Even if you have never used gas cards before, you have likely seen those colorful ads while you are at the pump. They may seem too good to be true – free miles and travel benefits for simply paying at the pump with a card? What possible profit motive could be driving this? Gas is a necessity that everyone needs. On top of that, Petroleum companies are some of the most profitable in the world. Why give any sort of a discount on anything?
It may be necessary to better understand the market before delving into how you can profit from it.
Understanding The Travel Industry
Gas companies and airline companies are all a part of the same industry – the travel industry. Within this industry, companies are competing at a very high level. They know there is very little loyalty among clients in this space. The company that wins is the company that makes the most relevant offer today.
With this in mind, it is no surprise that companies are always giving away products and services that may seem almost too good to be true. However, the profit margins on travel are relatively high, and the big companies have scale. This means there is plenty of room to use loss leaders as a customer acquisition and loyalty strategy.
The gas credit cards that you use can earn you quite a bit of free mileage in the travel industry. If you are a person who travels a lot, then you owe it to yourself to learn the ins and outs of this potentially lucrative endeavor.
Gas Cards and Credit
The best part about gas cards is that you can gain the extra benefit of travel miles without losing out on the benefits of a normal credit card. Gas credit cards report to the major credit bureaus, so gas credit cards can help you build your normal credit. Because the gas card is considered a retail card, it usually requires a lower credit score than traditional cards. Some gas cards are available for people with “poor” credit, which is generally defined as a FICO credit score that is below 650.
Of course, the added benefit of gaining travel miles is the number one reason that people gravitate to gas cards. If you want to maximize all of the benefits, however, you can follow these steps.
- Apply for your cards at one time – Every time you apply for a credit card, the card issuer will need to check your credit. These kinds of checks can cause your credit score to go down if you do not pay attention to the special rule that allows you to create multiple credit inquiries for the same purpose within a specified period of time.
- Check the terms – Does the gas card have an annual fee and an interest rate that you can deal with? Make sure that you are looking at the normal fees and not the introductory rates. Most gas cards do not charge annual fees, but you should definitely read the fine print in order to be completely sure.
- Choose a gas card with a convenient location – It is no good having a gas card with great terms if the station for the card is far away from your home and work. You will spend more money getting to the station using the card than you might save! Choose a card with a convenient retail location so that you can keep your card open for a long time. Gas cards are not meant to be used everywhere. This is the best way to make sure that you get the most out of your card. The longer that you leave it open, the more credit history you will earn.
- Pay the balance in full – In order to avoid paying the interest rate on your card, pay your balance off in full each month. This is the absolute best way to get all of the benefits of the card without the need to pay anything “extra” for it. Paying on time also helps your credit score in a big way. The timeliness of your payments affects around 35 percent of your score.
- Watch your credit utilization – In order to maximize your credit score, you do not want to spend more than 30 percent of your available credit at any one time. Example: If your gas card has a $1000 limit, then you want to keep your expenditures to $300 or less until you pay that off. Then you can spend another $300 and pay that off to build your credit. Utilizing more than 30 percent of your credit is not a death knoll for your credit score, but you do not receive maximum benefit.
Getting Free Miles at the Pump
Gas cards work on percentages, which may be counted in points. These points can be redeemed at various travel companies, where they are converted into miles. Depending on the program that the company runs, points may be worth more or less miles.
Here we take a look at some of the programs that you can use to get free miles at the pump as well as many other benefits.
The Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card
Aside from being backed by one of the biggest banks in the United States, this card gives you a choice of 3 percent back in a category of your choice. One of those categories is travel, and your purchases are eligible on a maximum of $2500 in combined choice category. You also get an introductory cash reward bonus of $150 if you spend $500 on the card within the first 3 months of getting your account.
The Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card
Users of the Propel American Express Card from Wells Fargo get a huge three points per dollar on travel and other categories. If you spend at least $3000 in the first 90 days of opening your account, you get an enormous 30,000 point bonus as a sign up. Best of all, you do not have to pay any annual fee. You also get an intro APR of 0 percent for the first 12 months on all purchases and the first 120 days on balance transfers.
The Citi Premier Card
If you are a big spender on travel, then the Citi Premier Card may be the choice for you. The first three months is your time to really come out ahead. If you spend $4,000 in the first 90 days, you get 50,000 bonus points that can be redeemed for miles. You do have to pay a $95 annual fee, but not for the first year.
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BOOST Platinum Card
- Bad Credit, No Credit? No Problem!
- Fast and Easy Application
- No Employment or Credit Check
- Credit Recommended
- Damaged credit to Fair credit
- Credit Line
- $750 Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
- Regular APR
- None
- Monthly Fee
- $177.24 annually ($14.77 per month)
Destiny Mastercard®
- All the benefits of a Mastercard, without a security deposit
- 24/7 access to your account, even on mobile!
- Reports to all three major credit bureaus
- Less than perfect credit is okay, even with a prior bankruptcy!
- Credit Recommended
- Poor to Good
- Regular APR
- See terms
- Annual Fee
- See terms
- Brand Name
- Mastercard
Milestone® Mastercard®
- Greater access to credit than before - $700 credit limit
- Get a Mastercard accepted online, in store and in app
- Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S.
- $0 liability* for unauthorized use
- Access your account online or from your mobile device 24/7
- *Fraud protection provided by Mastercard Zero Liability Protection. If approved, you'll receive the Mastercard Guide to Benefits that details the complete terms with your card.
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Good
- Regular APR
- See terms
- Annual Fee
- See terms
- Card Brand
- Mastercard
Net First Platinum
- No Employment or Credit Check
- Bad Credit, No Credit - OK
- Always 0.0% APR
- Fast Online Applications
- Credit Recommended
- Damaged credit to Fair credit
- Credit Line
- $750 Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
- Regular APR
- 0% APR
- Monthly Fee
- See website for Details*
The Net First Platinum card could be the perfect card for you.
Have you been denied credit in the past? Net First Platinum is available to help people meet their financial needs. Our fast and easy application could be just what you need. A $750 credit line (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com) could be available to you faster than you ever thought possible.
*See Card for Details
Surge® Platinum Mastercard®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply!
- Monthly Credit Score – Sign up for electronic statements, and get your Vantage 3.0 Score Credit Score From Experian
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 – $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- See if you’re Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Online account access 24/7
- Checking Account Required
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Intro Rate
- See website for Details*
First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
- Choose your own credit line - $200 to $2000 – based on your security deposit
- Build your credit score.¹ Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
- No minimum credit score required for approval!
- ¹ Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Limited/No Credit
- Regular APR
- 25.24% (V)
- Annual Fee
- $29
- Credit Line
- up to $2,000
- Cash Advance APR
- 30.24% (V)
FIT™ Platinum Mastercard®
- $400 credit limit doubles to $800! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Initial Credit Limit of $400.00 (Subject to available credit)
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Checking Account Required
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Poor/Bad
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Annual Fee
- $99 introductory fee for the first year, then $125 thereafter
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card
- Better than Prepaid...Go with a Secured Card! Load One Time - Keep On Using
- Absolutely No Credit Check or Minimum Credit Score Required
- Automatic Reporting to All Three National Credit Bureaus
- 9.99% Low Fixed APR - Your Rate Won’t Go Up Even if You Are Late
- Activate Today with a $200 Minimum Deposit - Maximum $1,000.
- Increase Your Credit Limit up to $5,000 by Adding Additional Deposits Anytime
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Fair/Limited/Damaged
- Regular APR
- 9.99% Fixed
- Annual Fee
- $48
- Credit Line
- $200 - $1,000
Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- See if you’re Pre-Qualified with no impact to your credit score
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 – $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
- Checking Account Required
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Credit Limit
- up to $1,000
- Annual Fee
- $75 - $125
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
- New feature! Earn up to 10% cash back* on everyday purchases
- No credit check to apply. Zero credit risk to apply!
- Looking to build or rebuild your credit? 2 out of 3 OpenSky cardholders increase their credit score by an average of 41 points in just 3 months
- Get free monthly access to your FICO score in our mobile application
- Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Add to your mobile wallet and make purchases using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
- Fund your card with a low $200 refundable security deposit to get a $200 credit line
- Apply in less than 5 minutes with our mobile first application
- Choose the due date that fits your schedule with flexible payment dates
- Fund your security deposit over 60 days with the option to make partial payments
- Over 1.4 Million Cardholders Have Used OpenSky Secured Credit Card To Improve Their Credit
- *See Rewards Terms and Conditions for more information
- Credit Recommended
- Poor
- Regular APR
- 25.64% (variable)
- Annual Fee
- $35
- Credit Line
- $200-$3000 at time of application
Fair Credit Cards
- Time for a new Credit Card
- Improve your credit with responsible use
- Credit Cards for Fair Credit
- Credit Recommended
- Average/Fair/Good/Poor/Bad/Limited/
- Intro (Purchases)
- See website for Details*
- Intro (Transfers)
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- See website for Details*
- Annual Fee
- See website for Details*
First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
- 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments
- Choose your own credit line - $200 to $2000 – based on your security deposit
- Build your credit score.¹ Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
- No minimum credit score required for approval!
- ¹ Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Limited/No Credit
- Regular APR
- 15.24% (V)
- Annual Fee
- $49
- Credit Line
- $2,000
- Cash Advance APR
- 24.24% (V)
Freedom Gold Card
- $750 Unsecured Credit Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
- Instant Approval*
- No Credit Check
- No Employment Check
- Fast online application
- Bad Credit - OK
- Credit Line
- $750 Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
- Monthly Fee
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- 0% APR
You are pre-approved for a $750 unsecured credit line (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com) with the Freedom Gold Card! Sign up now, our application process is fast and easy.
*See site for details
First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
- 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments
- Choose your own credit line - $200 to $2000 – based on your security deposit
- Build your credit score.¹ Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
- No minimum credit score required for approval!
- ¹ Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Limited/No Credit
- Regular APR
- 19.24% (V)
- Annual Fee
- $39
- Credit Line
- $2,000
- Cash Advance APR
- 25.24% (V)
Surge® Platinum Mastercard®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply!
- Monthly Credit Score – Sign up for electronic statements, and get your Vantage 3.0 Score Credit Score From Experian
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 – $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- See if you’re Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Online account access 24/7
- Checking Account Required
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Intro Rate
- See website for Details*
Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card
- Choose your own credit line based on how much money you want to put down as a security deposit.
- Initial deposits can be from $200 to $3,000. You can increase your credit line at any time by adding additional money to your security deposit, up to $3,000.
- After 9 months, we review your account for a credit line increase. No additional deposit required!
- Secured Credit Cards are great for people looking to build or rebuild credit and are available to people with all kinds of credit backgrounds.
- Unlike a debit card or a pre-paid card, it helps build your credit history. We report your payment history to all three major credit-reporting agencies.
- Get your FICO® Credit Score for free each month.
- Fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen. Access your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get help staying on track with available Auto Pay and account alerts.
- Card issued by Merrick Bank, Member FDIC.
- Credit Recommended
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- 22.70% Variable
- Annual Fee
- $36 for first year. Billed $3 per month thereafter
- Credit Line
- $200-$3,000, depending on deposit amount
- Cash Advance APR
- 27.70% Variable
Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®
- $200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking Plus account and making 3 debit card transactions*
- Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
- Combine the flexibility of a credit card with the predictability of a personal loan
- No annual fee
- No touch payments with contactless technology built in
- See if you qualify in minutes without hurting your credit score
- Great for large purchases with predictable payments you can budget for
- Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud liability
- Credit Line
- $500 - $25,000
- Regular APR
- 14.99% - 29.99% APR
- Regular Transfer APR
- 14.99% - 29.99% APR
- Annual Fee
- $0
*To qualify for the welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Rewards Checking Plus account through Upgrade and make 3 qualifying debit card transactions from your Rewards Checking Plus account within 60 days of the date the Rewards Checking Plus account is opened. If you have previously opened a checking account through Upgrade or do not open a Rewards Checking Plus account as part of this application process, you are not eligible for this welcome bonus offer. Your Upgrade Card and Rewards Checking Plus account must be open and in good standing to receive a bonus. To qualify, debit card transactions must have settled and exclude ATM transactions. Please refer to the applicable Upgrade VISA® Debit Card Agreement and Disclosures for more information. Welcome bonus offers cannot be combined, substituted, or applied retroactively. The bonus will be applied to your Rewards Checking Plus account as a one-time payout credit within 60 days after meeting the conditions.
Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- See if you’re Pre-Qualified with no impact to your credit score
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 – $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
- Checking Account Required
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Credit Limit
- up to $1,000
- Annual Fee
- $75 - $125
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
FIT™ Platinum Mastercard®
- $400 credit limit doubles to $800! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Initial Credit Limit of $400.00 (Subject to available credit)
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Checking Account Required
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Poor/Bad
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Annual Fee
- $99 introductory fee for the first year, then $125 thereafter
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card
- New feature! Earn up to 10% cash back* on everyday purchases
- No annual fee
- No credit check to apply. Find out instantly if you are approved- Zero credit risk to apply!
- Looking to build or rebuild your credit? 2 out of 3 OpenSky cardholders increase their credit score by an average of 41 points in just 3 months
- Monitor your credit progress with free access to your FICO Credit Score.
- Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Add to your mobile wallet and make purchases using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
- Secure your credit line with a refundable security deposit - as low as $300.
- Easy application, apply in less than 5 minutes right from your mobile device
- Offers flexible payment due dates which allow you to choose any available due date that fits your payment schedule
- Now you can make smaller partial payments towards funding your security deposit over 60 days
- Over 1.4 Million Cardholders Have Used OpenSky Secured Credit Card To Improve Their Credit
- *See Rewards Terms and Conditions for more information
- Credit Recommended
- No credit, Poor, Fair
- Regular APR
- 29.99% (variable)
- Annual Fee
- $0
- Credit Line
- $300-$3000 at time of application
Bad Credit Cards
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Bad/Poor/Damaged/Limited/No Credit/
- Intro (Purchases)
- See website for Details*
- Intro (Transfers)
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- See website for Details*
- Annual Fee
- See website for Details*
Applied Bank® Unsecured Classic Visa® Card
- Get Pre-Qualified in Less Than a Minute
- A $300 Unsecured Credit Line which can be used at Grocery Stores, Gas Stations, Discount Stores, ATM's and Online!
- A REAL Visa® Credit Card with Automatic Reporting to all Three National Credit Bureaus
- No Penalty Rate. Your Rate Won't Go Up Even If You are Late
- Access Additional Credit With On-Time Payments and Responsible Usage
- A True Unsecured EMV enabled (chip) Visa Credit card
- Does not require perfect credit for approval
- Fixed APR and Manageable Monthly Payments
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Damaged Credit
- Regular APR
- 29.99%
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $38
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $38
- Card Brand
- Visa®
Poor Credit Cards
- A better way to get a Card Offer!
- For those with less that perfect credit.
- Response in as fast as 60 seconds
- Search, Compare, Apply!
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Poor/Bad/Damaged/Limited/No Credit
- Intro (Purchases)
- See website for Details*
- Intro (Transfers)
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- See website for Details*
- Annual Fee
- See website for Details*
Search, Compare and Apply! Creditsoup.com offers you a better way to get a card offer.
*See Card for Terms and Conditions
Good Credit Cards
- Take advantage of your good credit to get competitive APRs and rewards
- Enjoy low rates and rewards for everyday spending
- Earn cash back, points or miles to redeem for travel, gift cards or cash rewards
- Bonus offers – up to 50,000 points or miles
- Good credit can lead to excellent credit – some cards provide free credit score monitoring
- Terms vary by partner. Please see individual application for product terms and conditions.
- Clicking Apply Now will take you to CreditSoup.com to compare Credit Cards for Good Credit from participating partners
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Good/Limited/No Credit/Excellent
- Intro (Purchases)
- See website for Details*
- Intro (Transfers)
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- See website for Details*
- Annual Fee
- See website for Details*
*See Card for Terms and Conditions
Excellent Credit Cards
- Take advantage of your excellent credit to get the best rates and rewards
- Enjoy low rates and rewards for everyday spending
- Excellent credit can lead to higher credit lines
- Earn cash back, points or miles to redeem for travel, gift cards or cash rewards
- Bonus offers – up to 50,000 points or miles
- Terms vary by partner. Please see individual application for product terms and conditions.
- Clicking Apply Now will take you to CreditSoup.com to compare Credit Cards for Excellent Credit from participating partners
- Credit Recommended
- Good/Excellent
- Intro (Purchases)
- See website for Details*
- Intro (Transfers)
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- See website for Details*
- Annual Fee
- See website for Details*
