Exxon Mobil Rewards+

Review by eFreeware

Filling up is one of those errands where the money goes out and nothing comes back. Loyalty programs are the usual answer, but a plastic card that lives in the glove box is easy to forget and easy to lose. Exxon Mobil Rewards+ takes that idea and moves it onto the phone, tying payment and points collection into the same action.

The app comes from ExxonMobil, the company behind the Exxon and Mobil station brands, and it is listed in the Maps & Navigation category on Google Play. It is free to download, carries no ads, and offers no in-app purchases, so nothing inside it is gated behind a second payment. It has been available since mid-2013 and still receives updates, which suggests the company treats it as a long-term part of its retail program rather than a short experiment.

Pay at the pump, then watch the points add up

The core of the app is paying for fuel without reaching for a wallet. You select the pump you are parked at and the grade of fuel you want, and the transaction runs through the app. The developer describes the whole thing as a secure, contactless way to settle up, and that framing makes sense: the payment details live in your account rather than in your hand at a card reader.

Points are the payoff. Eligible purchases earn rewards, and those points can later be put toward savings on future purchases. Fuel counts, and so do snacks, drinks and car washes, which means a quick stop for coffee is not wasted as far as the program is concerned. The developer promises new users up to $5 in points after their first purchase made through the app, a small but concrete nudge to try the payment flow once rather than just browsing station locations.

There is also a standing discount worth knowing about. Enrolling in Exxon Mobil Direct Debit+ through the app brings a saving of 10 cents per gallon every day, which is the kind of number that adds up over a year of regular fill-ups.

In-store payment, offers and the extras around them

Paying inside the store works differently. Instead of choosing a pump, you generate a QR code in the app and show it to the cashier, who scans it to complete the sale. That covers the case where you are buying something behind the counter rather than at the pump, and it keeps the same points-earning logic in play.

Around the payment tools sits a layer of program features. A station finder locates nearby Exxon and Mobil locations, which is the part that justifies the app's place in the Maps & Navigation category. A referral option hands out bonus points when someone you invite signs up and makes a qualifying purchase. Badges can be collected, and the developer says they unlock bonus rewards. Club cards let you score more points across multiple in-store purchases, and a My Offers area collects fuel and in-store deals chosen for you.

Payment methods are broad. Credit and debit cards are supported, along with Apple Pay, Click to Pay, the Exxon Mobil Smart Card+, Direct Debit, the BusinessPro card and WEX fleet cards. For anyone whose fuel spending runs through a company account, that last group matters more than the consumer-facing features.

What the app asks of you first

The setup path the developer lays out is short but firm: download the app, create an account, add a preferred payment method, then start earning on eligible purchases.

Two conditions are easy to miss. Apple Pay is not valid for in-store app payments, so the QR code route needs one of the other methods attached to your account. And offers are only available at participating locations, so the deals you see in the app depend on which station you pull into.

The Direct Debit+ rate and the Smart Card+ program are subject to credit approval and terms, and the advertised 10 cents per gallon sits inside that arrangement rather than being automatic for every user. The app itself costs nothing, but the program behind it is built around linking a payment method and using it.

How to get the most from a fill-up

The sensible approach is to decide before you arrive whether you are paying at the pump or inside. Pump payment means choosing the pump number and fuel grade in the app while you are still in the car. In-store payment means opening the QR code before you reach the register, since fumbling with a phone at the counter helps nobody.

If you are going to use the app regularly, it is worth enrolling in Direct Debit+ early so the per-gallon saving applies from your first fill rather than your tenth. Checking the offers section before a stop takes seconds and can change what you buy, and the referral option is best used when a friend is actually about to sign up rather than mentioned in passing.

The recent update added age-restricted offers that require age verification, along with performance improvements. If you see an offer that asks for verification, that is the app asking you to confirm eligibility before it can be used.

A rewards program for Exxon and Mobil regulars

Exxon Mobil Rewards+ is a straightforward proposition: pay through the app at Exxon and Mobil stations, collect points on what you buy, and put those points toward later savings. The extras, from badges to club cards to personalized offers, all hang off that central loop. If those are your usual stations, the app folds payment and rewards into one step instead of two.

The limits are equally clear. Someone who fills up wherever is convenient will find little here.

The wider picture is mixed but not discouraging. More than a million installs and a 3.6 average across tens of thousands of ratings suggest a program with a real user base and some friction along the way. For drivers who already treat Exxon or Mobil as their default stop, the app is a reasonable thing to set up once and keep.

What's new in version 6.6.0

Age restricted offers with age verification and performance improvements.