Moving a petrol station from registers and spreadsheets to software is one of the best investments an owner can make, but only if the software fits how stations actually work. Use this checklist to compare options, whichever one you choose. Not sure you need software yet? See our comparison of paper, Excel and FuelBotics.
1. Daily readings that staff will actually use
- Can attendants enter opening and closing readings for every nozzle quickly, ideally in one screen?
- Does it work on the devices you already have: phone, tablet or PC?
- Does it handle test litres, shifts and price changes during the day?
- Does it stop obvious mistakes, like a closing reading lower than the opening one?
If entering readings is slow or confusing, staff will go back to paper, and the software becomes an expensive duplicate.
2. Stock reconciliation, not just stock levels
Knowing what's in the tank isn't enough. The software should compare book stock (opening stock + deliveries − sales) with your tank dips and show the gain or loss for each tank. Ask:
- Does it calculate the gain or loss between every dip, in litres and in value?
- Can you see the running total over weeks and months, not just one day?
- Does it alert you when a gap crosses a threshold you set?
If you're not sure why this matters, see how to calculate fuel stock loss.
3. Real margin and profit
- Does it work out margin per litre using weighted average cost, or just today's prices?
- Can it show the effect of selling price changes on stock already in the tank?
- Does it produce a monthly profit and loss with opening and closing stock values?
4. The rest of the business
Fuel is the core, but a station also runs on lubricants, expenses, staff and credit customers. Check whether the software covers:
- Lubricant and oil pack stock and sales
- Supplier invoices and deliveries
- Expenses and cash flow
- Employees, attendance and payroll
- Customer credit accounts and statements
5. Several stations, one view
If you run more than one site, or plan to, check that you can see every station side by side, switch between them easily, and get consolidated reports without exporting and merging spreadsheets.
6. Control and accountability
- Role-based permissions: attendants, managers and owners should each see only what they need.
- Audit trail: every change to a reading or record should show who made it and when.
- Secure access: encrypted connections and properly separated data for each business.
7. Setup, pricing and support
- Hardware: does it need special equipment, or does it run in a browser? If you want integration with pumps or automatic tank gauges, ask specifically what's supported.
- Pricing: is it clear what you'll pay as you add nozzles, users or stations? Are features locked behind higher tiers?
- Trial: can you try it with your own station's data before committing?
- Onboarding: will someone help you set up tanks, nozzles, products and staff?
- Support: how do you reach a person when something goes wrong, and how quickly do they respond?
- Exports: can you get your data out to Excel or PDF for your accountant?
Ask for a demo using a station like yours. A good vendor will show you your own products, tanks and nozzle count, not a generic slideshow.
Red flags
- Readings entry that takes longer than your current paper process.
- Stock reports that show levels but never compare them with dips.
- Long contracts with no trial period.
- No clear answer on who owns your data and how you can export it.
Where FuelBotics fits
We built FuelBotics around this checklist. It runs in any browser with no hardware to install. It covers meter readings, tank dips with stock loss and gain, margin at weighted average cost, expenses, staff and payroll, customer accounts and monthly profit and loss, across one station or many. Every plan includes every feature, you choose based on nozzles and users, and every account starts with a 14-day free trial.
