Best Easy-Approval Gas Credit Cards 2024: Fuel Your Rewards

CREDIT CARDS - CREDIT CARD REWARDS
Secured credit cards are often the best option if you want less strict credit qualifications with the opportunity to build your credit history and earn rewards.
Updated Dec. 13, 2024
Fact checked
businesswoman counting money while looking on the meter of petrol pump

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

We recommend the Discover it® Secured Credit Card if you want a credit card that provides elevated rewards on gas purchases and has low credit score requirements.

If you make a variety of purchases in different categories, we recommend a card with a simple rewards rate, such as the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card or Chase Freedom Rise®.

Let’s explore the easiest gas credit cards to get and see which one is right for you.

In this article

Key takeaways

  • We recommend the Discover it® Secured Credit Card if you want the opportunity to build your credit history while earning rewards on gas purchases.
  • You don’t need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for credit cards that can help you earn valuable rewards on gas purchases. But the best rewards credit cards typically have higher credit requirements and provide better rewards and benefits.
  • Secured credit cards often have less strict credit qualifications than unsecured credit cards. They also tend to have security deposit requirements and much lower credit limits.

5 easy-approval gas credit cards

  • Discover it® Secured Credit Card
  • Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
  • Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
  • Chase Freedom Rise®
  • U.S. Bank Cash+® Secured Visa® Card

Compare the easiest gas credit cards to get

Card Best for Recommended credit score Annual fee
Discover it® Secured Credit Card Gas rewards Bad $0
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card Simple rewards Fair $0
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Higher credit limit and simple rewards Fair $39
Chase Freedom Rise® Travel rewards Fair, Bad $0
U.S. Bank Cash+® Secured Visa® Card High rewards rate Fair $0

Discover it® Secured Credit Card: best for gas rewards

Pros Cons
  • Earn 2% on gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter)
  • $0 annual fee
  • Opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured card
  • Security deposit (refundable)

The Discover it Secured Credit Card has low credit qualifications and provides rewards for eligible gas and other types of purchases.

Welcome offer: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Rewards rate: Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Why we like it: The Discover it® Secured Credit Card has a $0 annual fee and provides opportunities for rebuilding credit while you earn valuable rewards.

Many secured credit cards provide little or no rewards, so this is a big step up from those options.

What we don’t like: Like most secured credit cards, you have to put down a security deposit that acts as your credit limit. Your deposit can range from $200 to $2,500.

Fortunately, the deposit is refundable, and you may qualify to upgrade to an unsecured credit card that doesn’t require a security deposit.

Read our full Discover it Secured Credit Card review for more details.

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: best for simple rewards

Pros Cons
  • Simple rewards rate
  • $0 annual fee
  • Opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured card
  • Security deposit (refundable)

The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards makes it easy for cardholders to earn rewards and build their credit history.

Rewards rate: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; plus unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Why we like it: The rewards rate makes things simple if you have a wide variety of expenses but don’t want to constantly switch between cards to maximize your earning potential. Just use your Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards for all your eligible purchases — no worries and no hassle.

What we don’t like: Similar to most secured credit cards, you have to put down a refundable security deposit that acts as your credit limit. Your deposit has to be at least $200, but can go up to $3,000 based on your creditworthiness.

You can upgrade to an unsecured Quicksilver card and have your deposit returned if you qualify based on responsible card use. That could include making on-time payments that are reported to credit bureaus.

Read our full Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards review for more details.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: higher credit limit and simple rewards

Pros Cons
  • Simple rewards rate
  • No security deposit
  • $39 annual fee

The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards is an unsecured card with a simple rewards rate.

Rewards rate: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase; plus 5% unlimited cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Why we like it: Similar to the Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards, the QuicksilverOne makes it easy to earn an elevated base cashback rate on your eligible purchases. So it’s an excellent choice if you like to carry one card in your wallet that you use for everything.

Also, the QuicksilverOne is an unsecured credit card, which means you don’t have to put down a security deposit.

What we don’t like: You have to pay a $39 annual fee as a cardmember. It’s not a huge annual cost, but it’s still a yearly obligation.

Read our full Capital One QuicksilverOne review for more details.

Chase Freedom Rise®: best for travel rewards

Pros Cons
  • Simple rewards rate
  • $0 annual fee
  • Limited bonus categories

The Chase Freedom Rise has a simple rewards rate and earns valuable points within the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.

Welcome offer: Earn a $25 statement credit for enrolling in automatic payments within the first three months of account opening.

Rewards rate: Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

Why we like it: With a $0 annual fee and a simple rewards rate, you’re all set for earning Ultimate Rewards points on your eligible purchases. These are flexible rewards that can be redeemed in a variety of ways, including for travel, statement credits, direct deposits, and gift cards.

What we don’t like: The simple rewards rate is nice, but it’s also helpful to have bonus categories if you want to earn increased rewards on certain purchases.

Read our full Chase Freedom Rise review for more details.

Tip
Chase notes that you could increase your chances for approval with the Chase Freedom Rise if you have a Chase checking or savings account with a balance of at least $250.

U.S. Bank Cash+® Secured Visa® Card: best for high rewards rate

Pros Cons
  • High rewards rate
  • Customizable earning
  • $0 annual fee
  • Security deposit (refundable)

The U.S. Bank Cash+ Secured Visa makes it easy to maximize your earning potential, even if your types of purchases change from quarter to quarter.

Rewards rate: Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter in two categories you choose and on prepaid air, hotel, and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center; 2% cash back on eligible purchases in your choice of one everyday category (like gas stations and EV charging stations, grocery stores, and restaurants); 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

Why we like it: Every quarter, you’ll receive the highest cashback rate on the first $2,000 spent in combined eligible purchases in two categories of your choosing.

Available categories include:

  • Fast food
  • TV, internet, and streaming
  • Cell phone providers
  • Home utilities
  • Department stores
  • Electronic stores
  • Sporting goods stores
  • Movie theaters
  • Gyms/fitness centers
  • Furniture stores
  • Ground transportation
  • Select clothing stores

What we don’t like: You have to make a security deposit between $300 to $5,000, which acts as your credit limit for the card.

However, the security deposit is refundable, and you could be eligible to graduate to the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card after responsible card use.

Learn more about the U.S. Bank Cash+ Secured Visa.

How to choose the best easy-approval gas credit card

Consider these factors to help choose the right gas credit card for you:

Credit requirements

The credit cards with the best perks and benefits generally require at least a good credit score. But you can find gas credit cards with less strict requirements that only require a fair or bad credit score.

Keep in mind that if you have poor credit history, you might not qualify for a card that typically requires at least a fair credit score. So it’s worth checking your credit score first and seeing which cards align with your credit rating. However, your credit score is just one factor that card issuers consider, and having a certain credit score doesn’t guarantee acceptance.

Security deposit

You can often count on secured credit cards having the least strict credit requirements. That’s because most secured cards have you put down a security deposit that often acts as your credit limit.

So you have to fund the card and the credit limit is usually limited to a lower amount compared to unsecured credit cards.

But if you’re working on rebuilding your credit history, a secured card could be the easiest option for accessing credit so you can potentially qualify for better financial products down the road.

Annual fee

If you don’t want an annual fee, research and compare different credit cards that don’t come with this annual cost. But keep in mind that paying a small annual fee could be worth it if a card could help you build your credit history and earn rewards on eligible purchases.

Rewards rate

One of the primary purposes of a gas card is to help you earn rewards on purchases at gas stations. Typically you won’t have to use it at a specific gas station unless you’re using a card associated with certain stations, such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Texaco.

Consider two types of rewards rates you might find on the best gas cards:

  • Bonus categories: A card with bonus categories earns bonus points or rewards on specific purchases. For example, having a gas station bonus category means you would earn more rewards on gas station purchases compared to the base earning rate on your card.
  • Flat-rate rewards: A card with flat-rate rewards generally earns the same rate on every eligible purchase, whether you’re buying items at a gas station or grocery store.

You might go with a card that provides a gas station bonus category if buying gas is one of your largest and most frequent expenses. But it could make sense to choose a flat-rate rewards card if you have a variety of expenses in different categories.

FAQ

What credit score is required for a gas card?

The best gas credit cards typically require a good or excellent credit score to be approved. That’s at least a 670 on the FICO scoring model. However, if you have a lower credit score, you could still qualify for a gas credit card with less strict credit requirements.

What are the benefits of a gas card?

Gas station credit cards often provide increased rewards for making gas station purchases, which could include buying gas or purchasing items within a gas station shop. Depending on the card, you can earn rewards in the form of cash back, points, or miles. Common redemption options for gas card rewards include statement credits, travel, and gift cards.

How do I prequalify for a Shell gas card?

You typically can’t prequalify for a Shell Fuel Rewards gas card, so you would have to actually apply to see if you’re approved. Keep in mind that credit cards associated with gas stations often have less strict credit score qualifications compared to many standard card offers provided directly by credit card issuers.

Best easy-approval gas credit cards: bottom line

The Discover it Secured Credit Card is an excellent choice if you want to build credit while earning cashback rewards on fuel purchases. If you want a simple rewards rate for different types of purchases, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured or Chase Freedom Rise might make more sense.

Keep in mind that there are much better credit card offers available if you have a good or excellent credit score. Compare credit cards to find the right card for you.

Methodology

To select the easiest gas credit cards to get, we looked at credit cards that focused on gas rewards and offered easy approval rates. We also compared features like welcome offers, annual fees, and reward rates.

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

5.0
info

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details

Author Details

Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI® Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI®, is credit cards specialist. For over a decade, he's leveraged credit card points and miles to travel the world. His expertise extends to other areas of personal finance — including loans, insurance, investing, and real estate — and you can find his insights on The Washington Post, Debt.com, Yahoo! Finance, and Fox Business.