Best Fuel Cards for Small Businesses in New Zealand

Running a small business can come with many expenses, and a big one is often fuel for company vehicles. But did you know that by using a fuel card, you can not only save money on fuel costs, but also streamline expenses and simplify your fuel-related admin?

Fuel cards, also known as fleet cards, are a type of credit card that can only be used to purchase fuel at specific locations. They are designed to help businesses manage and track fuel expenses, and many come with additional features such as online account management, detailed reporting, and purchase controls.

If you’re a small business owner in New Zealand, there are many fuel card options available to you, each with its own unique features and benefits. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best fuel cards for small businesses in New Zealand and help you find the perfect solution for your company’s fuel needs.

The Best NZ Fuel Cards in 2023 for Small Businesses

Below, we’ve rounded up the best fuel cards for small businesses in New Zealand in 2023 so you can choose the right fuel card for your business.

Most Widely Accepted Fuel Card for Small Businesses – CardSmart

If your business’s fleet travels across New Zealand and you want your employees to be able to fill up at any station, CardSmart offers the most coverage in New Zealand.

CardSmart fuel cards are accepted at over 1,300 fuel stations across New Zealand including Z, BP, Caltex, Challenge, Gull, Mobil and GAS. With no joining fees and a $1.99 monthly card fee (promo offer valid for a year after signing up), CardSmart is one of the only NZ fuel cards offering multiple fuel discounts at multiple major oil companies on one card.

It’s just one petrol card for all vehicle needs including Warrant of Fitness (WoF), servicing, repairs, plus one consolidated (IRD approved) invoice for all your vehicle’s needs. CardSmart also distributes individual fuel brand fuel cards and has competitive offerings for each.

CardSmart Pros:

• Over 1,300 fuel sites to choose from
• Great 12 month promo offer
• One consolidated IRD-approved invoice

Need to know:

• Pricey to replace lost cards
• May be charged an inactive card fee

 

Best Fuel Card for Individuals with Savings – Kiwi Fuel Cards

Kiwi Fuelcard is an independent New Zealand fuel card supplier – supplying Mobil, Z and BP fuel cards to both NZ businesses and individual consumers. You can either choose to have one branded card, or all three to give you nationwide coverage at more than 900 stations.

Focused on saving you money, Kiwi Fuelcard doesn’t provide an all in one card, but does provide multiple cards depending on the station you choose to fill up at.

The fee schedule is easy: you pay a once-off $10 joining fee, and $6 per card. After that, there are no monthly card fees attached to any of the cards. In terms of transaction fees, with the Mobil fuel card, there are no transaction fees. If you purchase a Z or BP fuel card, there is a 0.005c per litre transaction fee. Meanwhile, if you purchase non-fuel items in-store, you’ll have to pay an extra 0.50c fee.

Kiwi Fuel Card pros:

• No monthly card fees
• Gain access to 900+ stations when you procure all 3 cards
• Competitive fuel discounts

Need to Know:

• Not a seamless multi-brand solution
• Transaction fee per litre with Z & BP card

 

Best Fuel Card for Growing with Your Small Business – CardLink

CardLink is another fuel card provider offering extensive coverage across New Zealand with CardLink offering three types of fuel cards: CardSmart Fuel Card, BP Fuel Card and a special ecoDRIVE fuel card that helps offset your company’s emissions. They mostly work with small to medium-sized businesses and have been in the fuel card game for 25 years.

The fuel card program by CardLink allows businesses to track and monitor their fuel expenses, which can make it easier for companies to manage their budgets, create fuel purchase reports and make better decisions.

You can choose just one fuel card or all three, or you can start with one and as your business scales, then scale up your fuel card collection too.

• BP Fuel Card: BP has over 200 service stations and over 58 truckstops NZ, and you can use a BP fuel card at any of the stations. With low operating costs and a minimum of 8c/l off the pump price at all fuel sites, the BP fuel card is a great deal if you commonly use BP stations.
• CardSmart: CardSmart’s got you covered for all your fuel needs with their fuel cards accepted at over 1,300 stations across New Zealand. You’ll find them at popular brands like Z, BP, Caltex, Challenge, Gull, Mobil, and GAS. There is no joining fee, and currently a promotional offer of just $1.99 monthly card fee valid for a year after signing up. Plus, CardSmart’s one of the few fuel card options in New Zealand that gives you multiple fuel discounts at different major oil companies all on one card.
• ecoDRIVE: The ecoDRIVE program is a flexible opt-in model. Once a user chooses to participate in ecoDRIVE, it is added to their CardLink account and begins to offset their carbon emissions and aid in environmental protection. The cost of this program is $2.25 per card (exc. GST) per month and it can be easily added to a new or existing account.

CardLink pros:

• No joining fee or account management fee
• Easily change brand as your small business grows
• Great for eco-conscious companies with ecoDRIVE card option

Need to know:

• Pricey replacement card ($15)
• Not a seamless solution

Best Fuel Card for Sole Trader/New Businesses – Driveline Fuel Card

 

 

If you’re a new small business or sole trader searching for the best fuel card, you may, unfortunately, find yourself being knocked-back due to no financial history with some of the more premium providers.

This is where the Driveline fuel card comes in. The Driveline fuel card offers great savings, like up to 8c/l on petrol and 9c/l on diesel. It can be used at Mobil, BP, Caltex, Challenge and GAS sites across NZ. There are over 900 sites nationwide to choose from and all you need to sign-up is a one-off $10 set-up fee.

Following that, there are no annual or monthly account fees, no minimum spend, and no minimum number of cards. It can be used for fuel and in-store purchases. The Driveline fuel card is available to both businesses and individuals.

Note: While this fuel card is more geared towards cars leased through Driveline, you can still apply for one even if you’re not a Driveline customer.

Driveline Pros:

• Available to businesses and sole traders
• Great fixed petrol & diesel discount
• No monthly card fees

Need to Know:

• $10 set-up fee
• More for cars leased through Driveline

Enquire to save

What is a Fuel Card?

Fuel cards are the ultimate solution for managing your business’s fuel expenses. They function just like a credit card, making it easy to pay for and keep track of your fuel expenses without the hassle of cash or fuel reimbursement forms. Once an employee fills up, the cost is charged to the account linked to the card, and the amount owing will be automatically deducted from your bank account or credit card, usually on a monthly basis.

Not only do fuel cards offer convenience and cost savings for businesses, but they also provide detailed reporting and tracking of fuel purchases. With a fuel card, you’ll have full visibility into your fuel expenses and be able to take advantage of discounts and rewards. This means you can make better decisions for your business and stay on top of your expenses. Overall, fuel cards are a smart choice for any business that wants to streamline its fuel-related expenses.

Fuel Card Benefits for Small Businesses in New Zealand

Cut Fuel-Related Costs

Fuel cards are your ticket to significant cost savings. Sure, fighting rising fuel prices is a major benefit, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Depending on the provider you choose, you may receive considerable discounts on your fuel purchases. Plus, oftentimes the more fuel your fleet consumes, the higher your savings will be. These discounts will add up over time, making a huge impact on your budget. With a fuel card, you’ll be taking control of your fuel-related costs and coming out on top.

Track Purchases

Why risk driver mistakes and lack of oversight when you can switch to fuel cards and enjoy easy and accurate tracking of your expenses? With cash payments, receipts can be lost or forgotten, making it difficult to know exactly what’s being spent. But with a fuel card, every purchase is logged in a digital statement, giving you immediate visibility into your expenses. Not only that, but you’ll have all the receipts you need for proof of payment in case of any discrepancies.

Enhanced Admin Operations

Fuel cards are a game-changer for the admin department. They provide a simple and efficient way to manage fuel expenses and reduce operating costs. Say goodbye to manually sorting through stacks of receipts, and hello to streamlined expense tracking and budget management. With fuel cards, you’ll have all the information you need at your fingertips, making it easy to make informed decisions about fuel suppliers and costs.

The benefit doesn’t stop there. Fuel cards also provide access to extensive reports that give you a granular view of your vehicle’s usage, including which ones are consuming the most fuel, individual purchase amounts, and the location of each transaction. This data is invaluable when it comes to identifying and addressing inefficiencies in your fleet, ultimately reducing long-term operating costs.

Prevent Fuel Fraud

Fuel fraud may be rare, but that’s no reason to let your guard down. With fuel cards, you can keep a watchful eye on your payments and nip any fraudulent activity in the bud. Fuel card system allows you to monitor payments and transactions in real-time, so you can spot any suspicious activity right away and take the necessary action. For example, setting up alerts when a driver fills up outside of regular business hours or if it exceeds the limit.

To ensure added security, fuel cards can be secured with a PIN code known only to the drivers, and further safety features such as number plates and odometer readings can be enabled for additional protection when refuelling

Detailed Reports

Simply knowing the amount spent on fuel each month isn’t enough to manage your fleet effectively. To maximise efficiency you need additional details like fuel economy, cost per kilometre and so on. The more information you have, the better you can manage your business. Through detailed reports, you can gain insight into your vehicle fleet’s performance, from fuel expenses to more informed management decisions. This information helps to ensure a cost-effective operation and the best possible results for your business.

NZ Fuel Card Considerations for Your Small Business

• Promo periods: Be aware of the fine print when it comes to promo periods. Don’t be fooled by short-term offers that skyrocket to regular prices once the promo period ends. Understand what you’re signing up for and compare it to the regular pricing.
• Pump price vs national price: Discounts can come in different forms, such as pump price or national price. Make sure you understand the difference between these two types of discounts and how they’re calculated. Some cards offer discounts based on the national average of their group of suppliers or one brand.
• Discounts: It’s important to know that not all discounts apply to every fuel station. Some discounts are only valid at specific brands. Make sure you understand which discounts apply to which fuel stations to maximise your savings.
• Fees: Be mindful of transaction fees as well, as they can offset some of your discounts. For example, if you have a discount of 8 cents per litre but are hit with a transaction fee of $2 every time you use the card, it will offset some of the discount.
• Fleet size: Finally, the larger your fleet, the more attractive you are as a customer to fuel providers. They’re more likely to offer you special deals based on your monthly fuel spend and the number of cards you need. This can translate to bigger discounts and a cost-effective operation for your business.

Run Your Small Business With Ease When You Sign Up for a Fuel Card

Take control of your small business’s fleet operation with a fuel card, and make your life easier. New Zealand offers a wide range of options to choose from, with different providers offering unique features. But which one is the best fit for your small business? We recommend checking out CardSmart, CardLink and Kiwi Fuel Card, as all three are great choices for small businesses with competitive features.

Don’t wait any longer to elevate your business’s fleet operation. See if your small business is eligible for a fuel card and take the first step towards effortless expense tracking and cost savings. Sign up now and start reaping the benefits of a fuel card.