Fuel cards compared

• Allstar One

  Allstar Business Solutions (Corpay)

  Where it works

  7,700+ sites, over 90% of UK fuel sites, including the major brands, supermarkets and Discount Diesel sites

  How fuel is priced

  Pump price; up to 8p a litre off diesel at participating Discount Diesel sites

  Fees

  Not published (the standard charges are sent on request)

  For

  Businesses large and small, subject to a credit check

  EV charging

  Fuel only; Allstar's Chargepass card adds public and home charging

  Source:Allstar OneAllstar standard fee tariffAllstar Chargepass

• bp Fuel & Charge card for small businesses

  bp

  Where it works

  3,400+ fuel sites (bp's figure from February 2024)

  How fuel is priced

  3.5p a litre off the pump price of bp diesel and unleaded at bp sites; pump price elsewhere

  Fees

  £2 + VAT per card a month; £2,500 a month of credit; weekly invoice by direct debit

  For

  Sole traders, self-employed drivers and small fleets, even one vehicle

  EV charging

  Yes, bp pulse and partner networks

  Source:bp: SME fleets

• bp Plus

  bp

  Where it works

  3,400+ sites: about 1,200 bp and 2,300 partner sites including Texaco, Gulf and Esso

  How fuel is priced

  Agreed with each business; not published

  Fees

  Not published

  For

  UK fleets

  EV charging

  Not stated for this card

  Source:bp Plus fuel card

• Esso Card (National)

  WEX

  Where it works

  3,600+ UK sites, including acceptance at Shell and BP stations

  How fuel is priced

  Discounted rates at selected sites and discounts on Esso Synergy fuel; the Truck card has one fixed weekly price at every Esso pump

  Fees

  Not published (the only charge listed is £10 for a copy receipt)

  For

  Small and large businesses; the Truck card for high-mileage diesel fleets

  EV charging

  Not stated

  Source:Esso Card NationalEsso Card TruckEsso Card FAQ

• fuelGenie

  Magellan Services UK

  Where it works

  1,350 sites at Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons; fuelGenie+ adds most Shell sites (2,300+)

  How fuel is priced

  Pump price, no surcharges

  Fees

  No card fee (£3 + VAT a month if you spend under £500); fuelGenie+ £5 per card a month; no transaction fees

  For

  UK businesses, subject to status

  EV charging

  Not stated

  Source:fuelGenie

• Keyfuels (Pay as you go)

  Keyfuels (Corpay)

  Where it works

  3,500+ multi-brand sites, 900+ suited to HGVs

  How fuel is priced

  A fixed commercial price set each week, not the pump price

  Fees

  A management charge is included in the price

  For

  Commercial fleets and haulage

  EV charging

  Not stated

  Source:Keyfuels cardsKeyfuels network

• Radius One (UK Fuels network)

  Radius

  Where it works

  4,700+ UK Fuels sites including Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Asda Express, with add-on cards for BP, Texaco, Shell and Esso

  How fuel is priced

  A choice of a fixed weekly price or a fixed amount off the pump price ("Pump saver"); Radius says up to 10p a litre off

  Fees

  Published: £2 a month per active card (on some cards), an account charge capped at £25 a week, £8.99 for a paper invoice

  For

  From sole traders to large fleets, with alternatives where standard credit isn't available

  EV charging

  Yes, Radius One covers 48,000 UK charge points

  Source:Radius OneUK Fuels cardsRadius account and card charges

• Shell Card

  Shell Fleet Solutions

  Where it works

  3,600+ UK sites: 950+ Shell and 2,600+ partner sites (Esso, Texaco, Gulf); some card types are Shell-only

  How fuel is priced

  Agreed with each business; not published. Shell's Fleet App (up to 30 vehicles) gives 10p a litre off V-Power and 5p off standard fuels at Shell

  Fees

  Typically £5 per card a month; the Fleet App has no set-up or card fees

  For

  Businesses trading for at least a year that pass a credit check; the Fleet App for up to 30 vehicles

  EV charging

  Yes, 72,000+ UK charge points

  Source:Shell CardThe Shell networkShell Fleet App

• Texaco Fastfuel

  Radius (UK Fuels), Texaco brand

  Where it works

  Texaco's site says 3,200+ stations; Radius says 800+ Texaco plus 3,000+ UK Fuels sites

  How fuel is priced

  Texaco's site says a fixed weekly price; Radius offers a pump-price discount or a fixed weekly rate

  Fees

  Texaco's site says no card charges; Radius's general charges list a card charge on some cards

  For

  Cars, vans and lorries, from sole traders to large fleets

  EV charging

  Not stated

  Source:Texaco fuel cardsRadius: Texaco fuel cards

FuelWise isn't paid by any of these companies and doesn't sell fuel cards. Fees, offers and networks change, so check with the issuer before you apply; brokers and resellers sell their own versions of several of these cards on different terms.

What is a fuel card?

A card a business gives its drivers to buy fuel on account. The card company bills the business, usually weekly or monthly, with one invoice for every fill-up, and many let you limit what each card can buy. They differ in where they are accepted, how they price fuel and what they charge.

Can a sole trader get a fuel card?

Yes, with some cards. bp says its small-business card is for sole traders and self-employed drivers with even one vehicle, and Radius says it serves sole traders as well as large fleets. Several cards involve a credit check, and Shell asks for at least a year of trading.

Which fuel cards work at supermarket petrol stations?

Tesco doesn't issue a business fuel card of its own. Its help page lists the cards its petrol stations accept: fuelGenie, UK Fuels, Keyfuels (the purple card) and Allstar (Tesco). Radius says its UK Fuels network includes Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Asda Express, and fuelGenie covers Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.

Do fuel cards save money?

They can, in two ways: a discount off the pump price (bp takes 3.5p a litre off bp fuel on its small-business card; Shell's Fleet App 5p off standard fuels at Shell) or a fixed weekly price below the forecourt's. Against that go card and account fees. And because most cards charge the pump price, where your drivers fill up matters: today diesel averages 3.3p a litre less at supermarket forecourts than at Shell, BP, Esso and Texaco ones.

Do fuel cards help with VAT?

Issuers such as Allstar and Esso say their invoices are HMRC-compliant: one VAT invoice covering every fill-up, instead of a receipt for each. HMRC's rules on reclaiming VAT on fuel, including the fuel scale charge when fuel is also used privately, are in VAT Notice 700/64.

Is fuel on a company card a taxable benefit?

Fuel an employer provides for private journeys usually is, and has to be reported: GOV.UK on company cars and fuel. Card controls can limit what drivers buy, but the rules follow how the fuel is used, not the card.