Managing fuel payments and costs can be a headache, especially if you’re filling up multiple vehicles every week. Fuel cards can help to relieve some of this financial burden, offering significant discounts and allowing you to save time on admin. You may have heard of the potential benefits of fuel cards, and you’re likely now wondering where to even start when choosing the best fuel card. To make this process easier, we’ve provided our top recommendations of fuel cards for small businesses.
Read on to find out more about the benefits of fuel cards for small businesses and the best options out there.
At a glance: what this guide covers
The benefits of business fuel cards
Popular fuel cards for small businesses
How to get a fuel card for your small business
The benefits of choosing Right Fuel Card
Do small businesses need fuel cards?
A fuel card provides the following benefits for small businesses:
Budget better and plan fuel costs ahead of time
The main benefit of business fuel cards is that they make managing your business fuel costs simpler, more efficient, and more cost-effective. Fuel cards help you control fuel costs by providing detailed transaction data, allowing you to track usage across vehicles and drivers. Fuel cards can also ensure you’re aware of what you’ll pay ahead of time, helping you budget better and avoid any surprises when prices change suddenly. You can also set controls so that cards are restricted to fuel only or include extras like AdBlue and car washes.
Save considerable time on admin
Most of our customers pay below the standard pump price on every litre of fuel they purchase; plus, you’ll benefit from all your fuel spend consolidated into one easy invoice, saving the time and effort of managing receipts and expenses, saving time on admin. The invoices you receive from Right Fuel Card are HMRC-approved and are designed to help make processing your VAT much easier. This is useful for small businesses looking to save time and money.
Make fuel purchases quickly and safely
Fuel cards also improve security by removing the need for drivers to carry cash or use personal cards. At Right Fuel Card, all our fuel cards are either chip and PIN, swipe and PIN, or swipe and signature, as this ensures you can make fuel purchases quickly and safely. It is also harder for employees to commit fuel fraud because your small business is charged directly for every fuel purchase, and you can track every transaction with our account management system. In addition, our dedicated team looks out for any irregular behaviour on our customers’ accounts, offering greater security for your business. For more information on how fuel cards can improve your business, read our guide to the 2026 fuel card landscape.
Here are some more benefits you can enjoy from a fuel card:
Save money at the pump
Choose a fixed weekly price fuel card, and every litre of fuel you buy on that card will be charged at a fixed price on a weekly basis. This means you can benefit from competitive pricing, manage your finances with no fluctuations, and stabilise your overall fuel cost.
Alternatively, you could choose a pump price fuel card where fuel is always charged the price at the pump. This type of card makes payments simple and transparent and is widely accepted for diesel and unleaded petrol purchases across the UK – a perfect combination if your main priority is driver convenience. Read our guide to business mileage to find out more.
No nasty interest charges
Those who use a credit card to pay for their company’s fuel risk incurring some hefty interest charges on purchases. However, with a fuel card, you can say goodbye to these fees because your payment is taken care of every month by direct debit.
Dedicated account manager
Even as a small business, once you successfully apply for one of our fuel cards, we will provide you with a dedicated account manager. Our team of experts can answer all your questions and help you make the most of your fuel card. This is a benefit that cannot be experienced when using cash or a credit/debit card to pay for your fuel.
The best fuel cards for small businesses
When it comes to fuel cards, you certainly have a lot of choices, from single fuel providers such as Shell, BP, and Esso to fuel cards from large fuel networks. However, the best small business fuel card for your company depends on whether you use petrol or diesel, your monthly fuel spend, your vehicle types, preferred filling station, and ideal pricing model.
However, to give you a sample of the options out there, here are some of the most popular fuel card options for small businesses:
Edenred Black
Overview
Suitable for: Car, Van, HGV, Coach
Fuel type: Diesel, Petrol
Available sites: BP, Shell, Circle K
Pricing model: Fixed weekly pricing
Motorway: Yes
Why we recommend it
Edenred Black is our cheapest fuel card covering the BP network, ideal for small businesses looking to keep costs down. Stay in control with fixed, weekly pricing on diesel with no surprises, just a consistent rate sent straight to your inbox or phone every week. It’s fuel budgeting made easy. Fill up at over 1,660 stations across the UK, including every BP and Shell-owned site, plus the full Circle K network in Northern Ireland. Whether you run cars, vans, or HGVs, Edenred Black supports your fleet wherever the job takes you.
RightPay
Overview
Suitable for: Car, Van, HGV, Coach
Fuel type: Diesel
Available sites: Key Fuels
Pricing model: Weekly fixed rate, surcharges apply
Motorway: Yes
Why we recommend it
RightPay is our prepaid, pay-as-you-go fuel card that offers all the advantages of a traditional fuel card but without the credit terms. It’s the best fuel card for startup business owners and small companies with multiple agency drivers, as well as those with a less-than-perfect credit history looking to build their payment history with us. You’ll benefit from fixed weekly diesel prices, one HMRC-approved bill for all transactions, and there’s no need to keep hold of receipts or manage expenses. Your 24/7 online account makes topping up your balance, managing fuel cards, and viewing and downloading invoices for your VAT reclaim easy. With RightPay, you also have full card control, enabling or restricting what can be purchased on each card.
Shell Flexi
Overview
Suitable for: Car, Van, HGV, Coach
Fuel type: Diesel
Available sites: Shell, Esso, Circle K, Morrisons, Gulf, Gleaner, Total
Pricing model: Fixed weekly pricing at non-motorway sites
Motorway: Yes
Why we recommend it
Shell Flexi gives you fixed prices on FuelSave diesel at over 3,900 UK stations, including 1,200+ Shell sites and the motorway network for effortless refuelling. You can also get access to a wider partner network, including Esso, Total, Morrisons, Gulf, Gleaner, and Circle K, taking total coverage to more than 3,900 sites nationwide. This fuel card is ideal for diesel fleets that need strong nationwide coverage, and you can also bolt on extras like the M6 Toll and Dartford Crossing, AdBlue, and car wash services.
We recommend that you get in touch with our experts so we can help you find the right fuel card for your small business. In addition, we’ll also keep regularly reviewing the performance of your card to make sure it’s meeting the needs of your business. This may lead us to suggest that you change your card, which is something you can do easily and without any hassle. We offer a whole range of fuel cards, and our expert team is on hand to guide you through this process and help you to decide which fuel card best suits your needs.
How to get a fuel card for a small business
To get a fuel card for your business, all you need to do is either complete our online application form or give our expert team a call at 0113 202 5110. We’ll then assess the information you’ve provided, such as your typical fuel spend and the number of vehicles you have, before matching you to the right fuel card.
We will also perform a credit check and request your bank details unless you’re applying for a pay-as-you-go RightPay fuel card.
We may also ask for further information, including documentation that proves your trading address or a completed direct debit mandate. Then, once we’ve received all the information we need and we’ve approved your application, we’ll set up your account and give you access to our online account management system.
Finally, we’ll send your chosen fuel cards through the post so you can start to reap the benefits.
Reach out to our friendly team for more assistance
Need more guidance on choosing a fuel card? Contact our friendly team today for assistance. We’ll recommend the best card based on your routes, vehicle type, and preference for fixed weekly or pump prices. It doesn’t matter if you’re a completely fresh start-up or a well-established small business in the UK; you can apply for a fuel card with Right Fuel Card.
