What Smartfuel does

Smartfuel Technologies, S.L. is a Barcelona-based mobile payment platform for fuel retail, operating as a subsidiary of Grupo Alvic since 2020. The company offers a free consumer mobile app (iOS and Android) that uses Bluetooth-based automatic pump detection and geolocation to enable drivers to locate nearby participating multi-brand gas stations across the Iberian Peninsula, select fuel type and amount, and pay for refueling directly from their smartphone without leaving the vehicle. The app also supports real-time fuel price comparison, multi-vehicle configuration, digital receipt storage, expense tracking, and consolidation of third-party loyalty cards into a single digital wallet.

The company's product portfolio includes the core Smartfuel App, the SmartClub virtual loyalty and discount program (offering 0.5 to 2 cents per liter off fuel at network stations), the Red Smartfuel station network, and a B2B solution for gas station operators packaged in three tiers (Basic, Plus, Premium) that adds push notifications, customer database handover, branded app customization, and radio exclusivity within a defined radius. The technology stack is fundamentally IoT- and fintech-driven — Bluetooth proximity detection, GPS geolocation, and mobile payment processing — rather than AI/ML-based.

Smartfuel generates revenue via two streams: transaction fees on fuel payments processed through the app (stations receive a single consolidated invoice from Smartfuel, which retains a take rate), and recurring station subscription fees for the Basic/Plus/Premium integration packs. Its customer base spans individual drivers (primary consumer segment, with claimed 95% repeat usage) and a fragmented base of SMB gas station operators in Spain. Distribution is product-led for consumers (app store listings) and direct-sales for station partnerships, supported by content marketing, social media, influencer campaigns, and industry trade-show participation.

Name

Smartfuel

Legal name

Smartfuel Technologies, S.L.

Website

https://smartfuel.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smartfuel is a Barcelona-based mobile payment platform for fuel retail, offering a Bluetooth-enabled consumer app that lets drivers locate, compare, and pay for fuel at 100+ partner stations across the Iberian Peninsula, complemented by a subscription-based station integration B2B solution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Transaction fee on fuel payments: Smartfuel charges gas stations a transaction fee when customers pay for fuel through the Smartfuel app. The station receives a single consolidated invoice from Smartfuel, streamlining billing and reducing administrative overhead. The driver pays via the app and Smartfuel settles with the station, retaining a take rate.
2. SmartClub loyalty program subscriptions: SmartClub is a virtual loyalty card and discount program offering 0.5 to 2 cents per liter discount on all fuel purchases through the network. Users receive always-unified discounts at all participating stations, with special conditions available for business fleets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smartfuel is a mobile payment platform that allows drivers to locate nearby gas stations, compare fuel prices, and pay for refueling directly from a smartphone without leaving the vehicle, using Bluetooth-based automatic pump detection. The company also provides a B2B solution for gas station operators (Basic, Plus, Premium tiers) with push notifications, customer database handover, and branded app customization, plus a SmartClub loyalty and discount program.

Product overview

Smartfuel is a mobile payment platform for fuel that consists of a consumer-facing app and a B2B solution for gas stations. The core Smartfuel App enables drivers to locate the nearest fuel stations, compare prices in real-time, and pay for refueling with a single click using Bluetooth pump detection. The SmartClub loyalty module provides 0.5-2 cents per liter discounts at the Red Smartfuel station network. For gas stations, Smartfuel offers a three-tier B2B solution (Basic, Plus, Premium) with customization, push notifications, and transaction management capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smartfuel App Free mobile application enabling drivers to locate the nearest Red Smartfuel gas station, compare daily fuel prices, and pay for refueling directly from the smartphone with a single click without leaving the vehicle. Includes geolocation navigation, multi-vehicle/multi-user support, digital receipts, expense tracking, and accessibility for users with reduced mobility.
• Smartfuel para Gasolineras B2B solution for gas station operators delivered in three subscription tiers (Basic, Plus, Premium) that integrates the Smartfuel app with the station's management software. Includes customer engagement tools, push notifications, customer database handover, branded app customization, optional radio exclusivity, and a control panel for transaction monitoring with a single consolidated invoice from Smartfuel.
• SmartClub Virtual loyalty and discount program for drivers that provides a unified 0.5 to 2 cents per liter discount on all refuels at any participating Red Smartfuel station, with special fleet/business conditions available on request. Consolidates multiple fuel loyalty cards into a single digital wallet.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% user retention — 95% of users who try Smartfuel return to use it
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grupo AlviccoreOthers · 1 January 2020In 2020, Smartfuel became part of Grupo Alvic as part of its digital transformation project for fuel service stations (EESS). Grupo Alvic is a technology company with over 30 years of experience providing IT solutions for the energy sector, headquartered in Centelles, Barcelona, with more than 10 offices across Spain and operations in Mexico, Peru, Portugal, and Morocco.
• ADFO (Associació de Disminuits Físics d'Osona)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019Smartfuel entered a collaboration agreement with ADFO (Associació de Disminuits Físics d'Osona), an association for people with physical disabilities. The partnership aims to improve the app's accessibility features for users with reduced mobility, allowing them to refuel without leaving their vehicle.
• CaixaBankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2019Smartfuel participated as a special guest of CaixaBank and its virtual payments division, Comercia Addon Payments, at the 4YFN (4 Years From Now) technology startup event. The event focused on digital payments and innovation in financial services.
• Dani ClosminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2018Former Formula One driver and social media influencer Dani Clos partnered with Smartfuel for a summer campaign (active until end of September 2018) to promote the app to young, motor-enthusiast users. The partnership included a personalized welcome code (CLOS) offering branded app customization, and generated hundreds of new user acquisitions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• ParkMobile: ParkMobile is a leading mobile payment app for parking that has begun expanding into adjacent mobility payments, illustrating the same unattended-payment UX pattern Smartfuel applies to fuel.
• Setomatic Systems: Setomatic Systems provides payment and control hardware/software for car washes and fuel retail, partially overlapping with Smartfuel's unattended-pump payment functionality.

Direct peers

• WEX Inc. WEX operates one of the largest fleet and commercial fuel-card payment networks in the world, addressing the same fuel-payment workflow that Smartfuel serves, with a similar B2B2C model involving stations, drivers and transaction fees.
• PayRange: PayRange enables contactless mobile payment at unattended retail machines including fuel pumps, sharing Smartfuel's core proposition of removing cash/card at the forecourt.
• Comdata: Comdata is a major fuel-card and fleet-payment processor serving trucking and SMB fleets — a directly comparable B2B2C fuel-payment business model to Smartfuel's SmartClub fleet offering.
• Passport Labs: Passport builds mobile payment platforms for cities and merchants (parking, transit, and adjacent mobility), with the same unattended-payment mechanics and operator SaaS model as Smartfuel.
• PayByPhone: PayByPhone operates mobile payment apps for unattended transactions including fuel, parking and tolling — comparable to Smartfuel in its unattended-pump payment and geolocation-driven UX.
• P97 Networks: P97 Networks provides a mobile commerce and digital payments platform for fuel and convenience retailers, enabling in-app payments, loyalty and promotions at the pump — the closest functional analogue to Smartfuel's Red Smartfuel network.
• Stuzo: Stuzo provides loyalty and mobile engagement platforms for fuel and convenience retailers, directly mirroring Smartfuel's SmartClub and station-side B2B engagement features.
• GasBuddy (PDI Technologies): GasBuddy combines real-time fuel-price comparison with a fuel-payment and loyalty offering, directly competing with Smartfuel's price-comparison, payment and discount stack at the consumer level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/appsmartfuel
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8KwE22w131wjn43obkTcng
• Facebookfacebook.com/AppSmartFuel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smartfuel
• Instagraminstagram.com/smartfuelapp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smartfuel