

This depends on your credit rating. Generally speaking, fuel credit cards are easier to obtain than prepaid fuel cards, and can even be helpful if you’re having difficulty getting approved for a traditional credit card. It’s also easier to control spending on a gas credit card vs a regular credit card, since they aren’t accepted outside of gas stations.

The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card offers an APR of between 9.74 – 17.99%, based on your creditworthiness.

What is the Best Fuel Card for Truckers?

Whether you're manager of a trucking fleet or an independent trucker yourself, you'll know how trucking operating costs can add up. So, any fleet card program that offers discounts on services that you use, or decent rebates on diesel, is worth investigating. You should also be sure to get a card that'll be accepted at the gas stations that you or your team tend to frequent along your usual routes.

You might also want to find a card that you can use at truck stops, such as the WEX Fleet Cross Roads Card.

For more, check out our list of the best fleet cards for trucks, along with ratings and reviews.

Where Are Fleet Cards Accepted?

Fleet cards are designed to be used at gas stations, while some can also be used at vehicle service locations, and truck stops too.

But which gas stations can your cards be used at? That all depends on the fuel card that you choose for your fleet. More specifically, it depends on which company has issued that card, the size of its fueling network, and/or which other organisations it has partnered with.

Let's take a look at some examples. ExxonMobil's Business Fleet Card is issued by ExxonMobil, and can be used to make payments at ExxonMobil's 11,000 US stations. At the other end of the spectrum, BP's Business Solutions Universal Fuel Card is issued by MasterCard, and so can be used to make payments anywhere that MasterCard is accepted (basically almost everywhere). Similarly, WEX's fleet cards can be used at 95% of the US's gas stations, because they're all part of WEX's payment network.

Understanding the routes your drivers tend to take, and the stations at which they tend to fuel up, will help you to work out the level of acceptance coverage your team needs.