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You don’t have to be a truck driver to know that the cost of gas can add up fast. The average American household currently spends the equivalent of $5,000 on gasoline a year. The price of gas notoriously rises and falls pretty often. There have been several reasons why gas has been more expensive than usual. However, the cost of gas can add up pretty quickly, even in the best of times. 

The cost of gas can especially be expensive for businesses. There are roughly 445 million business trips made every year in the United States. Most of these business trips are made on airplanes, but not all of them. Generally, a journey under 300 miles by car is less expensive and faster than taking a plane. Even driving a car with very high fuel efficiency, that trip would end up requiring several gallons of gas.

Eliminating expenses is one of the cornerstones of increasing the profits of a business. If you can’t stop the cost, the next best thing is to reduce it as much as possible. There isn’t anything that you can do about the price of gas. However, you can somewhat mitigate the costs by using a business gas card instead of cash or debit, which can be especially helpful for small-business owners.

What is a business gas card?

Credit card companies offer a variety of reward programs for their users. These programs are designed to encourage users to pay with a specific card. For example, a credit card might offer 3% cash back for all purchases while dining at a restaurant. Instead of the users paying with cash, they’ll be more inclined to use the credit card for the cashback bonus.

A business gas card applies the same concept to fuel purchases. Credit card companies are using the idea of a rewards program to encourage users to pay with their cards instead of another method. The user will be rewarded with the specified bonuses, and the credit card company will make money off the purchase. It’s a win-win situation.

Which business gas cards are the best for 2023?

It’s not particularly difficult to find a business credit card that offers rewards programs for travel. However, these programs primarily center around airline travel, hotel booking, and car rentals. It’s not the same thing as using a credit card for gasoline. If you want a business card designed explicitly for rewarding gas purchases, here are the best that you should consider first:

  • Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card
  • U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
  • Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
  • American Express® Business Gold Card
  • Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
  • Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi

Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

For The Bank of America Business Advantage, we recommend an excellent credit score (740+) to qualify, and the average APR is between 16.49% and 26.49% variable.

This business fuel card is first on this list because you can choose the spending category where a 3% cash rate is applied. You’ll have the option to select fuel stations and receive a 3% cash back for all your fuel purchases. These rewards can even increase to 5.25% if you meet specific qualifications.

Here is a list containing all of the best perks of this card:

  • No annual fee
  • Receive a $300 statement credit as a welcome bonus by spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 90 days
  • 0% APR introductory period on purchases for nine billing cycles, then 16.49% – 26.49% variable APR. 
  • Earn 3% cash back in the spending category of your choice and 2% cash back on dining (up to $50,000 each calendar year)
  • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • Possibility to earn up to 75% more cash back on each purchase if you qualify for the highest preferred rewards tier: 5.25% cash back on spending category, 3.5% on dining, and unlimited 1.75% of all other purchases
  • Contactless cards are available 

This card’s high credit score recommendation limits its accessibility for most people. Additionally, the best rewards are only reserved for people that qualify for a higher reward tier. There is also a foreign transaction fee, and the introductory APR doesn’t apply to balance transfers. 

U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card

The U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa Business Card is another mouthful. However, the rewards make this card well worth the exhaustingly long title. You’ll need a good credit score (700+) to qualify, and the average APR is between 18.49% and 27.49% variable.

This card makes its way to this list because of the unlimited 3% cash back you receive at U.S. gas stations. It would be the first option, but the Bank of America card does have the possibility to net you more cash back. However, if you can’t meet that card’s credit score requirements, this one is a substantial consolation prize.

Here are a few of the best features offered by this card:

  • No annual fee
  • Earn $500 in cash back by spending $4,500 in the first 150 days of opening the account
  • Earn 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the Travel Rewards Center
  • Earn 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations, EV (electric vehicle) charging stations, restaurants, office supply stores, and cell phone service providers
  • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • Unlimited total cash back and the rewards never expire
  • 0% APR for an introductory period of 15 billing cycles on all purchases and balance transfers, then 18.49% – 27.49% variable APR.
  • Earn an annual $100 statement credit for recurring software expenses from Freshbooks or Quickbooks

The only real downside to this card is that there is a foreign transaction fee. However, most of the cards on this list come with a foreign transaction fee, so it’s not an uncommon issue.

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express card is the first branded card on this list. We recommend a good credit score (670+) to qualify, and the average APR is between 20.74% and 29.74% variable. See Rates and Fees.

This card is most beneficial for people loyal to Marriott Bonvoy hotel brands. However, there is still plenty of value for people that don’t have a strong relationship with these hotels. Fuel expenses earn four points per every dollar which is among the highest rate on this list.

Here are some of the best features that come with using this card:

  • Earn 75,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.
  • Earn 6X points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
  • Earn 4X points for purchases made at U.S. gas stations, restaurants worldwide, and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
  • Earn 2X points on all other purchases
  • Receive a 7% discount for reservations made at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
  • Receive a “Free Night Award” every year with the ability to earn an additional “Free Night Award” by spending $60,000 using your card in a calendar year
  • Receive a complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status. Terms apply.

A few downsides to using this card can eliminate it from contention. For starters, it comes with a $125 annual fee. See Rates and Fees. Another significant issue is that no non-travel redemption for the points you accrue. It might not be worth using this card unless you spend a lot of time traveling and strictly use Marriott Bonvoy hotels on your trips. 

American Express® Business Gold Card

The American Express Business Gold Card is one of the most famous names on this list. We recommend a good to excellent credit score (670+) to qualify, and the average APR is between 19.24% and 27.24% variable. See Rates and Fees.

The reason this card makes a list is that you’ll have the ability to earn up to four times the points on the two categories that you spend the most money on. If you only use this card for gas and dining out, you’ll receive four times the points for gas stations and restaurant purchases.

Some of the best features of this card include: 

  • Earn a welcome bonus of 70,000 points by spending $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of membership
  • Earn 4X points on the two categories that you spend the most money on each billing period (up to $150,000 in annual spending), 1X on all other purchases
  • No foreign transaction fee on international purchases. Terms apply.

The main reason that this card isn’t higher on this list is because of a $295 annual fee. See fates and fees. It will take a lot of purchases to pay off a high cost each year. Another issue is that there is no introduced APR period which is a standard feature for other options.

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card isn’t the best option on this list but it deserves a place. We recommend a good to excellent credit score (670+) to qualify, and the average APR is between 17.99% and 23.99% variable.

The primary benefit of this card is that it has the lowest APR range of any card on this list. The additional benefits aren’t exceptional, but it’s a solid card if you don’t spend too much on gas.

Here are a few of the best features that come with this card:

  • No annual fee
  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  • Earn 5% cash back on purchases made at office supply stores and internet/cable/phone service (up to $25,000 each year)
  • Earn 2% cash back on purchases made at gas stations and restaurants (up to $25,000 each year)
  • Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • 0% APR introductory period for 12 months on all purchases, then 17.99% – 23.99% variable
  • Fraud protection and “zero liability” provided

The most significant downside of this card is that the spending cap is only $25,000 for all purchases. While that’s quite a bit of money in most cases, it’s the second lowest cap on this list. Additionally, the introductory APR doesn’t apply to balance transfers, and there is a foreign transaction fee.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi

The Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card is the second branded card on this list. We recommend an excellent credit score (740+) to qualify, and the average APR is a variable rate of 20.24% variable.

Costco is already famous for providing sensational savings to its customers. This card is just another example of the tremendous dedication to customer satisfaction. It might not be the best option on this list, but it’s a perfect addition if you’re already a member of Costco.

These are a few examples of the benefits that come with this card:

  • No annual fee (included with your paid Costco membership)
  • Earn 4% cash back on gas purchases (up to $7,000 a year)
  • Earn 3% cash back on restaurant and travel purchases
  • Earn 2% cash back on all purchases made from Costco
  • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees on international purchases

The most significant downside to this card is that the 4% cashback bonus caps at $7,000 each year and goes down to 1% after the cap has been reached. If you spend more than that on gas, this card won’t do you much good. Additionally, there is no introductory APR, welcome bonus, or option to make a balance transfer.

Cut the costs of gas with a business gas card

The price of gas is unpredictable and extremely sensitive. An event 6,000 miles away is enough to increase the gas cost at the pump severely. If you travel for business by car, gas will be a part of your expenses. Every cent that gas increases is another compounding factor that can hurt your profits.

The best to combat these increases is to use one of the business gas cards listed above. They can’t eliminate the cost of gas, but they’re one way to help cut down on the charges. These rewards don’t take long to add up, especially if you travel frequently and fill up your tank often. 

Information provided on Entrepreneur Guide is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, we do not recommend or advise individuals to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results

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