I have not used this card myself, but AtoB has been coming up in conversations about building business credit for over a year now. People in my network are giving the card and the company rave reviews. So, I had to find out what was up for myself. Now that I know, I definitely want to share this offer with readers.
Here, learn everything you need to know about an AtoB business fuel card: overview, benefits, highlights, and application process (there’s even a bit of info about bonus offers from AtoB).
Here’s the breakdown:
- What is the AtoB Gas Card?
- AtoB Fuel Card Highlights (Beyond Savings & Ease)
- Here’s How to Apply for an AtoB Gas Card
- Answers to Related Questions
- Final Thoughts
Now, learn what this offer has in store.
What is the AtoB Gas Card?
AtoB offers a business “fleet card” for companies that would like to buy now and pay later for fuel and automotive services. In addition, the card offers bonuses like discounts up to 25 cents per gallon (determined by the underwriting team upon approval) on gas… and it’s free — zero fees.
Fleet cards aren’t just for business owners, but for anyone who drives for your company. So, you can request multiple cards and provide one for each driver.
The AtoB card is different from a typical credit card in that you don’t make minimum monthly payments. Instead, the terms are net 7 (you pay the card in full every week).
I heard that AtoB offers net 7 terms (true) — this means cardholders are expected to pay their balance in full every 7 days — and that these terms could be expanded to net 14. While there might have been an offer to extend payment terms in the past, this is not the case. As of today, according to an AtoB sales rep, the only available terms are net 7.
Finally, their offer is geared toward but is not limited to serving the trucking and logistics industry, which is natural since trucking and logistics companies have the largest fleets.
Where is AtoB Located?
Celegans Labs, Inc., the name of AtoB’s parent company, is located in San Francisco, California, at Four Embarcadero Centre, Suite 1400. Their company actually does business from Carr Workplaces, a co-working space off Mission Street — a building about 8 blocks from Oracle Park (makes me wonder if they’re Giants fans).
Who Owns AtoB Fuel Card?
AtoB was founded in 2019 (not very long ago!) by Harshita Arora, Tushar Misra, and Vignan Velivela. Collectively, they seem to be a brilliant tech team.
Harshita Arora is a backend software engineer who previously founded Harshita apps, the company that built Crypto Price Tracker, which was acquired a few years back.
Before AtoB, Tushar Misra attempted to build a decentralized charging station network for lighter-than-car vehicles as the CEO and Founder of Grido. In the course of fewer than 18 months, the company scaled to five cities in the US and Mexico before it looks like they closed the shop.
Vignan Velivela, AtoB’s current CEO, is a Carnegie Mellon graduate. And, before this venture, he worked full-time as a software engineer at Cruise (he created motion-planning software for self-driving cars).
AtoB Fuel Card Highlights (Beyond Savings & Ease)
In addition to the savings (up to 25 cents per gallon) on fuel and the ease of making one fuel payment for multiple drivers, AtoB has some pretty impressive features and benefits. Take a look:
1. It’s Completely Free… Really
The key benefit of an AtoB card is that it is free for qualified businesses. Most business gas cards charge monthly fees and interest. Not to mention, AtoB’s maximum savings are at least double that of any card I’ve ever heard of.
If it’s Free, How Does the AtoB Fuel Card Make Money?
Most fleet cards earn money with merchant rebates — essentially asking the merchant for a rebate each time a driver pays for fuel with their card. In AtoB’s case, where they offer up to 5% savings, rebates would have to be loftier than that. And, traditionally, merchant rebates range between 1-4%.
According to a Buzzfile report on the company, AtoB generated just above a quarter million dollars in 2019 (this isn’t much for a company that now has at least 158 employees).
Someone told me that they believed AtoB had halted operations because of changing market conditions. As of today, September 2022, this rumor is false, and AtoB is still in operation — the business is very much alive and well. Any sluggish business in recent months could have had something to do with the funding round that just took place.
After some digging, I found that AtoB has received a total of $257 million from 5 funding rounds since August 2020. Most recently, they announced another $75 million raised on August 16, 2022. And, with the founders’ tech background, I would wager that the majority of future profits will come from their software offer.
Furthermore, AtoB has additional offers that generate revenue.
Extra Offers From AtoB
Complementary to the zero-fee gas card offer, which certainly stands out, AtoB has other offers within its platform.
- AtoB Plus – Paid, subscription-based offers for added benefits.
- AtoB Wallet – Stripe-powered digital wallet.
- AtoB Payroll – In-app W2 and 1099 payroll platform.
- AtoB Factor – Invoice factoring for outstanding earnings (partner offer).
If any of these interest you, I encourage you to look into them — for non-cardholders, see AtoB’s terms & conditions to learn more.
2. Get On-Time Payments Reported to Experian Business
Anyone building business credit will want to check out AtoB’s full offer when they find out that they report on-time payments to Experian Business every 30 days.
Several fuel cards do this — In fact, there are at least a dozen or so business gas cards that report on-time payments to credit bureaus (but, you don’t see me sharing full reviews about all of them, do you?).
3. It’s Universal: Use Your Card Anywhere Visa is Accepted
Many, if not most business gas cards are limited to specific, in-network gas stations. AtoB has eliminated that headache and can be used at any station that accepts Visa.
Full disclosure: AtoB is not the only fuel card that does this. For instance, Comdata has a Mastercard, and Wex has some universal options — they have at least 30 small business gas card offers with various terms.
4. See the Best Nearby Stations to Buy Fuel
After 90 days of account and card activation, cardholders can access the AtoB app. You’ll have to reach out to support to activate this perk after you’ve been using your card(s) for a few months.
With the AtoB Driver mobile app, anyone can find the best in-network fuel savings in their area, even when they’re on the go — And, the in-app directory includes the fuel grade at each location, to make thoroughly-informed decisions.
5. Use Your Card to Pay Insurance, Maintenance, Tolls, & More
Most fuel fleet cards offer variable savings on fuel for every gallon purchased. AtoB offers more savings. In addition, they offer business owners the option to opt-in to use your cards on other purchases
So, if you choose, you’ll be able to unlock the ability to use your card(s) to pay auto insurance, vehicle maintenance, bridge & interstate tolls, and other business costs.
6. Control Spending to Prevent Card Misuse
According to a US fraud report from Shell, 86% of Fleet managers think that drivers’ card misuse results in 30 cents per gallon or 10% in added costs. And, AtoB has used this statistic to power their strategy, add security features to their offer, and to provide a savings prediction for businesses.
So, you’ll not only save via instant discounts but also prevent card misuse for up to 10% savings on gas costs.
Here’s How to Apply for an AtoB Gas Card
If you’re ready to apply, head over to AtoB.com, and click Get Started.
The application asks for basic contact info, company info, financial information, and your business location. You’ll have to be a legitimate business owner with an EIN to complete the online form. You’ll also need to share your weekly fuel spend and the number of vehicles you have, along with how many cards you need. And, you’ll need to upload a copy of your driver’s license.
You can either link your business bank account or upload your three most recent business checking account statements. If you try to use a personal checking account, you won’t be able to proceed.
Before you submit, you’ll have a chance to review the application info you entered. Once your email is confirmed, AtoB will review your information and get back to you within 5-7 business days (that is, according to the website — the sales rep I spoke with said it could take up to 14 days for a decision).
While they state in their terms & conditions that they reserve the right to pull consumer credit, AtoB does not ask for a social security number during the application process.
The Secured Card Option From AtoB
Business owners with lower, provable business income may qualify for a secured card (you put money into your account, and refill your fund balance as you go). While secured cards aren’t typically recommended — traditional secured card fees are just too high — this one is free and comes with most of the benefits AtoB offers.
So, if you are unsure about your ability to qualify for a tradeline, this might still be an offer worth looking into. You be the judge.
Answers to Related Questions
Will a gas card help build credit?
Many fuel cards report payment activity to credit bureaus, which can help build out the cardholder’s credit profile and, in turn, build credit. Fleet cards (business gas cards) often report on-time payments to D&B, Experian Business, and/or Equifax Business. So, yes, responsible payments made toward a balance on a gas card can help build credit.
Is there a “universal gas card?”
Universal gas cards aren’t limited to in-network fuel purchases. There are universal cards. AtoB, for example, can be used anywhere Visa is accepted. And, companies like Comdata and Wex have universal options.
Is fuel cheaper with a fuel card?
When used at discount locations, which vary from card to card, fuel cards enable the cardholder to save on the price per gallon of gas. AtoB offers savings of up to 25 cents per gallon at select locations and up to 5 cents per gallon universally. Some fuel cards offer “cash price” or better at select stations.
What fuel card can be used anywhere?
Several fuel cards can be used anywhere. Any card with a Visa or Mastercard logo can be used wherever these types of payments are accepted. AtoB is a universal Visa card, Comdata offers a Mastercard, and Wex has a handful of universal card options.
What business gas card is easiest to get?
Any secured business gas card is easy to get because you can fund the account with your own cash (and still take advantage of card benefits). Some secured cards come with high fees. AtoB, however, offers a free, secured business gas card to those who might not qualify for net 7 terms at the gate. Over time, most secured cards can be upgraded to more traditional credit terms.
How do I apply for a gas card?
To apply for a gas card, 99% of the time, you can visit the website of the card you want and apply online. There may be some cases where you must file a paper application. Review a business credit application template to see what you might expect.
Final Thoughts
In addition to the features and benefits already listed above, I love that AtoB, as a company, is so transparent — they’re not trying to hide anything (as far as I can tell), and their offer stands out from every competitor that I know of.
If you’re in the market for a fleet card, I recommend you do more research on AtoB, and consider their offer. It seems to be a hit! Before you do, take a look at our list of gas cards that report to business credit bureaus.
Would you like to learn how to obtain up to $100K in business credit in as few as 30 days? Join Business Credit Workshop today.
