Wawa Credit Card Review: Meager Rewards on Gas Past the First Month

Like most gas stations, Wawa offers its own credit card. But, like most gas station cards, it's hardly the best gas rewards card on the market. Once you get past the intro offer, the Wawa Credit Card has a low rewards rate that looks even worse as gas prices go up. And while you won't pay an annual fee, the interest fees can be huge. See all the details and learn if the card is worth considering in our full Wawa Credit Card review.

This credit card is a good fit for: Wawa regulars who have a big road trip on the near horizon.

Features and benefits

The perks are thin with this card, the most notable being its welcome offer. It does also offer regular rewards, however uninspiring they may be.

Short-lived greatness: Earn $0.50 a gallon for the first month

The main incentive I can see for getting a Wawa Credit Card is the welcome offer: Earn $0.50 per gallon of gas for the first month.

If you have a long commute, this could add up to some significant savings through regular driving. But I'd save it for right before a large move or road trip where you'll be filling an extra-large tank and/or covering a lot of mileage.

As an example of how much this could be worth, let's say you're moving from one state to another one about 1,000 miles away. Your moving truck gets a generous 10 miles per gallon (it's usually worse, FYI). If you fill the tank exclusively at Wawa stations along the way, you could get: 100 gallons x $0.50 per gallon = $50 in rewards.

It's worth noting that a typical welcome bonus on regular rewards cards is around $200. It may be worth looking into other options if you're after this card for the welcome offer.

LEARN MORE: Best sign-up bonus credit cards

Moderate longevity: Earn a $0.05 per gallon discount on regular Wawa gas purchases

Once your welcome offer runs out, your rewards rate drops down to a $0.05 per gallon discount. This can still add up to some savings if you go through enough gas. You'll essentially earn $5 for every 100 gallons you purchase with your card.

The Wawa Credit Card earns a sort of cash back rewards, though you have no control over how they're redeemed. What rebates you earn over the course of the month are automatically paid out as a statement credit on your card within one to two billing cycles.

(While any rewards are a perk for cardholders, these ones don't really stack up well to other cards. We'll explore that more below.)

The least it can do: No annual card fee

Given how little this card actually has to offer, an annual fee would be downright insulting. Thankfully, we don't have to deal with that, as the Wawa Credit Card has no annual card fee.

Perhaps the best part of the card having no annual fee is that you could potentially use the card for its welcome offer, pay it off in full, then put it in a sock drawer and never touch it again. With no fee, you don't have to worry that it's costing you money every year when you're not even using it.

LEARN MORE: Best no annual fee credit cards

Drawbacks to consider

Even for a store card, the Wawa Credit Card has a lot of drawbacks. Consider its poor rewards, high APR, and limited functionality.

Left in the dust: Rewards aren't competitive

If you were reading about the regular rewards and thinking, "Gee, a $0.05 per gallon discount doesn't sound like a lot…" Well, you're right. It isn't.

Let's work it out in percentages. Say gas is $3.50 a gallon. That $0.05 in rewards is just 1.4% back. If gas prices go up? You're getting even less. At $4 a gallon, you're only getting a 1.25% return.

Comparing this to other gas cards, it's easy to see how you can double, if not triple, you return. The best gas rewards cards offer 4% or more on gas purchases. Plus, you won't be limited to a specific gas station or brand. You can earn the same high rewards rate at any gas station that accepts the card network.

Even better, a lot of great gas rewards cards also have bonus rewards for other useful categories. You could double up with bonus rewards on dining or groceries, too.

LEARN MORE: Best gas and grocery rewards cards

Junk in the trunk: Watch out for the huge interest rate

This card has honestly one of the highest APRs I have ever seen, and I've been at this a long time. The 34.24% variable APR is higher even than that charge by most cards for people with bad credit.

You absolutely, positively never want to carry a balance on this card. It will be some of the most expensive credit card debt you can have.

If you're at all prone to carrying a balance, don't even apply for this card. Pick something with a lower interest rate. Or, even better, a card with an intro 0% APR offer so you won't pay any interest at all for a while.

LEARN MORE: Best 0% intro APR credit cards

A long road to nowhere: Closed-loop card can only be used at Wawa

Given the high interest rate, this might actually be a good thing. The Wawa Credit Card is a closed-loop card. This means it can't be used to make purchases anywhere except Wawa.

This is common with store cards, but it's definitely not convenient. If you need to gas up and aren't near a Wawa, you'll have to use a different credit card.

If you're unsure about whether your credit card is open- or closed-loop, look for a network logo. If it doesn't say Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express, it's probably a closed-loop credit card.

LEARN MORE: Credit card companies

We recommend you have a FICO® Score of 640 or higher when you apply for the Wawa Credit Card. That said, closed-loop cards like this one tend to be more flexible in their approval requirements. So, a lower score or more limited credit history may still get approved.

If you're working on building credit and don't want a secured card, the Wawa Credit Card offers at least a few gas rewards. You also have the convenience of paying at the pump. However, if you can qualify for a different credit card type, even a secured rewards card, you'll probably earn more elsewhere once the introductory offer expires. Our list of credit card reviews is full of options that will offer a much higher return on your gas purchases than the Wawa Credit Card.

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.