Shell Fleet Cards Review: Are They Right for Your Fleet?

Shell logo

Shell offers three branded fleet cards, aimed at small businesses and larger fleets alike.

Finding the right fuel card program for your fleet can make life easier for both you and your drivers. Fleet cards can give you greater control over your gas expenses, and make the process of filling up smoother while saving you money in the meantime. With unstable gas prices, it’s more important than ever to make smart choices around your fleet expenses and find the best-suited program for your individual needs. That’s why we’ve done a deep dive into Shell’s fees, coverage, and pros and cons.

With 10 years of experience evaluating the best fleet card providers the market has to offer, we’re well-equipped to put Shell under the microscope and examine why it shines, and what it lacks. Read on for our expert advice on Shell’s different fleet cards, and whether or not they’re right for you.

Shell Quick Facts

  • Shell Fleet Plus® Card is best for those seeking maximum rebates on fuel with an average of 4¢ per gallon, and zero card fees.
  • Shell Small Business™ Card is best for those who would like help with cash flow since you’ll be able to carry a monthly balance.
  • Shell Fleet Navigator® Card is best for cross-country fleets that value wide network coverage, with a near-universal acceptance rate of 95% of US stations.

Shell Fleet Cards: Fees and Discounts

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0 out of 0
Best For

Maximum savings and zero fees

Best For

Carrying a monthly balance

Best For

Wide US network coverage

Card Fees

No card fees or surcharges

Card Fees

None

Card Fees
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates of 4¢ per gallon on average

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates between 1¢ and 5¢ per gallon, depending on how much you buy per month

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates of 3¢ per gallon on average

Perks

15% off at Jiffy Lube

Perks

15% off at Jiffy Lube

Perks

20% off at Jiffy Lube


The Pros and Cons of Shell

Pro: Zero card fees

Many fleet cards have hidden fees or monthly charges that add up and deduct from your overall saving, which is not ideal if you run a small business where every cent counts. Shell’s Small Business and Fleet Plus cards carry zero card fees and you can earn average rebates of 3-4¢ per gallon at no extra cost.

Pro: Access to handy apps

Shell’s fleet cards give access to WEX’s suite of fleet management apps, including Driver Dash, to locate the nearest stations, ClearView, to analyse fueling trends and Fleet SmartHub, to have smartphone access to your account when on the go.

Pro: 24/7 customer service

You never know what will happen next when on the road, but it’s nice to see that you or your drivers can reach Shell’s customer service at all hours as its available 24/7, 365 days a year. This is a feature we’ve not seen with any other fleet card providers, so definitely a huge plus.

Con: No rewards scheme

A downside to Shell’s range of fleet cards is that they don’t offer much in terms of extra perks, such as a rewards scheme, or any extra discounts. Other providers, such as ExxonMobil and Edenred, do offer freebies to maximize your overall saving outside of your fleet expenses.

Shell’s Cards Explained

Below we’ve broken down Shell’s three fleet card options, Shell Fleet Plus® Card, Shell Small Business™ Card and Shell Fleet Navigator® Card. We’ve considered key factors such as card fees, savings and top strengths to identify which card is best for your fleet’s individual needs.

Swipe right to see more
0 out of 0
Best For

Maximum savings and zero fees

Best For

Carrying a monthly balance

Best For

Wide US network coverage

Card Fees

No card fees or surcharges

Card Fees

None

Card Fees
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates of 4¢ per gallon on average

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates between 1¢ and 5¢ per gallon, depending on how much you buy per month

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates of 3¢ per gallon on average


Shell Small Business Card
The Shell Small Business Card
Shell Logo
Shell Small Business Card
Savings 3¢ per gallon
Quick overview

Shell's Small Business Card is aptly named as it's a great choice for smaller fleets who have less margin for investment. It comes with no card charges, no monthly or annual fees, and no cost for additional cards, it also allows cardholders to carry over a monthly balance to ease cash flow issues. Plus, holders can get 15% off Jiffy Lube oil changes and preventative services (at participating stations).

Details
Card Type Credit
Fee Structure Rebates of 3¢ per gallon on average
Accepted Fuel Type Gasoline and diesel
Minimum Spend N/A
Network Coverage 13,000
Truckstop Coverage Yes
Non-fuel Products None
Additional Perks 15% Discount at Jiffy Lube

Shell Fleet Plus Card
The Shell Fleet Plus Card
Shell Logo
Shell Fleet Plus®
Savings Up to 6¢ per gallon
Quick overview

The biggest plus with the Shell Fleet Plus® card is that there are no fees, and that goes for sign-up, monthly and annual. That means you can take advantage of the great saving opportunities offered at no extra cost to your business. With some other cards, you may end up spending as much in fees as you save in rebates if you don't use the card enough. With the Shell card, you will save money regardless of how much you fill up.

If you fill up more than 10,000 gallons per month, you can earn a solid rebate of up to 6¢ per gallon. What’s more, is that there are no set-up or monthly card fees to access these savings. You'll also get 15% off at participating Jiffy Lube locations, which is sure to come in handy.

Shell's Fleet Plus Card can only be used to buy fuel at Shell stations, but with 13,000 stations covering 47 of the lower 48 states (Montana is the exception), the coverage may well be good enough for your fleet. Need a little more coverage? The WEX Fleet Card covers 95% of all U.S. stations, so could be a more suitable alternative for cross-country drivers.

With this card, you’ll also gain access to the Fleet SmartHub® app, which provides you with a clear overview of your transactions and available credit and also allows you to spot potential misuse and cancel stolen or lost cards.

Read our in-depth review on Shell's fleet cards.

Strengths

Comes with an excellent station finder web app

Data reports point out opportunities for you to save money

Shell provides 24/7 customer service to fuel card users

Weaknesses

Coverage gaps in some parts of the Midwest and Southwest

Rebates are only truly generous if you buy over 10,000 gallons per month

Pricing
Set-up feesMonthly feesAnnual fees
None None None

Shell Fleet Navigator Card
The Shell Fleet Navigator Card
Shell Logo
Shell Fleet Navigator
Quick overview

The Shell Fleet Navigator Card is a good choice for larger regional and national fleets. It lays claim to a few handy features that its two cousins don't. For example, the reporting and security functions this program comes with are all customizable, and customer service is available via real-time customer updates.

Plus, while it's accepted at all Shell locations, this card can also be used at over 95% of all fuel stations nationwide, and the use of the card can be geofenced (that is to say, you can set virtual borders around the area your fleet operates in), letting you customize your business's own fuel network.

Details
Card Type Credit
Fee Structure Rebates of 3¢ per gallon on average
Accepted Fuel Type Gasoline and diesel
Minimum Spend N/A
Network Coverage 95% of US stations, roughly 107,000
Truckstop Coverage Yes, but $1.25 transaction fee at Truck Stops
Non-fuel Products N/A
Additional Perks 15% off at Jiffy Lube


Are Any of Shell’s Fleet Cards Right for My Business?

If you’re simply looking for a fuel card with no credit check, you could go far with the Shell Refillable Card, which works like a gift card. But if you’re keen to equip your business with digital management tools, take a look at the below options.

‘I run a small fleet’

As the name goes, the Shell Small Business card is intended for smaller fleets as it can help with cashflow issues that are especially common in the growing stage of any business by allowing customers to carry a monthly balance. If money is tight, you may want to consider the best fuel cards with discounts right now.

If cashflow is not an issue and you’d prefer to maximize your fuel savings with higher rebates, the Shell Fleet Plus may be your best bet. Both of these cards have zero card fees so they are among the best fuel cards for smaller fleets.

‘I run a large fleet’

If you’re running a larger operation, you may benefit from a larger network coverage and we’d recommend the Shell Fleet Navigator since it covers 95% of the country. Otherwise, the Shell Fleet Plus is a great all-rounder, with maximum savings on fuel and zero card fees.

‘I run a fleet of trucks’

One of the best fuel cards for trucking fleets covering long distances is the Shell Fleet Navigator, as it has wide network coverage covering 95% of the US. That being said, it charges a $1.25 transaction fee at truck stops so it’s not 100% ideal. We’d also recommend the WEX Fleet Cross Roads Card, as it has unparalleled truckstop coverage and no extra charges at truck stops.


How Do Shell’s Fleet Cards Compare to Its Competitors?

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0 out of 0
Card Fees

No card fees or surcharges

Card Fees
Card Fees
Card Fees
Card Fees
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates of 4¢ per gallon on average

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates of 3¢ per gallon for the first 6 months

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

1¢ /gallon (up to 3,999 gallons/month)
2¢ /gallon (10,000-14,999 gallons/month)
3¢ /gallon (20,000-24,999 gallons/month)

(Up to 4¢ per gallon)

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Fixed tariff for consistent gas prices

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Average rebate on gas between $0.08 – $0.25 per gallon

Network Coverage

13,000

Network Coverage

Accepted at 95% of US gas stations which is approximately 107,000 stations

Network Coverage

Accepted anywhere that accepts Visa

Network Coverage

13,000+

Network Coverage

15,000+

Perks

15% off at Jiffy Lube

Perks

None

Perks

Costco Membership

Perks

Exxon Mobil Rewards+ Points

Perks

Discounts on tires and hotels

Shell vs Competitors: Price

With zero card fees, Shell’s Fleet Plus card beats competitors ExxonMobil, Edenred and Comdata. The WEX FlexCard similarly, has no monthly charges. Comdata is by far the most expensive at $8 per month, while ExxonMobil ($2 per month) and Edenred ($3 per month) are a little less steep. Shell’s zero card fees are a huge plus since saving on fuel costs is possibly the biggest attraction for getting a fuel card in the first place.

Shell vs Competitors: Network Coverage

WEX and Edenred tie in this department as they both have extensive coverage. WEX covers 95% of the US (107,000 stations), while Edenred is accepted wherever Visa is accepted, which gives it a similarly universal reach as WEX. Shell’s Fleet Plus card is only accepted at 13,000 which is comparatively narrow. On the other hand, the Shell Fleet Navigator card is partnered with WEX so has the same vast network coverage spanning 95% of the country.


Our Methodology: How Did We Find the Best Fuel Cards?

We carried out extensive research into Shell’s fleet cards and measured them against rigorous criteria by which we also analysed 30+ cards across the US and UK markets.

We considered questions such as:

  • What kind of fleet are these cards best suited to?
  • How convenient are they to use?
  • How many stations accept this card?
  • How helpful is it for managing fuel expenses?
  • What do they do to ensure your company’s funds are secure?
  • What extra perks are on offer?

We’ve also broken down each card by fee structure, fuel type, network coverage and more to offer you the easiest choice.


Expert Verdict

We believe that Shell’s fleet cards are a fantastic option for business fleets, beating out several competitors in terms of affordability especially. Shell’s Fleet Plus card is a solid all-rounder that offers rebates of up to 6¢ per gallon, which is a huge saving for a card that is totally free. Unfortunately, its coverage is not as vast as the Fleet Navigator, which grants you access to 95% of US stations but will set you back $2 per month. Lastly, its Small Business card offers decent rebates and makes it possible to carry a monthly balance, which is sure to ease the load of smaller fleets. Each card offers competitive benefits and competent reporting, control and security features.

If you’re still not sure which fleet card supplier is right for you, don’t worry – we’re here to help. Tell us about your business using the form at the top of this page, and you’ll receive custom quotes from trusted fleet card suppliers. This process is fast and free.

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Maïté Bouhali
Maite began her career with Expert Market nearly four years ago as a writer. She quickly developed a passion for the challenges faced by small businesses and now endeavours to help them make informed decisions for their future. In her current position as Business Software Editor, Maite works closely with writers to ensure that each article is informative, well-researched, engaging, and actionable for readers. With extensive knowledge of CRM, vehicle tracking devices, and fuel cards, she is meticulous in her review of each article and provides detailed feedback before publication. Whether you're seeking to stay informed on the latest trends in business software or need guidance in selecting the most appropriate software for your organisation's needs, Maite is here to help. With her sharp eye for detail and commitment to quality, she is dedicated to supporting businesses in achieving their goals.