Today's Prices, Head-to-Head
| Fuel | ESSO 1437 stations |
SHELL 867 stations |
Difference | Saving on 60L fill | Cheaper today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unleaded (E10) | 151.4p 1430 stations |
154.0p 861 stations |
2.6p | £1.56 | ESSO |
| Super Unleaded (E5) | 169.7p 1330 stations |
176.2p 858 stations |
6.5p | £3.90 | ESSO |
| Diesel (B7) | 165.2p 1425 stations |
167.9p 862 stations |
2.7p | £1.62 | ESSO |
| Premium Diesel (SDV) | 184.8p 1123 stations |
190.6p 821 stations |
5.8p | £3.48 | ESSO |
Averages exclude stations with price-correction flags. A 60L fill is used as a representative tank size.
About each brand
Esso operates one of the UK's larger oil-major branded forecourt networks and is often the cheapest of the three oil-major brands on standard grades. The Esso brand is owned by ExxonMobil but most UK sites are dealer-operated: Rontec, EG On The Move and independent retailers run the majority of Esso-branded forecourts. Many Esso sites are co-branded with Tesco Express or Sainsbury's Local convenience stores, making them a common fill-up-and-shop stop in residential areas. Esso's premium grade is Synergy Supreme+, a 99-octane E5 super unleaded with ExxonMobil's branded detergent additive pack. Esso is a Nectar collection partner, giving 1 Nectar point per litre of fuel (with occasional multiplier promotions on premium grades).
Shell is one of the UK's largest oil-major fuel networks, with branded forecourts spread across supermarket-free towns, motorway service areas and dealer-operated sites. Shell forecourts are typically more expensive than supermarkets on standard grades, reflecting higher operating costs and the absence of a grocery loss-leader model. Shell's main selling point is its premium fuel range: V-Power 99 octane super unleaded and V-Power Diesel both carry a proprietary additive pack marketed as keeping fuel injectors clean over time. Shell Go+ Rewards is Shell's loyalty app: members earn 1 point per litre on regular Shell fuel, 2 points per litre on V-Power, and every 10 qualifying visits (£10+ on fuel or £2+ in-shop) unlock a fuel discount voucher.
Loyalty & Highlights
- Synergy Supreme+: 99-octane E5 super unleaded with ExxonMobil's detergent additives.
- Nectar: 1 point per litre of fuel at participating Esso stations.
- Nectar redemption: 300 points = 5p/L off (minimum 10L fill) at participating Esso stations.
- Co-branded with Tesco Express or Sainsbury's Local at many UK sites.
- V-Power: Shell's branded 99-octane super unleaded with proprietary cleaning additives.
- V-Power Diesel: additive-branded premium diesel (SDV) sold alongside standard B7.
- Shell Go+: 1 point/L regular Shell fuel, 2 points/L V-Power; every 10 visits unlocks a fuel discount voucher.
- V-Power bonus: extra £3 fuel reward for every 300 litres of V-Power purchased.
Cheapest forecourts right now
Top 3 sites for each brand, excluding stations with flagged prices.