Costco has built a strong reputation for saving people money on everything from food to medicine, glasses, tires, and even gas. People know they can trust the Costco brand to save them money. Another thing Costco has done very well is being reliable. People know that wherever they go in the country, there is a good chance they’ll still be able to save money. As a result, many people have a preconceived notion that Costco is the place to go to save the most on fuel, but that isn’t necessarily the case, especially for businesses operating a fleet. This isn’t to say that you won’t save money pumping gas at Costco, but if you are operating a fleet of vehicles, Costco isn’t necessarily built to help companies save on fuel. If you’re looking for the best fuel savings for your fleet, that’s where fuel cards come into play.
Let’s first look at the main differences between Costco and fuel cards. To pump gas at Costco, you need to pay for a membership, which limits the savings to whoever has the membership card on them. A total of two people can be added to a Gold Star Membership, and the Primary Member has full control over the account and can make any changes to the secondary card. The Executive Membership costs $130 a year, while the regular Gold Star Membership will run you $65 a year. A Business Membership does allow you to add more than two cardholders for $65 a year per card, but those cards must be renewed annually. Fuel cards such as the Energie Fuel Card do not have an annual membership fee, have no limits on the number of cards, do not charge for additional cards, and do not charge transaction fees.
If you’ve ever pumped at Costco, then you know that the lines can often be incredibly long, especially when gas prices are high nationwide. People will willingly wait in long lines if they’re able to save on fuel, but when you’re running a business, the last thing you want is more idle time when you need your drivers on the road. Fuel cards offer savings at 57,000 retail locations nationwide and access to 2,000 cardlock sites with wholesale fuel pricing not available to the public. While the savings at retail locations may not always be as great as pumping at Costco, the savings at CFN cardlock stations can surpass what you would save at Costco. This is especially noticeable if you are running a fleet of vehicles because, at the end of the day, Costco doesn’t specialize in helping businesses save money on fuel.
Another thing to consider is the Costco stations themselves, which are primarily built for smaller personal vehicles and not larger trucks or 18-wheelers. When Costco stations are busy, it can be incredibly difficult to squeeze through if you’re operating a larger vehicle. Cardlock stations are built specifically for commercial access, allowing larger vehicles, vans, and even 18-wheelers to fuel comfortably and as quickly as possible.
The number of locations is also something that a lot of people don’t consider. Costco can be prevalent in densely populated states and cities, but that is not the case throughout the country. If you solely depend on Costco for fuel, then you might find yourself driving farther just to find another Costco gas station. As of 2026, Costco has 641 locations across the United States, and it’s important to note that not all locations have a gas station or offer diesel. The number of Costco gas stations pales in comparison to the 2,000 CFN cardlock stations nationwide and the 57,000 retail sites that accept fuel cards.
And lastly, let’s talk about prices. Costco’s posted prices are generally lower than those at retail gas stations, making them extremely appealing to most people. According to U.S. News, an individual can save 10 to 30 cents per gallon compared to nearby retail stations. With the standard Gold Star Membership costing $65 a year, you would need to pump roughly 260 gallons annually to cover the membership fee through gas savings alone. On the other hand, you could see much greater savings with a fuel card when fueling at CFN cardlock stations. On average, many of our customers who operate fleets save about $0.20 per gallon, although savings can vary significantly based on location and participating stations. Using $0.20 per gallon as an example, a small business using 100 gallons a week would save about $87 per month. For a business operating a larger fleet that uses 1,000 gallons a week, the monthly savings would be roughly $867.
Fuel cards such as the Energie Fuel Card are specifically designed to help fleets and businesses of all sizes not only save money on fuel but also better manage all of their fuel-related expenses. You can generate IFTA fuel reports and invoices that track purchases by driver, vehicle, fuel type, site location, and even break down the cost of fuel and taxes. Another big perk is gaining the ability to customize controls for your fleet. Business owners or fleet managers can set restrictions for their drivers to help prevent card misuse. You can set restrictions based on fuel type, ZIP codes, and states. Fuel cards also allow you to set limits on transactions and gallons.
The cherry on top is extensive fraud monitoring, which is not available through a Costco Membership. Energie Fuel’s fraud monitoring is made possible through Corpay’s complex fraud protection system, which identifies unusual activity in real time and sends out alerts. If activity falls outside normal patterns, the system will immediately alert both your team and ours. In higher-risk situations, our fraud system can also automatically block transactions based on tolerance levels customized to each account.
Costco is fantastic for saving money on everyday necessities, from food to fuel, but fuel cards can provide greater savings at the pump along with more convenience for businesses. For business owners operating fleets of any size, a fuel card can be more beneficial because it is built specifically to help businesses save money and manage all of their fuel-related expenses. For more information regarding Energie Fuel Cards, please visit the fuel card page or contact Energie Fuel. Our team of experts can recommend the type of fuel card that works best for your business and even advise you on the restrictions that would best fit your business needs.