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

WEX is a fleet card provider, offering four branded cards. Its customer service team is US-based and WEX has tons of US site coverage, making it a great choice for US-based businesses.

We know how important it is for customers to find the best fleet card provider that is affordable, provides fuel savings, and has a wide station coverage. That’s why we’ve done a deep dive into WEX’s fees, coverage, and pros and cons.

With 10 years of experience in the world of fleet cards, we’re well-equipped to put WEX under the microscope and examine why it shines, and what it lacks. Read on for our expert advice on WEX’s different fleet cards, and whether or not they’re right for you.

WEX Fleet Cards: Fees and Discounts

Generally, WEX’s fleet cards will set you back $2-$4 per card, per month, which is equal to competitors, ExxonMobil and Shell, while cheaper than Comdata. If you opt for a WEX FlexCard, you’ll pay zero setup, annual, or card fees, which is a pretty good offer.

To compare fleet card pricing, use our free quote comparison tool. Just give us a few details about your business and we’ll do the rest. You’ll then receive obligation-free quotes from trusted suppliers. If you’d like to weigh up the competition yourself, you can read more about them in our Shell review and ExxonMobil review.

The Pros and Cons of WEX

Pro: Wide Network Coverage

If you have a large fleet, you’ll likely need as much station coverage as possible to ensure your drivers aren’t left without fuel. As WEX’s fuel cards are accepted at 95% of US gas stations, a WEX fuel card will ensure your vehicles are always fuelled up.

This is complemented by its WEX Connect app which allows drivers to quickly and easily locate their closest station within range when on the go, saving time lost to scouring maps.

Pro: Convenience

WEX’s SmartHub app allows fleet operators to track spending, manage cards, make payments, check available credit and more. All you need to efficiently stay on top of your finances when on the go.

Another area of convenience is WEX’s US-based customer service whose phone lines are open 24/7 to support you when things don’t go to plan.

Pro: Driver Assistance

In general, fleet cards make life easier for your drivers by having a dedicated card for all work-related expenses. In terms of WEX specifically,  in partnership with National Automobile Club (NAC), card-holders can pay for a number of roadside services with their WEX fleet card including towing, winching, tire change, fluid delivery and jump start. This reduces downtime and allows drivers to work more autonomously when out on jobs.

Pro: Expense Management

WEX ClearView is a reporting system which allows fleet operators to review spending, budget future costs and spot cost-saving activities and anomalies. While this includes fuel spending, you’ll also be able to track costs related to vehicle maintenance, meaning your end-of-month reporting is a simpler process.

Pro: Security

WEX’s security measures are on par with Edenred Essentials being the most sophisticated on the US market. There are limitations at the point of purchase in the form of two-factor authentication, as well as each card being assigned to a driver. You’ll also be able to exercise remote control over your fuel expenses in the form of spending limits, and restrictions on the type of fuel bought.

With its SecureFuel technology, all unusual activity is addressed and you’ll have the power to remotely block cards in this instance. To top it off, WEX also offers fraud protection, meaning you’ll be reimbursed in the case of fraudulent activity. Edenred is the only other provider that offers these features, so it’s rather rare.

Con: You’ll have to pick just one card!

While WEX has a great range of cards on offer, customers must choose between features that are unique to each card. For example, if you want to have a card that carries a balance, you may opt for the FlexCard but that means you won’t be able to benefit from such generous discounts as offered by the Fleet Card. And vice versa, if you want great discounts, you may have to give up your monthly balance. It would be ideal if WEX offered one card that offered all these great benefits, as demonstrated by Edenred Essentials.

WEX’s Cards Explained

Let’s take a look at how WEX’s fleet cards are similar. All four of the fleet card programs we compare below include:

• Acceptance at 95% of the US’ fuel stations (that’s over 160,000 retailers) and 45,000 service centers across the country
• 24/7 access to WEX’s US-based customer support team, which says it answers 75% of calls within 20 seconds
• Use of WEX ClearView, an analytics platform that reports on the specifics of your fleet’s transactions and spending behavior
• The option to sign up to WEX Telematics, WEX’s fleet management software
• Use of WEX’s apps:
  • DriverDash – drivers can use this to make mobile payments at the pump
  • FleetSmartHub – used to track spending, manage your fleet cards, make payments, check your credit, and more
  • WEX Connect – drivers can use to find nearby fuel stations and service centers; filtering them by price, fuel type, open hours, and other criteria

But how, exactly, do the WEX-branded fleet cards differ, and which should you choose? Let’s compare them:

Now let’s break it down, card by card.

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

“I want consistent gas station coverage”

One of the first things to note about WEX’s fleet cards is that they offer excellent coverage as they can be used to buy fuel at 95% of US fuel stations (and WEX says that includes every major station). Here are some of the biggest names on WEX’s widespread partner network:

• 7-Eleven
• 76®
• Chevron
• CITGO
• Conoco®
• ExxonMobil
• Marathon
• Maverik
• QuikTrip
• Shell
• Stripes
• Wawa

This means that, no matter where you’re based, your drivers should always be within a reasonable driving distance to a partner gas station.

The fact that WEX offers this coverage on its card programs aimed at small fleets is a real boon for SMBs. Many of the popular fleet card programs in the US are provided by gas station chains, which tend to limit cards aimed at small businesses to their own branded stations. But WEX is a payment services provider, not gas – and would have no vested interest in limiting users to just one of the many gas station brands it has partnered with.

“I run a small fleet”

If you’re sold on getting a WEX-branded fuel card, you have the Fleet Card and FlexCard to choose from.

Affording you advanced control and analytics, as well as a variety of discounts on the EDGE Savings Network, the Fleet Card is our favorite. For grey fleet drivers using their own cars, this card is hugely beneficial thanks to its extra discounts on hotel stays and vehicle maintenance. If some (or all) of your vehicles are trucks, and your drivers tend to make use of truck stops, you may as well upgrade to the Fleet Cross Roads Card, which comes with the same benefits but can also be used at a variety of truck stops.

However, if you’re eager to save money, the simpler FlexCard is also a solid option. There are zero annual fees, no setup charge, or card fees to pay. Another plus is the ability to carry a balance to ease your cash flow. It is worth noting that rebates larger than 3 cents can be found with other providers, so if rebates are the key USP for you, you shouldn’t end your search here.

Did you know that you can use our free comparison tool to find a fleet card provider that’s been matched to your business? Give us a few brief details and we’ll do the rest. You’ll then be contacted by trusted suppliers with an obligation-free quote.

“I run a large fleet”

WEX’s Large Fleet Card is a good choice if control and insight is your thing, with advanced spending analytics that can help you action changes to your drivers’ spending habits and, as a result, save some money.

The only downside here is that, as far as we can tell, this card program doesn’t grant you any extra discounts. While such savings may not be your number one priority anyway, they can be a nice bonus – there are other large business cards out there that do sweeten the pot with such rewards. 

“I run a fleet of trucks”

Depending on your fleet’s size, you could benefit from any of the WEX-branded fleet cards. If your drivers tend to use truck stops, it’s worth investigating the Fleet Cross Roads Card specifically. This card boasts all the benefits of the WEX Fleet Card, but can also be used to make purchases at a variety of truck stops across the country – from independent spots to chains like TA, Love’s, and Pilot Flying J.

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

Price

At $4 per card, per month, WEX’s Fleet Card is pricier Shell’s Fleet Navigator ($2 per month) and Edenred Essentials ($3 per month). It’s cheaper than the Comdata card ($8 per month). That being said since WEX doesn’t charge the transaction fee that Shell does, we may consider it to be on par price-wise.

Except for the 3¢ per gallon rebates listed for the FlexCard, WEX doesn’t give a clear figure when it comes to its potential savings. Rather it states that rebates will be earned based on the volume of gas purchased so this is a little vague. Its Fleet Card and Cross Roads Card give access to the WEX EDGE Savings Network, which can help you score exclusive non-fuel related discounts which may make for an overall larger combined saving.

On the other hand, Comdata claims to give huge savings of up to 25¢ which is more than WEX advertises, however since Comdata’s network is smaller, it may work out that your card is racking up fewer gallons due to a narrower range of acceptance. Leading nicely into our second point…

Station coverage

WEX’s cards cover 95% of the gas stations in the US, which is a pretty hefty amount. Shell’s Fleet Navigator card is actually issued by WEX so has the same network, while Edenred is similarly vast since it is partnered with Visa. So across the board, the competition is pretty strong when it comes to network coverage. Comdata has a comparatively smaller network of 15,000+.

Simplicity

As these are credit cards, they come with lengthy (and important) terms and conditions, as well as a credit check. That can be a lot to get your head around if you only wanted a straightforward way to save a few pennies at the pump.

If you’re thinking “this is overkill for my business,” you should look into prepaid fuel cards for a simpler way to control your expenses.

What Do WEX’s Customers Say?

There aren’t a great many user reviews online that specifically cover WEX’s fleet card service. However, from what we have read and heard, we know that users like WEX’s customer service and flexibility.

We have, however, come across a handful of mixed reviews regarding the WEX Connect app. While some drivers love it, others report that it sometimes displays inaccurate pricing, tends to sort results by price instead of location, and can have inconsistent refresh rates for both maps and prices.

We’ve also seen some complaints from businesses that have been charged late fees that were heftier than expected – but we’re reassured to see that in each of these cases WEX has responded with a clear explanation. The best way to avoid surprises like these is to read the business account agreement you’ll be issued if you sign up for a WEX fleet card program. Make sure you understand the obligations on both sides, and ask about anything that seems unclear.

Our Methodology: How Did We Do Our Research?

We carried out extensive research into four of WEX’s fleet cards and measured them against a 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.