The Worst Gas Station Credit Cards To Avoid At All Costs

Figuring out who and what actually controls the price of gas is complex, as well as ever changing, so there is never one clear, steadfast answer. Instead of trying to navigate where you can fill up your tank for the cheapest amount, you might be looking to get a gas station credit card to earn some rewards and help you get some discounts or deals in the future. However, not all gas station credit cards are the same, which means that some should be avoided at all costs.

Sure, there are lots of tricks to save money when you are buying gas, and a credit card is only one of them if you select the right one. The key is not to get stuck with a high annual fee, deferred interest, or an annual percentage rate (APR) that is through the roof. While there are many options to choose from, here is a round up of a few of the worst gas station credit cards you definitely do not want to have in your wallet.

When it comes to picking a gas station credit card, NerdWallet recommends using a 3% benchmark for rewards, meaning that the card should pay out 3% or more in benefits to customers for usage of it. That's a far cry from what the Conoco Gas Card offers, which is a reward rate of 3 cents for every gallon they purchase. You can use the Conoco Credit Card in the Fuel Forward App, but even then, you'll only be bumping up your rewards to 5 cents per gallon.

While there is no annual fee, the interest is deferred when card holders pay in full purchases of $199 or above for six months. First-time cardholders can earn 15 cents per gallon in rewards, for up to 30 gallons, through the end of 2025, but even then the savings aren't worth it. Better to find a different gas station credit card working on a percentage-based rate of rewards saving so you can get better benefits on the money you spend at the pump.

The Chevron and Texaco Techron Advantage card is one of the worst gas station credit cards on the market due to the fact that even though the earnings start out up to 62 cents per gallon of regular gas, that return expires after a 30-day promotional period. When it ends, the Chevron and Texaco Techron Advantage taps out at 3 cents per gallon in rewards. As of July 2025, AAA noted that the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States was $3.14. So if you are using a Chevron and Texaco Techron Advantage card to fill up, you are really only seeing a 1% rate in your rewards or barely anything at all when compared to other cards.

U.S. News and World Report highlighted that if you want to make the most of your rewards, you'd have to spend at least $500 per month on food, travel, or using the app to buy supreme-grade gas. To top it all off, users have no protection if the card is used for unauthorized charges. It does not matter if it is for $10 or $100, because fraud liability is nonexistent with the Chevron and Texaco Techron Advantage card no matter the sum of money that gets racked up on it.

When it comes to the CITGO Gas Card, the perks appear enticing and highly beneficial at first — membership fees are nonexistent and anyone with decent credit is likely to get approved. That said, WalletHub called it "one of the least rewarding cards" for the average driver, as well as vehicle owners who tend to spend higher than average on gas, because of the rebate limitation of 60 days. New cardholders can earn 30 cents per gallon of gas with the CITGO gas card during the first two months of usage, then the rate plummets to 5 cents.

Instead, it might be worth looking into other credit cards that are not gas station related to get a better rate of rewards. Tons of credit cards have perks you should take advantage of, like the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card that offers 3% on gas, as well as on other transportation methods, along with 6% back on groceries and certain streaming services, all for a $0 annual fee in your first year.

Along with Conoco, the only place that the 76 Gas Card can be used besides a 76 gas station is at Phillips gas station, making its purchasing and rewards power extremely tight. When you sign up for the 76 Gas Card, you'll be earning 15 per gallon in rewards, up to 30 gallons through the end of December, 2025. Once you hit that tier, the rewards drop to 10 cents per gallon if you use the Fuel Forward app during, but again, only up to 30 gallons or through the end of 2025.

Rather than trying to chase the rewards linked to your 76 Gas Card, you can find other solutions to getting fuel at a lower cost that does not involve opening up a credit card. Instead, consider opening a Costco card, because Costco tends to have cheaper gas and you can get your grocery shopping done in the same trip. You can also be strategic in your financial fuel planning by looking at a calendar and charting out when you need to fill up, knowing that some days of the week have cheaper gas prices than others.