The 6 Best Fuel Cards for Truckers 2023

With operating costs for commercial trucks averaging $180,000 yearly, owner-operators must closely manage expenses. An effective fleet management strategy includes a fuel card tailored to your trucking needs, saving time, money, and resources.

But how do you decide which fuel card is right for your trucking fleet? We analysed the best fuel cards for truckers, comparing them on fees, accepted fuel types, expense management, network coverage, and added benefits.

We determined that ExxonMobil FleetPro is the best fuel card for diesel-powered trucking fleets, boasting discounts tailored to such fleets and a vast gas station network, made even more flexible with its Mastercard acceptance. If you're short on time, use our free comparison tool directly to receive tailored quotes for your trucking fleet.

What are the Best Fuel Cards for Truckers?

Trucking fleet owner-operators can save money on gas and other vehicle-related costs by paying with a fuel card. Fuel cards are credit or pre-paid cards that offer special features to fleets in the forms of rebates on gas, loyalty programs, spend reports and more.

Many fuel cards allow fleet operators to gain maximum visibility over their outgoing expenses by classing spending by driver, station and fuel type, for example.

What makes a fuel card specific to trucking fleets?

1. Extra discounts when purchasing diesel
2. An extensive network of truckstops
3. Cross-country networks of gas stations for truckers going longer distances

Select the right option below to get a free quote:

Our Top Trucker Fuel Card Picks – A Summary

We’ve done our research by scouring the best fuel cards for truckers. We analyzed key fuel card programs and rated them on the factors that matter to trucking fleets, from fees and rebates to coverage and management features.

This enabled us to select fuel cards that are the most generous and offer the best value for truckers.

Click the arrows to compare each fuel card:

1. ExxonMobil FleetPro Card – Best for Diesel-Powered Vehicles

Monthly fee: $2

How much does the ExxonMobil FleetPro card cost?

The ExxonMobil FleetPro card has a monthly cost of $2, which is lower than any other card on our list – apart from RTS.

Unlike the cards from Shell, Comdata and Edenred, this card does not offer a rebate. Instead, it has a fixed tariff structure, meaning the price of gas is aligned with a tariff set by ExxonMobil, this is great for forecasting your spending and avoiding surprises at the month-end. There is no tariff guarantee, however, which means you’ll always pay the tariff fee, even if the price at the pump happens to be lower.

How can the ExxonMobil FleetPro card help manage fuel expenses?

This card can help you keep a sharp eye on your fuel expenses because it offers useful insights into your gas spending data and allows you to view handy stats, such as miles per gallon (MPG) and miles driven in your Fleet Products Reports. This'll allow you to know exactly where each dollar spent is being used.

It is aimed at diesel-powered vehicles and claims that its Synergy Diesel Efficient™ fuel is specially formulated to help your vehicles run cleaner for 2% improved efficiency. Overall, this will reduce the need for maintenance and downtime while also improving MPG.

A downside here is that it’s the only card that does not arrange gas expenses into interactive dashboards, so it can be a little hard to get an overview in a user-friendly style.

Also, if you’re a green fleet, this card won’t help you track carbon emissions, unfortunately.

Is the ExxonMobil FleetPro card secure?

ExxonMobil’s FleetPro offers trustworthy security features, including unique driver IDs for each card and a pin-code requirement at the point of sale. Furthermore, you can keep an overview of your outgoings because the card offers the potential to set spending limits.

Although you can remotely block cards, the FleetPro does not make it possible to restrict the type of gas purchased. This allows you less control and is a feature offered by Shell, Comdata and Edenred. This card also does not send unusual activity alerts or offer fraud protection. If security is top-priority, we recommended Edenred as a suitable alternative, as it checks all of the boxes in this category.

How easy is the ExxonMobil FleetPro card to use?

With a handy station locator, your drivers will be able to find stations in range that accept the FleetPro card. The station locator does not offer insight into gas prices at each location, however since this card has a fixed tariff you’ll already know what you’ll pay.

Exxon Mobil's FleetPro has the added flexibility of being issued by Mastercard, so it can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted for non-fuel purchases. This card can be used to purchase toll fees, engine lubricants, maintenance, parking, and cleaning so you can keep all of those expenses in one place.

ExxonMobil also offers a subscription to its Exxon Mobil Rewards+ scheme, earning you points with each purchase. Every 100 points you earn, is worth $1 in savings. While this is great, FleetPro does not offer any further discounts on vehicle accessories, hotel stays or food. You also cannot pay for gas at the pump with this card, which means drivers may lose time lining up in-store.

Fee information accurate as of October 2023

2. Shell Fleet Navigator – Best for Network Coverage

Monthly fee: $2

How much does the Shell Fleet Navigator cost?

The Shell Fleet Navigator card costs $2 per month, per card, but there is also a surcharge of $1.25 added to each transaction at truck stops, which is not ideal for truckers.

This card does not offer a fixed tariff so you won’t benefit from knowing your gas prices prior to filling up or being able to accurately forecast spending. Alternatively, you’ll earn volume-based discounts depending on how many gallons you fill up, allowing you to save, on average, $0.03 per gallon. To avoid extra surcharges, you may consider ExxonMobil's FleetPro card, which has a low monthly fee of $2 and no surcharges.

How can the Shell Fleet Navigator help manage expenses?

With this card, you’ll be able to gain an overview of your outgoing gas expenses by calculating miles per gallon. You’ll also get clear insights into your spending data via interactive dashboards that arrange data into user-friendly charts.

Is the Shell Fleet Navigator secure?

If there is fraudulent spending on the fuel card, you have the power to block it remotely. It also requires each card to be assigned to a unique driver ID, allowing you to track who is spending what. It also allows you to exercise control over purchasing from afar, with a spending limit feature as well as the ability to place restrictions on the types of gas purchased.

It is worth noting that the Shell Fleet Navigator card does lack a few basic security features: no pin code is required at the point of sale, nor does it alert you of unusual activity or offer fraud protection, which can be cause for concern.

How easy is the Shell Fleet Navigator to use?

Shell Fleet Navigator helps you locate stations quickly and easily via the WEX Driver Dash app, but it does not identify the lowest gas prices, whereas Comdata and RTS do. Drivers can also save time with the contactless pay-at-pump function.

This card will not offer you discounts on hotel stays or food nor can it be used for other expenses like toll fees, engine lubricants, maintenance, parking or cleaning fees. You also cannot collect loyalty points with this card, as with ExxonMobil’s FleetPro. While its list of extra perks is pretty thin, you can enjoy a 20% discount at participating Jiffy Lube stores.

For extra savings, consider the RTS card, which also gives you discounts on preventative maintenance, tires, and more.

Fee information accurate as of October 2023

3. Comdata Card – Best for Convenience

Monthly fee: $8

How much does the Comdata Card cost?

The Comdata Card has a significantly higher fee than other cards at $8 per card, per month. On top of that, there's a one-off $50 sign-up fee. Luckily, there are no extra surcharges with this card.

Depending on the filling station you visit, you can access rebates between $0.08 – $0.25 per gallon, one of the largest savings of all the cards we researched. While ExxonMobil, Shell and Edenred's cards are cheaper, we reckon the Comdata perks are worth it.

How can the Comdata Card help manage expenses?

Comdata’s FleetAdvance app grants you an overview of your funds and the interactive dashboards display your expenses in a user-friendly chart, ensuring clarity over your expenses. Unfortunately, this card does not allow users to calculate miles per gallon, which is a key factor in gaining an overview of fuel efficiency. It also does not provide carbon emissions data.

Is the Comdata Card secure?

Even though it does not have a pin code function, the Comdata card has many other impressive security features. You can maintain complete control over your fuel purchases by setting spending limits on each card, and you can restrict certain fuel types, ensuring the correct type is bought. Each card will also need to be individually registered to assigned drivers, so you’ll be aware of how much each driver spends.

This card goes further in its security measures than Shell and ExxonMobil, alerting you when it detects unusual activity and allowing you to remotely block the card. If you have less than 10 fuel cards, you’ll also receive fraud protection of up to $50 in case of misuse.

How easy is the Comdata Card to use?

Truckers can benefit from a station locator in the Comdata app, which highlights stations with the biggest savings. As an extra, Comdata can also provide you with low-cost radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that can be used at 100s of stations US-wide for cardless fueling that uses the same controls, data and prompts as a physical card. This also allows drivers to pay for gas at the pump, saving lots of time in the process.

This card is flexible when it comes to paying for other expenses beyond just gas. You can also pay for toll fees, engine lubricants, vehicle maintenance, parking and cleaning fees with this card. As well as that, you can get discounts on tires and hotel stays but unfortunately not on food. Since you can make a lot of purchases on this card, it would be great if Comdata offered a loyalty program to maximize savings but as of yet, there is not one available.

Fee information accurate as of October 2023

4. Edenred Essentials – Best for Security Features

Monthly fee: $3

How much does Edenred Essentials cost?

The Edenred Essentials card will set you back $3 per month, per registered card. Rather than working with fixed tariffs or tariff guarantees, with this card you’ll pay the regular gas station rate, which can of course fluctuate.

It provides savings in the form of rebates, which varies according to volume but, averages $0.025 per gallon.

How can Edenred Essentials help manage expenses?

Its interactive dashboard and data visualization features allow for easy viewing of your fuel expenses and miles per gallon. Coupled with rebates, this should help you keep a handle on your expenses. Despite this card being valid to pay for electric vehicle charging it does not offer other green features such as carbon emissions data.

Is Edenred Essentials secure?

You can be safe in the knowledge that Edenred Essentials offers watertight security features. Each card is assigned a unique ID to the driver, who must then enter a pin code when making purchases. With a variety of remote functions, such as spending limits, limits on fuel types, remote card blocking, fraud protection, and unusual activity alerts, you can stay in control via an easy-to-use dashboard on your phone or computer.

Not only this, the card itself is an EMV chip card. These cards are more secure than magnetic stripe cards as they are basically impossible to clone, and transactions cannot be replayed.

How easy is Edenred Essentials to use?

Edenred Essentials can be used for more than just fuel. You can also pay for toll fees, engine lubricants, maintenance, parking, and cleaning, allowing you to keep all your expenses on one card.

On the other hand, there are no discounts available on vehicle accessories, hotel stays or food with this card. There is also no Edenred-branded loyalty program, but you can get a free Costco membership with the card. A great saving, since it would usually set you back $60.00 per year.

Since it's issued by Visa, the Edenred Essentials card has great network coverage. As well as gasoline and diesel, it can also be used for filling up electric vehicles, so it's an ideal choice for fleet managers working with EVs or hybrid vehicles or who are looking to electrify in the future.

Unfortunately, it does not offer a station locator tool or a fuel comparison function. If that's a deal breaker for you, consider the Comdata Card, which allows you to locate stations with the biggest savings.

Annoyingly, there is also no pay-at-pump function, which can affect your drivers’ time on the road.

Fee information accurate as of October 2023

5. BP Business Solutions Mastercard – Best Benefits for Large Trucking Fleets

Monthly fee: $10 (waived after 5,000 gallons purchased)

How much does the BP Business Solutions Mastercard cost?

This BP Business Solutions Mastercard comes with zero monthly fees if it is used to buy more than 5,000 gallons of fuel per month. If you buy less than that, you'll pay a $10 account fee each month. It's unclear whether this charge is per overall account or per individual card, so that may be worth checking if your fleet consumes less than 5,000 gallons per month.

Rather than working with a fixed tariff system, this card provides rebates on gas. The terms and conditions make it clear that the rebate offer (of up to 7¢ per gallon) can be subject to change after your first 12 months of the contract, which means that you cannot count on maintaining the same level of saving in the future. Furthermore, this card is not the best for diesel-powered vehicles, since the rebate on diesel is capped at 3.5¢, a better choice would be ExxonMobil which aims its discounts at diesel.

How can the BP Business Solutions Mastercard help manage expenses?

This card offers ample opportunity to stay on top of your expenses. These include tracking per gallon, cost per mile, the ability to set purchasing limits, as well as transaction reports. The ability to rapidly reduce your accounting time via BP’s portal is a plus as it will leave you with more time to focus on core business operations.

Is the BP Business Solutions Mastercard secure?

With the BP Business Solutions Mastercard, you can keep track of when your cards are used, who they are used by, and how much they’ve spent. Their driver identification feature allows you to maintain an overview of individual driver spending. If one of your cards is lost or stolen, you can deactivate it immediately, preventing any misuse. It is not clear whether this card requires a pin-code to be used, or whether it offers any compensation in the case of fraud.

How easy is the BP Business Solutions Mastercard to use?

While the card can be used for fuel purchases anywhere that Mastercard is accepted, the purchase will be subject to an out-of-network transaction fee if its not a BP or Amoco branded station. Luckily, there is a handy station finder, allowing drivers to locate a branded station and avoid those extra fees.

It is also worth noting that this card has one of the smallest networks, with approximately 7,000 stations where rebates apply. In comparison, Shell’s has a massive network of 107,000 stations, which covers 95% of the country.

Fee information accurate as of October 2023

6. RTS Fuel Card – Best Discounts for Truckers

No monthly fees!

How much does the RTS Fuel Card cost?

There are no annual or monthly fees with the RTS Fuel Card, but there is a 50¢ transaction fee that you need to be aware of, as well as a $3 out-of-network fee should you use the card outside of the approved network, which is rather small.

Unlike the ExxonMobil FleetPro, the RTS Fuel Card does not work on a fixed tariff structure. Instead it offers rebates, which retroactively reward you with savings on gas purchased.

While this card gives high rebates of up to 25¢ per gallon, its network only includes 2,400 stations. This is a significantly large rebate, but it's applicable to a much smaller network than giants such as Shell, whose card can be used at more than 107,000 stations, despite offering less of a rebate at only 3¢ per gallon.

How can the RTS Fuel Card help manage expenses?

With extra savings at Pilot Flying J and a generous line of credit of up to $3,200 per truck, per week, this card is full of extras if you’re willing to forfeit a large network of stations.

By signing up with RTS, you can save on fuel and other fleet-related costs, such as preventative maintenance, tire costs, and other truck care services. One thing that is unclear is whether you'll have insights into stats such as MPG, which some other cards such as the ExxonMobil FleetPro card and Shell Fleet Navigator do offer.

Is the RTS Fuel Card secure?

Unlike Edenred’s tight security measures, there is no information about its security features, such as a pin code or fraud prevention for the RTS Fuel Card. The RTS Pro app, however, allows you to store all invoices in an online factoring account, which can help you keep all your finances in one easy-access, private location.

How easy is the RTS Fuel Card to use?

With the RTS Pro app, your drivers can access a comprehensive program that will allow them to manually find nearby filling stations – and locate those with the lowest fuel rates. However, it does not allow drivers to find stations along a route, which is not the most intuitive. A plus is that the app allows you to view credit data, fuel discounts, and more.

The RTS Fuel Card will also get you exclusive discounts on preventative maintenance, tires, and more at 90 truck care locations, including Pilot Flying J, Boss Shop, and Sapp Bros, a great plus for trucking fleets. You can also get discounts of 35% off your fuel tax software.

Fee information accurate as of October 2023

What are the Benefits of Fuel Cards for Owner-Operators?

As a fleet owner-operator looking to drive extra savings at the gas pump, you may be considering what's best for purchasing gas – a credit card or a specialized fuel card. Let's take a look at the differences.

• Diesel discounts
  • Fuel cards usually offer significant discounts on diesel purchases, between 3-25 cents per gallon on average which racks up significant savings over time. Credit cards rarely offer fuel-specific discounts.
• Simplified transactions and accounting
  • Fuel card transactions are often simpler – just swipe and go. Credit cards sometimes require signing receipts or checking IDs which can lead to more downtime when on the road. Also, some fuel card providers offer accounting features and end-of-month invoicing, which takes the sting out of time-consuming bookkeeping.
• Extra perks and discounts
  • Some fuel cards offer rewards like cash back or free maintenance services. Rewards are also common with credit cards but perhaps not fleet-specific. You may be able to use third-party discount schemes to score extra savings. Signing up with GasBuddy allows you to find the cheapest gas prices in your area, and Upside allows you to earn cashback on your debit, credit or fleet card purchases at a variety of locations.

Use our free comparison tool to find your best-suited fuel card, and use our calculator to see just how much a fuel card could save you on gas.

How Much Can Fuel Rebates Save You On Gas?

We created a simple calculator to help visualize how much a fuel card can save you when filling up your trucks. Just punch in your average gas consumption and rates and choose your provider to see the results.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Fuel Card?

There are many advantages to using a fuel card.

• With gas being one of the largest expenses for fleets, the saving potential of purchasing gas with a fuel card is invaluable. On top of rebates, fleets with high fuel consumption will be able to score extra discounts and perks by signing up with a fuel card provider.
• Fleet managers will also be able to set detailed spending limits and restrictions on where, when and who uses the card. This prevents fraudulent transactions and overspending.
• Furthermore, they are convenient for drivers to use. Your drivers will no longer need to carry cash or purchase gas on their own accounts and claim the money back. This simplifies accounting and it's overall safer for your drivers when they're on the road.

While there aren't many downsides to using a fuel card over a regular credit card, one may be that not all cards are universally accepted. Your drivers may not be able to fill up at the closest station, instead having to drive further than necessary. Luckily, some fuel cards have close to universal acceptance rates. For example, the ExxonMobil FleetPro card can be used at any station that accepts Mastercard, which covers most of the U.S.

How We Test Fuel Cards for Trucking Fleets

We tested 13 market-leading fuel cards to evaluate them in terms of price, convenience, security and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to US trucking fleets.

Our rigorous testing process means these cards have been scored and rated in five main categories of investigation and 13 subcategories – this means 43 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers – and that's our algorithm.

Our main testing categories for vehicle tracking systems are:

• Security refers to the measures in place by the fuel card provider to ensure the safety and protection of your information.
• Customer Support includes the assistance the fuel card provider provides you with, such as phone support, email or chat support, documentation, knowledge bases, and online forums.
• Expense Management refers to the features of the fuel card such as transaction tracking, expense reporting, receipt storage, integration with accounting systems and customizable expense categories.
• Convenience refers to the ease of use and accessibility of the fuel card, including factors such as the acceptance network of fuel stations, availability, price comparison tool, contactless payment at pumps and more.
• Card Specific Information refers to the details associated with the fuel card itself, such as card fees, accepted fuel type, card type, fee structure and network coverage and its potential to pay for items and services other than fuel.

The Expert Market Product Testing Process

Next Steps

Now you know how each of the best fuel cards for truckers can benefit your business, it’s time to discover which one is the best match for your needs and find out how to apply for a gas card.

To help you decide on the right fuel card program for you, take advantage of our free quote-finding service. All you need to do is answer a few questions about your trucking fleet (it only takes a minute), and we'll match you up with the best fuel card suppliers for your unique needs. They'll be in touch to discuss your requirements, and provide obligation-free quotes that are tailored to your business. It's the easiest, fastest way to zero in on the card programs that are right for you.