How to Get a Gas Card
Updated
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For the average U.S. resident, gas isn't a luxury -- it's a necessity. But even in a good year, that necessary expense can be a big pain in the bank account. With the right credit card, however, you can take a little of the sting out of filling the tank.
A good gas rewards credit card can help you earn 3% or more back on every trip to the gas station. Here are a few tips to show you how to get a gas card that fits your needs.
With online applications and instant decisions, applying for a credit card is easier than ever. So easy, in fact, that the hardest part of getting a gas card isn't applying -- it's deciding.
There are so many different kinds of gas cards out there that you can't simply choose the one with the biggest rewards rate and call it a day. When gas makes up such a big part of our budgets, it's worth taking the time to really explore and understand your options.
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| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Citi Custom Cash® Card | Discover it® Secured Credit Card |
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Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
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We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
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Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: New/Rebuilding Under(579)
New/Rebuilding Under(579) |
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Welcome Offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. $250 |
Welcome Offer: Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. 20,000 ThankYou® Points |
Welcome Offer: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
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Rewards Program: 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. 3% Cash Back 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 or at Amazon.com checkout. 1%-6% Cash Back |
Rewards Program: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026. 1% - 5% cash back |
Rewards Program: 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically 1% - 2% Cashback |
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Intro APR: Purchases: 0% on purchases, 12 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 12 months |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months on Purchases Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months on Balance Transfers |
Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months |
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APR: 18.24%-29.24% Variable |
Regular APR: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) |
Regular APR: 27.24% Variable APR |
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Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. |
Annual Fee: N/A $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
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Apply Now for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. • Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. • Extended warranty, purchase protection warranty, and car rental loss & damage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Citi Custom Cash® Card is unavailable on Motley Fool Money. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.
When looking for a gas card, the first instinct may be to get one from, well, the gas station. Most major brands have their own gas cards. You should think twice, however. These cards are often less competitive than you think.
Cobranded gas cards have two main problems:
In most cases, it's best to stick with regular credit cards that offer bonus rewards on gas station purchases. Not only can they be used anywhere their card network is accepted, but they tend to earn much better rewards.
Annual fees can be a pain, but they can also be worth paying under the right circumstances. The key is to figure out which is true in your circumstances.
For example, say you spend $2,000 a year on gas. You're trying to choose between two cards, Card A and Card B. Card A earns 5% back on gas and has a $100 annual fee. Card B only earns 3% on gas, but it has no annual fee.
With Card A, you'll earn $100 a year in rewards. But once you subtract the annual fee, your net gain is $0. With Card B, you only earn $60 in rewards. However, with no annual fee, those rewards are all profit, giving you a net gain of $60. In this case, Card B would be the most valuable choice.
At the very least, a credit card has to pay for itself. But don't stop there. You should also compare your net earnings to what you could earn with a card that has no annual fee.
When comparing your gas card options, watch out for apples-to-oranges comparisons. Cash back cards are easy to compare, since they all earn the same currency. But points cards can be trickier.
A card that earns 3x points per dollar is only the same as a 3% cash back card if those points can be redeemed for $0.01 each. Check the redemption options to get an idea of what credit card points are worth so you can see the real value of what you're getting.
One big thing to keep in mind with some gas rewards cards is a limit on how many bonus rewards you can earn. This is particularly common on high-earning cards and cards with rotating categories.
Rewards caps can be monthly, quarterly, or even yearly. For instance, you may be limited to earning a 5% rate on the first $500 in bonus category purchases each month. In that case, once you've spent $500 on gas, you'll earn just 1% back on the rest of your gas purchases until the next month.
If you find yourself reaching your cap frequently, it may be a good idea to get a second gas card. Use your highest-earning card until you reach the cap, then switch to your backup until the cap resets.
The best gas rewards cards aren't just for gas. Most also have other useful bonus rewards categories that can make it easier to choose a card. For example, if your two biggest expenses are gas and groceries, you can pick a card that offers bonus rewards for both types of purchases.
RELATED: Best Gas and Groceries Credit Cards
You can also do the same thing with your business credit cards. A few small business cards offer bonus rewards on gas, as well as other valuable business categories.
If you're working on building -- or rebuilding -- your credit, then you may not qualify for many of the best gas cards. But that doesn't mean you're out of luck. There are a few options for earning gas rewards while improving your credit score.
You have two main options for earning gas rewards if you have bad credit. The first is a gas station credit card. As noted above, these cards don't typically have the most competitive rates. But a closed-loop gas card (one that you can only use at certain gas stations) can be much easier to get than a regular credit card.
The other option is a secured credit card. With secured cards, you make a fully refundable cash deposit to secure the account. This determines your credit limit. Then, you use the card like normal. If you pay in full and on time every month, you can build credit. Many secured card issuers will eventually upgrade you to an unsecured card.
Many secured cards have no annual fee. Plus, you can find a few secured cards that offer purchase rewards, including bonus rewards for gas.
Yes, you can find some really solid gas rewards cards for students. In fact, many major issuers have student versions of their most popular rewards cards. This includes options for up to 3% cash back on gas station purchases.
While you can get a gas card with nearly any type of credit, you need to watch your card balances. Secured credit cards and student cards can have very low credit limits. With gas prices high, you could end up using half your credit limit in a single fill-up.
When you use a big portion of your available credit, your credit score can take a hit. That's because of your utilization rate. Your credit card utilization rate is how much of your available credit you're using. For instance, if your card has a $500 credit limit and you have a $100 balance, your credit utilization is: $100 / $500 = 0.2 = 20%.
In general, it's best to keep your utilization rate below 10%. Once you get over 30%, your credit score may start to suffer. And if you max out your card, you'll see a major score drop. On the plus side, it's only temporary. Once you pay off your card and lower your balance, your score should go back to normal.
The best gas rewards credit cards typically require at least good credit. That means a FICO® Score of around 670 or higher. However, you can find gas cards for all credit types. Gas station cobranded cards often have flexible credit requirements. There are also secured credit cards and student cards that offer gas rewards.
How easy a gas credit card is to get depends on your qualifications. If you have good credit, then most gas cards should be pretty easy to get. If your credit score needs a little work, you'll have to be more selective about the card you choose. But there are gas cards for all types of credit scores, so you have options.
Gas cards can definitely be worth it, especially if you drive a lot. The average U.S. household can spend upward of $2,100 a year on gas. If you earn 3% cash back on those purchases, you're looking at an extra $75 in your pocket. And the more gas you go through, the higher the savings can get.
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