Best Fuel Cards
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Businesses with a fleet of vehicles can earn a base rate of anywhere from 2 to 8 cents back on every gallon with a fuel card — also referred to as a fleet card.
While more traditional fuel cards like WEX, Fuelman and Shell offer volume-based discounts — the more gallons you purchase each month, the bigger the discount — other fuel cards like Coast and AtoB offer a combination of flat-rate fuel discounts and/or a set discount based on where you fill up.
Another draw for business owners: Fuel cards give you close control over employee spending so you can keep fraud and misuse in check. With most fleet cards, you can track spending, manage receipts and control purchases down to when, where and on what for each individual card.
Most fleet cards are only available to incorporated businesses. Sole proprietors and independent contractors should consider a business gas card to maximize fuel rewards.
NerdWallet's editorial picks: Best fuel cards
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AtoB Fuel Cards
AtoB offers two fuel cards: AtoB Unlimited and AtoB Flex. With either card, you’ll need to rely on AtoB’s app to find discounts — up to 12 cents per gallon at gas stations. Cardholders can get larger discounts on truck diesel, with an average rebate of 42 cents per gallon, according to AtoB.
Potential for high fuel discount.
Cash back on select services when you use the AtoB app.
Can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
Need to use app to find discounts.
Account setup fee and monthly fees.
Balance must be paid in full every month.
Coast Fleet Card
The Coast Fleet Card earns up to 10 cents off per gallon, plus 1% back on nonfuel purchases like maintenance and equipment or at restaurants and hotels. Coast cards can be used anywhere Visa is accepted (at gas stations, they can only be used to purchase fuel).
Rebate of up to 10 cents per gallon back at partner stations.
Automatically captures number of gallons, grade, and receipts.
Cash back on nonfuel purchases (unless restricted to fuel only).
No account setup fee.
Monthly fee of $4 per active card.
$35 fee for returned or late payments.
Balance must be paid in full every month.
WEX Fleet FlexCard
WEX offers dozens of fleet cards, including branded cards from some of the largest fuel chains in the world (including the Shell Small Business Card listed below). But the WEX Fleet FlexCard is our favorite for small businesses. This card has no setup cost and you can carry a balance (interest charges apply), an option not available with Coast or AtoB. You'll get a promotional rebate of 3 cents per gallon for the first 180 days; after that, your fuel rebate is based on gallons purchased each month.
Fuel discounts at more than 45,000 gas stations in the WEX network.
Promotional discount of 3 cents per gallon for the first 6 months.
No account setup fees or monthly card fees.
Can carry a balance (interest charges apply).
Monthly fee of $4 per card.
Can only be used at stations in the WEX network.
High fees for late and returned payments.
No rewards on nonfuel purchases.
Fuelman Mixed Fleet Card
If you’re looking for the biggest discount possible, the Fuelman Mixed Fleet card bests most other fuel cards with a base rebate of 8 cents per gallon for the first year (then you get a volume-based discount). Rather than a per-card monthly fee, the Fuelman Mixed Fleet Card charges a flat monthly fee for all employee cards on your account, making it a great option for large fleets.
Promotional discount of 8 cents per gallon for the first 12 months.
Fuel discounts offered at 40,000+ gas stations in the Fuelman network.
No account setup fees.
Earn points that can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, etc.
$3 fee for using card at a station outside the Fuelman network.
High fees for late and returned payments.
Monthly fee of $39 to $99, depending on plan.
Balance must be paid in full every month.
Shell Small Business Card
The Shell Small Business Card offers a rebate of up to 6 cents per gallon. It's a volume-based discount, though, and you need to purchase more than 10,000 gallons per billing cycle to hit that top rebate. The Shell Small Business card can only be used at Shell stations and participating Jiffy Lube stations (for select oil change services and other preventive maintenance services). You can carry a balance with the Shell Small Business Card — other fleet cards from Shell are charge cards that do not allow a revolving balance.
Volume-based fuel discount of up to 6 cents per gallon.
No monthly card fees.
Can carry a balance (interest charges apply).
Top rebate requires purchase of more than 10,000 gallons per month.
Use limited to Shell stations and participating Jiffy Lube locations.
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Fuel card vs. business gas credit card
Fuel cards are a great option for business owners managing a fleet of five or more vehicles, especially if your priority is managing expenses rather than getting the largest possible savings. Plus, you can often apply for a fleet card with just your employer identification number and there is often no personal guarantee.
Business gas credit cards can offer a higher reward rate — up to 4% back on your total purchase. But the reporting and spending control features typically aren't as robust. And cards that offer the highest cash-back percentage usually place a spending cap on that reward rate.
Most business credit cards let you carry a balance from month to month (with interest) and are available to sole proprietors and unincorporated businesses — something that can’t be said of most fleet cards. But they do require a personal credit check and guarantee.
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What are fleet cards?
Fleet cards, or fuel cards, combine rebates on gas and diesel with robust expense management platforms so business owners can easily track and manage spending for all of the company's vehicles. Most fleet cards are business charge cards but some, like the WEX Fleet FlexCard and the Shell Small Business Card, let you carry a balance. You can apply for most fleet cards using just your EIN and there is typically no personal credit check or personal guarantee required.
How do fleet cards work?
Fleet cards offer per-gallon rebates on fuel purchases — a base rate of anywhere from 2 to 8 cents per gallon, depending on the card — and they can typically only be used at gas stations.
How your fleet card works will depend on its issuer and partner network.
Branded fuel cards: These fuel cards have above-average rebates. For example, Shell and Exxon offer up to 6 cents per gallon — but only at that brand’s gas stations. Plus, your actual rebate depends on how much fuel you purchase; you typically need to hit 10,000 gallons per month to net the full rebate. Most of the major branded fuel cards are issued by WEX Bank, and while some are accepted within the larger WEX network, rebates remain tied to a specific chain.
WEX and Fuelman fleet cards: These fleet cards negotiate discounted pricing with gas stations, then they pass that savings onto cardholders through rebates. WEX and Fuelman have large networks — 40,000 and 45,000 stations, respectively — but their cards are rarely accepted outside of gas stations and maintenance-specific retailers, like tire shops. These cards may offer a set rebate of anywhere from 3 cents to 8 cents per gallon for the first year. After that, rebates are based on monthly fuel purchases.
Fleet cards that run on a major credit card issuers network: These cards can be used anywhere their partner network is accepted. Coast and AtoB run on Visa’s network, for instance. You earn a base rebate of 2 to 3 cents per gallon, depending on the card, with the potential to earn larger rebates through partner networks. This can require some maneuvering, though, as you need to track down offers through the card’s app or online platform.
Fleet expense management tools
Fleet cards typically also offer robust expense tracking and management that allows business owners and fleet managers to see real-time spending, set limits by individual card and generate accounting and expense reports. Some fleet fuel cards also offer telemetrics tools that let you see the location, and even the fuel level, of each vehicle in your fleet in real time.
Fleet fuel cards: benefits and drawbacks
The main draw of fuel cards is the control over spending — especially for business owners with large fleets. You can get gas savings with a cash-back business card, often exceeding what is offered by fleet cards. But traditional business cards rarely provide the level of tracking and controls offered by fuel cards.
Other benefits and drawbacks to consider include:
Benefits | Drawbacks |
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Does your business need a fleet fuel card?
If your business operates five or more vehicles: A fleet card can be a great tool to save money and manage expenses. While branded fuel cards boast a high per-gallon rebate, they also tend to have other fees, restrictions or requirements. If you know your spending won’t be limited to a single chain, an open-network card like Coast or AtoB can offer a great balance of savings and flexibility.
If your business operates just one or two vehicles: You may be able to net larger rewards from a business gas credit card. Our top picks offer up to 3% back on gas, plus up to 5% back on other purchases. But even a general cash-back business card like the Wells Fargo Signify Business Cash℠ Card, which earns 2% back on all purchases, would yield double the savings of many fleet cards. Terms apply.
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