Wed, 18 December 2019
There are so many fuel card providers that it can be tricky deciding which one to choose. Each offers something a little different, with some better for multinational businesses and others better for regional ones. We’ve looked at the five best fuel card providers, explaining their pros and cons, and how many petrol stations you can use their fuel cards at.
Fuel Card Provider | Why it’s one of the best fuel card providers | iCompario star rating |
Shell | Lets you opt for weekly fixed fuel prices | ★★★★ |
Esso | Access to over 14,000 European stations | ★★★★ |
BP | Gives access to the largest motorway network | ★★★★ |
Texaco | Allows you to fill up in major supermarkets | ★★★★ |
UK Fuels | Provides an excellent range of choice | ★★★★★ |
If your fleet operates across the continent, have a look at our review of the best fuel cards for Europe to find one most suitable for your business.
Having fuel cards can save your business money, do your driver fuel expenses claims automatically and make it a 30-second job to reclaim your fuel VAT. As a free comparison site, iCompario can find you offers on cards from all the big oil companies or multi-brand cards, and deals with no minimum purchase or tie-in contracts.
Shell is one of the best fuel card providers and has two options for you to pick from: the Multi-Network Fuel Card and the CRT Fuel Card. They each give you access to an enormous amount of fuel stations, allowing you to fill up your vehicle across the UK.
The Shell Multi-Network Fuel Card is the Shell fuel card with the best coverage. You can use it at Shell, Esso, Texaco, Gulf, and Gleaner stations, giving you access to 2,700 fuel stations throughout the UK.
The Shell CRT (Commercial Road Transport) Fuel Card is designed for businesses that want high-quality fuel at a competitive cost. Your business gets fixed weekly prices for the fuel it buys, making it easier for you to plan and manage your expenses.
There are over 1,000 Shell petrol stations in the UK.
Shell V-Power is the premier fuel available with a Shell fuel card.
There are two options for an Esso fuel card, the Esso National Fuel Card and the Esso Europe Fuel Card. Esso fuel cards are ideal if you’re looking for the best regional price, whether that’s in the UK or across Europe.
Want access to 25% of the fuel stations in the UK? That’s exactly what you get with the Esso National Fuel Card. It’s accepted at both Shell and BP stations, giving you access to two of the biggest fuel providers.
Do you conduct business throughout Europe? Then the Esso Europe Fuel Card is ideal for you. You can use it at every Esso station in Europe, giving you access to over 14,000 fueling stations – one of the reasons that Esso is among the best fuel card providers.
There are currently 1,178 Esso petrol stations in the UK.
The best Esso fuel is the company’s Synergy Supreme range, which includes petrol and diesel.
BP has two great fuel cards, the BP Plus Fuel Card and the BP Plus Bunker Fuel Card. BP fuel cards are perfect for fleet management, with their features making it simpler for you to run your business.
Alongside all of the UK’s BP garages, you can also use the BP Plus Fuel Card at Texaco, Gulf, and Esso stations – this gives you access to around 2,000 fuel stations. This means you have a great selection of fuel providers, giving a persuasive argument for BP being one of the best fuel card providers.
The BP Plus Bunker Fuel Card is ideal for fleet businesses that want a fixed weekly price for their fuel. You can use this fuel card at all BP petrol stations, many of which are HGV accessible.
There are approximately 1,228 BP petrol stations in the UK.
BP Ultimate Unleaded is the premier BP fuel that you can use. It comes with ACTIVE technology, which helps to clean your vehicle’s engine and make it run more efficiently.
Texaco offers two excellent fuel cards, each with their own benefits – Texaco Fastfuel Fuel Card, and Texaco the Business Fuel Card.
The Texaco Fastfuel Fuel Card is ideal for businesses operating mixed fleets, giving you access to wholesale prices for petrol and diesel.
Not only does a Texaco The Business Fuel Card allow you to fill up your vehicle at 800 Texaco stations and 1,200 BP stations, but it also allows you the option of purchasing oils and car washes.
Figures updated in August 2019 confirm that there are 724 Texaco petrol stations in the UK.
Texaco Supreme fuel is the premier petrol and diesel on offer from Texaco.
With four options available, UK Fuels has all the best fuel card providers we’ve reviewed. Those four are the FuelPlus Fuel Card, the FleetOne Fuel Card, the Texaco Fastfuel Fuel Card, and the Smartdiesel Fuel Card.
The key benefit of the FuelPlus Fuel Card is that it lets you fill up at 3,300 stations across the UK.
Want a fuel card that lets you refuel in major supermarkets? Then pick the FleetOne Fuel Card, which gives you access to the low prices of Tesco and Morrisons.
Need the security of weekly fixed fuel prices? That’s exactly what you get from the Texaco Fastfuel Fuel Card.
Demand complete transparency in your diesel prices? If you opt for the Smartdiesel Fuel Card then you can decide how much you want to pay for fuel each week, based on how much you need.
There are no UK Fuels branded petrol stations in the UK. However, you can use a fuel card from UK Fuels in a range of petrol stations throughout the UK.
UK Fuels doesn’t sell its own branded fuel. However, your UK Fuels fuel card gives you access to many of the leading premier fuels available in the UK.
iCompario is the free online marketplace for business products and services, where managers and owners can research and rapidly compare fuel cards, vehicle tracking systems, insurance, telecoms and other essentials. The team follows up online queries by telephone so every site visitor finds their ideal, future-proof product at the best price possible.