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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Comparing gas station credit cards to see what they offer
Ryan is a former TPG credit cards writer who has been around points and miles for several years and has published content at Miles to Memories, AwardWallet and The Points Guy. His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, diving, and seeing animals in the wild. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether this points & miles stuff is illegal.
July 13, 2022 • 12 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
Gas station-branded cards offer discounts or statement credits on fuel purchases, typically limited to that brand's locations.
Some cards provide additional benefits, such as cash back or rebates on in-store purchases, car washes or groceries.
These cards may have introductory fuel discounts, but ongoing savings are often modest and restricted to specific stations.
General-purpose rewards cards can sometimes yield greater value on fuel purchases than brand-specific discounts.
What to consider
Fuel discounts from gas station cards only apply at affiliated stations, limiting flexibility when traveling or in unfamiliar areas.
Some cards are not accepted outside their branded network, restricting usage for other purchases.
Always compare the value of per-gallon discounts to potential rewards from other cards, as general-purpose cards may offer higher overall returns.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of gas station card perks versus general rewards cards, including sample calculations to help you determine the best option for your fuel spending.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
It's no secret that people are looking for ways to save money at the pump given how expensive gas is lately. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of unleaded fuel was $4.655 as of July 12, 2022. Thankfully, there are some credit cards that are great for your gas purchases, helping you earn cash back or extra points on each purchase.
But what about cards from the gas station brands? Are these worth considering as part of your credit card strategy? Do they merit a place in your plan to save at the pump?
Today, let's compare the credit cards offered by gas station brands to see what they offer to consumers and what you should consider before applying.
Gas station credit cards
BPme Rewards Visa Credit Card
(Photo by The Points Guy)
Sign-up bonus: Get 30 cents off per gallon of gas purchased at BP and Amoco gas stations in the first 60 days from account opening.
Annual fee: $0.
Gas discount for cardmembers: 15 cents per gallon after the introductory period ends.
Earning structure: Cardholders earn 5% cash back on non-fuel purchases at BP and Amoco stores (including convenience store and car wash purchases), 3% back on grocery and dining purchases, and 1% back on all other purchases. (There are no rewards earned on fuel purchases at BP or Amoco, because of the discount received.)
Other cardmember perks: Cardmembers can enjoy benefits like free access to their FICO credit score, zero liability for fraud on the account, roadside dispatch through Visa and multiple ways in which to redeem rewards. Options include cash back, statement credits, gift cards from major retailers and travel experiences. There are no limits to rewards earning and the card has no annual fee.
Issuing bank: First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO).
Apply here: BPme Rewards Visa Credit Card
The information for the BPme Visa card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
CITGO Rewards® Card
(Photo by The Points Guy)
Sign-up bonus: Receive a discount of 10 cents per gallon in fuel statement credits during the first three months of cardmembership.
Annual fee: $0.
Gas discount for cardmembers: 5 cents per gallon in fuel statement credits.
Earning structure: The fuel discount is the only earning benefit.
Other cardmember perks: Enjoy $0 fraud liability, free authorized user cards and six months of promotional financing on purchases of $199 or more at auto merchants (other than gas purchases). However, this is not a credit card and can't be used anywhere other than Citgo stations.
Issuing bank: Synchrony.
Apply here: CITGO Rewards® Card
The information for the CITGO card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Exxon Mobil Smart Card+™
(Photo by The Points Guy)
Sign-up bonus: Get a discount of 30 cents per gallon on fuel purchases during your first two months of cardmembership, which can be combined with the 10 cents per gallon on regular gas and 12 cents per gallon on supreme fuel purchases for a total of up to 42 cents per gallon in discounts during the introductory period.
Annual fee: $0.
Gas discount for cardmembers: Save 12 cents per gallon on Supreme+ premium gas and 10 cents per gallon on other fuel types at Exxon and Mobil gas stations.
Earning structure: Get 5% back on in-store purchases (except for lottery tickets, money orders and gift cards) and car washes for the first $1,200 in non-fuel purchases each year.
Other cardmember perks: $0 fraud liability. Also, note that cardmember perks and spending cannot be combined with the Exxon Mobil Rewards+™ program. Moreover, this is not a credit card and can't be used anywhere other than Exxon and Mobil stations.
Issuing bank: Citi.
Apply here: Exxon Mobil Smart Card+™
The information for the Exxon Mobil card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Sign-up bonus: Save 30 cents per gallon (up to 35 gallons) on your first five Shell fuel purchases made by June 30, 2023.
Annual fee: $0.
Gas discount for cardmembers: Save 10 cents per gallon (up to 35 gallons) on purchases of fuel at Shell stations. This comes as a combined discount of 5 cents per gallon for paying with your card and 5 cents per gallon for being a Shell Fuel Rewards Gold member (automatic with cardmembership).
Earning structure: 10% Shell rebates from your first $1,200 in non-fuel purchases each year, 2% Shell rebates on your first $10,000 in dining and grocery purchases per year and 1% Shell rebates on all other purchases.
Other cardmember perks: Benefits can be combined with Shell Fuel Rewards program to add additional savings per gallon, but rewards discounts applied above your cardmember perks are limited to 20 gallons of fuel per purchase.
Issuing bank: Citi.
Apply here: Shell Fuel Rewards® Mastercard®
The information for the Shell card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Speedy Rewards® Mastercard®
(Photo by The Points Guy)
Sign-up bonus: Earn 25,000 bonus points when you spend at least $500 in the first three billing cycles from account opening.
Annual fee: $0.
Gas discount for cardmembers: None.
Earning structure: Earn 50 points per dollar spent on fuel and in-store purchases at Speedway gas stations. Earn 10 points per dollar on all other purchases. Redeem rewards in-store or online for items like food, discounts or gift cards.
Other cardmember perks: Earn additional rewards as a Speedy Rewards member, on top of what you earn with your card, and access your FICO credit score for free.
Issuing bank: First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO).
Apply here: Speedy Rewards® Mastercard®
The information for the Speedy Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Sunoco Rewards Credit Card
(Photo by The Points Guy)
Sign-up bonus: Save 25 cents per gallon in the first 60 days after account opening, issued as a statement credit of 20 cents per gallon and a 5-cent discount at the pump when paying with your card.
Annual fee: $0.
Gas discount for cardmembers: 5 cents per gallon. Earn an additional 3 cents per gallon in discounts by purchasing at least five gallons of fuel on two separate occasions each month.
Earning structure: The fuel discount is the only earning benefit.
Other cardmember perks: $0 fraud liability and free authorized user cards. Note that this is not a credit card and cannot be used at any merchants other than Sunoco.
Issuing bank: Citi.
Apply here: Sunoco Rewards Credit Card
The information for the Sunoco Rewards card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Techron Advantage® Visa® Credit Card
(Photo by The Points Guy)
Sign-up bonus: Earn up to 37 cents per gallon in fuel credits for Chevron and Texaco gas purchases during the first 90 days of account membership.
Annual fee: $0.
Gas discount for cardmembers: 3 cents per gallon on regular or diesel gas, 6 cents per gallon on plus fuel and 8 cents per gallon on supreme or premium fuel. Earn up to 10 cents per gallon in additional fuel credits through qualifying purchases at other merchants each month, up to $300 in fuel discounts per year. This is valid through March 31, 2023; then, the earning structure will default to 3 cents per gallon on all fuel types.
Earning structure: Earn an additional 2 cents per gallon in fuel credits each month for each $100 spent at non-gas station merchants. The maximum monthly earning is 10 cents per gallon in fuel credits, with a maximum of $300 in fuel credits per calendar year.
Other cardmember perks: Enjoy $0 fraud liability, cellphone protection of $300 per claim and six months of promotional financing on purchases of $199 or more at auto merchants (other than gas purchases).
Issuing bank: Synchrony.
Apply here: Techron Advantage® Visa® Credit Card
The information for the Techron Visa card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Things to consider before you apply
(Photo by Halfpoint / Getty Images)
Before you apply for a gas station credit card, there are a few important things to consider. First, remember that any fuel discounts will only apply on fuel purchases from that specific brand. Thus, you will not receive your gas discounts at every gas station, which can be inconvenient if you're out of town or hunting for a gas station in an unfamiliar area.
Second, consider whether you might earn rewards that are worth more than the discount a gas station credit card can offer. Let's look at the math.
Imagine you purchase 20 gallons of gas, and the price of a gallon is $5. If you use a gas station card that provides a discount of 10 cents per gallon, you would pay $98 for your fuel — a savings of $2 total. However, that discount only applies at the gas stations affiliated with your card.
Alternatively, you could pay with the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees), which earns 3 ThankYou Points per dollar on fuel purchases worldwide. You wouldn't receive the "per gallon" discount, but you would earn 300 points on this purchase of 20 gallons at $5 per gallon. TPG values these points at 1.7cents apiece, meaning you would earn $5.40 worth of rewards on the purchase.
In this example, the rewards are worth more than the discount from a fuel card.
Not only that, but the Citi Premier Card is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 60,000 ThankYou points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. This is notably higher than any of the welcome offers detailed above.
You should also consider what gas station loyalty programs can do for you, along with considering the merits of GasBuddy or using Amex Offers, Chase Offers, Citi Merchant Offers and Capital One Offers to provide discounts or statement credits on your credit card. Using your preferred credit card and earning loyalty perks may be a better combination for you in the long. Do the math to see what works for your situation.
Of course, you should also review the application rules of the issuing bank before you apply for any new credit card.
Bottom line
Drivers are feeling the pinch of high gas prices, but there are many approaches to lessen the hit on your wallet. Opening a credit card from your preferred gas station can provide a discount at the pump or statement credits from fuel purchases. Depending on how much gas you buy, these savings can certainly add up.
However, it's important to consider other factors when choosing the right way to pay at the pump. Remember that these cards will only work with a particular fuel company. Additionally, you may be able to earn rewards or cash back at a higher rate by forgoing the discount and using other credit cards instead.
No two people have the same circumstances, so evaluate all of the available options and then choose the path that is best for you.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
