Gas prices may be high across the country, but not every gas station chain’s prices and reward programs are equal. Some national providers offer special incentives and better prices than competitors depending on your location.
It isn’t always easy to find the best gas prices and incentives, but you can use apps to save big bucks at the pump and rack up rewards in the long run. Between loyalty programs and information on the lowest gas prices near your location, these apps have plenty of value to offer.
Here are some of the best apps to save you money on fuel costs, along with how they work and how to best utilize them.
GasBuddy Can Help You Save Cents per Gallon on Gas
GasBuddy is a crowd-sourced gas app that reports real-time gas station prices provided by users. It’s free to download and you don’t need an account to use it. If you do create a Pay with GasBuddy account through the app, “you can save up to 33 cents a gallon when you activate deal alerts,” according to NerdWallet.
Users need to link a checking account to the app to use the Pay with GasBuddy account and earn savings. There’s also a Premium subscription version that costs $9.99 a month and amounts to more savings for frequent users.
Gas Guru Helps You Find the Cheapest, Closest Gas Stations
The price difference between different gas stations may not seem significant, but even savings of a few cents can amount to dollars if your vehicle has a large gas tank. Multiply the dollars you’ve saved choosing a more affordable station by the times you need to refill a month, and you could even cover small monthly expenses.
Gas Guru is an app that uses a color-coded system to help drivers spot the best gas price deals. Drivers can also filter results by distance, fuel grade and amenities.
Gas Guru is an informational directory and doesn’t offer a paid tier like GasBuddy. U.S. News & World Report calls Gas Guru one of the best gas apps that will save you money at the pump.
Upside Gets You Cash Back on Gas and More
Upside is an app that offers users real-time cash back on several daily purchases including food and gas. It generates an interactive map that displays discount offers from participating gas stations. Savings can range from 10 cents to 25 cents back per gallon.
Drivers need to link a credit or debit card to reap the benefits and either submit photos of receipts or check in at gas stations through the app to get cash rewards. These rewards can be sent directly to your bank account or a digital wallet like PayPal.
You can also redeem cash rewards for gift cards.
How to Save Money on Fuel Costs in 2026
Basic maintenance may not be able to save you big bucks on gas, but there are a few things every driver can do to make sure their vehicle is as efficient as possible.
Maintaining the correct tire pressure that your car requires can help with rolling resistance. Gentle acceleration and maintaining a steady speed while driving can also help conserve fuel.
Every cent counts for some drivers since gas prices have hit historic highs. Using a combination of the right apps and best practices could result in major fuel cost savings in the long run.
Charles Singh is an Autos Connect Reporter for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.
