Business fuel cards: flexibility to get your finances motoring

A business fuel card is a payment card companies can use to make purchases related to staff business travel. Linked directly to the company’s bank account, employees can use them to fill up their vehicle with fuel.

The participating fuel and service stations that accept them will depend on the provider of the business fuel card. For example, business fuel cards issued by oil companies like Total, Shell and Esso will most likely only allow your teams to fill up in those respective service stations. It is a similar story for company fuel cards provided by Auchan or Intermarché, which will likely only be accepted in service stations of that brand or with selected partners.

If you opt for a multi-chain business fuel card, you enjoy access to a much wider network of service stations. That is the case for business fuel cards issued by some large retail outlets including Leclerc or Carrefour.

With a Qonto business card, your staff won’t need to worry about which service stations they can use. They can fill up at any fuel or gas station, knowing that their card will be accepted with no added fees.

As well as fuel, our business cards can also be used to make associated purchases such as :

✓ vehicle maintenance products (for cleaning, motor oil etc.);

✓ lubricants;

✓ road tolls;

✓ paid parking.

A business fuel card offers many benefits to employees who travel often for work-related purposes. They can pay for the products and services of partnered service stations without having to pay out of their own pockets and complete expense forms in order to be reimbursed.

On top of that, using a business fuel card has real advantages for the team that manages travel expenses within a company. They will not have to chase after missing receipts and expense slips; billing occurs on a monthly basis, which reduces the administrative burden.

This way, you will have one, single invoice that will allow you to follow the cost of your fleet more easily and to carry out precise analyses for each vehicle (the price paid per litre, fuel consumption etc.).

Thus, business fuel cards are an extremely useful way of giving staff freedom to travel easily and to make savings in the process.

There are two main options for companies wishing to obtain business fuel cards for their fleets: purchase or rental. The most suitable option depends on several criteria, such as:

✓ the size and sector of activity of a company;

✓ the degree to which staff travel for work purposes;

✓ the average fuel consumption of the vehicles;

✓ the available budget.

Purchasing a business fuel card requires your company to pay a pre-defined amount in advance that employees can use in a selected network of service stations.

If you choose to rent a business fuel card, it works in much the same way as a normal bank card. There is no need to pay a deposit or prepay money up front. The length of time a business fuel card is valid varies from one card provider to another and can match the rental period for a hire or lease car, for example.

Companies with fleets of vans or HGVs have several options when choosing a business fuel card issuer:
✓ large oil companies like Total, Shell or Esso;

✓ mass retailers such as Auchan, E.Leclerc or Intermarché;

✓ Qonto, with its free business card.

If the main providers of fuel cards offer services that are more or less the same, there are certain factors to consider before signing up to a fuel card for your company.

The size of the network of service stations

One important criterium when comparing the different fuel cards on the market is the size of the network of participating service stations. Usually, fuel card issuers will highlight the number of service stations where their cards are accepted.

Large oil companies (Total, Shell or Esso...) usually come out on top of their retail rivals such as E.Leclerc, Intermarché or Auchan, because they have thousands of petrol pumps at their disposal.

One consideration that shouldn’t be overlooked is the proximity of the nearest participating service station to your business. The closer it is, the more practical it will be to refuel your business fleet.

It’s worth noting that with a Qonto business card, none of this matters: you can use it to pay for fuel in any service station you like, with no added fees and no deposit. This will save your employees time when they’re on the road.

The price of fuel, travel and vehicle maintenance

A dedicated business fuel card will typically give a company price reductions at the petrol pump. This means you should compare the tariffs of each card supplier, both for fuel prices and the price of associated services for vehicle upkeep.

Not all business fuel cards offer the same benefits. Some are restricted to the basic services, like fuel and road tolls. Others also propose reductions for:
✓ automatic car washes;

✓ underground parking;

✓ breakdown assistance;

✓ engine oil, windscreen cleaning fluid etc.

Compare all the available information in the subscription contracts before choosing which business fuel card is best for your company and your fleet of vehicles.

Billing and invoicing

To avoid employees having to pay for fuel upfront and then get reimbursed, select a business fuel card that’s directly linked to the company bank account. This way, staff will never have to pay out of their own pocket.

There are also certain downsides to prepaid business fuel cards: their period of validity is limited, while employees may also find themselves stuck at the pump if all the prepaid amount has been used before they can fill up their tanks.

Unlike other alternatives, Qonto’s business cards are not limited to payments in service stations. Your employees can also use them to buy other items, including:

✓ food;

✓ drinks;

✓ public or collective transport;

✓ accommodation;

✓ working materials.

A Qonto business card used for fuel expenses also does not require your company to pay a deposit, which is the case with some other fuel cards.

With Qonto, you have real-time visibility over your fuel costs via your Qonto account interface and you can change payment limits or block cards in a click, at any moment.

Qonto’s business cards will also make it easier for you to manage your expense reports and bookkeeping: with a simple photo of a fuel receipt, the VAT is detected automatically for each transaction and the expense is valid for your accounting.

A Qonto business card costs nothing. It’s free. Your company fuel card is included in our Essential, Business and Enterprise plans. This way, you save money whilst at the same time giving your employees freedom and peace of mind when they travel in the interests of your business.