The Top 9 Best Fuel Card Providers

The Right Fuel Card Company is the best fuel card provider in the UK, according to our extensive research. Its range of fuel cards – the BP Bunker, BP List, and BP Pump Price – can help fleets of all sizes save on fuel expenses for just £1 a month.

With rising fuel costs and economic stagnation troubling the UK, the best business fuel cards can provide crucial savings. On this page, we review the best ones we analysed, including pricing information, pros, and cons.

We’ve also found eight other strong contenders that deserve your consideration and, depending on your needs, may even serve you better.

If you’d like to know more about the providers we picked, head to our list below.

1. The Right Fuel Card Company – Best Overall

The Right Fuel Card Company Review

We’ve selected three BP-branded cards for this comparison: the BP Bunker, BP List, and the BP Pump Price cards.

The BP Bunker card is intended for fleets with larger, diesel-powered vehicles. With a decent network, it can be used at 1,200 sites. This also includes 600 bunker stations, where diesel can be purchased in bulk.

The BP List and BP Pump Price are aimed at car and van fleets. None of these cards can be used for electric vehicle (EV) charging. If you’re looking for a card that can be used for both fuel and EV charging, consider the Fuel & Charge card from BP itself, the DCI One Rev, or the Allstar One Electric card.

While the cards are straightforward to use, if you do encounter any issues, its customer support is available via email and also phone from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Thursday, and from 9am to 3pm on Fridays.

To help your drivers, all three cards provide a handy station locator so they can identify the closest stations within range. The cards will also give you a clear overview of fuel spending data, allowing you to stay on top of your expenses.

The Right Fuel Card Company’s BP cards are slightly lacking in the security department. While they offer pin code, driver ID, spending limit, and card blocking functions, there is no fraud protection or the ability to limit fuel types, which are all features offered by The Fuel Store’s cards.

2. The Fuel Store – Best for Pre-Paid Cards

The Fuel Store Review

The Fuel Store offers three cards: The Fuel Store Card, the Advantage Card, and The Esso Card™ National. The Advantage Card is the only card on our list that works on a pre-paid basis, which is great for those who only want to spend what they actually have rather than working with credit.

While these cards are not suitable for EV or hybrid fleets – like the BP Fuel & Charge card, DCI One Rev, or the Allstar One Electric card – they can be used at over 3,500 stations to fill up on petrol and diesel. The network includes brands such as BP, Shell, Texaco, Esso, Jet, Certas, Tesco, and Morrisons. With the help of a station locator, your drivers can find the closest station to them.

An added bonus is that your drivers can also earn Tesco Clubcard points, Nectar Points, and Esso Points while filling up, by linking their own points card to the fuel card. These points can then be redeemed during your regular shopping trips to drive extra savings outside of work hours. If you frequently fill up at supermarket forecourts, consider the best supermarket fuel cards.

In terms of customer support, its agents are available over email or via phone between 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday.

Beyond just saving on fuel, these cards also give you an insight into data, such as fuel spend, miles per gallon and carbon emissions, which is unlike any other card on this list. While it’s all-important to be mindful of your fuel expenditure, many fleet managers are increasingly mindful of carbon emissions to stay in line with the UK’s fast-approaching target to cut emissions by 78% before 2030.

This card outperforms the others when it comes to security measures. In addition to a pin code, driver ID, and spending limits, you can also restrict certain fuel types and remotely block cards. You can also rest assured that you’ll be alerted to any unusual activity since accounts are monitored by dedicated staff. To top it off, for an extra £1.50 per month, you can benefit from the safety net of FraudGuard, which means that any fraudulent spending can be covered by The Fuel Store.

3. WEX Europe – Best for European Coverage

WEX Europe Review

WEX European Services offers four options in its fuel card roster. This includes the Esso Card, the Esso Card International, as well as its two dual-card products: the Esso Card and UK Fuels Card, and the Esso Card International and European Diesel Card.

WEX’s cards boast one of the largest networks in our research – second only to Shell – with up to 17,559 stations offered by its Esso Card International and European Diesel Card combo. An added incentive to go with WEX is that you and your drivers can collect Nectar and Tesco Clubcard Points while they fill up, meaning they can make extra savings on supermarket shopping.

In case of any issues, customer support phone lines are open on weekdays from 8.30am until 5pm or via email.

To keep an overview of your outgoings, WEX offers insight into your fuel spend data, miles per gallon, and it will provide reports in the form of an HMRC-approved invoice. This is an essential feature to look out for in a decent fuel card program and allows you to easily claim back VAT on fuel spent at the end of the month.

Security-wise, it’s got all the essentials: a pin code function, a driver ID, control over spending and the types of fuel purchased, as well as limits on each card. Unlike The Fuel Store, WEX doesn’t provide any fraud protection, but it will alert you when unusual activity is detected, giving you the option to remotely block any affected cards.

While WEX offers a very comprehensive package, it’s also the most expensive provider in our research at £36 per year, vs. for example, The Right Fuel Card Company (£12 per year) and DCI (£18 per year), so it’s a little more of an investment.

4. Allstar – Best for Hybrid Fleets

Allstar Review

The Allstar One, Allstar Supermarket, and the Allstar One Electric all made it onto our list of the top fuel card providers.

Allstar’s acceptance of alternative fuels renders it more eco-friendly than Texaco and The Fuel Store. The Allstar One Electric is specifically designed for combined internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric vehicle (EV) fleets, with a network of 10,300 including both fuel and charging stations.

For extra convenience, all of the Allstar cards can be used to pay at some toll booths and come with pay-as-you-go AA Roadside Repair and AA Fuel Assist. It also has a station locator, an essential feature for drivers who need to identify their closest station when in unfamiliar areas. A mobile app will allow you to oversee and manage your fleet on the go – and even pay for EV charging.

Allstar aims to be an all-in-one provider as it also offers fleet management solutions, such as the Business Mileage Monitor app and the award-winning Allstar Online, a web portal through which you can book, approve, and settle maintenance services. Through it, you can benefit from Allstar’s pre-negotiated prices for these services at hundreds of UK garages.

In terms of security, it packs all the necessary features you’d expect from a fuel card provider, including a pin code function and individual driver ID. It will alert you when unusual activity is detected and give you the option to block cards remotely. That being said, it does not offer complete protection in the case of fraudulent spending. If this is a deal-breaker, consider signing up with The Fuel Store, the only provider on our list that does provide this feature.

5. Diesel Card Ireland – Best for Coverage in Ireland

Diesel Card Ireland Review

Diesel Card Ireland is the provider with the largest network of Irish stations, we’ll be looking at its own branded cards: DCI One, DCI Pump Saver, DCI Main Route and the DCI One Rev. With 1,750 stations, it’s the ideal choice for fleets that will mainly operate in Ireland.

If you run a greener fleet, the DCI One Rev is a great choice. Just like the BP Fuel & Charge card and the Allstar One Electric card, it can be used to pay for petrol, diesel, and for EV charging.

Its customer support team are available by phone and email to deal with any queries from 8.30 am until 5.00 pm on weekdays.

To make life easier for your drivers, DCI cards also have a station locator feature, an essential for any provider making this list. For the fleet operators, DCI will also give you a great overview of fuel spending data and miles per gallon. Unfortunately, it does not offer insight into carbon emissions, like The Fuel Store, which can be a downside for fleet managers that need to pay attention to carbon emissions regulations. All your expense data can be neatly compiled into a HMRC-compliant, electronic invoice.

Finally, in terms of security, they offer almost everything you’d expect from a leading fuel card provider. Cards must be assigned to a specific driver ID, and a pin code will need to be entered before use. There are a number of remote functions as well, such as restrictions on fuel type, spending limits, as well as card blocking in the case of unusual activity. The only improvement to be made is the introduction of fraud protection, as demonstrated by The Fuel Store.

6. BP – Best for Larger Fleets

BP Review

BP’s pricing structure reduces fees as your fleet grows. This means that larger fleets – 200 vehicles or more – are the ones most primed to benefit from this fuel card. While it does charge account fees, it does away with transaction fees, which is a major draw for fleet managers.

BP has one of the best coverages we came across in our research. At over 24,000 stations across 32 countries, it easily beats The Fuel Store (8,700) and UK Fuels (4,100), but it stands in the shadow of Shell’s impressive 40,000 stations.

On the feature side, BP’s intelligent online tool enables you to set limits on how your drivers can use their cards, while direct-to-email e-billing takes care of the books. Plus, BPme Rewards points, earned for every BP transaction, will see frequent card users given rewards.

In terms of security, BP’s range of fuel cards is pretty watertight. Before making a purchase, drivers will need to enter a PIN code and many of BP’s sites are covered by CCTV. There is also an alerts feature which will let you know via email or SMS when purchases are made based on station type, the amount spent or in the case of fraudulent activity. In case of any bumps in the road, BP’s customer service is on hand via phone or email from 8 am – 5 pm, Monday to Friday. However, in the case of a lost or stolen card, there is 24/7 help available.

7. Keyfuels: Best for haulage fleets

Keyfuels Review

The biggest draw for Keyfuels is its Pay As You Go card, allowing you to benefit from fixed weekly prices on its network without having the commitment of account fees or needing to buy fuel in bulk.

Befitting its beginning in the haulage industry, its fuel card is great for companies with bigger vehicles on the road. With high canopies and faster pumps, over 540 of its forecourts are tailor-made for heavy goods vehicles. These forecourts are also strategically placed, meaning you won’t lose time taking detours to fill up.

Keyfuels also offers ‘ControlMax’, an intelligent online security system exclusive to its brand. It gives you more control over your fuel expenditure by letting you monitor your fuel card usage. You can enforce limitations in real-time to make sure you stay on top of your drivers, fuel spending and sites visited. It also allows you to set SMS or email alerts, remotely decline transactions and block cards. While this can definitely help raise awareness of fraudulent transactions, Keyfuels doesn’t actually offer fraud protection in the form of reimbursement as is the case with The Fuel Store.

Unfortunately, Keyfuels’ Achilles heel is low coverage. While it is partnered with over 3,000 multi-branded sites, including Tesco and Morrisons supermarkets, it packs way fewer stations than Shell’s mammoth 50,000 and BP’s 24,000.

Their customer service number is available from 8:30am – 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, while an Actionline is available to registered users 24 hours a day.

8. Shell – Best for Network Coverage

Shell Review

Shell’s fuel card will give you access to one of the largest fuel station networks in the world, offering reduced prices at over 50,000 stations plus 18,000 EV charging points, making it ideal for hybrid fleets. This beats all the other providers on our list, in terms of network coverage.

You can also use Shell to pay for tunnel and bridge tolls in all major European countries, as well as ferry crossings. Your team can use the cards for ‘truck on train’ services, so your drivers don’t need to worry about carrying cash everywhere. A Shell fuel card will also give your drivers access to reliable breakdown assistance should they get stuck out on the road.

Shell’s impressive online portal lets you manage the security, costs, and transactions of your fleet remotely, 24/7. Its clever route planner makes it easy to plan your next pit stop.

9. Texaco – Best for Localised Businesses

Texaco Review

Texaco’s heavy presence in England and Wales makes it a solid choice for localised business owners who operate in these areas, such as taxi firms and delivery companies, since they don’t depend on long-distance travel for their activity.

Best suited for cars and LGV fleets, this card can be used to purchase both petrol and diesel but unfortunately not for electric vehicle charging.

On the admin side of things, you’ll get comprehensive fuel management reporting, plus e-billing and HMRC-approved invoices. It also enables you to set limits on what your drivers can buy, right down to the types of fuel.

Texaco uses a commercial pricing system, allowing you to benefit from wholesale-related deals for diesel and unleaded, with fixed prices that Texaco sets each week.

You won’t be charged account fees and you can collect Tesco Clubboard points when using Tesco forecourts. There are also no transaction fees if you fill up at Texaco sites. It’s worth noting that transaction fees are charged if you buy fuel at the card’s partnered BP locations.

Its savings of up to 10p per litre put it in line with most of its competitors, but its coverage is a major setback since it’s accepted in far fewer stations (1,200 – 3,200) than The Fuel Store and Allstar.

3 questions to consider when choosing your fuel card provider

The fuel card supplier that is best suited to your business won’t necessarily be the one offering the biggest savings on fuel. There are several other factors to weigh up before choosing your provider. Before you dive in, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What type of vehicles make up my fleet?

Is your fleet mostly made up of HGVs? You’ll want to go with a fuel card supplier with access to as many HGV-friendly sites as possible, such as Keyfuels.  Some companies offer extra savings on the price of all types of fuels, such as The Right Fuel Card Company, which caters specifically to diesel-powered vehicles, while Allstar works great for hybrid fleets. It’s essential to match your fuel card supplier with the needs of your business – and your engines.

2. Where do my vehicles operate?

If your vehicles operate nationally, then it pays to choose a supplier with a large network of motorway refuelling stations, like Allstar. If your company is a regional operation in England and Wales, you’ll find that Texaco offers great savings. For Ireland-based fleets, Diesel Card Ireland is your best match. If you operate around Europe, then WEX Europe should be your first point of call.

3. What’s my average monthly spend on fuel?

Some fuel card suppliers, like Allstar and The Fuel Store, slap you with a minimum monthly spend. While this isn’t really a factor for larger businesses, it’s something you should consider if your fleet is still small. Take a look at our guide to the cheapest fuel cards if you want to find the most affordable card on the market.