Shell Fleet Cards Review: Are They Right for Your Fleet?

Shell Fleet Cards are among the best fuel cards for small businesses on the market today, with the company known for its vast network of more than 13,000 stations across the US – slightly more than close rival ExxonMobil. Shell offers three branded fleet cards in total, with options for both small and larger fleets alike.

According to our research, Shell’s cards are particularly good when it comes to reducing the time drivers spend refueling because they conveniently let you pay at the pump. There are also no surcharges when purchasing fuel to worry about, and the provider’s interactive dashboards allow fleet managers to easily monitor their fuel expenses – so you’ll save a lot of money, too.

To help you work out whether it’s the right fuel card for your fleet, we’ve taken a deep dive into each of Shell’s fuel cards, assessing their respective fees, coverage, and pros and cons. Discover the details of each Shell fleet card below, starting with a comparative overview of the three options.

Shell Quick Facts

  • Shell Fleet Plus® Card is best for those seeking maximum rebates on fuel with an average of 4¢ per gallon, and zero card fees.
  • Shell Small Business™ Card is best for those who would like help with cash flow since you’ll be able to carry a monthly balance.
  • Shell Fleet Navigator® Card is best for cross-country fleets that value wide network coverage, with a near-universal acceptance rate of 95% of US stations.

Shell Fleet Cards: Fees and Discounts

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Shell Small Business Card

Shell Fleet Navigator

Best For

Maximum savings and zero fees

Best For

Carrying a monthly balance

Best For

Wide US network coverage

Card Fees

None

Card Fees

None

Card Fees
  • $2 per card, per month
  • $1.25 transaction fee at truck stops
  • $40 one-time setup fee
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)
  • 2¢ (if 0 to 500 gallons purchased in a month)
  • 3¢ (501 to 5,000 gallons)
  • 5¢ (5,001 to 10,000 gallons)
  • 6¢ (over 10,001 gallons)
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)
  • 2¢/gallon (if 0 to 500 gallons bought in a month)
  • 3¢ (if 501 to 5,000 gallons)
  • 5¢ (if 5,001 to 10,000 gallons)
  • 6¢ (if 10,001 to 20,000 gallons)
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)
  • 1¢ (0 to 1,000 gallons)
  • 2¢ (1,001 to 4,000 gallons)
  • 3¢ (4,001 to 7,000 gallons)
  • 4¢ (7,001 to 10,000 gallons)
  • 5¢ (10,001 to 25,000 gallons)
Perks

15% off at Jiffy Lube

Perks

15% off at Jiffy Lube

Perks

20% off at Jiffy Lube


The Pros and Cons of Shell

Pro: Zero card fees

Many fleet cards have hidden fees or monthly charges that add up and deduct from your overall saving, which is not ideal if you run a small business where every cent counts. Shell’s Small Business and Fleet Plus cards carry zero card fees and you can earn average rebates of 3-4¢ per gallon at no extra cost.

Pro: Access to handy apps

Shell’s fleet cards give access to WEX’s suite of fleet management apps, including Driver Dash, to locate the nearest stations, ClearView, to analyse fueling trends and Fleet SmartHub, to have smartphone access to your account when on the go.

Pro: 24/7 customer service

You never know what will happen next when on the road, but it’s nice to see that you or your drivers can reach Shell’s customer service at all hours as its available 24/7, 365 days a year. This is a feature we’ve not seen with any other fleet card providers, so definitely a huge plus.

Con: No rewards scheme

A downside to Shell’s range of fleet cards is that they don’t offer much in terms of extra perks, such as a rewards scheme, or any extra discounts. Other providers, such as ExxonMobil and Edenred, do offer freebies to maximize your overall savings outside of your fleet expenses.

Shell’s Cards Explained

Below we’ve broken down Shell’s three fleet card options, Shell Fleet Plus® Card, Shell Small Business™ Card and Shell Fleet Navigator® Card. We’ve considered key factors such as card fees, savings, and top strengths to identify which card is best for your fleet’s individual needs. If you’re looking for a fuel card for personal use, on the other hand, check out the Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard.

Shell Fleet Plus Card
The Shell Fleet Plus Card
Shell Logo
Shell Fleet Plus®
Savings Up to 6¢ per gallon
Quick overview

The biggest plus with the Shell Fleet Plus® card is that there are no fees, and that goes for sign-up, monthly and annual. That means you can take advantage of the great saving opportunities offered at no extra cost to your business. With some other cards, you may end up spending as much in fees as you save in rebates if you don't use the card enough. With the Shell card, you will save money regardless of how much you fill up.

If you fill up more than 10,000 gallons per month, you can earn a solid rebate of up to 6¢ per gallon. What’s more, is that there are no set-up or monthly card fees to access these savings. You'll also get 15% off at participating Jiffy Lube locations, which is sure to come in handy.

Shell's Fleet Plus Card can only be used to buy fuel at Shell stations, but with almost 13,000 stations covering 47 of the lower 48 states (Montana is the exception), the coverage may well be good enough for your fleet. Need a little more coverage? The WEX Fleet Card covers 95% of all U.S. stations, so could be a more suitable alternative for cross-country drivers.

With this card, you’ll also gain access to the Fleet SmartHub® app, which provides you with a clear overview of your transactions and available credit and also allows you to spot potential misuse and cancel stolen or lost cards.

Read our in-depth review on Shell's fleet cards.

Strengths

Comes with an excellent station finder web app

Data reports point out opportunities for you to save money

Shell provides 24/7 customer service to fuel card users

Weaknesses

Coverage gaps in some parts of the Midwest and Southwest

Rebates are only truly generous if you buy over 10,000 gallons per month

Pricing
Card Type Credit
Fee Structure Rebates of 2-6¢ per gallon on average
Accepted Fuel Type Gasoline and diesel
Minimum Spend N/A
Network Coverage Nearly 13,000
Truckstop coverage Yes
Non-Fuel Products Car washes and maintenance (at Shell stations)
Additional perks 10-15% off at Jiffy Lube

Shell Small Business Card
The Shell Small Business Card
Shell Logo
Shell Small Business Card
Savings Up to 6¢ per gallon
Quick overview

Shell's Small Business Card is aptly named as it's a great choice for smaller fleets who have less margin for investment. It comes with no card charges, no monthly or annual fees, and no cost for additional cards, it also allows cardholders to carry over a monthly balance to ease cash flow issues. Plus, holders can get 15% off Jiffy Lube oil changes and preventative services (at participating stations).

Details
Card Type Credit
Fee Structure Rebates of 3¢ per gallon on average
Accepted Fuel Type Gasoline and diesel
Minimum Spend N/A
Network Coverage Nearly 13,000
Truckstop Coverage Yes
Non-fuel Products None
Additional Perks 15% Discount at Jiffy Lube

Shell fleet navigator fleet card
Shell Logo
Shell Fleet Navigator
Savings Up to 5¢ per gallon
Quick overview

The Shell Fleet Navigator Card is a good choice for larger regional and national fleets. While it costs $2 per card, per month, it also lays claim to a few handy features that its two sister cards don't. For example, the reporting and security functions this program comes with are all customizable, and customer service is available via real-time customer updates.

Plus, while it's accepted at all Shell locations, this card can also be used at over 95% of all fuel stations nationwide, and the use of the card can be geofenced (that is to say, you can set virtual borders around the area your fleet operates in), letting you customize your business's own fuel network.

Details
Card Type Credit
Fee Structure Rebates of 3¢ per gallon on average
Accepted Fuel Type Gasoline and diesel
Minimum Spend N/A
Network Coverage 95% of US stations, roughly 107,000
Truckstop Coverage Yes, but $1.25 transaction fee at Truck Stops
Non-fuel Products N/A
Additional Perks 20% off at Jiffy Lube

Are Any of Shell’s Fleet Cards Right for My Business?

If you’re simply looking for a fuel card with no credit check, you could go far with the Shell Refillable Card, which works like a gift card. But if you’re keen to equip your business with digital management tools, take a look at the below options.

‘I run a small fleet’

As the name goes, the Shell Small Business card is intended for smaller fleets as it can help with cashflow issues that are especially common in the growing stage of any business by allowing customers to carry a monthly balance. If money is tight, you may want to consider the best fuel cards with discounts right now.

If cash flow is not an issue and you’d prefer to maximize your fuel savings with higher rebates, the Shell Fleet Plus may be your best bet. Both of these cards have zero card fees so they are among the best fuel cards for smaller fleets.

‘I run a large fleet’

If you’re running a larger operation, you may benefit from a larger network coverage and we’d recommend the Shell Fleet Navigator since it covers 95% of the country. Otherwise, the Shell Fleet Plus is a great all-rounder, with maximum savings on fuel and zero card fees.

‘I run a fleet of trucks’

One of the best fuel cards for trucking fleets covering long distances is the Shell Fleet Navigator, as it has wide network coverage covering 95% of the US. However, it charges a $1.25 transaction fee at truck stops, which isn’t ideal. We’d also recommend the WEX Fleet Cross Roads Card, as it has unparalleled truckstop coverage and no extra charges at truck stops.


How Do Shell’s Fleet Cards Compare to Its Competitors?

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WEX FlexCard

Edenred Essentials

ExxonMobil FleetPro

Comdata Card

Card Fees

None

Card Fees

None

Card Fees
  • $3 per card, per month
  • $50 fee for late payment
  • Other fees apply
Card Fees
  • $2 per card, per month
  • $40 one-time setup fee
Card Fees
  • $8 per month
  • One-time $50 set-up fee
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)
  • 2¢ (if 0 to 500 gallons purchased in a month)
  • 3¢ (501 to 5,000 gallons)
  • 5¢ (5,001 to 10,000 gallons)
  • 6¢ (over 10,001 gallons)
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Rebates of 3¢ per gallon for the first 6 months

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)
  • 1¢ /gallon (up to 3,999 gallons/month)
  • 2¢ /gallon (10,000-14,999 gallons/month)
  • 3¢ /gallon (20,000-24,999 gallons/month)
  • (Up to 4¢ per gallon)
Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Fixed tariff for consistent gas prices

Rebates
This is a reward per gallon of fuel purchased (in the form of cashback or credit)

Average rebate on gas between $0.08 and $0.25 per gallon

Network Coverage

13,000

Network Coverage

Accepted at 95% of US gas stations which is approximately 185,000 stations

Network Coverage

Accepted anywhere that accepts Visa

Network Coverage
  • 12,000+ Exxon and Mobil locations
  • 800+ commercial fueling stations
Network Coverage

15,000+

Perks

15% off at Jiffy Lube

Perks

None

Perks

Costco Membership

Perks

Exxon Mobil Rewards+ Points

Perks

Discounts on tires and hotels

Shell vs Competitors: Price

With zero card fees, Shell’s Fleet Plus card beats competitors ExxonMobil, Edenred and Comdata. The WEX FlexCard similarly, has no monthly charges. Comdata is by far the most expensive at $8 per month, while ExxonMobil ($2 per month) and Edenred ($3 per month) are a little less steep. Shell’s zero card fees are a huge plus since saving on fuel costs is possibly the biggest attraction for getting a fuel card in the first place.

Shell vs Competitors: Network Coverage

WEX and Edenred tie in this department as they both have extensive coverage. WEX covers 95% of the US (107,000 stations), while Edenred is accepted wherever Visa is accepted, which gives it a similarly universal reach as WEX. Shell’s Fleet Plus card is only accepted at 13,000 which is comparatively narrow. On the other hand, the Shell Fleet Navigator card is partnered with WEX so has the same vast network coverage spanning 95% of the country.


Our Methodology: How Did We Review Shell Fuel Cards?

We researched 13 fleet fuel cards to evaluate them in terms of how affordable they are, and if they have features that can help control and manage fuel spending, all so we could provide the most useful recommendations to US fleets.

Our rigorous testing process means these cards have been scored and rated in five main categories of investigation and 13 subcategories – this means 43 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers – and that's our algorithm.

Our main testing categories for fleet fuel cards are:

  • Security: Refers to the measures in place by the card provider to ensure the safety and protection of your information.
  • Customer Support: Includes the assistance the card provider offers, such as phone support, email or chat support, documentation, knowledge bases, and online forums.
  • Expense Management: Refers to the features of the fleet fuel card, such as transaction tracking, expense reporting, receipt storage, integration with accounting systems, and customizable expense categories.
  • Convenience: Refers to the ease of use and accessibility of the fleet fuel card, including factors such as the acceptance network of gas stations, availability, price comparison tool, contactless payment at pumps, and more.
  • Card Specific Information: Refers to the details associated with the fleet fuel card itself, such as card fees, accepted fuel type, card type, fee structure, network coverage, plus the cards' potential to pay for items and services other than gas.
Expert Verdict

We believe that Shell’s fleet cards are a fantastic option for business fleets, and certainly a better choice than several popular competitors – especially in terms of affordability.

Shell’s Fleet Plus card is a solid all-rounder that offers rebates of up to 6¢ per gallon, which is a huge saving for a card that is completely free. It can be used at Shell’s nearly 13,000 US gas stations and comes with access to Shell’s Fleet SmartHub® app which provides clear overviews of transactions and available credit so you can spot any possible misuse or cancel lost/stolen cards. We think it is the best option for the average fleet business in the US.

Unfortunately, its coverage is not as vast as the Fleet Navigator, which grants you access to 95% of US stations, meaning companies working in regions without a wide range of Shell Stations may prefer this option instead. It also offers more advanced and customizable reporting and security functions to keep track of spending, ideal for larger businesses with lots of staff. It isn’t a free fuel card, however, as you’ll need to pay $2 per month for the pleasure.

Lastly, Shell’s Small Business card offers decent rebates and makes it possible to carry a monthly balance, all without any monthly fees. We think it’s something of a middle ground between the two other options and is sure to ease the load of smaller fleets in particular.

Each card offers competitive benefits and competent reporting, control, and security features. But if you’re still not sure which fleet card supplier is right for you, don’t worry – we’re here to help. Tell us about your business using the form at the top of this page, and you’ll receive custom quotes from trusted fleet card suppliers. This process is fast and free.

Written by:
Matt Reed is a Senior Writer at Expert Market. Adept at evaluating products, he focuses mainly on assessing fleet management and business communication software. Matt began his career in technology publishing with Expert Reviews, where he spent several years putting the latest audio-related products and releases through their paces, revealing his findings in transparent, in-depth articles and guides. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism from City, University of London, Matt is no stranger to diving into challenging topics and summarising them into practical, helpful information.
Reviewed by:
Maïté Bouhali
Maite began her career with Expert Market nearly four years ago as a writer. She quickly developed a passion for the challenges faced by small businesses and now endeavours to help them make informed decisions for their future. In her current position as Business Software Editor, Maite works closely with writers to ensure that each article is informative, well-researched, engaging, and actionable for readers. With extensive knowledge of CRM, vehicle tracking devices, and fuel cards, she is meticulous in her review of each article and provides detailed feedback before publication. Whether you're seeking to stay informed on the latest trends in business software or need guidance in selecting the most appropriate software for your organisation's needs, Maite is here to help. With her sharp eye for detail and commitment to quality, she is dedicated to supporting businesses in achieving their goals.