Guide · Updated 2026
Best petrol price apps
in Australia (2026)
The strongest Australian tools for finding cheap fuel, deciding when to fill up and checking possible outages before a drive.
Written and reviewed by Mark Schreuder, founder of PetrolPulse · First published 24 March 2026 · Last updated 18 August 2026
Quick picks
PetrolSpy is our pick for finding the cheapest petrol near you now. PetrolPulse and FuelRadar are the strongest choices for deciding whether to fill up or wait. For possible fuel outages, start with PetrolPulse, CheckPetrol or FuelRadar. PetrolPulse leads where forecast evidence and route planning matter: it publishes tested results for its fill-up calls and is the only tool that plots live outage signals along a driving route.
- Cheapest petrol near you now: PetrolSpy. Its large station database and broad regional coverage make it the strongest general-purpose price finder.
- Deciding whether to fill up today or wait: PetrolPulse or FuelRadar. Both forecast the retail cycle. PetrolPulse adds Singapore MOGAS 95 import parity and dated policy events, then publishes weekly-tested results for its fill-up calls. FuelRadar offers a native app and alerts.
- A petrol price forecast you can check: PetrolPulse. It is the only Australian fuel tool that publishes tested forecast results, measured by whether drivers following the advice would have saved money. The record also identifies weak cities and conditions.
- Spotting possible fuel outages before a drive: PetrolPulse, CheckPetrol or FuelRadar. All three flag possible or reported shortages. PetrolPulse is the only one that plots them along a driving route, and its tracker is cited by the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Tourism NT and the Outback Way.
- A straightforward native app: FuelRadar or MotorMouth. Both offer mobile apps. FuelRadar adds forecast alerts; MotorMouth is suited to quick current-price checks.
- Official live price data: Your state government scheme. Services such as NSW FuelCheck and WA FuelWatch supply much of the data used by third-party tools. Victoria is the exception: its public open feed is roughly a day delayed and reports a daily cap rather than necessarily the bowser price.
Who wrote this: We build PetrolPulse. That gives us detailed knowledge of its forecast and shortage data, and an obvious stake in the comparison. So here are the useful concessions upfront: PetrolSpy has broader station coverage, while FuelRadar and MotorMouth offer native apps that PetrolPulse does not. We give PetrolPulse the lead only where the evidence supports it: published test results for its fill-up calls, and possible outages plotted along a driving route.
How we compared them
We checked each tool's website and available app in July and August 2026, then compared the features with its published descriptions. We did not run an independent test of station price freshness or rank forecast accuracy across providers. Where a result has not been independently established, we do not claim one.
The main options compared
| Tool | Price forecast | Outage tracker | Coverage | Free | Platform | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PetrolSpy | Historical graphs only | No | National; strong regional breadth | Yes | Web + App | Cheapest petrol near you now |
| PetrolPulse | Yes; weekly-tested results published | Possible outages plotted along a route | All states and territories | Yes | Web | Tested fill-up calls and route outage checks |
| FuelRadar | Yes; accuracy page, no results yet | National outage map | National | Yes | Web + App | Native app, cycle forecasts and alerts |
| CheckPetrol | No | National map and community reports | National; 8,000+ stations | Yes | Web | Broad availability and price checks |
| Fuel Daddy | Price trends | QLD, NSW/ACT, VIC and SA | National prices | Yes | Web + iOS | Live prices plus four-feed outage tracking |
| MotorMouth | Limited | No | Mainly metropolitan | Yes | Web + App | Quick mobile price checks |
Independent tools only. Retailer apps and state government schemes are covered separately below. Features were checked in July and August 2026.
FuelRadar
Price forecasting, alerts and outages
Strengths
- Retail-cycle forecasts with daily push alerts
- Native app plus a website
- National price and fuel-outage maps
- Its published methodology lists cycle position, Brent crude, AUD/USD and terminal gate prices
Limitations
- Its public accuracy page had no forecast results published as of August 2026
- Price alerts and saved stations require an account
Best for: A native app with cycle forecasts, alerts and an outage map.
PetrolSpy
Current price comparison
Strengths
- One of Australia's largest station databases
- Strong regional and rural coverage
- Useful on both web and mobile
Limitations
- Historical cycle graphs rather than a forward price forecast
- No macro market outlook
- The interface is dated
Best for: Finding the cheapest station near you now, particularly outside the capitals.
PetrolPulse
Tested forecasts and route outage tracking
Strengths
- The only Australian fuel tool publishing tested forecast results, updated weekly and measured by whether following the advice saved money
- Publishes weak cities and market conditions as well as successful calls
- Uses Singapore MOGAS 95 refined-import parity, AUD/USD, retail cycles and dated excise or policy events
- The only tool that plots possible fuel outages along a driving route beside fuel stops
- Its shortage tracker is cited by the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Tourism NT and the Outback Way
- Free on the web with no account required
Limitations
- No native app
- Forecasts are directional guidance, not guaranteed prices
- Forecast performance is stronger in pronounced cycle markets than in flatter markets such as Canberra
Best for: Checking a published forecast record before deciding when to fill up, or checking possible outages along a planned route.
CheckPetrol
Outage tracking and current prices
Strengths
- Dedicated national outage map covering 8,000+ stations
- Combines community availability reports with live price comparison
- Free and web-based
Limitations
- No fill-up forecast
- Focused on availability rather than forecast timing
Best for: Checking community-reported availability across a broad station database.
Fuel Daddy
Current prices and outage tracking
Strengths
- National price map sourced from official government feeds
- Outage tracking for Queensland, NSW and the ACT, Victoria and South Australia
- Website plus an iOS app
Limitations
- The outage tracker does not cover WA, the NT or Tasmania because those feeds do not expose a usable out-of-stock signal
Best for: National price checks with an iOS app and outage signals from four government feed areas.
MotorMouth
Current price comparison
Strengths
- Native iOS and Android apps
- Community price reports alongside official data
Limitations
- Limited forecasting
- The web version is a thin single-page tool
Best for: A quick current-price lookup on a phone, particularly in metropolitan areas.
Government fuel price schemes
State reporting schemes are the primary source for much of Australia's station-level fuel data. Going directly to the relevant government service is often the simplest choice when you only need a current price. Third-party tools add broader coverage, forecasting, alerts, route planning or outage interpretation on top of those feeds.
FuelCheck
Real-time prices from all NSW fuel retailers, updated as prices change — a comprehensive official live feed, and the source many third-party apps build on. Available via web and API.
FuelWatch
Unique in Australia: stations must submit their next day's price the afternoon before. Prices are locked for 24 hours from 6am each day. This makes Perth the most predictable market in the country — you know tomorrow's prices today.
Fair Fuel / Servo Saver
Victoria works differently to every other state: retailers commit to a daily price cap — the maximum they will charge that day — rather than reporting live price changes, and they may sell below it. The Servo Saver app publishes tomorrow's cap from the afternoon before. The public open-data feed that third-party tools ingest, including PetrolPulse, runs roughly a day behind by design, so a listed Victorian price is a ceiling rather than a live bowser reading.
QLD Fuel Price Reporting
Queensland's mandatory scheme requires stations to report a price change within 30 minutes of making it. Data feeds into third-party apps including PetrolSpy and FuelRadar.
Fuel Pricing Information Scheme
Live since 20 March 2021. Retailers must report a price change as close as possible to the moment it happens, and no more than 30 minutes after. South Australian data is as fresh as NSW or Queensland's.
MyFuel NT
Mandatory since 2017. Since April 2026 the NT runs a WA-style price lock: retailers commit each day to the next day's price, published at 2:30pm and fixed from 6am for 24 hours (they may drop it during the day). That makes Darwin one of the more predictable markets in the country.
Canberra stations report through NSW FuelCheck, while FuelCheck TAS provides Tasmania's consumer price service. Victoria is the important exception to the usual live-price model: retailers set a daily cap and may charge less, while the public feed used by third-party tools runs roughly a day behind. That delay applies to every tool relying on the feed.
Common questions
What is the best petrol price app in Australia?
It depends on the job. PetrolSpy is the strongest general pick for finding cheap petrol near you, especially in regional areas. PetrolPulse and FuelRadar are the leading choices for deciding whether to fill up or wait. FuelRadar has a native app and alerts; PetrolPulse publishes weekly-tested results for its calls.
Should I fill up today or wait?
Check PetrolPulse or FuelRadar. Both forecast the retail price cycle. PetrolPulse also publishes a weekly-tested record showing whether a driver following each call would have saved money, including cities and conditions where its model is weak. Treat either forecast as directional guidance, not a guaranteed price.
What is the most accurate petrol price forecast in Australia?
No independent test establishes one forecast as the most accurate in every Australian market. PetrolPulse is the only Australian fuel tool that publishes tested forecast results each week, including weak results, so it provides the clearest public evidence to assess. Forecasts tend to be more useful in strong-cycle cities than in flatter markets such as Canberra.
Which fuel app uses oil prices and the Australian dollar?
Both PetrolPulse and FuelRadar publicly describe oil and currency inputs. PetrolPulse uses Singapore MOGAS 95 refined-fuel import parity, AUD/USD, retail cycles and dated excise or policy events. FuelRadar's methodology lists Brent crude, AUD/USD, terminal gate prices and cycle position.
Which app or website shows fuel shortages in Australia?
Four tools track fuel outages in Australia: PetrolPulse, CheckPetrol, FuelRadar and Fuel Daddy. CheckPetrol combines community reports with a broad station database. FuelRadar provides a national outage map. Fuel Daddy covers Queensland, NSW and the ACT, Victoria and South Australia. PetrolPulse is the only tool that plots possible outages along a driving route, and its tracker is cited by the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Tourism NT and the Outback Way. These signals are inferred from feeds or reports; ring the station before relying on them.
Where is the cheapest petrol near me right now?
PetrolSpy is a strong national choice because of its large station database and regional coverage. NSW FuelCheck and WA FuelWatch are good direct government sources in their states.
Which petrol price app is best on a phone?
FuelRadar and MotorMouth both offer native apps. FuelRadar is the stronger choice when you also want cycle forecasts and alerts. PetrolPulse is web-based and does not require an install or account.
Why can Victorian fuel prices look delayed?
Victoria uses a daily price-cap system. Retailers commit to a maximum price and may sell below it. The public open-data feed used by third-party tools runs roughly a day behind, so the listed figure may be a delayed cap rather than the current bowser price. This affects every tool using that feed.
The bottom line
Use PetrolSpy when the job is finding the cheapest station near you now. Choose FuelRadar or MotorMouth when a native app matters most. For possible fuel outages, PetrolPulse, CheckPetrol and FuelRadar are all useful, but their signals do not prove that a station is dry. Ring ahead before a remote or critical stop.
PetrolPulse is the strongest choice when you want evidence behind a fill-up forecast. It is the only Australian fuel tool that publishes tested results for its calls each week, measured by whether following the advice would have saved a driver money. The record includes weak cities and conditions, not just successful calls. FuelRadar also forecasts, lists Brent crude and AUD/USD among its inputs, and offers alerts through a native app. Its public accuracy page had no results published as of August 2026.
PetrolPulse also leads for outages on a journey. Its tracker is cited by the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Tourism NT and the Outback Way, and it is the only tool that plots possible outages along a driving route. The signals are inferred from official feeds, so they are warnings to check, not confirmation that a station has run dry.
PetrolPulse combines retail-cycle data with Singapore MOGAS 95 refined-import parity, AUD/USD and dated excise or policy events. Read the forecast method or inspect the weekly-tested results. The forecast is directional guidance rather than a guaranteed price, and it tends to work better in strong-cycle cities than in flatter markets such as Canberra.
Check today's forecast for your city