Consumers worldwide are turning to technology to help mitigate soaring gas prices in search of rewards that soften the blow to their wallets.
According to Sensor Tower’s Store Intelligence Data Digest for the first quarter of the year, demand for the top gas-price-tracking and fuel-perk reward apps grew by more than 1,000% in early March throughout the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
The U.S. national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline on April 28 was $4.14, according to AAA. While prices are starting to trickle slowly downward, with the national average down 10 cents from the April 26 report, motorists are still seeing some of the highest prices in history. High rates on top of rising inflation have many searching for ways to save money.
Sensor Tower’s data shows GasBuddy had the second-highest download growth among travel apps in the United States in the first three months of the year, with 1.4 million more installs than at the end of last year. The app was second to Vrbo in the travel category. According to the study, GasBuddy’s jump was particularly impressive due to the number of contenders that also rose amid post-COVID travel. GasBuddy users have a fuel card that offers 25 cents in savings on each gallon of gas.
In the U.S., downloads for the top three gas price and reward apps, GasBuddy, Gas Guru, and Gas Prices Near You, reached a combined 840,000 installs between late February and mid-March, according to the data. Those apps in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom also saw significant increases in downloads.
The study shows that downloads increased for U.S. gas station apps, but not as rapidly as national price-tracking and rewards apps. Sensor Tower data reports the seven top gas station apps that offer rewards, including Speedway, BPme, Exxon Mobil Rewards, Shell, ValeroPay+, Chevron, and Sunoco, were downloaded 70% more in March than in January, which seems to coincide with the rate of the gas price increase. The U.S. Energy Information Administration supplied the gas price data used in the study. The company said that top apps are determined by raw growth, not percent growth.
Speedway partnered with several grocery stores to offer a range of 5 cents to up to 20 cents off every gallon of gas with rewards earned from the purchases at participating stores. Other top gas stations offer savings on each gallon of gas with a station reward card. Shell, for instance, offers 5-cent savings on every gallon of gas with their Gold Status card, which earns points through gas and convenience purchases.
Sensor Tower estimates consider global downloads on iPhone, iPad, and Google Play. The Q1 2022 Store Intelligence Data Digest data was collected from October 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022. The company said it does not include Apple apps and Google pre-installed apps in its findings.