Question 1

How often are fuel prices updated on PetrolFinder?

Accepted Answer

Fuel prices on PetrolFinder are updated every 5 minutes using official UK government data from the mandatory fuel price reporting scheme introduced under the Motor Fuel Price Regulations 2025. Under this law, all UK fuel retailers with 250 or more employees must report their pump prices within 30 minutes of any change. PetrolFinder syncs with the government's Fuel Finder API every 5 minutes, covering over 7,500 stations across England, Scotland, and Wales. This makes the data as close to real-time as publicly available fuel pricing gets in the UK. Stations that have not reported a price update in over 7 days are flagged as stale and demoted in search results, while stations inactive for 30 or more days are filtered out entirely. You can also track how prices change over time on the PetrolFinder trends page, which shows historical price data and charts for every fuel type.

Question 2

Where does PetrolFinder get its data?

Accepted Answer

PetrolFinder sources all fuel price data from the UK Government Fuel Finder scheme, established under The Motor Fuel Price Regulations 2025 and administered by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). All UK fuel retailers with 250 or more employees are legally required to report their pump prices to this open data scheme within 30 minutes of any change. The data covers six fuel types: unleaded petrol (E10), super unleaded (E5), diesel (B7), premium diesel, biodiesel (B10), and HVO renewable diesel. PetrolFinder is not affiliated with any fuel retailer — sort order is never influenced by commercial relationships and we do not accept advertising from fuel brands. The raw fuel price data is published under the UK Government's Open Government Licence (OGL v3.0). You can browse all major fuel brands operating in the UK on the PetrolFinder brands page.

Question 3

What fuel types does PetrolFinder track?

Accepted Answer

PetrolFinder tracks six fuel types available at UK forecourts: E10 unleaded petrol (the standard grade containing up to 10% ethanol, compatible with around 95% of petrol cars), E5 super unleaded petrol (higher octane with up to 5% ethanol, recommended for performance vehicles and cars built before 2011), B7 standard diesel (the UK's most common diesel containing up to 7% biodiesel), premium diesel (enhanced with cleaning additives that can improve engine efficiency and economy), biodiesel B10 (containing up to 10% biodiesel, an increasingly available greener option), and HVO renewable diesel (a fossil-free, drop-in diesel replacement made from renewable feedstocks such as waste cooking oil). You can filter search results by any of these fuel types to find the cheapest option for your vehicle, and compare average prices across fuel types on the PetrolFinder trends page.

Question 4

How do I find the cheapest fuel near me?

Accepted Answer

Enter your postcode, town, or city name in the search bar on the PetrolFinder homepage, or tap the GPS icon to use your current location. PetrolFinder will show you every petrol station within your chosen radius (5, 10, or 15 miles), sorted by price so the cheapest option always appears first. You can filter by fuel type (petrol, diesel, or all), view stations on an interactive map with colour-coded price markers, and compare prices across brands. On mobile, PetrolFinder provides a full-screen map experience for finding fuel on the go. Each station result shows the brand, address, distance, prices for all available fuel types, and when the price was last updated. You can also use the route planner to find the cheapest fuel along any UK journey, or browse over 200 city pages to compare prices in any area of the country.

Question 5

What is the difference between E10 and E5 petrol?

Accepted Answer

E10 petrol contains up to 10% ethanol and has been the standard unleaded fuel at most UK forecourts since September 2021, when the UK government mandated the switch from E5 to reduce carbon emissions. E5 (super unleaded) contains up to 5% ethanol and is still available at most stations, typically at a higher price — usually 8-15p more per litre than E10. E5 is slightly more energy-dense, meaning marginally better fuel economy (around 1-2% improvement), and is recommended for older or classic vehicles that may not be compatible with E10. Around 95% of petrol cars on UK roads are E10-compatible. You can check your vehicle's compatibility on the government's E10 checker at GOV.UK. Most modern drivers will save money by using E10. Compare live E10 and E5 prices side by side on the PetrolFinder trends page.

Question 6

Is PetrolFinder free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, PetrolFinder is completely free to use with no registration required. You can search and compare fuel prices at over 7,500 UK petrol stations, view price trends, use the route planner, and browse prices by city and brand — all without creating an account. Optionally, you can create a free account to access extra features like the fuel spending logbook (track fill-ups, mileage, cost per mile, and spending trends over time), saved favourite stations, and personalised price alerts. PetrolFinder does not take advertising from fuel brands, and station sort order is never influenced by commercial relationships. The cheapest station always appears first. The site is funded independently and all fuel price data comes from mandatory UK government reporting, not from the fuel retailers themselves.

Question 7

How many petrol stations does PetrolFinder cover?

Accepted Answer

PetrolFinder covers over 7,500 petrol stations across England, Scotland, and Wales, making it one of the most comprehensive UK fuel price comparison tools available. This includes all major fuel brands (Shell, BP, Esso, Texaco, Gulf, Jet, and more), supermarket forecourts (Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Costco), and independent retailers participating in the CMA mandatory reporting scheme under the Motor Fuel Price Regulations 2025. Coverage extends across over 200 UK cities from London, Manchester, and Birmingham to smaller towns and rural areas. You can browse all stations by city, by brand, or on the interactive price heatmap to visualise where the cheapest fuel is across the entire country. New stations are added automatically as they begin reporting to the government scheme.

Question 8

Why are fuel prices different at different stations?

Accepted Answer

Fuel prices vary between stations due to several factors: local competition (areas with more stations tend to have lower prices due to competitive pressure), geographic location (rural and remote stations often charge more due to higher distribution costs), wholesale supply costs (which vary by proximity to fuel distribution terminals), brand premiums (Shell and BP typically cost more than supermarket forecourts like Tesco and Asda), and whether the station is on a motorway. Motorway service stations typically charge 15-25p per litre more than local forecourts due to captive demand and higher operating costs. Supermarkets like Asda and Tesco consistently offer some of the lowest prices because they use fuel as a competitive tool to attract shoppers. Use PetrolFinder's city comparison pages to see exactly how prices differ across the UK, and the brand comparison page to see which retailer is cheapest on average.

Question 9

Are supermarket fuel prices cheaper?

Accepted Answer

Generally, yes. Supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, and Morrisons tend to offer cheaper fuel than branded stations such as Shell, BP, and Esso. Supermarkets use fuel pricing as a competitive tool to attract customers to their stores, so prices are often 3-8p per litre lower than the branded average. Among supermarkets, Asda has historically been one of the cheapest, setting national maximum prices rather than varying by location. Costco also offers very competitive fuel prices, though membership is required. The price gap between supermarkets and branded stations can vary by region — in some areas the difference is as little as 2p per litre, while in others it can exceed 10p. You can compare exact brand-by-brand average prices on the PetrolFinder brands page, which tracks live data across every major UK fuel retailer in real time.

Question 10

How accurate are the prices on PetrolFinder?

Accepted Answer

Very accurate. All prices on PetrolFinder come from mandatory government reporting under The Motor Fuel Price Regulations 2025, administered by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Retailers are legally required to submit their pump prices within 30 minutes of any change, and PetrolFinder syncs with the government's Fuel Finder API every 5 minutes. Stations that have not reported a price update in over 7 days are flagged as stale and demoted in search results, while stations inactive for 30 or more days are filtered out entirely so you only see reliable, actionable data. Prices shown are in pence per litre and reflect the retailer's reported pump price. Actual prices at the pump may occasionally differ slightly due to rounding or very recent changes not yet reported. Overall, PetrolFinder is one of the most reliable and transparent sources for UK fuel prices available to consumers.

Question 11

Can I track my fuel spending?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Create a free PetrolFinder account to access the Garage and Logbook feature. You can add your vehicles with their fuel type and tank size, then log each fill-up with the price per litre, litres purchased, total cost, and odometer reading. The logbook automatically calculates your fuel economy (MPG and litres per 100km), average cost per mile, and monthly spending trends over time. You can see at a glance whether your fuel costs are rising or falling, and compare the real-world impact of switching stations, fuel types, or driving habits. The logbook also tracks which stations you fill up at most often and what you typically pay. It is a practical way to monitor your actual driving costs and see whether the savings from using PetrolFinder add up over weeks and months.

Question 12

What is the national average fuel price?

Accepted Answer

The national average fuel price changes daily based on wholesale costs, crude oil prices, exchange rates, fuel duty (currently 52.95p per litre), and VAT at 20%. PetrolFinder calculates live national averages from all reporting stations and displays them on the homepage, updated every 5 minutes. The trends page shows historical price data and interactive charts so you can track how prices have moved over time for each fuel type. You can also compare how your local area stacks up against the national average on any city page — PetrolFinder shows whether your city is above or below the UK-wide figure, and by how much. For journalists and researchers, the PetrolFinder press page provides copy-ready national and regional price data, brand rankings, and segment analysis (supermarket vs branded vs motorway) that is updated in real time.

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