5 Of The Best Android Apps For Saving Money On Gas

Gas prices are a constantly fluctuating reality for drivers. Sometimes it may seem like things are leveling out, but it feels like anything can make the bottom drop out: an approaching holiday, oil trade prices, vehicular trends, or even the state of international relations. The national average for gas prices is on a steady upward trend despite the occasional fluctuations back down, so if you're looking for ways to manage your fuel efficiency and save a few cents, then you aren't the only one.

Luckily, gas tank desperation has led to digital innovation, and Android users have a lot of chances to benefit from that. There are a number of Android apps available on the Google Play Store that exist to help find discounts on gas and help you track and manage your personal gas usage. Here are some of those Android apps that can help you out the most at the pump.

If you want more information on how much you're spending and why, Fuelio is the right type of app to look into. It will take an overview of the mileage you're driving and how much you pay for gas and use an algorithm to calculate your fuel consumption. Essentially, it functions as a logbook for your purchases. 

You can enter information manually or you can let the app track it by using your phone's GPS. This is especially useful if you are someone who takes the same routes regularly. After enough input, it will begin to tell you statistics on how often you fill up your tank, how much you're paying, and track if your gas spending is increasing or decreasing. 

Fuelio also has a feature that shows you the fuel prices at gas stations closest to you, and that's even in countries besides the United States. It's particularly popular amongst Reddit users in England, Europe, and India. Because the map features are based on crowdsourcing, your mileage may vary depending on how many users are in your country, but it's worth checking to see.

Waze is already one of the most well-known traffic apps on the Google Play Store with over 100 million downloads, but it does have some features and benefits that not everyone knows about. If you input your route in your app, it will alert you to the cheapest gas along the way. Because of the popularity of Waze, the crowdsourcing base is strong and the information can usually be counted on to be reliable.  

There are other ways to use it to your benefit as well. While it can't specifically tell you what route to take to save gas, it is given that shorter routes and less idling mean less gas usage. Allowing the app to suggest the shortest route with the least amount of traffic helps spend less at the pump. 

And for just a little extra fun, if you're dealing with rambunctious children while you're driving, you can also get your helpful tips delivered in a voice from "PAW Patrol." Who would you trust more to give you advice on fuel efficiency: Marshall, Sky, or Chase? (Our money's on Chase. He's on the case, after all.)

If you're looking for versatility and an app that will be useful almost anywhere you go, GasBuddy may be the right one for you. It includes an optional fuel card that works on 95% of all gas stations, meaning it can save you up to 25 cents per gallon at Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Mobil, Speedway, and other well-known chains. There are also seasonal promotions and station-specific promotions that show up from time to time in the app if you keep an eye out.

You can use the filter system within the app to search for any type of fuel based on cost and location. You can also use the app to locate gas stations with public restrooms, restaurants, and convenience stores. The information on the app is crowdsourced, so you can also get involved with making sure information is up-to-date and valid.

Unlike some of the other options on the market, the GasBuddy card is not connected to a credit card, which means no helpful points or cashback system like a credit card would offer. Luckily, you don't have to miss out on all the reward system fun — the app has a native system that lets you log your everyday purchases made from within the app and get fuel rewards points.

Gas Guru knows what it's about, and it's about one thing: telling you where gas is the cheapest. It doesn't offer cash back or any discounts, so compared to a few of the others on this list, it's fairly no-frills. It just uses your GPS coordinates to find the stations nearest to you, sourcing gas prices for each one from OPIS (Oil Price Information System). OPIS is a reputable organization that exists as a price-reporting agency for fuel of all kinds, meaning the information should be accurate.

The biggest side benefit to this money-saving gas app is the additional information it gives you about each station. If you're on a road trip desperately searching for a bathroom pit stop, or you're craving a hot dog that's been rotating in a warmer for 12 hours, the app will let you search for amenities like a public restroom or food. You can also find out if a gas station has an ATM or a cash point, and which ones are open 24 hours a day.

Fuelmeter is another app that doesn't go above and beyond but still delivers on what it advertises it can do. It exists to help you keep track of how much you refill your tank and calculate your average fuel consumption. If knowledge is power, then this one is set to help give you control over how much you're spending.

If you own more than one vehicle, the app can also handle that, and you can customize the fuel type to the individual vehicles. The most extensive critique Google Play Store reviews gave was that it lacks an intuitive interface, but if you can navigate your way through the app it will be a useful tool for accountability with your gas spending. In addition to the gas-related features, it can also be programmed to let you know when you should have maintenance coming up to make sure your vehicle stays in good shape. The better a car runs, the more fuel-efficient it tends to be.