Downloads of fuel price comparison app PetrolPrices have surged by nearly 500% as motorists search for the cheapest petrol station amidst soaring costs.
PetrolPrices was the 39th most downloaded app by Apple users on Monday, putting it ahead of of Deliveroo, Facebook and WhatsApp. Downloads were up by 500% for the last seven days compared with the week before the start of the Iran war, according to data from Similarweb shared with The Grocer.
The data shows 330,159 people used PetrolPrices across iOS and Android devices in the week to 15 March 2026, compared with 134,431 during the week to 1 March 2026. PetrolPrices said an additional 100,000 people were using its web app everyday to plan where to fill up their car.
The price of a litre of petrol has risen by 15.7p, or 11.8% to 148.6p, and diesel by 31.5p or 22.1% to 173.8p since 28 February according to RAC Fuel Watch [24 March 2026]. That means the average cost to fill up a 55-litre petrol car has climbed from £73.06 to £81.70.
Brent crude has rocketed to over $100 a barrel compared with $67 before the start of the latest conflict in the Middle East.
Forecourt prices vary wildly. With 43ppl between the cheapest and most expensive petrol fascias drivers at the most expensive forecourt could pay £23.65 more than those refuelling at the cheapest.
Daniel Reid, principal insights analyst, said: “This goes to show there’s a strong desire for consumers everywhere to save money. It’s become ingrained in people to look to make savings wherever they are. With technology making it easier to do so every industry faces increased price competition. That’s here to stay even if petrol prices come down.”
PetrolPrices uses data from the government’s Fuel Finder scheme, which went live on 2 February as well as other sources.
Several other fuel price comparison sites and apps have launched since 2 February, translating the government’s published data into consumer-friendly comparison sites and apps.
Clare Lafferty, sales director at PetrolPrices owner myAutomate said: “The recent surge in usage we’ve seen at PetrolPrices is primarily being driven by rising prices and ongoing pressure on household budgets. When prices are volatile, consumers naturally become more price-sensitive and actively seek out the best value. Media coverage highlighting tools like PetrolPrices, and the availability of Fuel Finder data within our app, will have contributed to increased awareness and usage. However, both historically and today, the biggest driver of spikes in engagement is price volatility itself. We saw a similar pattern at the start of the Ukraine war.”
Lafferty said that growing consumer awareness of forecourt pricing comparisons would drive competition. “As pricing data becomes more visible and accessible, forecourt operators will have a clearer view of how they are positioned relative to nearby competitors. That said, in the UK retailers have long had a good understanding in their local competitive landscape.”
She added: “Pricing behaviour is still influenced by a range of factors, including wholesale supply costs, location, operating costs, and the sites-customer mix. Transparency doesn’t remove those elements, but it does make pricing more visible to consumers, which could increase competitive pressure.”
Lafferty said she expected “a meaningful proportion” of new users would keep using the app.
“We observed a similar surge at the onset of the Ukraine war, and since then have not only retained those users but continued to grow our customer base. While price volatility is the primary driver of spikes in usage, it also plays a role in onboarding new users to the platform. During more stable pricing periods, usage naturally concentrates among our most engaged and price-conscious customers, who rely on the service consistently to find the best value,” she said.
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