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Fuel Card Savings Calculator for Owner Operators

Compare fuel cards after their fees. See the real price per gallon, what you save each month against the pump, and how many gallons a month you need before a card pays.

Your fueling

$/gal

The cards below are examples, not any real card's terms. Enter the terms from each offer you are comparing.

¢/gal
$
$
$/gal
$
$

What each card really costs

Card A

You save a month

$735

$8,820 a year less than the pump

Real price a gallon
$5.955
Price before fees
$5.950
Fees a month
$15.00
Fuel and fees a month
$17,865
Breaks even at
any volume

Card B

Lowest cost

You save a month

$951

$11,412 a year less than the pump

Real price a gallon
$5.883
Price before fees
$5.850
Fees a month
$99.00
Fuel and fees a month
$17,649
Breaks even at
283 gal

Below about 283 gallons a month, the fees cost more than the discount saves.

Paying the pump price for 3,000 gallons a month costs $18,600.

To see what a tank of fuel costs on a trip, use the Fuel Cost Calculator. To check that your fuel surcharge covers what you pay, use the Fuel Surcharge Calculator. Fuel is part of your cost per mile.

Retail minus means you pay the posted pump price less a discount. Cost plus means you pay the wholesale price plus taxes plus the card's rate, so you enter the price you are quoted. The real price a gallon is fuel and fees divided by gallons. Break-even is the monthly gallons where the card ties with the pump. Late fees, credit limits and where the card is accepted are not counted. Your numbers stay in this browser.

Numbers tight? Let a dispatcher find better loads.

This tool is free. If it shows you are leaving money on the road, Grow Trucking finds loads, negotiates rates and does the paperwork for owner-operators and small fleets.

Talk to a dispatcher Call (845) 400-9179

Also: About Grow Trucking · Refer a carrier · Trucking blog

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How do you tell if a fuel card saves money?

A fuel card saves money when the discount on every gallon adds up to more than its fees. Add the monthly fee and the per-fill-up fees to the fuel cost and divide by gallons to get the real price per gallon, then compare it with the pump price.

  1. Enter your gallons a month, gallons per fill-up and the pump price at your usual stops.
  2. Enter each card's pricing: cents off the pump for retail-minus, or the quoted price for cost-plus.
  3. Enter each card's monthly fee and fee for each fill-up.
  4. Read the real price per gallon and the monthly and yearly saving against the pump.
  5. Check the break-even gallons for each card.
  6. Read the fine print for late fees, limits and where the card is accepted.
How the numbers are worked out
NumberHow it is worked out
Retail-minus pricePump price - discount
Cost-plus priceThe price you are quoted at your stops
Fees a monthMonthly fee + fill-ups x fee per fill-up
Real price a gallon(Gallons x price + fees) / gallons
Saving a monthGallons x pump price - card total
Break-even gallonsMonthly fee / (pump price - card price - fee per gallon)

Retail-minus and cost-plus are described as fuel card providers such as P-Fleet describe them. The cards and prices on the page are examples, not any real card's terms. The pump price starts at the live EIA U.S. average diesel price when it loads, and you should enter the posted price where you fuel. Late fees, credit limits and card acceptance are not counted.

Last reviewed September 2026. Sources: P-Fleet: cost-plus fuel cards, a complete breakdown; EIA: weekly U.S. on-highway diesel prices; OPIS: Oil Price Information Service.

Frequently Asked Questions - Fuel Card Savings Calculator

Are fuel cards worth it for owner-operators?
It depends on your gallons and the card's fees. A card saves money only if the discount on each gallon is bigger than the fees. This calculator shows the real price per gallon after fees, what you save a month against the pump, and how many gallons a month you need to break even.
What is the difference between retail-minus and cost-plus fuel cards?
One fuel card provider, P-Fleet, describes it this way. With retail-minus you pay the posted pump price less any rebate or discount. With cost-plus you pay the wholesale fuel price published by the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), plus taxes, plus the card's rate. Enter each card's terms and compare the real price.
How do fuel card transaction fees affect my savings?
A fee for each fill-up is charged on every fuel stop. If the fee per gallon is close to the discount per gallon, the card saves little. A $5 fee on a 100 gallon fill-up is 5 cents a gallon, which is more than a 2 cent discount. The calculator divides the fee over your gallons per fill-up.
How many gallons a month do I need for a fuel card to pay?
The break-even is the monthly fee divided by what each gallon saves after per-fill-up fees. For example, a $99 monthly fee and a 28 cent saving per gallon breaks even at about 354 gallons a month. Below that, the fee costs more than you save. The calculator works this out for each card.
Why does a cost-plus price not follow the pump price?
Because it is built from the wholesale price, taxes and the card's rate, not from what the station posts. When the pump price at a station is high, a cost-plus card can save more. When the pump is low, it can save less. Enter the price you are quoted at your usual stops.
Which fuel card is best for owner operators?
The one with the lowest real price per gallon at the stops you actually use, after fees. That changes with your routes and volume, so compare offers with your own numbers. Check where the card is accepted, credit terms, late fees and limits too. This tool only compares price and fees.
Does a fuel card discount show on my receipt?
It can depend on the card. On some cards the discount is applied after the sale and shows on your statement or settlement instead of the pump receipt. Ask your provider how yours works, keep your statements, and check that the discount you were promised is showing up.
What fees should I look for on a fuel card?
Monthly fees, a fee for each fill-up, and late fees. This calculator counts monthly and per-fill-up fees. Late fees, credit limits, and where the card is accepted are not counted, so read the whole agreement.
Does this calculator name the best card?
It marks the card with the lowest total cost that also beats the pump price for your gallons. The cards on the page are examples, not real offers. Enter the terms from your quotes to compare real ones.

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Go Further With Fuel Card Savings Calculator

Guides, services and reference pages that go with this tool.