Gas Credit Cards

Most gas rewards credit cards require good or excellent credit for approval. You even need at least fair credit to get a gas card that can only be used at a certain gas-station chain. But that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck.

If you want the convenience of paying at the pump (especially important when it’s cold out or you’re in a hurry), you can simply open a secured credit card. Secured credit cards offer nearly guaranteed approval, given that you are required to place a refundable security deposit which acts as your spending limit. Plus, some secured cards offer rewards from time to time.

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Just about all gas station credit cards can be gas credit cards with instant approval. When you can apply online, it’s almost always possible to receive instant approval (or denial). But issuers never guarantee an instant decision. You’re likely to receive one if you apply for one of the easiest gas cards to get. And in general, your chances for instant approval are high if you apply for a card where your credit score exceeds the minimum required.

But issuers consider many factors on an application, such as income, number of recent credit inquiries, past bankruptcies and more. So it’s always possible an issuer will need more time to come to a decision. And the approval process may take longer if the issuer cannot immediately verify the personal information on the application.

Best Gas Credit Cards for Instant Approval:

• Discover it® Secured
• Walmart® Store Card
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Marathon Credit Card
• BP Credit Card
• Shell Credit Card

Again, just about any gas credit card offers instant approval. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get it. Factors that will increase your likelihood of getting instant approval for any credit card include: a high credit score, a high income, and completely correct and up-to-date information on your credit card application.

The best credit card for gas and groceries is the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. There’s no annual fee, and you’ll earn $200 back for spending $1,000 during your first three months of card membership. You also get 6% cash back on $6,000 spent at supermarkets per year, 3% at gas stations and eligible department stores, and 1% everywhere else.

And if you shop online or at wholesale clubs, the Amazon and Costco credit cards are both strong options. The Amazon Visa offers 5% back at Whole Foods for Prime members (3% if you don’t have Prime), and 2% on gas. With the Costco Visa, you’ll get 2% back at Costco and 4% back at gas stations. But if none of those are quite right for you, there are other options available.

Here are the best credit cards for gas and groceries:

• Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: 6% back on $6,000 spent on groceries per year, and 3% back on gas.
  No annual fee. $200 for spending $1,000 within three months of opening your account. 3% back at eligible department stores, 1% everywhere else. Excellent credit required.
• Costco Anywhere Visa: 2% back at Costco, and 4% back on gas.

No annual fee, but the card is only available to people with a Costco membership, which costs $60+. 3% on restaurant and travel purchases, 2% at Costco and Costco.com and 1% everywhere else. Excellent credit required.

• Amazon Visa Credit Card: 5% back at Whole Foods for Prime members (3% otherwise), and 2% back on gas.

No annual fee, but Prime costs $99 a year. 5 points per $1 at Amazon.com for Prime members (3 for non-members), and 1 point per $1 everywhere else. $50 Amazon gift card when you get approved. Good credit required.

• PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card: 5% back on gas, and 3% back on groceries.

No annual fee. $100 statement credit for spending $1,500 in your first 90 days. 1% back  everywhere else. Excellent credit required. Anyone can join PenFed with a one-time $17 donation.

SunTrust Cash Rewards Credit Card: 5% back on $6,000 in gas and groceries the first 12 months. 2% back on gas and groceries after that.

No annual fee. 1% back on all other purchases. Excellent credit required.

The best credit card for gas and groceries is Amex Blue Cash Preferred. But since gas and groceries are some of the most common expenses, it’s a popular combination, and there are options for every credit level. For example, Capital One QuicksilverOne is good for limited credit. And the SunTrust Secured Credit Card works for folks with bad credit.

The best unsecured gas card for bad credit is the Credit One Bank Platinum Visa because it gives 1% cash back rewards and has a decent APR for bad credit, at 20.24% - 26.24% (V). Unsecured gas station cards for bad credit are hard to come by. Gas is something that almost everyone buys, so many consumers are attracted to cards with rewards for fueling up. But most cards with gas rewards require excellent credit. While some options exist among secured cards, which require a deposit equal to your credit line, there aren’t many unsecured gas cards that cater to bad credit.

There are a few unsecured gas credit cards that only require fair credit (a score of 640+). One example is the ExxonMobil Gas card by Citibank, which offers some rewards, such as 6 cents off every gallon of Synergy gasoline. But if your credit is bad, it’s best to stick to cards that advertise bad credit acceptance.

Here are the best unsecured gas cards for bad credit:

• Credit One Bank Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit: Bad credit accepted. First year fee of between $0 and $75, with a $300 minimum credit line. Annual fee of up to $99 after that. 20.24% - 26.24% (V) APR, based on creditworthiness. 1% cash back on select purchases.
• NASCAR Credit Card from Credit One Bank: Bad credit accepted. Annual fee between $0 and $99. 1% cash back rewards on select purchases and double cash back at the NASCAR.com Superstore. 20.24% - 26.24% (V) APR, based on creditworthiness.
• First PREMIER Bank Mastercard: Limited credit accepted. Annual fee between $75 and $125 for first year. $45 to $49 after that. 36% APR.

The best unsecured gas cards for bad credit might not offer too many rewards for fuel purchases. But with bad credit, you should be focused on paying your bill in full and rebuilding your credit. Late fees and finance charges could outweigh any rewards if you don’t. And if you pay for the gas on time, that positive information will improve your credit score when it’s reported to the credit bureaus.

Secured cards can build credit just as well as these unsecured gas cards for bad credit. And some give better benefits. For example, there’s the Discover it Secured Card. It requires a minimum deposit of $200. But you can use the card at gas stations and it has a $0 annual fee. It also offers 2% cash back on restaurants and gas and 1% on all other purchase. Or, consider the Capital One Secured Mastercard. There’s a $0 annual fee and you get an initial credit line of $200 for a deposit of $49, $99 or $200, based on your creditworthiness. You can also get access to a higher credit line after paying on time for 5 months, with no additional deposit.

Both of these cards are available to people with bad credit, report to credit agencies and can help build your credit while paying for fuel.