For businesses managing vehicles, whether a single van for a sole trader or a nationwide fleet, fuel costs and administrative efficiency are critical to profitability. With fuel prices projected to continue rising, choosing the right payment method for fuel and EV charging can make or break your bottom line.
This guide explores fuel cards vs. credit cards and why fuel cards outperform credit cards for business fuel needs, helping you make an informed choice to optimise your fleet’s efficiency.
While credit cards are a familiar option for facilitating business payments and expenses, fuel cards and EV charge cards from Right Fuel Card offer superior savings, control, and simplicity. Trusted by over 25,000 UK businesses, our solutions streamline fuel management, reduce administrative tasks, and deliver fleet fuel savings compared to the standard pump price across our extensive network of 98% of UK fuel stations.
This guide was last updated in September 2025.
The short answer
Credit cards can be convenient for occasional fuel purchases. For ongoing fleet fuel management, a fuel card almost always delivers better cost control, clearer reporting, simpler VAT reclaim, stronger fraud controls, and options for EV charging and EV home charging reimbursement.
Put simply, credit cards solve a payment problem; fuel cards solve a fuel management problem.
How each product works, in plain language
A corporate credit card is a payment instrument. It lets an authorised employee charge purchases to the company account. The card provider reports transactions, and accounting teams reconcile statements with receipts. Credit cards are flexible, accepted almost everywhere, and familiar to users.
A fuel card is designed specifically for buying fuel and vehicle services, and, increasingly, for public EV charging.
Drivers present a fuel card at the pump or charger, they often enter a PIN, and the transaction is logged to the company’s fleet account. The provider issues a consolidated, itemised invoice which includes transaction detail that matches HMRC requirements for VAT reclaim. Fuel cards also include controls such as fuel-type restrictions, spend limits, and site blocking.
What are fuel cards, and how do they work?
Fuel cards are specialised payment solutions designed for business vehicle fuel and EV charging, offering a smarter alternative to credit cards.
Unlike credit cards, which are general-purpose payment tools, fuel cards are specifically designed to streamline fuel purchases and provide detailed spending insights, while also controlling specific purchase restrictions.
Here’s how our fuel cards work:
Payment simplicity: Use our fuel cards at 98% of UK fuel stations or public EV chargers. Paying is easy; simply present the card to the cashier in the same way you would a standard credit or debit card.
Data capture: Each transaction records litres or kWh, vehicle odometer readings (mileage), and the vehicle registration, ensuring accurate tracking without manual receipt collection and minimising your exposure to abuse and fraud.
Consolidated billing: All transactions are compiled into one weekly HMRC-compliant invoice, simplifying VAT reclaims and reducing the administrative burden. Combine all your fuel expenses into a single, easy-to-understand invoice, eliminating the need to manage individual driver receipts and expenses.
Fraud protection: Cards are PIN-protected, embossed with driver or vehicle details, and can be backed by our customer fraud protection, minimising misuse risks and the impact of lost or stolen fuel cards.
Unlike credit cards, which often incur interest fees and lack fleet-specific features, fuel cards are designed for business efficiency, offering money and time savings, as well as control tailored to fleets of any size.
Practical differences that matter to businesses
Pricing and direct fuel cost
Fuel cards typically offer pricing models that reduce the cost per litre.
That takes two main forms. One is fixed weekly pricing, linked to wholesale markets, which gives predictability and often a discount versus the public pump.
The other is a negotiated pump price or discounted pump offers at participating networks.
Credit cards do not offer wholesale-linked or fixed fuel pricing. If you use a credit card to pay at the pump, you pay the price on the forecourt. Over time, that difference in per-litre cost compounds into meaningful sums.
Administration and invoicing
Fuel cards replace dozens, hundreds, even thousands for large businesses, of individual receipts with one clear, itemised invoice for all fuel spend for the entire business account.
That invoice lists each transaction by date, time, site, vehicle or card number and VAT amount. Our invoices are HMRC-approved, so finance teams can reclaim VAT and reconcile accounts without chasing drivers.
Credit card statements show merchant names and totals, but they rarely include VAT breakdowns or vehicle identifiers. That forces businesses to rely on driver receipts and manual reconciliation, which increases admin time and the risk of mistakes.
Control and security
Fuel cards are built for control. You can set per-card spending limits, restrict purchases to specific fuel types, block purchases at particular sites, and require a PIN at the point of sale. If a card is lost, you cancel it immediately and issue a replacement.
Credit cards have fraud protections, but they are not designed to restrict purchases by fuel type or to tie transactions to a vehicle. They are harder to lock down for fleet use, and cancelling or reissuing cards is typically an accounts or procurement task rather than a fleet control measure.
Fraud detection and prevention
Fuel card providers offer transaction-level reporting, real-time alerts, and the ability to spot unusual behaviour quickly. Many include fraud protection or capped liability on eligible accounts. That combination makes fuel card systems effective for stopping misuse early.
Credit cards have chargeback processes and fraud monitoring, but the detection is often after the fact, and the card still enables a wider set of purchases that are easier to disguise.
VAT, tax and compliance
Fuel cards produce HMRC-compliant invoices, which streamlines VAT reclaim. They also produce the data needed to support business-only fuel claims, and many fuel card systems integrate with mileage and telematics data to separate business and private use.
Using credit cards for fuel leaves the VAT and tax burden on your processes. You need driver receipts and clear policies to justify VAT claims and to handle company cars with private use. That adds risk and administrative cost.
Reporting, analytics and fleet insight
Fuel cards give you detailed dashboards and exportable reports grouped by driver, vehicle, route, site and fuel type. This data lets you identify fuel-hungry vehicles, inefficient routes and possible fuel misuse. It supports strategic actions such as route optimisation and vehicle replacement planning.
Credit card data lacks the granularity for these tasks. You may not be able to tag transactions by vehicle without manual input, so you lose insight that can reduce total operating cost.
EV compatibility and future readiness
Modern fuel cards support EV charging. They record kWh, session times and connector types. Some providers offer home-charging reimbursement and tools to pay energy suppliers directly or to verify kWh for tax-free reimbursements.
Credit cards do not provide kWh detail and are ill-suited to managing public charging networks or home charging reimbursement. As fleets electrify, fuel cards evolve into full energy cards. Credit cards do not.
Why choose fuel cards over credit cards?
Credit cards may seem convenient for fuel purchases, but they fall short in delivering the cost savings, security, and administrative efficiency that businesses need.
Below, we compare fuel cards from Right Fuel Card against credit cards across key metrics, highlighting why our solutions are the smarter choice for SMEs, sole traders, and large fleets.
1. Cost savings
Fuel cards: By using a fuel card, you benefit from our large-scale purchasing power. This means that with the right fuel card, you’re set to save on every litre versus the standard pump price. This fixed, weekly fuel pricing model shields your business from fuel price spikes. Our RightPay prepaid fuel card option is ideal for businesses with limited credit history, such as SMEs or startups.
Credit cards: Offer no fuel-specific discounts, exposing you to full pump prices and potential interest fees (e.g., 20–30% APR) if balances aren’t paid off monthly. Cashback or rewards are minimal and are often offset by high fees.
Why fuel cards win: Fixed pricing and no interest charges deliver consistent fleet fuel savings, critical for businesses facing rising fuel costs.
2. Administrative efficiency
Fuel cards: Consolidate all fuel and EV charging transactions into one weekly HMRC-approved invoice, eliminating receipt tracking and simplifying VAT reclaims. Our online portal provides all the spending insights you need to support your fleet fuel management, saving hours of manual bookkeeping.
Credit cards: Require collecting and reconciling individual receipts, a time-consuming process prone to errors, and potentially exposing you to bad actors who may be exploiting this expense process. VAT reclaims are complex, as credit card statements often lack fuel-specific details, such as the litres of fuel purchased or vehicle data.
Why fuel cards win: Streamlined invoicing and digital reporting reduce admin time, allowing fleet managers, finance teams and business owners to focus on more important things.
3. Security and fraud protection
Fuel cards: Feature advanced security, PIN protection, and customisable embossing (driver names, vehicle registrations) to prevent misuse. Right Fuel Card’s fraud protection offers protection against the impact of lost or stolen cards. You’re also able to freeze cards instantly via our online fuel card management portal.
Credit cards: Vulnerable to unauthorised use, with fraud disputes often taking weeks to resolve and being lost in the black hole of poor customer support. Limited to general purchase restrictions, they lack fleet-specific controls, risking non-fuel spending.
Why fuel cards win: Tailored restrictions and instant freeze capabilities minimise fraud risks, protecting your business from unexpected costs.
4. Network coverage
Fuel cards: We provide access to 98% of the UK fuel and EV charging networks, including motorways and urban/local routes. What's more, leveraging our buying power, most customers are paying below the standard pump price every time they refuel. You can use our Fuel Station Finder to find your closest available fuel stations.
Credit cards: Accepted at most stations, but offer no curated network or fuel-specific benefits. Drivers may opt for more expensive stations, thereby increasing their expenses.
Why fuel cards win: Extensive, multi-branded coverage ensures cost-effective refuelling without detours, saving time and money for fleets of all sizes. We partner with leading fuel brands: BP, Shell, Esso and Texaco to support businesses in simplifying their fuel management with our network of fuel site coverage.
5. Fleet management and control
Fuel cards: Provide easy transaction insights (litres/kWh, odometer, registration) via our online portal, enabling precise monitoring of driver and vehicle spending. Optional fleet telematics integrations optimise routes and driver behaviour, boosting efficiency and giving you even greater control of your fleet.
Credit cards: Lack detailed transaction data, making it hard to track fuel-specific spending or identify inefficiencies. No integration with fleet management tools.
Why fuel cards win: Granular insights and telematics support empower fleet managers to reduce waste and manage their fleet smarter.
The EV and home-charging angle, explained
Electric vehicles change the equation. Fuel cards that include EV charging support give you kWh reporting, session detail and integrated billing. They let you compare cost per mile for electric vs ICE, and they make home EV charging reimbursements feasible without manual claims.
If you use credit cards for public charging, you will get a transaction total but no reliable kWh data, and you will still need to reconcile receipts. That makes budgeting and compliance harder. For fleets moving to electric vehicles, a fuel card provider that supports EV charging is a practical necessity.
Risk, governance and auditability
From a governance perspective, fuel cards produce auditable records. If regulators or auditors ask for evidence of business mileage, VAT treatment, or fuel usage, fuel card invoices and the associated portal exports give a clean trail.
For companies in regulated sectors or those subject to contract audits, that is a material advantage.
Credit cards require a mix of driver receipts, expense claims and reconciliations. That leaves gaps and increases audit risk, unless you enforce strict policies and perfect compliance, an expensive expectation.
Operational considerations when switching to fuel cards
Switching fuel card providers is a little work, but completely manageable.
The steps typically include:
Map where your drivers currently refuel and compare coverage with the new provider's fuel card networks.
Choose the pricing model that suits volume: fixed weekly for high volumes, pump price or multi-network for variable routes.
Set controls and PINs before fuel card distribution.
Train drivers on PIN use, and brief them on any exceptions, such as supermarket sites, additional products, or what to do for overseas travel.
Use your online account management portal to set limits and to monitor early transactions for anomalies.
A well-planned switch reduces disruption and preserves cash flow. Many providers, including solutions with hybrid EV support, offer onboarding help and named account managers.
Final verdict: why fuel cards are the better product for fleet fuel payments
When you compare the two options across the needs that matter to businesses, fuel cards outperform credit cards for routine fleet fuel management. The reasons are straightforward.
First, fuel cards reduce per-litre cost through fixed weekly rates or negotiated discounts. That advantage directly affects bottom-line fuel spend.
Second, they cut administrative burden. One itemised invoice replaces many receipts. VAT reclaim is easier. Accounts teams spend less time reconciling.
Third, fuel cards give fleets control at scale. They provide per-card limits, fuel-type restrictions and site controls. That prevents misuse and limits fraud, and it helps fleet managers enforce policy without manual policing.
Fourth, they deliver rich data for optimisation. Transaction details, kWh reporting for EVs and exportable reports allow you to act on inefficiency. Credit cards do not supply that level of business intelligence.
Fifth, they are future-proof. Fuel cards now support EV charging and home-charging reimbursement. They are already evolving into unified energy cards that cover petrol, diesel and electric charging in one account. Credit cards cannot match that functionality.
In short, if your business buys fuel regularly, invests in controlling costs, wants cleaner accounting and needs operational control, a fuel card is worth it. Credit cards remain useful for incidental purchases, or where a single card for mixed expenses is a policy choice, but they are not an effective long-term tool for fleet fuel management.
Ready to get started, choose Right Fuel Card
Tailored solutions for every business
No two businesses are the same, and Right Fuel Card offers a range of fuel cards and EV charge cards to match your needs:
Sole traders and SMEs: Use our range of fuel cards that include access to both local fuel stations and motorway services at a fixed, weekly price to give you both wider coverage, significant fuel savings and less admin hassle. Across our fuel card range, we cover 98% of UK fuel stations - find your nearest fuel station.
Start-ups and poorer credit businesses: RightPay’s prepaid fuel card model eliminates credit barriers, offering fixed diesel prices and HMRC-approved invoicing for cash flow control. RightPay lets you build your payment history with us, so you can explore whether a credit option is right for you in the long term.
Large fleets: Bunker cards provide HGV-friendly sites and bulk savings, while Rightcharge supports hybrid and EV fleets of company cars and vans with access to the largest network of public EV chargers in the UK, aligning with the UK’s ZEV mandate.
Mixed fleets: Hybrid cards combine fuel and EV charging payments on one invoice, simplifying management for transitioning fleets and those needing the flexibility of being able to use both fuel and EV charging in one solution.
Our team personalises a solution for your business, with dedicated account managers for larger fleets and responsive support for SMEs.
The additional benefits of choosing Right Fuel Card
Beyond outperforming credit cards, Right Fuel Card offers unique advantages to maximise fleet fuel savings and efficiency:
No hidden fees: Transparent pricing with no application or transaction fees. Unlike credit cards, there’s no risk of interest charges.
Sustainability support: We offer a range of solutions to support your business's decarbonisation journey, from Rightcharge, EV charge cards, and access to HVO.
Add-on services: Enhance your account with RightProtect (24/7 legal support for blue light incidents) and fleet telematics integration for route optimisation.
Trusted by thousands: Rated “Excellent” on Trustpilot, with over 25,000 businesses relying on us for cost-effective fuel management.
How to get started with Right Fuel Card
Switching to fuel cards is simple and fast:
Compare cards: Use our fuel card comparison tool to match your fleet’s needs, size, fuel type, or routes.
Apply online: Submit your application in under 5 minutes. No credit history? Explore RightPay’s prepaid option.
Get approved: Approvals take ~48 hours, with options for full/reduced credit limits, security deposits, or RightPay.
Start saving: Receive cards within 7-10 working days, top up (for RightPay), and with our range of fuel cards, refuel at 98% of UK fuel stations, with most customers saving versus the standard pump price.
Addressing common concerns
“Are fuel cards worth it for small businesses?”
Yes, even sole traders save with the right fuel card for their business, cutting fuel costs and admin time. A single weekly invoice simplifies bookkeeping, and fraud protection ensures security.
“What if I have poor credit?”
Our RightPay prepaid fuel card requires no deep credit check, offering access to 3,400+ stations with fixed diesel prices. Build payment history to unlock future credit options.
“Can I use fuel cards for EVs?”
Absolutely. Our range of EV charge cards provides access to the largest network of EV chargers in the UK, offering hybrid cards (combining fuel and charge capabilities) for mixed fleets and hybrid vehicles.
“How do I know where to refuel?”
Our Fuel Site Locator maps fuel stations and EV chargers, ensuring convenient access for your drivers, even when they’re on the go.
Take control of your fuel spend today
Right Fuel Card transforms fuel management for businesses, offering savings, security, and simplicity that credit cards can’t match. With savings compared to the standard pump price, a vast network, and tools like RightPay and Rightcharge, we empower fleets to thrive amid rising fuel costs and changing regulations.
Join over 25,000 UK businesses saving with us.
