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Shell Small Business Card review
A solid choice for those seeking robust spending controls and detailed expense reporting.
- Get this card if you have a relatively large fleet of vehicles and need detailed reports on fuel spending.
- Pick something else if you want cash back or don’t have many vehicles.
- Apply with a fair to good credit score of 580 to 739.
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Up to 6
Cents off a gallon
$0
Annual fee
580
Recommended credit score
Review by
Kevin Joey Chen
kevin.chen@findercrew.comKevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order by expertly navigating cutting-edge financial tools — including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
Expert review
The Shell Small Business Card is a fleet card that lets you and authorized users spend within the Shell Fuel Network. It doesn’t offer traditional rewards, but it lets you systematically track your company’s fuel spending. Perhaps the card’s biggest benefits are its spending controls and reporting options, which allow you to run a tight fleet operation.
Perhaps its biggest drawback is the lack of reliable customer service.
How to apply for the Shell Small Business Card
- Navigate to the Shell website and click Start application.
- Complete the application form with details about you and your business.
- Review your application, then click Submit application.
How long will it take to get my Shell Small Business Card?
Conditional approval is automated on the Shell website. For that reason, you may receive an immediate decision on your application. If Citibank needs to look over your application in more detail, you may need to wait a few business days or weeks to hear back.
If you’re approved, expect your credit card in the mail within seven to 10 days.
The perks
- No annual fee. You can start using the Shell Small Business Card without paying a yearly fee.
- Rewards. You can earn rebates on fuel of up to 6 cents per gallon. Plus, you’ll receive discounts valid at Jiffy Lube.
- Accepted within the Shell Fuel Network. You can use your Shell Small Business Card at over 14,000 Shell gas stations and participating Jiffy Lube locations. You can’t use this card outside of the network, so consider whether you want Shell as your primary gas station.
- No cost for additional cards. When you apply for the Shell Small Business Card, you can request up to nine assigned-buyer cards and up to four unassigned-buyer cards. This lets you designate certain cards for specific employees and retain a few for company-wide use.
You’ll also like
- Card management tools. Activate, close and suspend cards online and via mobile.
- Consolidated statements. With consolidated statements, you can view purchases by card ID, as well as check fuel and non-fuel transactions.
- Limit purchases for employee cards. You can control what your employees use their cards on. You can limit transactions to fuel only or allow employees to make vehicle-related and convenience store purchases. Additionally, you can limit use of the card to certain Shell locations.
- Always-available customer service. If you have any issues with your credit card, call Shell’s US-based customer support team 24/7, 365 days a year.
How to compare employee credit cards
What to watch out for
- Undisclosed rates and fees. This card doesn’t disclose its rates and fees on its site.
- Default APR. You’ve probably seen other providers use the term “penalty APR.” If you make a late payment, go over your credit limit or make a payment that Citibank doesn’t honor, your purchase APR could increase to variable. As the primary account owner, you’re responsible for making payments on balances accrued by your authorized users.
- No signup bonus. Gas cards usually don’t offer signup bonuses. If you’d like a bonus, consider a business card from a large bank. With annual-fee cards, you’ll typically receive a substantial signup bonus after spending around $4,000 to $5,000 within the first three months of card membership.
- Interest. If you don’t pay the full amount of your balance by your statement due date, you’ll accrue interest at the purchase APR. You can find this interest rate on your pricing and terms sheet that the provider will send to you when you’re approved for the card.
What size business is the Shell Small Business Card good for?
The Shell Small Business Card is ideal for businesses with fleets that constantly need to fill up on gas. It’ll help you accurately manage driver spending. Ultimately, it’s best if you have many employees who need to purchase gas on the company books.
What should I know before I apply?
You must be 18 years of age or older to apply for the Shell Small Business Card.
Required information
- The legal name of your business.
- Contact and billing information for your business.
- Your business structure and when it was founded.
- The number of employees, annual revenue and monthly fuel purchase volume for your business.
- Your name, address and contact details.
- Your date of birth and Social Security number.
What credit score do I need?
Shell doesn’t specify a minimum credit score for this card. However, you’ll typically have a better chance of approval with a score of 580 or higher — typically what’s considered fair to good credit.
Though this is a business card, you’ll likely be personally responsible for any expenses you accrue on it. For that reason, consider spending only what you know you can pay off yourself.
Shell Small Business Card reviews and complaints
Citibank, the issuer of this card, receives an F rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for its failure to respond to 75 complaints. As of October 2020, it has almost 5,000 customer complaints filed against it. It doesn’t do much better on Trustpilot, scoring a 1.8 out of 5. Many issues revolved around customers having their accounts frozen unexpectedly and poor customer support.
I got the card. Now what?
- Make timely payments. Register for a Shell Small Business Card online account, where you can check your balance and make payments. You’ll receive instructions on how to register your account with your mailed card. Consider setting up automatic payments, which will help you stay up to date with your bill.
- Avoid penalty fees. For each late payment, you may be assessed a fee.
- Avoid the default APR. This card may come with a penalty APR, so avoid late and returned payments.
- Avoid interest. Consider paying off your balance each month to avoid accruing debt at a fast rate.
Compare other business credit cards
Bottom line
The Shell Small Business Card may be a good choice if you have a large fleet that constantly needs to refill on gas. Its standout features are its consolidated statements, which will help you accurately track spending, and mechanism to limit employee purchases.
For a signup bonus or rewards, consider another business credit card.