In the wake of the U.S.-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the price of crude oil has risen sharply on the international market. Now, it’s starting to impact gasoline and diesel prices in the U.S., with increases at the pump of as much as 30% in some areas. Gas prices are dynamic, \changing based on the day and even based on city or state lines. For example, the national average price for gas, according to AAA, is $3.96 as of today, March 2026. But in Iowa, the average was $3.33, and in Illinois, it was $4.17.
If you’re heading out to fill up the tank, it might help to do a bit of research first, so you can save some money in the process. Using dedicated, community-sourced gas pricing tools, you can find the cheapest gas stations around your area, as well as cheaper options that are a short drive away. These apps can help.
Check GasBuddy to find low prices and earn free gas
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
GasBuddy (available for iOS and Android) is a popular, crowd-sourced app for reporting gas prices. The app has over 10 million downloads on the Play Store alone, and a massive community of users who update fuel prices on a near real-time basis. It also includes official pricing feeds for popular gas station operators like Costco. Community members who update prices receive points that can then be redeemed to pay for gas.
You can use your current location to find gas stations near you, or you can use the search bar or the map view to find cheaper gas stations in your city or in neighboring areas. GasBuddy will show you the cheapest options first (for regular fuel, though you can also filter for midrange and premium options). Each gas station has a ratings and an indicator showing how long ago the price was updated. Occasionally it’s a couple of hours, but frequently you’ll find gas prices that are just an hour or a couple of minutes old. The app also mentions which gas stations are cash only, and if they have other amenities like an ATM, convenience store, or loyalty discounts.
In the event gas shortages become an issue, GasBuddy also has a Tracker that which gas station has fuel and power, and if they’re running out of a particular kind of fuel. GasBuddy works best as an app because it has location and navigation features built-in. But if you just want to browse for cheap gas in your locality or your city, you can also simply use the Find Gas feature on their website.
Check Google Maps or Waze for prices along your route
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
Google Maps has a built-in gas price tool as well, but it’s not community supported and it doesn’t update as often as you might like (many listings show prices that are over 24 hours old). Still, it’s convenient because it’s built right into an app you probably already use.
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To find prices in your area, open Google Maps, and search for “Gas” to see a list of all nearby gas stations; on the map, you’ll also see their price for regular gas. If you want to see more gas stations nearby, zoom in or out, or move the map around and tap the “Search this area” button. You can also just search for “[Town name] gas” to get gas prices in the particular area.
Each gas station on the map will have a little label with the price on it. Choose a gas station for a detailed view and prices for midrange, premium, and diesel. The app will also tell you if the price was updated more than 24 hours ago.
Credit: Emily Long
If you don’t use Google Maps, you can also check out a similar, more detailed feature in Waze. Simply search for “gas station” in the search bar to view all prices near you. Unlike Google Maps, Waze uses crowd-sourced data for gas prices. Above each price, you’ll see when the data was last updated.
