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Commuters and road-trippers know that fuel expenses can add up. Why not cushion the blow with cash back and other rewards? Here's a list of the best gas credit cards from our partners to help you get more rewards to the gallon in 2021.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
2X
Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter.
1X
Earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
Intro bonus
20,000 points
For a Limited Time, earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
13.49% - 23.49% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
The Citi Rewards+® Card offers 2x points on supermarket and gas station spending (on up to $6,000 a year, then 1x) and 1x points on everything else. The true value of this card is in its unique roundup feature which rounds-up your purchases to the next 10 points, this makes your daily $3 coffee worth 10 points. That’s an incredible rewards rate for low-cost purchases.
For a Limited Time, earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 13.49% - 23.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
The Citi Rewards+® Card - the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase - with no cap.
Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.49% - 23.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
5%
5% cash back on gas anywhere (up to $6,000)
5%
Plus members earn 3% back on eligible purchases when shopping in-club or digitally through Sam’s Club when they use their Sam’s Club Mastercard and another 2% back from their Plus membership, for a total of up to 5% rewards on eligible purchases.
3%
3% cash back on dining and takeout
1%
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Intro bonus
N/A
Annual fee
No Annual Fee
Regular APR
15.65% or 23.65% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
The Sam's Club® Mastercard® earns 5% cash back on gas purchases at gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), but it's more than a gas card. If you're a Sam's Club Plus member, you can also earn up to 5% cash back on Sam's Club purchases, digital or in-club. Dining earns 3% and all other eligible purchases earn 1%.
Read our full Sam's Club Mastercard review.
Get a $30 statement credit when you open a Sam’s Club® credit card account and make $30 or more in Sam’s Club purchases within 30 days of date of account opening.
More value: 3 + 2 = 5: Plus members earn 3% back on eligible purchases when shopping in-club or digitally through Sam’s Club when they use their Sam’s Club Mastercard and another 2% back from their Plus membership, for a total of up to 5% rewards on eligible purchases.
Savings: For everyday eligible purchases, the credit card offers an industry leading 5% cash back on gas anywhere (up to $6,000), 3% cash back on dining and takeout, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Less contact: As consumers look for ways to transact without touching cash, cards, or keypads, Synchrony has enabled Sam’s Club with contact-free technology, including the integration of payments capabilities into Sam’s Scan & Go patented solution, both in-club and at the pump.
Mobile first: Sam’s Club cardholders can easily make purchases, track spending, check and pay balances, and securely manage and freeze accounts via the Sam’s Club mobile app enabled by the Synchrony plug-in (‘SyPi’).
Digitized rewards: No more paper checks! Rewards are automatically loaded onto membership cards and can be used for future purchases made both online and in-club, or exchanged for cash back.
Applying made easy: The Sam’s Club Mastercard is now available to apply for in all in-Club and digital channels including: at member services, at the point of sale – including through Scan & Go; on Sam’s Club Mobile App, SamsClub.com, Text-to-Apply, and Self-Checkout enabled with Synchrony’s patent-pending dApply technology, API’s, and the Synchrony plug-in (‘SyPi’).
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
6%
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
6%
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3%
3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
3%
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
1%
1% Cash Back on other purchases
Intro bonus
$300
Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Annual fee
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Regular APR
13.99%-23.99% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one of the most well-rounded cash back cards on the market. Heavy spenders and family shoppers can save substantially, thanks to the card’s 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1%), and 3% at U.S. gas stations and on eligible transit. If you’re looking for a card that will reward your practical spending on gas and other everyday purchases, it’s hard to find a better choice.
Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
Low intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
3%
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
2%
2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores.
1%
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Intro bonus
$200
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
13.99%-23.99% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
True to its name, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express gives you plentiful ways to earn rewards on everyday purchases, including purchases at U.S. gas stations, without charging an annual fee. You'll earn unlimited 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores, as well as 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1%). These rewards rates and categories, plus the lack of an annual fee, give the card excellent long-term value.
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 15 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%.
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores.
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
3%
Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases).
2%
Earn automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases).
1%
Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Intro bonus
$200
$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
13.99% - 23.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
With the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, the sign-up bonus of $200 online cash rewards after you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening is easy to obtain. For the long haul, you can also obtain generous cash back returns by making gas your choice category. The flexibility in choosing your highest-earning rewards category helps make this card a versatile and valuable option long after you've earned the sign-up bonus.
$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 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
If you're a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25% - 75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn up to 5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
No annual fee and no expiration on rewards
0% Introductory APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 13.99% - 23.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee (min $10) applies to all balance transfers.
Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap
This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
additional features
Purchase intro APR
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance transfer intro APR
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any BTs made in the first 60 days. A 3% fee (min. $10) applies.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rewards rate
2%
Earn cash back on your next road trip with 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.
1%
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Intro bonus
Cashback Match™
Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match - only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
11.99% - 22.99% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
The best feature of the Discover it chrome is that Discover will match the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year with this card. Other than that, the card offers a pretty standard 2% cash back rate at the pump up to $1,000 in spend each quarter and 1% on all other purchases.
Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match - only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Earn cash back on your next road trip with 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Redeem your cash back for any amount, any time. Cash rewards never expire.
100% U.S. Based Customer Service available any time.
Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
No annual fee.
Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
5X
Earn 5x points for gas purchases at the pump and electric vehicle charging stations
3X
Earn 3x points for supermarket purchases, restaurants/dining, and cable, satellite and other television/radio/streaming services
1X
Earn 1x point on all other purchases
Intro bonus
15,000 Points
New Acquisition Bonus: 15,000 points after $1,500 spend during first 3 months of card open date
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
13.49% - 17.99% Variable
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
You have to be a member of the credit union to apply, but approved PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card cardholders can take advantage of premium rewards rates for eligible gas and supermarket purchases. Those who fill up their cars often will surely benefit from earning unlimited 5x points on gas purchases at the pump and electric vehicle charging stations, plus 3x points on supermarket purchases, restaurants/dining, and cable, satellite and other television/radio/streaming services and 1X points on all other purchases. You can redeem rewards for gift cards, travel or merchandise.
Rate and offers current as of October 1, 2021 and subject to change.
New Acquisition Bonus: 15,000 points after $1,500 spend during first 3 months of card open date
Earn 5x points for gas purchases at the pump and electric vehicle charging stations
Earn 3x points for supermarket purchases, restaurants/dining, and cable, satellite and other television/radio/streaming services
Earn 1x point on all other purchases
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees
No cash advance fee
Chip and Contactless 'Tap to Pay' enabled for added security, ease and convenience at the point of sale
Click and Pay eligible, via Secure Remote Commerce, so you can enjoy easy and secure online buying checkout
Digital wallet capable
Purchase variable rate as low as 13.49% APR
0% promotional rate for 12 months on balance transfers made between now and March 31, 2022. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. 3% balance transfer fee per transaction. Subject to credit approval. If you take advantage of this balance transfer, you will immediately be charged interest on all purchases made with your credit card unless you pay the entire account balance, including balance transfers, in full each month by the payment due date.
A closer look at our list of best gas credit cards
Citi Rewards+® Card
Best for everyday spending
This card is a good fit for: Everyday shoppers who want to earn travel rewards.
This card is not a great choice for: Those who want the option to transfer rewards to travel partners.
What makes this card unique? At first glance, the rewards structure seems pretty standard. However, there’s an interesting and valuable bonus: The rewards you earn from every purchase will be rounded up to the nearest ten points. So, a $12 lunch order would earn 20 ThankYou points.
Is the Citi Rewards+® Card worth it? You’ll earn a Limited Time offer, earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com. Compared to other rewards cards, this offer is just okay. However, the annual bonus of 10 percent points back on the first 100,000 points you redeem is potentially much more valuable because you can earn it every year.
This card is a good fit for: Sam’s Club members who want to earn rewards on the everyday essentials.
This card is not a great choice for: Someone who isn’t sold on a Sam’s Club membership — You’ll need one to get the card.
What makes this card unique? Instead of rewarding you for purchases at Sam’s Club, this card rewards you for everyday purchases like gas and restaurant dining.
Is the Sam’s Club® Mastercard® worth it? If the idea of your gas station fill-ups and restaurant meals earning rewards that you can use at Sam’s Club appeals to you, you’re bound to find value in this card.
This card is a good fit for: Someone with a moderate to large grocery budget.
This card is not a great choice for: Those who buy groceries at superstores like Walmart, Target or Costco, which are ineligible for the U.S. supermarket cash back category.
What makes this card unique? A cash back rate of 6 percent is stellar, especially when it’s attached to a rewards category as valuable as U.S. supermarkets (6 percent on up to $6,000 on purchases at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1 percent).
Is the Blue Cash Preferred worth it? In exchange for the excellent cash back rate, you have to pay a $95 annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year). To come out ahead (earn at least $95 in cash back), you would have to spend more than $1,584 at U.S. supermarkets (1,584 x .06 = 95.04). Split equally throughout a year, that’s about $33 per week. That’s excluding additional cash back you might earn by spending in the card’s other bonus categories.
This card is a good fit for: Those who want to earn rewards on everyday purchases without paying an annual fee.
This card is not a great choice for: Someone who does their grocery shopping at Target, Walmart or wholesale clubs. The U.S. supermarkets cash back category does not include superstores or wholesale clubs.
What makes this card unique? In addition to U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, there’s a more rare bonus category: select U.S. department stores. For families, this trio of bonus categories can be valuable.
Is the Blue Cash Everyday worth it? If gas and groceries are recurring expenses for you, this card is worth having — especially since it has no annual fee.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Best for sign-up bonus
This card is a good fit for: Someone who wants a variety of bonus category options.
This card is not a great choice for: Someone looking for a hands-off rewards card. If remembering which bonus category you’ve selected sounds bothersome, you might enjoy a card with fixed bonus categories.
What makes this card unique? The ability to choose and change your bonus cash back category allows for a flexible rewards strategy and room for your credit card portfolio to grow.
Is the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card worth it? The one potential sticking point in terms of value is the spending cap on the bonus categories — $2,500 in combined choice category and grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter, then 1 percent. However, between gas and groceries, a $2,500 quarterly limit is pretty generous — Most people are unlikely to find the spending caps to be value-limiting.
This card is a good fit for: Someone who wants to earn rewards on both restaurant and gas station purchases.
This card is not a good choice for: Someone seeking a traditional sign-up bonus.
What makes this card unique? Discover’s Cashback Match can offer even more value than a traditional sign-up bonus if you’re willing to wait. Discover will automatically match all of the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. So if you earn $300 over the course of your first year, you’ll automatically receive another $300.
Is the Discover it® chrome worth it? If you drive and dine out often and you want an easy cash back card, then the Discover it chrome card may be a worthwhile pick. However, you can find better rewards rates for gas, even among other no-annual-fee cards.
This card is a good fit for: Frugal spenders who want to be rewarded for budget staples like gas, dining out, and supermarket purchases.
This card is not a great choice for: Someone who isn’t interested in becoming a member of PenFed Credit Union. Also, those looking for cash back should look elsewhere — redemption options are limited to travel, gift cards, and shopping.
What makes this card unique? In addition to gas purchases, this card also offers bonus points at electric vehicle charging stations.
Is the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card worth it? You’ll have to be a member of PenFed’s credit union to apply, but the rewards potential could make membership worth considering. Rewards are unlimited, and in the gas-at-the-pump category alone, spending $200 a month would earn 1,000 monthly reward points.
Review for the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card coming soon.
Jump back to offer details.
What is a gas credit card?
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.
Gas credit cards come in a variety of forms. Some are high-earning rewards cards while others can help people with bad credit save at the pump. Further understanding the types of cards makes your decision on whether or not to carry a gas credit card easier.
Types of gas credit cards
The two main types of gas credit cards are co-branded and general-purpose. They each have their benefits, but we like general-purpose gas rewards cards because they’re more versatile.
General-purpose gas credit cards
These traditional options are simply credit cards that offer bonus 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.
Loyalty gas cards
Loyalty gas cards, or cards distributed by specific gas stations to promote loyalty (such as BP, Speedway or Chevron), allow cardholders to earn credits for gas and receive discounts on fuel.
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. Also, your savings might be limited due to the ebb and flow of gas prices at your particular loyalty station.
Bankrate Insight
Some loyalty programs, such as BPme, allow you to connect your debit or credit card to their app to earn points. This essentially allows you to utilize a general-purpose rewards card as a loyalty card as well. You can learn more in our guide to gas rewards programs about how these loyalty offers stack up.
Pros and cons of gas rewards cards
Like any type of rewards credit card, gas cards have their perks and drawbacks. Consider the following before you apply:
Pros
Plenty of no-annual-fee options
Most offer rewards in additional categories, like dining or groceries
Available to people with a wide range of credit qualities
Cons
Gas rewards cards tied to a particular brand may be inconvenient
Few options to earn rewards on electric vehicle charging
Gas isn’t the largest component of most people’s budgets
Who should get 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. The average American spends $2,094 annually on gasoline, other fuels and motor oil, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2019 Consumer Expenditures Report. Charged on a credit card that earns 3 percent cash back on gas, those expenses would amount to an annual rewards haul of $62.82. While that’s not a staggering sum, you can think of it as a free fill-up or two.
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.
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, using a sample budget of $175 per month for gas and $200 per month on general purchases.
Card
Discover it® chrome
Bank of America® Customized 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
Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases). Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Spending example
$175 * 12 months * 2% cash back = $42
$200 * 12 months * 1% cash back =$24
$175 * 12 months * 3% cash back = $63
$200 * 12 months * 1% cash back =$24
*In order to earn 3% cash back at the pump, you would have to select “gas stations” as your category of choice.
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.
$200 online cash rewards when you make at least $1,000 in purchases your first 90 days from account opening
First-year value
$132
(including year-end match bonus)
$287
(including sign-up bonus)
Second-year value
$66
$87
The bottom line
In this example, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card offers a better value for both the first year and beyond. You can use this general process to compare any two gas credit cards.
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).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Fleet gas cards are business credit cards specifically designed to provide company vehicle gas and maintenance rebates. They primarily earn fuel discounts like private-label gas cards, but have detailed purchase monitoring benefits for better point-of-sale security (driver identification, where and when the purchase took place, exact cost, etc.) so business owners can prevent unauthorized purchases. Unlike corporate cards that can earn rewards on a variety of expenses with most merchants, most fleet cards can only be used to make vehicle-related purchases with set retailers.
Examples of fleet cards include:
BP Business Solutions Mastercard®
Sunoco SunTrak® card
Speedway Business Fleet Card
Shell Fleet Plus®
There are a few everyday ways to save money on gas purchases outside loyalty programs and gas credit cards, although those may be your most lucrative options.
Discount and map apps like GasBuddy: Using map apps on your phone can help you save by searching for nearby gas stations for the lowest prices. Apps like Waze can even list your closest options by preferred price, brand and gas type. In addition to tracking prices, the GasBuddy app's Pay with GasBuddy™ feature lets you link a checking account to earn post-purchase discounts and rewards.
Other reward credit card bonus categories: Outside your cash back card’s gas category, can other categories earn rewards on gas purchases? Unfortunately, cards like the American Express Blue Cash Preferred that earn high rates at U.S. supermarkets likely won't earn you rewards at grocery store-owned gas stations due to merchant category code (MCC) differences. Even most grocery store-branded credit cards — like the Harris Teeter REWARDS World Mastercard® — don't usually offer gas rewards. Luckily, several wholesale club credit cards offer gas rewards at their stations, like the Sam’s Club® Mastercard®’s 5 percent cash back on gas. We wouldn’t encourage getting a retail card for gas because of their high APRs and limited uses, but more versatile cards with an online shopping category could earn you gas rewards by buying gift cards. You may be able to purchase a gas station gift card online or in-store with your credit card, depending on the retailer.
Use public transportation: If public transit is an option available to you, a household can save nearly $10,000 by taking public transportation and having one fewer car, according to the American Public Transportation Association. Plus, some cardholders can earn rewards on transit. Blue Cash Preferred holders earn unlimited 3% cash back on transit, including trains, parking, buses, tolls, rideshares and taxis.
Make sure your car is properly maintained: Simply keeping your engine tuned and your tires inflated and using the recommended grade of motor oil could improve your fuel economy by up to 6.6 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
It depends on what kind of gas credit card you have in mind. If you’re considering a rewards credit card that earns points for fuel purchases like the Blue Cash Preferred, you’ll most likely need “good” to “excellent” credit (about a 670+ FICO Score). However, gas station credit cards are much more accessible if you have a lower credit score.
Retail gas station cards are usually open to applicants with less than perfect credit. Private label and co-branded gas cards generally require “fair” credit or better (a 601+ FICO score), but some retailers may accept lower scores.
If your credit doesn’t qualify you for a top-end card, some secured cards and student cards may be better choices for gas purchases.
Although secured and student credit card benefits are better known for establishing credit, retail cards are also accessible launch pads for building credit if you're a brand loyalist. You might want to aim for a co-branded gas card, however, since you can use it for more than filling up your tank. Just make sure that you pay your balance on time to avoid the notoriously high retail card APR.
Bankrate expert Garrett Yarbrough strives to make navigating credit cards and credit building smooth sailing for his readers. After regularly featuring his credit card, credit monitoring and identity theft analysis on NextAdvisor.com, he joined the CreditCards.com and Bankrate.com teams as a staff writer to develop product reviews and comprehensive credit ...
Mariah Ackary is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit card rewards and small business credit. Mariah is a lifelong writer, but she began writing about finance in 2018. She joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to directly help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to mackary@bankrate.com
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
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Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Bankrate.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and the likelihood of applicants' credit approval also impact how and where products appear on this site. Bankrate.com does not include the entire universe of available financial or credit offers. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
