Most credit cards earn nothing on fuel. The best they offer is a 1% surcharge waiver. If petrol or diesel is a big monthly expense, a co-branded fuel card can save you 4–5% instead. The good news is that you don't need a premium card. Two solid fuel cards cost ₹500 a year or less, and both waive the fee if you spend enough.

The two best fuel cards under ₹500

BPCL SBI Card

₹499 + GST · Waived on ₹1,00,000 yearly spend · Forex 3.5%

  • 4.25% value back on fuel at BPCL pumps
  • 5X reward points on groceries, department stores, movies and dining
  • 2,000 bonus points on paying the joining fee

Watch out: Fuel rewards only at BPCL

IndianOil HDFC Bank

₹500 + GST · Waived on ₹50,000 yearly spend · Forex 3.5%

  • 5% back as Fuel Points at IndianOil pumps
  • 5% on groceries and bill payments
  • Fee waived at just ₹50,000 yearly spend

Watch out: Low monthly caps on Fuel Points

How much will you actually save?

Here's the estimated yearly value for three fuel budgets, including other everyday spends, after caps and fees (with GST). The ₹1,499 BPCL SBI Card OCTANE is included for reference:

Spending patternBPCL SBIIndianOil HDFCBPCL SBI Octane
₹3,000 fuel / month
₹14,500/month
₹2,535₹4,382 ★₹2,671
₹6,000 fuel / month
₹21,000/month
₹4,350₹4,843₹7,560 ★
₹10,000 fuel / month
₹28,000/month
₹6,600₹4,924₹8,820 ★

Which one should you pick?

  • Your nearest pump is BPCL: BPCL SBI Card returns about 4.25% on BPCL fuel, and 5X points on groceries and dining help it earn outside fuel too.
  • Your nearest pump is IndianOil: IndianOil HDFC Bank returns about 5% as Fuel Points, and it has the easiest fee waiver of the two at ₹50,000 a year.
  • You spend ₹5,000+ a month on BPCL fuel: it's worth stepping up to the ₹1,499 BPCL SBI Card OCTANE (about 7.25% at BPCL). Its extra rewards cover the higher fee, as the table above shows. Below that, stick with a ₹500 card.

Fuel card tips

  • The 1% surcharge waiver usually applies only to transactions within a range (for example up to ₹4,000) and up to a monthly limit. Very large single fill-ups may not qualify.
  • Fuel rewards only apply at the partner oil company's pumps. Make sure one is on your daily route.
  • Pair your fuel card with a cashback card like SBI Card Cashback or Amazon Pay ICICI Bank for non-fuel spends.

See all options in our best fuel credit cards ranking.

FAQs

Which fuel credit card has the lowest fee?

BPCL SBI Card (₹499) and IndianOil HDFC Bank (₹500) are the best fuel cards at ₹500 or less a year. Both waive the renewal fee on ₹1 lakh and ₹50,000 yearly spend respectively.

Is a fuel credit card worth it?

If you spend ₹3,000 or more a month on fuel at one oil company's pumps, a fuel card typically saves ₹1,500–₹4,000 a year more than a regular card.

Do fuel cards work at all petrol pumps?

The 1% surcharge waiver often works at any pump, but accelerated fuel rewards only apply at the partner brand (BPCL for SBI cards, IndianOil for the IndianOil HDFC card).

Sources

✓ Fact-checked 26 September 2026Prices, dates and card terms in this article were checked against issuer websites, official pages and news reports listed under Sources. Card figures come from our database, which is re-verified regularly. Offers change often, so confirm on the issuer's site before you buy or apply. Spotted an error? Tell us.