What are the best fuel cards in the UK?
The UK’s best fuel cards offer your business fuel discounts, management tools, and extra bonuses. But some fuel cards are better for some business types than others. We’re breaking down the best fuel cards in the UK for every business type, so you can find your best fit.
Keep reading to find the top fuel cards in the UK for your business. Or use our free quote tool to match up with the right fuel card for you.
Every big fuel provider in the UK has some type of fuel card available, each with its unique features and locations to use it. The top five fuel cards for business in the UK are: FleetOne, Esso National, Smartdiesel, Shell CRT and FuelGenie.
To find the right fuel cards for your business, keep reading and dive into the benefits of the top five cards in the UK.
| Fuel Card | Key Benefit | iCompario Star Rating |
|
Accepted at over 4,100 stations | ★★★★★ |
|
Wholesale fuel prices at Esso and pump prices at partner stations | ★★★★ |
|
Discounts for big spenders | ★★★★ |
|
Use at over 50% of UK motorway stations | ★★★★ |
|
Supermarket loyalty points | ★★★★ |
Best fuel cards for fleets
The best fleet fuel cards in the UK give you budgeting solutions and management tools. The Fleetone card from UK Fuels and the Esso National are some of the top cards available right now thanks to their pricing features and unique online tools. If you’re looking for the best fuel card for your van or car fleet, these are your top options.
Fleetone card
★★★★★
- Over 4,100 stations in the UK
- Great fleet management system
- HMRC-approved invoices
It’s in the name. The Fleetone card is one of the best fuel cards for UK fleets. The card has one of the biggest station networks in the country with a total of over 4,100 stations. That’s mostly made up of the UK Fuels network, plus partner stations like Morrisons, Texaco, JET, Tesco and more. If you and your fleet need coverage across the UK, few cards can compete with the card’s big network and variety.
Get discounts on pump prices
Whether you use petrol or diesel, the Fleetone card can work for you. What’s unique about the Fleetone is the number of pump discounts it offers you. Thanks to its large network, you can get discounts on pump prices wherever you are in the UK. At motorway stations, you can get up to 10p off per litre. That goes a long way, especially for fleets!
How well does it work for fleets?
The Fleetone has one of the best online account management systems. On this account, fleet managers can limit fuel spending to prevent overspends, review fuel usage graphs for every fuel card and driver, and much more.
Bonus: your Fleetone card also delivers automated HMRC-approved invoices to make VAT claims that much easier.
Many of the stations in the Fleetone network are open 24/7, so refuelling your fleet can be done at any time. While there are some HGV-suitable stations, see our best UK fuel cards for truckers for your best options.
iCompario tip:
The Fleetone card does have a monthly minimum spend. It’s great for fleets and those always on the go! But small businesses and sole traders will want to consider other options to avoid card charges for not meeting that minimum.
Esso National card
★★★★
- Over 3,400 stations in the UK
- Flexible pricing options
- Track your fuel spending online
Offered by Esso, the National card lets you use your fuel card at thousands of stations across the UK. You can use your Esso National card to pay for petrol and diesel, plus a bunch of other things. The card can be used to collect Nectar points when you refill at Sainsbury’s, which is a nice benefit for your drivers. AdBlue, car washes, and motor oil can all be bought with this card too. If you want good coverage and everything on one invoice, the Esso National is a handy card to have.
Benefits of both worlds
What do we mean by fixed or pump pricing? Fuel cards give you a fixed weekly report of the fuel prices for the following week based on wholesale oil prices. You pay for the fuel based on the prices on that report for the week. Or, with pump prices, you get a small discount at the pump each time you refill.
The Esso National card is one of the few cards where you get a bit of both. At Esso stations, you can benefit from the fixed weekly prices. But you’ll get a pump discount at all its partner stations. That makes it one of the most versatile fuel cards on the market.
How well does it work for fleets?
The Esso National card, like the Fleetone, comes with an online account management portal. Here you can see how much fuel your fleet is using, add or remove cards, and access your invoices. It’s a handy system every fleet manager needs.
Get more expenses on one invoice. Your drivers can use their Esso card to pay for car washes and AdBlue at Esso stations, so you can easily claim VAT on those expenses as well as fuel.
The Esso National falls slightly behind in terms of its network size. 3,400 is still plenty to cover the whole of the UK, though, so we don’t expect many fleets will have issues. The card does have a minimum spend of £300 per account a month, but that’s pretty low for most fleets. If you spend less than that, consider a different fuel card or prepare for some minimum spend fees.
Smartdiesel
★★★★
- Over 3,000 stations in the UK
- 750 HGV stations to bulk buy
- Great prices for big spenders
The Smartdiesel card has unique features that set it apart from its competitors. If you have a big fleet or spend a ton on fuel, then this card has some interesting features for you. The card has a large network of stations, including 750 major UK truck stops with 24/7 open hours so you can always find a place to fill up on fuel.
Discounts for big spenders
Most fuel cards are fixed or pump prices. The Smartdiesel card breaks the mould and offers you a third option. Let them know how much fuel you’ll be buying each week and they’ll do the calculations. Put simply, the card has different bands based on how much fuel you buy. The higher the band you’re in, the more you spend, and the higher the discount. If you often bulk buy on fuel, the Smartdiesel card is the natural choice for your business.
How well does it work for truckers?
The pricing bands of the Smartdiesel card aren’t the most straightforward. If your fleet wants clear and consistent pricing, you might want to look at the other cards on our list. But for fleets spending a lot on fuel, this card offers a unique option and benefits for those big spends that other cards don’t.
The Smartdiesel also comes with an account management portal. It’s an online tool where you can check your fuel usage and discover any issues quickly. Like most of its competitors, it also gives you HMRC-approved invoices to make claiming back VAT easier. All in all, the Smartdiesel card is a solid choice if it matches what you need.
Shell CRT
★★★★
- Over 1,100 Shell stations in the UK
- Over 50% of motorway stations included
- Competitive fuel prices
The Shell CRT card comes from one of the biggest suppliers in the UK and they don’t disappoint. This card has some unique features and is designed for drivers who go up and down Britain’s motorways. You can use your Shell card to pay for the M6 toll, collect Shell reward points, and use it on 53 motorway sites.
Competitive fuel prices at Shell
Want to avoid hefty price increases? The Shell CRT is a fixed weekly card. Every week, you’ll get a report on the prices to pay the next week. These prices are based on the wholesale price of fuel. This means you can get discounts on Shell fuel, including their premium blends and Fuelsave to help keep your engines running longer.
How well does it work for truckers?
The Shell CRT card can only be used at Shell. That does limit your options, but with over 1,100 stations we think you’ll be OK. Some Shell stations are HGV-suitable, but some aren’t. Luckily you get an online portal where you can check the Shell locations to see if they’re good for your vehicle. You’ve got 450 HGV-suitable stations to work with.
One of the best benefits of the Shell CRT card is the motorway coverage. Few fuel cards can compete with it here. You can use this card at over 50% of the UK motorway. If you’re always on the motorway, then this card is for you. At motorway sites, you can save up to 10p per litre off the average price of diesel.
Best fuel cards for small businesses
Many companies in the UK only have one or two vehicles. Sometimes that’s all you need! The best fuel cards for small businesses avoid minimum spend charges. Basically, these cards don’t punish drivers who use less or little fuel than most. Other than that, it’ll depend on what you need the card for and where you’re driving. Here are our top fuel cards for small businesses.
fuelGenie Fuel Card
★★★★
- Over 1,350 stations
- Earn supermarket reward points
- Pay supermarket pump prices
The fuelGenie card can only be used at supermarket stations. It’s a straightforward card that does the job for any small business or sole trader looking to refill at their local supermarket. You can use the card at Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Unlike some other fuel cards, it doesn’t give you discounts on pump prices but does let you collect points when you buy fuel.
Stock up on those supermarket loyalty points
While discounts at the pump have their appeal, we know how handy reward points can be. Whether you’re a sole trader collecting points or a small business rewarding your drivers, the fuelGenie offers a flexible option. You get to choose how to spend your points. It’s a hassle-free way of paying for fuel that rewards every driver who refills at the supermarket. If you already use supermarket fuel, the fuelGenie can be a good pick for you.
How well does it work for small businesses?
The fuelGenie card doesn’t offer the big network of the FleetOne or the fixed weekly prices of the Esso National to help your cash flow. But if you just want to refill at your supermarket and make your admin process easy, the fuelGenie card is a good pick. Like many fuel cards, the fuelGenie comes with HMRC-approved invoices and an online account system so you know exactly what fuel you’re using. Just keep in mind that you could be saving more money with a different card, although getting those points is a nice bonus!
Which fuel card is best for you?
There are tons of fuel card options out there, each with great benefits for some businesses. Motorway drivers will make the best use of the Shell CRT card, but fleets who need more coverage might prefer the Fleetone.
Ready to choose your fuel card? Use our free quote tool to find out which card will best suit your business based on what you need. We’re here to help match you up with the best provider for you, so you don’t have to shop around for the best provider.
