If you’re looking for a universal fleet card, WEX and Fuelman will probably make the top of your list because they are probably the most popular fleet cards out there. But what’s the difference between the two?
And so the WEX vs Fuelman battle begins! Let’s take a look at both of these cards side-by-side and compare the most important features of a fuel card so you can get an idea of which card you should choose.
Fuel Network Size
WEX: 180,00 fuel and maintenance locations
Fuelman: 50,000 fuel stations
180,000 vs. 50,000 seems like a huge difference in fuel network size, but’s it’s not as big as you think because WEX’s network includes maintenance locations (tire shops, oil change, etc..) which makes up a good portion of the 180,000 accepted locations. But I would still give WEX the upper hand here.
Fuelman does offer the CFN Fleetwide card which has access to CFN cardlock locations (WEX does not) and Fuelman locations which is something you may want to consider if your company operates in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, of the Dallas Forth-Worth metroplex.
Check out the Fuelman site locator and WEX site locator to find locations near you.
Fuel Card Controls
Both cards have very similar controls features that include;
- Authorized for fuel and maintenance purchases only unlike a credit card that can buy anything
- Set product purchase alerts that notifies you when driver purchases wrong type of fuel
- Set dollar limits
Fuelman does claim that it also can set controls by gallon amount instead of dollar amount which could be helpful because if you set a dollar amount and the price changes the number of gallons you’re allowed to purchase can vary. Gallon amounts are never subject to price so you don’t have to worry about adjusting your controls when there are major price changes.
For controls I would consider it a tie, maybe swaying towards Fuelman just because you can also set gallon limits.
Reporting
Both fuel cards have very similar reporting capabilities to help you gather fuel expense reports, IFTA reports, etc.. It’s really just a matter of which online reporting portal you like better.
I would definitely recommend requesting a demo of the reporting features from both WEX and Fuelman so you can figure out which one you like better.
Reporting features goes to… well it’s a tie!
Pricing, Discounts, and Fees
Pricing is very similar for both WEX and Fuelman because they are both retail fuel cards which means the pricing is based off the price posted at the pump.
Fees and discounts get tricky because with both fuel cards they seem to vary from customer to customer. So just make sure to ask both what discounts and fees you would receive from both WEX and Fuelman.
Other Fuel Cards You Should Consider
Another card you should add to this list is the Voyager fuel card. The Voyager fuel card is accepted at 230,000 fuel and maintenance locations nationwide and has very similar controls reports, and pricing.
The main difference is that Voyager is distributed through smaller fuel card companies which usually means you’ll get a more personalized customer service experience as opposed to dealing directly with a large company like WEX or Fuelman.
WEX Vs. Fuelman, Which Fuel Card Wins?
Unfortunately, I really can’t give you an answer because both these cards are so similar. It’s really just a matter of personal preference.
I know that’s probably not the answer you want, but at least you know both of these fuel cards can help you achieve what you want with a fuel card program.
