Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the bank’s website for the most current information.
Author: Barry Bridges | bbridges@bankrate.com
What you need to know about gas credit cards
Gasoline — it’s how we fuel our commutes, errands, vacations and more. In fact, gas is such a large part of our lives that there’s no sense in letting its rewards potential go untapped.
Although you can’t control the price of gas, you can control the amount of rewards you earn from filling up your tank. To help you get maximum value, Bankrate’s personal finance experts have chosen the top gas credit cards available from our partners. Our analysis also includes advice on the best way to choose (and use) the gas card that’s right for you.
Comparing today’s top gas credit cards
Here’s a quick look at the best gas credit cards for 2020, according to our experts:
| Card Name |
Review score |
Best for |
| Citi Rewards+℠ Card |
4.6/5 |
Everyday spending |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
4.6/5 |
Families on the go |
| Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card |
4.8/5 |
Simplicity |
| Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card (not currently available) |
4.4/5 |
Bank of America customers |
| U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card (not currently available) |
4.5/5 |
Flexible cash back categories |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
4.6/5 |
Intro APR offer |
A closer look at our list of best gas credit cards
What we love:
- Earn 2X points on supermarket and gas station spending (up to $6,000 a year, then 1x points) and 1X points on all other spending.
- Points round up to the nearest 10 on every purchase, meaning a $2 coffee would earn you 10 points.
- You’ll get 10% points back on the first 100,000 points your redeem each year. That’s 10,000 points back in your pocket.
- No annual fee
What we wish were different:
- The 3% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside of the U.S. may hurt your rewards potential if you frequently travel abroad.
- Points can’t be transferred to most travel partners, with the exception of JetBlue.
- There’s a smaller welcome bonus of 15,000 points when you spend $1,000 in your first three months.
Bottom line:
This is your ideal card if you frequently spend on gas and small purchases. The sign-up bonus is pretty small compared to other gas cards, but you’ll benefit greatly from the card’s lack of an annual fee and valuable 10-point round-up feature.
What we love:
- Besides the stellar 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%), the 3% back on transit and at U.S. gas stations is perfect for roadtrippers, commuters and busy families.
- The $250 statement credit bonus you’ll earn after spending $1,000 in your first three months is relatively large for a cash bonus.
- Access to presale tickets, purchase protection, roadside assistance, and travel accident insurance.
What we wish were different:
- Most wholesale clubs and/or specialty grocers don’t count toward the 6% rewards at U.S. supermarkets.
- Cash back can only be redeemed as a statement credit, gift cards or merchandise through the AmEx site.
- There’s a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside of the United States (see rates and fees).
- You’ll pay a balance transfer fee of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater (see rates and fees).
The bottom line:
For a $95 annual fee, you’ll receive a stellar rewards structure for your everyday spending needs. Our main qualm is that you can only redeem your cash back rewards as statement credit, gift cards or merchandise via AmEx.
What we love:
- The 2 percent cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 combined each quarter, then 1 percent, plus unlimited 1 percent on all other eligible purchases
- No annual fee
- 0% introductory APR for 14 months on purchases and balance transfers (13.49% – 24.49% variable thereafter)
- The Cashback Match™ feature matches the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
What we wish were different:
- 2 percent cash back is limited to just two categories
- The earnings cap on combined gas station and restaurant purchases is pretty low, at $1,000 per quarter
- After the first-year Cashback Match, the card has limited long-term value
The bottom line:
If you don’t spend more than $4,000 on gas and restaurants a year, this card could be a fine choice. For those who spend more than $4,000 in those categories, other cards offer more generous rewards rates and higher earnings caps.
What we love:
- Earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, including gas.
- There’s a $150 bonus when you spend just $500 in your first three months. If you spend a lot of time driving, this qualifying spend won’t be hard to meet.
- You’ll receive 24-hour travel assistance, travel accident insurance and auto rental coverage for collision and theft damages.
- 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (15.49% – 25.49% variable APR thereafter)
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
What we wish were different:
- There’s a balance transfer fee of 3% for transferred balances that post to your account during the first 15 months.
- The lack of bonus rewards categories could be a downside if you enjoy maxing out bonus categories.
The bottom line:
The Quicksilver is a reliable flat rate rewards card for earning cash back on all purchases, including gas. The sign-up bonus is one of the most easily attainable for a cash back card and you won’t have to worry about paying an annual fee.
What we love:
- Earn 3% cash back on gas or your choice of one of five other popular categories, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases
- There’s a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $1,000 in your first 90 days.
- Preferred Rewards members (those who bank with Bank of America or have a Merrill account with at least $20,000 in assets) can earn 25% – 75% more points on every purchase.
- No annual fee
What we wish were different:
- If you complete a balance transfer, you’ll pay a fee of 3% ($10 minimum).
- The $2,500 cap on combined purchases in the 3% and 2% categories could be a bit low for high spenders.
- There’s a 3% foreign transaction fee for purchases made outside of the United States.
The bottom line:
The Cash Rewards credit card has a lot to offer in terms of flexibility. The cash sign-up bonus and lack of an annual fee are added perks.
The information about the Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
What we love:
- Besides your choice of two 5% cash back categories, you’ll earn 2% back on your choice of either gas stations, restaurants or grocery stores (1% back on everything else).
- There’s an easily attainable $150 cash bonus when you spend $500 in your first 90 days.
- Visa Signature benefits are included with the card, i.e. 24-hour concierge service, discounts and upgrades on select travel and access to exclusive events.
- No annual fee
What we wish were different:
- There’s a pretty low cap of $2,000 quarterly on the 5% categories.
- Bonus categories require activation.
- There’s a balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 minimum), should you complete a transfer.
- You’ll pay a 2% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in U.S. Dollars and 3% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in a Foreign Currency.
The bottom line:
Similar to the Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card (not currently available), the Cash+ Visa Signature Card allows you to choose where you earn your rewards. Yet, the Bank of America card offers 3% cash back on gas whereas the U.S. Bank card offers 2%.
We like the sign-up bonus and no annual fee aspects, but there are better cards out there in terms of flexibility and rewards structure.
What we love:
- Get $150 cash back after spending $500 in the first 3 months and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (16.49% – 25.24% variable thereafter)
- No annual fee
What we wish were different:
- The sign up bonus is on the lower end.
- You’ll pay a 3% foreign transaction fee on purchases made abroad.
- Should you transfer a balance, there’s a fee of 3% ($5 minimum) on intro balance transfers when you transfer a balance during the first 60 days, 5% ($5 minimum) on subsequent transfers.
The bottom line:
The main allure of the Chase Freedom Unlimited is its 1.5% cash back on all purchases and there’s no annual fee for card membership.
What is a gas credit card and how does it work?
With a gas credit card, you’ll earn points, cash back or miles when you spend at the pump. Most tend to be no annual fee cards that accept fair to good credit, but not all.
General-purpose gas credit cards are simply credit cards that offer bonus categories for earning rewards at gas stations. For example, the Citi Rewards+ Card offers 2X points at supermarkets and gas stations (up to $6,000 per year, then 1X). Gas credit cards, just like all other credit cards, can be either flat-rate or have rotating bonus categories.
Beyond the general-purpose gas cards that will earn your rewards at any station, no matter the brand, there are loyalty and co-branded gas cards.
Loyalty gas cards
Loyalty gas cards, or cards distributed by particular gas stations to promote loyalty (i.e., BP, Speedway or Chevron), allow cardholders to earn credits for gas and receive discounts on fuel.
According to a 2018 gas card survey by CreditCards.com, loyalty gas cards are declining in popularity. A survey by Market Force Information backs up this finding: 77% of survey participants said that the most critical factor in deciding where to fill up one’s tank is fuel price. Participation in loyalty programs came in at a paltry 7th.
Top 7 factors for deciding where to fuel…
- 77%
- Fuel price
- 49%
- Good lighting
- 48%
- Fuel quality
- 47%
- Form of payment options
- 43%
- Ease of getting in and out
- 36%
- Location is nearby when “empty” light goes on
- 28%
- Participation in loyalty programs
Market Force Information 2017 study
We recommend general-purpose gas rewards credit cards over loyalty cards — you’ll be able to earn rewards at any gas station, rather than one specific branded station. Additionally, the ebb-and-flow of gas prices could make gas more expensive at the particular loyalty card’s station compared to other brands, in turn limiting your savings.
Co-branded gas cards
Co-branded gas cards are issued by a particular gas retailer and function like a normal credit card, such as the BP Credit Card. Typically, you can use the card at more than just the issuer’s retail locations. For example, the BP Credit Card rewards you for spending at BP stations, eligible grocery stores, dining and travel and all other spending.
With co-branded cards, you’ll receive a lot less features than a general-purpose gas rewards card, and they usually have some of the highest APRs.
How you can benefit from a gas credit card
If you drive a vehicle that runs on gasoline, you’ll benefit from a gas credit card — it’s as simple as that.
Gas credit cards are ideal cards for individuals who commute long distances, frequently run errands, love to take road trips or have a busy family. With gas rewards cards, you can earn better-than-average rewards on fuel purchases and can better protect against skimmers, or machines that steal and store your card information, than debit cards.
College students
College is often when young adults begin building their credit history, and a gas card is a perfect place to start.
Whether you commute to and from campus or spend time driving to a part-time job or internship, a gas credit card can help you earn rewards on your fuel purchases while building up your credit — just make sure you’re using your card responsibly and paying it off each month.
We recommend the Discover it® Student chrome, which will earn you 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter), plus 1% cash back on everything else.
Roadtrippers
If you have any road trips planned this winter, you’ll benefit from a gas card.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express will earn you 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%) and select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit (covering tolls you may encounter on your trip) and 1% back on everything else.
How to choose a gas credit card
There are a variety of options when it comes to choosing a gas credit card. First and foremost, we recommend that you stick with the general-purpose gas rewards card that will earn you rewards at any gas station, no matter the brand.
Additionally, look for cards that offer no annual fee and perks for non-gas purchases. We’ve pulled together an example of two credit cards that we think would be good choices:
|
Discover it® chrome |
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card |
| Rewards structure |
2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter)
1% unlimited cash back on everything else
|
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase |
| Spending example |
$1,000 * 4 quarters * 2% cash back * $0.01 = $80
$200 * 12 months * 1% cash back * $0.01 = $24
|
$1,000 * 4 quarters * 1.5% cash back * $0.01 = $60
$200 * 12 months * 1.5% cash back * $0.01 =$36
|
| Annual fee |
$0 |
$0 |
| Sign-up bonus |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, automatically. |
$150 when you spend $500 in your first three months |
| First-year value |
$208 (including year-end match bonus) |
$246 (including sign-up bonus) |
| Second-year value |
$104 |
$96 |
Spending example
Let’s take a closer look at the cash back you’d earn from the Discover it chrome and Quicksilver cards:
Discover it® chrome
Say you spent $1,000 each quarter at gas stations and restaurants combined (therefore maxing out the 2% category). Then, say you spent an additional $200 a month on purchases outside the 2% category. By the end of your first year, you’d earn $104 in cash back.
When you include the rewards you’d earn from Discover’s Cashback Match feature, you’d earn $208 in cash back by the end of your first year of card ownership.
Capital One® Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you spent $1,000 per quarter on gas with the Quicksilver card and $200 per month on all other purchases, you’d end up with $96 in cash back.
When you add in the first-year sign-up bonus you’d earn by spending at least $500 in your first three months, you’d earn a total of $246 in cash back by the end of your first year.
The bottom line
Although you’d earn more cash back your first year with the Quicksilver card, by year two the Discover it chrome will offer you more value.
How we selected our list of top gas cards
Credit cards featured on Bankrate.com receive a score based on a 5-point scoring system. With individual categories such as gas credit cards, the analysis focuses on specific features relevant to that type of card, including:
Rewards rate
The highest-rated credit cards for gas purchases typically earn cash back or rewards points at a rate of 2 percent, 3 percent or even 4 percent for every dollar you spend on fuel purchases.
Versatility
The best gas cards offer rewards not just for filling up your vehicle but also for other types of everyday purchases, such as groceries.
Affordability
A truly outstanding gas credit card puts value front and center, meaning that it charges no annual fee (or a minimal fee).
Learn more about gas credit cards and thrifty travel
Fuel up on knowledge with more credit card resources from Bankrate:
Senior Editor Barry Bridges has been writing about credit cards, personal loans, mortgages and other personal finance products since 2017. Before joining Bankrate, he was an award-winning newspaper journalist in his native North Carolina. Send your questions about credit cards (and fantasy baseball) to bbridges@bankrate.com.
Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.
