Gas is expensive, and even when it is not expensive you probably do not want to pay for it. I know that I don’t. So, finding cheap gas is essential.
The good news for you is that there is an abundance of apps out there that will help you save a lot of money and even some that will give you money.
I have assembled the best 11 apps to find cheap gas near you.
GASBUDDY
If you google cheap gas right now the first thing that will pop up is probably GasBuddy and for good reasons too. It is probably one of the most popular apps that are used to save money on gas.
It has more than 60 million users which is extremely beneficial because the gas prices on the apps are crowdsourced. The massive audience numbers allow for more accurate information on the costs and gas. This also allows you to save quite a bit of money in the long run.
One of the best things about this app is that when you sign up for the first time you receive 15 cents off your first fill up. When you attach your checking account to the app you save 5 cents per gallon at the pump.
More than just cheap gas, GasBuddy provides a wide range of customer service items on its app. It helps you find the closest gas station, the ones with the best bathrooms, the ones with the best customer service/friendly services, etc.
Due to the large market share, they provide information about the price of gas for more than 140,000 gas stations in the U.S, Canada, and Australia. There are also plenty of tools available on the app to help you prepare for long trips, calculating costs, etc.
The app claims that it will save you on average $340 a year! Pretty impressive.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
GAS GURU
Gas Guru is probably the second research result you get when you google cheap gas apps, after GasBuddy. This app is owned by Yellow Pages, yes that Yellow Page.
It helps you find the closest location with the cheapest gas prices. It takes information on your base location and then allows you to save that gas station so that you can quickly return to it when needed.
Gas Guru gets its up to date information from Oil Price Information service. The most interesting thing and the best for your wallet is that it includes timestamps to let you know when the information was last updated. To lets, you determine whether or not the prices could be the same, based on how long it has been.
If you are home buddy, this app is great because it allows you to compare the cheapest and best gases near your house, work, favorite restaurants, etc. and any location you frequently a lot.
Tidbits: Gas Guru actually beat out Gas Buddy on a slant.com poll to determine the best app for finding cheap gas. The people on the cite chose GasGuru over GasBuddy but the margins were extremely small, so both options are great. It just depends on your personal tastes.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
WAZE
When you hear the word Waze you probably think of that google maps alternative that helps you avoid the cops. But Waze is also a great option for finding cheap gas.
This is also crowdsourced like GasBuddy thus giving you the most accurate up to date information. It will help you find the gas station with the cheapest prices and will also allow you to change your settings and preference to include different brands, gas types, and locations, etc.
The best thing about being a dual navigation and gas app is that it will also show you the best and quickest way to get to that cheap gas, thus saving you even more gas money in the process. They also have Waze only deals at specific gas stations that could help you save some money on gas prices.
This is truly the best option for those that are planning on taking long road trips. Because it will help you find some really great, cheap gas stations that are on your way. So, you will not have to diverge too far from your path.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
DASH
Okay, this app is also cheating just a little bit. It was actually created to turn your car into a “smart car”, it takes on the moniker Fitbit for your car. It is essentially providing real-time feedback on your car, including vehicle diagnosis, trip logs.
That means that when you have that annoying check-in light. However, and most importantly for this particular roundup, the app provides a map that shows the cheapest gas near you.
Because it is a Fitbit for cars, it does allow you to track your driving behavior. So, you can see how you are driving. So, by tracking this behavior you can understand how your behavior is affecting your fuel consumption. This is a great tool to have to know the factors that influence your rate of gas consumption.
This app will cost you a little bit more money than the other ones on this list. This is because different sensors need to be purchased to make the app more valuable. These sensors will be attached to your car and will range in cost from $10 to $99.
Another possible hiccup is that if you have an old car (by old, I mean anything made prior to 1996) then this app will not work for you. Due to the nature of the app, they are supposed to track your car’s data/information and then give you a report based on what’s going on in your car and the costs it might take to fix the problem.
Bonus; The app can also notify your family and loved ones if you get into a car crash.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
AAA TRIPTIK PLANNER
Again, cheap gas prices come from the most unconventional places. The AAA saves you road incidents as well as exuberant gas prices. They have this feature called TripTik Planner that allows you to plan for road trips by letting you plot up to 20 stops on those trips. Similar to the Waze app it allows you to also find the most convenient and efficient route to get the cheapest gas prices.
They have a large number of gas stations available with more than 85,000. Their database is frequently updated to give the new gas prices and to reflect changes in prices.
I know you want to know, but no you do not need to be a AAA member in order to download and have access to the app.
- Receive member discounts
- Find a charging station for electric vehicles
- Make hotel reservations
- Get access to trip planning maps, and directions
- Share itineraries between desktop and mobile devices.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
MAPQUEST GAS PRICES
MapQuest provides a Gas Price feature that you guessed it; it helps you find cheap gas near you. The app is super user friendly and it allows you to choose the fuel type of your choice and add it to your list of favorite things.
A little info here and there will help you find the cheapest gas prices near all your favorite spaces, work locations, homes, etc.
The app is also stuffed with an abundance of other options that help you save money.
- They have voice-guided GPS navigation
- Reroutes and alternatives routes that are optimized with real-time traffic
- Search for nearby places, like the gas station, hotels, restaurants, etc.
- You can add in your most frequent places on the favorite lists
- You can see the local weather
- Make reservations for restaurants and order food
- If you get into issues with your car, you can get roadside assistance
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
GEICO MOBILE
You have probably heard of Geico the insurance company that promises to save you money on your insurance. But, did you know that Geico also has an app that will save you money on the cost of gas?
The app allows you to find gas prices in real-time. The information on the gas prices is provided by Oil Price Information Service.
You have access to these features if you go on their website, or if you download their app and look up the gas price locator feature.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
GETUPSIDE
Okay, this app is not necessarily about gas or helping you find the cheapest gas around you. It is a broader app that helps you find great deals on different things.
For the gas savings, if you leave in Washington DC, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland you can save up to 25 cents per gallon on gas.
It also provides different unique cashback money for the different deals on the app. This app is different from any other apps that are on this list. It works when you add your phone number in, you get a text on the app that tells you the gas station that is close to you.
The other interesting tidbit is that when you purchase gas on your credit or debit card you can upload a receipt to Upside and the app will give you cashback which you can redeem through either Paypal or a physical check.
You can also save money on restaurants and grocery stores near you.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
ROADAHEAD HIGHWAY EXIT FINDER
The RoadAhead Highway is another app that is great for saving you money on long road trips. Or long commutes. This is because it organizes your trips based on the closest exits.
It looks for food, gas, lodging (all those things you see on exit billboards), and rates and categorizes them based on the nearest exit. So, you are able to see the gas prices of one exit versus another down the road and make a calculated decision on which one is better for you.
This app is also great for those looking to multitask because you can find grocery stores and gas stations at one stop if you are planning on doing multiple things at once.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
FUELZEE
This is the new kid on the block. This app not only helps you save money on gas but also earns you cashback. You have to upload information on gas prices and get 50 points. The points can be changed into money. 1000 points are equal to $1.
Like other apps on this list, you can select your preferred fuel types. And you can have directions to close by gas stations at affordable prices.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
GOOGLE MAPS:
The real OG, Google navigation also provides you with cheap gas options near you.
You can find them on:
Google Play
Apple Store
TIPS TO SAVE GAS
CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURE:
This is something that is oftentimes overlooked when it comes to car maintenance. However, you should frequently check your tire pressure every few months. This is especially important if you are planning on going on a road trip or have very long commutes. Your tire pressure will greatly affect your fuel efficiency.
WATCH YOUR SPEEDS:
Alright, you speed demons out there need to slow down. Taking your time to get places would cut down on gas costs. Stopping quickly and frequently will waste so much time. According to FuelEconomy.gov stopping and going will save you 10 to 40 percent on gas costs.
USE THE HIGHWAY/ USE CRUISE CONTROL:
Cruise control will save you so much money because you are not constantly speeding up and slowing down. An Edmunds study showed that you will save about 7 percent on long trips. If you use the highway as opposed to the backroad you will save about 15 to 30 percent.
WEDNESDAYS ARE YOUR FRIEND:
This is an interesting fact that I found out a couple of months ago, but gas stations raise their prices on Thursday until Sunday due to the expectation that people will go on a road trip. So, fill up your tank on Wednesday and save some coins.
DO NOT IDLE:
If you are waiting for someone it can be easy to keep your car on for a while. This is also done when you are told to “warm-up” your car when it is wintertime. First of all, that latter part is a myth, and second of all idleness wastes your gas.
SHIFT THE WEIGHT:
Please do not keep a bunch of things in your car. All that weight will waste your gas. This may also include you if you are carrying on extra weight.
GET AN ELECTRIC CAR:
If you are really trying to save some money on gas, then don’t spend money on gas at all. Switching out your gas-fueled cars for a hybrid or an electric car can save you a boatload of money on gas. According to Edmunds, a Prius will get 52 miles in a gallon which will cost you about $959 per year.
I owned a hybrid a few years back and saved so much money. I only fueled up every two weeks. That’s several hundred dollars saved per year. That could go to more important things.
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