The conflict in the Middle East has sparked a surge in fuel prices, meaning both daily commutes and summer road trips are getting more expensive.
Thankfully, you can save money on gas by enrolling in loyalty programs offered by major gas companies. That said, your favorite chain may not have the best prices, even with loyalty discounts — or it may not have stations along your road trip route. That’s where GasBuddy comes in.
GasBuddy is an app that helps find the cheapest gas near you. Even better, the program’s Pay with GasBuddy+ feature can save you more than 20 cents per gallon. Read on to learn everything you need to know about saving money on gas with GasBuddy.
Related: 7 tips to get the most out of a tank of gas
Find the best gas prices near you
The GasBuddy app shows prices at all stations nearby to help you find the best deal on gas. Just download the mobile app and let it see your current location. You can filter by which fuel type you’d like to buy and how far you’re willing to drive for gas.
There’s also a map view.
Tap on a gas station to see its pricing for each type of gas. GasBuddy relies on crowdsourcing for pricing data, so prices may not always be accurate. However, we’ve found that most stations are updated at least once per day; you can see the last update time below the price.
GasBuddy will also alert you to flash deals, which you can activate in the app. Some of these require having a membership with the gas station, like this one through Fuel Rewards.
GasBuddy can save you money on regular fill-ups, but it’s especially useful during long road trips when you need to fill up in unfamiliar locales.
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Related: Route 66 road trip planner: The best stops along the way
Save more through Pay with GasBuddy+
When you enroll in Pay with GasBuddy+ and link a bank account, you’ll receive a free card in the mail that you can use to pay at the pump anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Transactions will be charged to your linked bank account, and any available discounts will automatically be applied.
There are two types of membership. The Standard plan is free to join and guarantees savings of at least 3 cents per gallon, though you may save up to 25 cents per gallon depending on where you fill up. You can save even more with a Premium plan — more on that in a moment.
Here are some tips to help maximize Pay with GasBuddy+.
Enroll in a Premium membership if you drive a lot
The Premium option, which costs $9.99 a month or $99 a year, promises savings of at least 20 cents per gallon (on the first 50 gallons monthly, then 5 cents per gallon). Furthermore, Premium members have access to 24-hour roadside assistance from Allstate (twice per year).
It may be worth paying for a Premium membership if you know you’re going to drive a lot in a given month. Do the math beforehand to ensure you’ll get enough value to offset the fee.
Stack with gas loyalty programs
One of the best features of Pay with GasBuddy+ is that you can stack it with other fuel rewards programs.
For example, you can still enter your Fuel Rewards number at the pump when you use your Pay with GasBuddy+ account. Fuel Rewards Platinum members save 10 cents per gallon at Shell stations, meaning GasBuddy Premium members can theoretically save over 30 cents per gallon at some gas stations.
Related: How to maximize savings with a Shell credit card
Stack with GasBuddy Rewards
Another part of the app, GasBuddy Rewards, lets you earn points by taking surveys, playing games, watching videos, dining out, snapping receipts and more.
You can redeem points for digital gift cards or, if you have a Pay with GasBuddy+ membership, redeem them toward additional savings on gas. Two thousand points equate to 10 cents off per gallon, and the savings will automatically apply to your next fill-up.
Related: Best road trips in the US
Is it worth using Pay with GasBuddy+ over a credit card?
One downside to Pay with GasBuddy+ is that you must pay with your GasBuddy card, which essentially works like a debit card, so you’ll miss out on any credit card rewards. However, depending on which cards you have in your wallet and the savings you can get through GasBuddy, it might make sense to choose GasBuddy.
For instance, the Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees) earns 3 ThankYou Rewards points per dollar spent on gas purchases. Since Citi points are worth 1.9 cents apiece in our March 2026 valuations, that’s a return of 5.7%. If you find a station where GasBuddy offers 6 cents or more off, paying with your GasBuddy card makes more sense.
You might consider keeping your GasBuddy card in your wallet alongside one of our top-earning credit cards for gas purchases. Then, every time you fill up, you can do the math to see which offers the best return.
Related: Best credit cards for gas purchases
Bottom line
GasBuddy is a great way to save on fuel, especially when prices spike. Download it and request a Pay with GasBuddy+ card before your next big road trip, and don’t forget to stack it with other fuel rewards programs. After all, every cent per gallon counts.
