Drive Smarter, Not Harder: Canada’s Best Gas Credit Cards.

Gas can be something that you spend a fair amount of money on, whether you often drive for work, leisure, or both.

A gas credit card is a simple way to earn rewards every time you fill-up.

With the constant increases in gas prices over the past few months, it’s only natural to find ways to save money at the pump.

What Is a Gas Card?

A gas credit card is not the same as a prepaid gas card. A gas credit card is something you can use not only to buy gas but also to make other purchases, and you’ll earn rewards that you can then redeem for cash back, travel, and other benefits.

However, some gas credit cards can only be used at one chain of gas stations, and you may not be able to use it for any other purpose.

Before getting a gas card, be sure you know the limitations and think about your spending habits and whether or not they’re well-suited to this type of card.

General Rewards Card

For most people, a general rewards card that offers elevated rewards specifically on gas purchases is going to be their best option, and this is the kind of gas cards we feature in this article.

Also, a general rewards card might offer the opportunity to earn rewards outside of gas spending alone, and if you’re a frequent driver, that can be valuable.

If you often travel outside of your home city or state, using a general rewards card will give you more flexibility in where you fill up to earn rewards too.

Regional Bank or Credit Union Rewards Card

Keep in mind that there are some regional banks and credit unions that have their own credit cards offering excellent rewards on gas.

For example, the PNC Cash Rewards Visa Card offers 4% cash back on gas, but it’s only available to residents of Alabama, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

We have not included regional bank and credit union cards like this because our readers are all over the country, and we don’t want to give them information they can’t use.

However, if you have a good relationship with a local bank or credit union, be sure to check with them to see if they have a gas card that could better suit you than the general rewards cards we have on our list.

Station-Specific Cards

Station-specific cards typically can’t be used outside of buying gas or making purchases at that particular branded station. They’re very limited in their usefulness, although you might get perks like a discount when you get gas. The only time you might really consider a station-specific card is if you want to build your credit because they are usually easier to get approved for than other types of cards.

Even when a station-specific card has some reward system or discounts attached to its use, they also often have high interest rates, which may negate any benefits you could get from it.

For this review of the best gas credit cards, we’re not focusing on station-specific cards. They are limited in who can get them, and most people aren’t always going to the same gas station. Instead, our focus is primarily on general rewards cards and options that are more flexible for more people.

Best Gas and Transportation Credit Cards

Ink Business Cash: Best Business Gas Card

• Basics: For small business owners, the Chase Ink Business Cash card is a great option. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend each year combined at gas stations and grocery stores. Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases at office supply stores and on business services including internet, cable and phone services. The card also earns 1% cash back on all other purchases with no limits.
• Pros: There’s no annual fee with the Chase Ink Business Cash card, and you can earn anywhere from 2% to 5% cash back on the purchases you’re likely most often making for your business. There’s 12-month introductory 0% APR on purchases and a $750 cash back bonus if you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first three months of opening a new account. Employee cards are available at no additional costs and you can set individual spending limits for each card.
• Cons: If you’re spending well over the $25,000 limit to earn maximum rewards on bonus categories, the Chase Ink Business Cash card might not be right for you and you do have to pay a foreign transaction fee. Outside of the bonus categories, the rewards rate is relatively low.

CitiRewards+ Student Card: Best for Students

• Basics: Use the CitiRewards+ Student Card to earn rewards on everyday purchases, including gas. Earn 2X ThankYou Points at gas stations as well as supermarkets for the first $6,000 per year. The card includes Round Up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase with no cap.
• Pros: The CitiRewards+ Student Card features not only 2X ThankYou points on gas and grocery purchases and automatic roundup, but you earn 1X points on all other purchases. Earn 10% Points back for the first 100,000 ThankYou Points redeemed each year, and Shop With Points on BestBuy.com or Amazon.com. There’s no annual fee.
• Cons: The CitiRewards+ Student card doesn’t have high rewards rates for purchases outside of the categories of gas and supermarkets, and the introductory offer isn’t as competitive as what’s available with some other student cards.

Costco Anywhere Visa: Best for Costco Members

• Basics: The Costco Anywhere Visa card from Citi earns you 4% cash back on eligible gas purchases, which includes gas purchases at Costco up to $7,000 a year, and 1% after that. While there are a few cards that may offer higher cash back opportunities on gas purchases, Costco’s gas is often among the lowest priced you’ll find in the nation.
• Pros: While the Costco Anywhere Visa offers the highest cash back on the gas category at 4%, you’ll earn on other purchases as well. Earn 3% cash back on restaurant spending and eligible travel purchases and 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco, including Costco.com. Everything else earns 1% cash back. There’s no annual fee with your paid Costco membership and no foreign transaction fees.
• Cons: If you’re not a Costco shopper or don’t have a membership, the Costco Anywhere Visa won’t work for you. There is no sign-up bonus, and the biggest downside of this card is that you receive an annual card reward certificate only once a year after your February billing statement closes. It’s redeemable only at U.S.-based Costco warehouse stores for cash or merchandise. Beyond being redeemable once a year and having to do it at Costco, the certificate expires on 12/31 of the same year, and if you close your accounts before you get your annual certificate, you lose your rewards.

Capital One QuickSilver One: Best for Bad Credit

• Basics: The Capital One Quicksilver One isn’t specifically a gas card, but it is a good all-around rewards card with 1.5% cash back on all spending, including gas. This is higher than the 1% cash back you find with many other cards, particularly options available to people with fair or bad credit, as the Capital One Quicksilver One is.
• Pros: With a 1.5% cash back rate, you’re getting more than the average rewards rate on all purchases, even if your credit is below average. There’s no balance transfer fee, and after your first monthly payments on-time, get access to an increase in your credit line. Rewards don’t expire and you can redeem for cash back anytime.
• Cons: There is a $39 annual fee, but that could be offset with $250 in monthly spending, which would come to cash back rewards of $45 for the year. The APR is relatively high on the Capital One Quicksilver One, and there’s no introductory APR for purchases or balance transfers.

Chase Freedom: Highest Potential Gas Rewards (7.5%)

• Basics: The Chase Freedom Card features 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter. There’s unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. If you also have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, thanks to points transfer options, you could get up to 7.5% cash back on gas purchases. Currently, Chase Freedom cardholders can earn 5% cash back on purchases at gas stations as well as streaming services, and phone, cable, and internet services. Chase releases bonus categories by the quarter, but last year they featured gas stations twice.
• Pros: The Chase Freedom Card focuses on offering bonus categories that many people spend the most on and that make up a significant portion of their household budget. If you’re a family or you’re in the car a lot, a 5% reward rate on gas can be significant. If you were to pair the Chase Freedom card with a Chase Sapphire card, you could maximize your points. You can transfer Ultimate Rewards Points from your Chase Freedom to a Chase Sapphire card and then redeem for travel through the Ultimate Rewards travel program. If you were to book travel with your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, for example, you would see 100 points equal to $1.25 and with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, 100 points are the equivalent of $1.50. With the combination of the Chase Freedom card and the Sapphire Reserve, you could potentially earn 7.5% on gas, however only when gas is part of the quarterly bonus. A 7.5% reward rate on gas could also be possible if you were to get the Wells Fargo Visa Signature card, but only during your first six months after opening an account.
• Cons: The big downside of the Chase Freedom card are the quarterly bonus categories. While it can be great if your spending is diverse, if you’re primarily looking for gas rewards, you’re only going to be getting maximum rewards one to two times a year, and you do have to activate the bonus categories—it’s not automatic. Some people don’t prefer cards with rotating bonus categories because they can be complicated to keep up with.

Conclusion:

Choosing the right credit card for gas and transportation can significantly impact your finances and rewards earnings. By considering factors such as cashback rates, rewards programs, and annual fees, you can find a card that aligns with your driving habits and lifestyle.Whether you’re a daily commuter or an occasional road tripper, there’s a card that can help you save money and earn rewards.