Using gas cards is one of the best and convenient way of reducing the pinch of ever increasing gas prices. If you haven't started using one yet, you'd probably be on the look out for the best gas card. If your question is – What is the best gas card?, then you won't get a specific answer. Gas cards have different rates and features, and answering your question would depend on your gas spending habit. To help you, below is a list of the top five gas cards and the criteria for comparing each.
Discover® Open Road Card
Discover Open Road Card offers up to 5% rebate or rewards points on gas purchases and auto maintenance expenses. Accumulated rewards points earned on this card can be redeemed in the form of cash backs. This card carries no annual fee but it carries an annual percentage rate or APR at 10.99%.
Discover® Open Road(SM) Card for Students
This card is the Discover Open Road card version for students. This offers the same unlimited 5% rebate on gas purchases and auto maintenance expenses, only that it does not expire. Its annual percentage rate is at 16.99%.
Citi® Professional(SM) Cash Card
This cards offer a rebate of 3% on gas purchases and is good for those who plan to maintain a balance on the card since it only carries an APR at 9.99%.
BP Visa® Rewards Card
The BP Visa Rewards Card offers a 10% unlimited rebate on gas purchases during its one year introductory period. For the regular months, this card offers a 5% unlimited rebate. Rebates however, can only be earned and redeemed if this card is used at BP gas stations. Moreover, this card carries no annual fee but charges an APR at 11.99%.
Blue Cash® from American Express®
The Blue Cash from American Express card offers an unlimited 5% rebate on gas purchases and charges a 9.99% APR on the card's maintaining balance.
There you have it, the top five gas cards. The best card would depend on what you are looking for and on your spending habit. The following are the criteria that will help determine the best gas card.
If you are looking for a card with the highest percentage rebate, your best card will be the BP Visa Rewards card. However, this card is BP exclusive and if you live across town from a BP gas station, then this card is not for you. The next cards with the highest percentage rebate would either be Blue Cash from American Express or any of the two Discover Cards.
Annual Percentage Fee or APR
The balance on your gas credit card is charged with an annual percentage rate or APR. If you plan on maintaining a balance on your card, then the card with the lowest APR is the best card for you. Disregard percentage rebates; your APR can easily eat out your savings despite high percentage rebates. From the above cards, the Blue Cash from American Express and the Citi Professional(SM) Cash Cards have the lowest APR at only 9.99%.
