With the cost of gas continuing to rise to record sky-high prices, these apps can help save you money at the pump – or show you ways to get from point A to point B while using less gas.
Rethink familiar directions
The shortest distance is not always the most fuel-efficient path. It turns out traffic patterns and elevation play a much bigger role in how much gas your car will burn.
Google Maps allows you to put in a destination and see the route that will use the least amount of fuel.
Tip: Once you’ve entered a destination, tap the little green leaf icon in the route section to see the most fuel-efficient way.
What are the best apps to comparison shop gas prices?
- GasBuddy app, one of the original apps to point the way to the least expensive pump prices. Update: I only recommend using the GasBuddy.com website and not the app because of privacy concerns.
- Geico mobile site allows you to View the Cheapest Gas Prices near you. (and you don’t have to be a customer)
- AAA app for members shows cheap gas too.
Which Gas Station loyalty programs are good to lower my gas costs?
Most, but not all major station brands offer a fuel loyalty program app that rewards you with a discounted pump price the more you use it. While many gas credit cards also can offer lower prices to cardholders, the apps don’t cost anything to use.
Here’s how to make them work for you. The winning strategy here is to look up the app for the gas station near you with best ongoing cheapest prices. Some of the popular gas station loyalty apps include the following:
- Shell fuel rewards
- 76
- Phillips 66
- My Conoco
- Exxon mobile rewards+
Don’t forget to check truck stops that often have low gas prices compared to regular stations.
What are some good gas apps for best cashback?
These apps work with a variety of gas stations with the simple concept of earning points to use toward future fill-ups and snacks. These will take a little extra effort to game in your favor which is why some people claim to save a lot in gas by religiously using them.
- GetUpside app redeem points for filling up for future gas
- Trunow app unfortunately, this app seems to have a low rating, but has been a round for a bit, so it may be worth revisiting
How to check your location privacy settings?
Many of the gas price apps require that your phone shares its location. That makes sense in order to show the nearby cheapest gas, right?
Make sure once you download any of them, to go back into settings to protect the amount of location data you are sharing with them.
For iPhone: From home screen select Settings > tap Privacy > Location Services > look for gas app and change the option “Always” in the Allow Location Access setting to the more private only “While using the App”
For Android: Settings > Location or Location Permissions > look for gas app under section “Allowed all the time” and make sure it is set to less access option while using app
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