Best fuel cards for small business budgeting

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BEST OVERALL
FuelGenie	The Fuel Store card	UK Fuels Fleetone	Allstar One	BP Supercharge
Annual fee None	Annual fee £15 per card	Annual fee £18 – 30 per card	Annual fee Request quote	Annual fee £24 per card
Best for Lowest fees	Best for Fixed weekly prices	Best for Customer service	Best for Network coverage	Best for Larger fleets
Network 1,350+	Network 3,000+	Network 3,000	Network 7,700+	Network 7,600+
Key benefits Almost no fees whatsoever Save an average of 3.4p per litre Online or in-app account management	Key benefits Low annual fee Save up to 10p per litre Use card to buy additional vehicle products	Key benefits 4.8 rating on Trustpilot Online account management Save up to 10p per litre	Key benefits UK’s largest fuel card network Save up to 10p per litre of diesel Additional fleet services offered	Key benefits Lower annual fee for larger fleets Huge network Complete control over fleet expenses
Compare Quotes	Compare Quotes	Compare Quotes	Compare Quotes	Compare Quotes

Our research shows that the best, most affordable fuel card is FuelGenie. It boasts no annual card fee, no transaction fee, and no replacement card fee.

The unfolding situation in the Middle East, combined with the war in Ukraine, means fuel prices will stick at above-average rates for the forseeable. That makes finding a fuel card to keep overheads down imperative for small business fleets.

But FuelGenie has a smaller fuel station network than rivals like Allstar One and BP Supercharge, which means it may not suit your company’s location. And, in today’s inflationary environment, it’s vital to find the best deal you can to avoid jeopardising cash flow.

To help you work out which is the best fuel card for your small business, we’ll walk you through the rates and merits of the current leading fuel card providers in this guide.

Or, for a quicker comparison, you can also use our handy 🔍fuel card free comparison tool to get bespoke quote in minutes.

What is a fuel card?

A fuel card is like any business debit or credit card, but it can only be used to purchase fuel for your commercial vehicles. Employees are each allocated a fuel card which they can use to fill up at a wide network of petrol stations without having to pay VAT.

Fuel cards mean no more hours spent searching around for physical receipts for fuel. Instead, employers will receive a single VAT invoice. This makes expenses much simpler to claim back from HMRC, plus employees won’t have to spend weeks waiting for an expense claim to come through. Cards can be cancelled or added at any time.

Most providers offer either a weekly price card or a pump price card. As it sounds, the fixed weekly price card means every litre of fuel you buy on that card will be charged at a set amount, avoiding price fluctuations. Alternatively, with a pump price card, employees will be charged the price at the pump every time they refuel.

1. FuelGenie – Best for lowest fees

FuelGenie An innovative fuel card with no basic fees, FuelGenie is a great choice for small businesses

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• Pricing No basic fees, only charges are for hard copy invoices and returned direct debits

• Almost no fees
• Save an average of 3.4p per litre
• Online or in-app account management

Summary FuelGenie is a pretty remarkable fuel card provider and our top overall choice for small businesses. Unlike all of its rivals, it charges no basic fees, so no account fee, no transaction fee, even no card replacement fee. In fact, the only charges are a very reasonable £5 each for hard copy invoices and £49 for returned direct debits. The major drawback is you'll only be able to get discount fuel from supermarket fuel stations (these generally charge the lowest prices thanks to economies of scale), with a combination of Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury's producing a relatively small network of around 1,350 branches. However, your drivers will be able to earn loyalty points on their fuel purchases and you'll get an unlimited number of free cards, online account management and pre-approved HMRC invoices. As long as you can cope with a limited choice of fuel stations, then FuelGenie is an excellent way to save money on your small business fuel expenses.

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💸 FuelGenie pricing

FuelGenie has a unique pricing model. Basically, there are no fees – there’s no account fee, no transaction fee, and none of the other standard fees charged by fuel card providers. The only things you’ll pay for are hard copy invoices (£5 each) and returned direct debits (£49 each time).

This is especially beneficial given today’s inflationary environment. The cost of living crisis has sent everyday costs spiralling, and anything you can do to keep overheads down will go a long way to strengthening your company cash flow.

Users can pay more for the newly-released FuelGenie+ tier. This card is closely partnered with Shell to allow access to a wider range of locations than the cheaper FuelGenie card. Costing £6 per month, per card it is the more expensive option, but worth it if your drivers need access to a bigger range of forecourts.

📍🗺️ FuelGenie locations

FuelGenie’s low cost does come at a price. You’ll only be able to get discounted fuel from Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s fuel stations, which means a relatively small network of 1,350 branches.

💡 FuelGenie verdict

FuelGenie’s ultra low cost pricing model makes it our top overall choice for the best small business fuel card, businesses just need to make sure the limited choice of fuel stations works for them.

2. The Fuel Store Card – best for fixed weekly prices

The Fuel Store Card A straight-talking provider with fixed weekly pricing and a low annual fee

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• Pricing Annual fee of £15 per card

• Low annual fee
• Save up to 10p per litre
• Use card to buy additional vehicle products

Summary The Fuel Store Card is a good choice for small businesses that want the certainty of fixed weekly pricing. The £15 annual account fee is one of the lowest around and that gives you access to a network of over 3,000 fuel stations. It's easy and quick to sign up and, once you've got going, you'll be able to track usage with online account management tools. To keep things simple, drivers can also pay for additional vehicle products like motor oil and lubricant with The Fuel Store Card, and you can quickly tackle the admin with pre-approved HMRC invoices. All this adds up to a great fuel card package for small businesses that want consistent fair pricing that they can rely on.

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💸 The Fuel Store Card pricing

The Fuel Store offers virtually no public pricing information, but we do know that it has a £15 per card per year account fee. You must also purchase at least 300+ litres per month otherwise a £10 charge is applied.

This fee is common among fuel card providers but it is a particular drawback in today’s poor economy (FuelGenie does not have any minimum spend charges). Consider your average fuel usage per month before investing in a Fuel Store Card as you don’t want to risk being hit with this nasty charge per card each month.

One of the best ways to find out how much fuel cards will cost for your business is to use our handy free 🔍fuel card comparison tool. Simply answer a few quick questions and you’ll receive bespoke quotes from some of the UK’s top fuel card companies.

📍🗺️ The Fuel Store Card locations

One of the most well-known and well-connected fuel cards on the market, The Fuel Store Card is partnered with no fewer than eight big-name petrol station providers, contributing to a network of over 3,000 locations:

• BP
• Shell
• Texaco
• Esso
• Jet
• Certas
• Tesco
• Morrisons

💡 The Fuel Store Card verdict

Overall, The Fuel Store Card offers a good middle ground between FuelGenie’s minimal fees and limited network, and the high fees and huge networks of major players like BP and Allstar. Access to over 3,000 fuel stations, low annual fees and fixed weekly pricing are an attractive combo for small business prioritising stability and cost.

3. UK Fuels Fleetone – best for customer service

UK Fuels Fleetone This powerful fuel card leads the way when it comes to customer service

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• Pricing £18 - 30 per card annually

• 4.8 rating on Trustpilot
• Online account management
• Save up to 10p per litre

Summary What really sets the UK Fuels Fleetone card apart is the company's focus on customer service, reflected in a 4.8 Trustpilot score from over 1,900 reviews. There's a £18-30 annual charge per card and your drivers will get access to a network of over 3,300 fuel stations, plus apps that let you easily manage your account and quickly find the nearest in-network fuel station when you need to fill up. The pump saver tariff means you'll get a guaranteed saving (up to 10p per litre) on the pump price, and HMRC-compliant invoices means the admin side is a doddle. So, if you're looking for first-class customer service, access to a strong multi-brand fuel station network, and digital tools that make the fuel process easier, then UK Fuels Fleetone could be the perfect fuel card for your small business.

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💸 UK Fuels Fleetone pricing

There is an £18-30 annual charge per card for UK Fuels Fleetone cards. However, this isn’t as precise or as clear as other brands. You must purchase fuel at least once per week (the invoice period) or incur a charge of £1 per card.

Users can also purchase the UK Fuels Fleet Control and Insights add-on. This gives businesses full control over the management of their fuel card spend (advantageous in today’s poor economy) and costs just £1.50 per month. It supports the identification of unusual behaviour and provides detailed reports each month.

📍🗺️ UK Fuels Fleetone locations

UK Fuels is one of the UK’s largest combined network of brands with over 4,100 fuel stations, including more than 70% of motorway fuel stations. Businesses can fill up at three large-scale supermarkets: Morrisons, Tesco, and Co-op.

💡 UK Fuels Fleetone verdict

UK Fuels Fleetone’s commitment to excellent customer service really makes it stand out, UK Fuels has the highest Trustpilot rating (4.8) of any fuel card provider. You’ll also get access to a strong multi-brand network of fuel stations, HMRC-compliant invoices and digital tools to manage your account and find the nearest in-network fuel stations.

4. Allstar One – best for network coverage

Allstar One A powerhouse card with the UK's largest fuel station network

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• Pricing Request quote

• UK's largest fuel card network
• Save up to 10p per litre of diesel
• Additional fleet services offered

Summary The ace in Allstar One's pack is undoubtedly its huge network of over 7,700 fuel stations that cover 90% of the UK. Given this, transaction charges of up to £2.75 per purchase will quickly mount up and increase the overall cost. Fuel savings are particularly good for diesel drivers, with Allstar's Discount Diesel network offering savings of up to 10p per litre. Allstar also offers flexible credit terms to help businesses manage their cash flow, HMRC-compliant invoicing and online fleet management that lets you track easily track the fuel efficiency of your drivers. Overall, while it's one of the more expensive options out there, Allstar One's massive network means it's worthy of strong consideration by small business owners.

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💸 Allstar One pricing

Allstar One has no public pricing information, but we know that it charges transaction fees of up to £3 each time. No minimum spend amount is given but Allstar does apply an ‘Underused Account Fee’ of £9.99 per card per month, which is likely a bespoke charge based on your unique contract with the provider.

This makes it one of the more expensive fuel card options overall, but that does give you access to the UK’s largest fuel station network. You’ll also be given access to Allstar Online, a data insights dashboard that allows you to manage and track your fuel spending, drastically reducing time spent on admin and filing away paper receipts.

📍🗺️ Allstar One locations

AllStar has easily the largest fuel acceptance network in this list. Users can refill their tanks with the card at no fewer than 7,700 locations across the UK. Users will be able to access 26 providers including:

• Asda
• BP
• Co-op
• Essar
• Esso
• Jet
• Morrisons
• Moto
• Sainsbury’s
• Shell
• Tesco
• Texaco

💡 Allstar One verdict

Allstar One is a premium option – you’ll pay both a pretty hefty account fee and transaction fees, but you’ll get access to the UK’s largest fuel station network (over 7,700 stations) and an online fleet management system that lets you easily track locations used and fuel efficiency.

5. BP Supercharge – best for larger fleets

BP Supercharge A high-powered card with lower fees for bigger fleets

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• Pricing £24 per card per year

• Lower annual fee for larger fleets
• Huge network
• Complete control over fleet expenses

Summary If your small business has big ambitions, then the BP Supercharge card could be ideal. The £24 per year account fee may seem steep but BP doesn't charge transaction fees, and the annual account fee falls to £18 per card for 100 vehicles+ and £12 for 200+ vehicles. For that, you get access to a huge network of over 7,600 fuel stations covering 90% of the UK, customisable parameters that allow your drivers to pay for other vehicle products and make it easier to control total fleet expenses, HMRC-compliant invoices, and the ability to earn reward points on BP transactions. If you've got a big active fleet, then BP Supercharge should be top of your list.

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💸 BP Supercharge pricing

The annual account fee for the BP Supercharge card is £24 per card, but this falls to £18 per card for 100+ vehicles and £12 for 200+ vehicles. BP also does not charge any transaction fees, which makes it a more affordable option compared to Allstar.

Included in this price is access to the BP mobile app, which business users can log into to track your fuel spend, order and cancel your cards. Compared to the UK Fuels Fleetone card which charges £1.50 per month, per card, this is a solid deal.

📍🗺️ BP Supercharge locations

BP’s acceptance network is so large, it is equivalent to 9 out of 10 forecourts. This includes all major fuel brands, motorways and supermarkets and – naturally – over 1,200 BP sites. However, at 7,600 sites it is just marginally pipped to the finish line by Allstar (7,700).

💡 BP Supercharge verdict

With a pricing structure that means you save money as your fleet increases, the BP Supercharge card holds obvious appeal for small businesses with big ambitions.

Even at standard pricing though, the lack of transaction fees makes it a real rival to Allstar One – its network may be slightly smaller but it may work out cheaper overall for your small business.

How do fuel cards work?

Once your fuel card account has been created, you’ll be sent a personalised fuel card for each one of your drivers. Employees are then able to store their fuel card in their wallet for when they go on the road. They can then log into an online fuel card account to view a map of eligible stations.

It’s no different to paying for fuel with a debit card – the driver fills up their tank as normal, inputs their PIN, and pays with the fuel card. All purchases are then invoiced to the employer and payment is taken via direct debit. Fuel cards can also sometimes be used for some vehicle-related expenses like tyre replacement or motorway tolls.

Employers can also log into the account, but they’ll have a slightly different view. As account managers, they’ll be able to track individual spending habits, to identify where money might be saved. They’ll also get data on CO2 emissions, so the business can keep an eye on environmental habits.

What types of businesses are fuel cards suitable for?

Fuel cards are suitable for any business that manages a commercial fleet or vehicles. Nonetheless, the time saved on admin, and money saved on VAT payments, makes them a great choice for resource-stretched SMEs. There is usually no minimum spend, so it’s no issue if you are a sole trader who has a company vehicle for occasional use.

Rather than faffing around trying to source weeks of receipts in your desk, fuel cards will automate your bill to ensure you remain HMRC-compliant and that employees aren’t having to spend their own money on business fuel payments.

Business owners also benefit from extra control and security. Because the card can be assigned to an individual driver or specific vehicle, drivers can only make purchases they have permission for. This makes a fuel card a great alternative to a corporate card or company credit card.

How we test fuel cards for small businesses

We tested 13 fuel cards to evaluate them in terms of security, expense management, convenience, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to small UK-based businesses.

Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in five main categories of investigation and 13 subcategories – in fact, we covered 43 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs of our Startups.co.uk readers.

Our main testing categories for fuel cards are:

Security: the measures and features implemented by the fuel card product to ensure the safety and protection of the cardholder's information and transactions.

Customer Support: the resources and assistance provided by the fuel card provider to cardholders, such as phone support, email or chat support, and online forums.

Expense Management: the features and tools provided by the fuel card product to track and manage fuel-related expenses, including transaction tracking and expense reporting.

Convenience: the ease of use and accessibility of the fuel card product for cardholders, e.g. the acceptance network of fuel stations, availability, and price comparison tool.

Card Specific Information: the details and specifications associated with the fuel card itself, such as card fees, accepted fuel type, and card type.

The Startups product testing process

Next steps: Choosing a fuel card for your small business

Overall, the best fuel card for your small business depends on what exactly you’re looking for.

If your overwhelming priority is cost, then it’s hard to look past FuelGenie and its almost total lack of fees (you’ll just be limited to a relatively small network of supermarket fuel stations).

Looking for stability? Then we’d recommend The Fuel Store Card, which offers fair fixed weekly pricing and a low £15 per card annual fee.

UK Fuels Fleetone leads the way for customer service, while Allstar One has the UK’s largest fuel card network. BP Supercharge is our top choice for larger fleets thanks to its volume discounts.

Really though, the best way to start finding the perfect fuel card for your business is to use our handy, 🔍fuel card free comparison tool. Just take a minute to answer a few quick questions and you’ll receive bespoke quotes from leading UK fuel card companies, saving you hours of research time and letting you get on with running your business.

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