If you’re reading this you have probably came to the conclusion that your small business could use a fleet card because you’re tired of handing out cash, passing around the credit card, and chasing down fuel receipts. And you have probably at least heard of a fuel card before.
Sure you’re no J.B. Hunt, but using a fuel card will help you focus on growing your business as opposed to worrying about fuel theft. And let’s face it, with the 21st century pace of life, we could all use a little automation.
So you got that part down, you need a fuel card for your small business. But what’s the best fuel cards for small business?
Let’s break it down by looking at the best fuel cards for small business into two categories, cardlock fuel cards and retail fuel cards.
1. Small Business Cardlock Fuel Cards
Cardlock fuel cards get you access to cardlock fuel stations. Cardlock fuel stations, are fuel stations specifically made for businesses, that are typically closed to the general public.
The two best fuel cards for small business in the cardlock category are, the CFN and Pacific Pride fuel cards. Here’s how they check out side by side.
| CFN | Pacific Pride | |
|---|---|---|
| Cardlock Locations | 2,500 | 1,000 |
| Online Account Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fuel Card Controls | Yes | Yes |
| E-Receipts | Yes | No |
| Excel Compatible Fuel Reports | Yes | Yes |
It’s also worth noting that both cards can also access 55,000 retail gas stations and truck stops throughout the United States.
As you can see both cards are very similar, however the CFN card has more than twice the amount of cardlock locations and will send you e-receipts straight to your email inbox when your driver hangs up the nozzle.
Which Small Businesses Should Use A Cardlock Card?
By default 99% of cardlock locations are located in the western 7 states. So if you’re located one in of those states and you have a cardlock location near you or on your routes, a cardlock card is your best option. Because cardlock stations are made for businesses, not the public.
2. Small Business Retail Fuel Cards
Retail fuel cards are very simple. They are like credit cards that only purchase fuel at regular gas stations (Chevron, Shell, etc.) and truck stops (Pilot, Flying J, etc.).
However they differ from credit cards because you can set card controls that allow your drivers to only purchase fuel when you want them to. And of course you get all the fancy online fuel reporting you need so you don’t have to add up fuel receipts at the end of the month.
The best fuel cards for small businesses in the retail category are WEX, Voyager, and Fuelman. Here’s how they stack up.
| WEX | Voyager | Fuelman | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Locations | 180,000 | 230,000 | 55,000 |
| Online Account Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fuel Card Controls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| E-receipts | No | No | No |
| Excel Compatible Reports | Yes | Yes | Yes |
As you can see all three of these fuel cards are very similar. You could really choose any one of them. Of course the Voyager card is accepted at the most locations, so there’s more options, but it’s up to you.
Which Small Businesses Should Use A Retail Fuel Card?
Any business that is not located near a cardlock station or simply just wants to fill up at a regular gas station with the control of a fleet card.
What’s The Difference Between A Cardlock Fuel Card And A Retail Fuel Card?
Good question. The first major difference is that only cardlock fuel cards can access cardlock fuel stations. If you have a diesel fleet, cardlock fuel stations are the main source of fuel for the western 7 states.
The second difference is card controls. At cardlock locations you can limit which type of fuel your driver can purchase (gas, diesel, or both). With retail fuel cards you cannot. However, with both fuel cards you can set up an alert that tells you if your driver purchased the wrong type of fuel. Also retail fuel cards are setup by dollar limits and cardlock fuel cards are setup by gallon limits.
How To Choose Between The Best Fuel Cards For Small Business
It really depends on your company. What type of fuel do you purchase? Where is your company located? Are your routes local or over the road? Do you prefer to work with large corporations or small businesses with personalized customer service?
These questions will help determine what fuel locations you should use and the appropriate fuel card to use at these stations. You can also use the fuel card finder to help you narrow down your options
