Shell Credit Card Review
Is the Shell credit card really the best way to combat high gas prices? Check out this review before you apply.
As fuel prices have climbed the last few years, we’ve been forced to come up with all sorts of creative ways to save on gas: switching to more fuel efficient cars… carpooling… public transit… and of course those gas credit cards.
Nowadays it seems as every gas station has their own branded card, including Shell. To get you to sign up, they all use the same pitch: “our card will save you money!” But the reality is that many of them hide behind promotional gimmicks and other confusing reward structures that won’t save you any worthwhile amount when all is said or done.
Let’s take a look at the Shell credit cards and compare them to what’s out there…
Shell “Drive For Five” Card
This is their basic card. Because it’s not affiliated with any universally accepted payment networks (Visa, Discover, etc) it can only be used at Shell gas stations and some Jiffy Lube locations. There is no annual fee.
Interest Rate: At the time of this review, the card carries a variable APR of 24.99%… ouch!
Rewards: Previously this card didn’t offer any rewards but for 2011 they added a rebate program. It gives a nickel off per gallon, on up to 100 gallons/month. Unfortunately with the high price of gas these days, 5 cents on $4.00 gas that only equals a 1.25% rebate.
Other Benefits: I’ve read both their marketing material and the fine print and don’t see any benefits I would consider special whatsoever.
Verdict: If you are rebuilding credit and cant qualify for a normal card, then the Shell Drive For Five might be worth looking in to.
Shell Select Member Card
This is a step up from their basic card. It carries a $25.00 annual fee. Like the other, it can only be used at Shell.
Interest Rate: It’s the same as above: at the time of this review that’s 24.99%.
Rewards: Again, I am totally puzzled here. This card offers no rebates or discounts on gas. ‘
Other Benefits: It does offer a very small discount of 5 to 10% on some travel packages, hotels, etc. but only if you book them through their Shell reservation service (and pay their prices). This is totally useless because nowadays we can just hop on an online travel website, book it ourselves, and probably save a lot ourselves. Plus you can’t pay for these travel bookings with your Shell credit card. They require you to have a Visa/MC on file to charge them to.
Verdict: It offers no gas discount and the travel reservation hotline sounds like fluff to me. I would definitely pass on this, especially considering that it has a $25.00 annual fee.
Shell Platinum MasterCard
This is their only “normal” credit card; it can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted.
Interest Rate: Previously the APR was “as low as” 11.24% which isn’t bad, but for 2011 Shell upped it big time to 23.99% (according to the MasterCard application). Also is important to note this is a variable rate card so it will go up as the prime rate goes back up.
Rewards: At first glance this appears to be a good deal but once you run the numbers it’s a different story. The card offers a 5% rebate on gas but only at Shell gas stations. It offers the standard 1% on other purchases.
Verdict: There’s two reasons I don’t like this. First of all the gas discount is only at Shell stations. Sometimes it seems to me that they cost at least 5% more than other places, so that in itself kind of cancels out the discount. They sell quality gas, but so does Exxon, Chevron, BP, etc. which are all cheaper than Shell in my area.
The second reason I don’t like the Shell credit card is because the higher rebate only applies to purchases at their stations. Even if there is one around the corner from your house, how about when you drive outside the area? You may be surprised how many areas there are that don’t have Shell gas stations – not only nationally, but even within a major county or state.
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This review was updated April 2011
I am canceling my Shell credit card. They started charging me interest when I pay my balance in full every month. I called them and made them credit me that money back, which they did. But then the next month, they claimed my payment was a week late and charged me a 25.00 late fee and 9.49 in interest. I do bill pay through my bank and my bank said that Shell took the money out four days before it was due. Shell claims differently. I had to argue for a half hour with them to get them to take that late fee off and they claim they’ll credit the interest back. But hello. I always pay on time and pay off my balance. Any other company would have seen my history and said no problem. But I had to take 30 minutes of my day to try and get them to credit that back. I’m canceling this sucker. They are Shady!!!!
I paid a charge ($34.06) at a local hospital on January 20 with my Shell credit card. I was just told be the 800 operator that the charge was not “posted” to my account until January 23 and because of that, will not appear as a charge until January 24, or after the turn-over date of January 23 has past. I have four other charges that I made on January 21 and they all went through on January 21.
But mysteriously, this charge for only $34.06 was held back, resulting in my being penalized 5 cents per gallon for any gasoline charges over the next month in that my total is now $2480, not $2514, as I planned. I am sure one of their vice presidents got a huge raise for thinking up this little gimmick.
Psychologically, it feels good to be told you are getting 20 cents per gallon off. But woe be unto you if you think you are coming in just over the mark for getting it. Mysteriously, one of the charges gets held up in the “posting cloud” and you get screwed out of 5 cents a gallon, but they keep all your money for just under $2500. I have heard that all of the credit card companies/banks HATE those of us who pay off their card each month because they will lose out on screwing us yet again with their usurious interest rates.
Our country is going down the hole because those who pay their bills on time are penalized so that those who get a free ride can receive their stash/booty/free cell phone. I won’t be around that many more years, but I hope all of their children are standing in the rain and snow waiving their stupid little red “Bob” books and wearing their “Bob” jackets and then getting in line again for their bag of Soylent Red crackers (not Soylent Green!) for the month. We are now living in the society described colorfully in the movie Network about 20 years ago, and the movie Soylent Green from 30 years ago is quickly arriving.
The new Shell Oil terms is the lamest “reward” program I’ve ever seen. I just closed my account. The new terms are ridiculous for 3 reasons:
1. the discounts don’t kick in until after you spend at least $500,
2. the discount at the $500-1000 spend level is 10 cents/gallon off, which is only about 2.8% at $3.60/gallon (but it’s not actually 2.8% — see #3),
3. that discount is only applied to the first 100 gallons of gas you buy the following month.
In other words, you absolutely have to spend $500 each month to be eligible for anything. If you spend between $500-$1000/month, the maximum discount is $10 back. That’s 2% back if you spend exactly $500/month, BUT: the more you spend over $500/month (up to $1000), the lower your percentage discount becomes.
For instance if you spend $900/month, your discount drops to 1.1%. If you spend between $1000-$2500/month, you’ll get $15 back. Once again that works out to a maximum discount of 1.5% if you spent exactly $1000, & it drops to 0.6% if you spent $2500.
Yes folks … basically the more you spend, the lower the discount.
So all that trouble for basically nothing. A lot of reward credit cards give you 2-3% back on gas purchases & you can go anywhere you want, not just Shell stations.
I agree totally. I am switching back to another card that pays $$ back at the pump plus 1% of other purchases. What a rip off. Do they think all of us are lemmings who will line up for our goodies just because of the pretty yellow sign and the magic word, Shell. Citi Bank are a bunch of human pigs as well.
Before I’ve got an average of $25 rebate every month but recently they changed the agreement – to be able for me to receive a rebate I should spent $500 every month of Shell gas! I used Shell card only in filling up gasoline and I dont carry a balance every month. I’m planning to close my Shell Master Card as soon I receive my other new card.
What is deal with Citicorp keep getting calls wanting me to pay for Home Depot Shell Phillip 66 Texaco and I think Chevon?
Previous comment was partially deleted…
What I meant to say was to shop at a discount gift card site like the one I mentioned here. Shell gift cards are avail for around 2-3% off face value – no fees, interest or penalties. Same as cash – use at pump or in Shell convenience store. Combine this with click through rebates sites – like the other one I listed – to add to your discounted card – THEN use your local grocery store receipt – whatever is advertised at your local Shell (see the Pump for details) – mine is Giant Food (DC area) – and you’re really buying cheap gas.
Thanks/J
I usually wait until I’ve got about 40-60 cents per gallon discount, THEN I use a prepaid shell gas card to save more money. My wife and I line our cars up on the same pump – then throw the spent card out when we’re done and do it again. Here are a couple of good sites I use (yes, referring you gets me even more discounts). No gimmicks. The second site listed is slow paying rebates but they DO – I got my first check for about $10 by clicking through them to buy stuff I already buy online.
I have had some type of Shell card since 1994. Last year I applied for and recieved the Platium MC. Then 3 months later they jack up to $500 minimum. Just like the rest of the people, i am done with Shell.
Apparently Shell wasn’t making enough on their credit card so they unilaterally changed the account including stopping all automatic payments. So if you thought your account was being automatically paid, it wasn’t and you didn’t find out for 2 billing cycles when you then paid late fees and huge interest charges. Also, if you hadn’t looked at your account on line recently they deleted your on line access so you couldn’t just pay on line. I called the Citibank corporate office (no response) and the Shell corporate office (no response). Then I got a dunning call. How embarrassing! However, I was able to pay the account by phone then. My suggestion is punish Shell for treating its customers this way and stop buying their gas. That’s my plan. I also think I’ll take out my large deposits from Citibank for their role in this.
I was shocked when I receive my change letter so I called customer service. It turns out the Shell Citi card was changing hands, hence the Kroger fuel perks addition and dripping of my 5% on Shell gas. BUT that large amount to purchase in order to get the rewards is on the total amount of all charges that month. Lucky for my, this is my primary card so I usually qualify for something. I lost the letter stating the levels and hoped to find it on this page. I still perfer 5% credit applied to my gas purchased the following month. I notice on the last bill they did not apply the credit. Now I have to recaculate each month what my discount will be and determine which brand gas is cheaper. Shell is going to lose.
I just cut up my Shell card after 25 years of buying Shell whenever it was available and I needed gas…regardless of the price. It appears Citi has discovered if it doesn’t send its customers monthly bills…they wont pay them on time. Then…they can charge interest and fees and make up the loss of interest they can’y charge if you pay off your cards every month. genius…They should run for US Senate. Interesting business model but as a consumer who can actually pay his bills on time…I am really offended. Shell…I hardly need to be called for a deminimus late bill by some annoying teenager during my dinner time because your credit card agent fails to send timely bills to paying customers.
I too was very disappointed by the letter from Elaine Mohr. I was first disappointed several years ago when I could not download from Shell into Quicken anymore. Before then, Shell was my #1 card. Then it dropped to just for gas. Now I put it away and will use my Discover Gas, though I have to make sure to fill up at least 9 times to avoid the annual fee.
Like many on this board, I “was” a loyal Shell customer until I received the letter from Elaine Mohr. I have written a letter voicing my dissatisfaction and sent it to the following address I found at the main web site.
Contact us
Shell headquarters
Carel van Bylandtlaan 16, 2596 HR The Hague, The Netherlands
Postal address:
PO box 162, 2501 AN The Hague, The Netherlands
Casper – Agree 100%. i found this site looking for her contact information. i have written a letter telling her that i find it hard to believe that customers actually asked for the rebate to change. our country is in a sad state if we can not calculate the simple math that you provided above. i was going to keep my card after the first letter announcing the change, however when Ms. Mohr sent her letter i had a change of heart. i was very disappointed.
I also received two letters from Shell/Citi Master Card. (Member since 2003 – saved ~$2000 since 2003).
The first letter informed us how the program was changed. The minimum purchase requirement we don’t meet as we use this primarily for gas and work from home. We pay in full each month, cause otherwise you may as well pay cash (5% discount, 10-20% interest equals 5-15% more expensive than cash).
Fine, so you do not want us as customers. ExxonMobil/City Master Card wants my business and offers 15c/gallon plus 2% on the first $10.000 in other purchases. I received my ExxonMobil cards and speedpasses in the mail this week. Happy to be their loyalty customer.
The letter from Elaine Mohr, U.S. Payment and Loyalty Manager also triggered me. It is written in such way that you feel the program got better. Until you do the math of course:
- Old program: $3.40 a gallon x .05 = $0.17 for every gallon.
- New program: 0.10 for every gallon, if you spend $500 each month
In September/October you can earn another $10 each month if you are sticking around. (Basically they withhold the discounts (under the former program) from all users and then offer it as a bonus to larger users – 2 times only).
I wanted to send Ms. Mohr a letter about my decision to become a former loyal Shell customer, but she conveniently forgot to provide her contact information. Silly her. How would she know how to act in response to customer demand. Silly me, for thinking she’d care.
I have had the Shell Citi Bank Master Card for several years due to the 5% rebate offered. Now I get a letter from Elaine Mohr, US Payment and Loyalty Manager for Shellil stating that while they appreciate my loyalty to Shell that they are changing the program and eliminating the 5% discount. The most upsetting of all is the comment in the last paragraph of her letter. “The new Rewards Program was created in response to the economy and consumer demand for cents-per-gallon fuel rewards.” Do they really think the entire American public is ignorant of the economy? Do they think we do not know Shell and other oil companies are recording record profits once again? Consumers do not want 5% back. Shell consumers want to get .05 cents back after spending $500 on the card. And they put further limits on that!!! Typical corporate greed at the consumer expense.
As to my card. I am not the customer Shell is looking for anyway. I drive an average of 40,000-50,000 miles a year. Purchase a lot of gasoline, primarily Shell due to the rebate, but I pay my bill in full every month. They nor CitiBank collect interest payments from me. It is apparent they do not want or need my business and I will do my best to shift my fuel purchases to other sources.
Yep, we are also canceling our card since they now require a $500 purchase. In addition, I’ve discovered that I have not been receiving my 5% rebate since 2011. Sometimes the rebate is .5%, sometimes 1%. Some screw-up on their part I’m sure, so I’m fighting it. Check your past bills!
I just got a letter that the Platinum 5% card now requires minimum $500 purchases each month in order to get $0.05 per gallon – not 5%. Goodbye Shell… After 25 loyal years…
I was just looking into the Drive for Five card today. There is an extra stipulation I found that might not have been there when you reviewed it. It says you have to purchase a minimum of 45 gallons in a given billing cycle to get the 5 cents/gallon discount. So, if you only get 44 one month, they don’t give you the $2.20 you earned. So, this card is for people that are burning through the gasoline. If you aren’t buying at least 12 gallons (to be on the safe side) every month, skip this card.
I have had a shell card since 2006. I have NEVER been late on a shell bill or any other bill!! I paid my balance in full most months!! Went to the station to get gas and my card had expired. I called to see about getting me a new card and they said I would not be issued one!! I asked why and they had no reason!!!! Well SHELL it’s your LOSS because I have a BP card and I will be getting my gas from BP!!!!
shell commercial account is no better in fact a lot worse . no discounts and all of the stations around ct charge you extra to use the shell card at a shell station. shell oil companies have no value to this consumer and why does citi cardown all of the charge cards anyway. seems like deceptive advertising when the solicit your business as shell then sell it to citicard. stay away from shell is my advice to everyone
Got the platinum Shell credit card, with the 5% discount. At the pump however (in New York City), they charge an extra five cents to use a credit card…which of course, includes their own Shell card. So you LOSE money using the card.
I called the card issuer, who suggested I call Shell. When I called Shell, they looked up the local station. Since it’s an independently owned station, they can have their own pricing/charging policies, out of the control of the parent company.
Took out the trusty scissors and cut my Shell card up. End of story.
I have had a shell card for over 20 years and just lately, while taking trips out to San Diego, CA. from San Antonio, TX., Shell has put a hold on my card for unauthorized use. Now some shell stations have mal-functioning card readers and you have to cancel and re-insert your card one or two times before it reads it properly. However, I want to know who gave Shell the authority to just assume I lost my card or that unauthorized people were using my card and put a hold on it. If shell has any doubts as to who is using MY card, they should contact ME and NOT ASSUME. I think I am a little too old to be contacting Shell Credit Card people to tell them I will be out of the state and will be using my card in New Mexico, Arizona and California every time I want to travel by car. Yes, it is pretty stupid isn’t it? They have just lost 2 people that will never use Shell gas again. Anyone know how to get ahold of a Shell Executive? I’d like to send him/her/them an e-mail or letter regarding this. I am so angry!
Shell/Texaco was first credit card out of college in 1987. I have excellent credit and missed no payments but they have hit me with a 24.99% interest rate! I spoke with three different levels at Shell/Citibank and they refused to lower the rate. I think the goverment should mpve on this company. Especially since Citibank has been bailed out. I will be filing a complaint!
I hear you George! After 4 years of faithful service, Shell cancelled my card also. I have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission because I have never had a late payment and always paid in full. Under the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, Shell has violated my right to privacy and Shell was simply on a ‘witch hunt’. Hope our government cares because Shell has no committment to their customers.
Becareful using your Shell gas card outside USA, filled up at a SHELL look a like in CANADA , Then was refused credit claiming it was a USA CARD ONLY !!!!!!!!!!! this was all true. THANKS SHELL GOOD THING THEY RECOGNIZED GREEN BACKS. PUT USA PURCHASES ONLY ON YOUR CARDS!!!!!!
Well after having a shell credit card for 23 years and never carring a balance on my card. Every month I have paid it off. Okay to be fair could have been late one or two time by a day or so they have dropped me due to credit report. Of course times are hard for everyone I am not the only one in trouble with loss of income but Shell is doing shitty business if the will close your account even though you have been loyal to them. I will never buy shell gas again and I would suggest think about it before you apply for a card!