Google Maps' Gas Prices Are Great, But These Apps Can Save You More Money

There's no doubt Google Maps can be handy for helping you save on your vehicle's gas costs. You can use the app to track down gas stations with the lowest prices in your town. But Google is just a middleman, relying on public Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) data, which is how Google Maps knows gas prices and how accurate they are, and there is no way for users to further lower the bill. With Google Maps, you simply see the going rates and can choose the station with the lowest price that's nearest. You can't earn cash back this way or gain extra savings. Thankfully, there are better solutions, and we've gathered the top choices for the best savings.

Ultimately, no matter whether you prefer apps that offer free gas station memberships, apps that rely on paid wholesale club memberships, or even crowd-sourced apps that offer their own savings and rewards, you're covered with today's roundup. In other words, these top sources can help you save beyond whatever the lowest price in town is that day. So instead of driving across the city every few days to save a few pennies, you can now take advantage of one of these hand-chosen apps to help you save more and beat the average price per gallon, we are here to help with three dedicated choices that can easily save you significantly more money, no matter if you're using Android or iOS.

There are plenty of gas stations across the country, as we won't be saying goodbye to fossil fuels with this gas alternative just yet, but Shell is the biggest chain with the most stations. This means its companion Shell: Fuel, Charge & More app offers the best coverage for savings, ensuring most people can take advantage, especially since the app is free to use on Android and iOS, with no paid membership required.

What's particularly great about Shell's rewards program is that anyone can join for free, and every new member starts out on the Gold plan, which offers five cents off per gallon. In order to keep this Gold status, you simply have to fill up six times with a minimum of 10 gallons per fill-up within three months. Should you miss the mark, your plan is automatically lowered to Silver, which offers three cents in savings per gallon, where the free membership will stay until you (literally) pump your numbers up.

You can also compound Shell's savings by adding partner memberships within the app, such as an AAA membership. This combo will grant you permanent Gold membership, but also a bonus of 30 cents off your first fill-up once the accounts are combined. The only downside is that the AAA membership is limited to 20 gallons per fill-up. Thankfully, these savings apply automatically when you use the app's mobile payment feature, allowing you to save every time you visit any of Shell's 12,483 locations.

Costco and its Wholesale Membership can really help you pinch pennies long-term. You'll have to pay for the privilege, and you're limited to Costco locations for its gas, but these savings are some of the best around, averaging 10 to 30 cents lower per gallon. The savings can reach as much as 40 or 50 cents per gallon in states like California. Every Costco membership offers access to discounted fuel, so you don't have to pay extra for the Executive level; you only need a $65 Gold Star tier.

What's especially nice about the Costco app is that it offers a QR code, which can be used directly at the pump for your savings. Plus, since Costco memberships also offer cashback incentives with its credit card, should you use a Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi at the pump, you can earn 5% back on your Costco gas purchases, and that's on top of the lower price Costco already offers its members. The only downside here is that this cash back accumulates and is then offered as a credit card reward certificate, typically bundled in your Citi billing statement, and you have to use it within the year it was issued, or you lose it. Not only does Costco typically offer the lowest baseline gas price in most towns, you can also earn cash back using the company's credit card, all facilitated through Costco's Wholesale app available on both Android and iOS.

Leaning on crowdsourcing for lower gas prices is a great way to save, and this is precisely how the GasBuddy app works — plus, it's free to use. You can also save even more if you sign up for a free Pay with GasBuddy+ debit card, netting yourself three to five cents in savings at participating stations. If you enjoy Costco's approach, then GasBuddy+ Plus at $90 a year or GasBuddy+ Premium at $100 yearly will allow you to save 20 cents per gallon for your first 50 gallons a month.

Unlike a traditional debit card, you can only use the Pay with GasBuddy+ card at supported stations, but you can also use it for non-gas items at these stations — such as snacks — while earning an extra three cents off per gallon for every $25 spent. The app also offers more savings with Flash Deals, and if you open the app and click on one of these localized alerts before you start pumping, you can save up to 25 cents per gallon while using your Pay with GasBuddy+ debit card.

If you sign up for the Pay with GasBuddy+ debit card, you can also use it in the GasBuddy app to earn even more savings through GasBack online shopping credits. This virtual store lets you earn up to 10% of your total purchase price back at retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, Petco, and Macy's, and the app's available for free on Android and iOS.