WEX and Fuelman are some of the most popular fleet card providers out there, but popularity alone isn’t the best way to choose which fleet card works best for you. There are many factors to evaluate when it comes time to compare fleet fuel cards, including their fees, discounts, payment processing and network. In this guide, we explore Fuelman vs Wex in detail.
If you have been trying to make up your mind between the Fuelman fleet card and Wex fleet card, we have the comparison you need.
In this article, we’ll explore the features and benefits of WEX vs Fuelman on their own, then do a side-by-side comparison of Fuelman vs Wex based on their fees, network, and payment controls.
WEX Fuel Card
Image source: Wex
WEX has a vast network, which covers 95% of US fuel stations and 45,000 service stations. They also have more than 70 different fleet card options, but the WEX FlexCard is the most basic one. This card is an interesting alternative because it offers a $0.03 per gallon reward and has no yearly or setup fees. WEX-affiliated brands include 76, BP, ExxonMobil, Sunoco, and others.
WEX is a popular choice among business owners due to its automatic accounting, configurable report options, and expenditure controls that can be accessed online or via mobile via the WEX Connect app (available on Android and iOS). It’s also worth noting the possibility of carrying a balance from month to month. While this comes at the expense of having to pay interest on a debt, as with a regular credit card, it provides peace of mind when cash flow is tight.
Pros – Wex vs Fuelman
- All cards are accepted at 95% of US gas stations.
- WEX ClearView provides easy-to-read reports on your fleet’s fuel expenditure.
- Drivers will appreciate the included apps, which include the WEX Connect station-finder and DriverDash mobile payments.
Cons – Wex vs Fuelman
- The 3 cents rebate offered by the FexCard is not as large as those offered by other programs.
- Fees are not made public
Fleet Cards from WEX – Business Fuel Card Comparison
WEX offers multiple different fleet cards, but we’ll focus on three types:
WEX Fleet Credit Card
The WEX Fleet Card was designed for small enterprises and is perfect when you need to gain visibility and control over your fleet thanks to its features, like automated accounting, spending controls, purchase notifications, and customized reporting. You’ll also have access to the WEX EDGE Savings Network, which offers discounts on fuel, services, tires, hotel rooms, and other items.
This card is also available in a big fleet variant, the WEX Large Fleet Card, which has advanced analytics and better security. As far as we can tell, you won’t be able to use EDGE with this card program, as such discounts and incentives are intended to help small businesses save money.
FlexCard WEX
This upgraded savings machine, which is also excellent for small fleets, provides you a 3-cent rebate at every station in WEX’s large partner network. You’ll also be allowed to carry a monthly amount on your cards during times when money is tight. You also won’t have to pay any startup costs, yearly fees, or card fees with this card program.
WEX Fleet CrossRoads Card
WEX’s Fleet CrossRoads Card, aimed at large and small trucking fleets, can be used at truck stops such as Pilot Flying J, Love’s, and TA, as well as many more independent truck stops. It, like the WEX Fleet Card, gives you access to the EDGE Savings Network.
Fuelman – Fuel Card Comparison
Image source: Fuelman
Fuelman, which has a network of over 50,000 stations worldwide, offers another universal card. While there are several fleet cards available, we’ll focus on the recommended Fuelman Simple Saver Plus Card*. This card provides $0.10 off each gallon at Speedway, Petro Stores, Pilot, Kwik Trip, TA, and TA Express. At other Fuelman locations, you get $0.02 off per gallon. When numerous gallons are purchased from their 50,000+ station network, this might result in significant savings.
The only drawback is a monthly cost of $7.99 per card, which is waived for the first three months. Included are detailed fuel and tax reporting, business identity protection, fraud monitoring, and 24/7 roadside assistance. A $50 annual loyalty bonus is also available, which helps to offset the monthly price.
Pros – Fuelman vs Wex
- Choose how much you want to spend for your cards from a variety of bundles.
- One-of-a-kind carbon offset option
- Generous gasoline refunds are available through the Saver programs.
Cons – Fuelman vs Wex
- The mobile app’s accuracy for gas stations is not great.
- Customers in the Northeast have limited coverage.
- The cards have a monthly cost.
- Card fees are higher than those charged by the majority of other suppliers (especially with the more advanced packages)
Fuelman Cards – A Business Fuel Card Comparison
Fuelman’s Saver fleet cards available in two varieties: the Simple Saver Fleet Card and the Deep Saver Fleet Card, which Fuelman recommends for fleets of all sizes. The Simple Saver Card earns you 10 cents per gallon rebates with specific gas station brands, and 2 cents with other Fuelman locations.
If you use the Deep Saver Card at a Fuelman’s Discount Network location, you will get a cash refund of 8 cents per gallon of diesel and 5 cents per gallon of unleaded.
The cost of your Fuelman Saver cards is determined by the service plan you select:
- Regular: $4 per card each month, with detailed fuel expense reporting, vehicle maintenance tracking, and both 24-hour roadside assistance and customer support.
- Plus, for $8 per card per month, you receive the same benefits as normal, plus configurable reporting dashboards, up to $25,000 in fraud loss coverage per year, and more.
- Premium: $12 per card per month, plus 20% off maintenance, comprehensive performance analytics, trend reporting and alerts, and more on top of the Regular and Plus features.
WEX Vs Fuelman- Side by Side Comparison
WEX and Fuelman have similar perks and features, so it’s easier to make a decision between them when you look at them in a side-by-side fleet fuel cards comparison:
Fuelman vs Wex – Pricing, Promotions, and Fees
WEX and Fuelman pricing is extremely comparable because they are both retail fuel cards, which means the pricing is based on the price displayed at the pump.
Fees and discounts become complicated because they appear to differ from customer to customer with both fuel cards. Just make sure to ask both WEX and Fuelman what savings and fees you will receive.
Wex vs Fuelman – Network
One area where both are very different is in their network size:
- WEX has 180,00 fuel and maintenance points.
- Fuelman has 50,000 gas stations.
180,000 vs. 50,000 may look like a clear win for WEX, but it’s more complicated than that. WEX’s network includes more than just gas stations, with maintenance locations (like oil change shops and tire shops) accounting for a significant amount of the 180,000 accepted locations.
Fuelman does offer the CFN Fleetwide card, which provides access to CFN cardlock locations (which WEX does not) as well as Fuelman sites, which you may want to consider if your company operates in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex.
Fuelman vs Wex – Control options
Both cards offer very similar control characteristics, such as being authorized only for fuel and maintenance purchases, as opposed to a credit card, which may be used to buy anything.
You can set up product purchase alerts to notify you when a driver purchases the incorrect type of fuel.
Fuelman claims that it can also establish controls by gallon amount rather than dollar amount, which might be useful because if you set a dollar amount and the price changes, the number of gallons you’re permitted to purchase can alter. Because gallon numbers are never subject to price changes, you don’t have to worry about altering your controls when prices fluctuate dramatically.
For controls, Fuelman takes the edge because you can establish gallon limitations.
Wex vs Fuelman Reporting
Both gasoline cards include reporting options that are quite comparable to assist you compile fuel expense reports, IFTA reports, and so forth. It truly comes down to which online reporting platform you choose.
Final Thoughts – Fuelman vs Wex
It’s hard to declare a clear winner of WEX vs Fuelman when it comes to a detailed fleet fuel card comparison. Both offer excellent reporting tools and have similar expense control options, and while WEX looks to have a bigger network, things even out when you consider Fuelman’s CFN fleetwide card. If you want more clarity on fees and general flexibility, go with Fuelman. However, if you want a wider network and lower fees, go with WEX.
