The best card at the pump depends on where you fill up: warehouse-club members do hard-to-beat math with the co-branded card at those stations, while everyday drivers want the highest gas rate with no membership. We rank by the return a normal driver keeps, and we flag rotating-category and capped-bonus cards that only win if you actually activate and route your spend.
How we ranked this list
Ranked by ClearValue Score. Gas earn rates are valued at conservative redemption benchmarks and net of caps, activation requirements, and any membership cost, so a clean flat category rate can out-rank a higher-headline rotating card.
Everyday drivers and broad spenders who want 3x points across six categories — gas and EV charging, travel, dining, tran
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months
Ongoing APR
18.49% – 28.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Pros
Everyday drivers and broad spenders who want 3x points across six categories — gas and EV charging, travel, dining, transit, streaming, and phone plans — at a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
Trade-offs
People who want cash simplicity or a single dominant category — a 5% rotating or category-specific card can out-earn 3x where your spend concentrates, and the points ecosystem is less deep than Chase UR or Amex MR for transfer-partner redemptions.
The catch
The strength is category breadth, not depth — 3x across six everyday categories is generous, but Wells Fargo's transfer-partner program is thinner than Chase or Amex, so most people will redeem points closer to 1 cpp rather than optimizing transfers.
Closed to new applicants — Citi stopped taking Custom Cash applications on 2026-05-28
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers (must complete within 4 months of account opening)
Ongoing APR
17.49% – 27.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater
Pros
Closed to new applicants — Citi stopped taking Custom Cash applications on 2026-05-28. Existing cardholders deciding whether to keep it: moderate spenders who concentrate buying in one category each month — groceries, gas, dining, or streaming — and want an automatic 5% without activating anything.
Trade-offs
New applicants — the card isn't open for new applications; Citi now points signups to Citi Double Cash. Among existing cardholders: high-volume spenders in a single category (the 5% is capped at $500 of spend per billing cycle, so $25/month is the ceiling on the bonus) and international travelers — the 3% foreign transaction fee makes it a poor abroad card.
The catch
Citi stopped taking new Custom Cash applications on 2026-05-28; this review is for existing cardholders. The 5% only applies to your single highest eligible category each cycle, up to $500 of spend. Above that cap, or across your other categories, you're earning 1%. It rewards concentrated, moderate spending — not broad or heavy spending.
Citi ThankYou Points builders who want a broad 3X earn across supermarkets, select transit and gas/EV charging, and a se
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR
18.49% – 28.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Balance transfer fee
3% (min $5) within first 4 months, then 5% (min $5)
Pros
Citi ThankYou Points builders who want a broad 3X earn across supermarkets, select transit and gas/EV charging, and a self-select category (fitness, streaming, entertainment, beauty, or pet stores) plus 2X dining — all at a $0 annual fee. It's the July-2025 successor to the Citi Rewards+.
Trade-offs
International travelers (3% foreign transaction fee) and anyone who wants a simple flat rate — the value depends on your spend landing in the 3X buckets, and the self-select category needs occasional attention.
The catch
The 3X categories are broad but not universal, and the self-select bonus is only useful if you pick the category matching your spend. Outside those buckets it's a 1X card. It also carries a 3% FX fee, so keep it stateside.
Navy Federal members who dine out or spend on gas regularly and want rewards without giving up a low ongoing APR — 3 poi
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
13.49% – 18.00% variable
Pros
Navy Federal members who dine out or spend on gas regularly and want rewards without giving up a low ongoing APR — 3 points per $1 at restaurants, 2 points per $1 at gas stations, 1x elsewhere, at a 13.49%–18.00% variable APR with no annual fee. That's the lowest APR floor among the rewards cards Navy Federal offers.
Trade-offs
Non-members and people who want frictionless flat cash back — this earns points that require redemption for cash, travel, gift cards, or merchandise.
The catch
Points (not cash back) mean an extra redemption step, and there's no 0% intro period. If minimizing your rate is the only goal, the plain Navy Federal Platinum's 10.24% floor beats this; GO REWARDS makes sense when your dining and gas spend earns back the small APR-floor difference.
Navy Federal members who spend heavily on groceries and dining and want the widest category coverage among Navy Federal'
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
14.15% – 18.00% variable
Pros
Navy Federal members who spend heavily on groceries and dining and want the widest category coverage among Navy Federal's low-APR cards — 3 points per $1 at supermarkets, restaurants, transit, and gas stations, 1x elsewhere, at a 14.15%–18.00% variable APR with no annual fee.
Trade-offs
Non-members and anyone who wants flat, no-management cash back — this is a multi-category points card, and American Express acceptance is occasionally narrower than Visa or Mastercard at some merchants.
The catch
The 3x across four everyday categories is genuinely broad, but points require active redemption and the 14.15% APR floor matches the cashRewards card rather than beating the Platinum's 10.24%. Best when your grocery and dining spend is heavy enough to out-earn a lower-rate no-rewards card.
Frequent travelers who route bookings through Citi's travel portal (cititravel
Key specs
Annual fee
$95
Ongoing APR
20.24% – 28.24% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5%, whichever is greater
Late payment fee
Up to $41
Pros
Frequent travelers who route bookings through Citi's travel portal (cititravel.com) for the 10x rate, and who spend heavily across the broad 3x buckets — restaurants, supermarkets, gas/EV charging, air travel, and hotels booked directly. ThankYou Points transfer to airline and hotel partners.
Trade-offs
Anyone unwilling to book through cititravel.com to unlock the 10x tier, and lighter spenders who'd earn a similar 3x/1x structure on the no-fee Citi Strata without paying the $95 AF.
The catch
The headline 10x rate is portal-locked — book a hotel directly with the property, which most loyalty members do to protect elite status and price guarantees, and you drop to 3x. The $100 annual hotel credit needs a $500+ portal stay to trigger, another portal-lock most cardholders won't clear.
Costco members who drive a lot — 5% cash back on gas at Costco, 4% on other gas and EV charging worldwide (combined $7,0
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
18.74% – 26.74% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater
Pros
Costco members who drive a lot — 5% cash back on gas at Costco, 4% on other gas and EV charging worldwide (combined $7,000/yr cap, then 1%), plus 3% on restaurants and eligible travel and 2% at Costco. There's no card-level annual fee if you're already a member.
Trade-offs
Non-members (a paid Costco membership is required to hold the card) and anyone who wants flexible rewards — cash back is paid once a year as a certificate redeemable at Costco, not as an ongoing statement credit.
The catch
Rewards come as a single annual certificate each February, redeemable in-warehouse — not monthly cash. And the 5%/4% gas rates stop once combined gas/EV spend hits $7,000/yr, dropping to 1% after. The card is only as good as your Costco relationship.
Occasional Hilton guests who want complimentary Silver status and category earning (7x Hilton, 5x U
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
19.49% – 28.49% variable (Pay Over Time)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Occasional Hilton guests who want complimentary Silver status and category earning (7x Hilton, 5x U.S. restaurants/supermarkets/gas) without paying an annual fee — the free entry point into the Hilton Honors ecosystem.
Trade-offs
Frequent Hilton guests (8+ nights/yr) who'd clear more value from the Surpass's Gold status and free-night certificate, and travelers who'd rather hold a general-purpose flat-rate or transfer-partner card.
The catch
Silver status is the weakest tier in Hilton's program — a 20% points bonus and a free fifth night on four-night award stays, not room upgrades or lounge access. Don't confuse 'complimentary status' with meaningful elite perks; it's a modest floor, not a ceiling.
Drivers who don't shop a warehouse club and want the highest consistent gas reward available on a no-annual-fee card — 5
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers made within the first 60 days (not offered on purchases)
Ongoing APR
17.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
3%
Pros
Drivers who don't shop a warehouse club and want the highest consistent gas reward available on a no-annual-fee card — 5 points per $1 at any gas station, plus 3 points per $1 at supermarkets. PenFed membership is open to everyone; you just join at penfed.org before applying.
Trade-offs
People whose spend is mostly outside gas and groceries — the base rate is only 1 point per $1 — and anyone who won't engage with the rewards portal to redeem points well.
The catch
5x on gas at any station (not just a specific brand) is the standout, but points are worth the most through PenFed's travel/gift-card redemptions, and the low 1x base rate means this is a category card, not an everyday earner. The card also carries no 0% intro APR — its 12-month 0% offer applies to balance transfers only, not new purchases.
Amazon Prime members with real Amazon and Whole Foods spend — 5% back at Amazon
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
18.74% – 27.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5%
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Amazon Prime members with real Amazon and Whole Foods spend — 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel, plus 2% at gas stations, restaurants, and rideshare/transit, at a $0 annual fee.
Trade-offs
Non-Prime shoppers — this card requires an active Prime membership (about $139/yr) to unlock the 5% rate; without it, the Amazon rate drops to 3%, which a flat 2% cashback card can beat outright.
The catch
The advertised 5% rate is conditional on paying for Prime membership separately — that ~$139/yr cost is real money that belongs in the math, not a sunk cost you get to ignore when comparing this card to a fee-free flat-rate alternative.
Travelers who want a $0-fee card with real travel-category earning — 4x on travel and on gas/EV charging (capped $1,000/
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR
17.49% – 27.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
5% (min $5)
Late payment fee
Up to $41
Pros
Travelers who want a $0-fee card with real travel-category earning — 4x on travel and on gas/EV charging (capped $1,000/quarter), 2x on dining/streaming/groceries — plus a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit and no foreign transaction fee.
Trade-offs
Heavy travel-portal bookers who'd rather chase the 5x prepaid-hotel/car-rental rate through U.S. Bank's Travel Center, and anyone whose gas spend regularly exceeds the $1,000/quarter cap on the 4x rate.
The catch
The 4x gas/EV rate caps at $1,000 in combined spend per quarter, then drops to 1x — a limit that's easy to miss in the marketing copy. Above that cap, the card's real-world blended rate lands closer to a 2x card than the headline 4x suggests.
Existing Rewards+ Student cardholders keeping the card for the round-up feature that rounds every purchase up to the nea
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
18.24% – 27.74% variable (existing cardholders only — closed to new applicants since April 2025)
Balance transfer fee
3% (min $5) within 4 months of account opening, then 5% (min $5)
Pros
Existing Rewards+ Student cardholders keeping the card for the round-up feature that rounds every purchase up to the nearest 10 ThankYou Points, plus 2X at supermarkets and gas (up to $6,000/yr, then 1X). Citi closed Rewards+ Student to new applicants in April 2025, so this review exists for current holders and this-card-vs-that comparisons — nobody can newly apply for it today.
Trade-offs
Anyone trying to open this card new — it isn't obtainable. Among existing holders: students who dine out a lot (the Savor Student and Discover it Student Cash Back reward dining directly) and anyone who travels internationally — a foreign transaction fee applies on purchases abroad.
The catch
This card can't be applied for anymore. Citi closed Rewards+ Student to new applicants in April 2025; existing cardholders keep their terms and can keep using the card, but the application no longer exists. The round-up advantage is real on sub-$10 buys but shrinks on larger purchases. We keep this review live for existing-holder reference, not as an active pick.
First Tech members who carry a balance but want to earn on everyday spending without giving up a below-average APR — 2 p
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
11.75% – 18.00% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
None
Pros
First Tech members who carry a balance but want to earn on everyday spending without giving up a below-average APR — 2 points per $1 on gas, groceries, and household goods, 1x elsewhere, at an 11.75%–18.00% variable APR with no annual fee and no balance transfer fee.
Trade-offs
Applicants who can't meet First Tech membership eligibility and pure rate-minimizers — the First Tech Platinum (10.49%) and Navy Federal Platinum (10.24%) have lower floors if you don't need rewards.
The catch
The 2x rate applies only to merchants transmitting a qualifying gas, grocery, or household-goods merchant code — First Tech's category interpretation, not yours. There's no 0% intro period, so the value is in the combination of a sub-12% floor plus everyday-category points.
Active Sam's Club members who fill up at Sam's Club fuel centers regularly — 5% cash back on fuel at Sam's Club stations
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
20.15% – 28.15% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfers not allowed
Pros
Active Sam's Club members who fill up at Sam's Club fuel centers regularly — 5% cash back on fuel at Sam's Club stations (up to $5,000/yr, then 1%), plus 3% on a broad dining and travel category, with no card-level annual fee. Accepted anywhere Mastercard is.
Trade-offs
Non-members (a paid Sam's Club membership is required, adding $50–$110/year to the true cost) and anyone who wants ongoing cash rather than an annual payout.
The catch
The headline 5% fuel rate applies only at Sam's Club gas stations, not general gas, and is capped at $5,000 of Sam's Club purchases per year. Rewards are paid once a year as a statement credit, so the card only pencils out if you're already committed to the Sam's Club membership.
Scored against ClearValue's published methodology ·
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Frequently asked
What's the best card for gas rewards?
For Costco members, the Costco Anywhere Visa earns 5% cash back on gas at Costco and 4% on other gas and EV charging (combined $7,000/yr cap, then 1%), with no card-level annual fee beyond Costco membership — the strongest gas rate we track. For non-members, Citi Custom Cash earns an automatic 5% on your single highest-spend eligible category each cycle (up to $500/cycle) with no activation required, which covers gas if it's your top category that month.
Do gas rewards cards have spending caps?
Yes, almost universally. The Costco Anywhere Visa's 5%/4% gas and EV rates cap at $7,000/yr combined, dropping to 1% after. Citi Custom Cash's 5% caps at $500 of spend per billing cycle ($25/mo ceiling on the bonus) and only applies to your single highest category that cycle. Check the cap against your actual monthly fuel spend before assuming the headline rate applies to all of it.
Does a gas rewards card work at all pump types, including EV charging?
The Costco Anywhere Visa's 5% Costco-gas and 4% other-gas/EV rates both fall under one $7,000/yr combined cap — a rare structure as EV adoption grows. Confirm any other gas card's terms specifically name EV charging; several older gas-category cards only cover traditional fuel purchases.
