Want to fill up with cleaner-burning fuel? This guide helps you find Top Tier gas stations near you, shows the full list of Top Tier brands, explains what the standard actually means, and points out which familiar names do not make the cut. Use the map to spot nearby stations, then match the brand against the lists below before you pull in.
Gas stations near you, tap a pin for the brand, hours, and directions, then check it against the Top Tier list below.
What Is Top Tier Gas?
Top Tier is a fuel-quality standard created by a group of major automakers, among them BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz, who wanted gasoline cleaner than the federal minimum. To carry the TOP TIER mark, a brand has to add a higher dose of detergent additive to every grade it sells, at every station. Those detergents keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean, which protects power and fuel economy over the long run. A widely cited AAA study found that non-Top Tier gas left roughly 19 times more carbon deposits on engine parts than Top Tier fuel after the equivalent of 4,000 miles. The cost difference is small, usually only around 3 cents more per gallon. You can confirm any brand on the official Top Tier program site.
Top Tier Gas Brands: The Full List
Many of the most common stations sell Top Tier fuel, so if the one near you is on this list, you are getting the higher-detergent gasoline:
- Shell – V-Power and its regular grades
- Chevron and Texaco – with the Techron additive
- Exxon and Mobil – Synergy fuel
- BP and Amoco – Invigorate
- Costco – Top Tier at a members-only price
- Valero
- 76 – PROclean, the West Coast Phillips 66 brand
- Phillips 66 – PROclean, Midwest and Mountain West
- Conoco – PROclean, high detergent, Midwest and Southwest
- Sunoco – UltraTech
- Citgo – TriCLEAN
- ARCO – Top Tier at a low price
- Marathon – Top Tier across the Midwest and East
- QuikTrip – Top Tier and usually cheap
- Kwik Trip and Kwik Star – Top Tier, Upper Midwest
- Holiday – Top Tier, northern states and Upper Midwest
- Meijer – Top Tier at the Midwest supercenter pumps
- GetGo – Top Tier across all stores, Pennsylvania and Ohio
- Sinclair – DINOCARE Top Tier, Western and Plains states
- Cenex – Top Tier at the farmer-owned co-op pumps, Upper Midwest
The official Top Tier program list is always the final word, since brands do join and leave over time.
Common Brands That Are Not Top Tier
Some popular chains are not on the Top Tier list. Their fuel still meets every federal and state standard and is safe for any vehicle; it simply carries the EPA-minimum detergent level instead of the higher Top Tier dose:
- Circle K – was Top Tier until around 2019
- Speedway
- Wawa
- Sheetz
- Casey’s
- Sam’s Club – unlike Costco, which is Top Tier
- BJ’s – the third warehouse club; only Costco is Top Tier
- Maverik – the Western chain absorbing Kum & Go
- Cumberland Farms – the New England chain with SmartPay
Buc-ee’s is a special case: it says its gasoline meets Top Tier standards, but it is not listed as a licensed brand.
Is Top Tier Gas Worth It?
For most drivers, yes, especially when the price is close. Paying about 3 cents more per gallon for fuel that keeps your engine cleaner is an easy trade, and several automakers now recommend Top Tier gas right in the owner’s manual. If the only Top Tier pump near you is far pricier, a non-Top Tier fill-up will not damage your car, and you can run a bottle of detergent fuel-system cleaner now and then to close the gap. Bargain hunters will like that ARCO, QuikTrip, and warehouse clubs such as Costco manage to be both Top Tier and cheap. Our guide to the cheapest gas near you has more.
Top Tier vs Premium Gas: Not the Same Thing
This mix-up is common. Premium describes octane, usually 91 to 93, while Top Tier describes the detergent additive package. The two are unrelated: a regular 87-octane fuel can be Top Tier, and a premium 93-octane fuel can lack the certification. Use the octane your owner’s manual specifies, and pick a Top Tier brand when you can, because a Top Tier brand puts the extra detergent in regular, mid-grade, and premium alike, not only the expensive stuff.
Top Tier Gas FAQ
How do I find Top Tier gas stations near me?
Use the map above to see the stations and brands around you, then match the brand to the Top Tier list on this page. You can also confirm any brand on the official Top Tier program site.
Is Top Tier gas really better?
Independent testing, including a well-known AAA study, found Top Tier fuel left far fewer engine deposits than non-Top Tier gas. The cleaning benefit is real and costs only a few cents more per gallon.
Is premium gas the same as Top Tier?
No. Premium is about octane; Top Tier is about detergent additives. A Top Tier brand adds the extra detergent to every grade, not just premium.
Is Costco gas Top Tier?
Yes. Costco sells Top Tier fuel at a low members-only price. Sam’s Club, by contrast, is not Top Tier.
Which cheap gas is Top Tier?
ARCO, QuikTrip, and Costco are all known for Top Tier fuel at lower-than-average prices.
Last updated: July 2026