Shell Fuel Card

Pauline Hatch

Pauline is a personal finance expert at CreditCard.com.au, with 9 years in money, budgeting and property reporting under her belt. Ask Pauline a Question about this card.

Shell Fuel Card

A fuel card is a lot like a credit card for fuel, but it makes life so much easier for business owners. The Shell Card features nifty perks like online control of employee cards, extra security features and of course, earning flybuys points. Right now, Shell is offering a promotional discount on fuel purchases for new accountholders.

What we love…

First on the list is the current promotional offer. You'll get 8 cents per litre off fuel purchases at at Shell, Shell Reddy Express, OTR and Shell Card accepting Westside, Liberty and Mogas sites and pay no monthly card fees when you apply for a new Shell card and use the promo code CREDIT25. The fuel discount and monthly card fee waiver apply for six months plus five days from card production. Fuels exclude LPG and AdBlue.

Next is the coverage. Shell Card is accepted at 1,600 service stations across Australia, including over 500 truck-friendly sites. It's also recognised by partnering businesses, which you can find listed on the Shell website.

In terms of fees, you'll pay a monthly charge of $2.50 per card, which is low considering the savings on fuel plus the rewards points you'll earn. If you apply for a new card now using the code CREDIT25, the monthly fee is waived for the first 6 months.

A Shell Card account comes with plenty of business features. All cards are linked to one transaction account, and you'll get one invoice at the end of the billing period. Payment options are flexible, with weekly, fortnightly or monthly terms offered at Viva Energy’s discretion, subject to its credit assessment. The online account management portal gives you 24/7 access to track purchases, change limits and restrictions on cards immediately, and download tax-ready statements. The time you'll save on account-keeping alone (like not reconciling countless paper receipts) makes these cards worth considering. You can set alerts on possible frauds, create a PIN for each card, and get an email alert for every transaction.

Fuel cards with rewards points are like hen's teeth, but Shell's done it. The Shell card earns 0.5 flybuys points per $1 spent on eligible purchases at any Shell Reddy Express.

What’s not so great…

We checked this card over and over, and honestly, there isn't much to mention in the not-so-great category. The Shell Card is a straightforward fuel-paying card with a lot of perks and not many drawbacks. Shell Card is accepted at participating Shell, Shell Reddy Express, Shell OTR, Liberty, Westside and Mogas service stations. That's pretty normal for a fuel card, but might require some extra planning initially to make sure you're using it wisely.

There is no credit card surcharge when paying your Shell Card invoice. Otherwise, you can pay using direct debit at no cost. If you're late on repayments, interest will apply until the amount is paid, accruing daily as simple interest at the rate fixed under section 2 of the Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983 (Vic).

Like all fuel cards, the Shell Card is limited to business owners. You'll need to provide a company name and ABN when you apply. And, even though fuel cards aren't technically credit cards, Shell will still do a credit check.

Why should you choose this card?

Any and all business owners can benefit from fuel cards, and the Shell Card is a great choice if you like earning flybuys. You won't find many fuel cards with rewards features around town. The account management system is brilliant for keeping your on-road expenses organised and ready for tax time, even if you have a whole fleet of vehicles. You can also monitor the cost-efficiency of the fuel used by your vehicles, which can be handy for finding ways to reduce expenses.

The monthly fees are also very low considering how much you get from the Shell Card. And remember, the fees are waived for the next 6 months when you apply now for a new Shell Card and use the promo code CREDIT25. You'll also get a 8 cents per litre discount on eligible fuels at Shell, Shell Reddy Express, OTR and Shell Card accepting Westside, Liberty and Mogas sites.

Overall Rating

The Shell Card delivers the big three factors you want in a fuel card - it'll save you loads of bookkeeping time, helps minimise business costs, and earns neat rewards. It's a no-fuss card with low fees and it's easy to add more cards for employees. A fuel card is a business tool, and the Shell Card comes with a lot of valuable features that can make the road smoother for your business.