GasBuddy is a popular rewards app designed to help drivers save money on gas prices at the pumps. The app has an easy search feature to find the best gas prices in any zip code, with deals updated in real-time.
In addition to fuel price data, the GasBuddy app has other ways to help drivers save money and earn rewards such as trip cost planning, interactive price maps, cash-back spending, and even free gas. There’s also a Pay with GasBuddy feature, too, and there’s no credit check required.
Over 90 million users save money when they fill up at the gas station. Here’s what you need to know about how the app works and how to get the most out of the app to make it worth it.
What Is GasBuddy?
GasBuddy is a free fuel and rewards app in the Apple and Google Play stores. It provides users with the cheapest gas prices in their area, saving users up to $0.25 per gallon.
Additionally, when users link their bank account (debit card) or credit card to the app and use the Pay with GasBuddy feature, they can turn everyday purchases at supermarkets and stores into free “gasback” or fuel rewards.
Among the tools you’ll find in the mobile app.
- Gas price map
- Pay with GasBuddy
- Trip cost calculator
- Fuel log book
- Fuel insights
- Vehicle recalls
- Driving habits tracker
- Outage tracker
GasBuddy Features
Here’s an overview of some of the app’s most popular features.
1. Find Gas
The app’s flagship feature, the gas price locator, is its most well-known and perhaps most helpful. Users provide their location (zip code or city and state) and their preferred grade of gasoline, and the app will identify a list of nearby gas stations with the cheapest gas prices. You can also filter the results by location or preferred station, such as Shell or Chevron.
As a disclaimer, all data in the app is user-submitted so some prices could be inaccurate. Overall though, most of the shared information is trustworthy. With millions of users, one person’s reported prices are generally corroborated many times over by other user submissions.
2. Pay with GasBuddy
A rebate rewards program for users to earn up to $150 in free gas every year just by doing their regular in-store shopping and making normal gas purchases. Make purchases at participating, affiliate merchants, and earn up to 10% in rebates to go toward free gas.
GasBuddy’s partner retailers are always changing, but here are some of the app’s current eligible stores:
- Old Navy
- Home Depot
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Petco
- Advance Auto Parts
- com
- Domino
- Instacart
- Walmart
- Wayfair
- GNC
Users who do not have the GasBuddy card can redeem their gasback earnings for digital gift cards (eGift cards) to Amazon, Walmart, and other popular stores. A minimum balance of $5 is required to redeem earnings this way.
3. Outage Tracker
Also referred to as the availability tracker, this lets drivers report fuel stations that have power outages or fuel outages (all gasoline or specific grades). There are four reported designations that you can see in the app when searching for a gas station.
- Has Fuel & Power
- Has No Power
- Limited Fuel Options
- Has No Fuel & Power
Trip Cost Calculator
GasBuddy also has an interactive trip planning feature to help you plan your road trip in the most economical way to reduce driving distance and fuel costs. Here’s the information you’ll need to provide:
- Type of trip (round-trip or one-way)
- Starting point
- End destination
- Vehicle make and model
- Preferred fuel type
- Metric (liters and kilometers) or standard (gallons and miles)
This is helpful for longer journeys and even for in-town driving if you live in larger metro areas. If you need to travel across town or commute to the office, the app can calculate the best route for you to save you money on gas and wear and tear to your vehicle based on drive time and traffic conditions.
Getting Started
Here’s what you need to know to get started using the app and scoring cheap gas prices. We’ll discuss getting specifically started with the free GasBuddy card or the app’s premium features.
How to Use the GasBuddy Card
To get started, you need to download the free app and link your checking account debit card or *credit card to your GasBuddy account — it’s free and secure.
Then you can start earning cash back rebates — “gasback” rebates — at participating stores. To get the reward, you must make the purchase using the same card linked to your GasBuddy wallet. The app will send you the free card in the mail that you can use to pay at the pump.
Overall, the GasBuddy card is similar to cash-back shopping apps like Rakuten which pay you cash-back rebates for spending money at participating stores. Instead of earning cash outright, however, those gasback earnings will go onto your GasBuddy gas card.
Use that card to pay at the pump and get up to $0.25 off per gallon.
With the average U.S. driver buying nearly 500 gallons of gas per year, it’s like getting $125 free. For rideshare drivers and road warriors, the savings figure could even be even higher.
According to GasBuddy, their users have saved over $3.1 billion in gas costs.
*Only certain credit cards are eligible to be linked to GasBuddy, and most fuel rewards credit cards are excluded.
GasBuddy Cost
GasBuddy is a free rewards program, but members can enroll in GasBuddy Premium or GasBuddy Plus to receive upgraded features.
The Premium plan is $9.99 per month and the Plus plan is $7.99 per month. Both of these plans feature:
- Savings of up to $0.40 per gallon on gas at the station — instead of the regular $0.25 per gallon — when you activate station deals.
- Access exclusive gasback deals in the GasBuddy marketplace
The more expensive premium membership also features:
- 24-hour roadside assistance. Offered through AllState for coverage on up to two (2) incidents per year.
To sign up for any version of GasBuddy, you can do so on the GasBuddy website or in the iOS or Android app store.
Pros and Cons
As with any app, GasBuddy does come with pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look.
Pros
- Free app
- Commonly a first-time new user bonus
- Easy to use
- Find the cheapest gas prices near you or on your driving route
- Trip calculators
- Wide coverage – GasBuddy is accepted at 95% of gas stations nationwide
- Premium features for free roadside assistance and exclusive gas savings
Cons
- Must have a checking account, linked, for fuel purchases (and savings) with the GasBuddy card.
- Savings may take several days to be credited to your account.
- Limits on how much fuel can be purchased with a GasBuddy card to prevent fraud.
- Premium roadside assistance is only for two events per year (previously up to three) and limits how much gas will be delivered if you are stranded due to a fuel outage.
- Premium and Plus memberships are non-refundable.
- Privacy concerns; the app knows when, where, and how you drive.
Alternatives
In addition to GasBuddy, there are many other popular rewards to save money and earn rewards for fuel purchases.
1. Upside
Formerly known as GetUpside, the Upside app changed its name to Upside in 2022. Initially, it was just a fuel rewards app, but Upside provides consumers cash back for purchases at restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, supermarkets, and other retailers.
To claim the reward, users scan their receipts and upload them to the app. The app is free to use, and subscribers can cash out via PayPal or a digital gift card.
Upside offers different rebate amounts based on purchase category.
- Up to $0.25 off per gallon for fuel
- Up to 45% cash for featured restaurants
- Up to 30% cash back for grocery store and gas station (non-fuel) merchandise
Upside users do not need to link their debit card or bank account to the app.
Use Upside promo code RSG25 to earn an additional 25¢/gal on your first fill-up.
2. Checkout51
Checkout51 is perhaps better known as a grocery savings app, but it will reward you with cash-back rebates for a variety of purchases at different stores, including fuel. Similar to GasBuddy and Upside, Checkout51 is free to use and offers gas rewards of up to $0.25 per gallon. Instead of getting a savings of up to $0.25 per gallon at the pumps, with Checkout 51 you can earn up to $0.25 cash back for making the purchase.
You must upload your receipt to claim any cash-back reward and do so while the offer is active. Offers are weekly; they go live on Thursdays at midnight per each U.S. time zone and then expire the following Wednesday at 11:59 pm in each time zone.
Users can redeem their earnings for PayPal once they’ve reached at least $20. Electronic gift cards may also be available.
3. Carfax Car Care
The Carfax Car Care app is free and it’s an easy way to keep up with your maintenance, therefore improving fuel efficiency and lowering overall car ownership costs. Users download the app for free, add their vehicle by VIN or plate number, and then get customized alerts for any services that are due like oil changes, tire rotations, or tune-ups.
The app can notify you of recalls for vehicles or auto parts, alert you when your fuel consumption (mileage) is worsening, or remind you to update your license plate tabs.
It doesn’t have the same cash-back glitz of GasBuddy, but it is a reliable way to keep your vehicle in optimal condition — which is essential for drivers who drive rideshare or who want to get the most out of their car life.
4. Waze
Another free, helpful app, Waze relies on crowd-sourced data (from app users) to report on traffic conditions, and the best driving routes, and help drivers save money at the pump.
In addition to speed traps and cop warnings, Waze users alert the community to local fuel prices, and where to find the cheapest prices. It also provides turn-by-turn directions to car-charging stations
Similar to GasBuddy, users can link their credit card or debit card to the app to pay for gas at select gas stations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most popular FAQs that readers have about the GasBuddy app.
How do you cancel GasBuddy?
To cancel your free GasBuddy account, log in and then go to the profile section in the app. Confirm your information, and then select the option to “delete your account entirely.” (You can select “manage account preferences” to discontinue select features.)
A GasBuddy help article states that it can take up to 48 hours for the account closure to take effect, and also any recent transactions or outstanding balance will need to be cleared before the account can be completely closed. These transaction details are stored up for to 30 days before full account deletion.
For a Premium or Plus membership, the cancellation process is the same but subscription fees are nonrefundable.
You will retain the paid membership until the end of your current terms (next billing date). If you are billed monthly, it will expire at the end of the month. Annual members will need to wait the full year.
Is it safe to link a card to GasBuddy?
GasBuddy safely stores your credit card and other personal data in a secure, encrypted environment, and the app is certified PCI compliant. Also, linked cards can be removed at any time.
Whether or not you think it’s “safe” is a matter of your personal comfort level, but we can confirm that GasBuddy is a reputable app with over 100 million downloads worldwide. The app has a 4.7-star rating on iTunes and a 4.0-star rating on Google Play.
Can you use the GasBuddy card at Costco?
No, Costco is one of the few retailers where you cannot use the GasBuddy card. The GasBuddy card is accepted at 95% of gas retailers across the nation, but notable exceptions include Costco, Exxon Mobil, BJs, Sam’s Club, H-E-B, some Walmart stations, and some Arco stations.
Can you use GasBuddy and Upside together?
Yes, you can use both the GasBuddy and Upside apps together. Many savvy shoppers do so to maximize their total savings and earnings. Make sure to closely read the terms and conditions of any featured offer though; some may impose redemption restrictions.
Can you use GasBuddy in Canada?
Yes, GasBuddy is available in both the United States and Canada. The app previously attempted to expand to the Australian market in 2016 but shut down its Australian app version in 2022. Currently, the app is focused on the USA and Canadian markets with no plans for further international expansion, but GasBuddy does have some limited gas price information for stations in Mexico.
Driver’s Take
GasBuddy is a good and steady resource in the U.S. and Canada for rideshare drivers and personal drivers who are looking for ways to reduce fuel costs and earn rewards for their everyday shopping. The app’s ability to identify the best local gas prices is a significant benefit in and of itself, and the added features for trip planning and outage notifications are also quite useful.
Additionally, the Pay with Gas Buddy feature is very convenient for drivers who link their debit or credit card. Being able to save up to $0.25 per gallon is attractive, but keep in mind that its value is dependent on current gas prices and top gas rewards credit cards may be able to offer better savings.
On the whole, GasBuddy is an excellent resource to have in your pocket for driving and fuel-related rewards. But if you want to maximize your savings, you should use GasBuddy alongside other cash-back resources too.
